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

Just as the handover ceremony that everyone had been eagerly anticipating was about to begin, the Senju brothers, hiding in the Hokage's office, were as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

With his hands behind his back and a worried expression, Tobirama Senju paced back and forth in his spacious office.

Hashirama Senju, who was about to be one of the main figures in the handover ceremony, also looked uneasy, nervously tugging at his divine robes.

Seeing his anxious younger brother, the wooden clone cautiously raised his hand: "Tobirama, how about I deactivate it myself and relay the message to the main body?"

"Something's not right. Why isn't my shadow clone urging my brother to return to the village?"

The fact that Hashirama Senju had not returned was just one of the things that Tobirama Senju was worried about.

But what makes Tobirama Senju even more uneasy now is that the shadow clones he sent out are not acting according to his orders.

"Chirp~"

"Bang!"

"Snapped!"

Among the crowd outside the building, Uchiha clan members who had come spontaneously were already performing Fire Release fireworks. Countless fire dragons and phoenixes rose up, and the red light filled the sky, shining through the windows and illuminating Tobirama Senju's pale face, making him appear particularly gloomy.

Bang bang bang~

"First Generation Lord, Branch Secretary, the ceremony is about to begin!"

Just as Tobirama Senju was hesitating, a ninja who had come to inform him knocked on the office door.

Call ~

Tobirama Senju breathed a sigh of relief. Since things had come to this, he could only try to muddle through for now.

"Brother, let's just get through the handover ceremony first."

"Ah! I'm worried that Madara will see through my disguise."

The wooden clone's expression tightened. When he was separated, there was no mention of adding more scenes.

"Don't worry, his Eternal Eye can't see through Big Brother's wooden clone."

Hashirama Senju's wood clones have withstood the test of history and successfully deceived Madara Uchiha in other timelines.

"Alright, after this job, I'll consider my mission accomplished, right?"

The wood clone scratched the back of his head. His initial mission was simply to temporarily replace Hashirama Senju for a period of time.

The original owner solemnly promised that when he came to Konoha, he only needed to approve some documents, tend to his flowers, and enjoy himself.

But once he got the job, everything changed; he didn't get a single bite of the promises made.

Ahead lies Tobirama Senju's relentless exploitation, day and night; behind him, Momoka Senju looms large; and there's Madara Uchiha's constant harassment.

The wooden clone is suffering inside~

After this period of intense hammering, Niu Ma Mu clone just wanted to get off work as soon as possible.

"No problem, I will arrange for you to return to your hometown in glory after the handover ceremony."

Seeing the pleading look on his wooden clone, Tobirama Senju nodded slightly.

"Set off!"

Then, the wood clone, having regained its energy, strode briskly towards the rooftop, with Tobirama Senju following closely behind to ensure the entire ceremony went perfectly.

"Boom!"

A massive fireball exploded in the sky, and the scattered flames miraculously arranged themselves into the Konoha emblem, hanging brightly in mid-air.

"Wow!"

"Truly worthy of being called the Flame Fan!"

"Thai Cool!"

The onlookers couldn't help but gasp in amazement.

On a rooftop not far from the Hokage Building, a group of neatly arranged Uchiha clansmen were energetically performing a dazzling Fire Release technique to enhance the festive atmosphere of the handover ceremony.

"Hahaha, my Fire Release technique has been tested by three generations of clan leaders; it can be described as absolutely magnificent!"

The mastermind behind this massive fireball fireworks display was an elderly Uchiha, nearing the end of his life. Hearing the praise coming from below, a rare smile appeared on his withered and cold face.

"It's my turn!"

Before he could finish his boast, another, even older Uchiha clansman, who was in a wheelchair, elbowed the smug old man away.

"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"

With its mouth wide open, leaving only the gums, a sea of ​​blazing fire erupted, instantly illuminating the entire Hokage Rock and turning the somewhat abstract Uchiha rock paintings a vibrant red, creating a festive atmosphere.

"Tsk~ Who brought them here?"

Uchiha Gin, who was watching the elderly fireworks troupe perform from the sidelines, couldn't help but voice his criticism.

He remembered these old guys, bragging and playing chess at the Uchiha retirement home.

Why were these fragile old fogies released on such an important day?

Just then, a security team led by Uchiha Kagami arrived late. Seeing the old men putting on such a show, the nephew's face turned almost green.

Several of them still have tubes inserted, whether it's oxygen or catheters. What if something goes wrong? How will he explain it to the clan chief?

"Hey, grandpas and grandmas, come down quickly, it's windy up here!"

