216. Can A Kunai Kills You

"Swish!~"

Accompanied by an indignant shout, the members of the Senju clan were startled and immediately assumed a highly defensive posture. A dozen pairs of eyes widened as they turned sharply to face the approaching figure.

"Hashirama! I thought you were an honest man, but I never expected you to stoop to such shameless behavior!"

A tall figure descended from the sky, the voice of rebuke clearly directed at Senju Hashirama.

The newcomer had rare curly hair and a strikingly handsome face filled with anguish. His lifeless "dead fish" eyes revealed a trace of disappointment as he stared at Hashirama, who was holding a kunai and advancing step by step. His brows furrowed deeply.

“Huh? Brother Gin?”

When Senju Hashirama saw it was the familiar Uchiha Gin, his heart tightened. Over the years, their interactions had been frequent, with Gin even sending generous gifts to Hashirama’s young son during the holidays.

“There must be some misunderstanding here!”

Feeling flustered, Hashirama awkwardly scratched his head, trying to explain carefully to Uchiha Gin.

“Hmph! I saw everything clearly from afar. You even took off your pants—still want to deny it?”

Uchiha Gin covered his eyes with one hand while pointing at Hashirama’s thin undershirt with the other. His exaggerated reaction made it clear to everyone on the battlefield.

“What?! Our clan leader suffered such humiliation for our sake?”

The Uchiha clansmen, captured after their defeat, were stirred up upon hearing this bombshell. They struggled and roared in unison:
“Take it out on us, but don’t harm our clan leader!”
“Come at me! I’m not afraid—let’s see if you can handle this Uchiha grit!”

...

“Hey, Brother Gin, don’t joke around. I’m a married man.”

Faced with the jeers of the Uchiha clan and the fiery remarks from Gin, Hashirama awkwardly chuckled, brushing off the matter.

“Uchiha Gin! If you keep spouting nonsense, even as a ghost, I, Uchiha Madara, won’t forgive you!”

Lying immobilized on the ground, Uchiha Madara’s icy expression turned crimson with rage. His black eyes brimmed with murderous intent as he glared at Uchiha Gin, who wore a sly grin. Using the last of his strength, he bellowed his accusation.

“Madara~ Mind your manners!”

Before Gin could respond, Hashirama squatted beside Madara, knocking lightly on his friend’s head in a fawning tone.

“Right, Brother Gin?”

“Hmph, carry on then!”

People are so frustrating. If my cousin were half as understanding as Hashirama, I wouldn’t have to deal with so much stress.

“Perfect timing, Brother Gin. You can be my witness.”

Seeing Uchiha Gin nod, Hashirama relaxed and then steeled his expression. His eyes filled with resolve as he spoke firmly.

“Huh? This… Though it’s said the eldest brother is like a father, isn’t this too sudden? Shouldn’t I inform my clan first before…”

Gin feigned hesitation, waving his hand in an exaggerated gesture of refusal.

“What nonsense are you imagining? My brother…”

The long-silent Senju Tobirama sheathed his sword and pursed his lips, glaring at Gin, who was pretending to misunderstand. His expression was full of irritation.

If it weren’t for Gin’s curly hair, I would’ve dealt with this old prankster ages ago with my Flying Thunder God slash!

“Oh, I see! Cousin actually proposed such a thrilling idea? I must witness this—I insist!”

After Tobirama finished explaining the situation, Uchiha Gin slapped his thigh in excitement, declaring he’d witness the momentous event.

“Listen carefully, Tobirama. Take my words as my dying wish.”

Hashirama, kunai in hand, approached his younger brother, his eyes filled with an unyielding determination. He solemnly instructed:
“Brother…”

Seeing the resoluteness in his elder brother’s gaze, Tobirama sighed softly. He knew he couldn’t stop what was about to happen, so he reluctantly agreed.

“These are my dying words, earned at the cost of my life. Other clan members must also remember: After my death, you must not kill Madara.”

Hashirama’s voice was steady as he surveyed his clan.

“From this day forth, there must be no more conflict between the Uchiha and Senju. Swear it in the name of your fathers and the grandchildren you’ve yet to meet!”


Senju Hashirama glanced at Uchiha Madara, his eyes clear and pure, free from any trace of impurity. A faint smile curled on his lips as he appeared utterly at peace. Then, turning the sharp kunai in his hand toward his abdomen, he slowly began to plunge it in.

"Farewell..."

Seeing this, Senju Tobirama couldn't sit still any longer. He thought his brother was just putting on a show, but to his shock, Hashirama was actually serious. Tobirama quickly gathered chakra, ready to activate the Flying Thunder God Technique to stop his brother's reckless act.

