Chapter 62: The Five Thriving Nations
After leaving Takigakure, Kakuzu officially became a rogue ninja. Years of wandering turned him cold, but eventually, he found a new belief—money.
"Money is the only thing that never betrays you," Kakuzu muttered often. From that point on, he fully embraced the life of a bounty hunter. His obsession with wealth made him infamous within the underground circles, and as his strength continued to grow, his name spread quickly.
Six years passed in the blink of an eye. Su Xiuyu and Uzumaki Mito still hadn't returned, yet Konoha had entered a golden age of development.
Many significant events took place during these years.
The first was Hashirama Senju's marriage to Uzumaki Seto, a member of the Uzumaki clan. With that, the Senju and Uzumaki clans were finally united by marriage, easing long-standing tensions between them.
Of course, this alliance didn't break the relationship between the Uzumaki and the Uchiha clans—but that didn't matter much.
A Hokage's wedding was a big deal. Konoha celebrated for seven full days, throwing the largest celebration since the village's founding. Even the Uchiha clan cooperated, sending a flood of extravagant gifts. Uchiha Madara himself attended the ceremony.
At the wedding, Hashirama got wasted—something rare for him. In his drunken state, he cried while reminiscing with Madara about the past. Madara, of course, was thoroughly disgusted. The smell of alcohol, snot, and sentimental nonsense tested his patience. If it weren't for preserving Hashirama's dignity, he might've used his Susanoo just to slap some sobriety into him.
Konoha's growth only accelerated. The first batch of students graduated from the newly established Ninja Academy, becoming the first generation of civilian Genin. This marked a major turning point—Konoha's forces were no longer limited to ninja clans but now included ninjas raised by the village itself.
Before long, Hashirama and Uzumaki Seto had a son and named him Senju Toma—a name combining both their legacies. Initially, Hashirama and Tobirama held high hopes for the boy, but as Toma grew, it became clear that he was... average.
Not exactly talentless, but far from remarkable. His chakra reserves were normal, his ninjutsu skills were decent at best, and his appearance was unremarkable. Still, Hashirama wasn't too disappointed. He'd never expected his child to be extraordinary in the first place.