"Well, that's typical. Not happy unless he's giving people a heart attack."

Iruka Umino

A shroud of twilight lowered upon the Capital of the Fire country. Hashirama sat in seiza, balanced, knees two fists apart from each other, hands resting on his thighs. He was one level below the and to the left of the throne where the damiyo sat.

Behind him, the leaders of the clans gathered within Konoha, Mito, and Tobirama all sat in the same positions, dressed accordingly for the situation.

"I believe this is an attempt to undermine Konoha, Kumo, and other villages that will be founded along the same lines in the future. It is an attempt to undermine us before we can even consolidate our strength and exert our influence." Danzo spoke up, getting to the heart of the matter.

"That's why we're here. We need to put a plan into play in order to combat this threat. The Water damiyo has never been open to peace talks, and he has no intention to ever have one. He only intends to wipe out the land and take what he can." Momomi said.

"I understand the situation very well. It would seem that as we have taken a step forward on the mainland, those on that isolated land are still the same as we once were." The Fire damiyo added.

"This system we are discussing putting into place pertains to having military outposts throughout the Fire country, especially along the coast where Danzo laid his traps. We don't want it to appear as if we are imposing our will." Koichi said.

"Your reservations are noted, Koichi-san. I assure you that these outposts are only to make our country safer by coordinating defensive forces, and ensuring that neighboring outposts mesh into cooperative units, rather than individual units syncing together. This will also bring up our production facilities in service to the war effort."

Tobirama thought it over, looking at everyone gathered with his stoic gaze. He didn't like the idea of everything going to the war effort, but if it accelerated progress he wouldn't speak against it, for now.

"We won't compete with the duties and prerogatives of the families loyal to Damiyo-sama nor the other military forces in our country that are connected to nobility. We only wish to cooperate and work together with these forces in order to protect our home."

The odd emphasis he put on the word nobility made Danzo think Tobirama was speaking more for Hashirama's benefit than for the damiyo's.

"We can coordinate our forces, the damiyo's, and the families that have been loyal to him for centuries. Essentially we are amassing our forces together in order to streamline the process of moving out, sending out orders, and so forth.."

The Fire damiyo nodded with a smile. "Precisely. Before we were only fighting with our individual forces, by ourselves, and of our own power. Now, we combine our strength. We organize things in a matter where strength is balanced and overall, as opposed to just one or two strong points."

"But, what about the Hyuga and Sarutobi?" Tadashi asked.

"The Hyuga and Sarutobi are nothing to worry about at this point in time." The Fire damiyo replied.

"Sasuke and Genzo are too foul tempered recently. I do not think it is wise to just leave them to their own devices any longer. I've heard a disturbing rumor that they left this country for a moon cycle or two moon cycles to wreak havoc." Momomi said, tone stern.

"What would you suggest?" Mito asked.

Tadashi thought about it. "Maybe have some of our spies keep an eye on them for the moment, from a distance of course."

"And if there is a possibility for peace talks will you offer a ceasefire? Will we make an attempt at a diplomatic resolution to the war with the Water damiyo before it possibly stretches on for too long?" Tadaaki asked.

"As it stands, the current Water damiyo has no such intentions. If there were someone among his inner circle, retainers, or vassals, then possibly...It could be done...If a shinobi village like Kumo or Konoha were to be founded there, doubtful as it may be, it could...Possibly work out. But, the damiyo we are up against has no reason and doesn't desire to reason."

Hashirama nodded at the Fire damiyo, keeping his gaze stoic. "He is leaving us little choice in the matter other than brute force."

"We shouldn't entertain peace talks at this point in time, it could do us more harm than good. The Water damiyo has been raging across the ocean to the mainland, and every country in between." Koichi said, a cautious edge sharpening his voice.

"It could be counterproductive for our younger members and those who lack experience. If that tyrant has thrown the countries in the ocean and nearby seas into war, we are going to have more problems than just the Water damiyo coming on our land. Our coast could be the place of a decade long marine showdown, our forests could be the places where bloody battles of attrition erode our ranks." Mito said.

Her tone made it clear that she was dead serious.

