Naruto: Tsunade’s Reincarnated Older Brother

A massive monolithic rock lies horizontally, protecting the Hidden Leaf Village. Carved into its stone face is a gigantic statue modeled after a human visage. The rock known as Hokage Rock, which bears the likeness of the Hokage, watches over all who live in the village. The villagers conduct their daily lives under the comforting security of being protected by the Hokage. Currently, only one face is carved into the rock, that of the first and present Hokage, Hashirama. However, as the second and third Hokage succeed him, more faces will likely be added to the monument.

The face of Hashirama, which the people look up to, is a magnificent work that combines the ruggedness of a seasoned warrior who ruled during the Warring States period with the warmth of Hashirama's true nature. It is a masterpiece that Hashirama himself would be proud of. However, the man himself now stands atop his own carved likeness, his expression shadowed. The wind rustles his long hair, cooling his cheeks.

Hashirama had watched over the village's growth since its founding. The scenic view, still developing and beautiful, was the most precious treasure he had ever obtained, alongside his former ally, Uchiha Madara.

As children, Hashirama and Madara shared their dreams. The two, who recognized each other as their one and only friend, had their precious families taken away by each other's clans and were torn apart. At the time, they were just two boys at the mercy of fate, but they eventually grew up and became the leaders of their respective clans.

After a long battle, Madara, despite having fought and killed each other's kin, was moved by Hashirama's magnanimity in still calling him a friend. After decades of detours, the two finally joined hands.

Reconciliation with a friend. The end of the Warring States period. An organization where no children would die. Having achieved everything they once desired, Hashirama and Madara gradually began to drift apart due to differences in their beliefs. Nevertheless, the peace they had finally attained after rushing through the chaos of the Warring States era was the most precious thing to Hashirama. It was the existence of his beloved family, whom he had met thanks to the village, that made him feel so strongly about protecting that peace.

"Madara..."

But there was no sign of his ally Madara. Uchiha Madara's ideology differed from Senju Tobirama's political policies, and after a while, he left the village. Driven by hatred, believing he had been betrayed by the village, Madara became a vengeful spirit. Using the power of his Mangekyō Sharingan, he bound the Nine-Tailed Fox and attacked the Hidden Leaf Village, aiming to destroy it.

Hashirama faced Madara with great sorrow and helplessness. The fierce battle that lasted through the night ended with Hashirama's victory. By the newly formed waterfall created by the intense battle that had distorted the terrain, Hashirama gazed intently at the face of his fallen ally, who had passed away peacefully.

The helplessness of wondering how things had come to this, and the absolute resolve not to forgive those who would betray the village. It is not difficult to imagine how agonizing it must have been for the kind-hearted Hashirama to take the life of his ally, Madara. The emotions swirling within him were too complex to put into words. However, Hashirama felt no regret for having taken his friend's life, only a lingering sense of loneliness.

"Hey, Grandpa!"

"Oh, Tatami! ...What?"

The familiar voice of his grandson reached Hashirama's ears as dusk fell, and Hashirama's worried expression changed to that of a doting grandfather. However, Tatami was nowhere to be seen. He looked around repeatedly, wondering where he was, when he heard the voice calling him again.

Looking down, he saw Tatami standing vertically on the rock face, waving his hands.

Hashirama rushed over to Tatami's side and picked him up. The technique of adhering to a wall is an advanced stage of chakra control. It is not particularly difficult, but Hashirama believed that if the basics were neglected, the difficulty of mastering it increased exponentially.

When he heard that his younger brother, Tobimaru, had become Tatami's teacher and begun seriously instructing him in ninjutsu, Hashirama had felt dejected, wondering why it wasn't him instead. However, as the head of the clan and the leader of the village, the Hokage, he wasn't unaware of Tobimaru's thoughts, so he reluctantly relinquished the position of master.

On one hand, he was thrilled to think that Tatami had already mastered techniques like wall-walking, but on the other hand, he was anxious about what would happen if his concentration slipped and his chakra control faltered, causing him to fall. Though Tatami had already mastered intricate chakra control techniques like adhering to walls and standing on water from a young age, Hashirama couldn't help but worry, being the overprotective grandfather he was.

