Saving the Uchiha clan starts with becoming the clan leader.

The ground beneath my feet was shattered.

All of these items bear the marks of a fierce battle that lasted two days and two nights.

(End of this chapter)

[Chapter 440. The Progenitor of the Senju and Uchiha Clans?]

Unlike his younger brother and students, the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, could not find any familiar faces in Konoha today. He had only one disciple, Hiruzen Sarutobi, whom he had taught together with his brother.

Although he was not entirely satisfied with the disciple's actions.

In short, aside from wandering the streets with his younger brother, Hashirama Senju was free to move around on his own after Tobirama Senju went to the Akimichi family mansion to meet with his disciples. However, he had already traveled all over Konoha in the past few days. He liked the vibrant Konoha now, but as a dead man, he couldn't always immerse himself in crowds.

then,

After parting ways with his younger brother, he thought it over and over and felt it was time to meet the Sixth Generation again, since Tobirama wasn't there either.

So he went straight to the Hokage Building, which had never changed its location since the village was founded. He didn't ask anyone to guide him, and he directly made hand seals and sneaked in. With the Sixth Hokage's abilities, it was impossible for him not to notice his arrival. Sure enough, the ANBU members hidden in different locations ignored him and no one jumped out to stop this uninvited guest.

When he entered the Hokage's office, which hadn't been changed rooms, he found the Sixth Hokage, who was from the Uchiha clan, using a crystal ball to perform a telescope technique to look at something.

"Sixth Boss, what are you looking at?"

Hashirama Senju, peering out from the ceiling, asked.

"The Chunin Exams".

Zongxian replied.

As he spoke, he looked up and met Hashirama Senju's eyes. "My disciple and sister also participated in this Chunin Exam. I've been too busy to keep an eye on them these past few days, but I took the time to check on them today. If the First Hokage is interested, he can come and take a look too."

"Your disciple and sister?"

Hashirama Senju jumped down and stood beside Sogen's chair, looking down at the crystal ball. "I heard that your disciple, Sixth Hokage, is also a genius!" He learned this information by overhearing students boasting at the Ninja Academy.

The unprecedented Chunin Exams are a hot topic in the village. The battle outside the village a few days ago was only circulating among the village's upper echelons and had not yet spread to the point of being known by everyone. The ongoing Chunin Exams are still a hot topic, and even the students at the Ninja Academy are discussing them.

after all,

Yakumo and Naruto graduated less than a year ago. As former prominent figures, many students at the Ninja Academy still know their names. For example, Hashirama Senju overheard students from the Kurama, Uchiha, and Hyuga clans bragging to each other.

"Yes."

Zongxian nodded in agreement and replied with a smile, "Yakumo is a very outstanding child. Her talent is so exceptional that she suffered a lot of hardships in her childhood because of this talent, spending a short time in a hospital bed and wheelchair. Of course, there are gains and losses. When she began to try to master this talent, it was only natural that she would stand out."

"Kurama Yakumo...is this the child?"

Hashirama Senju pointed to the girl in the image on the crystal ball.

"This is the awakening of the Kurama family's bloodline limit? No wonder, no wonder... Although the Kurama family's bloodline limit is extremely unstable in its inheritance, every member who awakens a bloodline limit is a genius. However, it is unheard of in the history of the Kurama family that their talent has become a burden."

As he spoke, Hashirama Senju stared intently at the image on the crystal ball, his brow furrowing as he observed the rather strange stalemate.

"What...what's going on? Since the Kurama family's child has awakened his bloodline limit, how come he's so entangled? The Kurama family's genjutsu is even more difficult to defend against than your Uchiha clan's genjutsu. Even Madara suffered a loss at the hands of that old senior from the Kurama family back then."

"Oh? Our ancestor suffered like this back in the day?"

Zongxian became curious.

This is an interesting anecdote that is not recorded in the clan's documents.

"Madara and I have grown step by step, so what's so strange about suffering a little loss at the hands of a senior? I was almost killed by a master from your Uchiha clan back then, so there's nothing to talk about. Sixth Hokage, stop going off on a tangent. What exactly happened? This... Sand Manipulation Technique, shouldn't it be a boy from Sunagakure? What's his background?"

