Chapter 16

Uchiha Madara's stance toward his clansmen was clear: be wary, yet learn to coexist.

This attitude applied not only to the Senju but also to their affiliated clans. It was not that he harbored the prejudice that "those not of my kin must have a different heart"—the entire world operated on such notions, and those who shouted slogans like "the world is one, love makes us family" were the true outliers. Besides, moderation is key; if they acted as if they had no grievances, the Uchiha wouldn't even need to put on a show—the Senju would be the ones suspecting a conspiracy!

Proud and arrogant people are usually hot-tempered; asking them to master the arts of duplicity, honeyed words, or hidden daggers is harder than reaching the heavens. Consider the original Madara, who would challenge the First Hokage the moment he was dissatisfied with the Senju; Fugaku's generation, who plotted a coup when unhappy with Konoha; or Itachi, who wiped out his entire clan when he grew disillusioned... well, other factors were at play, but the direct methods and tragic results were obvious. In short, the Uchiha were always resolute: if you strike first, don't blame us for striking back.

If such a uniquely "lovable" personality belonged to an opponent, Uchiha Madara would wake up laughing in his dreams. But since it was his own kin, he had to rack his brains to plan accordingly.

Rumors are a miraculous thing. In an era where communication is underdeveloped and information is scarce for commoners, the saying "three men make a tiger" is no exaggeration. Life in a chaotic world is difficult, and many ninjas and nobles treat human life like blades of grass. Against this backdrop, the Uchiha's ability to fund town construction, deter rogue ninjas, curb the power of nobles, maintain order, and protect innocent civilians made them nothing short of saviors to the eighty percent of the population that were commoners. These deeds, spread by word of mouth, became increasingly exaggerated, and for a time, the Uchiha's reputation surpassed that of the Senju. People from other nations began settling there one after another, and the power in the Land of Lightning gradually shifted toward the Uchiha, leaving the Daimyo as little more than a national symbol.

Perception is also a miraculous thing. When you find someone pleasing, their arrogance becomes backbone, their impulsiveness becomes courage, their simple-mindedness becomes straightforwardness, and their sharp tongue becomes wit. Conversely, it is seen as haughtiness, stupidity, and repulsiveness. Even while still bearing the identity of ninjas, the Uchiha no longer walked through the world met with fear and suspicion. Just by virtue of their signature Uchiha faces, they received a twenty percent discount on all services in the Land of Lightning. The targets they assassinated had their own sordid histories dug up by the public—after all, who hasn't done a few bad things in their life? Especially the high-profile figures worthy of being assassinated—all to prove that the Uchiha were doing good by ridding the world of pests.

Internal changes were reflected more in their education. Having studied basic strategy and refined their temperaments through poetry, calligraphy, and painting, the younger generation of Uchiha rarely acted like "chuunibyou" idiots who would charge in with their Sharingan activated at the slightest provocation. Even when facing their arch-rivals, the Senju, they could keep their cool and maintain patience. For now, Madara had no higher demands of them.

Without these foundations, Senju Hashirama could never have easily persuaded the Senju Clan elders to agree to an alliance.

Military might is indeed the foundation, but many goals cannot be achieved by force alone.

From the very first day he decided to take the world, Madara had set his sights on the Senju Clan, a military force comparable to the Uchiha. To see what kind of man Senju Hashirama was, he released information about himself—some true, some false—to test his reactions; he dangled benefits or adopted hostile postures to gauge his bottom line; and finally, he made personal contact, using the Three-Tails to test his strength. The results proved he was a man worth cooperating with.

Madara vaguely sensed that Senju Hashirama had a grand ambition. He could complete missions cleanly and efficiently without losing his compassion for the weak; he led the Senju Clan's development with his own will in mind; he yearned for peace and hoped to achieve it by restraining the ninjas.

So, when Uchiha Tai once said he was "a bit too young," Madara's assessment was: "He has transcended the ninja, yet he remains a ninja nonetheless."

Ideals are admirable, even if the approach is not yet mature... but then again, isn't maturity something forged through practice?

In Madara's view, your desire for peace and my desire for the world are not contradictory. In a sense, they are consistent! Think about it: if all nations were unified into a single whole, there would be no more national wars. Even if there were conflicts, they would become internal matters—and then everyone could just negotiate and resolve them properly! As long as a stable and viable national order is built, lasting peace is not a fantasy!

As for whether the Senju would buy into this idea, did he, Uchiha Madara, need to care? Look at how he played Hyuga Akisetsu! As long as there were negotiations, he had ways to make the clans present follow his arrangements!

