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By now, the awkwardness between Madara and Hashirama had vanished. The more they spoke, the more they discovered how closely their ideals aligned, and that shared understanding drew them together with surprising ease.
In the middle of their conversation, Hashirama stopped walking.
"Madara, could you help me find someone?" He scratched the back of his head, looking both hopeful and embarrassed.
Madara paused. "Sure. Who are you looking for?"
"My pen pal. We've exchanged letters for years, but I've never seen his face. I only know the name he uses."
(Note: In previous chapters, I changed Madara's pen name from "Madara" to "Mad Man," so Hashirama does not know him. It also pairs perfectly with Hashirama's pen name, "Plant Man.")
Hashirama's eyes brightened as he spoke. "He lives in Konoha, and he believes in the same things we do. He wants to end the clan wars and build a world where our people can live in peace."
"There's someone else in Konoha who shares our dream?" Madara looked more interested and leaned in. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? I want to meet him. What's his name?"
"Mad Man."
"..." The smile on Madara's face froze.
He stared at Hashirama in disbelief.
"Madara?" Hashirama's excitement vanished.
"What's wrong?"
Had he said something strange again?
"N-Nothing." Madara recovered, though his expression remained peculiar. He studied Hashirama from head to toe, then asked, "You don't happen to use the name 'Plant Man,' do you?"
Hashirama blinked. Then his face lit up.
"MADARA, THAT'S AMAZING! HOW DID YOU KNOW?"
The words had barely left his mouth when understanding finally caught up with him.
Hashirama's smile stiffened. "Wait… How do you know that name? It's supposed to be a secret between me and my pen pal!"
Madara watched Hashirama slowly realize the truth, then burst out laughing. He looked relieved and happy as he clapped Hashirama on the shoulder.
"Because I'm 'Mad Man', you idiot!!"
"Mad Man… Mad…?"
Hashirama repeated the names before his eyes widened.
"YOU'RE HIM? YOU'RE REALLY MY PEN PAL?"
Both boys could hardly believe their luck.
The friend they had only known through letters had been right beside them all morning.
Now, their earlier connection made sense. Before meeting in person, they had spent years sharing dreams, frustrations, and hopes for the future. Meeting in Konoha felt less like luck and more like fate.
Any distance left between them vanished.
"Hashirama, you just left the Senju, so you probably don't have much money." Madara grinned. "What do you want to eat? There's a new ramen shop nearby that's supposed to be good. My treat—I'll pay for everyone."
"Hahaha! Madara, we should've met years ago!"
Hashirama beamed and threw an arm around Madara's shoulders without a second thought.
The two boys walked side by side, laughing as they went down the street.
"Cough! Cough!" Two pointed coughs interrupted them.
Madara and Hashirama looked back.
Their four younger brothers stood a few steps behind, watching them with suspicious looks.
Izuna crossed his arms and puffed out his cheeks, glaring at Hashirama like the Senju had taken something from him.
'Brother, why are you already acting so close to him?'
Tobirama wore an equally dark expression as he studied Hashirama.
"..." The Senju had accused his brother of working with the enemy. Tobirama had thought it was nonsense, but seeing Hashirama now, arm around an Uchiha and laughing like old friends, the accusation didn't seem so crazy anymore...
Under their brothers' stares, Madara and Hashirama exchanged a glance and stepped apart.
Both of them straightened up, trying to act like the dignified eldest sons they were supposed to be.
"Stop standing around," they said together. "We're going for ramen."
After that, they walked a little farther apart, but both were clearly excited. They exchanged glances, smiled at each other, and made small gestures as they went.
Izuna and Tobirama were both starting to lose their patience.
..............
Several days later, Uchiha Tajima returned from an assignment outside Konoha.
Inside the Council Building, he stood before Manji with a troubled expression.
"Grandpa, are we really going to let the Senju Clan Head's sons move freely through Konoha? Shouldn't we keep a closer watch on them? What if they—"
Manji raised a hand. "There's no need."
"They're children, and their arrival benefits us. The four brothers can serve as an example to everyone still trapped in the old clans."
He leaned back in his chair. "When people see that Konoha welcomes defectors and offers them a better life, more will come. In a few years, shinobi from every clan will start leaving and coming here."
Tajima considered his words and nodded.
Manji smiled. "Build a place worth living in, and people will come on their own."
"An excellent plan, Grandpa." Tajima still looked uneasy. "But Butsuma's sons fled to us. Won't that provoke the Senju? What happens if he demands their return?"
"If the Senju want war, we'll use the opportunity to bring the entire clan under Konoha."
"If they only demand the children, we refuse. We must show the entire shinobi world that anyone who seeks refuge in Konoha will receive our protection." Manji spoke calmly.
"People won't abandon their clans unless they know we can keep them safe afterward."
Before Tajima could respond, an ANBU operative entered the room and bowed.
"First Elder, Lord Tajima—the Senju have sent a letter."
He presented it with both hands.
Manji accepted the message, glanced over it, then passed it to Tajima with a quiet laugh.
"It seems Butsuma has finally learned that his sons came to Konoha."
"It's been several days, and we didn't try to hide the news. The fact that it still took him this long to find out tells us everything we need to know." Manji tapped the letter.
"The Senju's intelligence network has fallen apart."
Tajima opened the message:
[Return my sons immediately. If they are not handed over within three days, I, Senju Butsuma, will destroy Konoha—whatever the cost.]
"..." Tajima looked at the threat in disbelief.
Then he burst out laughing.
"What? Was Butsuma drunk when he wrote this?"
Manji smiled as well.
The Senju had no chance of destroying Konoha.
The village's strength wasn't just about the Uchiha and Hyūga. Its real advantage was in its steady supply lines, organized leadership, intelligence network, standing army, and the system Manji had built over the years.
Once that war machine started moving, the Senju wouldn't just be fighting another clan.
They would be up against all of Konoha.
Any weakened clan standing in the way would be swept aside.
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