Chapter 20

"Can you explain that more simply!"

Mingye felt awkward. While it wasn't exactly easy to grasp, he could understand a fragment of the other's metaphor. However, this White Snake Sage was clearly raising successors based on the survival of the fittest; it was nothing like the way the frogs of Mount Myoboku raised Jiraiya and Naruto in the manga.

At this moment, Mingye truly regretted his loose tongue. Had he known, he would have asked his father to find him a legacy from Mount Myoboku. The legacy of Ryuchi Cave was simply not something a human could handle!

Having entered that state twice in a row, Mingye had been unable to draw that violent energy into his body. It was like boiling water; even touching it felt scalding. Finally, in this third attempt, Mingye discovered that if he placed himself on the same level as that energy instead of treating it as something to be absorbed, the energy would pass through his body. Though it wouldn't linger, it would no longer cause him harm.

"Kid, in a little while you'll be nothing but blood-food. Stop practicing!"

Two black and one white giant pythons coiled atop the dragon head, looking down at Mingye and mocking him. Mingye remained unmoved, struggling to make contact with the slightly weakened energy. Time ticked away, and just as Mingye was nearing despair and ready to give up, wisps of black substance were expelled from his body. It was something visible to the naked eye. As soon as he saw this, a massive force struck Mingye's body, knocking him directly into the Dragon Transformation Pool.

The black blood-filaments were rapidly purified upon touching the spring water in the Dragon Transformation Pool. Then, the White Snake Sage slowly slithered over, appearing before Mingye with a large pipe in her mouth, and spoke.

"Kid, take this old lady as your master! Don't leave the pool; bow right there inside it!"

"Why!"

Mingye couldn't withstand the White Snake Sage's strike at all. Lying limp in the spring water, blood constantly overflowing from the corners of his mouth, he was filled with confusion. Because he hadn't seen the substance emitting the black filaments, and because he hadn't actually drawn the energy into his body, he had no idea why the White Snake Sage would suddenly decide to take him as a disciple.

"Do you know where the power of the Uchiha clan comes from!"

"The pupils?!"

"Wrong! It is your heart. Your inner selves are different from birth. Ordinary people only have two blood vessels running through their nerves into the brain to fuse their essence, energy, and spirit into one. But you Uchiha have an extra blood vessel, one that connects the heart directly to your pupils. That is why the eyes of the Uchiha clan are so extraordinary."

"What about the Byakugan!"

"Hahaha! The Byakugan, to put it plainly, is a power that strengthens vision and perceives everything. When trained to the extreme, no one within a million miles can hide from those eyes. But their power originates from the brain, not from the heart. Their strength is built on acquired effort, whereas the strength of the Uchiha clan is built on innate talent. The direction of their efforts is fundamentally different. As for how they differ, I cannot say, but I can tell you that the Byakugan definitely does not belong to your Sharingan, yet it is even harder to train than your Sharingan! Because that effort has the same effect as your heart!"

The heart! That was it! Mingye suddenly remembered that in the manga, Tobirama had once explained to Sasuke how the Sharingan appeared and changed. If the Three Tomoe only required sufficient chakra to break through the barrier, then the Mangekyo Sharingan required not only enough chakra as a foundation, but also a stimulus sufficient to make one feel despair. It was that despair that caused one to be enveloped in a cold, dark chakra, which was the only way to truly achieve the awakening. If his own awakening had been the Mangekyo Sharingan, then he had indeed possessed that despair—despair for his past life, despair for his own survival, and even more so, the despair and guilt arising from the heart for the child who died because of him. Furthermore, as an adult who had come to this world, even though he was a child, he had sufficient bonds of kinship. Seeing the brother he cherished most die before his eyes, that despair was something neither Madara nor Izuna could have understood or possessed. But at the same time, he lacked the qualifications to open the Mangekyo Sharingan, which led to the cold, dark chakra piercing his body and entering his pupils. However, he had not been able to withstand the changes brought by that chakra, so his eyes had gone blind in less than a minute, and being sealed was an inevitable result.

"Kid, you're lucky. The chakra that blocked the joints around your body and destroyed your eyes—for some reason, it sensed something and was forced out of your body by you. Pray for your own fortune; this old lady is going to forge an existence that will make the world tremble!"

Clenching his fists tightly, Mingye hurriedly knelt and kowtowed to her. Yet, in his heart, Mingye knew there was still a way to heal his eyes, but it was an existence he knew of, yet would absolutely never use.

