(Friendly reminder! This chapter pairs perfectly with the Naruto Main Theme, so open up your music player and hit play! Hehehe...)

A gentle breeze drifted across the screen, stirring a single falling leaf...

Then came a battlefield. But the figures at its center were not Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju. They were Butsuma Senju and Tajima Uchiha.

The two clan heads of the Warring States Period's greatest families.

These two weren't the Konoha 11 in disguise using the Transformation Jutsu, they were the real thing, personally invited to make a guest appearance.

When Hirofumi Ito had approached them about filming a Hidden Leaf Village promotional video, both had agreed without a second word.

As the footage unfolded, everyone at the concert venue understood immediately, this was the Warring States Period.

Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha both froze for a moment, stunned to find their own fathers appearing in this promotional video.

The big screen kept rolling.

Butsuma Senju and Tajima Uchiha bellowed each other's names across the battlefield.

"Butsuma Senju!"

"Tajima Uchiha!"

Those two shouts ignited everything. Warriors from both clans erupted into a savage, frenzied clash...

The battle was brutal beyond measure, a tragedy written entirely in blood and fire.

With the background music swelling beneath it, the tens of thousands in the crowd felt as though they had been pulled bodily into that world.

Then the scene shifted.

The battlefield gave way to a small riverbank.

No war. No killing. Just two small children skipping stones across the water.

Those two children were the young Madara Uchiha and the young Hashirama Senju.

Their friendship began at the edge of that little river...

Each sharing their dreams with the other.

The seeds of peace took root and began to grow in both their hearts...

The camera kept moving.

Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju grew up fast. Both their fathers fell in battle one after another, and both became the strongest figures in their respective clans. Both became clan heads, as was only natural.

And then, at that same riverbank, the two of them faced each other as enemies.

By the time the video reached this point, every single person in the venue had been completely drawn in. Everyone knew the Hidden Leaf Village had been founded by the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. But many had no idea what the village had actually gone through in those first days.

In fact, many of the Hidden Leaf's own residents didn't know that the village had been founded together, by both Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha.

Watching the screen, Hashirama Senju's eyes grew wet at the corners. Madara Uchiha drew a long, slow breath.

"You wretched little brat..." The voice came out a little stiff. "Is this the gift you made for your teacher?"

Hirofumi Ito noticed that the corners of Madara Uchiha's eyes had gone slightly red.

"Well, Teacher? Does your student's gift meet with your approval?"

"Tch... you wretched brat. Your teacher... likes it very much..."

The promotional video kept going.

Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju had become the heads of the two most powerful clans of the Warring States Period, yet neither chose to follow the will their fathers had left behind and keep fighting.

Because the seeds of peace had long since taken root in both their hearts and grown into towering trees that reached the sky.

One day, the two of them met again at that riverbank.

They said nothing about their clans. They simply stood shoulder to shoulder and skipped stones, just as they had as children meeting for the very first time.

By the end of that meeting, both of them were more certain than ever of the dream they carried, more certain of the peace they longed for.

And just like that... news that shook the entire Shinobi World to its core spread like wildfire.

The two most powerful clans of the Warring States Period, the Senju Clan and the Uchiha, had formed an alliance!

Other clans began to join almost immediately.

The Nara, the Akimichi, the Yamanaka, the Aburame, the Inuzuka, the Hyūga, the Sarutobi, the Shimura, the Hatake...

Dozens of clans, large and small, came together as one.

With Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha at their head, these clans built an entirely new village.

It was rough and simple when it first went up, but every face in it wore a smile of pure happiness.

Because... the war was over!

Every clan's children could play freely within the village walls. The elders could sit together and talk of grand things, swapping memories of the hard years they'd lived through.

Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha appeared together on a cliff face, the very spot where Hokage Rock would one day stand...

Madara Uchiha wore black Uchiha clan robes. Hashirama Senju wore white Senju Clan robes.

