Finally persuaded by Izuna, Madara stepped out of the Uchiha residence.
The moment he reached the front of the Hokage's cabin, he saw an unforgettable sight.
Hashirama was squatting on the ground, wrapped head to toe in bandages like a freshly packaged mummy.
Madara paused.
"…Who managed to beat you into this state?" He asked coolly. "A powerful enemy?"
Hashirama nodded with great solemnity. "That's right. A very powerful enemy."
Madara's eyes narrowed.
Hashirama Senju was already a walking monster.
Even if Madara refused to admit he couldn't beat him outright, anyone acknowledged by Hashirama as a 'strong enemy' was worth taking seriously.
"Who?" Madara asked.
Hashirama straightened proudly.
"My wife."
"..."
"Get lost."
That single sentence dealt Uchiha Madara, the eternal bachelor, critical emotional damage.
As expected, Hashirama remained profoundly irritating.
Madara turned away, a plantain fan slung over his shoulder. He had no desire to see that face a second time today, if he did, he feared he might actually punch it.
"Madara, don't go!" Hashirama hurried after him.
"Brother, where have you been these past few days? I heard Garfield introduced a new fitness routine that really improves flexibility and coordination."
"I've been practicing it myself. It pairs nicely with our clan's traditional exercises. Want to try?"
Madara stared at the grinning face beside him, suppressed the inexplicable urge to commit violence.
"I know. The clan has already discussed it and demonstrated it."
"Oh?" Hashirama leaned closer. "What did you think?"
"…It's fine."
"Fine how?"
"Just fine."
"What does that even mean?"
"…Enough."
In Madara's eyes, Hashirama buzzed around him like an unstoppable fly.
Five minutes later, Madara's face was dark with shame and fury stormed away.
Behind him, Hashirama waved cheerfully.
From atop Hokage Rock, Garfield and Rin had witnessed the entire exchange.
Rin stared after Madara, stunned. "That was Uchiha Madara?"
"I really can't understand why he would fight the First Hokage at the Valley of the End."
Garfield sighed, deeply philosophical. "Because that's what love looks like, Rin."
Rin was full of questions. "…Isn't love supposed to be between a man and a woman?"
"That's only part of it," Garfield replied calmly. "Love can exist between the same gender, too."
"…!!" Rin's brain visibly stalled.
After a moment, Garfield continued,
"Once you understand that, you'll understand why Hashirama and Madara have been locked in love and murder for decades."
"…I don't understand at all," Rin admitted honestly.
"That proves you're still too young to comprehend a relationship this advanced."
Rin tilted her head. "Then what about you, Master Garfield?"
"…" Garfield fell silent.
After a long pause, he answered seriously, "I can only describe such feelings with words. I will never reach that level."
"That kind of emotion requires breaking through the self, society, morality, ethics, and family expectations. There are many layers of restraint."
"I'm very superficial."
"…What?"
"In short." Garfield said, "I only care about loving the opposite sex and exchanging DNA."
Rin was completely stunned.
Garfield immediately waved it off. "No more questions. We cannot discuss this further."
"Why not?" Rin asked earnestly. "I want to understand."
"For that question," Garfield said gravely, "You'll need to follow the unlucky child who brings soil… or open it."
"…Who?"
"Kakashi."
"Why is Kakashi called that?"
Garfield coughed. "It's because he can kill on television at twenty-nine."
"…Huh?"
"Slip of the tongue. I meant he'll be very powerful in the future."
Rin wanted to keep asking, about same-gender love, about DNA, about Kakashi's strange nickname.
But Garfield cut her off firmly.
"If you learn too much about the future, variables will increase." He warned. "People who shouldn't die… might."
Rin was instantly intimidated into silence.
Still, curiosity burned in her eyes.
꧁𓊈𒆜༺⚜༻𒆜𓊉꧂
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