"Ha!"

"Hmph!"

On the edge of a cliff, Madara and Hashirama were engaged in their countless-th duel. Hashirama suddenly exerted force to launch a surprise attack on Madara. Madara lost his footing and sat down on the ground, while Hashirama retreated three steps as if guarding against something. Madara seemed to have anticipated Hashirama's move, a faint smile hanging on his lips. Just as Hashirama was about to mock him, a stone fell from the sky, hitting Hashirama on the head and knocking him to the ground.

"No matter what, this time you were the one who hit the ground first!"

Hashirama looked at Madara with dissatisfaction. Madara always struck back after being struck, planning everything perfectly, acting only after careful thought. That was why he always felt he had defeated Madara, only to be countered by him. This made Hashirama very frustrated, but even though he was prepared for it every time, he still accidentally fell into Madara's trap.

"I know! So I lost! I concede this time!"

Madara didn't continue to bicker with Hashirama. He had indeed lost by a narrow margin this time, as he was worried about his brother who had been missing for three days, so he was inevitably distracted during the fight. He simply admitted it magnanimously, without any lingering resentment.

"You have to teach me that ninjutsu!"

Hearing Madara concede, Hashirama jumped up in excitement, demanding to learn the ninjutsu. Madara, however, was full of disdain, as if the ninjutsu in his hands were mere grass, common everywhere.

"It's just a Rasengan, is that all you care about?" "It's very powerful! Your brother is definitely even more of a genius than you!"

Hashirama didn't feel offended. Indeed, knowing the other's identity, he knew that the other's most famous specialty was copying all Five Elements Ninjutsu that started with chakra. Nothing escaped them. As long as it was a ninjutsu, an Uchiha clan ninja could copy it and record it when they returned to the clan. He remembered his father once making a comparison: if all the ninjas in the ninja world were gathered into one country, the Uchiha clan could stand alone against the entire world, because they possessed what everyone in the ninja world craved: ninjutsu, endless ninjutsu, including all ninjutsu outside of bloodline limits—Yin, Yang, Wind, Fire, Lightning, Water, and Earth. Whether it was a newly created ninjutsu or a lost one, as long as an Uchiha saw it, it meant the Uchiha clan possessed that technique.

"Heh! If it were before, perhaps!"

Hearing Hashirama's praise, Madara was lost in thought for a moment. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Just as Hashirama said, while he was still struggling to practice the ninjutsu inherited by his clan, his brother had already begun to create his own. Why don't I create a type of ninjutsu too? No! I want to create a series of ninjutsu! Yes, that's it. At this moment, Madara set a great goal for himself in his heart.

"I heard you say your brother created two types of ninjutsu. I wonder what the other one is!"

Hashirama didn't think as much as Madara. As a youth whose actions dictated his brain, Hashirama always believed that without hostility, there would be no conflict. As long as he didn't harbor malice, no one would draw blades against him. So, without any guile, he simply asked Madara out of curiosity.

"I haven't seen it either, it's just what he told me. He separated the two changes of chakra independently, thus forming two types of ninjutsu. Reading a lot of books is beneficial; I have to admit that!"

Madara was, after all, just a child, and he didn't have the mindset of not sharing ninjutsu. He shook his head. He remembered that Mingye had indeed mentioned another type of ninjutsu, but he had forgotten it. As a single-attribute ninja, Madara never bothered to use any ninjutsu other than Fire-style. Madara believed that if he could train his Fire-style ninjutsu to the extreme, there would be no one in the world who could compete with him, and the dream he and his brother shared would be fulfilled in such a state.

"If nature transformation is what you showed off last time with the Rasengan, then what would shape transformation be? The Rasengan is already a very powerful ninjutsu, so how powerful must the other ninjutsu that uses shape transformation be!"

Hashirama was very envious. As the eldest son of the Forest Senju Clan, the resources he utilized were not exactly scarce, but compared to the Uchiha clan, they were far from abundant. The Senju clan didn't have many ninjutsu; they focused more on massive chakra and that so-called robust body. As for ninjutsu, they used whatever they had, whatever they were good at or suited them. They didn't care about its power, because in battle, Senju clan ninjas often loved to engage in hand-to-hand combat with their enemies.

"Who knows!"

