The rumor lingered far longer than anyone expected.
It nearly ruined Hiruzen's chances of finding a wife. Danzo, for his part, never married at all, which only caused villagers to speculate even more.
In the end, no one could say whether the story faded because people forgot it, or because they chose not to think too deeply about it.
Meanwhile, the true culprits behind the incident… Kumatarō and Kumajirō stood on the edge of Hokage Rock, breathing heavily as they stared down at the sheer drop below.
"Good thing there were those two naked brats standing there," Kumatarō muttered.
"Yeah," Kumajirō nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "Otherwise we'd have gone straight down, Big Brother."
"I heard those two bare-bottomed boys are apprentices of Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama."
"Did we drop anything?" Kumajirō asked nervously. "Never mind, let's go. If we don't finish the task, Master Rin will skin us alive."
"And worse," Kumatarō added grimly. "No dinner."
"…That really is terrifying."
The place they were headed wasn't far, beyond the Hokage Rock stood Garfield's temple.
The massive stone pillars they carried had been cut directly from the mountain, intended as architectural supports and decoration.
Strictly speaking, ninjutsu could have completed the construction far faster. But Garfield had his reasons.
He wanted Kumatarō and Kumajirō to learn obedience, endurance, and precision through repetition.
Carrying stone back and forth through the mountains was part of their training. Rin, acting as their commander, oversaw their schedule, discipline, and most importantly their meals.
This wasn't only about the two bears.
Garfield was training Rin as well.
If he were ever to build the High Claw Empire he spoke of so casually, he would need someone capable of command.
Queenie was too gentle for such a role. Rin, however, had seen war.
She understood what it meant to defend one's homeland and what it cost.
The two brothers carried the pillars into the courtyard of the temple. Rin was already waiting, watch in hand.
"You're one minute late." She said flatly.
Kumajirō's face went pale. Thinking of the possible punishment tonight, he immediately begged, "Master Rin, please don't cut our dinner! Kumatarō and I really aren't getting enough to eat."
"Is that true?" Rin glanced at Kumatarō.
Kumatarō nodded once. "Yes, Master Rin."
After a brief pause, Rin sighed. "Very well. No punishment this time. Just complete the task assigned by Lord Garfield."
"Yes!"
The two quickly dug a deep pit at the marked location, set the stone pillars in place, and reinforced them with chakra.
Under their control, the surrounding rock fused seamlessly, as if the pillars had grown there naturally.
Once the installation was complete, carving remained, but that was beyond the bears' skill. Garfield never intended them to do delicate work anyway.
That task belonged to specialists.
Such as Hiruzen and Danzo.
…
Deep in the forest near Hokage Rock, Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama were training together.
Beneath their feet lay a spirit-gathering array designed by Garfield himself, capable of drawing in the most primal energy drifting between heaven and earth.
Compared to toad oil, the connection it provided was purer and far more direct.
Garfield, meanwhile, had already dragged Hiruzen and Danzo off to carve stone pillars. Neither dared refuse.
Training their apprentices while strengthening ties with Garfield was an opportunity even the Senju brothers would not dismiss.
As for Garfield's claim that space and time were meaningless to him… well.
Time, at least, was never a problem.
And thus, through coincidence, misunderstanding, and one spectacular fall from Hokage Rock, another unspeakable legend was quietly cemented into Konoha's history.
꧁𓊈𒆜༺⚜༻𒆜𓊉꧂
PhantomDream