In the office of the Hokage building, Senju Tobirama moved a bench and sat down in front of the light screen without considering any potential danger.
"I wonder how you'll introduce my elder brother," he remarked.
[Because ninjas must keep their surnames secret, Hashirama didn't know the handsome young man before him was from an enemy group.]
[Yet, the clever boy Hashirama deduced Madara was a ninja from the way he skipped stones on the water.]
[As they enjoyed themselves, a corpse of a Hagoromo member drifted down the river.]
[This incident put Hashirama on high alert.]
[Hashirama urged Madara to flee as the area would soon become a battlefield.]
[However, Hashirama's instinctive act of walking on water also revealed his ninja identity to Madara.]
[When two people part ways for the first time, they know each other's first names but not their surnames.]
Watching the image on the light screen of his elder brother and Madara meeting by the river in their youth, Senju Tobirama nodded involuntarily.
"It's just like something my elder brother would do."
"It's just that Uchiha Madara had his own troubles as a child. Did he really need to play with skipping stones to relieve stress?"
Senju Tobirama knew Madara as arrogant and dominating. He had never imagined Madara to be like this in his childhood.
"If only Madara were alive. I could tease him about this incident," Senju Tobirama thought, feeling quite pleased that Madara, who once sought to kill him, could not.
[After returning home, Hashirama learned that his little brother Kawarama had been killed by Hagoromo clan members. Overwhelmed with emotions, he momentarily lost control and spoke harshly to his father, Butsuma, who in turn struck him across the face.]
[Despite being slapped, Hashirama refused to yield and continued to argue.]
[Witnessing his son's resilience, Butsuma turned and attempted to beat Hashirama senseless.]
[Just as Butsuma was about to escalate into a full-blown domestic violence incident, Senju Tobirama, both brother and mother figure to Hashirama, stepped in and found a way to defuse the situation.]
[Not long after, Hashirama's younger brother Itama fell victim to a fatal beating by the Uchiha clan.]
[Devastated by the loss of his two younger brothers, Hashirama was consumed by grief and retreated to the river.]
"What do you mean I have to be both your brother and your mother? You're quite the smooth talker."
"Don't say that."
Hashirama, known for his carefree personality, might not have survived his father Butsuma's violent outbursts during childhood if it weren't for Tobirama's protective intervention.
Despite his desire to be a good brother, both Kawarama and Itama tragically passed away too soon.
A wave of sadness washed over him as Tobirama silently observed.
[Hashirama arrived at the river, coincidentally encountering Madara there as well.]
[The two kindred spirits deeply understood each other's pain.]
[Believing that the only way to end the conflict between clans was through openness and honesty, they did not expect the other clans to embrace their viewpoint.]
[Basing their philosophy on the belief that if a boy is strong, the girl will support him, the two youngsters resolved to diligently enhance their own strengths and earn influence swiftly.]
[However, as they trained, they began meeting in secret daily under the guise of skill exchange. Over time, they discovered each other's strengths and weaknesses, becoming close friends.]
"That's not right. Isn't Madara's ideal to unite all factions? Isn't openness and honesty his elder brother's big idea?"
Senju Tobirama sensed something amiss.
Was Madara really this naive when he was younger?
"No wonder he and his elder brother became such close friends. They both held onto the same naive ideals."
[One day, Hashirama met Madara again in secret, and the two climbed to the top of the mountain.]
[Upon reaching the summit, Hashirama revealed to Madara his vision of establishing a village in the surrounding area, a sanctuary where young ninjas could be protected.]
[They could train, complete missions, advance in ranks, and stay clear of warfare.]
"Actually, looking at it another way, Hashirama was saying to Madara: What you see now is the kingdom I plan to build for you in the future."
[Upon hearing this, Tobirama beside them nodded in agreement with his elder brother Hashirama.]
The two instantly hit it off, and their lives were tranquil and serene.
"If only they weren't bound by worldly obligations, they would probably meet secretly every day and share a deep bond."
[Unfortunately, their frequent outings drew suspicion from their fathers.]
Tobirama's lips twitched. Ignoring the teasing implications in the light-hearted remarks, he instead watched the images on the screen with nostalgic enjoyment.
Clearly, these scenes reminded him of his own elder brother.
He was now certain that the content of the video was accurate.
The proof lay in the segment where Butsuma beat Hashirama.
At that time, only the four of them were present; no one else could have witnessed it.
Even if it was revealed, the image displayed on the light curtain couldn't be that accurate.
It felt as if someone stood beside them, holding a paintbrush and meticulously illustrating every detail of the conflict.
Back then, both he and Hashirama were still quite vulnerable and might not have detected the lurking figure nearby.
Yet, my father, Butsuma, was one of the strongest at the time.
Even he failed to notice anyone nearby, confirming that there truly was no one hiding around them.
If that's the case, then the appearance of this light curtain and the images it showed are quite intriguing.
"Next, it should be time for the showdown."
As one of the participants, Tobirama had a clear understanding of the situation back then.
"If my elder brother hadn't intervened, I would have perished."
"Of course, if Madara hadn't taken action, Izuna would have perished."
Tobirama harbored no resentment towards Butsuma's decision at the time. After all, such occurrences were commonplace during the Warring States Period.
To eliminate the enemy's potential future threat, any sacrifice could be justified.
Even if it meant sacrificing one's own kin.
[Fukuma had already arranged for Hashirama's only remaining brother, Tobirama, to secretly monitor the two's secret meeting for a long time.]
[One day, when Hashirama was attending a small clan gathering, the clan head, Butsuma, revealed to Hashirama that the handsome youth he secretly met every day belonged to the Uchiha clan.]
[He strongly urged Hashirama to eliminate Uchiha Madara the next time they met.]
[Hearing this, Hashirama dared not disobey and set out on the appointed day.]
[On the day of departure, the sun shone brightly, the perfect time for a parting.]
[To prevent any mishaps, Butsuma and Tobirama secretly followed Hashirama.]
[Coincidentally, Madara's father, Uchiha Tajima, also planned to seize this opportunity to eliminate Hashirama.]
[Thus, the leaders of these two socially influential clans were willing to sacrifice the lives of each other's offspring.]
[The fathers of both sides led their second sons to secretly set up an ambush, ready to kill the other side's eldest son.]
[Upon arrival, Hashirama and Madara began acting behind their parents' and brothers' backs.]
[They threw stones inscribed with messages at each other to signal evacuation.]
[Upon witnessing their children's actions, both sets of parents immediately realized the gravity of the situation.]
[Subsequently, Butsuma led Tobirama to charge towards the opposing side, while Madara's brother Izuna mirrored Tajima's actions.]
[At this juncture, the four individuals stood poised to confront each other.]
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