Arima rushed to his grandfather's room the moment he received the news, using the Body Flicker Technique without hesitation.
Inside Tobirama, stood silently near the bed, a sorrowful expression etched deep into his face.
His grandmother sat quietly at the bedside, clutching her husband's hand tightly.
The room's lights flickered faintly, casting shifting shadows across the floor. Under the uneven glow, Arima could barely make out his grandfather's expression.
He stepped forward quickly and finally saw, with heartbreaking clarity, the final moments of the man once hailed as the "God of Shinobi."
Hashirama was fading.
The chakra in his body was dissipating steadily. His once-vibrant eyes, full of vitality and conviction, had grown dull.
Age spots marked his skin, and his breathing was faint and uneven. It felt as if his life could slip away at any moment.
Arima didn't understand. Just that afternoon, his grandfather had seemed perfectly fine. How had he deteriorated so suddenly?
Mito turned her gaze from her husband to the approaching boy, her eyes softening as they fell upon this exceptional grandson.
She knew well that in her husband's final days, the child before her had been one of his last sources of hope.
She beckoned Arima over gently, motioning for him to sit beside her and accompany his grandfather on his final journey.
Tobirama's voice was heavy with grief as he said to Arima.
"Arima, your grandfather's time has come. Over the years, he's been forcefully sealing his chakra just to extend his life a little longer. He had hoped to teach you Sage Arts himself, but now... it's too late.
We called you here for two reasons, so you could say your goodbyes, and so we can seal the last of his chakra into your body.
One day, it will help you when you're ready to learn Sage Mode."
Arima broke into tears the moment Tobirama finished. Memories of the time he'd spent with his grandfather surged in his mind, one after another.
Back then, Arima loved sweets. But his mother, worried about his teeth, had taken away all his candy and only allowed him a single piece every few days.
So, Arima ran to his grandfather to complain. From then on, whenever Hashirama visited, he would sneak candy in and hide it in places only the two of them knew.
He remembered once asking, "Grandpa, aren't you worried I'll ruin my teeth?"
His grandfather had laughed heartily, ruffling his hair with a warm hand.
"Your grandfather knows Sage Arts. If your teeth go bad, I'll fix them for you."
Sure enough, when Arima eventually got a toothache so bad he couldn't eat, he didn't dare tell his mother. He went straight to Hashirama instead.
Hashirama had quickly formed hand signs, and mysterious facial markings appeared on his face. He gently touched Arima's aching gums, and the pain vanished immediately.
From that day on, Arima ate sweets even more recklessly, and his only true hobby remained intact.
Arima also remembered the first time he tried to bandage a stray cat's broken leg.
The cat had slashed his hand open with its claws. Hashirama had carefully cleaned the wound and used the Mystical Palm Jutsu to close it.
It was also Hashirama who brought him to the construction site for the first time, introducing him to all the workers, helping the shy young Arima muster the courage to step out into the world and talk to strangers.
Hashirama even suggested he buy some ingredients and spent an entire afternoon helping him cook a refreshing pot of soup.
Now, as Arima thought back, he realized just how heavy the burden of being Hokage must have been for his grandfather, mountains of paperwork every day, countless decisions to make.
And yet, despite all of that, Hashirama had taken time to do these tiny, seemingly trivial things with a three year old child.
Aside from his mother, only Grandpa Hashirama would have done so much for him. That thought filled Arima with deep, heartfelt gratitude.
Later, after the fierce battle at the Valley of the End with Uchiha Madara, Hashirama's body never truly recovered.
Each day after, his condition worsened. At the time, Arima had been too young to help.
Looking now at the old man lying on the bed, still trying to secure Arima's future even in his last breaths, Arima's heart ached like it was being sliced open.
The pain was unbearable but impossible to express. Silently, he held Hashirama's other hand as tears streamed down his face.
If Arima had possessed Uchiha blood, he might have awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan right then.
Hashirama stirred weakly at the touch of Arima's hand. He struggled to open his eyes and, seeing Arima, gave a faint smile.
He spoke with difficulty, "Little Arima... Grandpa's going on ahead now, don't cry, alright kid? No tears. I'm entrusting my dream to you now.
And remember, take good care of little Tsunade for me. You have to be careful too, you hear?
Grandpa doesn't want to see you in the Pure Land anytime soon."
He paused to rest, then continued, "There's still one more little thing I can do for you. Don't worry... Grandpa's chakra is sealed inside you now.
I'll be with you as you grow... That makes me really happy. No more tears, alright? Let Grandpa leave in peace."
Arima could only nod silently, biting down hard on his lip, breathing deeply, doing his best to keep his tears from falling again.