Holding Tatami, Hashirama leaped even higher than the rock face and stood at the edge of the cliff. The view from there was even wider than from the rock face, allowing him to see the entire village below.

"Wow, this is amazing," Tatami exclaimed.

Hashirama felt a surge of nostalgia and warmth in his heart as he thought about how much time had passed since "that day." Hashirama had once stood in this very spot and talked about his dreams with Madara.

Back then, both of them were still young. The rock face had not yet been carved into the Hokage Rock, and the area where houses now stood was just a dense forest. They had chased after endless dreams: to end the war, to bring peace, to protect their families, to protect the children, and to build a village here. Now, though the friend with whom he had once shared those dreams was no longer by his side, the village existed, and the family who lived there was safe. It was the future he had finally grasped, the dream realized.

"Tatami... do you have any dreams?"

After letting the words slip out casually, Hashirama suddenly felt anxious as he reflected on his past actions. All he had taught Tatami was his hobby of bonsai, how to gamble, and boasting about the various ninja tools he had collected. It was entirely possible that he might even decide to become a gambler. Just the other day, he had received a bit of criticism from Mito.

What will Tatami answer?

Seeing Tatami seem to have come to a decision on his own, Hashirama realized that Tatami's answer was set. With a mix of anticipation and anxiety, he urged Tatami to speak, waiting for the words that would come out of his mouth.

"I want to become Hokage and protect everyone."

Even though Tatami seems quite mature, to Hashirama, he is still a young grandson. He must have made this decision after much deliberation, without even knowing the true weight of being Hokage. That is not a bad thing; it is very important. Just as Hashirama once dreamed of the "village," a dream that seemed unattainable.

All Hashirama can do is pray that Tatami's dream will continue straight ahead in the long life that lies before him.

He doesn't want Tatami to walk the same sad path as Hashirama, who, in the village he aimed to protect, ended up parting ways with his closest friend, or like Madara, who, in the village that dreamed of peace, was shattered by the darkness he witnessed and fell into despair. Hashirama sighed deeply and stilled his trembling lips.

He was torn about whether to pass on the "Will of Fire" he had once imparted to his disciple, Sarutobi Hiruzen, to Tatami. He feared that doing so might stifle the potential of the young leaf that had just begun to sprout.

Still, Hashirama wanted to leave one answer with Tatami. He believed that Tatami would not be bound by that answer but would use it as a guiding light, allowing him to reach his own dream. Was that ego, or was it trust? By the time he understood, Hashirama would already be gone from this world. Still, if his grandson could inherit the "Will of Fire" and walk the path beyond the "true dream" Hashirama had pursued, then all the hardships of this life would have been worth enduring.

"Tatami. A Hokage is one who bears the hopes of everyone. The villagers believe in me, and I believe in them. That is what a Hokage is."

"I see... Yeah, I'll remember that."

Seeing Tatami nod solemnly, Hashirama smiled. A single leaf, carried by the wind, floated up into the sky before Hashirama's eyes.

After that, Hashirama couldn't stop Tatami from being led away by the suddenly appearing Tobirama.

***

"You kept me waiting!"

When the blonde girl was about to lose her patience because Tatami hadn't shown up even after the appointed time, he appeared without a care in the world. With one hand in his pocket and the other waving lazily, he showed no sign of remorse, causing the girl, Yamanaka Ino, to purse her lips in frustration.

"Why are you always late?"

Ino pointed at Tatami, who was approaching slowly without any sign of hurrying, and yelled. The exchange between the excited Ino and Tatami, who seemed somewhat remorseful, was nothing out of the ordinary. The silver-haired boy beside them, Hatake Sakumo, covered his ears in exasperation, thinking, "Here we go again."

"No, I was sleeping. I'm sorry."

"Can't you at least try to be a little more tactful?"