Danzo's mouth compressed into a thin, grim line. "Do you suggest we may have to split our forces instead of concentrating them in a central group?"

Mito replied easily. "If other countries request our aid, or if they attack us, we will need to prioritize who goes where and who does what."

"It is possible in the greater picture. We could get a request for aid and a payment." Tadaaki commented.

The Fire damiyo closed his eyes for a moment. "We may have to keep our focus centered here within the Fire country."

Hashirama kept his voice even. "If other countries are willing to pay us for our services, I think we should help them. It would be good to build relations and it could increase our military power as well."

A few of the leaders shifted, uncertain.

Danzo paused, just for a second, to meet Hashirama's eyes with a gaze as clear as a punch to the mouth.

Hashirama stayed expressionless.

"I am not so sure...If our forces are stretched too thin we're going to give our enemies the advantage." Danzo said, gesturing at the smoking horizon where the Shimura's traps had went off.

"We could use clones, a lot of them. They would have to be well crafted."

"Why should we bother going that far?" Tadaaki countered.

"As a practical matter, these countries could prove to be valuable allies with trade and centering the economy before it goes through a rough patch." Mito looked from one grim face to another.

Tobirama nodded his agreement. Koichi kept his eyes down, adjusting the sleeve of his baggy haori. Momomi ran a hand over his unruly hair.

Tadashi leaned forward, his eyes as hard as stone. "Is it because you no longer have to worry about controlling the clans in the Fire country...By placing us in these countries, you, or I should say, Konoha will control them directly. With all of our leaders spread across the shinobi world on multiple war zones, you'd be the sole power in Konoha.''

Hashirama folded his hands, and squeezed them together until his knuckles cracked. "My intention is not to expand my power and become a dictator. I don't wish to sacrifice nor expend my comrades in order to secure my own power."

"I may have joined Konoha, Senju-san, But I will not trust yo blindly nor shove aside my own cautions in joining this whole thing." Tadashi said, gazing around the room with a drawn frown.

"That's why we asked everyone to be here in order to discuss what we're going to do as a whole, and if need be, work out any suspicions we have of each other." Tobirama said.

"Work it out?" Tadaaki shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not sure I like where this is going."

"None of us likes where anything is going." Koichi said, half rising.

"That's exactly the point. We can't let thousands of years of civilization disappear without a fight! But, at the same time we still have to deal with these suspicions among ourselves. While I understand completely, we need to focus on our mutual enemies.

"Uzumaki Mito, I've heard about enough." Tadaaki said.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing right now. Mito Uzumaki, the black sheep of her clan for leaving and objecting their isolationist views, is speaking for you now Hashirama?"

"Now, now. We don't need to worry about Mito Uzumaki. She is only concerned about Hashirama and the seat of Hokage, not Konoha itself. Even if she were to suggest that we all blindly align under Hashirama simply because he is the First Hokage, I believe I speak for all of us, shinobi and Damiyo-sama's soldiers, that is foolish and won't happen."

Mito sank back into her seat. "I apologize if I've given you this notion. That was not my intent. I am only saying that out of all of the shinobi in the Fire country, you prominent an powerful leaders have been the most consistent and influential. When others advocated violence, you were the voices of reason and restraint, doing all you could to preserve the poor land you all live on. We don't want to control any single clan or clans, nor reign with absolute power. With your help, we hope to build and protect Konoha. We hope to protect the Fire country and any lands that ally with us in time of need."

"Uzumaki-" Tadashi started.

The Fire damiyo raised his hand, cutting the man off before he could catch stride. "This black sheep Uzumaki woman may be correct. It has become increasingly clear before this brazen attack that the Water damiyo and all who came before him are tyrants and enemy of peace, stability, and order. They will be the destroyers of civilization as we know it. He, his advisers, his circle, and the whole country itself must be stopped."

"The shinobi clans war against him instead of offering him their respective powers. The Kori, Terumi, and Yuki have all retreated from that country as they were face persecution from that tyrant. The Hoshigaki, Kaguya, Hozuki, and any other clans will battle that madman on the mainland. This is where they make their last fight." Danzo said.

