80. Face To Face

48 Years Ago,

"THAT HASHIRAMA! What a fool of a man, he's blind but with eyes. How can he not see the world will never be at peace if he gives a bijuu to each village? I need to get out of this..."

*BAM* *BAM*

Small punches in the space he could move had no effect, "DAMMIT! Too bad by the time I might get out Hashirama will probably be dead of old age. I will never be able to teach him a lesson."

"My lord, what if he is still alive when we're out?" Tenken asked.

Shiroken replied with unsuppressed cold anger, "Then I will show him what I will do in the name of peace."

...

Konoha, Present.

Shiroken slowly descended to the ground. He was constantly staring at Hashirama, the man looked like a discoloured version of himself. Besides Hashirama was his overly proud brother, Tobirama.

"L-LORD DAMA! Please do not interfere in this battle..." Hiruzen tried to speak.

But one angry and cold glance from Shiroken shut him up, "Do not speak unless spoken to. Stay there like a good bystander or die early. You are already no match for these two."

Shiroken looked back at Orochimaru this time. "You thought I didn't recognise that you weren't the Kazekage? Now, tell me why these two aren't speaking? Aren't they the real Hashirama and Tobirama?"

Orochimaru shivered, as he had no idea if he'd be able to escape even if he uses all his jutsu together, "T-They are real... I just restricted their personality now to make them good puppets... Lord Dama."

"Then make them normal and release them from your control," Shiroken ordered, his voice making it clear that he was not negotiating.

Orochimaru didn't really want to, but he weighed his options. On one side, there was Hashirama and Tobirama, who would be angry at him for using the forbidden jutsu to bring them back. On the other hand, Shiroken would immediately get angry at him for not doing as asked. Also, as long as he released the Senju brothers, Shiroken would be busy with them. ~I can run amidst all that chaos.~

"Y-Yes, Lord Dama." Orochimaru bowed his head and silently went to the two Senjus.

Meanwhile, Shiroken looked around, the view of the whole village was clear from there as it was the highest building. "So this is what your village looks like, last time I was here, it was night... And I still had my dear family safe."

Hiruzen felt a thousand tonnes of weight had been thrown on his back. The words just spoken made it clear that Shiroken had not forgiven them, and nor was he okay with it.

~I can only hope to team up with Lord first and second after they are released from Orochimaru's control. Maybe then we can at least save the village from getting destroyed.~ Hiruzen thought, though if he had said that loud Shiroken would have told him it was nothing but wishful thinking.

"I heard the villagers of Konoha now know about the true nature of Hashirama. Let's see what they have to say about him." Shiroken muttered loud enough for all to hear.

He strode to the edge of the roof of the building and looked at the many people still lingering in the arena. They were either fools or too proud of their village's ninja, thinking they could save them from all the threats.

But, Shiroken was happy they were there. He loudly spoke, even though he didn't seem to be shouting, his voice was clear. The trick was to manipulate the air near his mouth, perks of being one with nature.

"PEOPLE OF KONOHA! Look here, that man you're seeing coming out of that coffin is none other than Hashirama Senju, the one who brought war to the world, the one who brought death to many. The one who caught and gifted the ancient beings known as the tailed beats. HE IS HERE! Courtesy of your evil shinobi villager, Orochimaru, who used a forbidden just to bring them from death, to make them his puppet. But I have released them from control, now they are just like the normal Hashirama and Tobirama, the same ones who brought endless misery to the world while preaching peace. Do you want to say something to him?"

As his words fell to the ears of most people in the arena as well as some who were outside, a large group of people gathered below the roof Shiroken stood on.

They were silent for now, processing the revelation that somehow Hashirama was back to life. But, then an old lady, with wrinkles on her face, walked forward. She was holding a walking stick and her hand was shaking. She was probably not gonna live too long.

However, contrary to what she looked like, her voice was loud and filled with anger. "YOU ANIMAL! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU, HASHIRAMA! I was 15-year-old when my parents died in the 1st shinobi war, I was with them on a mission. But I considered their death an honour at that time, as they died protecting the village.

