"Hashirama, do you want to come back with me?" Uzumaki Mito suddenly asked.
She felt deep pity seeing her husband's living conditions so poor.
She wanted to persuade Hashirama to return to the village with her, to stop suffering like this.
Two grown men living out in the deep mountains couldn't take care of themselves properly.
Better to go back to the village and spend their old age there...
As for Uchiha Madara's plan, she didn't care — she only wanted Hashirama to leave here.
Uchiha Madara raised an eyebrow and pretended not to have heard Mito.
Whether Hashirama left or not was unimportant to Madara.
Yeah, it really didn't matter...
"Mito..." Hashirama Senju's expression was complicated.
He glanced at his close friend who sat with eyes closed, then looked at his worried wife, and finally made up his mind.
"I'm sorry, Mito." Hashirama's face was earnest. "I can't leave for now."
He had to stop Madara from carrying out the "Eye of the Moon" plan, even if the chances were vanishingly small...
When Uchiha Madara heard that, a curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.
This guy simply wouldn't leave — what could he do about it?
Renya sighed quietly, not understanding what meaning Hashirama's insistence had.
No matter what, Madara-sama would never give up the "Eye of the Moon" plan.
Hashirama's attempts to dissuade him were useless; with that time he might as well go back to the village and spend his twilight years.
Let stopping Madara-sama be something I handle in the future!
You could only say that Hashirama truly was too nice — the kind of person who could get stabbed in the back and still forgive with a smile.
To stop his close friend, he was forced to leave his family.
Others would call Hashirama a sacred saint; from Uzumaki Mito's perspective it was utterly crushing.
Her husband was fooling around with his best friend and, in the name of friendship, willingly abandoning his wife and child.
Totally despicable behavior...
Actually Mito-san had a fairly good temper — if it had been someone else, they'd have stopped putting up with Hashirama long ago.
Uzumaki Mito looked at Hashirama; those gentle eyes were now replaced by loss and pain.
She was silent for a moment, then finally let out a soft sigh.
"I understand." Her voice remained calm; she even tried to force a smile, but it looked strained.
"Take care of yourself, Hashirama."
Faced with a husband like this, there was nothing she could do.
She could only follow whatever fate brought her.
Since it was her husband's choice, she chose to respect it.
She hoped Hashirama would return to the village to spend the rest of her life with her while she was still alive.
"Mito..." Hashirama showed guilt.
He knew he was wronging his wife like this, but for the peace of the ninja world he had to do it.
He hoped his wife would understand.
"Kid, come out with me... and deal with the boar." Uchiha Madara opened his eyes and said softly.
He didn't like staying here as an awkward third wheel.
Better to find an excuse to leave than endure Mito's cold looks.
"All right, Madara-sama."
Renya also didn't want to stay, so he hurriedly slung the boar over his shoulder and followed Madara out.
"Hashirama-san, Mito-san, we'll go prepare the ingredients first."
They left only Hashirama and Mito in the cave, along with a chubby cat who loved watching the show.
...
By the creek.
"Kid, aren't you planning to find someone?" Uchiha Madara crossed his arms and looked at Renya, who was gutting the boar. "You're not exactly young anymore."
"Forget it, Madara-sama." Renya shook his head. "Just look at Hashirama-san's situation and you'll know."
Not being married means just one worry; after marriage the worries become countless.
Uchiha Madara nodded in deep agreement. "Makes sense."
With a family there are more and more things to consider — everything you do becomes constrained.
Tip: If you like this book and don't want to lose it next time, remember to add it to your bookshelf.
Take him for example — still single in his sixties.
He can do whatever he wants; no one can stop him.
Renya had no intention of starting a family, and he had no objections.
A true strong one scorns marriage!
As for Hashirama? He no longer belonged to the realm of the strong!
The Uchiha clan's only two pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan had no plans to marry — doesn't that prove something?
It shows that if you want to open the eye you can't get married!
"Madara-sama, didn't you say we'd handle the boar together?" Renya couldn't help muttering.
"Don't just stand there!"
Sneaky Uchiha Madara!
He'd tricked Renya into coming out, then just stood by watching.
Madara's mouth twitched; helpless, he stepped forward to help butcher the boar.
Since this kid awakened the Mangekyō, his personality had changed somewhat. If it had been before, Renya wouldn't have dared to order him around...
You could only say the pain of opening the eye can indeed alter a person's temperament.
But it was unavoidable.
After all, only intense emotions give a chance to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
The two of them worked together, quickly finishing the boar.
But Uchiha Madara didn't hurry to leave; he sat by the creek and idly chatted with Renya.
"Kid, how's life in Konoha?"
"Is Tobirama still not dead?"
"Do you think boar is better braised or better roasted?"
Renya: "..."
He had figured it out.
Madara-sama was afraid to appear in front of Mito-san!
Come to think of it, Hashirama followed Madara-sama everywhere — it would be a miracle if Mito-san treated him kindly.
Perhaps this wasn't the first time something like this happened.
Maybe it had occurred back when Konoha was first founded...
"Madara-sama, we should head back." Renya saw the sky darkening and had to interrupt Madara.
Madara feared Mito-san; Renya did not.
Besides, it was dinner time; he'd still need to spend time cooking later.
No doubt Renya would be the one doing the cooking.
He'd been their cook for more than a day or two.
Uchiha Madara: "..."
After a moment of silence, he reluctantly stood and walked back toward the cave.
Is she merely Hashirama's wife?
What is there for Uchiha Madara to fear?!
...
Inside the cave.
When the two returned, the atmosphere between Hashirama and Mito had eased somewhat.
"Renya, you're back?" Mito smiled and asked, deliberately ignoring Madara who was walking at the front.
Uchiha Madara said nothing and leaned against the rock wall with his eyes closed.
Hashirama could only awkwardly scratch his head, not daring to say a word.
If his wife disliked his close friend, he had to pretend not to see it.
He didn't want to offend anyone...
"The boar's ready, Mito-san — just wait for dinner." Renya said as he set up a grill inside the cave and began roasting the boar.
The cave immediately fell silent.
Only the Nine-Tails sealed within Mito roared without pause.
"Damn you Uchiha Madara, damn you Hashirama Senju!"
"Damn woman, release me!"
"I will kill you all!"