Hashirama Senju forcefully steered the conversation back to the main topic, preventing Sogen from leading it astray.

"There's nothing fishy going on; it's just a Jinchūriki of the One-Tailed Beast."

Zongxian didn't keep them in suspense and explained it directly.

"One-Tailed Beast... I see. The Kurama family's genjutsu is indeed not very effective against tailed beasts, unlike the Sharingan of the Ikegami family, which controls tailed beasts like a dog." As he spoke, Hashirama Senju glanced at Sogen and Madara. This Sixth Hokage also treated tailed beasts like walking a dog.

"But doesn't this mean that this boy from Sunagakure is already on the verge of getting out of control?"

Hashirama Senju instantly understood what had happened in the examination hall, and his relaxed brows furrowed again. "Sixth Hokage, aren't you going to take any precautions? If such an outstanding junior were to be lost... it would be a huge loss for the village."

"It's alright. You've heard of Yakumo, the First Generation, haven't you? He's a genius."

"He is a genius, but a tailed beast is not something a growing seedling should face."

Hashirama Senju looked serious.

“Yakumo is different. First Hokage, there’s no need for you to say more. I have confidence in my disciples. Even if they can’t win, I believe they are capable of protecting themselves. And to be honest, if I have to intervene even to participate in the Chunin Exams, then I might as well give up being a ninja.”

Zongxian's smile faded, and he said in a deep voice, "Compared to the real battlefield, what danger are they facing? First Hokage, you should know better than me that there is never any fairness on the battlefield. In the various Shinobi World Wars after your death, each village formed special combat units specifically to behead the enemy's geniuses who had not yet grown up. That was the real danger."

"Right now, Fujika and her group are just competing against genin from other villages."

"That's a Jinchūriki of the One-Tailed Beast!"

"Our Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki also participated in this Chunin Exams."

Hashirama Senju paused for two seconds, speechless as he looked at Sogen. This brat from the Uchiha clan was really good at talking nonsense. He was just saying it casually and didn't intend to do anything about it. He didn't expect the Sixth Hokage to ramble on about such a bunch of correct but meaningless drivel.

but,

Forget it.

So be it!

Let's not talk about that anymore. Since the sixth generation, who was also a teacher, has said so, there's no point in him saying anything more after he's dead. It's true that he cared about the younger generation in the village, but he also understood that it wasn't a good thing to protect them under his wing all the time.

"You know what you're doing." Hashirama Senju took a deep breath, then asked, "Sixth Hokage, do you have any information on Madara Uchiha? Have you found any trace of that guy these past few days?"

"No."

Zongxian decisively spread his hands, "If Madara Uchiha and his group intend to hide, it will not be easy to find them in a short time. Don't forget that Madara Uchiha has lived much longer than you, First Hokage. He has been lurking in the ninja world for so many years. Heaven knows how many hiding places he has. Let alone three or four days, even if we give him three or four years, we may not be able to find any clues."

"So it really wasn't there? Sigh! I was hoping to see how you dealt with Madara before I left... Looks like I'll never get to see it." Hashirama Senju sighed with regret.

"I thought you, First Generation, had changed your mind and were going to stay and help me!"

Zongxian couldn't help but laugh.

"Haha!! That's just Tobirama talking nonsense. In our current state, we can only handle a few small fry. If Madara is truly and completely resurrected, Tobirama and I combined would probably be taken down by that guy in the blink of an eye. Rather than relying on us, it's more reliable to hope that the Sixth Hokage will show his great power."

Hashirama Senju laughed loudly as he spoke.

Zongxian smiled but didn't speak. He turned his gaze back to the crystal ball. It seemed that the battle between Yakumo and Gaara wouldn't change much for the time being, so he would observe the performance of the others. For example, the three members of Team 7 would be good subjects for observation.

however,

Hashirama Senju, however, had no intention of simply sitting quietly with Sogen and looking at the crystal ball.

"By the way, Sixth Hokage, what exactly happened with Madara being deceived, as you mentioned last time? It's been dragging on for so long, shouldn't we reveal the truth by now?" Hashirama Senju's bright eyes were fixed on Sogen's expression, as if trying to glean some information from it.

"Ah! I almost forgot about that."