"It is suicide. He must have another purpose other than all out war." Hashirama couldn't make himself believe it.

Koichi sat forward. "I fear you underestimate just how deeply that tyrant's advisers and inner circle has taken hold. No one is willing to go against this foolish plot."

"We have to fight." Hashirama said said. He discovered that he meant it. "All of us."

They all would have to. No matter how much it hurt him personally, he knew that once the snow and ice began to melt, another cycle of violence would take center stage. Before that happened, the tyrant, all of those mad clans would make their stand, and dig in their stakes.

The Water damiyo and those clans were either going to destroy the mainland or conquer it, then destroy it.

But, now they had to work together. All of them, distant, resentful, and hateful towards one another would have to find a way to work together. A way they could ensure Konoha would never fall. And, even if there were steep losses, they would have enough parameters set in place where Konoha could recover.

Hashirama shook his head, pointing his focus onto Tadakki who broke him out of his brooding.

"Yes, it does appear to be that way. To go into that bloodbath alone would be suicide. Even if one is powerful, in such hostile environments where people are thirsty for blood, even they will meet their demise. It is why many of us on the mainland have not been sending children into battles, it's pointless to sacrifice young lives." Tadakki said.

"I agree. That is the main reason I joined this..." Momomi trailed off, not sure what to call Konoha.

"We could use guerrilla warfare to keep the Water damiyo and those clans wary and exhausted on the coastline and forest. That should provide some cover while two of us begin building Konoha in terms of military power, and if need be, military installations within the village itself." Tadashi put the conversation back on course.

Hashirama clenched his hands together. "They won't ever get close enough to Konoha to bombard it-we don't need to build fort and things of that nature inside of the village itself. We will build those around and outside of Konoha. We have a lot of space to work with, so it will be exhausting for all of us involved."

Perhaps the damiyo saw something in Hashirama's eyes, because after a moment's contemplation, he nodded.

"Very well. I will concur with Hokage-dono. To build forts and outposts inside of Konoha, would only hinder progress on the infrastructure and buildings needed to house ordinary people as well as your kin, and the clans that will join later on. This is a village after all, not a military outpost."

"Thank you, Damiyo-sama." Hashirama nodded in respect.

"We should move on with this discussion. We are not gathered here to discuss that tyrant at length. The Shimura's traps along the coast are still taking care of them." Danzo cut right to the chase, flicking his eyes from Mito to Hashirama.

"Other matters can be left for other times. As long as we can move forward without much trouble aside from the usual, we will make progress. We could all begin to relocate the rest of our kinsmen into the village, and if need be, deconstruct any houses our clans have and bring them here to be assembled."

Koichi had a feeling where this conversation was going, and he wanted to avoid it.

"We will discuss the Domou, Subatsu, and any single person or clan that has, or will join them in the future. This goes without question and what decision is mandated after this will be final for the crimes they have committed against the nobility and the Elemental Nations themselves."

Momomi cleared his throat, gently interjecting himself. "None of us here are on good terms with them or the Uchiha-whether they are with those cannibals or in the Lightning country with Arata. Hashirama, Tobirama, Mito, and Kiyoshi were or are on good terms with them, or certain individuals in those clans. Riichi Yamanaka as well for that matter, that is why he is not present. The same can be said for Kiyoshi."

Danzo looked at the older man. "To cast doubt on them because they are exercising more caution than you is understandable, but do not let that caution get the better of your good sense."

"My conclusion is that the one who attacked Damiyo-sama's predecessor, as well as the other damiyo and nobility was none other than the Domou, Subatsu, and anyone allied with them. I know Madara did some of his own killing of nobles." Momomi's tone didn't break or waver, remaining rigid.

The silence that followed was palpable.

Then there was a stirring of brown robes, a shifting of bodies and limbs. Glances were exchanged and murmurs quickly echoed.

"The killing of the previous Fire damiyo does point towards Madara. But, there was another person who killed the guards, and anyone else that could have made ruckus." Tobirama said with a with a light growl, leaning forward.

He was strong and his penetrating eyes pierced through the room itself, stoic and still, despite the smoldering of his ruby eyes.

