As Yun finished speaking, the air current sweeping through the sky lifted up the leaves, and the word [True] floated in the air for a moment before scattering all over the ground.
After a long silence, Hashirama suddenly smiled and smacked his lips. "Can you tell me... what do you like about me?"
Yun shook his head slightly, thought for a while, and said, "If you're sure you want to know, you can trade for the information about you and the Madara. I'll give you a discount if you trade them together. How about two chips?"
Hashirama thought for a moment and shook his head. "I only need information about Madara, and I will only give you one chip. I will only trade this one. Whether you want Wood-style or my massive chakra, you can only choose one of the two."
As Hashirama spoke, the face of his spirit became gradually serious. "The Uzumaki clan was destroyed, and Wood-style or my physique can be regarded as compensation to you."
Yun smiled and replied, "One of the two heroes of the Warring States Period, the God of Shinobi, the First Hokage. With so many titles, your one chip is indeed not comparable to that of ordinary shinobi."
"Then... as for the current information about Uchiha Madara, as you wish. Contract."
A contract appeared out of thin air, and Hashirama agreed directly after taking a glance.
"Although I don't know the exact meaning when you say the word 'cuurent information on Madara', the future is always unpredictable. You are a clever Uzumaki clan member who switched concepts in front of a shinobi who has experienced the Warring States."
Hashirama spoke with a smile. Even as a spirit, his confidence in his own strength was obvious in his eyes.
The contract was established, and the transaction began.
"Uchiha Madara is dead."
"...?"
After the words fell, Yun finally held back his laughter at the confused expression of the God of Shinobi.
Hashirama's spirit tilted his head and leaned over, threatening, "Young man, playing like this will cause trouble. You do know how dangerous the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox is, right? I used a Wood Golem Jutsu to slap him across the face, and he couldn't even move."
Yun took two steps back to distance himself from Hashirama.
"A god, in pursuit of stability, separated yin and yang into two poles. The two opposites interact with each other to create everything. This is a truth that applies to everything in the world. In other words, when two opposite forces complement each other, true peace can be achieved."
Yun glanced at Hashirama as he spoke. 'This was what Madara said to you in the Uchiha clan's territory.'
'It's also part of the information on the first half of the stone tablet.'
"At that time, Madara told you the contents of the stone tablet in the Uchiha compound, but he didn't reveal what he ultimately understood."
"Two completely opposite forces represent the Uchiha and the Senju. Complementing each other can also be understood as fusion. At the end of the battle at the Valley of the End, Madara bit off a piece of your flesh."
"Under the effect of Izanagi, Madara survived. In fact, his understanding wasn't wrong. The combination of the power of the Uchiha and the Senju—especially the combination of you and him—granted the power of the Sage of Six Paths."
"Eyes that surpaases even his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths... the Rinnegan."
Hashirama asked in confusion, "Then how did Madara die? With the power of the Rinnegan, Konoha would never be able to stop him without me."
Yun shook his head slightly. "It's not easy to obtain the power of the Sage of Six Paths. In fact, because of the slow fusion of the two powers, Madara didn't awaken the Rinnegan until he was near death in his old age."
Hearing this, Hashirama tilted his head and looked at Yun. The desire to kill someone was not hidden in his eyes.
And Yun also knew what that look meant: 'That's it? That's it? Is this worth a bargaining chip? Isn't it just old age? How can a Madara who died of old age and entered the Pure Land threaten Konoha?'
'Wait.'
Hashirama recalled the earlier Nine-Tails Rampage. What would have happened in history, the space didn't offer false hints.
Then...
"Gedō: Rinne Tensei no Jutsu. The Rinnegan has the power to bring someone back to life—but at the cost of the user's own life."
Yun continued slowly. "To revive others at the cost of his own life, Madara would need someone who could withstand the Rinnegan's immense power. And among shinobi, the Uzumaki clan is known for its incredible life force and chakra—able to host tailed beasts."
"He left behind a younger generation Uchiha to the one who he believes he embodies his will, while he himself waits for the final link in his plan. By then, not just Konoha, but the entire shinobi world will fall into dead silence."
"That's all the current information on Madara."
Hashirama looked solemn. He sighed and floated in the air, looking down at the Konoha below the Hokage Rock.
This was the prototype of his dream—peace. For peace, he was willing to discard the pride of the strong.
For peace, he could stab a kunai into his own heart.
For peace, he killed his best friend.
But now... the world still didn't follow the path he hoped.
"The time point is set to the present, so there should be much more future information. That child who believes the one representing Madara's will... something about this doesn't sit right with me. I doubt Madara's plan is as simple as he thinks."
"I am just a dead man. My soul has returned to the Pure Land, but I still cannot rest in peace. And if I can only wait to be summoned through Impure World Reincarnation, I have no idea how long that might take."
Looking at the sighing Hashirama in front of him, Yun couldn't help but feel a little helpless.
It had to be said, some people were simply born with charisma. Compared to him, even Naruto's idealistic words might pale.
But...
"First Hokage-sama, decades have passed. And in truth, time has proven that your original method was flawed."
Hashirama looked over, and Yun continued.
"From the founding of Konoha to the end of the Third Great Ninja War, in less than fifty years, three major wars broke out in the shinobi world."
"Uniting clans and rogue ninjas into villages only led to bigger wars. And all this happened after you died. Do you know why?"
Hashirama shook his head slightly.
"Because of your power! The power of Wood-style affected the entire world. The title of the God of Shinobi made all others too afraid to act. Because Senju Hashirama wanted peace, no one dared to start a war."
After Yun's words fell, Hashirama remained silent.
A breeze brushed through. Hashirama slowly raised his head.
"Absolute power breeds absolute darkness. The longer you hold onto immense strength, the more darkness it fosters. Maybe I was wrong... but I am only a soul in the Pure Land. I can only warn. I cannot guide."
Hashirama floated in front of Yun and smiled. "Madara is actually quite foolish. Though I'm not entirely sure, I can tell from your words that someone must have used him."
"I don't like the silence of a world without life. And I believe someone who can speak of such dreams... won't like it either. So..."
*****
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