Ino's eyes narrowed even more at his blunt display of insincerity. She took a few deep breaths, but seeing Tatami's expression, she relaxed her shoulders, exhausted. She thought it would have been better if he had made an excuse, like being asked by his grandmother to help with something.

"Well, it's only a five-minute delay. I don't think you should get so angry every time."

The sudden rebuke made Ino's eyes widen. She never imagined that Tatami, who had come late, would be defended, and that she, who had rightfully scolded him, would be scolded in return. Why? Surprise and frustration began to stir within her, and her jade-colored eyes suddenly filled with tears.

"But ninjas have to keep time... Ugh... Waaah!"

She felt ashamed of herself for letting tears fall even though she didn't want to cry. Tatami was startled and gently rubbed Ino's shoulders, trying desperately to stop her from crying. Sakumo didn't think it was such a big deal, but he felt guilty for making her cry.

Yamanaka Ino was strong-willed, but she tended to burst into tears at the slightest provocation. She was extremely formidable in direct arguments and verbal exchanges, but she seemed to be vulnerable when caught off guard.

"I want to go somewhere today."

When Ino had calmed down, Tatami suggested that the three of them take a trip to a slightly unusual forest far from the village. Tatami pointed toward the forest with a gentle smile. Sakumo questioned this, while Ino nodded silently.

"We're going to practice here, right? Tatami, you said you were told by Tobirama-sensei to practice, didn't you? That's why we're all gathered here."

"There's a forest a short walk from the gate that's bigger than the surrounding woods, and it's kind of messy and tangled, or maybe just weird..."

"Oh, so that's where we're going."

Sakumo, whose words had been ignored, shrugged indifferently. After all, it was Tatami who would get scolded if they went into the forest without permission, not him, so he really didn't care.

That forest had been created a few years ago. When Tatami was still young, Hashirama had once taken his first grandchild out of the village, he had properly asked permission from Tobimaru at the time, but during that trip, his grandchild, who had just started learning ninjutsu, kept begging to see Hashirama's techniques. However, when it came to Water Release, the grandchild bluntly stated that Tobimaru had more varieties and was more skilled with them.

Furthermore, the bold child apparently complained that the Earth Release techniques were too dull. To cheer up his grandson, and having succumbed to his pleas, Hashirama demonstrated the Wood Release secret technique, "Tree Sea Birth."

Eager to please his grandchild, Hashirama apparently activated the technique with all his might, transforming the surrounding area into a forest of twisted, unnatural trees.

"That means the ecosystem is messed up because of you, right?"

Sakumo sighed in exasperation. "You haven't changed a bit." Tatami blushed and laughed awkwardly. Ino was also exasperated and poked Tatami's side. "You're not being praised, you know?" Tatami pushed her away, but Ino found it amusing. Before things got heated, Sakumo cleared his throat to get their attention.

Ino noticed and deliberately covered her mouth with her fist, but her cheeks were slightly red.

"That's the Hokage's Wood Release ninjutsu, right? My sister said she's seen it before. It seems like you can create not only trees but also flowers, and my sister said she got some flowers from the Hokage."

Surprised by the unexpected trivia, Sakumo honestly marveled and nodded in agreement. Tatami clapped in admiration, but seemed somewhat lackluster. However, Ino proudly puffed out her chest, emphasizing her tightly bound abdomen covered in bandages.

Due to her crop-top outfit, Ino had wrapped bandages around her midriff to cover the skin that would normally be exposed. It was an odd fashion choice, but Tatami thought it added a unique charm. However, Tatami himself was wearing simple yet flashy armor on his arms and chest, making him stand out in the village. Only Sakumo, dressed in plain ninja attire, could afford to comment.

Still, as children of the village, they couldn't help but be curious about the forest said to have been created by the Hokage, their idol. While Sakumo was getting excited, Ino seemed a bit hesitant.

"But I told my mom I'd play here..."

"I already told her, so it's okay. Don't worry."

"Really?! Let's go then!"

"You switch gears fast."

"Huh? How did you do that? When did you..."

"Shadow Clone," Tatami said, and Sakumo nodded in understanding.

