Resolve × Clan Affairs

After dinner, Madara calmly watched Izuna clearing the dishes across from him.

Outside the window, the sky had gone completely dark. A single dim oil lamp lit the room, casting Izuna's busy figure in a long shadow on the wall.

"Izuna," Madara said, his voice especially clear in the quiet dining room.

"Hmm?" Izuna answered without stopping, stacking the last plate.

"You haven't seemed to go out much these past few days." Madara sounded casual, as if discussing the weather. "I haven't seen you go to the study to handle clan affairs, either."

Izuna's movements paused almost imperceptibly, then resumed smoothly. He picked up the dishes and turned around with a mild smile. "Oh, that... I figured since you're home recovering from your injuries for once, I might as well take a few days off too. Hikaku and the others can handle clan business."

He spoke easily and naturally, and his reason seemed sound enough—his older brother was home injured, so it made sense for his younger brother to set work aside for a while and stay with him.

But Madara heard the tension beneath his easy tone.

Taking time off?

Would Uchiha Izuna willingly give himself "time off"?

And at a time when Konoha had only just been founded, everything needed rebuilding, and the Uchiha Clan urgently needed to consolidate its position, would he take several days off without even seeing Hikaku, his most trusted deputy?

It was far too unusual.

Madara remembered that when Izuna had just "returned," he had been able to ask for directions to the bathroom naturally, even in the face of the strange atmosphere between Madara, Hashirama, and Tobirama. He had even sought them out to give them souvenirs.

Back then, he had seemed relaxed, as if he had "come home."

But over the past few days, apart from necessary shopping trips, Izuna had confined himself almost entirely to the estate.

He immersed himself in his "Sword Dance" and Shuriken juggling, or read Local Gazetteer scrolls of little consequence and Ninjutsu scrolls that were obviously very basic.

He seemed to be avoiding contact with the outside world.

He had done none of the things he might have, such as taking part in clan affairs, meeting other clansmen, or visiting the training grounds or shops in the clan district.

Yet he had been so bored that he had watched ants on the ground. Why, then, did he still not want to go out?

Was he afraid to leave?

He probably was.

Afraid of encountering people and things that might make him realize "something was wrong here."

Afraid his clansmen would look at him like a stranger, afraid of hearing about changes he knew nothing about, afraid of seeing details in Konoha that did not match his memories.

He had deliberately isolated himself like this, using the seemingly perfect excuse of caring for his older brother to build a safe zone.

Such behavior was nothing like the spirited Izuna of the past.

But if Madara himself had gone out and returned home to find everything changed, he would probably be just as timid.

The realization felt as though something had gripped Madara's heart hard, sending fine threads of pain through it.

Izuna would rather shut himself away beside an older brother willing to play along than accept that this was not his home.

What had he been through to make him so deeply afraid of "facing reality" that he had to cling to a "brother" who might be an illusion to feel safe?

Madara lowered his eyes, hiding the emotions surging within them.

I can't force him, but this can't go on.

It's time to do something about it.

"Mm, all right." Madara's tone softened, taking on a rare note of indulgence. "You only got back a few days ago. Get some more rest. Don't worry about clan business. I'll take care of it."

Izuna seemed relieved, and his smile became a little more genuine. "Okay, I know. You too, Brother. Don't keep thinking about work. Your health comes first."

Watching Izuna carry the dishes toward the kitchen, Madara's gaze hardened with resolve.

He could no longer stand by and watch Izuna shut himself away like this.

It was no good for him, but pushing him out directly would be too cruel.

In that case, Madara would build a safe "stage" for Izuna himself.

At least within the Uchiha Clan's district, within the area he could control, he would let Izuna move around "normally" without being frightened or arousing suspicion.

That night, long after the light in Izuna's room had gone out, Madara slipped silently out of the estate.

His figure blended into the night as he made his way swiftly to Uchiha Hikaku's residence.

Hikaku was very surprised by the Clan Head's sudden visit in the middle of the night. In particular, when he saw Madara's grave expression, he knew something was about to happen.

"Clan Head? Your injuries..."

"They're fine." Madara raised a hand to cut off his concern and went straight to the point. "Hikaku, listen carefully to what I'm about to say, and immediately pass it on in secret to all the clansmen on rotation in the clan district, especially the permanent residents and the elders."

Hikaku's expression grew serious. "Yes!"

"Izuna has returned," Madara said gravely.

Hikaku's pupils contracted sharply. He jerked his head up to look at Madara, disbelief and shock written across his face.

As one of Madara's most trusted deputies, he had witnessed Izuna's burial with his own eyes and knew how Madara had endured the past six months.

Resurrection? Coming back from the dead? How was that possible? Could such a thing really exist in this world? Could it be an enemy in disguise? Did the Clan Head know what he was saying?

