Chapter 269

Although he now stood at the very pinnacle of this shinobi world.

But Hashirama Senju's question was simply too difficult to answer!!

Perhaps from the clan records,

from other people's mouths,

Madara Uchiha could find countless answers to give Hashirama Senju,

but he knew,

Hashirama Senju did not want that kind of answer!!

Therefore,

Madara Uchiha had no idea how to answer this question!!

Hashirama Senju let out a soft sigh,

and as for Madara Uchiha's reaction,

he was not surprised in the slightest!

Because he knew,

in certain respects,

Madara Uchiha's heart was actually not so different from his own.

Even though the two of them already stood at the pinnacle of the shinobi world,

when it came to what a 'ninja' truly was,

they still could not find the right answer!

"I once believed that as long as I stood high enough, I would surely see clearly enough."

"And that I would surely be able to understand every question and every matter."

"But looking at it now, that kind of thinking was far too ignorant…"

"Just like the two of us standing here right now."

"Even though we are standing high enough, there are still things that can block our line of sight."

Hashirama Senju pointed at the branches and leaves drooping down from the trees ahead,

and these branches and leaves,

did indeed block their view of the Land of Fire below!!!

【Jiraiya: It seems even someone as powerful as the First Hokage, my lord, still has many doubts in his heart…】

【Orochimaru: Even though the First Hokage, my lord, overthrew the daimyo of the Land of Fire and rose step by step to where he is today, he still has many questions in his heart…】

【Tobirama Senju: Forcing the entire shinobi world into agreement through military might may not be all that difficult for big brother, but carving out a path completely different from the old one is certainly no simple matter… History may not lack ninja stronger than big brother, but they should have all failed too!】

【Tsunade: The facts prove… although the era of ninja villages that grandfather founded was different from the chaos of the Warring States period, it was not the most correct path either.】

【Kakashi Hatake: No matter how strong a ninja's power, they cannot escape their own fate… from the very beginning, the definition of a ninja was a tool for killing!】

【Minato Namikaze: I'm also very curious now — what kind of measures will the First, my lord, take, and what is his understanding of ninja?】

……

Inside the mountain cave,

when Obito Uchiha saw Hashirama Senju say these things,

his heart leapt entirely into his throat!

As for the definition of a ninja,

Obito Uchiha had countless questions in his heart!!

He had once been a practitioner of the Will of Fire,

but after losing the person he loved most,

he had plunged headlong into darkness!!

From once firmly believing in understanding between people,

he had walked all the way to the opposite side!!

For Obito Uchiha,

this was indeed a kind of irony!!

And now,

this different Hashirama Senju,

could he give a completely different answer?

……

"However… Madara."

"Although I still haven't figured out what a ninja truly is."

"I already know what I should do in the future."

"I will try to change the definition of ninja!!!"

"A ninja is not merely a tool for killing!!"

"After I finish bringing the other four great nations under my rule, I will bring the remaining countries entirely into the territory of the Land of Fire!!"

"From now on, the entire shinobi world only needs one country — the Land of Fire!!"

"When that time comes, no more wars will ever break out in this world!!"

Hashirama Senju turned his head and gave Madara Uchiha a frank, open smile!!

Because he had known from the very start that Madara Uchiha could not possibly answer his question!

Even he himself did not have a true standard answer in his heart!

How could Madara Uchiha possibly know what answer he wanted to hear!!

"Hashirama, no matter what you do, I will always support you!"

"I will always believe in your judgment!"

Madara Uchiha stepped forward and placed his right hand on Hashirama Senju's shoulder,

he said to Hashirama Senju with firm determination!

Madara Uchiha's trust in Hashirama Senju's judgment was simple!

His strength was greater than mine!

And Hashirama Senju had never once let me down throughout this entire journey!

He understood the future and situation of the ninja world

more accurately than I ever could!

"Madara… after all these years, you're the only one who has silently stood behind me…"

"Without you, I truly don't know who else I could speak these things to."

Hashirama Senju turned to face Madara Uchiha as well.

After locking eyes for a moment,

they both burst out laughing involuntarily!!

For the two of them,

this might have been the best moment,

both of their strengths standing at the pinnacle of this world.

They had protected their brother,

fulfilled their very first promise!!

……

After the daimyōs of the four nations stepped down,

the people of all four nations immediately made their stance toward the Land of Fire!!

They all declared that

the actions of these four daimyōs were solely their own unauthorized acts!

Unrelated to their four nations,

so they had executed these four daimyōs!!

They believed this would earn Hashirama Senju's forgiveness!!

As it turned out,