Both stood atop that cliff with their long hair swept back by the wind, looking out over the whole of the Hidden Leaf Village below.

The background music reached its absolute peak.

In the video, a soft breeze passed through and carried a single leaf into the air.

Madara Uchiha reached out and caught it between two fingers...

"Hashirama... the village we built... what do you say we call it the Hidden Leaf Village?

After all, the jutsu you're best at is Wood Release — it only makes sense to name our village after that. And a leaf also stands for new life."

In the video, Hashirama Senju heard those words and broke into a smile of pure happiness.

"Madara... in that case, the title of our village's leader... let's name it after fire.

After all, fire is what you're best at! From now on, this place will be called the Hidden Leaf Village — and the title of its leader will be Hokage!"

The corners of Madara Uchiha's mouth curved slightly upward.

The leaf was released from between two fingers. It drifted up into the sky on the breeze...

Head tilting back, watching that leaf, Madara Uchiha spoke softly.

"Wherever the leaves of the Hidden Leaf dance on the wind..."

Hashirama Senju tilted back as well, watching that same leaf swirl through the air. Hearing those words, he continued.

"The fire will burn eternal..."

The camera pulled back. And back. The two figures standing on that cliff — Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, grew smaller and smaller.

Until at last all that remained in frame was a single leaf dancing in the wind...

And behind it, the village that had only just been built, still humble, still new...

The Hidden Leaf Village...

The background music eased down from its peak and came quietly to an end.

When the promotional video finished, several large red characters appeared on the big screen.

Wherever the leaves of the Hidden Leaf dance on the wind, the fire will burn eternal.

With the exception of the video crew, no one present had expected Hirofumi Ito to put together something like this. The impact hit the crowd like a wave.

No fierce fighting. No deep-seated grudges. Only two people chasing a dream...

Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha!

➤ Next: Blue Bird

Chapter 230 - Blue Bird

"My two teachers... how did your student do with this Hidden Leaf Village promotional film?"

Hirofumi Ito stood to the side wearing a half-smile, watching Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha. Hashirama Senju had already burst into tears. Madara Uchiha's eyes were faintly red at the rims.

"You wretched little gremlin! To think you secretly went and put something like this together...

But the ones playing me and Hashirama in the film, who were they?! I feel like whoever played Hashirama made him look even more like a buffoon..."

Madara Uchiha reached out and gently wiped the corner of his eye, then turned to Hirofumi Ito with a smile.

"Ah... the one playing the First Hokage was Naruto Uzumaki, and the one playing you was Sasuke Uchiha. Honestly, I didn't expect those two to have that kind of acting talent!"

"Hmph! A bunch of wretched little gremlins!"

Just then, Hashirama Senju suddenly lunged forward and grabbed Madara Uchiha's arm.

"Madara! I have finally thought it all through!

My thinking was wrong before. This time I will never let you slip away again! We will bring true peace to the Shinobi World! We will bring true peace to the Hidden Leaf Village!

Whether now or in the future...

Madara! I will always stand by your side! Just as we said back then, wherever the leaves of the Hidden Leaf scatter, the fire shall burn eternal!"

Feeling his arm gripped tighter and tighter, Madara Uchiha raised his other hand, fully intending to deliver a firm smack to Hashirama Senju's head. Then he saw Hashirama Senju's reddened eyes.

He didn't bring it down.

"Hmph! I get it, you big idiot!"

Madara Uchiha turned his head toward Hirofumi Ito.

"You — Hokage. Shouldn't you be getting on stage? The concert is about to start."

Hirofumi Ito smiled.

"No rush. Everyone was completely absorbed in that promotional film just now. We should give them a little time to calm down..."

Even as he said it, he was already strolling leisurely toward the stage.

...

The crowd buzzed back to life, especially those who hadn't known much about the founding of the Hidden Leaf Village. The promotional film had just given them a crash course.

