A Conversation with Madara Uchiha

"Long time no see, little one of the Kaguya Clan!"

Konoha, at the main gate.

As soon as Madara Uchiha said that, Byakuren and Hozuki Gengetsu's expressions turned somewhat unpleasant.

In their eyes, Takenaka was merely a guard. Yet Madara Uchiha had ignored them and greeted Takenaka first.

However, neither of them dared say anything. They could not reveal even the slightest dissatisfaction, because the man before them was not someone who indulged anyone.

Across from them, Takenaka was briefly stunned before bowing. "Long time no see. I never expected such an important figure as you to remember me!"

"Hahaha, quite humble for a little one."

Madara Uchiha laughed, then turned to Byakuren and nodded. "Mizukage, welcome to Konoha."

Byakuren did not put on airs either. He cupped his hands and smiled. "Thank you. I simply did not expect a legendary Ninja like you to be handling the reception."

"Please."

Madara Uchiha clearly had no intention of speaking much with Byakuren. After giving a slight nod, he motioned for Byakuren's group to follow him through Konoha's gates.

Seeing this, Byakuren glanced back at the Kirigakure Ninja who had accompanied them before quickly following.

Before long, everyone witnessed Konoha's prosperity. Children played in the streets everywhere, while vendors shouted their wares along the roadside.

However, everyone also noticed that Madara Uchiha did not seem to be as welcome in Konoha as they had imagined.

Quite a few children had been happily playing, but the moment they saw Madara Uchiha, they were so frightened that they did not dare utter a word. Fear even showed in their eyes.

As Takenaka followed along, he took in the expressions of the surrounding Konoha villagers.

For a moment, he seemed to recall a scene from the original Naruto story. After Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju founded Konoha, Madara had been walking down the road when he saw a little girl fall to the ground and prepared to help her up.

Yet after the little girl clearly saw Madara Uchiha's face, she had been so frightened that she burst into tears.

In the end, Hashirama Senju saw the scene. Smiling, he handed the little girl a flower, and she immediately beamed with joy.

Hashirama had even mocked Madara Uchiha for looking scary.

Coming back to his senses, Takenaka noticed the calmness on Madara Uchiha's face—or rather, that sense of aloof pride—and could not help feeling sorry for him.

Konoha had originally been founded by Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju together. Even the name Konoha had been coined by Madara Uchiha.

Moreover, Madara Uchiha had contributed no less than Hashirama Senju to ending the Warring States Period.

After Konoha was founded, there was no problem with giving the position of First Hokage to Hashirama Senju. After all, Hashirama really was somewhat stronger than him.

Hashirama Senju also possessed a charm that made people want to draw close to him. But then the position of Second Hokage should have belonged to Madara Uchiha, shouldn't it?

If Takenaka put himself in Madara Uchiha's place, he probably would have left Konoha as well.

Though he might not have made the same choice as Madara and returned to fight Hashirama Senju.

All that could be said was that the Uchiha were all geniuses and madmen, far too extreme.

Thinking that, Takenaka came back to his senses and discovered that Madara Uchiha had stopped, his gaze fixed on him.

"Hm? Is something the matter?" Takenaka asked Madara curiously.

At those words, Byakuren and the others looked over as well. They did not understand why Madara Uchiha had suddenly stopped while they were walking, nor why his gaze remained fixed on Takenaka.

"It feels as though I saw something in your eyes.

Never mind. Your accommodations are here."

After saying that, Madara Uchiha turned and left, handing the reception duties over to other Konoha Ninja.

A short while later, outside Takenaka's room.

Takenaka had just entered and inspected the room when he sensed a familiar presence.

In an instant, Observation Haki spread outward. He immediately discovered Madara Uchiha standing outside the window, looking rather hesitant, as if he did not know whether he should seek Takenaka out.

Creak!

At that moment, Takenaka walked over, pushed open the window, and smiled at the distracted Madara Uchiha. "You seem rather conflicted."

