Examination * Reaction

After Izuna was taken home by Hashirama, he immediately underwent a medical examination.

Hashirama's Chakra circulated through him. The result was the same as before; there were no problems.

Apart from some blockage at the connection point of his left eye, he was so normal that he didn't even seem like Ninja should be constantly injured.

Hashirama withdrew his Chakra, looking somewhat confused. "So you just had your eye pop out because the kids bumped into you?"

"Yes," Izuna replied obediently, sitting on the futon.

"But this didn't happen when you sparred with me before, did it?"

"Indeed." Izuna tilted his head and thought for a moment, "Perhaps this is just a coincidence?"

"I have a different opinion," Tobirama said calmly, sitting cross-legged to the side. "You might be unconsciously controlling the Link with this eye."

"During battle, the Chakra output is high, and the Link with the eyes is deeper. When not in battle, there's no conscious effort to maintain it, which is why it falls off so easily."

Izuna looked at him in surprise, "How did you know?"

"It's written in the handbook."

"Notes?"

"Medical Notes."

"Oh," Izuna responded, completely accepting the unexplained reason.

Hashirama remained silent.

Just because it's a medical memoir, does that mean you don't understand the underlying principles and therefore give up asking questions, unconditionally trusting Tobirama?

This kid is so easy to fool.

Even Tobirama couldn't help but sigh, then said to Izuna, "Use these eyes for a few more days. I'll be able to make new eyes in a while, and then this problem shouldn't exist anymore."

Izuna's eyes lit up. "Oh! You finished it so quickly! As expected of Tobirama! You're amazing!"

Tobirama.

His brows furrowed slowly. What did he mean by "finished it so quickly"?

In your mind, shouldn't I be the companion you originally knew?

Shouldn't your response be something like, "Did you just finish making it?" or "I've been waiting for ages?"

Why would someone say something like that?

It's as if they know I created the eyes from scratch?

His gaze returned to Izuna's face.

Those dark eyes reflected the dappled sunlight filtering through the courtyard.

There was no probing, no deeper meaning.

There was no sadness, no nostalgia, and certainly no knowing "I knew all along you weren't him."

Only the most basic... worship.

This guy! He knows I'm not him! Why is he making that face?

Izuna, noticing Tobirama's suddenly unpredictable expression, tilted his head in confusion. "What's wrong?"

Tobirama suddenly felt unbearable and silently got up, supporting himself on his knees.

Out of politeness, he still said goodbye, though his voice was more strained than he had expected, "Since there's nothing wrong with your eyes, I'll be going now."

Izuna looked up at him, then simply waved, "Well, I won't see you out then."

Tobirama felt even worse.

After watching his Hashirama brother leave, Hashirama sighed inwardly.

You still care, Tobirama.

Is Tobirama angry?

Hashirama looked at Izuna with surprise.

Izuna stroked his chin. "But why? Is it because I didn't praise him enough?"

Hashirama amused and exasperated. It was precisely because you praised him that he was unhappy.

"Then I'll prepare more flattery next time!"

Hashirama Izuna's head and chuckled, "And what is that? Tobirama isn't angry with you; he just has some personal matters that urgently need his attention."

Izuna suspiciously, "Really? But I feel like he's angry with me. Oh well, I've never been able to handle him. By the way, Hashirama, what brings you here? The Mission Hall over there..."

Suddenly, Izuna paused. "Ah, the handover is complete."

Hashirama knew he had received a message from the Shadow Clone. "Madara and I can't stay there forever. We have other things to do. We came here because we heard your eye popped out, so we came to check on you. We'll leave in a bit."

Just then, Ban pushed the door open and came in.

Izuna turned his head and blinked. "Madara-nii? How come you're back so quickly?"

Madara took off his Geta in the Genkan and came in. "I explained everything to the others using my Sharingan."

"Oh, oh." Izuna suddenly realized.

Hashirama, standing nearby, uttered an envious sigh, "As expected of the Sharingan, so convenient."

Madara ignored the question, walking straight to Izuna, his gaze lingering on Izuna's left eye for a moment before Hashirama. "How is his health?"

"No problem at all," Hashirama said. "Tobirama just left; he said he'd get the new eyes ready in a few days."

"Tell him to go faster."

"Don't exploit my brother, Ban."

"You're the one who exploited him the most, aren't you?" Madara replied expressionlessly.

"How dare you say that! You even handed over the management of the Konoha Military Police Force to him!"

"I'm the CEO, I'm busy too," Ban said, crossing his arms. "We're all pretty much in the same boat, everyone's got a ton of work to do."

At this point, Hashirama couldn't hold back any longer, letting out a long sigh, "So that's why there's so much work! It feels like there's no difference between before and after becoming Hokage, or even more work! Why!"

"Because you're the Hokage, it's only right that you take on more responsibility as a leader."

