Chapter 745: Grandpa, Wait for Me to Come Back!

Five years later, Konoha was in its fifty‑third year.

At the Hashirama Residence, the atmosphere in the hall was slightly oppressive.

"Madara, it seems I won't be able to bask in the sun with you anymore."

Senju Hashirama lay in the chair, murmuring softly as he gazed at his close friend beside him.

Madara Uchiha remained silent, his expression obscure and unreadable.

Hashirama's body had finally reached the point of oil‑spent and lamp‑extinguished.

"Uncle Hashirama."

Seeing Hashirama's pallid complexion, Lian Ye recalled the scene when Aunt Shuihu left.

The two of them were, at this moment, virtually identical in condition.

Life was about to reach its end.

"Lian Ye, I won't be able to taste your cooking anymore."

Senju Hashirama smiled, his face seeming nostalgic.

The food Lian Ye made was the most delicious he had ever eaten, and even after years he never grew tired of it.

Unfortunately, he would never get to eat it again.

"Big brother, it's always about food at this hour."

Qianshou Feijian truly didn't know what to say to his indecent big brother.

But he understood that this time his brother wasn't using a Fake Death Escape.

He was truly about to die…

"Sorry, Feijian," Senju Hashirama said with an awkward smile, "I've troubled you all these years."

From childhood to adulthood, there were many times he didn't act like a brother; it was always Feijian who helped him wipe his bottom.

Especially during the years he used Fake Death to leave Konoha in search of Madara.

Feijian single‑handedly took over the vast Village, surely expending great effort.

He would say that guilt was false.

Fortunately, Feijian didn't hold it against him.

"Big brother, please stop talking."

Qianshou Feijian cut off Hashirama as he was about to continue speaking.

They were blood brothers; no need for so much explanation.

Senju Hashirama, being considerate, closed his mouth and fixed his gaze on Yuzhibo Quannai.

"Quan Nai, Feijian wronged you back then; I apologize on his behalf here, hoping you both can get along well in the future."

All along, he had hoped to ease the relationship between Feijian and Quan Nai.

These years their relationship had indeed improved, yet a slight rift still remained.

Probably because of that Flying Thunder God Slash.

Quan Nai suffered a fatal wound and could not sever ties with Feijian.

Their relationship was almost genuinely normal.

"I don't need his apology."

Yuzhibo Quannai's face remained expressionless, as if noticing his tone was too cold, and he added another sentence.

"This is a matter between me and Qianshou Feijian; you need not apologize to me on his behalf."

He had once truly wished to kill the innately evil Qianshou Feijian.

But after spending long together, and because of his brother and Lian Yejun's influence.

Quan Nai gradually could no longer muster murderous intent toward him, and Qianshou Feijian felt the same.

Most of the time they merely exchanged barbs, rarely resorting to a full‑blown fight.

Even if they did lose their temper and strike, they kept their blows measured.

The damage inflicted on each other was only superficial.

Senju Hashirama noticed Quan Nai's noticeably relaxed tone and a grateful smile appeared on his pallid face.

It seemed Feijian and Quan Nai's relationship was at least better than he had imagined.

Even after he was gone, the two would not cause trouble.

"Wuwu— Grandfather, don't die!"

Gangshou, who had rushed from the casino, collapsed onto the chair, tears constantly swirling in her eyes.

"I never managed to lead you to wreak havoc everywhere, you can't just die so easily!"

These years, whenever Gangshou had spare cash, she would go to the casino with Hashirama.

Each time she went out, she shouted about wreaking havoc everywhere, yet each return she came back dejected.

Although the grandfather and grandson had nearly lost all their money, they were like the indestructible little cockroach, growing braver with each battle and never intending to give up.

Gangshou had thought such days could continue forever.

But the grandfather's current condition told her there would be no more chance to fight side by side with him.

As for wreaking havoc everywhere at the casino, that became even more impossible.

"Xiaogang, our gambling skills are terrible," Senju Hashirama gently patted his granddaughter's head, "We've lost money every time we go to the casino, and in all these years we've never won even once."

"Wuwu— Grandfather, it's just our luck that's bad."

Gangshou's tears burst uncontrollably from her eyes.

"When you recover your health, we'll go to the casino; this time we will definitely wreak havoc everywhere!"

"I probably won't have the chance to see it," Senju Hashirama gave a weak smile, "There's secret stash money under my bed; use that to win for me once."

"I'm waiting here for you to return."

Gangshou, hearing that, went to the room, wiped the tears from her face with a stack of banknotes, and wore a solemn expression.

"Grandfather, wait for me to come back!"

Senju Hashirama smiled and nodded, watching Gangshou's silhouette fade away.

"Big brother, why did you have to pull Xiaogang away?"

Qianshou Feijian didn't understand why Big brother wouldn't let Gangshou accompany him in his final moments.

"Ahem, I'm getting old."

Senju Hashirama suddenly coughed, and his already pallid complexion grew even paler.

"I couldn't bear to see that girl Xiaogang looking sad, so I sent her to the casino so she could temporarily forget her grief."

He looked around, saw no sign of Shengshu, and couldn't help but sigh in relief.

That child had left the village on a mission; as long as no one saw him depart, it would be fine.

The atmosphere in the courtyard grew increasingly oppressive.

At that moment, the ever‑silent Madara Uchiha finally spoke.

He looked at the sorrowful faces of the crowd and, with a hoarse voice, began to speak.

"What are you grieving over?"

Isn't dying a perfectly normal thing?

Take him and Quan Nai, for example; both have died once.

Can't you just stand here properly now?

Hashirama's death doesn't matter; just use the Rinnegan to cast Reincarnation Born and revive him.

The scene of life and death separation is unnecessary!

Senju Hashirama stared at his close friend for a long time, then gently shook his head.

"Madara, you don't need to think about using the Rinnegan to revive me."

Madara Uchiha's expression stiffened at those words.

"I've been satisfied living this long; there's no need to go through great trouble to resurrect me."

He smiled and reached out toward Madara, trying to grasp his close friend's wrist.

"I'm glad to have met you all…"

But his hand, once extended into the air, fell weakly back down.

Seeing this, Madara Uchiha's heart jolted; he lowered his gaze at his smiling, departing close friend and instinctively clenched his fist.

Senju Hashirama died.

He truly died, not like before when he used Fake Death Escape.

Both spouses shared the same thought; they didn't need the Rinnegan to revive them.

Lian Ye's expression was somewhat complicated.

It turns out the Rinnegan isn't all‑powerful.

He had previously taken it for granted, believing that as long as one possessed the Rinnegan, the people one cared about would never leave.

Now it seems that's not the case.

Not everyone longs for immortality; sometimes death is a release.

"Grandfather, I did it!"

Gangshou, cradling dozens of stacks of banknotes, ran into the courtyard with an excited expression.

She won.

She truly, as she once said, wreaked havoc in the casino.

"Grandfather?"

Gangshou looked at the elderly man lying on the chair with a smile.

Tears fell silently.