Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha lacks motivation.

Chapter 251 Susanoo Rock Statue

early morning.

The warm sunshine awakened the sleeping people, and the villagers of Konoha Village ushered in a brand new day.

Today is a memorable day. Villagers who had received advance notice dressed up and took to the streets to witness the grand spectacle unique to Konoha.

On the bustling street, villagers strolled slowly, taking advantage of this rare moment of leisure to gossip.

"Did you hear that strange sound last night?"

"I heard it. I wonder whose house it is, still doing renovations so late at night."

"Hehe, I thought it was an earthquake, I almost climbed over the wall and ran away~"

"Where did you go last night? Tell me in detail!"

His words were filled with resentment over the unknown noise from the previous night.

However, the person in front suddenly stopped, and the people following behind immediately braked.

"Why did you stop?"

"Hurry up, or we'll miss the inauguration ceremony!"

"Look at you."

The villager at the very front, head held high, eyes wide, pointed a trembling finger upwards towards the top of Konoha Village.

The villagers behind him were completely bewildered by his actions, and subconsciously looked in the direction he was pointing.

"What?!"

The next moment, everyone's expression became uniform, and their gaping mouths could only hold two words:

Holy crap!

Temporary office in Konoha Village.

Hashirama Senju, dressed in a long red robe, leaned against the window, gazing at the rocky cliffs above Konoha with a look of deep surprise in his eyes.

After admiring it for a long time, Hashirama Senju suppressed a smile, reluctantly withdrew his gaze, and boasted to Tobirama Senju, who was busy at work,

"Tobirama, did you see that? Madara sculpted me so handsomely~"

"Can you lend a hand? Today is your first day as Hokage, and you've been slacking off the whole time. Do you think you're fit for the role?"

A white-haired figure peeked out from behind a small, moving mountain of documents, gritting his teeth and growling angrily. His eyes were heavily circled with dark circles, clearly from lack of rest recently.

"Oh, isn't that how you use your little brother?"

This was Professor Madara's advice based on his own experience.

Hearing this, Tobirama Senju grew increasingly enraged. He threw down the documents in his hand, then pulled out a large stack of envelopes, shoved them at his elder brother's face, and roared,

"It's all your fault for letting him get away with it! Look what Madara Uchiha did last night—the complaint mailbox is overflowing!"

"Madara meant well~"

Despite being questioned, Hashirama Senju's smile remained unchanged. Looking at his enraged younger brother, he unleashed a devastating attack.

"Tobirama, think about it. Carving a Hokage Rock would be so expensive. The money you save would be enough to support several of your research projects."

"Hmm"

Upon hearing this, Tobirama Senju, who had been somewhat flushed, slowly came to his senses. He looked down at the complaint letters in his hand, then promptly threw them all into the trash can.

"Ahem, let's leave that aside for now. Big brother, are you ready?"

With a cryptic expression, Tobirama Senju coughed a few times, skipping over the complaint, and turned to his elder brother with a serious look, asking,

"The engine hasn't arrived yet."

He had been gazing out the window for a long time, but the person he was waiting for never appeared. A hint of disappointment crossed Hashirama Senju's face, and a flicker of light crossed his eyes; it was unclear what he was thinking.

"Time is almost up. Don't keep the villagers waiting too long. As Hokage, you need to set an example for everyone."

Looking at the time, Tobirama Senju patted his older brother on the shoulder and urged him on.

"Okay, let's go~"

With a serious expression, Hashirama Senju slowly nodded, picked up a straw hat symbolizing power from his desk, examined it for a moment, then put it on his head. He then turned around, pushed open the door, and walked towards his stage, bathed in the dazzling light.

"He's out! The Hokage is out~"

As Hashirama Senju's tall figure appeared, the long-awaited residents of Konoha erupted in cheers, raising their hands high with eyes full of admiration.

Having fulfilled his long-cherished wish, Hashirama Senju, overwhelmed with excitement, opened his arms wide, his deep voice, amplified by chakra, reaching the ears of everyone present.

Thank you everyone.

At the very front of the crowd, the various ninja clans stood in a line. In one of the more prominent positions, the elder head of the Hyuga clan, without looking to the side, admonished his son beside him.

"Tianyao, you must remember this: in the future, no matter what happens, never act rashly until the very last step."