"A few years later, I got married and had 2 lovely children. But then my husband died in the 2nd shinobi war. AND THEN... IN THE THIRD... They sent children just out of the academy on missions. MY TWO CHILDREN ALSO DIED! WHERE IS THE PEACE YOU FOUGHT FOR?

"FOR THE ENTIRETY OF OUR VILLAGE'S EXISTENCE, WE HAVE BEEN AT WAR. WHY? Why did you gift the tailed beasts to other villages? Why not keep them here and keep the village strong? Or not catch them at all? I am old now, with no family of my own. I will soon die and my bloodline will end. ALL BECAUSE OF YOU! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU."

Well, this was not exactly what Shiroken had expected but he did feel bad for this old lady. Losing her parents, husband and children in war one after another. He could imagine her anger.

Shiroken turned back to look, Orochimaru was still working on releasing them, but he had already given them their senses back, and Shiroken could see the effects of that old woman's words as Hashirama's eyes were widened and sorrowful.

When Shiroken was about to go to Hashirama, a few more people came forward and shouted.

"MY... My mother has been missing since the 1st shinobi war, she never came back and neither was her body ever found. Why did war break out just after you signed that so-called PEACE TREATY?"

"My family was rich once, we had a lot of businesses with many villages in the country, but all went to shambles as wars ravaged the land. Now, I am nothing more than a beggar, finding work every day and somehow surviving."

"You were called the God of Shinobi, and now the third Hokage, Hiruzen is also called the God of Shinobi... SINCE WHEN DID GODS LET THEIR PEOPLE SUFFER AND DIE?"

Shiroken felt satisfied, he nodded towards Monari who was waiting at the edge of the arena. This was his signal to her that she should proceed to empty the village.

He walked back to Hashirama. The man was still in his red armour, he looked at Shiroken's face in sorrow and fear. He wanted to speak, but his lips shivered as he didn't know where to even start. He had destroyed Shiroken's village, enslaved the ones he called his family, all in the name of peace, which was far from achieved.

"I... Lord Shiroken Dama..."

"Shhhh..." Shiroken signalled him to shut up and walked close to him so that he could speak in a low voice.

"Your time to speak is over, Hashirama. Do you remember what I said before I was sealed? History may be kind to you, but I won't be. Hah... look now, neither the history nor the village you created is kind to you anymore." Shiroken taunted him in low voice, but it sounded very hoarse as if he was suppressing great anger.

It was true, Shiroken was greatly angered by the sight of Hashirama, but he knew it was necessary to control it because his plan required it.

"Lord Dama, you have destroyed my name and my clan's name. The world probably hates me now, please let this hatred be over. I plead with you..." Hashirama requested, even bowing his head.

Shiroken's eyes shone in crimson and his brows furrowed. Hashirama shuddered under his gaze. He had already written in his scroll before, that he was no match for Shiroken. But, right now... When he again tried to gauge Shiroken's strength, he felt it was much... much more immense than what it was back then.

So, he knew no matter what he did, it was futile. He looked to the side, at the village, it was much better and bigger than what he left, but today he felt like it was just an empty shell. Under the big buildings, there was grief and pain hidden.

"What must I do to end this hatred?" He asked, completely resigning himself to him.

However, Tobirama, who was standing to his side, had a short temper and didn't understand what Shiroken's existence truly meant. "BROTHER! Don't bow to this deviant... He can't...*BAM*"

It was not Shiroken, instead, Hashirama had punched his brother in the face. "SILENCE! TOBIRAMA. Do not speak when you know nothing. This is bigger than you and me, our pride, our ego... all is useless here."

Shiroken just stood there humbly, his face showing an amused smile, obviously enjoying the two brothers fighting. But was he going to forgive them just like that? The answer was... NEVER.

"You decided to attack me even when I was fighting Minoshiki Otsutsuki, who had endangered the survival of this world. I risked my life to stop him. I SAVED THE WORLD THAT DAY... And you rewarded me by taking away everything I loved.

"So, no, Hashirama. THIS IS FAR FROM OVER! THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING!"

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