"I never would have imagined... the Hidden Leaf Village was founded together by the First Hokage and Senior Madara Uchiha?!"

"Is that for real?!"

"How could something like this be made up?! Don't forget who made this film, the Fifth Hokage himself!"

"That's right... our village's name, and the title of Hokage, those actually represent the First Hokage and Lord Madara Uchiha respectively?!"

"Honestly... the Hidden Leaf Village back then must have felt incredibly safe. Under the protection of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, I truly cannot think of anyone who would dare come after us!"

"Listen to yourself! Our Hidden Leaf Village is even stronger now, alright?! Because we don't just have Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha! We have Hokage from every generation and the greatest warriors of every era! The Hidden Leaf Village is the most powerful shinobi village in the entire Shinobi World!"

"That's right!"

"Hidden Leaf!"

"Hokage!"

"Lord First Hokage!"

"Lord Madara Uchiha!"

"..."

Tens of thousands of voices erupted at once.

The stage lights blazed on. Hirofumi Ito stepped out to the very center.

"Everyone here today!

The promotional film you just watched gave you a broad look at how the Hidden Leaf Village was founded!

Every bit of it is true — these things actually happened in our village!

Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, these two predecessors chased their dream and built the Hidden Leaf Village!

So that everyone could live in peace!

But the Shinobi World never stayed quiet...

Countless people, countless ambitious schemers, have been eyeing the wealth of our Hidden Leaf Village, eyeing our land!

I, Hirofumi Ito, as the Fifth Hokage —

Will not allow that.

And as a student of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha...

I will carry on my teachers' will!

Make the Hidden Leaf Village great again!"

The crowd erupted again.

"Lord Hokage!"

"Lord Hokage!"

"Make the Hidden Leaf Village great again!"

"The Hidden Leaf Village is the strongest in the Shinobi World!"

"..."

Hirofumi Ito raised a hand and pressed it down.

"Everyone! That's enough words! The concert officially begins!

The first song of tonight, co-created by several of the Hidden Leaf Village's greatest warriors.

Starting today, this song becomes our village anthem.

It's called Blue Bird!

Please welcome our lead vocalist, Kushina Uzumaki!

Please welcome our bassist, Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze!

Please welcome our drummer, Madara Uchiha!

Please welcome our guitarist, First Hokage, Hashirama Senju!

..."

One by one, they took the stage.

During the preparation period, Hirofumi Ito had composed quite a few songs with the help of the Research and Development Department. Blue Bird was the very first one he'd written.

Choosing a lead vocalist had taken some work. Hirofumi Ito had considered a long list of candidates, Mito Uzumaki, Tsunade, Mikoto Uchiha, and even from the younger generation: Hinata Hyūga, Sakura Haruno, Ino Yamanaka, every one of them gave it a try.

But after all the auditions, Kushina Uzumaki's voice was simply the best fit.

And so the lead vocalist of Blue Bird became Kushina Uzumaki.

Everyone else took up their instruments. Mito Uzumaki and Mikoto Uchiha stood on stage holding a harmonica and a flute respectively.

"If I spread my wings and soar~~

I said I would never return~~

The destination is that~~

Deep blue, deep blue sky~~~"

Kushina Uzumaki's voice carried the melody of Blue Bird across the Hidden Leaf Village. The stage lights blazed brilliant and alive.

THE ATMOSPHERE DETONATED.

Blue Bird's melody was already stirring on its own. Performed by the greatest warriors across generations, the dazzling lights crashing into the driving music, every single person in that crowd felt like they were about to leave the ground.

Below the stage, Hirofumi Ito stood and stared.

For a moment, it felt like he'd been thrown back to the days he spent chasing anime episode by episode.

Singing Blue Bird in the Naruto world.

Probably something no other transmigrator had ever actually pulled off, right?!

Hehehehehehe...

So then.

I am the Hokage!

➤ Next: Qiu Fo — DJ Version