Renya followed his memory and arrived at the cave from three years ago.
Inside the cave, he did not see Uchiha Madara or Senju Hashirama. It seemed they had gone out for something and should be back soon.
Moss covered the surrounding stone walls, a sign that it had long been uninhabited.
It looked like after the two left, they had never returned.
"Meow, Madara-sama doesn't know where he went. You wait here first." Scar spoke before darting out of the cave in a flash, probably to look for Uchiha Madara.
Renya's gaze fell upon the three wooden beds. After years of erosion, moss covered them, rendering them unfit for anyone to live in.
Back then, he had lived in the cave with the two of them.
Originally, there had only been two wooden beds in the cave, but when he arrived, Hashirama had built him one using Wood Release.
"I wonder how Hashirama-san's body is now?" Renya whispered softly.
Three years had passed. If Uchiha Madara hadn't found a solution, then Senju Hashirama truly didn't have much time left.
He and Senju Tobirama had tried everything without success, leaving only Madara to place their hopes on.
"Step, step, step—"
At that moment, a steady set of footsteps approached from afar.
Renya turned and saw Uchiha Madara walk into the cave with three fish in his hand, followed by Scar with a fawning look on his face.
"Kid, you're here."
The moment Uchiha Madara saw Renya, a faint trace of shock flashed in his eyes, though it quickly vanished.
It had only been a few years, but how had this brat become so strong?
At nineteen, Renya had fully matured, his height reaching one meter eighty. His long black hair draped over his shoulders, and his expression carried the unique arrogance of the Uchiha clan.
In Madara's eyes, Renya faintly radiated a powerful aura.
Although this aura still lagged behind his own, the rate of growth was enough to shock anyone.
When Madara had been Renya's age, he hadn't possessed such strength.
This only further solidified Madara's resolve to persuade Renya to join the Eye of the Moon Plan!
With this kid's participation, the plan could proceed smoothly, bringing true peace to the shinobi world!
But as time went on, anxiety had begun to gnaw at him. Though he had transplanted Hashirama's flesh and blood for over a decade, he still hadn't awakened the power of the Rinnegan.
Madara knew that in a few years, his body would begin to decline, making it impossible to execute the Eye of the Moon Plan in his prime.
If that happened, the plan's chances of success would plummet.
To prevent such a thing, he needed to bring Renya under his wing.
Renya was still young. Even in ten or twenty years, his body would still be at its peak.
By then, Madara would be old and powerless to realize his dream.
Madara thought, even if he himself could not achieve the Eye of the Moon Plan, Renya could carry it out in his place.
As long as the shinobi world achieved peace, it didn't matter who completed it.
"Madara-sama…"
Renya noticed Madara zoning out and instinctively called out.
His voice pulled Madara back from his thoughts.
Uchiha Madara tossed one fish toward Scar, who leapt up to bite it in mid-air.
"Thank you, Madara-sama."
With that, Scar dispelled the Summoning Technique, vanishing with a "bang."
Madara's gaze returned to Renya, and he tossed the two carp in his hand to him.
"Go prepare lunch."
Renya nodded, took the fish, and headed toward the stove to begin cooking.
"Madara-sama, where is Hashirama-san?"
He had been here quite a while yet hadn't seen Senju Hashirama.
A bad premonition struck him. Could it be that Hashirama-san was already dead?
Renya felt his chest tighten, an unspeakable sorrow rising within him.
After living alongside Hashirama for so many years, of course, he didn't want to see the man die like this.
No matter what, Hashirama was his elder and had always treated him kindly.
Uchiha Madara noticed the change in Renya's emotions, his eyes flickering.
Perhaps… this was an opportunity for Renya to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Senju Hashirama wasn't dead—he had just been with Madara catching fish in the river moments ago, only Madara had returned first.
But Madara thought this could be an opportunity…
After all, the pain of losing a loved one made it easier for someone to awaken the Mangekyō.
After a brief silence, Uchiha Madara slowly spoke in a deep voice:
"Hashirama, that guy, is dead."
At those words, Renya froze mid-motion as he processed the food, his hand gripping the kitchen knife trembling slightly.
Though he had already suspected it, hearing it confirmed still left him in disbelief.
The God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama… was really dead.
Scenes flashed in his mind: the first time he met Hashirama, the first time Hashirama cooked for him, the first time they traveled together, Hashirama's two-year feigned death before they reunited, and their farewell three years ago.
Since Renya had left the Uchiha clan, his only elders had been Senju Tobirama, Senju Hashirama, and Uzumaki Mito.
Now with Hashirama's death, Renya felt unbearable grief.
He didn't even feel like cooking anymore.
Should he tell Mito-san this cruel truth when he returned?
As Renya mourned, Uchiha Madara frowned in dissatisfaction.
The pain wasn't enough.
This alone wouldn't awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
He prepared to add fuel to the fire.
"Before Hashirama died, he asked me to bring him back to the village… he wanted to see you all." Madara's voice was low. "But before we reached Konoha, he couldn't hold on."
Renya's body trembled. He seemed to see Hashirama's unwilling expression at the moment of death. His fists clenched instinctively.
To die without seeing his family one last time… how regretful it must have been.
"Hashirama-san…"
If only he and Tobirama had found a way to heal Hashirama, this wouldn't have happened!
Uchiha Madara's lips curled into a faint smile.
Yes, that's it!
Only extreme pain could push one to the brink of awakening.
This boy's anguish was nearly at its critical point. Once it passed, he would open the Mangekyō Sharingan.
What would his eyes' ability be?
The thought thrilled him!
"Step, step, step—"
Just then, footsteps came from outside the cave.
Uchiha Madara's face instantly darkened.
Damn it! Of all times, why now?!
The kid was about to awaken his eyes, yet that guy returned.
At this moment, he really wished he could kill Hashirama for real…
"Hahaha! Look what I caught!"
Senju Hashirama's hearty laughter echoed in.
In his hand, he proudly held up two big fish, boasting at Madara.
"Madara, aren't they huge?"
He had waited a long time by the river, and it had been ages since he'd seen fish this big.
And two at once—what a harvest!
Renya, who had been silently grieving, froze at the sudden noise behind him.
Turning, he saw Senju Hashirama walking toward him with two fish in hand.
"Renya, can you help me clean the fish?"
Renya: "???"