The morning sunlight spilled softly onto the streets of the Land of Grass. A strange calm filled the air, mixed with the smell of dust from the recently dissipated smoke of war and the gradually reviving atmosphere of ordinary city life.
The youthful-looking Senju Hashirama walked slowly and alone down the not-so-wide street.
He wasn't wearing his iconic red layered plate armor, but only a green lining and a white outer robe. His tall frame was still eye-catching, but with his presence restrained, he looked more like an ordinary traveler.
Hashirama's gaze carefully scanned both sides of the street.
Most shops had already reopened. Steam rose from breakfast stalls, women carried baskets for shopping, and children chased each other and played at the alley entrances.
There was no sign at all that this place had just recently undergone a military strike and regime change that nearly wiped out the village.
There were no ruins, no panicked refugees, and none of the desolation and deathly silence common after a war.
Konoha's follow-up takeover troops were clearly highly efficient. After Naruto's thunderous methods of intimidation and the rapid surrender, they stabilized basic order at the fastest speed and likely invested resources into basic relief.
Seeing this scene, Hashirama's heart, which had been somewhat suspended, settled a little.
He had initially opposed the war of unification precisely because he feared that a large-scale war would bring endless suffering to ordinary people, plunging the Ninja World once again into the state of misery seen during the Sengoku era.
But if... if war could be like this, without affecting innocent civilians...
Then, perhaps the "ending war through war and unification by force" pursued by Tobirama and Naruto was not completely unacceptable.
If that were the case... then to end the long-standing division and chaos, the price paid being only the enemy Ninjas...
Perhaps... it would be worth it.
This thought quietly loosened in his heart.
He was not a pedantic pacifist; back then, he also used force to end the Sengoku era. It was just that because of the internal voices in Konoha at the time, he was more inclined toward peaceful negotiations.
The battles before the founding of Konoha had lasted far too long—so long that almost no one among the warlike Uchiha, except for Madara, was willing to participate in war again.
But now it seemed that in some cases, an order quickly established after "conquest" might be more effective than a long, variable-filled "agreement."
Perhaps just as Tobirama said, if the three of them had worked together back then...
Hashirama continued his stroll, deliberately avoiding the areas where the original Ninjas of the Land of Grass and their families clearly lived.
Those places were exceptionally quiet, with doors and windows tightly shut and an oppressive atmosphere that contrasted with the "peaceful living" scene on the main street.
Occasionally, Ninjas in Konoha uniforms passed by on patrol.
He inquired with an old man by the roadside who was selling sundries, his eyes still carrying a hint of lingering fear.
The old man lowered his voice and told him that was "where the former Ninjas lived." Now the higher-ups wouldn't let anyone ask about it. The Ninjas inside were basically all captured and forced to do labor, and many had died in the past few days.
It's war, after all; how can people not die?
Hashirama chanted in his heart; he knew this cruel truth better than anyone.
This time, almost all who died were Ninjas—combatants who had picked up weapons and chosen to resist.
Meanwhile, the civilians were basically all preserved, and their lives had not suffered a fundamental impact.
Fortunately... only Ninjas died, no civilians.
This result, on Hashirama's scale of values, caused a subtle shift in the "nature" of this war.
It was more like a precise decapitation strike against a "military group" rather than indiscriminate slaughter.
While deep in thought, Hashirama had already reached the original Grass Ninja Village Head Building.
The building itself had not suffered serious damage; only the guards had changed.
They were Konoha Ninjas with solemn expressions and sharp eyes.
He walked straight in. The guards clearly recognized him, bowed respectfully, and let him pass.
Following the familiar Chakra fluctuations, Hashirama came to a spacious room that had been temporarily converted into a training or meeting room.
The door was slightly ajar, and voices drifted from inside.
Through the crack in the door, he saw Uzumaki Naruto standing in the center of the room with a scroll spread out before him.
Uchiha Hikari and Karin were sitting on cushions on either side, listening intently.
Naruto seemed to be explaining the principles of the Flying Thunder God Technique.
His explanation was simple and easy to understand, but as an S-rank space-time Ninjutsu, the complexity of the Flying Thunder God Technique far exceeded ordinary Ninjutsu.
Although Hikari and Karin were exceptionally gifted, both had somewhat blank expressions at the moment, their brows slightly furrowed, clearly having hit an insurmountable Bottleneck in their understanding.
Hashirama did not disturb them immediately, watching quietly for a while.
He could feel that Naruto was teaching earnestly and the two girls were studying hard. This atmosphere of Legacy and striving gave him a sense of gratification.
However, it was better to talk about business first.
A moment later, he raised his hand and tapped gently on the door.
"Knock, knock."
The three people inside turned their heads in unison toward the door.
The youthful Hashirama was standing at the entrance.
Seeing that the visitor was Senju Hashirama, Hikari and Karin knew he was there for Naruto. They quickly stood up, nodded slightly in greeting, and then consciously stepped aside to leave the space to the two of them.
Hashirama entered the room, nodded to the two girls, and then his gaze landed on Naruto.
He didn't exchange pleasantries, didn't ask about the current state of the Land of Grass, and didn't comment on Naruto's teaching.
Instead, he walked straight up to Naruto and stood still.
Then, under Naruto's slightly questioning gaze, Hashirama slowly and firmly raised his right fist, fingers clenched tight, his knuckles turning slightly white.
His eyes no longer held the previous confusion and struggle; instead, they were filled with a clear resolve, just like when he faced Uchiha Madara at the Valley of the End years ago.
He looked at Naruto with a serious face.
"Naruto, I have left the rear to Tobirama. Let's fight together!"
This brief declaration was worth more than a thousand words.
It meant that after personally witnessing the aftermath of the war in the Land of Grass, weighing the costs and results, and contemplating the era and the path forward, Senju Hashirama had officially recognized Uzumaki Naruto's way and decided to join this war aimed at unifying the Ninja World and reshaping order with all his power!
Looking at Hashirama's extended fist, a flash of surprise first crossed Naruto's deep blue eyes, which then turned into understanding, and finally condensed into an exhilarating light.
Without hesitation, he also raised his right fist and bumped it against Hashirama's in mid-air!
The strongest of the old and new generations of Konoha finally stood on the same front in the headquarters of this pacified small country, taking a decisive step toward that controversial yet incredibly grand future.
The Second's efforts were quite effective!
Reliable!
Perfect. With Hashirama's strength, the war of unification will surely end faster.
Then there's no need to wait for any Five Kage Summit to declare war. I'll have Shikaku write the Challenge Letters today, and tomorrow we'll blitz the Land of Earth, which borders the Land of Grass.
While blitzing the Land of Earth, I'll send my Clone with Hashirama to take the Land of Rivers in passing and then head to the Land of Wind.
Once I've settled things on the Land of Earth's side, I'll use the Shadow Clone's Flying Thunder God as a relay to go to the Land of Wind.
Temari and Gaara still have my Flying Thunder God Marks on them.
They can't run!