Tobirama Senju let out a cold scoff at the scene unfolding before him.
"Hmph! Evil Uchiha!!! Can't you even say a simple 'thank you'?!"
"Thank you? You big-headed fool, Tobirama Senju! Keep running your mouth, and I swear I'll stab you right here!!!"
"Uchiha Madara!!! All you ever talk about is stabbing me! I bet you don't even respect my big brother!!!"
"Heh! Hashirama is Hashirama, and you're you. I respect your brother, but that doesn't mean I won't stab you!!!"
"Hmph! Evil Uchiha!!!"
Tobirama was fuming, his teeth practically grinding. Back in the day, this evil Uchiha Madara used to show up at their house all the time, mooching off their meals. Every time his sister-in-law cooked something delicious, this guy devoured it all!!!
What, can't the Uchiha afford their own food?!
Hashirama Senju, on the other hand, was completely used to the bickering between his best friend and his little brother. In fact, he kind of enjoyed it. Ever since Madara left the Hidden Leaf Village, he hadn't felt this kind of warm, familiar chaos.
Mito Uzumaki, however, just rolled her eyes at Tobirama.
"Tobirama! Why are you still like this after all these years?! I'm not trying to nag as your sister-in-law, but you really need to work on that attitude of yours. The ingredients we're cooking with today? Madara's the one who hunted them down! So, when you think about it, you owe him a thank you!"
Tobirama had no problem telling his big brother Hashirama to shut up, but he wouldn't dare talk back to his sister-in-law. Back when the Senju clan was still around, Hashirama might've been the clan head in name, but everyone knew Mito was the one really calling the shots!
"Tch… So what if he hunted a deer? I could've done that too!
"Hmph! I'm not eating anything that evil Uchiha brought back!
"I, Tobirama Senju, would rather jump off this villa, die from the fall, or starve to death than take a single bite of that evil Uchiha's game!!!"
Mito's face lit up with a dangerous smile…
"Oh? So, Tobirama's too good for his sister-in-law's cooking now? Is my food not to your taste? I remember you used to skip family dinners all the time back in the day. Now I get it—you were looking down on my cooking skills!!!"
Even though Mito was smiling as she spoke, everyone in the room could feel the dangerous vibe radiating from her…
Hashirama instinctively scooted a little closer to Madara for safety.
Tobirama, meanwhile, seemed to recall something terrifying and shivered…
"No, no, no!!! Sister-in-law, how could I ever look down on your cooking?! Your food's my absolute favorite!!!!"
"If you love it so much, then eat it already!!!!"
"Yes, Sister-in-law!! I'm digging in!!!"
Tobirama grabbed the bowl in front of him and chugged the soup in one go!
At that moment, Madara's face twisted into a wicked grin, his expression practically distorted with glee.
"Well, well, well~ 'I, Tobirama Senju, would rather jump off this villa~ die from the fall~ starve to death~ than take a single bite of that evil Uchiha's game~'"
Hearing Madara mock him in that creepy tone, Tobirama's face turned beet red!
"Aaagh!!! Evil Uchiha! You wanna duel me?!!!"
"Heh! You're no match for me!!! I'm just worried I might accidentally squash you into a pulp!!!" Madara shot back, a flicker of disdain in his eyes.
"Aaagh!!! Evil Uchiha!!!"
Mito, ignoring her little brother's tantrum, fished a long, strip-like object out of the pot and plopped it into Hashirama's bowl.
With a sweet smile, she looked at him.
"Hashirama… this is deer antler. You should eat up and… recharge a bit…"
Hashirama's face went pale as a ghost!
"Honey… heh heh… I think I'll pass on that… Madara and I were just about to go skip stones by the river…"
"Hm?!"
"Honey~"
"Eat it, now!!!!"
"Yes, dear!!!!"
Hashirama, with a pained expression, started scarfing it down.
Watching this, Minato Namikaze and Uchiha Fugaku couldn't help but miss their own wives even more.
---
Meanwhile, Ito Hirofumi was walking toward the Ninja Academy with Iruka, keeping an eye on the events unfolding in the summoning space. Man, Tobirama was such a classic—weak but always picking fights!
He clearly couldn't beat Madara, yet he kept provoking him!
Good thing Hashirama was there to keep things in check, or Madara would probably be pounding Tobirama eight hundred times a day!
And who would've thought Hashirama, of all people, was scared of his wife?!
The guy's got the Sage Body, and he still needs that to boost himself?!
Guess strength really doesn't mean everything…
Unlike Hirofumi, who was naturally gifted!
No need for any "boosting" here!!
---
Back at Root's headquarters.
Hiruzen Sarutobi still hadn't left, and Danzo Shimura was frowning slightly.
"Sarutobi! I already let the kid go. What more do you want?!"
"Danzo! You went too far today, and your Root's reach is getting a little too long!!!"
At those words, a strange look crossed Danzo's face. He even glanced down instinctively.
Before today, Danzo wouldn't have thought twice about that phrase. But after Ito Hirofumi's earlier comments, the word "Root" suddenly felt… oddly suggestive!
"Ahem… Sarutobi! No matter what you think, everything I do is for the Hidden Leaf!"
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. He'd just said Danzo's Root was overreaching—why was this guy looking at his pants?!
"Danzo, spare me the high-and-mighty talk. You know what's in your heart, and so do I! There are things you can do, but there are lines I don't want you crossing!"
"Sarutobi! What's that supposed to mean?! I'm an elder of the Hidden Leaf! I'm the leader of Root! I'm the backbone of this village!!! And you have the nerve to talk to me like that?! You owe me an explanation!!!"
Hiruzen let out a cold laugh…
"Heh!!! I, Hiruzen Sarutobi, have never needed to explain myself to anyone!!!"
"Sarutobi!!! You'll regret this!!!"
"Danzo!!! I'm the Hokage!!!"
Bang!!!!
With that, Hiruzen stormed out with his Anbu, not looking back.
Danzo, left alone in Root's headquarters, hurled his cane to the ground with a loud thud!
But somehow, that thud didn't feel quite as satisfying as he'd hoped.
No surprise there—the door had already been busted earlier, so he couldn't even slam it if he wanted to!