"I'm happy that everyone relies on me, but please, forget about all the paperwork... Help... Just thinking about that pile of unfinished documents in the Office sends chills down my spine..."

Ban was disgusted. "Alright, stop howling here and get back to work!"

"Ugh! Madara is trying to get rid of me—don't you love me anymore?!"

Madara kicked Hashirama in the Hashirama, "Get up now!"

Hashirama, "Waaah... you really don't love me anymore..."

"You're disgusting! If you keep doing this, I'm quitting!"

"No way! Do you really want Izuna's plan to fail?!"

Madara's expression instantly turned sinister. "You dare threaten me with this?"

Hashirama slid to his Hashirama lightning speed, "I was wrong, I'll go back to work now."

Ban rolled his eyes.

Izuna remained quietly on the sidelines, acting like a quail.

As the only one present who was allowed to go out and slack off, he just hoped they wouldn't notice him.

When Ban turned around, he saw his younger brother looking so well-behaved.

Two words popped into Ban's mind: cute.

He took an Oiled Paper from his sleeve and placed it on Izuna's lap.

Izuna opened the paper package; the Three-Colored Dango were still warm.

Izuna immediately looked at Madara with admiration. "Madara-nii! You're practically a god!"

Ban laughed, "Stop flattering me."

Izuna held the Oiled Paper, his cheeks bulging from being stuffed with Dango.

He chewed a couple of times, then asked vaguely, "By the way, Madara-san, you just said you explained everything with the Sharingan, what was the Elders ' reaction?"

Ban sat down next to him and poured himself a cup of tea. "What other reaction could they have? They just couldn't believe it, but in the end, they believed it anyway."

Izuna paused, then tentatively asked, "That... is... what do you believe in?"

"Regarding your origin from another world," Madara said, "It doesn't really matter whether I tell you or not. After all, you've been completely different from my Izuna from the very beginning, which is obvious to everyone, and everyone has more or less guessed it long ago."

Izuna swallowed the Dango and nodded thoughtfully.

Then, turning her head, her phoenix eyes widened, "Completely different?!"

Ban laughed out loud, "You think you're doing a good job pretending?"

Izuna was genuinely confused. "Then why... did you accept me?"

Madara reached out and ruffled Izuna's hair. "Didn't I tell you? No matter what, I'll always be your Big Brother."

Izuna didn't know how to react.

If he really had Big Brother, he might be very touched, but he was just an imposter who had stolen an identity, yet he received such care from Madara. He just felt... that he had been too cunning...

No matter how much you say you want to treat Madara well, it can't compare to what Izuna himself did.

If the real Izuna were here now, what would he do?

Thinking of this, Izuna couldn't help but feel a little down.

Seeing his expression, Ban "kindly" added, "However, they need time to process this. Before that, the Third Elder and the Fifth Elder will probably keep asking you all sorts of questions."

"Eh--" Izuna's face scrunched up.

"It's your own fault for being careless; otherwise, we could have kept it a secret for a while longer." Madara's tone was devoid of sympathy.

What do they want to ask?

"Hmm... it's probably about another Uchiha Clan or something, your abilities, why you're here, and things like that."

Izuna:.

He gave him Dead-Fish Eyes. "Sorry, I have a bad memory, I have absolutely no idea."

Madara couldn't help but laugh out loud, but then he felt a pang of heartache. This wasn't something to laugh about, Izuna...

Izuna stuffed the last Dango into his mouth and chewed it with extra force.

Madara watched as Izuna ate the Three-Colored Dango before standing up. "Anyway, since you have an eye problem, you'll stay home today. Hashirama and I have to go back to work."

Izuna nodded. "Okay, Madara-nii."

Hashirama also got up from the futon. "Izuna, don't worry too much. Tobirama said he can handle it, and he definitely can."

"Yes, thank you, Hashirama."

The two Izuna at the door and ran towards the edge of the clan's territory.

The moment they were out of Izuna's sight, the ease on their faces vanished almost instantly.

Hashirama looked at Madara and noticed that his brows were furrowed and the slight smile on his lips had completely disappeared.

"Izuna will be safe within the Uchiha clan, don't worry," Hashirama said.

Ban sneered. "Those vermin think they're easy to deal with just because he's blind. They're utterly overestimating themselves."

His voice was very soft, as if he were talking to himself, and the chill between the lines was so strong that it almost frosted over.

Hashirama had no doubt that if anyone dared to set foot on the Uchiha Clan Compound now, Madara would disregard all sentimentality and chop off that hand along with the arm without hesitation.

"You know perfectly well Strength Izuna is," Hashirama said. "Even if someone wants to take this opportunity to harm him, they'd better think twice before doing so."

Madara didn't answer. Hashirama patted him on the shoulder.

"Trust Izuna. What we need to do now is finish the rest of the work quickly so we can deal with those who have no sense of propriety."