Time flies like an arrow, and suddenly more than a year has passed since Tsunade's first birthday party.
There's not much of a change in Masahiko's daily life. He was still entangled with betting and gambling… The only difference now is that he has a new little gambler to deal with.
Since Tsunade's hand touched the dice shaker at her first birthday party, she became out of control. Hashirama was also spoiling her by taking her to Masahiko's house to gamble all day, or to find someone who has worse gambling skill, which was challenging.
Masahiko has been avoiding them ever since. But a month ago, Masahiko began to spend more time with them, because he felt like Hashirama's vitality is deteriorating even more. It seems that his time is getting near.
"I don't know what Kenji and Aika are thinking…" Masahiko murmured, looking helplessly at Hashirama gambling.
"No wonder Tsunade's gambling skills are so bad, she learned from the worst." Hashirama sighed and shook his head.
Although Hashirama is the god of Shinobi, he didn't have much talent in gambling. Masahiko already taught him for so long, but he only made a little progress.
However, Masahiko didn't really intend to teach Tsunade in person. Even if he could help her, he didn't feel like he should change what Kishimoto has already written for her… And if she wins the money, it will just make her more addicted.
"Tsunade, see your grandpa gets an 18…" Hashirama's enthusiastic tone made Masahiko go back to life with a helpless expression.
Open, 2 points, roll, open, 2 points, roll again, OPEN!!! 4 points. Total of 8 points…
"Ahahaha, Tsunade, didn't I just say 8 points… Hahaha…" Hashirama laughed awkwardly, trying to fool that little Tsunade.
"Ohh! Great Grandpa!" Tsunade seemed like she really believed Hashirama. It was her turn now, and he looked excited. She squatted on the table and shook the dice.
The dice rolled…
Opened with trembling hands, the three dices showed 6, 6, 6, with the total was 18.
Hashirama froze for a moment, and after a while, he got excited again, and looked at Masahiko, "It seems that Tsunade is very talented in gambling. Maybe I can't win against you. But Tsunade will do it in the future!"
Masahiko snorted, "I can beat both of you blindfolded, and I bet that Tsunade will become worse than you in the future."
Masahiko took the dice cup, then shook it, and put on the table without looking.
Opening the dice cup, Hashirama's face got shocked, "6,6,5… Grandpa, did you want to shake 17?"
"Great Grandpa, I won!" Tsunade became so joyful, while Masahiko's eyes got widened.
"I wanted to shake 18. My level 10 gambling skill couldn't be wrong!" Masahiko sighed, then looked at Hashirama, "No way…"
Suddenly Hashirama asked, "Grandpa, what's wrong?"
"It's okay, you two continue…" Masahiko responded, then fell into silence.
He kept watching the two of them playing, but out of character, Tsunade continued her winning streak, one game after another, which made Masahiko's face turn pale.
If she's winning, then I'm afraid…
At that moment, Kenji came over.
Masahiko initially thought that it was only luck, but when Kenji came over with that confused expression on his face, everything changed.
His first sentence left everyone paralyzed.
"Father! Mother seems to be… pregnant."
Masahiko's jaw dropped, and his eyes widened. There were a legit 5 seconds of silence in the gambling house. "Mito? The forty-seven years old Mito? Hashirama? She can still do him at this age? No wonder your vitality had suddenly dropped a lot a few months ago…"
Hashirama looked surprised for a moment, then he smiled a second later, holding Tsunade in his arms, "Is Mito pregnant? It should be really hard for her… Second Grandpa, I'm afraid that I won't be here to see the day when the peace comes. But I hope you, Kenji, and Tsunade will witness it, and tell me all about it when we meet again." Hashirama spoke slowly lying on his chair. "Grandpa, why can't you also see the day of peace with us?" Gripping Hashirama by the clothes, Tsunade asked sadly.
"Father, you…" Kenji wanted to utter something, but Masahiko patted his shoulder, shaking his head. Then he went out.
"Asking me to tell you all about it when we meet again? It seems… like I couldn't hide it from you, after all, Hashirama. Others couldn't, but you, Hashirama, it looks like you know about my immortality for a while now." Said Masahiko.
"However, I will make sure that you will see peace with your own eyes!"
Masahiko sighed and walked back to the Hokage building, a place which he hasn't visited for more than a year.
Tobirama was inside the office. He was taking care of some document, upon seeing Masahiko expression, Tobirama looked down again.
Both of them fell into silence for a moment, then Tobirama continued his work.
Masahiko didn't bother, he found a chair to sit on, and watched Tobirama working.
After half an hour, Tobirama finished his work, and finally, he looked to Masahiko again, and he said, "Grandpa, I didn't really want to see you like this…"
"Tobu!" He shouted, and suddenly an Anbu appeared out of thin air.
"Prepare the funeral for the first Hokage…" he said with reddish eyes.
The Anbu froze slightly, "Yes, Hokage-Sama!"
When the Anbu left, Masahiko sighed, "Let's go and see your brother."
The two then went to the Uzumaki mansion, where a group of people was already gathered.
Kenji and Aika hold Tsunade hands, who didn't know what's going on. The Senju Patriarch, who was about to retire, was also there, also Mito, who was pregnant…
Many people also heard the news, and rushed over, most of them were the clan elders and the patriarchs from six years ago, which most of them are already too old, some even needed someone to help them walk, but they insisted on coming here.
The older generations, who mostly spend their time in the Warring States Period, were the people who really admired Hashirama the most.
Hyuuga's patriarch, who looked really old now, whispered to himself, "Butsuma, your son had a great life…" He was the only man who still alive between the four Patriarchs who ruled the world of Shinobi once…
Noticing the arrival of Masahiko and Tobirama, the people initiatively made way for them to go to the front. Masahiko looked at Hashirama's closed eyes; a smile is decorating his face. He looked so peaceful. He looked then at Mito, who was sad and shook his head.
"Just when you two got blessed by a second son too…" Masahiko muttered.
He looked then at Hashirama again, with watering eyes, and said, "See you in 50 years, my good friend…"
One hour later, the entire village of Konoha got the news about the passing of Hashirama. At the 12th years of Konoha, and at the age of 49 years old, The First Hokage, the harbinger of peace, the man who stopped the Warring States period, the God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama, passed away with a smile on his face.