Uchiha Kagami immediately began to earnestly advise him, and Uchiha Gin, seeing this, curiously came closer.

"Jingzai, aren't they the performers the clan was preparing?"

"How is that possible! They hypnotized the nursing home security guard and ran away on their own!"

Anxious and flustered, Uchiha Kagami was at a loss for what to do, and his curly hair became a complete mess as he ruffled it.

"I see~"

Upon learning the truth, Uchiha Gin showed a relieved expression.

I thought it was just a small performance prepared by the clan, but it turned out to be a charity event sponsored by a local group.

It seems that my older cousin is indeed very popular.

Finally, after the security team persuaded them with reason and emotion, the elderly people reluctantly came down from the rooftop.

"I still have plenty of chakra left."

"I could keep flaming with this little bit of fire all night!"

"It's a pity that the clan chief won't be able to see my most treasured skills~"

"Alright, alright, we'll let you all perform to your heart's content during the clan celebration in a while."

Having finally resolved the problem smoothly, Uchiha Kagami breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Your nephew is quite dedicated, unlike some lazy bum who just loafs around and steals money."

Standing next to Uchiha Gin, Senju Itama blinked his large, watery eyes, his gaze filled with a mocking expression.

"Although we have different positions, we share the same desire to serve the people. Please don't look at us with prejudice."

Uchiha Gin shook his head, earnestly trying to justify his slacking off.

"Hmph, all talk and no action."

"You little rascal"

"Alright, stop bickering, the First Generation Lord is here."

Seeing the atmosphere between her best friend and Uchiha Gin gradually warming up, Uchiha Rin, feeling uneasy, immediately spoke up, raising her slender fingers high.

Following the direction pointed out by Uchiha Zhili, Senju Hashirama, dressed in formal attire, strode out.

"It's Shodaime-sama!~"

"Long live Lord Hashirama!"

"Waaaaah, Old Zhu, please don't elbow me!"

On the rooftop, Madara Uchiha, who had been waiting impatiently, turned his head, his tense expression gradually easing.

He straightened his clothes and stepped forward to greet Hashirama Senju, with Izuna Uchiha immediately following behind.

"Greetings, First Generation Lord!"

The rooftop wasn't just occupied by the Uchiha Madara brothers; the Jonin squad, the backbone of Konoha, had also gathered there, dozens of familiar faces calling out in unison.

With elite Jonin from various clans gathered together, the spacious rooftop inevitably felt crowded.

Hello everyone, hello everyone~

Feeling a chill run down his spine under so many gazes, Mu Fensheng quickly called out in greeting.

"Sasuke, have you noticed that Lord Hashirama is acting a little strange today?"

Among the Jonin, Kenichi Shimura, who had infiltrated the class under the guise of being the clan leader, nudged his childhood friend beside him and whispered, "..."

"No, right?"

Sarutobi Sasuke frowned and looked Senju Hashirama, who was dressed in formal attire, up and down. He found that the other man's aura was as strong as ever, and there was nothing suspicious about him at all.

"It is undoubtedly Lord Hashirama."

Just as the two were whispering to each other, a clear, cold voice broke in.

"Chief Erikata, you..."

The white light in the eyes of the middle-aged Hyuga Tenyo gradually faded, revealing that he had just been using his Byakugan to spy on Senju Hashirama.

"My white eye can see through everything."

A proud look appeared on Hyuga Tenyo's face.

"Kenichi, even the Hyuga clan head has said so, what else do you have to worry about?"

Having received official confirmation, Sarutobi Sasuke turned to the suspicious Kenichi Shimura and said...

"Hiss, but I still feel uneasy."

"It must be your high blood pressure acting up. I've told you to eat less pork head meat, but you just won't listen."

Sarutobi Sasuke looked at the fat, chubby-faced Kenichi Shimura and shook his head in exasperation.

Do you think your surname is Qiu Dao?

How did a perfectly good ninja end up like this?

"Hot Mom from Hashi, you're finally here!"

After waiting for a long time, Madara Uchiha rubbed his hands together like a fly, his expression slightly tense.

"Sorry I'm late."

The wood clone was on edge, terrified that Madara Uchiha would notice something amiss. But when he saw Madara's eyes fixed on the straw hat on his head, he relaxed and gave a憨厚 smile.

"Let's go."

The two stood side by side in the most prominent spot on the rooftop, looking down at the residents eagerly awaiting their arrival, as well as the tourists who had come to visit. The wooden clone, sharing the same will as the original body, couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

This grand occasion was exactly what he had hoped for.

"Motor, are you ready?"

