First Chapter

In the early spring air, a hint of dampness lingered. Delicate yellow petals had emerged on the potted flowers by the carved window frame, and a faint fragrance drifted through the room.

Calligraphy and paintings hung on the study's north wall, while bookcases lined the south. Incense and a guqin stood against the wall to the left, and on the right, a landscape vine nearly half a person's height grew beside the wall. Its sturdy tendrils curled around the wall and the bookcase, with sparse purple blossoms no larger than fingernails tucked among the leaves, lending the room a touch of elegance.

A gentle breeze brushed past, lightly sweeping strands of ink-black hair across his neck. The young man by the window remained focused, lips pressed together as he leafed through stacks of documents.

With its refined elegance and serene atmosphere, it was hard to imagine this was a ninja's room—and that the handsome, seemingly harmless young man was the head of a great clan.

Uchiha Madara was currently the youngest clan head among the Ninja World's top clans. Through his strength and shrewd methods, he had smoothly seized control of the clan and quelled the turmoil of the power transition in a short time. In the five years since taking office, he had lowered the casualty rate by nearly thirty percent simply by adjusting various policies, earning the wholehearted loyalty of many clan members.

Beyond the dark blue curtains, a garden stretched as far as the eye could see. Many similar gardens could be found throughout the Uchiha Clan Compound. Most of its landscaped grounds had once been training fields, but Madara, whose aesthetic standards were exceptionally high, had completely redesigned them.

These, after all, were things once deemed "useless."

Useless? Uchiha Madara's faint smile held a deeper meaning.

There was more to the extensive renovation of the estate than a sudden fit of aesthetic obsession.

The flat, ocher training fields had all been moved to designated areas, while the residential grounds were planted with rare flowers and plants. Blue-brick paths, a trail strewn with fallen blossoms, little stone steps. The monotonous houses of packed earth and wood had all been rebuilt into elegant structures with carved beams and upturned eaves. Even raindrops sliding from the eaves could create a beautiful scene. Courtyards of all sizes were arranged together according to a careful plan. There was a grand, dignified reception hall, a solemn and imposing Council Chamber, a luxurious and opulent Clan Head Residence, delicate and charming quarters for unmarried women, and refined, tranquil clan schools and studies. The open spaces were filled with waterways and bridges, graceful curtains, ornamental rocks and lush flowers, secluded pavilions and beautiful gardens. It was like a fairyland.

The renovated Uchiha estate had left the country bumpkins gaping, and silenced those who had complained about the waste.

In a world consumed by slaughter, even the wealthiest daimyo's residence paled in comparison to the Uchiha Clan Compound. Many people paid a hefty sum to take missions in the Land of Lightning just to glimpse its beauty—even if only in the outer grounds.

A figure passed through the winding corridor and finally stopped outside the study. Uchiha Yan, the guard at the door, turned and bowed. "Lord Izuna."

"Has my brother finished?"

"The clan head said you may give him your instructions directly if you need anything, Lord Izuna."

Uchiha Izuna smiled. "It's nothing. I just came to ask my brother to attend a meeting."

The door soundlessly opened, and Madara's face wore his usual faint, detached smile.

Izuna and Yan both started, their bodies tensing. Once they recognized who it was, they relaxed slightly. Inwardly, they marveled: He came so close without either of us noticing. As expected of my brother/the clan head!

Madara nodded to Yan, then turned his gaze to his younger brother. "Izuna."

"Ah, b-brother."

"Let's go." As economical with words as ever, he swept away, his light robes stirring a gentle breeze. Uchiha Yan watched him go with a respectful bow.

The elders of the various branches were already seated on their knees in the Council Chamber's inner hall, waiting. At the end of every month, barring special circumstances, the elders and the clan head held their regular meeting at the Council Chamber.

The First Elder, Uchiha Cang, and the Second Elder, Uchiha Tai, sat on one side, with the Seventh Elder, Uchiha Masahiko, at the other end. They waited in breathless silence for Uchiha Madara.

