Tobirama Senju crossed mountains and seas, even mountains and seas beyond comprehension. Once, he possessed everything—but it all vanished like smoke. He had fallen, lost, and wandered, until he met the Fire Keeper—then he understood. She was the only answer.

Kindle the Flame! Kindle the Flame! Kindle the Flame!

With the determination to crush all obstacles, Tobirama Senju spent an entire 'kun-year' in the game. This master of forbidden jutsu from the ninja world defeated all the Lords of Cinder, slew the ancient dragons clinging to life, and vanquished the hidden bosses—annihilating even the legendary Nameless King.

At last, he reached the final destination. After defeating the Soul of Cinder—a fusion of all Lords of Cinder from ages past—Tobirama finally grasped the now-flickering First Flame.

What followed was the final linking of the fire.

Offering his own life, soul, and power as kindling, he set himself ablaze—becoming the flame's new fuel.

As the fire consumed him entirely, Tobirama felt immense agony, yet within, his heart remained calm. A faint smile even appeared on his normally wooden face. Slowly, he sat down, allowing the flames to engulf him. Through him, fire once again spread outward.

In that dark world, a new moment of light was born through the self-sacrifice of this new Lord of Cinder.

Even though this light was faint and fleeting, it gave the dying world a chance to breathe—to carry on a little longer.

And in the final moments of this second life, Tobirama saw the Fire Keeper again.

That beautiful woman who had stayed with him for two and a half years stood quietly nearby, her figure tinged with sorrow, bearing the air of one who had accepted her role—as a companion, standing beside the dying Lord of Cinder.

Just as she had said from the beginning: her existence was to serve the Ashen One.

In that moment, Tobirama smiled. Then, as the Ashen Undead, he closed his eyes forever, feeling his soul plunge downward, like falling into an eternal, solitary abyss.

In a trance, it was as though he returned to a kun-year ago—to the very beginning, to the first time he met the Fire Keeper...

Back then, his attitude toward her… truly hadn't been good.

If he had another chance, perhaps he could do better…

"If you really want another go, you can definitely do better. After all, everyone does better in New Game Plus."

Suddenly, a stranger's voice rang out. Tobirama froze, then snapped his eyes open.

Before him was a meadow—strange, yet somehow familiar. A young man stood nearby, unfamiliar yet oddly recognizable, smiling meaningfully.

Tobirama narrowed his eyes.

Although he didn't understand what was going on, he didn't panic. Instead, he observed calmly with cold eyes.

To him, this felt like Lu Mingfei traveling the multiverse—crossing into another world only to return again.

Fragmented memories began to surface. The scenes from a kun-year ago—buried deep in his mind due to endless battle and death—gradually returned.

Then he remembered—the memories he had 'forgotten,' those from before entering the world of Dark Souls.

As the memories surfaced, Tobirama clutched his head, pained, groaning softly.

When he recovered and opened his eyes again, bloodshot now, his voice rasped:

"All of that... was it just an illusion you created?"

The one questioned—Uchiha Kei—shook his head solemnly. "No. Everything you experienced was real. That was your journey, your struggle, your choices—your story. You are Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage of the ninja world. But you are also the Ashen Undead of Lothric—the Lord of Cinder who defeated all who came before."

His tone was serious, spoken not only as a game creator, but also as a fellow player.

Because no matter how fictional, every player's journey is their own story.

Just as many like to call themselves Doctor, Master, Adventurer, Ashen One, Lord of Cinder, Elden Lord, Chosen Undead, Governor, Spartan Warrior, and so on—those are their inside jokes, but also their dreams.

To cross into these worlds, to truly become the protagonist of a game—that is every player's ultimate fantasy.

So Uchiha Kei didn't mock or belittle Tobirama. Despite disliking the old man, and their first meeting being rocky, he respected him.

Because this man had carried an unbearable burden, endured pain indistinguishable from reality, and, with will like steel, completed a full clear of an enhanced version of *Dark Souls III*.

As a game developer and fellow player, Uchiha Kei gave Tobirama the highest respect.

And he wasn't lying. That game world was real in its own way—a hyper-realistic game world where, even amid endless torment, Tobirama had truly been the protagonist.

After a long silence, Tobirama asked, "The fire I left behind in that world—how long will it last?"

Uchiha Kei pondered briefly, then answered, "Roughly a hundred years. Since Lord Gwyn first became the original Lord of Cinder, that world has already endured far too long. The First Flame is now terribly weak. Even with all past Lords' power combined, it will only burn for a century more."

"Most likely, you are the last Lord of Cinder. After you, the Age of Dark will return. It is that world's inevitable fate."

Tobirama fell silent again. After a long pause, he asked, "Then... what about the Fire Keeper?"

Uchiha Kei's expression shifted slightly. Was Tobirama seriously treating the Fire Keeper as his lost love?

Still, he gave a sincere answer.

"Her duty is fulfilled. Because your flame can burn for a hundred years, she'll likely live to the end of her natural life. As for whether another Lord of Cinder will rise someday... that's for the future. A new Fire Keeper will serve when that time comes."

"Your Fire Keeper was unique. She belonged to you alone."

He meant it. Each *Dark Souls* game has its own Fire Keeper. No Fire Keeper ever crosses over to serve a different protagonist. To do so would betray the player.

Such a thing, to Uchiha Kei, was heresy—unacceptable as both a developer and a player.

And to this 'player' Tobirama, Kei's answer brought peace.

Though the destruction of that world saddened him, he did not despair. After all, during that kun-year of otherworldly life, he had discovered the truth—that world's fate was sealed. Its collapse was inevitable.

Kindling the flame was just a desperate struggle to keep it alive a little longer.

Tobirama gave everything to do that—not to save the world, but so the Fire Keeper could live out her life in peace.

Knowing she would, he felt it had all been worth it. At last, he let go.

He held no nostalgia for that despairing, hopeless world. Any sane man would find it unbearable.

His gaze returned to Uchiha Kei. No longer obsessed with proving his experience real or not, Tobirama asked calmly:

"So, Uchiha brat... who exactly are you?"

His tone was cold, but no longer hostile.

Uchiha Kei knew Tobirama was just suppressing his irritation, but didn't mind. Smiling, he replied:

"My name is Uchiha Kei. Unless something unexpected happens, I'll be the Uchiha clan's next elder. I'm also the one most responsible for integrating the Uchiha into the Hidden Leaf."

"Also, I'm one of Lady Tsunade's most trusted allies—and the close friend of the future Fifth Hokage, Minato Namikaze."

After the self-introduction, Tobirama frowned slightly. As old memories resurfaced, everything Kei said sounded absurd. His instinct was to dismiss it as nonsense.

But then, as others appeared, Tobirama froze.

For the first time, his cold expression cracked with shock. He could no longer maintain his aloof calm.

Because Kei snapped his fingers—and instantly, they teleported.

When the space-warp ended, Tobirama found himself in a large Japanese-style estate.

There, already waiting, were none other than Hashirama Senju, Nawaki, and Tsunade.

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