"Madara and someone else came into the country and none of us were aware?" Tadakki snapped irritably, not bothering to hide his disdain at the suggestion.

"We would have sensed them. We should have." Koichi stared.

The damiyo shifted only slightly, his eyes gone to slits, face turned toward his hands thoughtfully. "The entire mainland is threatened. The Fire country and Konoha. The Lightning country and Kumogakure. No one is safe if this is true."

The others began to mutter anew among themselves.

Hashirama held his silence and waited them out. They believed that the Domou and Subatsu would not be so brazen as to kill nobles on a mass scale. They were too busy consumed by their own lust for power and influence.

He felt Mito shift uncomfortably at his shoulder, clearly having trouble maintaining her silence.

Danzo leaned back and furrowed his brow. "Perhaps, Damiyo-sama. But, we shinobi ourselves may have bigger problems. The nobility were slain because they are part of the slave trade, since the Domou and Subatsu clearly intend to purge anyone who does it, it only makes sense the nobles before the current ones had to be killed."

"I do not understand how the Domou and Subatsu could have gotten this way without us knowing or hearing anything. They are reclusive, but they are not shy about letting those who enrage them that they did just that." Momomi commented.

"It must have been the Sarutobi." Koichi said with a small snort. "Not alone, though."

"Only other clan that I can think of would be the Hyuga. Their hatred and animosity goes back hundreds of centuries with the Subatsu." Tadakki suggested with a nod to Hashirama.

"Sasuke, Genzo, and the leader of the Hyuga left on the same day. They returned at the same time. They executed an attack with a nefarious purpose. The Subatsu and Domou were their targets. Since they inevitably succeeded it seems as they returned, they may try again."

Hashirama crossed his arm over his chest, breathing in deeply. "An attack would be pointless. Though their land is connected to our through a mountain range, where the Subatsu and Domou is separate from where we live. The terrain alone would have taken twenty Sarutobi and Hyuga, the natural predators, the insects and bugs that are all venomous...Five hundred must have died."

Others murmured their approval, showing the confidence they felt in his assessment, and the fact it actually made sense to them. After all, everyone knew that to get to the Domou or Subatsu they had to contend with inhumane weather and conditions, and that was to see them, not attack them.

"So, it wasn't a hit and run attack, nor did they start a long war with them. Too many returned alive to have encountered adult or teenage Domou and Subatsu." Koichi advised, rubbing his hand over his chin.

"It was for a full moon cycle, I know that for sure. That's about half a month." Tadashi remarked.

"They left when it was just beginning to wax." Tadakki echoed.

Mito opened her mouth to speak, but stopped. She stopped when Hashirama remained silent and didn't say anything more.

She held her breath, knowing full well what was coming. None of it was good by a long shot.

Danzo cocked his head questioningly. "What do you two want to say?"

"It is rather that I don't want to say...I don't want to even speak on it, and I can't believe I am pondering it over right now." Hashirama replied, gaze steady.

"Sasuke and Genzo are too hot blooded. They'll have a falling out eventually, Sasuke knows that since their botched attempt here in the Fire country's capital."

Koichi's eyes widened slightly. "What are you driving at here?"

"Did that stupid monkey do something he wasn't supposed to do? Even shinobi are held to certain standards so the system can operate as it should, to go outside of that would be to abolish the system altogether, and abolish the shinobi. Sasuke is far too proud of a man to throw away the shinobi creed and shinobi way, so that leaves only a few possibilities, shall we guess?" Tadakki asked quickly.

The Fire damiyo nodded. "It can only be a few things, if that. Sasuke is too stupid and arrogant to think anything over enough. It is possible that he has allied himself with the Sarutobi...Or rather the Hyuga allied with him due to their grievous and brutal loss at the hands of the Subatsu and Mo before. That would explain why they left at the same time and returned at the same time."

There was a shocked silence this time.

Tobirama inhaled deeply, thinking as hard as he could. "You don't doubt there was an attack. You don't doubt the reason or reasons for the attack. It is just a matter of us not knowing what their intent was leaving the country to seek out battle."

Mito hesitated. "Are you suggesting to bring in Sasuke, Genzo, and whoever took over the mantle of leader for the Hyuga after Daiki's passing? That can't be done."

