Young Clan Head Uchiha Madara

Kyosuke's gaze fixed on Uchiha Madara, and he was unable to come back to himself for a long while.

Memories were one thing, but seeing a familiar anime character with his own eyes naturally felt entirely different.

I never expected the Dance King to be such a handsome kid.

Recovering his senses, Kyosuke bowed to Clan Head Tajima, perfectly displaying his quiet and introverted nature.

Rather than blaming him, Tajima was extremely pleased with his behavior.

Being introverted was good. Being poor with words meant the boy could, at most, become an excellent tool.

Unfortunately, Tajima had forgotten that his eldest son, in whom he placed such high hopes, did not seem particularly eloquent either.

"Come, sit down. You must be exhausted from the journey." Tajima's aged face was covered in a false smile.

Even Madara, standing nearby, found it uncomfortable to watch.

If he had not wanted to see this newly renowned genius for himself, he never would have come to his father's side of his own accord.

Whether it was his father's methods or the way he conducted himself, Madara disagreed with all of it from the bottom of his heart.

In his eyes, his father bore the primary responsibility for the divisions among the clan's factions.

If he took power, he would certainly be able to suppress every side and unite their strength against the Senju Clan.

... With a quiet sigh in his heart, Uchiha Madara suddenly stepped forward and asked coolly, "Kyosuke, right? How well can you use your Sharingan?"

"Reporting to the Young Clan Head."

"Just call me Madara."

Seeing this, Tajima interjected hypocritically, "That's right. You're practically brothers, so why be so distant?"

Damn it, old man. Why didn't you call us brothers when you sent me to the front lines?

Kyosuke rolled his eyes inwardly, thinking this clan head truly was something else.

No wonder even his two sons disliked him. If he did not possess terrifying strength, someone would have killed him a hundred times over with nothing but these skills.

"My Chakra is still insufficient, so I can't keep the Sharingan active for long." As he spoke, Kyosuke swiftly gathered Chakra, and a sudden change appeared in his pitch-black eyes.

Seeing his display firsthand, Uchiha Tajma fell silent for the rare occasion.

Putting all other factors aside, this alone was enough to make him spare no expense in winning the boy over.

After offering a few insincere compliments, Tajima told him to return home and rest first.

"Settle in and rest well for a few days. I'll arrange an excellent teacher for you."

"Thank you for your generosity, Clan Head."

"Madara, he's about Izuna's age. From now on, look after him as you would a younger brother."

"...I understand."

Kyosuke sensibly took his leave first. If he stayed any longer, it would truly test the clan head's acting ability.

To his surprise, the Dance King caught up with him from behind after a while.

"Kyosuke, you don't have many relatives in the clan. Tonight, I'll gather some people to welcome you properly."

Seeing the boy about to refuse, Madara scratched his head in frustration and added quietly, "It was Father's arrangement."

"Then thank you, Madara." Kyosuke's mouth twitched. He had almost called him Dance King.

The two boys smiled at each other, and much of the awkwardness between them vanished without a trace.

Kyosuke was a young genius who had taken to the battlefield at the age of seven, worthy of Uchiha Madara's respect.

They were two years apart, so they could more or less be considered peers.

The Dance King had said earlier that Kyosuke had few relatives in the clan, but did he himself not lack friends as well?

Most of those around him had gathered because of his father's position as clan head.

Most were useless hangers-on. With Madara's proud nature, there was no way he would consider them friends.

Only Kyosuke was different. Though he acted humble, Madara could clearly sense one thing.

They were truly alike.

Coming here today wasn't a waste. The Dance King strode away, apparently in a rather good mood.

"I wonder where that brat Izuna ran off to. I'll bring him along tonight."

Watching the Young Clan Head leave, Kyosuke turned and headed toward the home from his memories.

When he was five, his parents had died during a mission. He had survived only through the clan's support.

After receiving ninja training, he quickly displayed extraordinary skill with thrown weapons.

That was why he had been recruited into the Southern Legion as a reserve in the combat ranks.

In short, a Warring States-era suicide squad.

"Someone cleaned this place." Kyosuke returned to his room without showing any reaction and found that even the bedding smelled fragrant.

There was no need to ask. This had to be another one of Tajima's attempts to win him over.

After arranging the luggage he had brought, night soon fell. Uchiha Madara arrived as promised, bringing someone with him.

His younger brother, Uchiha Izuna.

The moment he stepped into Kyosuke's home, Madara could not help frowning slightly.

It could not be helped. Even after being tidied up, Kyosuke's living conditions were still excessively poor.

To put it this way, even little Naruto's shabby apartment was far better than this place.

Uchiha Madara was not someone who cared much for luxury, yet even he felt this environment was unworthy of his newly made friend.

"Hey!" While Madara was considering where he could get a house, Izuna, who looked entirely like a little brat beside him, began shouting, "You're Kyosuke? My brother says you're amazing, but I don't see it."

As an elite brother fanatic, he refused to acknowledge that anyone could be stronger than his brother.

Rumors about Kyosuke had been spreading throughout the clan lately, and he had long wanted to meet him.

He's only one year older than me. What's so impressive about that? That was Izuna's thinking.

Looking at the brat who was half a head shorter than him, Kyosuke paused, then simply ignored him.

"Let's go. I'm hungry already."

"Alright." Madara nodded and pointed around them. "Want to change places? I know a few good spots."

"No need. As long as it's livable, that's enough." Kyosuke shook his head, unwilling to act too conspicuously just after returning to the clan.

The good places mentioned by the Dance King had to be the grand residences of powerful families.

Why would a seven-year-old kid like him need to live somewhere so spacious? Besides, the backyard had plenty of open space, more than enough for his daily training.

The two walked out side by side. Izuna pouted beside them and shouted in dissatisfaction, "Hey, hey, don't ignore me!"

"Stop fooling around. Let's eat first." One sentence from his older brother instantly quieted Izuna.

Seeing this, Kyosuke could not help marveling that the Uchiha Clan truly was a gathering place for brother fanatics and younger-brother fanatics.

Fortunately, he had no such relationships. Otherwise, he would have to worry whether the other person coveted his eyes.

As he drifted off in thought, Uchiha Madara beside him said, "Oh, right. Lord Kai has returned to the clan too. You two brothers haven't seen each other in years, have you?"

Lord Kai?

Hearing that name, Kyosuke was stunned for quite a while.

As his thoughts surged, he finally remembered the man's existence.

Uchiha Kai was his cousin, four years older than him. By blood, the two were indeed close relatives.

The reasons he had failed to remember him were rather complicated.

Thinking of a certain thought he had just had, the corner of Kyosuke's mouth curled up slightly. He murmured, "Yeah, it has been many years."