Madara and Izuna entered one after the other, and the elders bowed in greeting. Madara took the seat of honor, while Izuna quietly sat to his right.

"Thank you for waiting." Madara raised a hand slightly. There was none of the bloodthirsty aura of a killer about him; instead, he seemed impossibly refined and serene. "We can begin."

The Third Elder, Uchiha Etsu, was in charge of the clan's finances and began by reporting on this month's trade.

Ever since Madara had gained the ability to wield the clan's resources, Uchiha trade had rapidly expanded into every country. Leaving aside the minor nations, Uchiha had captured half the business in the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind, half the industry in the Land of Wind and the Land of Water, and half the agriculture and industry in the Land of Lightning. It had to be said that, in times of chaos, businesses backed by armed forces grew at an astonishing rate—especially with a transmigrated version of Uchiha Madara behind them.

The Land of Lightning in particular had been strangled by Uchiha's control of its two lifelines: food and industrial production. Even its most powerful daimyo had no choice but to bow his head. The current daimyo of the Land of Lightning had been installed by Uchiha. Mild-tempered and pragmatic, the first thing he did after becoming daimyo was marry Uchiha Yoshiko of the main family. He had also promised to immediately name their firstborn legitimate son, who would carry Uchiha blood, as his heir.

In return, Uchiha secretly orchestrated the suppression of the country's nobles to support the daimyo and consolidate power. Many families had been reduced to empty titles and were forced to gravitate toward the daimyo and the Uchiha behind him. These days, who in the Land of Lightning or its dependent minor nations would dare claim that ninjas were tools in front of Uchiha?!

Most of these achievements were Madara's doing. Only then could he earn the respectful, wholehearted obedience of the entire clan, young and old alike, despite having inherited the position before he was even twenty.

An uncrowned king, indeed.

"...That's more or less the situation in the Land of the Moon, the Land of Demons, and the Land of Water. As for the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire—" Uchiha Etsu frowned almost imperceptibly. "The alliance has been trying to infiltrate the industry and agriculture of both countries, but has made no progress."

The Land of Wind in the north and the northern half of the central Land of Fire were old strongholds of the Senju of the Forest. The Uchiha knew that perfectly well. Agriculture was the foundation of a nation. How could the Senju, who were at odds with them, allow Uchiha to expand its influence?

"Not only that, other clans and merchant houses that joined the alliance have also faced varying degrees of suppression." Those who had been tied to Uchiha's interests naturally followed its lead and reported every detail of the situation.

"Not a single bit of progress?" Madara asked calmly.

Uchiha Etsu gave a wry smile. "We can only open a few bathhouses and restaurants in the major towns. The Senju's control, built up over hundreds of years, is no small thing. Besides, Senju Hashirama, the current head of the Senju Clan, is highly regarded and on excellent terms with the daimyo of both countries. We can't win the daimyo over directly. We've managed to infiltrate a few remote areas, but since it all has to be done in secret, the heavy taxes and the wars, large and small, more than wipe out our profits."

The many nations had been at war for years, and the state of the world was truly chaotic. The Land of Lightning had grown much more peaceful under Uchiha Madara's careful guidance, but it was the only one.

That, however, would soon change...

"So what if they're on good terms?" one of the elders muttered. Everyone present smiled knowingly. After ten years of involvement in politics, the Uchiha understood that politicians and nobles were the least trustworthy people of all.

Madara closed his eyes in thought, then said softly, "If the covert approach won't work, then we'll do it openly."

Uchiha Etsu's eyes lit up, and he gazed at his clan head with shining eyes. Madara shifted his gaze to the Second Elder, Uchiha Tai, a crafty old man with a keen understanding of human nature who handled the clan's intelligence and political analysis. He gave a couple of chuckles and narrowed his eyes. "Then let's drop the Merchant Alliance's cover and march into the Land of Wind under Uchiha's own banner." The Land of Wind was the Senju's stronghold.

Uchiha Etsu exclaimed in alarm, "Would the Senju Clan agree to that?"

"If it's Senju Hashirama, he'll definitely agree."

"Huh?"