(Edited)
Hashirama agreed that Ichiro could come to Konoha for help whenever he was in trouble, but in truth, Ichiro's village didn't request assistance very often. To them, Konoha was indeed a place that could offer help, but Masaki and the others left an impression similar to that of soldiers. They would ask Konoha to come and drive out bandits, but when it came to helping the village with tasks like weeding or cultivating the land, they didn't have the courage to request such things.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others were a bit concerned that Ichiro might ask for something along those lines. They were ninjas, not farmers, and it didn't sit right with them to take on such work.
Masaki Fumori didn't mind as much. In fact, it was likely that, in the future, genin from Konoha might be required to do this type of farm work. For civilian ninjas who didn't belong to prominent clans or weren't especially skilled, such tasks might be all they could perform. But at least they wouldn't need to do things that went entirely against traditional ninja duties.
Though going out on missions was important for gaining experience, the current state of the country was relatively peaceful, leaving fewer opportunities for Masaki and the others to undertake significant missions. As a result, Masaki and his peers spent most of their days in training.
The only real relaxation Masaki got was when he returned home to spend time with his wife, Rimi. However, Rimi wasn't the type to be content with merely waiting for her husband. She was eager to improve her own strength, and so, whenever possible, Masaki would train with her.
Though it was more tiring than simply talking, Masaki found this to be a different kind of enjoyment. He was also pleased with how graceful Rimi appeared while training.
When Rimi took a break from practicing, she returned to being his devoted wife. She wasn't subservient, though—they occasionally argued. Truth be told, Masaki appreciated her straightforward personality, and their marriage was a happy one.
Rimi enjoyed their life together as well, but her only regret was that she hadn't yet conceived a child. It wasn't due to any physical issues, rather, Masaki's busy training schedule often left him too exhausted to focus on such matters. As a result, they hadn't been able to start a family yet.
Although Masaki wanted a child to carry on his bloodline, he knew the first priority was preparing for the upcoming First Ninja War. He devoted most of his time to his training, spending just enough time with Rimi to satisfy both his emotional and physical needs.
Masaki knew his intense training schedule made it difficult for Rimi, particularly when it came to their hopes of having children. But there was little he could do until the First Ninja War was over. Once peace returned, he could focus on raising a family with Rimi. After all, history promised peace for twenty years after the war. If Masaki played his cards right, maybe that period of peace could be extended.
As Rimi's birthday approached, Masaki made a special request to a merchant visiting Konoha, asking him to purchase some fashionable clothes and accessories from the capital.
At this point, Konoha wasn't the bustling village it would become later. There were no shops like Ichiraku Ramen or Akimichi BBQ restaurants yet. The village was mainly home to ninja families and a few craftsmen who catered to their needs, and Masaki found life in Konoha a bit dull.
In his previous life, the world had experienced an explosion of information, with countless forms of entertainment available. A single day of content back then felt like more than a few years in Konoha. When it came to entertainment, Masaki found the modern world far more exciting than the current Konoha.
Perhaps it was the dullness of life in Konoha that made some local merchants see business opportunities. While many were hesitant to set up shop due to the intimidating presence of ninjas, a few still took the chance.
However, these merchants didn't find much success. The needs of ninjas differed from ordinary people, and their sales were limited. It wasn't until Konoha began to evolve from a military organization into a small society that business truly flourished.
Masaki went to great lengths to obtain Rimi's birthday present, even borrowing money from Hashirama. The merchant did a fine job, bringing back popular items from the capital, and Masaki was confident Rimi would love them.
When Masaki gave the clothes and accessories to Rimi as birthday gifts, her eyes lit up with joy, and Masaki felt relieved. Even though she was a ninja, Rimi was still a woman, and like many women, she appreciated beautiful things.
To show her gratitude, Rimi insisted that Masaki take a break from training and spend three leisurely days with her. During this time, she tried on the gifts, and Masaki couldn't help but admire how stunning Rimi looked in the clothes.
When Hashirama found out, he laughed and said, "Masaki didn't borrow that money for nothing! I never knew he had such a talent for charming women."
Tobirama, standing nearby, added, "Who knew? When we were training him, I didn't realize he had such a clever side. I guess we didn't know him as well as we thought."
Hashirama, still smiling, said, "Masaki's idea was great. We should try adopting some of the customs from the capital for ourselves."
Tobirama frowned slightly. "I don't know, Nii-sama. That doesn't sound like a good idea. Such activities could affect a ninja's mentality and make us stray from what it means to be a ninja."
"I think it's interesting," Hashirama said. "It's fine to do it every now and then. It's been ten years since the village was founded—this seems like a good reason to celebrate."
Tobirama sighed and gave in. "Fine, we can try it, but it needs to be more formal. Let's not bring the flashy elements from the capital into it."
"Deal," Hashirama agreed. "You're in charge of overseeing everything. If something doesn't seem right, we'll cancel it."
Tobirama sighed again. Given his personality, he wasn't fond of events and celebrations, but he knew the village deserved a moment of recognition. He just hoped the people wouldn't become enamored with the luxurious lifestyle of the capital.
When Hashirama announced that Konoha would hold a celebration, the entire village buzzed with curiosity and excitement. As ninjas, they had never experienced something like this before, and the idea of enjoying a festival was thrilling.
While some of the older generation disapproved, they saw the younger ninjas' excitement and decided to let it slide. The village immediately began preparations for the celebration. Even Masaki didn't expect that his simple request for a gift from the capital would inspire such an event.
As Hashirama watched the village come alive with anticipation, he felt a sense of pride. But his thoughts soon drifted to Uchiha Madara, who had left the village two years ago. He wondered what Madara was doing now.
After Madara's departure, Hashirama had sent people to look for him, but there had been no sign of him, as if Madara had vanished into thin air. Hashirama knew that a master like Madara could disappear without a trace if he didn't want to be found, and though he had given up on finding him, he wished Madara could see the village now.
As if Hashirama's thoughts had reached Madara, three days before the celebration, a lone figure appeared outside the gates of Konoha. Clad in red armor, with long black hair and a massive fan strapped to his back, there was no mistaking who it was.
Madara Uchiha had returned.
He stood outside the village he had once helped name, his expression cold and unreadable. No one could tell what thoughts were running through his mind.