"Hahaha! Extra meal tonight!"
Senju Hashirama's hearty laughter echoed through the forest. On his shoulder lay a massive wild boar, and his face radiated the joy of a successful hunt.
Today was a lucky day — he'd barely stepped out of the woods before coming across a wild boar. This much meat would be enough for him and Madara to feast for days.
He was still wondering whether to roast it or stew it so that Madara would enjoy it more.
Just as he stepped out of the forest and arrived by a small stream, ready to gut the boar, he suddenly ran into Renya and Uzumaki Mito.
The three froze on the spot, staring at each other in mutual surprise.
"Hashirama-san, what are you doing here?" Renya asked curiously.
But when he saw the enormous wild boar on Hashirama's shoulder, he immediately understood — out hunting, and just happened to bump into them.
Lucky or unlucky, who could say?
He instinctively glanced at Mito-san, whose expression had turned very dark, and thought to himself that Hashirama-san was doomed.
If anyone was to blame, it was that fat cat for stirring trouble again.
Senju Hashirama looked at the sudden appearance of Mito and Renya, rubbing his eyes subconsciously.
Was he dreaming?
Why did he see Renya and Mito?
No, this had to be a dream!
Uzumaki Mito's gaze first fell on her husband's hair — messy and tangled with grass — then drifted slowly to his dust-covered clothes and finally to the massive boar on his shoulder.
Her smile remained elegant and gentle, but the air pressure around her began to drop sharply.
"Hashirama," Mito's voice was still soft, but it made his whole body stiffen, "what are you doing?"
Hashirama froze, forcing a flattering smile onto his face.
Oh no, it wasn't an illusion!
"Mito, what brings you two here?"
...
Renya stared blankly at the ridiculous sight before him.
The so-called God of Shinobi looked like some tribal hunter returning from the savannah, standing before his wife with a foolish and embarrassed grin.
Renya didn't even know how to react — he could only quietly shift his gaze toward the bubbling stream beside him.
"Hashirama, aren't you going to explain?" Mito asked with a serene smile.
"Uh… well… Mito, what a coincidence, hahaha…" Hashirama gave an awkward laugh, trying to hide the wild boar behind him — but both the boar and his movement were far too obvious. "I just thought the wild boars in this mountain looked fat and tasty, so I wanted to… improve our meals a little…"
Mito's gentle smile grew even softer.
"Improve our meals? You mean improve your meals… or perhaps the meals of a certain… 'friend'?"
Her tone sharpened distinctly on the word "friend."
Cold sweat began to bead on Hashirama's forehead. What was going on with Mito today?
He could only send Renya a pleading look for help.
But Renya pretended not to see him and kept his eyes fixed on the stream.
It was best not to get involved in the affairs of the older generation.
If anyone was to blame — blame that fat cat!
At that moment, Scar licked his paw, his eyes gleaming with anticipation as he looked at the couple.
He loved watching domestic disputes like this.
Hehehe, this was so entertaining, meow!
The stream babbled softly, but the atmosphere was anything but peaceful.
"You're always hanging around with that Madara. Can't you come back to the village for once?"
Mito's gentle demeanor vanished. Her brows arched sharply as she grabbed Hashirama's ear with perfect precision.
"Look at your living conditions! If I hadn't come in person, I wouldn't have known things had gotten this bad!"
She was truly angry now.
She'd always thought her husband's life outside the village wasn't too bad — but this was practically barbaric!
And even now, all he could think about was cooking for Uchiha Madara!
Anyone who didn't know better would think Madara was his wife!
"Ouch, ouch, Mito, be gentle, please be gentle…"
The mighty God of Shinobi, conqueror of nations, was now twisting his head and baring his teeth like a child, begging for mercy.
He tried to explain, "I'm not hanging around with him, Madara just— ow! I'm trying to stop him…"
"Stop him from what?" Mito snapped, furious and anxious. "You're already an old man, and yet you've spent decades away from the village because of one Uchiha Madara!"
What kind of husband abandons his wife and child, leaves his homeland for over ten years, all for another man?
His poor son thought his father was dead. His grandchildren thought their grandfather was gone.
Even his brother thought his big brother had died!
And yet, here he was — perfectly alive!
Renya turned completely to stone on the spot. He wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole and disappear.
His gaze darted everywhere — the sky, the ground, the stream — anywhere but the scene in front of him.
I didn't see anything. I swear I didn't see anything!
Blame the fat cat!
"But… Madara was trying to destroy—" Hashirama tried to argue, but the pain in his ear made his voice waver strangely.
Mito cut him off, putting her other hand on her hip as her aura flared.
"Tobirama has been working himself to the bone handling the village's affairs, and the clan's responsibilities are piling up! Meanwhile, you're here — hunting wild boars without a care in the world!"
"Mito, please, let me explain! I really have my reasons…" Hashirama looked up at her with pitiful eyes.
He hadn't wanted to tell her about the Eye of the Moon Plan, but now, it seemed he had no choice but to reveal the truth.
Seeing her husband's serious expression, Mito reluctantly calmed down, releasing his ear — though her eyes still glared sharply at him.
Hashirama quickly rubbed his reddened ear, awkwardly set down the wild boar, and began explaining Madara's ambitions.
"Renya, is what he's saying true?" Mito asked suspiciously.
She had every reason to think Hashirama might be making up an excuse just to avoid returning to the village.
"This is true, Mito-san," Renya finally said.
"It's true, meow! Only Lord Madara can bring true peace to the shinobi world!" the fat cat shouted, raising a paw excitedly. "Lord Madara is my idol, meow!"
Seeing even the fat cat confirm it, Mito finally believed his story.
"So you've been following Madara all these years just to stop his plan…" Mito asked curiously. "And after all this time, have you succeeded?"
"N-not yet…" Hashirama scratched his head awkwardly. "But I feel like I'm almost there!"
Renya had no comment.
Most likely, by the time Madara awakened the Rinnegan, Hashirama still wouldn't have convinced him.
There was no way Uchiha Madara would ever abandon his ideals just because of Hashirama.
But Renya kept that thought to himself — otherwise, Hashirama-san would probably get another round of scolding.
Mito gave her husband a long, deep look, choosing not to press further.
If this was his obsession, she couldn't forcibly stop him.
All she could do was hope Hashirama would soon succeed in stopping Madara and return to the village to live out his remaining years.
Sixty years old was considered elderly in the shinobi world — few lived to die of old age.
"Take me to see where you live," Mito said softly.
She wanted to see what kind of place two grown men were living in.
"Alright…" Hashirama could only lead the two of them toward the mountain cave.
Renya looked ahead at the distant cave, feeling a strange mix of awe and amusement.
Yes — that's it. That's exactly the feeling!
The legendary Cave Men of the Mountain!