Dividing up land, establishing an independent administration, drafting laws, controlling taxes, maintaining armed forces... The Naruto World had no systematic political theory, so few people realized that Uchiha Madara's actions amounted to establishing a state within a state—or, to put it more plainly, stealing a country!
Events proceeded as planned, while the future king remained behind the scenes, making no move.
On the seventh day, the various documents were officially signed. Hashirama and Madara each wrote their names on the final agreement, exchanged copies, then stood and shook hands.
They looked at each other. Madara gave him a slight nod, and Hashirama turned to survey the venue before announcing solemnly, "The Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan are officially allied, effective today!"
Sustained applause rang out. The Uchiha and Senju clansmen present stood and bowed to their respective clan heads. Seeing this, the other attending clans also rose to pay their respects to the two powerful men at the center of the gathering, who commanded the Ninja World's two greatest forces.
"Thank you all for taking part." Madara raised a hand, and the venue fell silent at once. "As a testament to this cooperation and a result of it, we have established a joint organization to handle specific matters. Our allies here may submit letters to us to seek assistance, report intelligence, and work together in solidarity for mutual benefit. 'With sincerity, we can work together; united, we can overcome anything.' I hope we can all live by these words."
His clear voice swept through the venue. Everyone felt as if they'd been hit by a bitterly cold wind, their every hair standing on end.
Madara's words really were sincere, and his expression utterly genuine... But why was he keeping those Sharingan activated?!
After the meeting ended, the various clans began preparing for the journey home.
The Uchiha were no exception. Everyone was busy readying the carriages. Such minor tasks hardly called for Madara to lower himself to handle them personally. The flowers were in full bloom, and the fragrance of grass and trees drifted through the inn's garden. He rested his chin on his hand, sitting alone in the courtyard with his eyes closed.
That was what Uchiha Etsu saw when he entered. Madara seemed to sense him, opened his eyes, and turned to beckon him over.
"Clan Head." Uchiha Etsu leaned close to Madara's ear and quietly reported the latest information he'd uncovered.
Whatever he heard, a cool smile touched Madara's lips. He glanced at Etsu and said, "Etsu, you won't be going back for now."
Uchiha Etsu froze. His expression turned serious, and his furrowed brows betrayed his worry. "My lord?"
Madara nodded, his tone mocking. "From the sound of it, our earlier suspicions were right... Hmph. Those people have grown bolder with time. They're nothing but a bunch of dependent ants. Go straight to the Land of Fire. I'm giving you an A-rank mission: purge the traitors in the Land of Fire's Merchant Alliance!"
"Purge..." Uchiha Etsu considered the word, then asked, "Kill them all, even if some are innocent?"
A sharp glint flashed through Madara's eyes. He said softly, "Kill them all, even if some are innocent!"
Just then, Hashirama walked over. Madara gestured for Uchiha Etsu to step away for now. "What is it?"
"Madara, I'll leave the Five-Tails and Six-Tails to you."
One of the informal cooperation projects was the collection of Tailed Beasts. The Uchiha were determined to get their hands on them, and the Senju naturally wouldn't fall behind. At present, the One-Tail Shukaku and Isobu were with the Senju, while the Two-Tails Matatabi and Four-Tails Shukaku were with the Uchiha. Information on the other Tailed Beasts was still vague. They only knew that the Five-Tails and Six-Tails were in the south, while the Seven-Tails and Eight-Tails seemed to be in the north or central region. The south was almost entirely under Uchiha control. Even as allies, the Senju couldn't simply swagger into Uchiha territory and do as they pleased. Both clans were deeply wary of each other, and neither needed to say it aloud.
Madara nodded and cautioned him, "The strongest, the Nine-Tails, is still unaccounted for. If you find it, don't act rashly." Only he knew whether he was concerned for Hashirama's safety or wanted to ensure an even split of the spoils.
As clan head, Hashirama wasn't entirely without political guile. He answered with equal double meaning, "I understand."
Hashirama paused, hesitating for a moment. Madara waited at his leisure for him to continue. If it were only about the Tailed Beasts, why would he have come over especially before leaving?
"Madara, as for building the city, we need you to ease tensions with the Daimyo of the Land of Fire."
After Madara took over the clan, its influence beyond its borders expanded rapidly. The Land of Fire was fertile and strategically located at a major transportation hub. It was highly self-sufficient, which also meant it was strongly resistant and wary of outsiders. On top of that, the Daimyo, Akabane Hatome, favored the Senju, who were at odds with the Uchiha. As a result, the Uchiha's early efforts to establish themselves in the Land of Fire went poorly. Following the Second Elder Uchiha Tai's strategy, the Uchiha temporarily bypassed the Land of Fire and turned to the somewhat barren Land of Wind, where they made discreet overtures to the Senju Clan there. By then, Senju Hashirama had already taken power and quickly responded to their goodwill. Uchiha Soshu, who was operating in the Land of Wind, cunningly set up shop along the shared border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire. He stuck to straightforward commercial ventures, improving local livelihoods and earning a little goodwill, then transferred the business to the Daimyo of the Land of Wind that same year, along with a generous sum in taxes. These small, subtle maneuvers drove a wedge between the two countries' leaders. Meanwhile, backed by the clan's vast reserves, Uchiha Etsu secretly bribed many nobles in the Land of Fire. In less than two years, Akabane Hatome finally bowed to pressure from all sides and agreed to let the Uchiha operate in the Land of Fire. He had bowed, but his opinion of the Uchiha had become worse than ever.
