The two people in their hearts had lived up to their expectations.
In a patch of woods outside the town.
"A bunch of fools. How arrogant do you have to be to fight someone who wields Wood Release in a forest?"
Senju Nawaki stood on the trunk of a towering tree, panting heavily. His clothes were torn in several places.
On the ground, more than a dozen battered corpses lay in pools of blood.
Senju Tojian was inspecting the traces left on the battlefield.
At Senju Nawaki's request, Senju Tojian hadn't joined the fight, allowing him to get some training.
Senju Nawaki's current body lacked combat experience, and this group of pursuers had been the perfect source of it.
Whoosh...
Senju Nawaki leaped down from the tree and landed in front of Senju Tojian.
Senju Tojian glanced at him and reported,
"Three jonin and nine Chunin.
"They wore Iwagakure Forehead Protectors, complete with the village's distinctive markings, but they weren't real shinobi from Iwagakure.
"We found a secret Cursed Seal on their tongues.
"They used a method resembling the Explosion Corps' techniques. It seemed to be Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags.
"Their true identities might be people from Konoha."
He removed a Forehead Protector from one of the corpses and handed it to Senju Nawaki.
A Forehead Protector represented a shinobi's identity, but at times it could also be used to conceal one.
To obtain intelligence and complete a mission, shinobi would stop at nothing.
Senju Nawaki took the Forehead Protector but barely glanced at it. Instead, he stared intently at the strange Cursed Seal on the tongue Senju Tojian had pulled out.
"Root?"
His eyes lit up as he murmured the word. He'd found the truth.
The mark looked much like the one used by Konoha's Root in his memories of his previous life.
He just hadn't expected Root to have already appeared at this point in time.
"What?" Senju Tojian asked, surprised that Senju Nawaki had recognized the mark and identified the men.
"They're a unit similar to Konoha's Anbu," Senju Nawaki replied casually.
Senju Tojian nodded and didn't press him for more. He filled in the blanks himself: this had to be another scheme secretly devised by Senju Tobirama. How had the Senju Clan produced such a dark-minded man?
He wasn't doing Senju Tobirama an injustice, either.
In the later Shinobi World Wars, especially the Fourth Shinobi World War, Senju Tobirama had provided the technical support. His most famous creation was Impure World Reincarnation.
The Ninja Academy, the Anbu—both were inseparable from Senju Tobirama. The other villages had followed suit.
"Even after we left Konoha, they still won't leave us alone? Sarutobi brat, you've learned every last bit of Tobirama's viciousness!"
Senju Tojian cursed furiously. The Anbu answered directly to the Hokage, and one of their important duties was to eliminate traitors.
These men hadn't had time to ask Konoha for instructions. This had been a plan prepared in advance. Sarutobi Hiruzen had never intended to let the Senju Clan survive.
"These men are the real force Konoha has hidden on the battlefield, the ones keeping watch as our Senju Clan is worn down. They can send intelligence back to Konoha at any time, but they aren't the whole force.
"If we survive this ambush, we'll reach the City of Wood safely.
"After that, the real danger begins.
"All Five Great Shinobi Villages, Konoha included, will put pressure on the Senju Clan, just as they did to the Uzumaki Clan.
"As long as we don't place our hopes in Konoha and believe in our own people, we'll have a bright future."
Senju Nawaki looked up, squinting at the full moon that had risen.
The moonlight above was pure and bright, starkly at odds with the blood-red ground below.
After this battle, he could already see the difficulties ahead. Who was an enemy, and who was an ally? It wasn't so easy to tell.
All he needed to know was that shinobi villages and countries valued power and interests.
For now, he had to reach the City of Wood and establish a foothold. Then he would strike back at Konoha.
He didn't want to control a shinobi village, that deformed military institution. He wanted a country where military and government were united, one that would give him a greater voice in this world. With his special nature, he was certain he could reach the pinnacle of the Ninja World—even the pinnacle of the universe.
"Nawaki, go ahead without worry. I'll support you all the way."
Standing behind Senju Nawaki, Senju Tojian gave him his unwavering support.
Senju Nawaki's gaze drifted to the tree trunk he'd just stood on. He sensed a hidden presence, somewhat similar to the Wood Release chakra on their bodies. He didn't investigate any further, but he already knew the answer.
There were countless old schemers in this world. He still needed to keep himself hidden and grow slowly.
After the two left, half a white head emerged from the tree trunk. It was White Zetsu, who had been gathering intelligence.
Then he sank back into the trunk and disappeared.
A cold, gloomy cave.
Vines pierced Uchiha Madara's body, connecting him to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and supplying energy to heal his wounds.
"...The Senju Clan... forced to leave Konoha, just as you were back then..."
A White Zetsu stood half submerged in the earth, having compiled all the intelligence before reporting it to Uchiha Madara.
Uchiha Madara kept his eyes closed. His expression shifted constantly, so wildly that White Zetsu had never seen him like this.
When he heard that the Senju Clan had been forced to leave Konoha, a scornful smile spread across his face. He mocked Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama for their decisions. Their naive ideals had ultimately doomed their own clan.
The foolish disciple of Senju Tobirama had nearly brought the Senju Clan to extinction. If Uchiha Madara ever saw Senju Tobirama again, he would make sure to mock him mercilessly. What he'd thought was the right decision had been the worst one of all.
When he heard that countless members of the Senju Clan had followed Senju Nawaki out of Konoha, there was a trace of envy and jealousy on his face.
When he had left Konoha, not a single Uchiha had followed him.
In an instant, his expression returned to calm indifference.
To him, his clan members were nothing but a burden.
Konoha was no longer his goal, either. Such ambitions were far too narrow. His ideal was the entire Ninja World.
He would prove that he was right, that Senju Hashirama was wrong. It was all because of the scheming of Senju Tobirama, that petty man. Otherwise, he would have brought a different future to this world.
"Don't pay too much attention to the Senju Clan's movements. Without Senju Hashirama, even if they awaken Wood Release, they're nothing but clowns.
"Focus all your attention on the Land of Rain. Make sure nothing happens to Nagato."
Uchiha Madara opened his eyes. The Mangekyo pattern in them turned, and the chakra around him grew unsteady.
This was the period when his Rinnegan had just been transplanted into Nagato.
His injuries were from the battle on the moon, where he had seized the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
"Looks like I'll have to find a replacement to carry out my plan."
He closed his eyes again and sank into silence.
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