After hearing Isamu's words, everyone fell silent.
His words were harsh.
But…
They were also the undeniable truth.
Garuda silently remembered the name of Isamu's son.
Uchiha Senba.
After a while, Isamu sighed.
"Forget it."
"We're out to enjoy ourselves today."
"Let's not dwell on these things."
"In the end…"
"Time will prove whether Senba chose the right path."
The four continued walking through Konoha's streets.
Garuda looked up as ninja flashed across the rooftops.
"Are those the ninja you told me about?"
"That's right."
Isamu nodded.
"After the Warring States Era ended, this world entered the age of the ninja."
"If today's Great Ninja Villages can enjoy relative peace…"
"Your second brother Ashura's descendants deserve much of the credit."
"My second brother's descendants?"
Garuda looked surprised.
"What do you mean?"
Mikoto and Itachi were equally curious.
This was the first time they had ever heard the names Ashura and Indra.
Isamu explained calmly.
"During the Warring States Era…"
"Countless factions fought one another for territory."
"Among them, two clans stood above all others."
"The Senju Clan…"
"Descendants of Ashura."
"And the Uchiha Clan…"
"Descendants of Indra."
"My clan."
"The Senju…"
"The Uchiha…"
Garuda blinked.
"So Ashura and Indra's descendants abandoned the Ōtsutsuki name?"
"They did."
"As generations passed…"
"Brothers killed brothers."
"Children watched their parents die."
"The hatred continued until…"
"Their shared blood meant nothing."
"They became sworn enemies."
Mikoto couldn't hide her astonishment.
"Father…"
"Are you saying…"
"The Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan are actually related by blood?"
Isamu laughed.
"Related?"
"They're far more than that."
"The founders of both clans were brothers."
"Real brothers."
"They grew up together."
"…Real brothers…"
Garuda lowered her head.
Thinking of Indra and Ashura…
Her heart ached.
"'Born from the same root…"
"'Why torment one another so fiercely?'"
Isamu gently held Garuda's hand.
"People walking different paths…"
"Can rarely walk together."
"Even if they're brothers."
"That's all in the past now."
"Don't dwell on it."
Garuda quietly nodded.
Mikoto was still struggling to believe everything.
"But…"
"Father…"
"How do you know all of this?"
"Is there any proof?"
Isamu smiled.
"I always speak the truth."
"Whether people believe me…"
"Doesn't really matter."
"But since you asked…"
"I'll show you living proof."
"…Hm?"
Mikoto stared at him.
One second.
Two seconds.
Nothing happened.
She looked even more confused.
"Father…"
"Weren't you going to show me?"
Before Isamu could answer—
Itachi tugged gently on Mikoto's sleeve.
"Mother…"
"I think…"
"The living proof Grandpa mentioned…"
"…is Grandma Garuda."
"Haha!"
Isamu burst into laughter.
"Our Itachi really is clever."
"Exactly."
"The living proof…"
"…is Garuda."
Mikoto was stunned.
"Mother Garuda?"
"How could that possibly be?"
Isamu smiled.
"You'll understand once you hear their names."
"The ancestor of the Uchiha…"
"Was Ōtsutsuki Indra."
"The ancestor of the Senju…"
"Was Ōtsutsuki Ashura."
"And Garuda's full name…"
"…is Ōtsutsuki Karura."
"…Ōtsutsuki…"
Mikoto's eyes widened.
A ridiculous possibility appeared in her mind.
"No…"
"It can't be…"
Isamu smiled knowingly.
"Judging by your expression…"
"I think you've figured it out."
"Hard to believe?"
"I brought Garuda here…"
"From another era."
"That's why I said…"
"Strictly speaking…"
"She's even older than I am."
Mikoto slowly turned toward Garuda.
"Mother Garuda…"
"Were you really born…"
"…a thousand years ago?"
Garuda nodded gently.
"Yes."
"I truly lived a thousand years ago."
"Because of certain circumstances…"
"I was able to return."
"I suppose…"
"It was fate."
"They say fate is decided by heaven."
Isamu smiled faintly.
"Sometimes…"
"I think that's true."
"Take Hashirama Senju…"
"And Madara Uchiha."
"Their clans hated one another."
"And yet…"
"They became childhood friends."
"Together…"
"They founded Konoha."
"If that isn't fate…"
"I don't know what is."
Garuda looked puzzled.
"Hashirama?"
"Madara?"
"Who are they?"
Before Isamu could answer—
Itachi excitedly raised his hand.
"I know!"
"Hashirama Senju is Grandma Tsunade's grandfather!"
"And Madara Uchiha…"
"…is Great-Grandpa!"
"Hahaha!"
Isamu laughed warmly.
"Our Itachi really is smart."
"That's correct."
"But that explanation won't mean much to Grandma Garuda."
Turning back to Garuda, he explained,
"Hashirama Senju…"
"Was the direct heir of Ashura's bloodline."
"And leader of the Senju Clan."
"My father…"
"Madara Uchiha…"
"Was the direct heir of Indra's bloodline."
"If we're counting generations…"
"I'm about a dozen generations removed from Indra."
Garuda suddenly understood.
"Oh…"
"So that's why."
"No wonder…"
"You rejected my second brother Ashura back then."
"And chose to stand beside Indra."
"So…"
"He was your ancestor."
Isamu laughed.
"That's only part of the reason."
"But yes."
"If I wasn't going to support my own ancestor…"
"Who was I supposed to support?"
"Our clan's greatest enemy?"
"I'm not that foolish."
Truthfully…
Isamu had always been somewhat biased toward Indra.
After all…
Indra was the ancestor of the Uchiha.
And…
He had never particularly agreed with Ashura's ideals.
Garuda suddenly asked,
"Tian Qi…"
"Is your father still alive?"
"Tian Qi?"
"…Tian Qi?"
Suddenly—
Isamu stopped walking.
His gaze fixed itself on a nearby barbecue restaurant.
His eyes became distant.
As though…
He had returned to the days of his youth.
The other three exchanged puzzled glances.
They couldn't understand why he had suddenly frozen before such an ordinary restaurant.
Itachi tugged gently on his sleeve.
"Grandpa?"
"Grandpa?"
"What's wrong?"
Isamu slowly came back to his senses.
"It's nothing."
"I'm just…"
"…remembering my younger days."
"Looking at this barbecue restaurant…"