As the night deepened, Senju Hashirama was still busy on the other side.

This negotiation was not merely a meeting between the Uchiha and Senju clans; it also included other ninja clans that were friendly with or dependent on them. The top powers of the ninja world were almost all gathered in one place.

As the leader of one side, Hashirama had to consider every aspect. He spent the day meeting and communicating with clan elders and heads of smaller clans, and the night under the lamp carefully refining the negotiation outline with the Uchiha and their affiliates. Judging from that brief meeting in the Land of Snow, Uchiha Madara was powerful, arrogant, sharp, meticulous, inscrutable, and extremely calm—a formidable opponent.

Deep down, there was also a faint sense of joy. Both he and Uchiha Madara knew that the Uchiha needed to expand northward, and the Senju needed to increase their influence and curb the Uchiha's suppression. Regardless of the process, an alliance between the two clans was already an unspoken fact. From then on, the fragmented ninja world would slowly integrate, and he was one step closer to his ideal!

"Clan Head, a message from the Fifth Elder..."

Unfolding the letter, Senju Hashirama frowned involuntarily: the Hyuga had sent two "Clan Heads"?

The Senju had a vague understanding of the Hyuga's internal affairs. The official meeting was in two days; surely they wouldn't want to use such an important negotiation as a stepping stone for their power struggle? On second thought, they were almost at their destination, and there was nothing he could do. He made a mental note regarding the Hyuga and could only hope that the clan knew when to show some restraint.

The Hyuga compound was silent at this moment. The departure of more than half of the main house and a portion of the branch house members left the nights in the compound feeling much emptier.

According to clan rules, there was to be absolute silence from the middle of the night until dawn, both to allow the clansmen to rest and to make it easier to detect intruders. Even the night guards kept their breathing light.

Shadows of trees outside the sliding door cast flickering patterns on the white walls. Hyuga Keisuke tossed and turned on his tatami mat. He had not accompanied Hyuga Akisetsu this time but had remained behind to guard the compound.

He was a rare genius among the branch house, progressing rapidly and completing every mission beautifully. He was highly valued by the main house, not inferior to his uncle, Hyuga Ryosuke, who had been known as a genius in his own right. Otherwise, Hyuga Akisetsu wouldn't have gone to such lengths to win him over.

Those who frequently brush shoulders with death develop a kind of intuition—mysterious and elusive, neither clearly good nor bad.

The wind tonight was dry and hot, seemingly brewing some kind of restless anxiety.

He stared at the silent tree shadows for a while, thinking of the mission tomorrow, and forced himself to close his eyes. His thoughts drifted, and many seemingly distant memories surfaced. One moment, he saw his father dying, soaked in blood while protecting a young master of the main house; the next, his uncle's weary, melancholy gaze; then, the perpetually calm expression of Hyuga Shin, another genius of the branch house—yes, that was it, that detestable calmness! Both had lost their parents, both were geniuses of the branch house, so why could Hyuga Shin be so... so... he couldn't put it into words, but it was simply detestable!

Hyuga Shin's composure, his intellect, his etiquette, his strength—all were compared to his own. Even his usually silent uncle never stinted on praise for him! He really didn't understand what was so great about that guy who always spoke in a low, soft voice and was so indifferent that one had to wonder if he was even human!

Thinking of this, Hyuga Keisuke's temples throbbed with pain, and he had to turn over again, forcing himself to sleep.

In a daze, he seemed to return to the battlefield: the cold chill of a blade grazing his neck, the searing pain of flesh tearing, the sticky, fishy smell of blood splattering his collar, the cold numbness in his hands from endless fighting... Who was screaming? Who was calling out? Was someone crying? Gentle tears fell onto his cheek, and someone seemed to be murmuring... saying... saying what...?

My... child...

Hyuga Keisuke woke up with a start!

He touched his cheek; cold tears were there, shed in his sleep without him knowing. His breathing was so rapid that it echoed in the silent room. His yukata was soaked with sweat. He climbed off the tatami in a disarray, found the tea set in the dim moonlight, his hands trembling so much he could barely hold it, and gulped down two cups of cold water.

Wiping the tears from his face with his sleeve, the cold water that splashed onto his slightly flushed skin helped him clear his head a little. Once he calmed down, he stood up to change his clothes. Suddenly, hurried, chaotic footsteps echoed in the corridor outside.

"Keisuke-kun! Keisuke-kun!"

"What is it?" Suppressing the irritability and gloom in his heart, Hyuga Keisuke asked.

"A portion of the branch house has rebelled and fled! Please come to support us immediately!"