Chapter 18
Knowing the future was a burden. He knew Madara's name before ever meeting him. He knew of the Nine Tailed Beasts, of the eventual formation of the villages, of the countless wars to come. He saw the childish rivalry between Hashirama and the boy from the river—Madara—and felt a deep, chilling dread. This friendship was the linchpin of history.
He also knew his own historical fate: Senju Itama died young, killed in the wars. Was that destiny fixed? His very existence was an anomaly. Every action he took risked creating a paradox that could unravel the future he knew. He decided his role was not to change the major historical beats, but to fortify them, to ensure the village was born stronger, more united, and more resilient.