"Yes, Tianyao will remember this."

The old man's pure white eyes were calm and still, and his tone of voice was very indifferent, yet it carried a strong sense of pressure, causing Hyuga Tenyo to break out in a cold sweat instantly, his fear clearly visible.

"Father, what are you looking for?"

On the other side, Shimura Danzo, with his large buttocks sticking out, curiously looked up at his father, who was glancing around nervously, and couldn't help but ask,

"Sasuke, look at the Uchiha clan, why is it that only an acting clan leader has arrived?"

Ignoring his beloved son, Kenichi Shimura, frowning, nudged the beaming Sarutobi Sasuke beside him, his eyes filled with deep confusion.

"Well, maybe it's because the Uchiha clan leader worked too late last night~"

When asked, Sarutobi Sasuke turned his head and looked at Uchiha Izuna, who was standing at the front of the Uchiha clan, and guessed.

"Damn it! That spot should have been mine!"

With his arms crossed, Uchiha Izuna gritted his teeth, staring at the white-haired figure behind Senju Hashirama on the stage, cursing inwardly.

"Lord Izuna, where did Lord Madara go?"

Following behind Uchiha Izuna, Uchiha Hikaru asked in confusion,

Why would the clan head be absent from such a grand ceremony? Could it be that he had a falling out with Hashirama Senju?

"Don't overthink it, your older brother is in the best seats."

With a slightly cold expression, Uchiha Izuna shifted his gaze upwards before speaking to his worried clansmen behind him.

Above the Hokage Rock.

The quiet environment here contrasts sharply with the bustling scene not far away.

Atop the massive statue of Hashirama Senju, a solitary figure sat cross-legged.

Madara Uchiha rested his chin on one hand, his handsome face expressionless, his eyes filled with emptiness.

His gaze was fixed on Hashirama Senju, who was smiling and waving, and his eyes held an indescribable meaning.

Jealousy? Disappointment? Resentment? Or perhaps relief?

"Indeed, he's more suitable than me."

Looking at the cheerful smile of Hashirama Senju, Madara Uchiha couldn't help but recall past scenes.

On the street, the girl who had been frightened by him immediately stopped crying and started laughing when she saw Hashirama Senju's smile.

Since then, he has tried to practice a cheerful smile, but it was ultimately abandoned because his older cousin said it was "too disgusting".

Thinking it over, Madara Uchiha tried to pull up the corners of his mouth and imitate Hashirama Senju's smile once again.

Smiling is one of the essential skills of the Hokage.

"Ugh~ That's disgusting!"

Suddenly, a mocking voice rang out above him. Madara Uchiha paused, expressionless, and lowered his hand. He looked up at the curly-haired figure peeking out from the cliff face, his brows furrowing slightly.

"Why are you here?"

"I was worried you might overwork yourself and die from exhaustion, so I came to check on you."

Uchiha Gin, perched on the cliff face, rolled his eyes, his tone filled with deep helplessness. Then, he leaped onto the top of Senju Hashirama's head.

"Wow~ The view is really good, no wonder Naruto likes to sneak here to hang on the wall."

After looking around, the silver-haired Uchiha realized that from this vantage point, he could see everything in Konoha, and then he suddenly understood.

"Naruto? What weird stuff are you spouting now?"

Sitting to the side, Madara Uchiha didn't react much to Gin Uchiha's appearance. He merely raised an eyebrow and casually remarked,

"Just some unimportant things, here, I brought you breakfast~"

Scratching his head, Uchiha Gin didn't continue the conversation, but casually took out a few steamed buns from his bag and tossed them over.

"Thank you."

As Madara Uchiha took the still-hot meat bun, a slight tremor ran through his eyes, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart.

"We're all brothers, why are you being so polite?"

Uchiha Gin waved his hand dismissively, indicating that the other party should act while the opportunity was still fresh. He then took out a small stool and sat down next to Uchiha Madara.

The reason he didn't sit on the ground was because Uchiha Gin was afraid of becoming a young man with hemorrhoids.

"Tsk~ You're really something, opening up the Susanoo rock painting in the middle of the night, it's really eye-opening~"

Ignoring the ravenous Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Gin looked down at the newly manufactured Hokage Rock, marveling at its lifelike head.

"Hmph~ I've said it before, I, Uchiha Madara, have always wanted to be an artist!"

