Chapter 28

The first and fifteenth of October.

The sensational investigation into the attack finally yielded results, with most fingers pointing toward the Land of Fire. The public in the Land of Lightning was incensed, demanding an explanation or threatening a declaration of war.

The end of October.

The Land of Fire refused to acknowledge any involvement in the attack, citing a lack of both human and physical evidence.

The Land of Fire sealed off numerous industries owned by merchants from the Land of Lightning, sparking protests from traders across all nations.

Prices within the Land of Fire skyrocketed.

The beginning of November.

An investigative team composed of ordinary citizens sent by the Land of Lightning was assassinated in the Land of Vegetables, and unidentified evidence was seized.

Fujiwara Nobuyuki sent a letter to Akabane Hatome, sternly condemning the Land of Fire for its lack of faith and righteousness.

The reputation of the Land of Fire plummeted further.

At the end of the month, the Land of Earth suffered a severe snow disaster.

December.

Due to the volatile situation, multiple civilian riots broke out within the Land of Fire. The Daimyo dispatched ninjas and samurai to suppress them by force.

The Land of Fire proposed renewing its alliance with the Land of Wind, but the Daimyo of the Land of Wind offered no response.

The following spring, the Land of Lightning declared war on the Land of Fire. All other nations declared neutrality.

The right time, the right place, and the right people.

"It's started," Tobirama sighed, closing the file. "Reject all mercenary requests from both the Land of Lightning and the Land of Fire."

"Lord Tobirama," Senju Yūri said, frowning. "Aren't we allies with the Uchiha?" The implication was clear: the Uchiha had already joined the war, and wouldn't it look bad if they just stood by and watched?

It wasn't just the Senju Clan; half of the clans that had participated in the ninja alliance the year before last had declared neutrality, refusing to take part in the war between the two nations.

Tobirama scratched his head. "Brother says this is a national war. The Senju and Uchiha are hired combat forces, and our alliance is limited to the ninja world." Others might not know, but they certainly did! It was obvious that the Uchiha were the ones pulling the strings behind this so-called national war. But in politics, there is a world of difference between having a formal pretext and having none.

Sigh, politics is just too complex and troublesome! Better leave it to Brother!

In the office, Senju Hashirama stared at the letters exchanged between him and Madara over the past six months, his brows furrowed deep.

Madara, what exactly are you trying to do?

Madara gazed at the desolate scenery outside the window. Beneath the pristine, glistening snow lay the harbinger of a new spring that could not be suppressed. The scent of plum blossoms grew increasingly cold and aloof amidst the chill. "It has finally begun... this war that has been brewing for seven years." Beneath his palm lay a stack of private letters from Senju Hashirama.

Stand by and watch? How naive!

"When the Great Way prevails, the world is shared by all. The virtuous and the capable are selected, and trust and harmony are cultivated. Thus, people do not only love their own kin or raise their own children; the elderly are cared for until the end, the able-bodied are put to use, and the young are nurtured. The widowed, the orphaned, the lonely, and the disabled are all provided for. Men have their roles, and women have their homes. People hate to see resources wasted on the ground, yet they do not necessarily hoard them for themselves; they hate to see their own talents go unused, yet they do not necessarily work only for their own gain. Thus, schemes are stifled, and theft and rebellion do not arise, so there is no need to bolt one's outer doors. This is called the Great Unity." — Book of Rites: The Great Unity

This was the first article taught in the Yi School of the Land of Lightning, and also the most widely recited. In places where the culture flourished, even an old man carrying a pole to sell buns could quote a line or two about "the world being shared by all."

"Unity" meant peace.

The Naruto World, with its many coexisting nations, was as chaotic as the Warring States period in ancient China. However, perhaps because of the existence of ninjas—a group with power far exceeding that of ordinary people—the world focused more on individual martial prowess, while strategy and cultural development stagnated. Even stranger was the uneven level of technological development across nations, making Madara feel at times as if he were in ancient times, and at others, as if he were in the era of the Second World War—could you imagine a world where electric lights, movies, horse-drawn carriages, and oxen for plowing existed and were widely used simultaneously?

On one hand, a beautiful future tempted the world; on the other, years of war brought turmoil that dragged people into the abyss.

"The world is shared by all, the virtuous and the capable are selected, and trust and harmony are cultivated." The Great Unity—who could refuse such a wish?

The Confucian ideal of a peaceful and well-governed world, with its awe-inspiring righteousness and gentle warmth, was undoubtedly the perfect weapon to conquer the hearts of the masses. Due to the differences in historical background, Madara had compiled his memories of the Book of Rites, The Great Learning, The Doctrine of the Mean, and other Confucian classics into a single volume called Ming Studies, deliberately downplaying certain "loyalty to the monarch" themes while emphasizing "the people as the foundation." During the second revision, he had mischievously altered the background and identities of a passage where Mencius spoke to King Xuan of Qi and inserted it into the text.

