Chapter 302: Chapter 77:
Support me on my Patre@n at patreon.com/JoshRichie2 for Vol 3... 100+ Chapters ahead. It's just $5. Also, I just began Volume 4. Which is Naruto Arc. I'm a couple chapters, I'll be finishing this FF. Stay tuned.
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Title:
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On the way out of the village, Mito asked Mikoto. "Is there something wrong with you?"
"Hmm?" Mikoto looked confused at the question.
"Your chakra, it's a little below what I'm aware of." Mito said
"Oh, that? It's nothing serious. I'm just injured is all."
"Does injury affect chakra levels?" Tobirama asked in curiosity, only to receive a glare from her.
"It matters not, and chakra level is just that, it doesn't mean much anyways. Anyone with better skills can beat up someone with higher chakra levels." Mikoto said.
"I know but still, for your chakra to reduce like so, isn't that detrimental to you? Won't your domain be affected?" Mito asked worriedly
"Worry not, lady Mito, ones domain is formed by both chakra and will, as far as it has been created, it can never truly be lost." Kageno explained to calm the Uzumaki.
"Exactly as he said." Mikoto smiled at Kageno who smiled back at her.
"I see." Mito said and kept her silence for a while.
"But Kuchiki-dono is strong." She said again.
"Of course he is, it wouldn't be an understatement to call him the strongest Man in the world right now." Kazuma said with concealed pride.
"Humph." Tobirama snorted quietly but didn't say anything.
"You got a problem with that, Senju?" Kazuma asked in annoyance.
"Mah. Mah. Don't mind my brother too much, that's just how he is." Hashirama said to calm them down.
Tobirama who wanted to retort kept silent as his brother has spoken, Kazuma too kept his peace as not to cause any unwanted disturbances.
There was a moment of silence between the party as they ran towards the location the Senju chakra was coming from.
"Mito-chan, I guess this will be good bye, huh?" Mikoto said forlornly.
"I guess it would. Take care of yourself, okay?" Mito said to which Mikoto scoffed. "You're aware of who you're talking to right?"
"Hihihi, just wanted to make sure is all." Mito giggled.
As the two talked, Hashirama and Kageno were also having their own little discussion. "You know, war isn't always a bad, neither is conflicts."
"You've said this before, but I don't feel like I will be able to accept that. We've been fighting ever since I could remember and it has brought nothing but misery everytime, whether we win or lose, it's always the same." Hashirama shook is head and said.
"That's not what I'm talking about idiot. You forget the good things war bring to us. War isn't all about killing your enemies. No. War can very well include the inner dilemma you face when you're tasked with killing someone. One part wants you to kill as it's necessary, the other wants you not to, as you deem it... Barbaric."
"Lemme ask you... If you're about to kill someone and he pleads to you to spare him, that he has a family to take care of, what will you do?" Kageno asked. Hashirama opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.
"You've never thought of that right? For all you know, everyone who steps into the battlefield is prepared to die."
"Aren't they?" Hashirama asked.
"Of course they are... Which is why you have no hesitation in killing your enemies when it's time to strike, even if there is, all you can think about is to protect your clansmen."
"Is that wrong?" Hashirama asked.
"In order to protect, you have to be strong enough to fight against those who want to do you and the people you care about harm. With that strength, you're compelled to kill, are you not?"
Hashirama nodded and Kageno continued. "The fact that you want to protect means you love those people, but what do you think will happen when those loved ones die, and worst of all, die at the hands of another who you hold dear?"
"..."
"You haven't thought about it, all you think about is to protect which is good but there's always a 'what if'. What if Kazuma over there decides to rip out your brother's heart and you're too slow to reach him on time?"
"..." Hashirama's frown deepened.
"You see, you'll feel hatred. No matter what. Hatred is something born due to either losing love or protecting love. How will you deal with that hatred?"
"I-"
"Don't tell me, reflect on it and give that answer to yoursel-"
"To hate is to make your enemies the outlet for all your bottled up emotions. I however, have seen my fair share of hatred in the eyes of the people I've killed and have resolved to make amends for it by helping more people than I have killed, that is my motivation. That is my path." Hashirama said resolutely.
