Chapter 30: Bratty Kid
The bustling forge was hard at work for a full month, after which the forging projects were temporarily concluded.
During that time, Masahiko had pestered and pleaded with Tobirama for a little more chakra-conducting metal and forged two more shuriken for himself. That would be enough for now.
With the shuriken complete, it was time to put sealing scrolls on the agenda.
Masahiko spent a full six months just testing which kind of tree bark was best for making scrolls. In the end, he discovered... that Hashirama's Wood Release was the best.
Having wasted half a year, Masahiko was about to start production when he noticed the Senju compound was decorated with lanterns and streamers. It was the New Year.
Masahiko spent the New Year with Hashirama and Tobirama, and he grew one year younger. He was now 30. Of course, in everyone else's eyes, he was now a 55-year-old man.
After the New Year, Masahiko once again threw himself into the research of sealing scrolls.
He had originally thought it would be easy, given his mastery of Fuinjutsu. However, sealing scrolls also involved space, a concept Masahiko knew nothing about. He had no choice but to ask Tobirama for help.
The Senju clan was still frequently called out to war, with Tobirama often leading the teams. Between this and that, it ended up taking three full years.
Three years later, Masahiko looked at the familiar line of text in his mind and almost burst into tears...
"Witnessed and slightly changed a Naruto world Side Story: Sealing Scrolls. Received 2 (*2) Witness Points."
"I spent three years and only got 4 Witness Points?!"
"Slightly changed? Does that just mean the inventor is different, but the item is the same?"
"Damn it, who invented these in the original story? They must have been a genius to be on the same level as me and Tobirama combined..."
"Well, at least I had other gains. My Fuinjutsu skill increased by one level, which is the equivalent of 20 Witness Points..."
In the end, this was the only way he could console himself.
"Great-Grandpa! Kenji-kun is here to see you!" A young, childish voice pulled Masahiko from his chaotic thoughts.
Masahiko's face darkened. "That bratty kid is here again!"
Senju Kenji. The child of Hashirama and Mito, and the father of the future Fifth Hokage, Tsunade. He was a person Masahiko had once been incredibly excited to meet, but over the last three years, he had become Masahiko's biggest headache.
Perhaps he had perfectly inherited Hashirama's genes, because the child had shown an unpredictable, goofy streak from a young age.
In the past three years, he had torn up five of Masahiko's prototype sealing scrolls, pulled his beard four times (nearly breaking Masahiko's Transformation Jutsu), and secretly swapped out Masahiko's scroll-making materials three times...
"Ah, Kenji-kun, you're here. Let Great-Grandpa hold you." Masahiko quickly hid the newly completed sealing scroll and turned to greet him.
"Ouch! Pulling Great-Grandpa's beard again!" Masahiko winced in pain and handed Kenji-kun back to Mito.
"Great-Uncle, are you still busy with the sealing scrolls? Do you need my help?" Mito asked with a smile.
"No need. I just successfully finished one. I was just thinking of going to tell Hashirama and Tobirama the good news," Masahiko said, still a little excited.
"Oh, congratulations, Great-Uncle! Hashirama should be in the main hall right now. I think Tobirama left yesterday."
"Left again? Which small clan is acting up this time?" Masahiko asked.
Ever since Hashirama had thrashed Madara over three years ago, the Senju and Uchiha had not gone to war again. Madara probably still wasn't confident he could win and wouldn't start a fight easily. For the past few years, although there were constant battles, they were mostly small-scale, with Tobirama leading teams to pacify restless minor clans.
"It wasn't a clan. It seems the Daimyo of the Land of Fire summoned him for something," Mito replied.
"The Daimyo?" Masahiko was puzzled. The Naruto world was a world of shinobi, but... not entirely.
In the entire Land of Fire, all the ninja clans combined only numbered a few hundred thousand. But the civilian population was over ten million. The one who managed these tens of millions of civilians was the Daimyo.
The ninja clans, who only knew how to fight, knew nothing about economics or development. Therefore, every clan acknowledged the Daimyo and maintained a superficial respect for him.
But the Daimyo also understood that this respect, especially from the Senju and Uchiha, was purely superficial.
For the Daimyo to summon the Senju clan now... Masahiko found it very strange.
Puzzled, Masahiko headed to the Clan Head's main hall, followed by Mito and the bratty kid.
"Father!" the kid shouted. Masahiko's face turned green. As soon as he saw Hashirama, the kid became polite. So he was only a terror to him! No wonder Mito was always in the background, laughing at his misfortune...
"Great-Uncle, you're here. The sealing scrolls..." Hashirama began.
"They're completely finished. Once I write down the exact production method, we can mass-produce them," Masahiko said with a grin.
"That's wonderful! We won't have to worry about logistics anymore!" Hashirama smiled.
"Hashirama, about Tobirama..."
"Oh, Tobirama went to the capital. The Daimyo seems to want something. Don't worry about him, Great-Uncle," Hashirama said casually.
After chatting for a bit, Masahiko left the hall. He went back to record the production method for the sealing scrolls and also created a new summoning scroll, binding his four special shuriken to it. His work for this period was finally at an end.
He had been away from the Uzumaki clan for nearly four years. He planned to rest for a few days, say goodbye to Hashirama, and return home to see how things were.
Unexpectedly, Hashirama found him again that very night.
"Great-Uncle, Tobirama just sent a letter. The Daimyo has summoned many of the ninja clans. The Uchiha, the Ino-Shika-Cho, the Aburame... they all sent people. Tobirama is worried he can't handle the situation alone and was hoping you would go."
"Me?" Masahiko asked, confused. "You have plenty of other people sitting around. And you're not that busy..."
"The Uchiha sent Izuna, not Madara. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to go..." Hashirama said, embarrassed. "As for asking you to go, it was Tobirama's request. He said that even though you're a bit... unconventional... ah, no. He said you have... very good ideas sometimes..."
"You mean 'schemes,' don't you..." Masahiko said, annoyed. "Fine, I'll go. I'll go back Tobirama up, but I'm not coming back here after. I've been away from home for four years; I need to visit the Uzumaki clan. I just hope by the next time I see him, your bratty kid has learned some manners..."
"Okay, thank you for this... Also... what's wrong with my Kenji-kun's manners?"
"Your son is too well-mannered!" Masahiko shot back, turning and walking out of the hall.
He left Hashirama standing there, looking utterly confused.