"Senju and Uchiha have always been at odds," Raizen said, watching the river flow, "but today we sat down and trusted each other. I believe that someday, all the clans of the Warring States era could do the same—meet honestly, without secrets or deceit."
Hearing him, Hashirama's face lit up with a radiant smile. Two new bonds, two new brothers, formed in that moment. Trust—real trust—was possible, even in a world defined by war and blood. If they kept pushing, maybe the endless Warring States conflict could one day end.
Madara's smile mirrored Hashirama's, but there was a faint crease of worry between his brows. The Senju were their enemies, and yet here he was, calling one of them a brother. Could this fragile trust survive the inevitable wars to come? Madara wasn't sure.
From that day, Raizen, Madara, and Hashirama saw each other often, their bond deepening with each meeting. They shared observations about the chaos around them, weighing the strengths of clans and warriors. Among the three, Raizen was clearly the strongest—his mastery of Flying Thunder God, Detonation Clay, and the Eight Inner Gates made him nearly unstoppable.
But every warrior has a flaw. Raizen's illusions were weak, painfully so, leaving him an easy target for Madara's teasing. Beyond that, he was a powerhouse in all other areas. Hashirama's strength lay in his ninjutsu, especially his budding Wood Style. Madara, meanwhile, was well-rounded—his ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu were balanced—but without a single overwhelming specialty, he sometimes struggled to unleash decisive power in battle.
One afternoon, after an intense sparring session, the three lay sprawled on the ground, unwilling—or perhaps too exhausted—to move. Earlier, Raizen had been the target in a coordinated assault from Madara and Hashirama, and without his Flying Thunder God, he might have fallen.
"Raizen," Hashirama asked, lying on his back and gazing at the sky, "you said you wanted to change the Warring States era… do you have a plan?"
Raizen didn't hesitate. "I do. But any plan can only work once we're stronger. Right now, we're too weak—too small for the adults to even notice us."
Hashirama's eyes brightened. "Then it's settled. We have to become stronger. Only then will the world listen to us."
Madara, overhearing the exchange, stood and headed to the river. He released a torrent of water, his chakra shaping it with a precise hand seal.
"Overcome your weaknesses," Raizen said, nodding at him.
Hashirama grinned mischievously, creeping up behind Madara. The moment Madara sensed him, the water abruptly stopped, splashing everywhere and leaving Madara sputtering.
"See? That's one of your weaknesses. You need to fix it," Hashirama teased, laughing—half playful, half provoking.
Madara spun around, fuming. "You little—first you tell me I need to overcome weaknesses, and then you help me like this?!"
The two launched into a chase, laughing and shouting, before tumbling into the river with a loud splash. Raizen stood on the bank, shaking his head at their antics. Slowly, he released his own chakra into a small stream that trickled into the river.
Madara and Hashirama paused mid-splash, glaring at the stream.
"Amamiya Raizen! I swear I'll kill you!" Madara roared, though the amusement in his eyes betrayed him.
Days passed. Training, sparring, laughter, debate.Their bond deepened.And as it did, the world began to change with them.