"I see." Kageno said and smiled. "You're a good man, Hashirama, truly."
Kageno spoke from the bottom of his heart in that instance. To him who had killed a good number of people who bear or will potentially bear hatred towards the village, he had his own coping mechanism.
The children in the playground. He tells himself that he does this for them, and that is the truth. That's what helps him cope.
"You too, Kageno."
Kageno smiled and put his hands into his Haori and brought out a token with one word written on it. "Kill"
"That's the kill order of my squad, use it and anyone you want dead will be deader than dead in less than a day." Kageno said as he threw a token over to Hashirama who caught it on reflex.
"I don't need this." Hashirama said awkwardly. He didn't see himself wanting anyone dead so much that he'll ask for a favour from his friend.
"I know, but you dream of building a village. There'll always be someone who will want to cause chaos when something good is starting, you can always count on us in times like this." Kageno said.
"Oh... Uh-huh,"
"Don't tell me you don't see that coming." Kageno asked with squinted eyes.
"T-that's not true. I definitely saw that possibility." Hashirama defended himself although Kageno didn't believe him.
Kageno sighed and said. "At least give it to your little brother, he looks like the sensible one, he'll know what to do with it."
"Sure thing." Hashirama said and then put the token away.
While this one was going on, Kazuma and Tobirama were also having a conversation of their own.
"I've been told you hate the Uchihas..." Kazuma said gruffly.
"Hn... Not really, they're just... Unfortunate." Tobirama answered with a frown, even he didn't know the appropriate word to use. Just a month ago, he would sworn he hated the Uchiha to his bone, but now...
"It's the curse of hatred, huh?" Kazuma said.
"Huh?"
"Amongst the five Ancient clans, the Uchiha are the clan that love the most, do you know that?" Kazuma asked to which Tobirama frowned deeper.
"This is one of the things we learned growing up, wherever there is love, only one action, or word, can corrupt that love to pure hatred. It's like, light and shadow, there can't be one without the other."
"Where are you getting with this?"
"What do you think will happen if the Uchiha clan aren't a warring clan? Do you really believe only the dead of a loved one would lead to a change in personality? I've heard you're an intelligent man so you should be able to think deeper into this..." Kazuma said and then kept silent as he seemed to think of something.
"I had a hard time comprehending this at first, but then, it just clicked. We humans use hatred. Everyone of us both as motivation for good and for bad, hence the diversity of the Mangekyou Sharingan ability."
"We use it as a practicality. From an early age, we're all taught that we must defeat our enemies at all cost, but why is that? This is something that started long before we both were born but we carried it upon ourselves at followed the trend. Why is that?"
"This is something passed down like an education... I can't ask you to put down your grudges but the Sonchō has a high expectation concerning your brother and Madara. So for the sake of the next generation not inheriting this grudges, I'll ask you to forget yours now, sever the roots of your resentments and let something fresh grow from it." Kazuma said in a threatening tone.
It didn't sound like he was advising or appealing to Tobirama, but was ordering him instead.
"I see." Tobirama said. In all honesty, he too has thought of this but the constant battles and bloodshed just kept distorting his mentality.
Hashirama was a rare case, his will was so firm that he couldn't hold a candle to.
With the various philosophical and theological knowledge he had read in the library, he understood where this fellow was coming from.
"I hope you do." Kazuma snorted.
"... Aren't you going to give me a token?" Tobirama asked.
"Why should I?" Kazuma asked as he looked at Tobirama as he would look at an idiot.
"Bu- I thoug-... Sigh... Forget it."
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In a rather well hidden cave, three figures could be seen, one sitting cross-legged with his hand forming a ram seal, the other two were watching over him as he concentrated.
"Hashirama-sama!" The Senju sitting cross-legged suddenly exclaimed drawing the attention of the other two.
"What!? Where's Hashirama-sama?" The two standing asked at the same time.
"HM... I can feel his chakra signature coming towards us. Tobirama-sama and Mito-sama too, but...."