Zongxian patted his head. Indeed, he had dug such a hole last time and hadn't filled it yet. Fortunately, Senju Hashirama was patient enough to bring it up again now.

"Nidaime-sama isn't here?"

"It's alright, I can tell Tobirama."

Hashirama Senju said.

"Where should I even begin to explain this?" Zongxian temporarily abandoned his idea of ​​continuing to inspect the Chunin Exams. He tapped the table with his fingers, pondering how to bring up the matter. He had genuinely forgotten that he had dug such a hole, and blurted out the answer without having thought it through in his mind.

After thinking for a moment,

Zongxian asked, "I wonder if the First Generation Lord knows that there is a stone tablet that has been passed down for a thousand years in a secret room beneath our clan's Nanga Shrine?"

"You mean that stone tablet that only your Uchiha clan can see the writing on?"

Hashirama Senju blinked. “I know, and I’ve seen it. Madara once led me to that secret room of your Uchiha clan. Unfortunately, to me, it was just a stone that had been scribbled on. No matter how I pieced those marks together, I couldn’t make any words. However, Madara told me that there were some words written on that stone tablet, and that as the Sharingan evolves, I will see new content.”

This time it was Zongxian's turn to be stunned.

Good guy,

Shouldn't the stone tablet at Naka Shrine be a secret of the Uchiha clan? So, Madara Uchiha, that traitor, has already told the First Hokage the secret of the stone tablet?

"Why is that stone tablet still kept in our clan?"

"It was originally your Uchiha clan's property, so where else would you put it if not in your clan?"

Hashirama Senju was also puzzled, wondering why the Sixth Hokage was so surprised.

"First Generation Lord, you didn't tell the Second Generation about the stone tablet?"

"I've said it before... alright! It seems that it's not just Tobirama who has a prejudice against the Uchiha clan. It seems that because of Tobirama's actions, do you really think Tobirama would do something like forcibly seizing your clan's treasures?" Hashirama Senju gave a helpless bitter smile.

Now I finally understand why Sogen looked so strange. So, in the eyes of the Uchiha clan, Tobirama has become the kind of person who would forcibly seize other people's private property?

"I've seen that stone tablet. Madara also told me what he saw. I remember it said something about the unity of Yin and Yang, or the myriad phenomena of the universe. I can't remember the original text. It was all very mystical and I didn't understand what it was trying to express. Tobirama studied it but couldn't figure it out either. But Madara seems to have gained some insight from it."

"Speaking of which, it was around that time that I officially broke ties with Madara."

Recalling the scene and objects from when he parted ways with Madara, Hashirama Senju couldn't help but sigh heavily.

"Since you've already seen it, First Generation Lord, would you be interested in watching it again?"

Zongxian suddenly said.

"What? You mean to say that Madara was deceived and that the stone tablet is related?" Hashirama Senju looked at Sogen with a puzzled expression for a second, then nodded. "If it's convenient."

"Secrets have an expiration date."

Zongxian waved his hand, and the image in the crystal ball disappeared like a bursting bubble, dispelling the telescope technique. He then stood up and, while speaking, invited Senju Hashirama to come along, saying, "It's about time to reveal the truth of the secret that has been hidden for a thousand years."

"A thousand years... the secret of time?"

Hashirama Senju was even more puzzled, not understanding what this had to do with Madara being deceived.

“That’s right, the secret that has been dormant for a thousand years.” Zongxian didn’t take the normal route. He opened the window and jumped out with Senju Hashirama. They ran across the rooftops, deliberately choosing a route with few pedestrians to avoid attracting unwanted attention.

"Before we reach our destination, I'd like to ask a question. If I remember correctly, the Senju clan and our Uchiha clan are both the oldest clans in the ninja world. I wonder if the Senju clan has any records about its origins?"

"This...no."

Hashirama Senju shook his head. "Although many ancient books and scrolls have been passed down, there is indeed no written record of the Senju clan's ancestor!"

"Coincidentally, the Uchiha clan is the same."

Zongxian clapped his hands. "Then, don't you find it strange? The Senju and Uchiha are both ancient clans with a history of over a thousand years, so why don't they have records of their clan founders? Even if they encountered calamities along the way, it shouldn't be that they couldn't even pass down the name of their founder, right?"