Ino quickly started walking, followed by Tatami, who looked both amazed and exasperated, and Sakumo.

"Hmm, since it's a forest, we can't practice fire techniques, Tatami."

"Right."

They passed through the village's main street, exited the residential area, and arrived at a huge gate with characters written on it. This was the entrance to the village.

The three of them were carrying bags of fruit they had bought with their pocket money for their training breaks.

"This is for the young master."

"Thank you for your hard work."

The gatekeeper, who was guarding the entrance, noticed Tatami and bowed. Tatami was used to this and didn't think much of it, but Ino and Sakumo felt uncomfortable seeing an adult treat a child with such respect.

Tatami announced that they were going out to play outside the village. The war had ended, and a ceasefire agreement had been signed some time ago. Although their village had been attacked by Madara, diplomatically, it was a peaceful period. The gate was open, and people could come and go freely.

After some casual conversation, Tatami and the others slipped through the gate and began walking.

Tatami gasped at the denser-than-expected forest. The other two also seemed somewhat overwhelmed by the atmosphere.

"We can use Earth Release freely here."

"Actually, we messed up the training ground once and got scolded."

"Don't include me! I tried to stop you, but you guys got too carried away!"

"Hahahaha! That was fun."

Tatami, who had recently been taught "Nature Transformation" by his great-uncle and mentor, Tobimaru, had attempted to put it into practice during his match with Sakumo. Nature Transformation is an advanced ninjutsu technique that allows one to transform colorless chakra into one of the five attributes, fire, wind, water, earth, or lightning, and is also the foundation of ninjutsu.

Each person has different affinities for these attributes, with some having none and others having two or more. Tatami's aptitude lies in three attributes: earth, fire, and water.

There is something called "kekkei genkai", bloodline limits. These are special physical traits inherited through genetics, or advanced ninja techniques that combine two attributes to create a new one. Tatami's grandfather, Hashirama, possessed two kekkei genkai: superhuman regenerative abilities and the ability to transform water and earth into wood, known as "Wood Release."

Tatami was overjoyed to receive instruction from Tobimaru and learn basic ninjutsu techniques, but he was disheartened when told that serious ninjutsu training would begin later.

"If Wood Release is hereditary, then I should be able to do it too."

Tatami, who had not learned from his previous failures, attempted to use Wood Release during a practice match with Sakumo, but failed miserably.

What he activated was a completely different technique—the "Earth Flow River," which spewed a torrent of mud from his mouth.

Since a failed ninjutsu technique is considered a misfire, what was actually activated was Earth Release: Earth Flow. Originally, this was a foundation technique of Earth Release, which involves spewing mud, but by combining it with the water attribute, its scale increased exponentially.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!"

The runaway technique showed no signs of stopping, and the wave of earth containing rocks and wood fragments engulfed Sakumo and Ino, flowing toward the town and causing massive damage to a corner of the village. Houses were swallowed whole, and people screamed and ran in panic.

Thinking it was an enemy attack, Tobimaru activated the Flying Thunder God technique and arrived on the scene, suppressing the technique. Ino and Sakumo, who had been caught up in it, were rescued by Wood Release before losing consciousness. It was at that moment that Ino's older sister witnessed the Wood Release technique.

"That's not funny!"

"It hurts."

Tatami, who was trying to laugh it off, was slapped on the back of the head by Ino.

After the incident, Tatami received a lengthy lecture and genjutsu punishment from Tobimaru, the village council, and his biological parents for several hours. He feared it might become a trauma if he didn't laugh it off. Since then, the Earth Flow River technique, within the village, has been designated as a forbidden technique for him.

"It's not like it's over yet. You're being a bit too persistent, aren't you?"

"Ugh..."

"Come on, let's go! We'll be late getting home!"

Ino's eyes welled up with tears again, but Tatami grabbed her hand firmly and led her into the forest. Sakumo followed behind, looking exasperated.

Sakumo took a piece of fruit out of his bag and bit into it. It was a bit sour.

———

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