After swallowing the last steamed bun, Madara Uchiha patted his slightly bloated belly, proudly raised his head, and replied,

He's a genius who once peeled an apple into a little rabbit!

"That's perfect! Now you can go and pursue your artistic dreams!"

With his gaze falling on the delighted Hashirama Senju, Gin Uchiha spoke seemingly casually.

"Well, this is only the first generation. There will be a second and third generation later."

Madara Uchiha's breath hitched, his eyes became somewhat unfocused, and after hesitating for a moment, he slowly spoke, revealing his true intentions.

"You're getting cocky just because I called you fat?"

This left Uchiha Gin speechless. He had only teased his cousin about the Second Hokage, but Gin had taken it seriously.

"Who else but me should take the position of the second-generation leader?"

When the topic of the Hokage position came up, Madara Uchiha became somewhat arrogant. He puffed out his chest, head held high, a serious expression on his face, and confidently patted his chest at Gin Uchiha.

"."

No, this is too outrageous. It seems that Madara Uchiha hasn't been tempered by society yet, and he still dreams of becoming Hokage.

"Alright, good luck. If you need any help, just ask. Your big cousin will protect you!"

Uchiha Gin sighed inwardly, but seeing his older cousin's high spirits, he couldn't bring himself to say anything discouraging. He could only nod and offer words of encouragement.

"No need. I've already arranged with Hasi Hot Mom to go to his office to help out in a few days, so I can familiarize myself with the work process in advance."

Upon hearing this, Madara Uchiha, deeply moved, gently shook his head.

Previously, after losing the Tailed Beast War to Hashirama Senju, the latter specifically invited him to participate in village affairs.

"Huh? You're going to be a secretary?"

Oh no! That despicable Hashirama Senju is abusing his power and attempting to use underhanded tactics.

"Huh? No, they said they want me to be some kind of Hokage assistant."

Haha, I never expected that the thick-browed, big-eyed Hashirama Senju would also learn to play mind games. With just a few words, he managed to completely control his younger cousin.

"Then you'd better be careful. Don't drink the black tea that Hashirama Senju offered you!"

Seeing that he couldn't persuade his older cousin who was determined, Uchiha Gin had no choice but to give up. However, since it concerned Uchiha Madara's chastity, he still couldn't give up and spoke up to remind him.

"Okay."

Although he found it strange that his older cousin was in such a hurry, Madara Uchiha could only nod in agreement, as the other party's concern was genuine, and he promised that he would never eat anything from Hashirama Senju again.

A few days later.

In the Hokage's office.

Trembling, Hashirama Senju huddled between the two men locked in a fierce confrontation, too afraid to utter a word, his dark eyes filled with inner turmoil.

On the left is his younger brother, who shares the same mother.

On the right is the man he considers his lifelong friend.

They're both my flesh and blood!

At this moment, the two men stared intently at each other, their gazes flashing with a subtle, electric light, causing Hashirama Senju, caught in the middle, to instinctively shrink back.

Finally, unable to bear the oppressive atmosphere any longer, he gritted his teeth, mustered his courage, and spoke up.

"you."

"Shut up!" *2

However, before he could even utter his words of reconciliation, the two who were arguing spoke in unison, displaying remarkable tacit understanding.

"Hmph~ Big brother, the tailed beasts absolutely cannot be handed over to the Uchiha clan to manage!"

Tobirama Senju, withdrawing his gaze, assumed his usual arms-crossed stance. His crimson eyes were filled with vigilance as he looked at Madara Uchiha opposite him and spoke without any hesitation.

"Heh, do you think our Uchiha clan really wants to take on this mess? I only offered to help him with some of the extra burden because I think Hasi Hot Mom is working so hard."

Madara Uchiha sneered, his gaze fixed unfriendly on Tobirama Senju, who resembled an even more Uchiha than himself, and retorted.

"Stop arguing~ Stop arguing~"

Caught in the middle, Hashirama Senju weakly tried to persuade him, but it didn't have much effect.

It turns out that these people were discussing how to deal with the tailed beasts.

Previously, in the struggle for the Hokage position, Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha each captured four tailed beasts, effectively controlling all the free tailed beasts in the ninja world.

