The glow of the sealing barrier painted every face a dull gold.
Dust from the Reanimation Jutsu still swirled in the air, clinging to the scent of incense and cold earth.
Minato stood with his back to the far wall, arms behind him. Shūishi leaned against a pillar at the barrier's edge, his Mangekyō slowly turning, the after‑strain of the summoning still in his eyes.
Uchiha Mali stood dead center — not straining to hold control of the jutsu, but owning the purpose of why it was done.
Two shapes took form out of the drifting ash.
First, Hashirama Senju — broad‑shouldered, long brown hair tied back, red armor shining faintly under the chakra light. His chest rose once, like testing breath he didn't need.
Beside him, Uchiha Izuna — dark hair brushing his chin, eyes sharp and awake. No confusion. No questions. He was a drawn blade from the moment he appeared.
For a long second, neither man spoke.
Hashirama's eyes fixed on Izuna, the way old warriors know each other — from stance, eyes, the tension in the air.
"…Izuna. Madara's brother. I never thought—"
Izuna cut him off, voice clipped. "You never thought you'd see me without a battlefield between us."
Hashirama's brows drew tighter, his mouth closing again. Then his gaze moved to Mali, measuring the younger Uchiha.
"And you. You're not one I know. Where is Madara?"
Mali's voice stayed flat. "Madara isn't here. This isn't about him."
"Then why am I here?" Hashirama's tone was calm but heavy. "Why summon us both?"
"You'll hear it," Mali replied. "But first, you need the truth about what's happened while you were gone."
Hashirama's sandals scraped softly as he stepped forward. "The Uchiha… you left the village?"
Mali's eyes met his. "We were never truly part of your village."
Hashirama's chin lifted. "That's not true. We built Konoha together — your clan, my clan."
"No," Mali said. "You built it for the Senju. We were your strongest weapon — nothing more. Your brother Tobirama and his hand‑picked loyalists caged us from the start. Watched us. Studied us like dangerous animals. Every new law, every midnight arrest, every 'incident'… another way to keep us smaller, quieter, weaker."
Hashirama's shoulders drew in slightly. "…That was never my intention—"
"It doesn't matter what you intended," Mali interrupted, his voice steady but edged like steel. "The result was the same. The Hokage's seat was always kept for Senju blood or men you approved — never an Uchiha. Why? Afraid we'd outshine you?"
Izuna's eyes flicked briefly toward Mali, then back to Hashirama — watching his reactions the way a duelist reads an opponent's breathing.
Hashirama exhaled. "And now you're saying… the Uchiha are gone from Konoha entirely?"
"Konoha was a rotting cage," Mali said. "We walked away before it collapsed. And your Senju clan…" — his voice tightened — "…is gone too."
Hashirama's eyes widened. "…Gone?"
"A dog will bite even the master that raised it. Hiruzen Sarutobi. Danzō Shimura. Your own student and his shadow erased the Senju name from your streets. The few that remained… did not last. Nawaki is dead."
The name hit like a thrown kunai. Hashirama's posture faltered. "…Nawaki?"
"He was your grandson," Mali said evenly. "Only Tsunade lives. She's Hokage now — on a sinking ship. The village doesn't have the men or the strength to hold out. Soon the other nations will destroy it."
Hashirama's fists clenched, his breath pulling sharper. His eyes dropped — not in shame, but as if counting the dead in his mind.
When he finally spoke, his voice was rougher, low. "Everything we built… all the sacrifices… for this."
"And that," Mali said, "is why I revived you. Not to rebuild Konoha. To tell you the truth about the man you thought you knew better than anyone."
Hashirama's eyes rose. "Madara."
"Yes," Mali said. "You thought you killed him at the Valley of the End."
"I felt his life leave," Hashirama said flatly.
"And that's exactly what he wanted you to feel. He used Izanagi mid‑battle. Faked his death. He left while the world thought him buried. That was his first move."
"…To what end?"
"To trap the world in a single genjutsu — the Infinite Tsukuyomi," Mali said. "And worse — he was already a pawn. Controlled by Black Zetsu — a creation of the Otsutsuki. Aliens who consume worlds whole, feeding on their life, becoming strong enough to destroy the planet itself."
The silence that followed was different now: not tension, but the weight of a truth too big to swallow in one breath.
Hashirama's gaze moved between Mali and Izuna. "And you summoned me so I would… what? Fight? Advise?"
"I summoned you because you were the only Senju who ever tried to see us as equals," Mali said. "I need an ally who can be trusted — and you're the only one who could control your brother Tobirama if he's revived."
Hashirama's eyes narrowed, but he didn't speak.
"The fight now isn't Uchiha versus Senju," Mali continued. "It's life versus extinction."
Hashirama's jaw set. "…If what you say is true, then I fight with you. Not for Konoha — that dream is gone. But for this world… for its survival… yes."
Mali nodded once, then stepped closer. His voice dropped. "But first… if you truly mean to stand with us, you'll go to Konoha and disband what's left. Do it in your name. Bring who you will here — to our land. Every grain of soil here was created by Uchiha hands, born from space itself. This is Uchiha territory. Others may live here, but under our laws. There are no ninja here — only humans. An army to protect, and a ruler: me. That's how it will stay."
Hashirama's face didn't change, but Mali pressed on. "Do you think Tsunade will survive the coming war? If you don't act, the Senju will be erased entirely. You'll be remembered as the worst leader your clan ever had."
For a second, the chamber was still.
Then Hashirama's expression hardened — and he nodded. "I'll go. I'll bring her."
Without another word, he left with Minato to convince Tsunade.
Izuna watched them go, a faint curve tugging at his mouth. "You really think he'll follow through? Will your plan work?"
Mali's eyes narrowed under a slight smile. "He's already in my grasp. When Tobirama returns, he won't have a choice but to serve Uchiha will."
Izuna let out a short laugh. "Uchiha Mali… you are — no, I take it back — you're the smartest Uchiha I've ever seen. Of course… after me."
His laugh echoed in the fading light of the barrier.