"Nonsense! That stupid monkey can't do anything against our combined might." Tadakki snapped, slightly irritated.

"Should Konoha fear one or two clans? We will lose face before we even have the chance to build a reputation and name for our village. To fear the Hyuga and Sarutobi would do us no good, and if the other clans who have yet to decide to join us are observing this whole situation, we may need to bring them in. With force." Koichi added.

Hashirama took a deep breath. "I still don't think that is wise. We don't need to bring either of them in for questioning. We would only be giving them an opening into Konoha or the Fire country, and given their recent actions, we shouldn't be so quick to have them close."

Again, there was silence as everyone in the room exchanged glances, communicating without words. Eyes shifted back to the Fire damiyo.

"You don't want to bring them here to explain their true motives?" The noble asked softly.

"We can deduce their true motives without the addition of the heated animosity that will be experienced when we cross into Sasuke's territory." Hashirama pressed ahead recklessly.

"I have no doubt of it. The Sarutobi and Hyuga have been quiet for too long, and we know that means they were up to something." Mito said.

"That is why they should be brought before us. We can test them and probe what their intentions were. We can hear it straight from their mouth, which is all the proof that we need." Tadakki said.

Tobirama nodded somberly, eyes closing. "If by chance the Sarutobi clan and Hyuga clan joined forces, bringing them in won't be an easy thing to do. In essence that could turn into war in of itself."

The Fire damiyo nodded his agreement, his smooth face expressionless. "So we can deduce, conclude, or even assume that the Sarutobi clan and Hyuga clan have actually allied themselves together."

There was emphasis on every word he spoke.

"Their combined strength would be formidable. There's no way around it. The Sarutobi possess immensely powerful wills and chakra, and the Hyuga's chakra is as precise as their strikes." Koichi agreed.

Hashirama felt a rush of satisfaction on hearing the words, a vindication of his inistence that they not even tread into the Sarutobi's territory unless they absolutely had to. That would inevitably be before the battle begins between Konoha and their alliance.

"So, we can agree on this. Moving on, what were their true intentions?" The Fire damiyo pressed ahead.

There was an uncomfortable silence as everyone gathered looked from one to the other.

"Their heart." Danzo said quietly. "The heart."

Hashirama's face crumpled, and he could feel the tears in his eyes as he towards his brother and Mito.

"The heart of the Domou and Subatsu? What exactly are you talking about?" Momomi asked, annoyed, almost angry at how vague it was.

Danzo nodded, dark eyes steady. "They attacked the heart of the Domou and Subatsu. The clans and people that join or ally with them will follow suit. They wanted to take them out so they can focus on Konoha, Kumogaure, the other villages that will be founded or formed, the Water damiyo, and the clans attacking."

Tobirama was beyond enraged, but he held himself in check. The decision made no sense. It could not be allowed to stand at all. There had to be punishment. "They should be brought here and punished for doing whatever they did. You all must see that the Sarutobi and Hyuga have essentially orchestrated the end our shinobi way."

Mito hummed in contemplation. "Our future is certain. We just can't lose sight of our mutual goals. Regardless of our reasons, all of us are here in Konoha and willing to work together."

She searched the faces of the others, and was surprised to see that despite some of the rigid glares, there was an acceptance that she was right.

"That still doesn't explain..." Koichi trailed off, eyes starting to glint.

Hashirama straightened and inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for a moment. "The Sarutobi and Hyuga targeted Domou and Subatsu. But, since there are Uchiha, and other clans with them as well...It is likely there was a lot of bloodshed..."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mito and Tobirama both stiffen in shock. He saw, as well, the sudden flicker of rage and near despair that crossed everyone's face, but none more than the Fire damiyo himself, who looked like he could eat nails.

Hashirama did not respond to the gaze with one of his own, instead he kept his gaze focused on the entire room, rather than a single person.

"That is madness!" Koichi rose his voice sharply.

"Of all the things they could have done to those two clans they decided to target the young!? Why would they do something so foolish? How could they?" Tadakki snarled.

"Koichi is right-this is madness." Momomi shook his head.