Although the Pokémon Masters Tournament ultimately determined the winner, the question of what to do with the remaining Tailed Beasts became a thorny issue.

Apart from the Nine-Tails, which had made a promise to Hashirama Senju, the other seven tailed beasts are imprisoned in the forests outside Konoha.

However, relying solely on Hashirama Senju's Four Pillars Prison to imprison them is not a sustainable solution. He can easily handle one or two, and three or four are not too much of a challenge, but suppressing seven at once is truly exhausting.

In the original timeline, with the strong support of Mito Uzumaki's family, Hashirama Senju was able to easily control the eight tailed beasts and eventually sell them to various countries.

However, the relationship between the Uzumaki clan and Konoha is not close; they are practically estranged.

This resulted in the fact that, apart from Hashirama Senju, only the Uchiha clan in the entire Hidden Leaf Village had the ability to control the Tailed Beasts and prevent them from causing trouble.

However, this idea was met with strong opposition from someone as soon as it was proposed.

"In short, the Tailed Beasts are Konoha's property, and we've decided we can't hand them over to any particular clan, especially one with a screw loose!"

Because his elder brother had just taken office and was too busy with official duties, Tobirama Senju had not yet had time to begin his research experiments on the tailed beasts.

I was originally planning to dissect and study those tailed beasts properly when I had some free time.

Unexpectedly, Madara Uchiha interfered, attempting to take control of the Tailed Beasts.

My elder brother was actually tempted just now. How could I let Uchiha Madara have his way? I must nip him in the bud!

"Who are you calling crazy! You despicable white-haired bastard, let's fight one-on-one!"

Apart from Hashirama Senju, no outsider had ever dared to speak to him like that. Enraged, Madara Uchiha immediately swung his arms, ready to fight Tobirama Senju to the death.

"Bang Bang Bang~"

Just as the situation was about to escalate into a brawl, a rapid knocking on the door interrupted their argument, and three pairs of eyes simultaneously turned towards the doorway.

Who is it?

"Lord Hokage, urgent documents!"

"Come in!"

Upon hearing that it was an urgent document, Hashirama Senju immediately changed his demeanor, his previous timidity vanished, and he became extremely serious. Madara Uchiha and Tobirama Senju also temporarily put aside their argument, turning their heads away and refusing to look at each other.

"This is... hahaha, I knew my idea was right!"

Taking the document, Hashirama Senju, his expression grave, read it carefully. After a short while, a striking smile bloomed on his tense face. He laughed heartily, held up the document, and addressed the two most important people in his life:

"What does the document say?"

This scene successfully piqued their curiosity. Looking at Hashirama Senju, who was laughing like a chrysanthemum, they both asked in unison,

"Ninja clans from other countries followed Konoha's example and established their own ninja villages!"

Excitedly, Hashirama Senju stood up, walked to the window, looked down at the peaceful and prosperous residents of Konoha Village, and turned to the two to announce,

"What?!"

Tobirama Senju was startled by this. People from other countries are really quick. Konoha has only been established for a year, and there are already bandit camps.

"They must have seen the peaceful state of the Land of Fire and longed for it, which is why they imitated our system!"

Hashirama Senju, who dedicated his life to the pursuit of peace, did not blame other countries for their plagiarism; on the contrary, he acquiesced with satisfaction.

"Hmph~ That's not necessarily true."

Equally astonished, Madara Uchiha crossed his arms, his eyes filled with contemplation. He then looked at Hashirama Senju, whose face was beaming with excitement, and coldly retorted.

"That's right! These countries must have discovered that the Land of Fire's strength had increased dramatically after establishing the one-country-one-village system, and they were afraid, so they chose to follow suit and try not to fall behind."

Surprisingly, Tobirama Senju actually reached a consensus with Madara Uchiha. He nodded, a hint of mockery in his crimson eyes, and then explained to his naive older brother...

"Once their strength develops to a certain level, battles between nations will ensue."

Before Konoha was established, the internal situations of other countries were not much different from those of the Land of Fire; they were all embroiled in internecine warfare among ninja clans.

However, now that the one-country-one-village system has been established and the power of the ninja clan has been unified, their strategic goals are self-evident once there are no enemies within a country.

I've been working overtime quite a bit lately, but I'll try my best to keep updating!

Thank you all for your monthly tickets and recommendations!

(End of this chapter)