Chapter 70.5- One Thousand Hands

“You’re insane” I said once it was clear that she was no longer in danger of keeling over and dying in a second or two, and that was the truth. Either that or she was just not as well informed as he thought as he was. Madara Uchiha. What I knew of him from canon was enough to make me feel a just trepidation at every mention of his name. What living in this world told me and the context it provided as to just what sort of man he had been in his youth— well, let’s just say Hashirama was the only one who could somehow find a way to love him.

It had only been so easy to form Konoha because Madara had overseen either the destruction or the crippling of several of he powerful clans that called the Land of Fire home. Both the Kawashiro and Hoshikawa clans had been massacred down to the last child for daring to question the Uchiha. They were his allies. They were his fucking allies and he killed them for even the possibility of dissent. If she thought my Granduncle was worse than that then she was a fool. And I found myself with little patience for fools.

“Believe what you will. I am the one who knew Tobirama in his youth. I saw him as he put his genius mind to play in jutsu after jutsu. I’ve seen you use the Hiriashin to jump over the place. Do you know how many prisoners of war he left stranded between the fourth and fifth dimensions when ironing out the kinks of that one? Or should I talk to you about Edo Tensei? You are his family, after all. You should know just what the two of us did to dozens of Iwa and Kumo shinobi we captured during the first war. The people that killed your father? Oh their suffering was legendary. But that wasn’t the worst of it.”

“I care little and less for this trip down memory lane, woman” I growled. I would not sit here and allow Granduncle’s name be besmirched by this old hag. This relic of a bygone era.

“How impatient. Just like him. If you didn’t carry the echoes of Hashirama’s chakra so strongly, I would have begun to worry who birthed your father. We all know Tobi coveted Mito enough. He coveted everything Hashi had”

“I’m leaving” I said, standing up. If this is all she had to offer, then I had wasted my time coming here.

“Don’t be like that, young Shorirama. Tell me what brought you here” She said, with all the quiet assurance of someone who knew I needed them more than they needed me.

“I need you to examine someone for me and make a medical report addressed to the Konoha Clan Council”

“Ohhhh. How interesting. What mischief do you have planned now, my boy?”

“I’m not your boy” I shot back instantly. I did not like the familiarity with which she addressed me. The disrespect she had when she spoke of Granduncle.

“I changed your diapers more times than I can count, boy.”

“Are you going to help or not?” I asked with a sigh.

“Why not? I’ve been bored cooped in here all alone. Might as well get up to some Senju drama while I still have breath in me. So who’s the target?”

“Hiruzen Sarutobi”