Tobirama did not miss the sudden shift in the room-there was anger, outrage, fear, and a deeply rooted terror that was taking bloom.

"We should have forbidden them from leaving. We should have surrounded the whole damn territory and chain them down if it came down to it. Now we're too late..." Koichi lamented.

"Why is there a panic?" Tobirama asked.

While he could understand the severity of the whole situation, for these proud and stoic leaders to be openly showing their fear about this transgression made him think twice. It made him wonder if he should feel the same fear as they do.

"You're too young to remember. You weren't born yet. Syrus's father led the Subatsu on a near genocide of the Hyuga that resulted in massive death tolls on both sides. The Subatsu never let up until there were only children left behind. Heisuke and Karei led many campaigns against the Senju, Hyuga, Sarutobi, and Shimura...Every single battle...Every single time one of their young-even the notion of one of their young being harmed is enough to drive all of them into a murderous frenzy. They froth at the mouth when their young are harmed." Tadakki explained heatedly, trying and failing to mask his anger.

"Surely you don't-"

Koichi raised a hand, cutting off Momomi, and anyone else before they could say something foolish. "Tadakki is right. I seen Toshizo Subatsu lead twenty Subatsu against four hundred shinobi from different clans, and it was a slaughter. They were cruel and barbaric in how they annihilated the attack force. They sent us a letter-telling us to basically never think of bringing harm to their children, or we would suffer the same thing the Hyuga were."

The Fire damiyo's eyes shifted. "They become bloodthirsty killers. They can't be reasoned with-they are out for blood. Even if someone were to lay down their arms and surrender, they would be butchered. They are ferocious, savage, and pitiless."

Hashirama and Tobirama exchanged quick, hard looks, and the measure of their newfound anger in this situation was palpable. The breach in the world was widening so quickly it could no longer be mapped out, nor tamed.

Mito took a deep breath. "That is true, but there are others clans with them this time, they should be capable of calming down the Domou and Subatsu."

The Fire damiyo shook his head. "No. Their young were harmed or killed as well. Before it was only the Domou and Subatsu that would become monsters and demons, but now Madara, Izuna, a poriton of Uchiha, and other clans are with them. They will all become monsters and demons. They won't be reasoned with, it'll be impossible."

"That doesn't mean they target all of the shinobi and the Elemental Nations. That doesn't mean they target and kill all of the nobles." Momomi stated with finality.

Hashirama looked at his hands, clenching them a little tighter. What are you thinking right now, Madara? Are we still like we were as children on that mountain...Or has the gap in this world finally come between you and I as well?

"We will wait and see if a message is sent. Until a message is sent we should stress over it, but the inevitably of the message coming, we should be prepared for the worst. Mikito, Syrus, Haji, Souji, and any more within those ranks are not like their parents...They've inherited the tempers of their parents, but they don't hold the same line." Tadashi cut to the chase.

"And, what about those people and those clans? We certainly can't allow them to get away with what they've done to the damiyo, nor what will happen in the future when we are at war." Tadakki pressed on with reckless intent.

"Events are moving too fast for distractions such as this." Tobirama added.

Hashirama took a quick look at the others sitting in the room, then turned his focus onto Mito who shared a pained look with him.

"I am declaring them criminals. Outlaws. I am going to put their faces, appearances, and everything else into a book for shinobi or other pioneering people in the same business. Bounties will be put on their head so large that everyone in the Elemental Nations and the outside lands and countries will be looking for them."

"That could be exactly what they want, though." Tobirama said.

The damiyo's nod was slow and brooked no argument. "If others are cut down outside of our own we shouldn't lose any sleep. Let them throw themselves at those killers, monsters, and demons. Let them try in vain to cut one of them down. Let three hundred or three thousand be cut down. It is no bearing on us either way-whether Mikito, Madara, Syrus, Haji, or some idiots from a clan in the Earth country are cut down in the melee."

Hashirama took a deep breath, filled with frustration and disappointment at the unexpected turn of events.

He would need to end his friendship with Madara. He would have to separate the last shred of what kept them from killing each other outright. He would have to do the same with Syrus and Haji, great comrades he could always count on at one point in time, and he considered them to be friends.