"But what?" One asked.
"I can feel three other chakra signatures with them." He frowned as he said this. "And they're strong."
"How strong and how many are they?" Another one asked.
"Three. As for how strong... Wait, I recognize one of them.. it should be that white haired demon from two months ago, as for the other two, they're strong." The sensor said with a little fright.
"That white haired demon?" The other two shuddered at the mention of this name.
One had to know that Hashirama had to go all out (No sage mode) just to hold her from killing Tobirama and destroying their clan.
"But..." The sensor had a look of confusion.
"What is it?"
"For some reason, she feels weaker... Like...not that weak but compared to that horror... she's weaker," the sensor said with a perplexed expression.
"Is that good or..."
"It should be good, no? Or rather, that shouldn't be our only issue. The other two with her are also Strong." The sensor said.
"How -"
"Stronger than Tobirama-sama."
"Damn..."
"I know. They're here." The sensor said and looked up to see the roof above them open up to see five pairs of eyes gazing down at them with varying expressions.
'Five? What if the other one?' the sensor thought in an instant but before panic could set in a soft voice came from behind him.
"I believe the second part of our mission begins now."
'Damn, he's even sneakier than Tobirama-sama.' the sensor thought and turned to see a rather black haired handsome man garbed in a tight fitting armour uncharacteristic of any clan he had seen, in fact, the other two weren't also garbed in the usual armour he was aware of. (The clans now majorly wore samurai armours)
Looking at the young man, he would have assumed that he was an Uchiha if not for his green eyes.
Tearing his eyes off the young man, he faced Hashirama and went on one knee. "Hashirama-sama, we've been asked by the elders to ask you to come back and help us with a battle involving the Uchiha clan."
The two others also went on one knee but before either Tobirama or Hashirama could respond, Kageno interuppted. "I would ask you to keep whatever you wish to say for later, we have a mission to complete."
Tobirama knew it was true and although Hashirama was also anxious, he knew he couldn't impose on their new friends any more than necessary.
"Hn. Aniki, we shoul make haste to return." Tobirama said to Hashirama much to the shock of the three Senjus. This was the first time they were seeing Tobirama compromise easily.
Hashirama nodded heavily and looked at Kageno. "We should make haste to the sea."
Everyone nodded and all disappeared using their various means. The three messenger Senjus were shocked at this level of speed but didn't fall far behind.
In next to not time, they were back to the port city of the island and Kageno asked. "Would you continue on feet or will a ship be necessary?"
"I think we'll leave on feet." Tobirama answered to which Hashirama nodded.
"Take care then " Kageno said and literally disappeared.
Mikoto looked at Mito and smiled encouragingly before looking at Tobirama. "Tobirama, you're more attuned with water than your brother so try asking the water to help you get to land faster, maybe you'll reach faster."
Not bothering with him anymore, she looked at Mito and said. "Take care then." After which she took flashed and disappeared.
"Ask the sea?" Tobirama asked confused.
"Mikoto-dono is the strongest water style user I know of, if she asks you to do something related to water, do it. I'll be seeing you off." Kazuma said to which Mito nodded.
"Yup, I once saw her fighting on sea and it was as though she was fighting with the sea itself." Mito said.
"Uh..." Tobirama gave an even more confused look.
"By fighting with the sea, I mean the water around her seemed to help her dodge, punch, move, defend.. everything. So just try asking, whatever that means." Mito tried to explain.
"I think she means to follow the flow of the water." Hashirama said.
"What does that mean?" Tobirama asked.
"Well, water flows, does it not? Just follow whichever direction it flows and maybe you'll find out. Alright, let's go." Hashirama said and immediately stepped on the sea and rushed out followed by the other Senju, Mito and after some seconds, Tobirama.
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Support me on my Patre@n at patreon.com/JoshRichie2 for Vol 3... 100+ Chapters ahead. It's just $5. Also, I just began Volume 4. Which is Naruto Arc. I'm a couple chapters, I'll be finishing this FF. Stay tuned.
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