Turning his head away, Hashirama Senju looked at Madara Uchiha, whose expression was slightly tense, and asked in a rare serious tone,

"Always be prepared!"

Calming his mind, Madara Uchiha met Hashirama Senju's gaze without fear, his black eyes burning with the will of fire.

"good!"

Hashirama Senju clapped his hands sharply, instantly silencing the commotion on the rooftop. His gaze swept across the faces of the Jonin before finally settling on Madara Uchiha.

"Please, Second Generation."

Slowly removing the straw hat he had worn for many years, Hashirama Senju stepped forward and handed it to Madara Uchiha.

"Hot Mom in Harbin"

Recalling their long chat by the river years ago, Madara Uchiha's expression was complex.

He had waited a long time for this moment.

After so many years of entanglement, the two finally reached a perfect ending.

"Let me make it clear first, although you have stepped down, you will continue to do your job."

Madara Uchiha smirked and said something that left everyone speechless, only able to laugh wryly.

"Is there a salary for re-employment?"

Hashirama Senju's heart stirred, and he asked the most crucial question.

"Hmph~ That depends on how you perform."

Dream on! You think you can get a salary? I've worked for free for years, and have I ever talked about money?

Madara Uchiha sneered inwardly, determined to make Hashirama Senju walk the path he had come from.

"If you want to catch up, there's plenty of time later. Don't keep everyone waiting."

Just as Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha were struggling, Tobirama Senju, who was watching from the sidelines, couldn't stand it any longer.

The longer the wooden clone lingers, the greater the risk of being exposed.

"Ahem, I understand, Tobirama."

The wood clone, alerted by Tobirama Senju's gaze, instantly regained his composure. After clearing his throat a few times, he raised the Hokage hat high and, under everyone's watchful eyes, slowly offered it to Madara Uchiha, who had been eagerly awaiting its arrival.

"Mada, Konoha is in your hands now!"

Hashirama Senju's voice abruptly stopped, and his cheerful smile froze on his face.

quack!

Then, to everyone's astonishment, the once vibrant Hashirama Senju began to turn to wood, his strong body instantly transforming into a withered, decaying log that fell to the ground.

ba da~

"A hot mom from Harbin?"

Madara Uchiha, who had reached out his hand, froze on the spot, letting the Hokage hat slip off his fingertips, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Hassy hot mom, this joke isn't funny."

The next moment, Madara Uchiha's eyes flashed crimson, his pupils rapidly moving up, down, left, and right, trying to find Hashirama Senju hiding somewhere, watching him make a fool of himself.

However, the results of the search left him feeling as if he had fallen into an ice cellar; there was none of the awe-inspiring, surging chakra that Hashirama Senju possessed.

"White Hair, I need an explanation."

His cold, sinister eyes finally settled on Tobirama Senju, whose face was tense. As Hashirama Senju's younger brother, he must know something.

"What happened?"

After a brief wait, the Jonin team didn't see the expected Hashirama Senju, who was making a funny face, jump out. Everyone started to panic.

"Yes, Secretary, where is the First Generation?"

Hyuga Tenyou, whose face was the darkest, was the first to speak, his tone revealing a hint of exasperation.

He had just finished showing off, and now he's been publicly humiliated. How is he supposed to stay in Konoha after this?

"Tsk!"

Under everyone's gaze, Tobirama Senju clicked his tongue inwardly. He hadn't expected his wood clone to be dispelled at this crucial moment.

So he forced himself to remain calm, and with the mental fortitude honed over many years, Tobirama Senju's crimson eyes showed no sign of flinching.

"I didn't expect it to be exposed so quickly. Big brother is really unreliable."

Feigning indignation, Tobirama Senju shook his head. His relaxed tone eased the tension in everyone's hearts.

"Stop keeping me in suspense, where did that hot mom from Harbin go?"

Madara Uchiha, familiar with the Senju brothers, wouldn't be fooled by Tobirama Senju's clumsy performance. His unease growing, he coldly asked...

"My older brother went to prepare a gift for you, and he should be on his way back now."

"Hey~ You scared us! The friendship between the two Hokage is truly enviable."

Hearing Tobirama Senju's explanation, the Jonin team members finally breathed a sigh of relief, and some even took the opportunity to flatter him.

"I thought something had happened to the First Generation Lord!"

"That's right, that's right~"

"Phew~ So that's how it is? This hot mom from Hasi..."

After hearing this explanation, Madara Uchiha silently bent down, picked up the straw hat that had fallen to the ground, and gently fastened it on himself. His crimson eyes, hidden beneath the brim, held a strange, unreadable expression.

"They really are a handful."