He didn't want to-nor could be abandon his ideals and feelings even though he knew battle was inevitable with them-Syrus was a friend, Madara was a good friend, and he knew Mikito and himself shared a similar vision for the future.

Even if they had a different ways of going about it.

But, all of it was going to come crumbling down around them, and there was nothing they could do to stop it.

Their young were harmed and killed, while Madara and Syrus would be enraged that an adult or older teenager was cut down in battle, it didn't compare to the notion of a child being cut down in battle, nor the pure rage both would experience.

Nor did the rage of those two men begin to compare to the stormy fury of Souji and Izuna.

Nor could their stormy fury compare to the smoldering pit of hatred that would scorch Mikito from the inside out.

Hashirama clenched his hands tightly, struggling to keep himself from being wracked with tremors. This was the worst possible thing that could have happened-the worst scenario that could happen in his lifetime-even if he had nothing to do with it, he was a shinobi, the Senju were shinobi, and by that logic...

He would be under the rage of Madara and Syrus, the fury of Izuna and Souji, and the pure and distilled hatred of Mikito.

"Until the next meeting takes place all of you bring the rest of your kin here if you haven't already. If your compounds are close move with twice the speed. Whatever happened with the Sarutobi, Hyuga, Domou, and all of those other clans in solely between them-whether it was tragic and heartbreaking or just rage inducing, we can't let that steer us at this moment in time. Many young are killed just like this, every single day. Konoha and this country are the only things to stop atrocities like this from happening, but we need more villages to be founded in our world...Or the smoldering hatred that is growing will span several generations-even when we are long dead and relegated to mythical and legend."

Because in the end, no matter how much he wanted to, no matter how much it hurt...He couldn't quite make himself just focus solely on Konoha, in certain regards, and with certain people. Hashirama could agree with the sentiment of more villages like Konoha, or following similar models being founded, and he was confident it would reduce the conflict.

It would minimize the hatred and save children, civilians, and others from cruel and senseless deaths. But, how much would he have to endure and sacrifice to ensure that such a reign in their blood drenched and rotten world took hold in the first place and was accepted?

And, more importantly how many killers, monsters, and demons would he need to face down and not turn away from? How would he face down all of that mayhem and carnage that would come from facing off against any one of those people.

"War quelled through cooperation between nations and diplomacy is a near impossible notion." The Fire damiyo rose and walked around the assembled men, his robes swishing faintly with the movement of his strides.

"Careless will and lacking center, and purpose. What seems bright in the beginning can tarnish in the end as we age, and crumbles as we grow old. None of us have the luxury of having such a weakness."

He stopped in front of the assembled men. "What is your error?"

Tadakki leaned forward to speak, but Momomi's hand shot up, and Tadashi's as well as Koichi's eyes sparked with fierce warning. Though Hashirama should defend, it was clear the Fire damiyo was well beyond that here. The worst that a judgment had already been rendered to his best friend, all of his comrades, and even himself if he didn't watch his step.

Tobirama watched the noble with narrowed eyes, uncharacteristically cautious.

The man was just unrelenting.

"I ask again, what was your error?"

"We were going to sidestep the Domou, Subatsu, Madara, and anyone else with them, instead of putting them in their place." Tadashi responded quickly now, his voice tight.

"That is hardly precise. Again, your error?"

"The Sarutobi and Hyuga commenced an attack and we are not deeming them the same as those monsters in the west." Mito ventured.

"That is only a small part of it..." The Fire damiyo declared, his stern expression turning flinty.

Hashirama set his jaw, looking past the man's eyes.

"Danzo, if you may? Explain to them the error. It does, after all, arise from the same roots as the era we live in."

Mito arched her brow, pointing her gaze towards the young Shimura.

Danzo considered the situation in its entirety for a long moment before answering. Nobody tried to rush him. Nobody goaded him. Nobles thought differently than shinobi, as they overseen hundreds of thousands, ten of millions easily enough, and he considered this as well.

"The shinobi way...The shinobi...As we are at this moment we only kill, only think to kill, and because of that and other factors...We are a nuisance to the progression and overall longevity of the entire mainland, and the Fire country."

