"Tobirama, what are you thinking about?"
Hashirama walked up to his brother and patted his shoulder gently.
"I just find all of this... unusual," Tobirama replied with a bitter smile. Before, he had suspected that his elder brother was delusional. But now, it was clear—his understanding of the world had been too narrow.
"You two should try this drink from another time and space. I guarantee you'll like it," Shinomiya Uzumaki said with a smile, handing them two bottles of Coke.
"You're the one my brother often mentioned... the so-called leader of the group?" Tobirama asked, examining him with curiosity.
"That's right. Do you have something on your mind, Nidaime?" Shinomiya Uzumaki asked politely.
Tobirama took the bottle and chuckled. "Discuss? Ha! Your mastery of time and space far surpasses mine. I would love to ask you a few questions."
"Tobirama, it's rare for you to be this humble," Hashirama teased, setting his own bottle down.
Before their conversation could continue, a burst of light flashed, and four figures materialized in the room.
Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki had arrived, along with Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin.
"Welcome, everyone!" Shinomiya Uzumaki greeted them warmly.
"Leader of the group," Minato said with a smile.
"Uzumaki-kun," Obito nodded in acknowledgment.
However, before anyone could say more, a red-haired blur suddenly dashed past Minato and tightly hugged Obito and Rin.
"It's so great that you two are alive!" Kushina sobbed, her voice full of relief.
"Oh, Kushina-sensei, you're crushing me..." Obito wheezed dramatically, making everyone laugh.
Kushina released them, wiping her tears. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself."
"Master Kushina?" Rin looked confused.
Obito had told her about an amazing place, but she hadn't expected it to be Minato-sensei's home.
Kushina took her hand and led her to sit on the sofa. "Rin, I'm so happy to see you."
Rin was still puzzled until Kushina explained that they had all come from different timelines.
"Wait... so in my original timeline, Obito and I... we both...?" Rin's face went pale before flushing red.
Although she was mature for her age, she was still a young girl. Learning that she and Obito had met tragic fates was terrifying.
Kushina hugged her again, whispering softly, "Don't be afraid. Minato and I will protect you. This time, we won't let that tragedy happen."
She glanced at Obito and added, "And this boy—he's gotten incredibly strong, hasn't he?"
Thinking of the Susanoo Obito had displayed during the Chūnin Exams, Rin felt a deep sense of security.
"Yeah... Obito is really strong now," she admitted softly.
As the girls chatted, the men gathered on the other side of the room. Shinomiya Uzumaki handed everyone a can of Coke.
Minato ruffled Obito's hair. "Kushina was devastated after you disappeared, you know. She always treated you like family."
Obito grinned. "Don't worry, sensei. This time, I won't let anything bad happen. I'll bring peace to Konoha—true peace."
His determined words caught Tobirama's attention. He leaned toward Hashirama and whispered, "Brother, I like this Uchiha boy."
Hashirama raised an eyebrow. "Tobirama, it's rare for you to admit something like that."
"Hmph," Tobirama scoffed. "We're all fighting for Konoha's future. Isn't this the peace we always wanted?"
Shinomiya Uzumaki smiled. "Then why don't you see it for yourselves?"
He stood up. "Let's go for a walk."
Everyone nodded in agreement and followed him out.
---
Walking Through the Future
The streets of Konoha were bustling with activity. Shops lined the roads, selling food, clothing, ninja tools, and books. People of all ages moved about, many smiling and chatting without a care in the world.
Tobirama's expression softened. "Brother, our dream... it really came true."
Hashirama remained silent. He knew the peace Tobirama saw was temporary. The Fourth Ninja War, the Konoha Crush, and countless other conflicts still loomed ahead.
As they walked, Tobirama suddenly frowned. "Wait... where are the Uchiha? I don't see any of them."
Hashirama and Tobirama exchanged glances. The Uchiha Clan was one of the most prominent in Konoha—surely there should have been some around?
Shinomiya Uzumaki, casually munching on fried tofu from a street vendor, replied calmly, "You don't see them because the Uchiha Clan was exterminated."
Tobirama stopped in his tracks. "Exterminated?"
Hashirama's grip tightened around his Coke can.
"Was it a war?" Tobirama asked, his face grim. "How could they all be wiped out?"
Shinomiya Uzumaki took another bite before answering, "No, it wasn't war. It was Danzo."
The casual way he said it made Tobirama freeze.
"Danzo?" Tobirama repeated, his mind racing. He remembered Danzo from his own time—a promising but overly ambitious young man.
Would that boy really be capable of wiping out an entire clan?
"It wasn't just Danzo," Shinomiya Uzumaki continued. "He wasn't strong enough on his own, so he manipulated others. Uchiha Itachi carried out the massacre, while Danzo orchestrated it from the shadows."
Hashirama explained further. "We saw a recording of the events. Itachi had no choice—he was ordered to eliminate his own clan to prevent an uprising. And Danzo, well... he took it as an opportunity to steal their Sharingan for himself."
Tobirama clenched his fists. "Danzo... he..."
The weight of responsibility pressed on him. Danzo had been his student. Had he failed him?
Shinomiya Uzumaki sighed. "Some people can't be changed, no matter how well you teach them. Others, even with no guidance, become great on their own."
Tobirama closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "I should have handled things differently..."
"You did what you thought was right at the time," Hashirama reassured him.
Shinomiya Uzumaki stretched. "Let's keep walking. There's more to see."
The three continued their journey through the village.
---
The Hokage's Office
Meanwhile, back in the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen was staring at his crystal ball in shock.
Earlier that day, he had noticed Shinomiya Uzumaki was absent from class. Concerned that Danzo might be up to something again, he had used his Telescope Jutsu to check on the boy.
At first, he was relieved to see Uzumaki leisurely strolling through the village.
But then—
"HOLD ON A MINUTE!"
Hiruzen's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
Standing next to Shinomiya Uzumaki were two incredibly familiar figures.
"Is that... the First Hokage? And the Second?!"
He rubbed his eyes. No, he wasn't imagining it.
There, plain as day, were Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama, casually walking through Konoha as if they had never died.
"What in the world is happening?!"
The Third Hokage clutched his head.
One thing was certain—he needed answers.
Fast.
---
To Be Continued...
---------------------------
Visit our Patreon for more:
patreon.com/Samurai492