Night, the Uchiha compound.
"Naori, how was school today? Did you make any friends?"
Hearing Uchiha Kagami's words, Naori thought of Torifū. She felt that she and Torifū should be considered friends.
"Yes, his name is Torifū, the head of the Kumotsuru clan. Have you heard of the Kumotsuru clan, brother?"
Kagami thought for a moment. He vaguely recalled seeing a mention of them in an old clan record, but there wasn't much detail.
The most detailed points mentioned that although their clan was small, they were very powerful, with their Cloud Release secret technique being extremely formidable, turning people into mist with a wave of their hand.
"I've heard of them, but I don't know much. They are a very strong family."
Naori was curious. According to what Torifū had said, their family passed down through a single line of inheritance, with at most four or five members. How could such a family be considered strong?
But since her brother said so, it must be true.
Naori told Kagami everything that happened at school today. She wanted to know her brother's opinion on the matter.
"You handled it well."
"Kyo was raised on his grandfather's ideals. That kind of mindset isn't something that can change overnight."
Naori nodded in understanding. She had a general grasp of the political tensions within their clan. Uchiha Kyo's grandfather, along with a group of elder supporters, were still loyal to Madara, constantly urging the clan to break away from Konoha and follow him.
"The Uchiha are the Uchiha of Konoha—that was well said."
Torifū's words had perfectly aligned with Kagami's own beliefs.
Among the younger generation of the Uchiha, Kagami held significant influence. While many still respected Madara, they weren't blindly devoted to him. Instead, they wanted to integrate into the village and make the clan stronger from within.
Originally, this faction was small, but ever since Kagami became Tobirama's disciple, more and more had begun to support him.
Most of them were tired of endless conflict. They simply wanted a stable life in the village. And they firmly believed that if Kagami grew strong enough, they would succeed.
"This Torifū… he's a child with vision. He's bound to accomplish great things in the future."
"You think so highly of him, Brother?"
Kagami nodded. That one sentence—"The Uchiha are the Uchiha of Konoha," —had truly struck a chord with him. It was exactly what he had been striving for. Neither the village nor the Uchiha needed war anymore.
He decided that tomorrow, he would report this to his teacher. If Torifū could receive some guidance, it would surely benefit him greatly.
But from what Kagami could tell, the Hokage and his teacher had likely already taken notice of Torifū.
"Naori, make sure to get along well with your friend."
"I have a feeling… he might be the key to our success."
Naori hadn't expected Kagami to think so highly of Torifū, but she already had a good impression of him. So, she happily agreed.
"Rest early, Naori. You have class tomorrow."
"Mm, you too, Brother."
…
While the siblings enjoyed their peaceful nighttime conversation, Torifū was staring at the system interface in front of him, at a loss for words.
[Name] Kumotsuru Torifū[Age] 6
[Rank / Chakra] Chunin / 1 Kakashi
[Bloodline] Crystal Release, Cloud Release (55% progress)[Talents] All Chakra Natures, Genius[Serenity Points / Chaos Points] 3100 / 5[Time until the Chaos Event: The Revenge of Uchiha Madara – 365 days.]
According to the system, in exactly one year, Madara would attack Konoha, culminating in his battle with Hashirama, where he would be "defeated" and "killed."
But in a year, Torifū would, at best, reach Jonin level. There was no way he could help!
True Thousand Hands, Nine-Tails Susanoo—those kinds of battles weren't something a normal person could just step into!
"This is really bad."
If he failed the mission, wouldn't his Chaos Points skyrocket by seventy or eighty in one go? If that happened, he'd be done for!
The last time he killed a Hidden Cloud spy, his Chaos Points had increased by just five, and after a whole month, they hadn't decreased at all!
If he suddenly racked up seventy or eighty, he might as well say goodbye to life.
Then, Torifū remembered something—when he had exchanged for the [Genius] talent last month, he had seen something incredible in the shop! It was just really, really expensive.
"Although it's expensive, if I want to get involved in Madara and Hashirama's battle, this is the only way."
Now that the solution was determined, he had to consider how to get Peaceful Points, as that item cost a full 60,000 Peaceful Points!
Torifū ruffled his hair in frustration, wishing Konoha were crawling with enemy spies so he could eliminate one every day! He just prayed that Tobirama would not to create any more plans.
"Guess I'll start wandering around the village more. Maybe I'll actually run into a spy."
"Time to sleep. Everything's possible in dreams."
With that hopeful thought, Torifū drifted off.
And in his dream, Konoha was filled with spies—even Hashirama was secretly working for another nation! "Everyone trusts me, and I betray everyone. That is the true Will of Fire!"
With concerns about earning Peaceful Points shoved aside, Torifū focused on what mattered most—life. He couldn't put the cart before the horse, he had his priorities straight.
…
While most of Konoha's residents slept soundly, the lights in the Hokage's office were still on.
Sarutobi Suiga was reporting the day's events to Hashirama. Initially, Hashirama's expression was serious, but gradually, he began to smile in relief.
"Really? Torifū said that?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama. Although Torifū is young, he is very insightful. Maruboshi Kosuke has good talent, but he is too impulsive. He let Uchiha Kyo provoke him too easily."
Hashirama nodded. Remaining calm was the most important trait of all—anger only clouded one's judgment. Still, for children just starting at the academy, it wasn't something to be overly strict about.
"Being hot-blooded is normal at that age. As they continue learning, they'll change. It's not a big deal. Train them well. These kids are the future of Konoha!"
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
After discussing future lesson plans and other matters, Hashirama dismissed Suiga, fully trusting him to handle the details.
"Everyone is working so hard for our dream… And you, where are you now?"
Outside the window, Konoha was shrouded in darkness, with only a few lights still on.
Hashirama's heart swelled with warmth. The exhaustion of the day seemed to melt away.
"For the people who follow me, I will create peace with my own hands!"
"Whether friend, brother, or even my own child—if they threaten the village, I will not forgive them!"
A powerful aura surged from him, shaking the very walls. Cracks spread across the stone. If anyone had been nearby, they might have been overwhelmed by sheer pressure alone.
After a moment, Hashirama scratched his head and let out a hearty laugh.
"Haha, got a little carried away there."
He glanced at the cracked wall apologetically. Looked like he'd be calling the repair team again.
"Better head home before Mito gets mad."
It seemed that even the God of Shinobi was just an ordinary husband at heart.