The Nine-tails yawned broadly: "Do you remember? Back then, during the ninja sect heir exam, you and Indra were tasked with helping a village dig a well—"
"I remember, of course I do."
Asura, his eyes vacant, took over the conversation: "Father asked my brother and me to help a village dig a well. I was clumsy at the time, so I could only dig alongside the villagers, spending a year—"
"While my brother used a jutsu created with Chakra to finish it in a night."
"Yet Father still chose me... because the well my brother created was too easy to obtain, leading the villagers to kill each other over its usage rights."
"But I and everyone else worked hard together, so the villagers eventually used the well properly. Father taught a lesson—that easy happiness doesn't last long, only experiences of hardship make it more steadfast."
Asura recounted it like a cherished story.
The Nine-Tails, Kushina, and Senju Hashirama, listening from the side, all simultaneously fell into an awkward silence, sweat beads rolling down their foreheads.
Sweat drops like soybeans appeared.
"You sure remember that clearly, and you have the nerve to say it..." Nine-tails snorted coldly:
"This has nothing to do with experiencing hardship or whether it's steadfast... You simply got lucky with high-quality villagers!"
"A year's time, enough for Indra to fill the whole world with wells!"
"It's nothing but simple favoritism... Over so many years, Indra already understood this principle, he just can't let go of this resentment."
"You're quite humorous, really think you're justified? If I were Indra, clearly I'm the more capable one, yet the old man targeted me, even forced him to admit that your clumsy way was wrong, rather than being a fool like you..."
Nine-tails shot a chilly glance at Asura: "I would also be just as angry!"
Asura began to tremble all over.
If someone else had said these words, Asura might not have cared much... but, when it's the Nine-tails speaking, the nature is entirely different...
Turns out, the Nine-tails only helped him because of the Six Paths Sage's orders? Then, the other companions from the ninja sect were only there due to father's favoritism...
"What do you think?"
With his mind in a muddled state, Asura looked at Senju Hashirama beside him, suddenly grabbing his hand: "I know the village you created proposed something called the Will of Fire!"
"The Will of Fire, I remember it emphasizes mutual trust, right? You should understand me, right? Is it true that I only gained the position in the ninja sect due to father's favoritism?"
By now.
Due to Nine-tails' sharp words, Asura was prematurely KO'ed, somewhat exceeding the script Senju Tobirama had given Senju Hashirama...
This God of the Ninja World could only smile awkwardly.
It's rather funny to say, he truly didn't understand the Will of Fire that well, it was actually created by Senju Tobirama and further interpreted and perfected by Sarutobi Hiruzen...
For Hashirama to speak, he could probably only say—"Protect your family with your life."
"Uh, you should go find Tobirama..."
Senju Hashirama was initially about to direct Asura to Tobirama, but thought about it, felt his brother's words might be too intense, potentially triggering this somewhat simple-minded fool...
"Go find Monkey, which is Sarutobi Hiruzen, he truly understands the Will of Fire!"
Senju Hashirama slapped his forehead, passing on the task: "Ahem, I know you want to debate with me, go find Monkey first..."
"Discuss it thoroughly with him, and then I'll talk to you about the Will of Fire!"
It was now Asura's turn to dash out energetically, loudly calling Sarutobi Hiruzen's name within the Ninja World Alliance Army's camp, eager to understand the legendary Will of Fire.
——————
Uchiha Madara and Indra stood facing each other.
In their locked gazes, there seemed to be fire.
"Do you have something to say?" Indra casually looked at Uchiha Madara.
"Nothing, just wanted to see what a failure looks like." Uchiha Madara snorted coldly, answering as such.