[While Senju Hashirama was still alive, his unparalleled personal strength and prestige as the "God of Shinobi" successfully suppressed the ambitions of the great nations and maintained a fragile peace. He distributed the nine Tailed Beasts evenly among the Five Great Nations, establishing a balance of power that forced each country into a temporary truce out of fear of Konoha's strength.]
[However, not long after his death, the First Great Ninja War broke out. The hidden villages, which had been suppressed for decades, could no longer restrain themselves. They seized the opportunity to tear up the peace treaties, intending to vie for control over the Tailed Beasts and more territorial resources, thereby triggering a large-scale war.]
"My death… leads to war?"
Hashirama's body swayed, almost unable to remain standing.
All these years—founding the village, forming treaties, distributing the Tailed Beasts, mediating disputes… he had believed it would at least bring about a generation of peace.
But now the Sky Screen was saying that his death would be the signal for the start of war.
'Is the peace I established really that fragile?'
'Then… what should I have done?'
Hashirama's mind was in turmoil.
[During the First Great Ninja War, Konoha primarily fought against the other great nations. Under the leadership of Senju Tobirama, Konoha successfully resisted the combined assaults of the other hidden villages. At that time, Sarutobi Hiruzen was only an Elite Jonin and did not play a leading role.]
[In the end, the First Great Ninja War concluded with all nations exhausted, and with both the Raikage and Hokage dying in a coup by Kinkaku and Ginkaku during the alliance ceremony.]
---
[Land of Lightning · Peace Talks Timeline]
Tobirama looked up at the Sky Screen.
"Looks like I made the right choice."
"At least I secured Konoha's future."
Kumogakure.
Ten minutes earlier, the Second Raikage and his confidants were watching the Sky Screen.
In that very instant, a sudden change occurred!
"Hahaha! Do it now!"
Two figures lunged from the side. Their appearances were bizarre—one with blond hair and golden horns, the other with silver hair and silver horns, both with protrusions resembling bull horns on their foreheads.
Their bodies emitted violent Chakra, and they held ninja tools that exuded a powerful aura.
"Kinkaku! Ginkaku! What do you think you're doing?!"
The Second Raikage roared, his Lightning Release exploding instantly throughout his body.
But it was already too late.
The Kohaku Rope bound the Raikage, the Seven-Star Sword struck down, and the Crimson Gourd opened… a seamless combo. The Second Raikage didn't even have time to resist before being killed.
In reality, after seeing the content on the Sky Screen, Tobirama immediately used the Flying Raijin to teleport near Kumogakure.
And what he saw made his pupils contract sharply.
Thick smoke billowed from the direction of the Raikage building, and the sounds of battle cries and explosions echoed endlessly.
Traces of battle were everywhere on the streets, with Kumogakure Shinobis divided into two factions killing each other, and in front of the Raikage building, two figures were laughing maniacally.
Kinkaku and Ginkaku.
A dark-skinned, burly middle-aged man was locked in combat with them—the future Third Raikage, A.
"Hahaha! Good thing we struck early!"
Kinkaku laughed wantonly while attacking, holding the bloodstained Seven-Star Sword.
"What alliance ceremony? What peace agreement? Kumogakure doesn't need to bow to anyone!"
Ginkaku waved his Bashosen fan, blowing away a group of Kumogakure Shinobis who were trying to rush up to help.
"Brother's right! In this world, the strong rule!"
"Raikage? Hokage? They're all trash!"
"Kinkaku—! Ginkaku—!"
A furious roar erupted from the future Third Raikage, A. He was clearly enraged to the extreme, launching himself like a cannonball toward the two brothers.
The Sky Screen did not pause for these minor interruptions.
[The Second Great Ninja War was caused by the widening economic gap between nations. Under the pretext of demanding fairer privileges, militant factions in each nation rose to prominence, advocating for territorial expansion through military force.]
[This war fully demonstrated Sarutobi Hiruzen's military prowess. Konoha single-handedly stood against Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Amegakure. In the end, Sunagakure and Iwagakure were weakened, while Amegakure's rising momentum was directly halted, and Konoha's strength was once again proven.]
---
[Konoha, Year 37 · Hokage Office]
Prime Hiruzen looked at the Sky Screen, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.
He stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming with confidence.
"It seems that my future self is quite capable in military affairs."
To be able to stand against three major Hidden Villages simultaneously and gain the upper hand—this indeed proved his command abilities. Hiruzen felt a surge of pride; at least in this regard, he had not betrayed his teacher's expectations.
---
[Konoha, Year 60 · Tanzaku Quarter]
Tsunade stared at the war scenes on the Sky Screen. The glass in her hand shattered with a crack, spilling sake and shards across the floor—but she didn't seem to notice.
"Nawaki… Dan…"
Her voice trembled.
Shizune looked at her with concern.
"Tsunade-sama…"
"I'm fine," Tsunade said, but her voice was filled with suppressed pain.
"It's just… remembering them again."
The memories she had tried so hard to forget—numbed by gambling and alcohol—were now being brutally exposed again by the Sky Screen.
Her younger brother's innocent smile, her lover's gentle promises… all had turned into cold corpses and glaring blood.
---
[Land of Rain · Amegakure]
Hanzo of the Salamander stood atop a tower, watching the scenes of the Second Great Ninja War on the Sky Screen. When he saw the Amegakure forces being driven back by Konoha, and the shinobis he had carefully trained falling in droves, a bitter expression appeared on his usually masked face.
"Konoha… Hiruzen…"
Hanzo muttered the two names.
He remembered that war—how Amegakure once had a chance to rise, a chance to break free from the control of the great nations and become the sixth great ninja village.
But Konoha had brutally cut off that rise.
"If only I…"
Hanzō didn't finish the sentence.
He wanted to say "If only I were stronger," "If only Amegakure had more resources," "If only the timing, place, and circumstance had aligned differently…" But in the end, all the "if onlys" turned into helpless sighs.
The Shinobi World was a playground for the great nations; smaller nations were merely pieces on the board.
He had understood that truth all too clearly during the Second Great Ninja War.
"Hanzō-sama."
An Amegakure shinobi stepped forward to report.
"Regarding the Akatsuki—"
"Continue monitoring them," Hanzo interrupted.
"But don't act rashly. As things stand, Amegakure can not afford any more internal strife."