The others didn't know the intricacies behind it all, but that didn't stop them from learning how bad the relationship was. Hashirama had even received a private letter from Akabane Hatome, full of grievances.
Hashirama was pushing his luck by making this request. It was Uchiha internal business, after all, and he'd thought long and hard before bringing it up. The future Ninja City was going to be built in the Land of Fire. With relations this strained, they'd likely face one obstacle after another.
"Of course. That's what allies are for." Madara agreed readily. Once Uchiha Etsu finished purging the various branches of the Merchant Alliance in the Land of Fire, the Uchiha's influence there would certainly shrink. There was no harm in doing Senju Hashirama a favor now.
Nara Rokichi had been waiting nearby. Only after Senju Hashirama left did he approach. "Lord Madara."
"Etsu has told you everything, hasn't he? How long will it take?"
Nara Rokichi nodded. "Our clan already has some of the maps, so we only need to fill in the gaps. It should take about two months."
The maps in question covered the northern part of the Land of Fire. The Nara Clan had built its foundation on raising and training deer and studying medicine. It controlled a very special forest in the Land of Fire, which happened to be not far from the future city site. Although the Senju were responsible for surveying the area, how could the Uchiha possibly leave themselves without a backup plan?
"Then the Nara Clan will handle it. Also, Etsu will return to the Land of Fire with you. Things might get complicated, so make sure you look after him." Madara fell into thought. A major purge... The Merchant Alliance might lose half its share of the Land of Fire. Losing it would be bad enough; what was most irritating was that the enemy might benefit and cause them trouble!
"Xingyi, did you finish yesterday's mission?"
"Xingyi, look through this stack of documents!"
"Xingyi, I'm leaving the intelligence from over there for you to review!"
"Xingyi, go get this month's mission list from Lord Wada at the Fifth Elder's office, along with last month's performance reviews."
"Xingyi..."
He couldn't take it anymore! Uchiha Xingyi shot to his feet and glared at the old man lounging in his chair, leisurely flipping through a book. "Just who's the Second Elder here, Grandpa?!"
Uchiha Tai chuckled. "I'm just letting you get used to it ahead of time."
Uchiha Xingyi gritted his teeth. "There's no rush! You'll be in that position for at least another five years!"
Uchiha Tai waved a finger. "I'm old. I can't keep up with you youngsters. Look, Uchiha Teng is also helping the Third Elder. That kid earned his place through hard work, and he hasn't complained. What are you complaining about?"
Uchiha Xingyi nearly spat blood. How could those two situations possibly compare?! Uchiha Teng had only just started his apprenticeship. He was handling peripheral affairs, and Uchiha Soshu was there to guide him. But what about him? His unscrupulous grandpa had dumped everything on him! He wouldn't even let Shizuka or Amano come help!
Uchiha Xingyi knew he couldn't outwit the old fox in his family. He raised his hands in defeat. "All right, Grandpa, I'll do everything you've asked. But at least check the documents I've reviewed. Small things are fine, but if I make a mistake on something important, it could be disastrous!"
"You don't trust yourself?"
"I'm being careful, Grandpa! Even if you won't do it, at least assign me an assistant!"
Uchiha Tai leisurely turned a page. "That kid Amano caught the Fourth Elder's attention and was transferred to the Internal Guard. He's gone out with the clan head. As for Shizuka..." He gave a chuckle. "I'd have to question your motives. She's such a pretty young woman, after all..."
At his words, Uchiha Xingyi's face flushed faintly, then turned deathly pale. Uchiha Shizuka, that violent woman? No, no, he preferred gentler girls, like Miss Yoshiko, who'd married the Daimyo. If only he'd been born a few years earlier... Ah! What was he thinking?! "Grandpa!"
Teasing his grandson clearly put Uchiha Tai in a good mood. But jokes aside, there was serious business to discuss. "What I wanted you to get used to wasn't handling odd jobs and writing analyses. Uchiha Teng, who just graduated, can do those things just as well as you. What you really need to get used to is the mindset. Trusting your own judgment. Knowing when to let something go. Having the unwavering resolve to achieve your goal, regardless of the means. And the position of Second Elder comes with knowledge of many secrets. You need to know how to keep some things buried deep inside, where even those closest to you won't notice. Do you understand?"
Uchiha Xingyi was stunned. After a moment's silence, he hesitantly said, "I... I'm sorry, Grandpa."
Uchiha Tai sighed. "It's all right. Take your time." During this period, Xingyi had been exposed to too much information. Behind the warmth and affection, the clan's utterly ruthless side had been laid bare before him. Compared with straightforward combat, power—whether pursued for noble reasons or selfish ones—was a corrupt, shameless, and ** force. In countless situations, getting the result one wanted through power went hand in hand with the willingness to pay a price. Something always had to be sacrificed—whether it was someone else or oneself, whether the sacrifice was justified or condemned—and one had to face the harmful consequences of the evil that might follow. Carrying so much alone put immense psychological pressure on a person.
Xingyi's gaze darkened. "The clan head will be back soon. You'd better get back to work."
Uchiha Tai watched him for a while. Xingyi grinned, showing his teeth. "Don't worry, I'm not trying to avoid it! I'm your grandson, after all!"
"This trial was nearly over anyway." Uchiha Tai turned away, once more composed as ever. He pulled a piece of paper from between the pages of his book and shook it out. It seemed he'd been prepared all along. "Here. This is a long-term mission. Do it well, and you can officially graduate."
Xingyi took it and glanced over the page. His pupils contracted. "The Hyuga Branch Family?"
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