Pairing: Character Madara / Game Tester Tobirama
Tags: M/M, Isekai, Drama, Romance, Alternate Universe, Harem (optional), Otome Game, Moral Ambiguity
Summary: Tora, a game tester, dies of overwork and reincarnates as Tobirama Senju — a character in a tragic RPG. Knowing his doomed fate, he decides to change the plot, leave Konoha, and start a new life. But even the smallest choices can change everything. When he disappears, Madara vows to find him — no matter what it takes.
The streets flickered with lamplight, neon signs, and the glowing windows of office buildings, behind which, just like him, workaholics continued their endless day. Friday night. March was only beginning to awaken nature, sakura had just started to bloom, and it felt like school kids would soon be back at their desks. But he was stuck in this whirlpool of work.
Not that he hated it. On the contrary, he loved the process: diving into character creation, studying their backstories, watching game designers pour their souls into virtual worlds. All of it brought him joy. But sometimes, he wanted something else: to live. To savor the moments. To stop taking on others’ responsibilities, to not spend nights in the office hugging his keyboard.
Hiroku had even offered to finish what was left, tomorrow. Maybe it was the bags under his eyes or the thick lenses of his glasses hiding the fatigue. She always worried whenever he stepped into the office in the morning. Every day, she brought him his favorite strong coffee and caramel mochi. That mochi sometimes made his teeth ache, but it warmed his soul. Hiroku Ten was a good intern: twin buns, a bright smile, and a habit of cheerfully chatting about new action games with weapon upgrades during breaks.
But he didn’t want her to suffer the way he did. He was used to it.
Vacation soon. Okinawa. He sighed wearily, imagining the moment approaching: the ocean breeze, white sand, the sea stretching to the horizon... Summer in its perfect form. The sun — hot, but bearable. Sunscreen in hand. With albinism, skipping that wasn’t an option.
There, in the south, he hoped to forget the rush and exhaustion. At least for a few days.
He shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. The ticking was annoying. The dull, familiar ache in his chest reminded him of its presence. He kept forgetting to see a doctor. Thirty-five, he really should by now. And yet here he was, still testing otome games and RPG until his eyes watered. Sakurai, his cousin, would probably scold him again. But what could he do? He never knew his parents. He was raised by his grandparents. No siblings. Fewer people, fewer problems.
Maybe he really should listen to Tsuna-senpai… and try going on a date?
"Alright... One last game left. I hope Sei-kun didn’t forget me and lock the office," he muttered, stretching.
The last game on the list was Warring Clans Era. Apparently, it was made by Masashi. Quirky, with decent lore, but... horribly written characters. Last week, when he played it for the first time, he nearly laughed, from outrage. The newbie in the department clearly didn’t like him. Why else would he name a side character almost identically to him? Make him a copy, visually, voice-wise, mannerisms? And sprinkle in a tragic fate.
To be fair, there was one upside: Tobirama Senju became much more than just a character to him a real person with a stubborn nature and a kind soul. He carried a mountain of trauma, not just physical. His life was full of pain and loss. He never earned the love of his clan or father, worked himself to the bone his entire life. Saved everyone in his path, but all he got in return were scars on his body and soul. Watched his brother turn away, choosing a friend over him.
In the end, he got a village the one he basically built with his own hands for his brother, but the people didn’t appreciate the sacrifice. Instead of gratitude blame, envy, and scorn. They blamed him for all misfortunes, including the death of Madara Uchiha, one of the main heroes.
Tired and disillusioned, he simply went to war, longing for death. And he got what he wanted died protecting those who never truly understood him. They didn’t even bury him. His remains were never found.
That’s why he didn’t like these kinds of games everything too black-and-white, the main heroes get the glory, and the real heroes stay in the shadows. And yes, at the end of the game, it turns out Madara Uchiha didn’t actually die.
Luckily, all that was left was to test Masashi-san’s new beta DLCs, damn him. Apparently, there was a hidden route now a kind of solace for those who were outraged by Tobirama Senju’s fate, for those who disagreed with how he was portrayed. Maybe it revealed his backstory or showed what happened behind the scenes, maybe even from Tobirama’s own perspective. Now that would be interesting.
Tobirama Senju’s fanbase was small but just as stubborn and unyielding as he was. These people went into verbal battles like they were going to war with Madara and Hashirama fans, with Tobirama haters, with the unfair narrative. He’d witnessed many of those heated debates: in forum threads, discussions, social media. And every time he read them, he felt something strange, something warm inside.
Hiroku-chan, as always, didn’t fall behind. She often brought him fanart and videos created by young but genuinely passionate fans. That’s where Tobirama lived not in the official lore, but in these fan worlds, where his pain was seen, where his sacrifices weren’t forgotten, where he was honored.
Maybe the outrage of people like Hiroku, and this small but fierce army of fans, had reached a critical point. And Masashi, the game’s creator, just... gave in.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