"I know what you're thinking." Madara's gaze was sharp. "The situation is complicated, and I can't explain it for now. You only need to know that Izuna, as he is now, he... believes he has merely returned from a mission."

"But his understanding of Konoha and of us is different, though he believes this is his home and we are his clansmen." Madara continued, his tone carrying an unmistakable command. "So I need you all to play along."

"Play along?" Hikaku was somewhat bewildered.

"That's right. Starting tomorrow, no clansman who sees Izuna is to show any surprise, fear, or curiosity. Act as though he never left."

Madara spoke deliberately. "Those who should bow should bow, and those who should greet him should greet him. If he asks about recent clan affairs, just answer truthfully."

Madara paused. "Treat him as you did before. Remember, you must act naturally. Don't treat him as someone risen from the dead. Treat him as the second-in-command returning from a vacation."

Hikaku listened with mounting alarm. This was practically a large-scale Genjutsu performance! And it was all for one person!

Was that really Izuna? Was he not merely someone Madara had imagined to deceive himself?

If Lord Izuna had really returned, how could Lord Madara give him such instructions?

That guy... was probably an impostor!

But he saw a light in Madara's eyes that had been absent for a long time. Madara had not shown such an expression since Izuna's death.

It was an expression only a happy person would show.

Looking at his Clan Head, Hikaku swallowed all his doubts.

...If that impostor could make Lord Madara so happy, then there was no harm in playing along a little.

The Uchiha were not so lacking in generosity.

"I understand, Clan Head." Hikaku bowed solemnly. "I'll make the arrangements immediately and ensure that no one in the clan district says or does anything that might upset Lord Izuna, especially in the areas where people are often active."

"Mm." Madara nodded, his expression easing slightly. "Thank you. Also, keep the young people and children in line. Don't let them speak carelessly. If anyone from another clan visits, intercept them in advance or inform me."

"Yes!"

Having given his instructions, Madara left as silently as he had come.

Izuna, this is all I can do for you for now.

At least here, in the Uchiha clan district, you can relax a little. You won't have to stay on edge all the time, afraid of being found out.

I hope this carefully maintained "normality" can give you some peace of mind.

Meanwhile, Izuna lay under his covers in the estate, knowing nothing of it.

He stared at the ceiling, his heart in turmoil.

"Is Brother Madara getting suspicious? He suddenly asked why I haven't been going out or handling clan affairs today... He must have been testing me!"

The little figure in Izuna's mind clawed frantically at the walls. "What do I do? What do I do? Should I pretend to visit the study tomorrow? But those clan affairs... Can I really handle them?"

He was a college student who did not even dare speak in front of a class. Would he really avoid messing things up and exposing himself on the spot?

"Aaaah! Help! Why do I still have to face workplace pressure after transmigrating?! And in such a dangerous workplace, too!"

Izuna buried himself under the covers and wailed silently. "Clan affairs are way beyond me! I just wanted to lie low and make it home safely!"

A chill ran down his back as he pictured the miserable scene of himself floundering before a group of Uchiha elites because he could not handle clan affairs, only for Madara to stare coldly at him with his Sharingan.

"No... I have to think of something... At least, I need to figure out the most basic procedures and common problems... I'd better go look in the study and learn in secret..." Izuna hugged his pillow and glanced at the map.

He discovered that Madara was not in his room.

Where had he gone so late at night?

Izuna flipped through the map and found that Madara seemed to have gone to... the Uchiha Shrine?

The shrine?!

Izuna immediately grew wary.

Right, the stone tablet! Black Zetsu! How could I forget about that?!

Izuna shot upright in bed, all traces of sleep gone. The little dot representing Madara on the map was currently stationary in the shrine.

In the middle of the night, before his injuries had fully healed, he had gone to a place like that... Apart from the Infinite Tsukuyomi plan, Izuna could think of no other reason.

His heart began to pound heavily in his chest, accompanied by an ominous premonition.

"Infinite Tsukuyomi..." he murmured, feeling his throat go dry.

That's right, the Hokage election is coming up soon, and Madara will leave not long after Hashirama becomes Hokage!

Madara's disappointment in the village, his doubts about the path to peace, the pain of losing his brother... All the catalysts were present.

If Madara were guided by the altered contents, he would inevitably meet the same end as in the original story.

Izuna saw a flash of Madara Uchiha in the original story, sitting alone beneath the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and eventually becoming the enemy of the world, and his end with his heart gouged out and disbelief written across his face.

No.

Absolutely not.

A fierce, blazing anger suddenly swept away his earlier timidity and fear.

He did not care whether he was an impostor, whether he would "die of embarrassment" because he could not handle clan affairs, or even whether he could lie low and make it home safely.

He could not stand by and watch Madara walk that path again.