After saying this, Madara lay flat on the ground, looking up at the blue sky. His thoughts had already flown out of his body, missing the smile of his departed brother and the kind smile of his mother. Hashirama walked to Madara's side, and seeing the sadness on Madara's face, he couldn't help but think of his own two departed brothers, then lay down beside Madara, also looking at the blue sky.

"Tell me! If our loved ones still have their souls, would they miss us just like we miss them?"

"I don't know! But I really miss them!"

Madara's voice was a bit hoarse, and Hashirama had a deep understanding of the meaning behind his words.

"I really want to have a good cry!"

"Haha, ridiculous! Have you cried any less? Crying doesn't solve problems! When my ninjutsu is trained to the extreme, I will fulfill that so-called dream! Let this world no longer have a single trace of sorrow, let everyone no longer shed a tear for the death of their loved ones! I swear!"

Madara stared fixedly at the sky, as if demons and gods were standing there, and added his name in his heart: I, Uchiha Madara, swear here.

Hashirama looked at Madara's firm gaze and felt very excited. Because of their shared ideals, he felt a mutual appreciation for Madara. That respect from the bottom of his heart and the feeling that he was a soulmate made Hashirama reach a decision at this moment: if the day of world peace arrived, and a figure was needed to sit in the top position, he would step aside and help Madara reach the summit. That would be a form of gratitude—gratitude for Madara's recognition of him, and gratitude for Madara making him feel that he was no longer alone in this world with that dream considered ridiculous.

"Father!"

After Madara and Hashirama finished training, they instinctively returned to the clan's study, wanting to take the first step in creating their own ninjutsu: learning more Fire-style ninjutsu to supplement the limited knowledge in their brains. Just as he pushed open the door, he saw Tajima sitting in the main seat, looking a bit dazed.

"Big Brother!"

Mingye sat to one side, heard a familiar voice, and waved toward the study door.

"Oh, Mingye, you've finally returned!"

Madara saw Mingye and immediately ran over, but was stopped by a single look from Tajima.

"You brat!"

Turning his head, he saw the Wind-Thunder Clan's leader, Tamaza Ryojin, sitting on the other side, so he nodded to him as a matter of routine.

"I apologize, Father! Greetings, Mr. Tamaza Ryojin!"

"Master Madara need not be so formal. Well then, Master Tajima, there is nothing left for me to do here, so I shall return and await your good news!"

Tamaza Ryojin was quite tactful; knowing it was time for him to leave, he stood up, bowed to Tajima, finished speaking to Madara, and turned to walk out of the study.

"I will do as I have said; you may rest assured."

Just as Tamaza Ryojin was about to exit, Tajima made this promise to him. Tamaza Ryojin paused, bowed to Tajima once more, and then exited the room, pulling the door shut behind him.

"You say Ryuchi Cave has a Sage?" Madara sat properly beside Mingye. Tajima looked at Mingye, feeling that there was some inexplicable change in him, yet he could never quite see through it. Recalling what Mingye had just said to Tamaza Ryojin and himself about this so-called Sage, he asked.

"Yes! She calls herself the White Snake Sage, and her strength is immense! Perhaps even greater than yours, Father!"

Mingye pondered for a moment, deciding there was nothing that couldn't be said, and answered Tajima. Hearing Mingye praise a beast as having greater strength than himself, Tajima retorted with disdain.

"Stronger than me? Boy, have you ever seen the extent of my power?"

"Ever since I lost my sight, I have been extremely sensitive to chakra signatures. In my perception, Father's chakra is like a raging inferno, but the White Snake Sage is like a volcano poised to erupt!"

Mingye shook his head and explained further. Tajima's expression turned solemn upon hearing this. Believing that Mingye would not deceive him, Tajima suddenly realized that perhaps the so-called summoning beasts were not merely assistants as the world believed; perhaps in true combat, a powerful summoning beast could indeed turn the tide of battle.

"I have long heard that the three great legacies are unique. If Ryuchi Cave possesses such a powerful summoning beast, then Shikkotsu Forest and Mount Myoboku cannot be any weaker. It seems I have underestimated the inheritors of these summoning beasts!"

Madara, hearing Mingye's account, grew curious as well. In Madara's understanding, external objects could never be proportional to one's own cultivation, and summoning beasts were external objects; no matter how strong, they could never be mentioned in the same breath as a person.

"Father, if they are truly that powerful, why have we never seen those summoners use these so-called Sages?"