Hashirama turned to Tobirama next. "Tobirama... I'm leaving the village to you."
Tobirama answered resolutely, "Don't worry, brother. I'll fight for the village to my last breath."
Hashirama gave a small nod and smiled, content.
Then he turned to Mito, gently holding her hand, his expression filled with warmth and nostalgia.
"Mito... the first time I saw you, I fell for you. You always understood me best. Living with you has been the greatest happiness of my life.
I'm sorry I have to go ahead this time. With the Nine-Tails still with you, I'm at ease. Please watch over the children... I'll walk slowly in the Pure Land... and wait for you."
Mito's eyes filled with tears. She gripped his hand tightly, her voice trembling.
"Don't worry about the children. Each generation walks its own path. Marrying you was the best decision of my life... I've been truly happy."
She wanted to say more, but the tears wouldn't stop. She had never felt such sorrow. The thought of facing years ahead without Hashirama by her side filled her with a quiet fear.
Sensing her distress, Hashirama whispered gently, "Don't be afraid. I'll wait for you there. No need to rush."
Then, he looked at Tobirama one last time. "Tobirama, it's time."
With that, Mito reluctantly moved aside, giving space to Tobirama. He stepped forward and said to Arima.
"We're starting the sealing process now. Be ready."
He helped Hashirama sit up. Hashirama formed hand signs and began to focus his Sage chakra.
Arima, holding back his grief, removed his shirt and lay before Hashirama.
The First Hokage finished his seals and infused the last of his chakra into the seal on Arima's abdomen. A gentle smile crossed his face... and then his breathing stopped.
It was over. The God of Shinobi had passed on.
As the powerful chakra surged into his body, Arima lost consciousness.
When he awoke, he was lying in his own bed at home. The room was spotless, his mother had clearly taken care of everything while he slept.
His head felt heavy, his body sluggish. He glanced outside. Rain was falling steadily beneath a sky of thick, cold clouds.
Glancing at the calendar, he realized he'd been asleep for three days.
'The funeral must've been yesterday,' he thought.
Arima buried his head under the blanket. Soon, quiet sobs echoed from beneath the covers. He hadn't even been able to send his grandfather off. That thought pierced him with guilt.
'Tsunade must be heartbroken too,' he thought. 'She's probably angry I didn't show up.'
Forcing himself up, Arima got dressed quickly, washed up in a rush, and ate the food his mother had prepared. Then he headed for his grandfather's house.
As he arrived, he saw Tsunade sitting alone in the corridor, staring blankly into the yard. He slowed his steps and quietly sat beside her.
The past three days had been incredibly hard on her.
With her grandfather gone and her beloved brother unconscious, she'd lost both of the people closest to her. The loneliness weighed heavily on her.
Sensing someone beside her, Tsunade turned, and saw the brother she'd been longing for.
All her bottled-up grief exploded. She threw herself into Arima's arms and cried out.
"Grandpa's gone, Arima-nii..."
Arima hugged her tightly, his own tears falling silently.
Then he remembered the necklace. Now was the perfect time to give it to her, to ease her sorrow.
He gently laid the exhausted girl in his lap, stroking her hair tenderly.
"Grandpa wanted you to have this. He kept it with me so it wouldn't get lost.
But you're four now, a big girl, so it's time for you to have this treasure. You know, I had one just like it once, but I lost it... So promise me, Tsunade, you'll protect this one, okay?"
He formed a hand sign and summoned a scroll. From it, he retrieved the necklace.
Tsunade's tearful eyes widened at the sight of his mysterious technique, momentarily distracted.
She carefully accepted the necklace, holding it close to her heart, knowing it was her grandfather's final gift. She vowed to always protect it.
Then, she asked Arima to put it on for her.
The necklace now held the shared grief and memory of Hashirama, binding them closer together.
As Tsunade gazed at the glowing jewel around her neck, she felt again the warmth and safety she used to feel when her grandfather was near.
Her sadness lightened. And with Arima beside her, she felt just a little less alone.
Then she looked up at him and asked, "Arima-nii... will you leave me too, like Grandpa did?"
The question struck Arima speechless. He didn't know what the future held. But he didn't want to let her down.
So he answered firmly, "I'll stay by your side forever, Tsunade."
Only then did Tsunade smile. She leaned forward and kissed Arima's cheek, leaving behind her tears and a streak of snot.
Seeing her smile again, Arima finally relaxed. They exchanged a quiet look, and smiled together.
The courtyard returned to its usual liveliness. The only thing missing now... was the hearty laughter of Hashirama.