Tobirama stared at the boy with a puzzled frown. "What are you suggesting, Danzo?"

"Konoha is far too infantile for us to have the luxury of certainty. Our reputation is insufficient to earn us momentary peace. As well, we shinobi have always been focused on ourselves, distracted by our own and our enemies' obvious flaws, and the not so obvious. So we may appear like a shining beacon,but there is far more resentment than cohesion. This era may be about to end, but it hasn't. All because Konoha has been founded doesn't mean we will stop killing or wanting to kill. It doesn't mean another war and wars won't happen."

Hashirama met the gaze of Danzo, hardening his eyes as he took in the boy's countenance. The boy was right, and he hit the nail on every fear or thought Hashirama had at this point in time. Still, he spoke his piece.

"We only continue our wars and battles with each other, instead of focusing on mediation in order to reduce conflict. Instead of focusing on cooperation and building rapport, we only focus on our villages. We go from being concerned about only our clans, to be concerned about only our villages, and by falling into that same mentality there will be war."

The man nodded, his smooth face flinty, his eyes ablaze. Behind that face, and within those eyes burned an unbearably brilliant flame of concentration and determination easily worthy of the nobles who took to the field of battle in their era. "Remember men...Our goal here is cohesion and cooperation, to end wars and petty squabbles."

"We-"

The damiyo lifted his hand, and Tadakki instantly fell silent. "The shinobi do not know peace, never have. Their very creed is built on dominating others through battles and war-their penchant, way of life, and how they make their living is war. The Fire country is by no means innocent, but if I, or anybody who came before me were to give into such logic, there wouldn't be anything left, or people. "I ask you-why do you wish to instigate?"

"We shinobi have our pride, Damiyo-sama."

"That is not correct...Well, shinobi should not have such pride." The noble said, folding his arms behind his back so his fists were touching.

Everyone looked a little confused.

"Some clans do have pride, like Tadakki's...But, there are others who are just as you say, Damiyo-sama. They see pride and honor as a hindrance. It is something that has to be discarded."

"Inevitably, I am certain we will be diplomatic. Until that time comes I do not want any contact with Kumogakure, the Domou, Subatsu, or any single person with them. The Hyuga and Sarutobi are to not be contacted. It is expressly forbidden-and as for the Domou and that whole lot, they are outlaws in what we can call the Bingo Book."

"We shouldn't do that, Damiyo-dono. It is what they want us to do." Mito said.

"Oh, trust me. I understand a great many things. Your fear and terror are both understandable, after all, dealing with monsters and demons like that, cannibals, even if they don't eat human flesh...It is not something I, nor any single one of you, or the shinobi in general don't want to deal with."

The older man didn't so much as flinch as he spoke.

"And, that is the one thing we can all agree on. If they are coming after all of us because of what the Hyuga and Sarutobi did, then just as Damiyo-sama said...We will let others throw themselves at those killers while we consolidate our strength." Danzo finished, hoping to end the meeting.

Everything was in good order at this second, there was no more need for things to drag on. After all, the seat of Hokage would be his. Just as soon as Hashirama and Tobirama both fell in battle, and it would happen inevitably considering recent events.

The timing couldn't be better.

No one could really guess what their error was though, in end. It was so obvious and right in front of them, quite literally. Their error was believing that Konoha, or a village system in general, would be the grand thing that stops bloodshed and strife.

When in reality it only aggravated things further-for shinobi thrived in strife and bloodshed. It is how they made their living. For them to give that up would mean to stop being shinobi, and for shinobi to go with founding villages in the first place showed that they insane.

Going on about peace while murdering and pillaging, and being paid to do it, was truly something only shinobi were capable of. But, once he became Hokage-all of the other villages, including Konoha would break to his way or suffer the consequences.

It was for the shinobi world's own good at that point in time to obey him. Hashirama, Tobirama, and the other older people would be the ones to pave the way and lay down the road for people like him, later on, once the conflicts all shimmer down as they fall in battles.

Such was the shinobi world-one would say it is give and take, but everyone knew that when it came down to it, it was all about taking.