Chapter 425: Chapter 425: Madara, Say Something! Say Something, Madara!
Hashirama looked up, his smile becoming simple: "Madara, if anyone else said that, you would probably answer, ’Those who can’t keep up should be gotten rid of’... right?".
Madara didn’t answer, just as he understood Hashirama, Hashirama understood him just as well.
This answer was indeed what he was thinking.
"But you can fool others, you can fool yourself, but you can’t fool me." Hashirama’s eyes were clear, "Creating a village, creating a place where everyone can live peacefully, that’s our dream, so, from that time I knew, Madara, you even more than me, wanted to protect the people behind you."
"Not becoming Hokage is because you wanted to be someone who wouldn’t be held back by the people behind you, so you could go further, go faster, and while you were still alive, fully explore the way forward for the people behind you."
"You don’t care about other people’s wishes, because you know that once you stop, it’s hard to start again. In the front, where no one can see, you walk and explore alone, just so that...the people behind you will encounter fewer obstacles on their way forward."
"You’ve been quietly contributing to the village, always quietly walking ahead of everyone, it’s always been like this..." Hashirama lowered his head, his tone seeming a bit upset, "You’re more suitable to be Hokage than I am, everyone knows..."
"But you can’t." Hashirama looked up, looking at Madara with a bitter smile, "Right...Madara."
Hashirama became Hokage, so he was held back by the village, he couldn’t speed up, because the people behind him would not be able to keep up.
But Madara was different. From a long time ago, Madara silently walked alone, clearing obstacles for the village, providing a shield for the people behind him. The speed at which he walked was so fast that even Hashirama couldn’t see his back.
"At that time I couldn’t understand, I even thought you were going too far and forgot that you still had companions behind you, but now...Madara, now that I’m dead, now that I’m not held back by the people behind me, I seem to see your back."
"So lonely, yet never confused." A tear slid down the corner of his eye, but Hashirama’s face was full of smiles, "I’m sorry, Madara, I actually forgot our promise...I’m sorry..."
Yes, it wasn’t Madara who forgot the promise, it was him, Senju Hashirama.
Madara’s anger disappeared, he lowered his head, his face in shadow, making it impossible to see his expression.
Kaguya’s body was flying in
the sky. Beneath the endless sky, her silver hair floated in the wind. Even though it was such a beautiful face, at this moment it made everyone see another figure, a lone figure moving forward...but never looking back.
"Big brother..." Tobirama seemed to want to say something, but stopped abruptly after seeing Hashirama’s expression.
He showed a helpless smile, but didn’t say anything.
Mito also sighed softly, looking at Hashirama’s figure with gentle eyes. It was because of this that she chose this man.
Kurama silently stood in place, looked at the people next to him, and then looked at Mito below his feet. Finally, he hesitated, leaned down, and whispered to Mito: "Mito, Hashirama is confessing to another woman in front of you, don’t you have anything to say?"
Mito: "..."
"Don’t ruin the mood, Kurama." Mito rolled her eyes at Kurama, "The person in front of us...is Uchiha Madara."
No fun.
Kurama pouted.
He knew what Mito meant, which is why he thought it was no fun.
The wind blew in the sky, like a pair of gentle hands, lifting Kaguya’s long hair when Madara wasn’t paying attention, like a silver river of light, so dazzling, shimmering under the rays.
Madara seemed to think the wind had turned him back to his senses, and his face full of smiles showed.
Yes, it was that confident, proud, but not arrogant face.
At this moment Kaguya was no longer Kaguya. Even if it was just looking at her expression, familiar people could see Madara’s shadow.
"You’re still so good at saying pretty words, Hashirama." Madara crossed his arms, no longer getting caught up in those strange things. He was him, even if he was using Kaguya’s body, he was still him.
The red in his eyes disappeared, those white eyes reflected Hashirama’s appearance: "That’s why I hate you."
He was saying he hated him, but his face was full of smiles.
Kurama clicked his tongue: "Mito, honestly, my opinion of Madara and Hashirama is the same as my opinion of Naruto and Sasuke. If either of those two were a girl, the whole Hokage ninja series wouldn’t exist. Are you sure you’re not going to try harder?"
Mito was stunned, a helpless expression on her face, and then she nodded lightly in Kurama’s disbelieving face: "Your assessment is very accurate. When Konoha was first founded, there were many versions of their story... Yeah, I like them all."
Kurama’s face was full of horror.
So Mito, you’re actually a leader of the CP group?
Tobirama joined the two of them at some point, his expression calm, but also strangely carrying a hint of gritted teeth: "If Madara was a girl, I would never agree to big brother marrying her. If big brother was a girl, I would stop her from marrying Uchiha Madara at all costs!"
Kurama: "..."
So, Tobirama, you’ve actually thought about that?
"The three of you... if you have nothing to do, just stay on the side and don’t talk." Hashirama was speechless, "Kurama, don’t you know how loud you are? And do you two think I can’t hear what you’re saying?"
Kurama raised his body and looked at Hashirama: "Hey, your wife is now taking the lead in slandering you, it’s obvious that she’s jealous, you’re not thinking about comforting your wife, but instead telling us to shut up? Did you trade your emotional intelligence for strength?"
Mito was helpless, but didn’t say anything.
Tobirama also shook his head lightly.
However, Hashirama smiled indifferently: "Because, she is my wife."
Mito: "..."
Kurama: "Your face is as red as a teapot...".
You’re so old already... wait, first comfort the rumored lover (not!), then turn around and praise your wife, not only invisibly raising the rumored lover’s opinion of yourself, but also invisibly praising your own wife, while also not forgetting to raise yourself up a notch.
That was a great move!
Is my emotional intelligence just non-existent?
Kurama was furious: "Who are you! You’re not Hashirama!"
After saying that, Kurama shouted at Madara in the sky: "Madara, say something! Say something, Madara!"
Madara probably saw through Kurama’s sinister intentions, he simply ignored Kurama, and instead looked deeply at Hashirama below: "I abandoned the people behind me of my own will, Hashirama, you are the same now. We can continue to join forces to create a peaceful world."
Hashirama shook his head.
But it was not unexpected to Madara: "Just as you understand me, I also understand you, Hashirama, the battle between us is inevitable, and this time, it’s the end."
"No." Hashirama looked at Madara with a smile, "Just like before, you distanced yourself from the people behind you, and I am no longer bound by the people behind me. We can walk side by side again, so this time I lost, because no matter what, I will never stand behind you again."
"I will no longer attack that sad back, and you without weaknesses are stronger than me."
Hashirama’s eyes were extremely firm.
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