"A kunai... can it really kill someone?"

Standing in front of the Uchiha clan members, Uchiha Gin swallowed the sunflower seed in his mouth and muttered in confusion as he watched Hashirama prepare to dramatically commit seppuku with a kunai. After all, Hashirama possessed the body of a Sage; if he could die from a kunai, then Kakuzu might as well claim to have slain gods.

Lying on the ground, Uchiha Madara's dark eyes never left Hashirama. When he saw a tear escape from the corner of Hashirama's eye, memories of their youth flooded his mind. That single teardrop was like the stone they used to skip across the water, hitting the ground and rippling through his heart.

"Whoosh!"

With his eyes tightly shut, Senju Hashirama, fully resolved to die, thrust the kunai at his abdomen with speed. Yet, at the critical moment, a large hand suddenly appeared, tightly gripping the hand holding the kunai.

"Huh? Madara?"

Hashirama, eyes still closed, felt his hand restrained by a powerful force. His heart leapt with joy—Madara couldn't bear to let him die! Excited, he opened his eyes, eager to see Madara's expression. But instead, he was greeted by another, sheepish smile.

"Gin?"

The last thing Hashirama expected was for Uchiha Gin to be the one to stop him. He might have been able to accept Tobirama elbowing him to stop this nonsense, but this? His surprise only grew when he saw a second hand, hovering in the air. It belonged to Madara, who had struggled to his feet, his face filled with awkwardness. He hadn't anticipated being a step too late.

"Madara! I knew you couldn't let me die!"

Seeing Madara’s outstretched hand, Hashirama laughed heartily, thanking his flustered friend with a bright smile.

"Hmph! I just didn’t trust you to die properly, so I thought I’d give you a hand to make sure!"

Madara, his face slightly flushed, turned his head aside, adamantly denying any intention of stopping Hashirama’s suicide attempt.

"Haha~ Everyone’s happy now. Cousin, since you didn’t want him to die, does that mean you’re going to honor your promise?"

Seeing his cousin Madara about to sink into unbearable embarrassment, Uchiha Gin stepped in to diffuse the situation. He patted Madara on the shoulder and sent a burst of life-giving chakra into him, helping Madara stand more steadily.

"Hmph, I, Uchiha Madara, always keep my word. I agree to the truce."

Feeling the gentle energy nourishing his body, Madara glanced at Gin in surprise. But now, the priority was to end the feud between the two clans. Suppressing his curiosity, he turned to Hashirama, who looked at him expectantly. Slowly extending his hand, he gave his response.

"Boom!"

Just as the two clasped hands to solidify their truce, a loud explosion rang out. Everyone tensed, thinking a third party might be launching a surprise attack while they were unguarded. But when they turned to look, they saw Uchiha Gin holding a massive party popper, the streamers it shot into the sky still drifting down.

Unfazed by the intense stares of everyone present, Gin grinned even wider, clearly delighted. He had been waiting for this moment.

"Congratulations! The Warring States era has officially wrapped up!"


---

A few days later

The official day of the alliance between the Uchiha and Senju clans had arrived. Clad in the Uchiha clan’s formal high-collared attire, Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Izuna were pulled aside by a mysteriously grinning Uchiha Gin into a secluded corner.

"Cousin, what is it that you can’t say in front of everyone else?"

Madara, busy preparing his speech, furrowed his brows. He didn’t want his words to pale in comparison to Hashirama’s, so he questioned his unreliable cousin, clearly annoyed at the distraction.

"Yeah, what’s the big secret?"

Izuna, also dressed formally, looked equally puzzled. He, too, wanted to know why Gin had dragged them into a small room. Was there some sort of treasure to share?

"Well, actually..."

Gin glanced at a hidden figure not far behind them and rolled his eyes internally. Weren’t you supposed to be here waiting? Why are you hiding now? Scratching his head in frustration, he hesitated, unsure how to proceed.

"Stop stalling. I have to go discuss the treaty details with Hashirama. Whatever it is, tell me later," Madara said, cutting Gin off mid-sentence. His instincts told him something was off, but the commotion outside indicated the Senju had arrived. Waving dismissively, he signaled for Gin to save it for later.

"Alright, cousin, whatever treasure you’re hiding, make sure you save some for me!"

Izuna, seeing Madara prepare to leave, didn’t linger either. He left with a quick remark before following closely behind his brother.

"Ugh... Uncle, why didn’t you step out? Madara was ready to gamble the entire clan’s future..." Gin sighed.