That proud, powerful Madara Uchiha, who had once dreamed of protecting his younger brother and his clansmen, should not have met such an end.

Since a strange twist of fate had brought him here, since he had taken "Uchiha Izuna's" place, and since he had this "chance," he could not disgrace transmigrators!

He had to do something.

Running away would not solve anything. Hiding in the estate and pretending everything was normal would only give Black Zetsu more chances to act and let Madara sink deeper into disappointment and doubt.

He had to step forward. He had to become Uchiha Izuna—not merely play the part on the surface, but truly take hold of power, involve himself in affairs, and gain enough influence. Only then could he protect Madara, expose Black Zetsu, and change that predetermined tragedy.

Clan affairs? Don't know how? Learn!

Uchiha Hikaku, was it? I'll go meet him tomorrow!

Anyway, I'm going to see what those clan affairs are really all about right now! They have to be easier to learn than calculus!

Izuna threw back the covers, stepped barefoot onto the cold floor, and walked silently toward the study.

The oil lamp was lit again, its dim yellow glow driving the darkness from the corners.

He walked straight to the shelves holding recent clan affairs files and correspondence, no longer casually leafing through Local Gazetteer scrolls as he had before.

At first, he read with a grim, "come what may" resolve.

But as he continued, the expression on Izuna's face gradually changed from gravity to confusion, finally settling into an indescribable look of... disdain.

"A quarrel arose between No. 3 East Street and No. 5 West Street in the clan district over the boundary between their courtyards. Each side insists on its own account, and there was a minor physical altercation."

"During the purchase of offerings for the Naka Shrine Autumn Festival, Uchiha XX, who was responsible for procurement, was suspected of lining his own pockets. There are irregularities in the accounts."

"Twenty new Shuriken targets were added to the training grounds. The original budget was exceeded; an explanation and an application for additional funds are required."

"Preliminary contact has been made with the Yamanaka Clan regarding joint intelligence analysis training. The other party has requested that some Basic Genjutsu insights be shared in exchange. Is this feasible?"

Izuna: "..."

That was it?

He blinked and read them again carefully.

Trivial disputes between neighbors, embezzlement in festival procurement, reimbursement for training equipment, and preliminary talks with another clan about a joint project and an exchange of techniques...

Th-this was just the kind of work neighborhood committee aunties did, wasn't it?!

Damn! They should have said so sooner! He could do this too!

He had never been a neighborhood committee official, but he had organized comic conventions!

As a veteran comic convention enthusiast and organizer, he had dealt with venue coordination, supply procurement, budget control, and liaising with clubs. He had even handled "grudges" between clubs over booth locations!

Weren't these things essentially the same?

Come to think of it, the Uchiha Clan only seemed to have a hundred-odd people. No wonder.

Then he could do this! He had helped coordinate major comic conventions with a thousand attendees. Managing a hundred-odd people would be a breeze!

Of course, he knew things could not be that simple. With core interests such as ninja clans, Ninjutsu, and Kekkei Genkai involved, the waters ran deep.

But at least for the specific problems described in the documents before him, the approaches to solving them seemed to fit his limited social experience.

After much hesitation, Izuna took a deep breath, picked up the writing brush beside him, dipped it in ink, and began trying to write notes in the blank spaces.

For the boundary dispute: "Survey the site, summon both parties and clansmen who witnessed the matter, and clearly demarcate the boundary according to clan rules, precedent, or existing deeds. If precedent is unclear, negotiate a new boundary and sign an agreement. Violators are to be punished according to the rules. Recommend setting up simple boundary markers." —It's just dividing up territory. Who hasn't drawn a comic convention booth map?

For the procurement issue: "Thoroughly investigate the accounts, summon the purchaser for an explanation, and compare prices with market rates. If embezzlement is confirmed, recover the funds, deal with the offender according to clan rules, and make the outcome public as a warning. Future purchases must be handled by at least two people, and accounts must be disclosed regularly." —Transparency and accountability, the usual approach.

For the budget overrun: "Require the person responsible for the training grounds to submit a detailed purchase list and the basis for the quoted prices, and review whether the purchases were necessary. If they were necessary and the prices reasonable, approval may be granted as appropriate, but the reason for exceeding the budget must be recorded, and it must not happen again. If anything is unreasonable, reject the request and require a revised plan." —Budget control and reimbursement review, the basics.

For the Yamanaka Clan's proposal: "Assess the actual value of our Basic Genjutsu insights and what may be shared externally, and weigh the practical benefits of the Yamanaka Clan's intelligence analysis training. A small-scale, short-term pilot exchange may be conducted first, with a decision on expanding cooperation made after evaluating the results. Care must be taken to protect core secrets." —A pilot partnership, risk assessment, and the usual approach to exchanging techniques.

"Good!" Izuna said confidently. "This should work!"