Madara came back to his senses. Looking at the smiling Takenaka, he fell silent for a moment before saying, "Come with me."

The moment he finished speaking, Madara Uchiha's figure flashed away.

Takenaka quickly followed. Though he did not know why Madara had come looking for him, he was indeed very interested in Madara Uchiha.

Whoosh!

Takenaka's figure vanished as well, and he caught up to Madara Uchiha in the blink of an eye.

A few minutes later, beside a river several kilometers from Konoha.

The two landed. Madara turned back to glance at Takenaka and praised, "This is our second meeting. Every time, you manage to give me a surprise."

Just moments ago, Takenaka had used Soru and Geppo from the Six Powers. This kind of taijutsu greatly interested Madara.

Takenaka smiled beside him. "It is an honor to receive praise from a strong person like you.

As for surprises, I do not think they are anything special."

"Hahaha, you truly are an interesting person. Other than Hashirama, you are the only one who interests me." Madara laughed heartily.

After he finished speaking, Takenaka said nothing. He merely walked over and sat on a nearby rock, looking at the distant scenery. After a moment, he said, "You seem rather conflicted?"

"Yes, somewhat.

What do you think of the current peace?" Madara Uchiha nodded.

"It is nothing more than temporary, false peace. War will happen again. As long as people exist, peace will never last forever." After a brief silence, Takenaka gave a cold laugh.

A flash of surprise crossed Madara's eyes. Then he stared intently at Takenaka, as though he had encountered a kindred spirit.

"Hahaha, I never expected your thoughts to align with mine.

I also believe the current peace is false and that war will emerge again in the future.

However, Hashirama's thoughts differ from mine. So I want to see how long the peace he hopes for can endure." Madara laughed, then spoke at length in one breath.

Hearing this, Takenaka somewhat understood why Madara had left Konoha not long after its founding.

Thinking this, he looked at Madara Uchiha with a smile. "How long peace can endure depends on how long you and Hashirama Senju can live.

Though our positions differ, there is no harm in talking."

"Oh? Go on." Madara became interested.

"Right now, legendary Ninja like you and Hashirama Senju both exist in Konoha. Across the entire Shinobi World, there are no Ninja capable of matching your strength.

Therefore, no matter how things develop in the future, Konoha possesses the absolute power to suppress anyone.

That is why I said peace will last as long as you and Hashirama Senju do." Takenaka smiled, as though he were an outsider looking in.

Madara Uchiha fell into thought after hearing this. About ten seconds later, he nodded. "You advocate the theory that strength is supreme?"

"No, I do not advocate the theory that strength is supreme. I merely see the laws of the world clearly.

The strong prey on the weak; the fittest survive.

To be fair, I hope for world peace, for everyone to live full and warm lives with something to sustain their spirits.

But that is impossible. No matter the era, the law of the strong being revered will always be enforced.

The strong rule everything. Just as the Land of Fire is powerful, and you and Hashirama Senju, two legendary figures of the Shinobi World, exist, you were able to join hands and end the Warring States Period.

That is why a single word from Konoha can make the Kage and leaders of every hidden village come here and listen to your ideas.

Conversely, the weak do not control anything they possess, including their own lives. Otherwise, so many would not have died during the Warring States Period, and the average lifespan of Ninja and civilians would not have been only thirty years.

Great nations are strong and can bully small nations at will. Small nations are weak, so in order to avoid being oppressed forever, they pursue strength, and so on." Takenaka shook his head, speaking with great calmness.

After he finished, Madara Uchiha nodded deeply in agreement with Takenaka's words.

He was a hero who had ended the chaos, so he knew Takenaka was not simply speaking nonsense.

Madara Uchiha simply found it strange that Takenaka, despite his young age, possessed such profound insight.

"Takenaka Kaguya, you truly are special. I have considered what you said as well.

Then in your opinion, can peace truly never exist?" Madara asked again.

"As long as people exist, true peace will never arrive.