Now, Ming Studies, with this book as its ideological foundation, had become the largest and most influential school of thought on the continent. Under this trend, other schools of thought had emerged, and the long years of chaos had reached a small literary peak during this period.

The Great Unity was merely the banner displayed to the public. What Madara truly wanted to instill in people's hearts were concepts like "Great Unification," "the people as the foundation," and "the world belongs to the people of the world, not to any one individual; only the virtuous should occupy it." He used these to guide the current situation of division and clan-based autocracy in the direction he desired.

Standing behind Uchiha Madara were not just the Uchiha Clan, but millions of people who wanted to change the world—whether for peace, for revenge, for status, or to realize their own self-worth... After years of cultivation and subtle influence through various channels, they provided immense help to Madara's layout with their intelligence and combat power.

How could the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, with only a group of advisors and alienated subjects, possibly resist?

Likewise, how could the Daimyo of other nations, who also relied only on advisors, noble subjects, and samurai retainers, resist?

The Land of Fire was merely a starting point—he had been planning for over a decade and preparing formally for seven years; how could it possibly be for the sake of just one Land of Fire?

Once the balance of the five nations was broken, the fragile situation of the continent would inevitably collapse beyond repair. There is no peace that does not require effort and sacrifice, and after being baptized by blood and fire, the entire world would painfully welcome a rebirth.

The wind and rain outside did not affect the tranquility of the clan grounds in the slightest. The adults hurried about their business, and the children remained as carefree as ever. Their only grievance was the sudden increase in martial arts classes and the stricter restrictions on going out.

Fujiwara Uye, who had snuck over once again, looked at the empty schoolhouse, his dark, bright eyes dimming with frustration and sadness. He had been here for half a year already, and he hadn't seen his father or mother in all that time. The Uchiha clan grounds strictly controlled the entry and exit of outsiders, and the Uchiha clansmen couldn't possibly act as his full-time nannies; he had to do everything himself.

He had met many people and made some good friends, but he always felt a sense of distance between them. The children in the schoolhouse studied both literature and martial arts, while he could only stare at books all day; the children often went to the "General Training Ground" on the outskirts, while he could only wander the middle perimeter, and they had very little time to play together. Although the middle perimeter was vast and home to many clansmen, he still felt all alone.

"Young Master—"

Right, there was also this tag-along!

"Don't call me Young Master!" the boy turned back and snapped, feeling grumpy. In any case, the other party wasn't from the Uchiha clan, so he didn't need to be considerate.

Hoshino Zhan's face darkened; he had a temper too, you know! Thinking of how the boy before him was a young lord, the future Daimyo of the Land of Lightning, and a great figure he was determined to assist in "going down in history," he took a deep breath: Stay calm, Ah Zhan, you must stay calm!

"Then what should I call you?" he asked, suppressing his impatience. "Little Lord? Master Fujiwara? Uye? Ah Ye?"

"Shut up!" the boy said, embarrassed and angry. "Stop following me everywhere!"

"Lord Madara told me to look after you." Hoshino Zhan deliberately brought up Uchiha Madara's order, and the little lord immediately fell silent. Hoshino Zhan nodded with satisfaction. That's more like it!

"Don't throw a tantrum; it's time for your studies." Taking Fujiwara Uye's small hand, he felt the boy struggle to break free twice to no avail, and the little master followed along with a slight pout.

Arriving at the family's communal study, Hoshino Zhan found a quiet cubicle. "Sit here and behave yourself; you are not allowed to wander off. I'm going to fetch a few books, and then we shall begin today's lesson!"

"As the future heir to the nation, one cannot be ignorant and incompetent!" Hoshino Zhan coughed into his loosely clenched fist, putting on a face of utmost seriousness. "Have you completed the assignment I gave you yesterday?"

Fujiwara Uye nodded.

"Very well, recite it for me."

Fujiwara Uye reluctantly recited three chapters from Ming Studies. The little prince had an astonishing memory; he could recite it after one reading, memorize it after two, and recite it backward with ease after three. Hoshino Zhan couldn't help but darkly suspect this was a perk of that Uchiha bloodline... Why was it so agonizing when his brother forced him to memorize books back in the day? Wuwuwu!

"Merely knowing how to recite is not enough. There are so many people in the world who study Ming Studies, so why are there only a few true talents? You must also understand and practice it!" Hoshino Zhan struck the full pose of a teacher. "Your task for today is to write an analysis based on the first paragraph of The Great Learning: 'The way of the great learning lies in manifesting illustrious virtue, in loving the people, and in resting in the highest excellence.' Hand it in before dinner!"