This is the inevitability of historical development. As long as one is human, one will have greed, anger, ignorance, evil, love, desire, hatred, and all seven emotions and six desires.

The world's resources are not distributed equally. Take the Land of Fire, for example. If it did not possess powerful military and overall strength, I guarantee that nations large and small would all rush forward to take a bite out of it.

For peace to arrive, the most basic condition is possessing absolute power, so that no one dares harbor covetous thoughts.

However, that creates a vicious cycle. Once absolute power disappears, the world descends into chaos again, reshuffles itself, and temporary peace reappears. The cycle repeats endlessly." Takenaka said with a smile.

"So that is how you see it. Then if you possessed absolute power, what would you do?" Madara Uchiha nodded before asking again.

However, Takenaka did not answer that question. He simply stood up, spread his arms, and felt the cool breeze brushing against his body.

Seeing this, Madara Uchiha understood. Takenaka did not wish to answer that question.

He said nothing, merely watching the young man before him in silence while searching for an answer in his own mind.

After quite a while, Takenaka turned to Madara Uchiha and grinned. "You and Hashirama Senju must both be very lonely, right?"

"Hm?"

Madara paused, then understood what Takenaka meant.

"Heh, if I said I was not lonely, then I suppose I am rather lonely. Ever since the war ended, I have wanted to find someone and have a truly satisfying fight. Unfortunately, aside from Hashirama, only you can give me some anticipation.

Though you are talented, your age limits you, and your strength has not yet reached its peak.

I have to say, that is truly regrettable." Madara chuckled and spoke openly.

Suddenly, Takenaka's smile vanished. He looked at Madara Uchiha with seriousness and solemnity. "Do not worry. Within ten years at most, I will definitely challenge you and Hashirama Senju while your strength is still at its peak."

"Oh? Hahaha, interesting. Then we will wait for you." Madara laughed heartily and agreed.

Both he and Hashirama Senju had the feeling of standing alone at the summit. Unfortunately, no other strong people were worthy of their attention.

If Takenaka had not appeared and given them something to look forward to, their hearts would likely have been very empty.

"I will not make you wait too long," Takenaka said firmly.

After saying that, a trace of confusion flashed through his eyes. Before his Adoptive Father died, all he had wanted was to enjoy life.

After his Adoptive Father died on the Land of Fire battlefield, all he wanted was revenge.

But after taking revenge, what he wanted was to challenge Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju.

Yet he did not know what he would do after truly challenging Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha.

People needed goals in life. Otherwise, they were merely people waiting around to eat and die.

As for money, he could obtain it effortlessly in this life, yet he had lost interest in it. As for familial and romantic love, he viewed them rather indifferently.

As for power, having lived two lives, he had no desire to pursue it either. Otherwise, in this life, he could have fought Byakuren for the position of First Mizukage.

He could even unify the entire Shinobi World!

But there was no meaning in doing that!

Suddenly, as Takenaka fell silent, Madara Uchiha smiled faintly and said, "Yes, that is the feeling. I have always felt that you do not belong to this world. Whenever you show that expression, it feels as though everything in the world is incompatible with you."

This piqued Takenaka's interest.

He looked at Madara Uchiha for quite a while before shaking his head and saying, "I never expected a strong person like you to have such an attentive side."

"Heh, it is not that I am attentive. I am simply interested in you," Madara Uchiha said with a smile.

"Please do not. I do not want someone like you watching me. Really, the pressure is too great."

As he spoke, Takenaka plopped down onto the grass, then rested his head on his hands and quietly enjoyed the refreshing breeze.

Seeing this, Madara Uchiha curiously studied Takenaka and remained silent for a long time.

Suddenly, a clear eagle cry rang out above them. The two looked over at the same time.

"It seems the Kage and leaders of all the hidden villages have arrived.

By the way, Takenaka Kaguya, has Kirigakure decided which Tailed Beast you intend to take away?

For the sake of the long conversation you kept me company through, helping you once would not be a problem."