"If a summoning beast is powerful beyond compare, she has the right to refuse when someone attempts to summon her. Furthermore, summoning is based on fifty percent of one's own chakra as a foundation; the amount of chakra you provide determines the level of the beast you summon. As far as I know, Tamaza Ryojin has never even managed to summon the current Snake King, Manda! They have not been truly recognized by Ryuchi Cave."

Mingye, understanding Madara's confusion, explained again. He placed one hand on the ground, and a puff of smoke emerged from beneath it. A massive scroll appeared beside him—about a meter long and thirty centimeters high—with three large characters written vertically on its spine:

"Ryuchi Cave"

Seeing the massive scroll beside Mingye, Tajima was finally moved, looking at Mingye with a grave expression.

"You have obtained the true legacy!"

"Whether it is Ryuchi Cave, Mount Myoboku, or any of these three great holy lands, the successors they choose have not appeared for nearly three hundred years—or perhaps it is more accurate to say they have not chosen successors for a long time. The legacy of Ryuchi Cave was never passed to those of the Wind-Thunder Clan; those people are merely being used by Ryuchi Cave!"

When Mingye explained this, he did not mention that Ryuchi Cave referred to humans and the Wind-Thunder Clan as "blood food," keeping his own counsel. Just as the White Snake Sage had told him, this world was about survival of the fittest. If you could not become a powerhouse in a world of predators, you had to be prepared to be killed by one.

Although Mingye did not know the faith behind the Sage Arts of Mount Myoboku or the legacy of Shikkotsu Forest, he was certain that the legacy of Ryuchi Cave was the law of the jungle: the strong possess everything, and the weak lose everything. Even if you possessed the legacy and the right to summon snakes, you might not have the aptitude to practice Sage Arts, because the weak were not worthy of them.

Tajima walked to Mingye's side and opened the scroll. There were only seven names, and the seventh was Mingye. A thousand-year legacy of summoning, yet only seven had truly obtained the legacy of Ryuchi Cave. Such harsh conditions were a mockery of the Wind-Thunder Clan. Thinking of the hundreds of names on the scroll in Tamaza Ryojin's possession, Tajima warned Mingye in a low voice.

"You must never let Tamaza Ryojin see this scroll!"

"I understand, Father!"

"Tonight, call Izuna to the clan; the four of us will have a meal together. Tomorrow, you shall head to Ryuchi Cave to train!"

"What! Mingye, you won't be living in the clan anymore?"

"Yes. My training method is inherited from Ryuchi Cave, so I must be there to complete the series of exercises."

"Damn it! But where is Ryuchi Cave anyway? I'll come find you later!"

"It is overseas, in an unknown location. The vast world is one, but these places are sealed by barriers, so we cannot distinguish them with the naked eye."

"Ah!"

"Your brother is doing this to become stronger. Madara, I warn you: if your strength is inferior to Mingye's when he returns, you can wait for me to discipline you!"

"Ah! You can't be serious!"

"Heh! Big brother, you'd better be careful!"

When the reverse-summoning brought him back to Ryuchi Cave, Mingye could clearly feel countless chakra signatures monitoring him. Remembering the three giant snakes that hadn't appeared since he became an apprentice, he realized this was Ryuchi Cave's version of "kindness"—not killing those they acknowledged.

"Little Mingye, from now on you will stay in the Dragon Transformation Pool. Your food will be the water from the pool. You will practice the 'Qi' for one hour a day, and the rest of the time you will practice sensory arts to hone your physical techniques."

"Hone physical techniques!?"

Facing the direction of the voice, Mingye was puzzled. He was already blind; why did he need to practice close-quarters combat? What was the meaning of this?

"Qi is not a self-replenishing source; it is a product that must be stored. Your body is like a container; the amount of Qi you can store determines how long you can sustain a battle when you attack. Sage Arts are not what you need to learn now. What you must do is use the Dragon Transformation Pool to purge the chakra bloodline you have inherited for thousands of years from your body. Only then can you practice the true method of Qi!" Ara actually wasn't sure why the White Snake Sage was being so diligent. For thousands of years, the White Snake Sage had merely given other successors the instructions for Sage Arts and let them practice however they could. But with Mingye, Ara felt the White Snake Sage was truly cultivating him as a disciple.

Mingye didn't dwell on it. Purging his entire bloodline of chakra would mean he could no longer possess chakra. He didn't know if this was good or bad, but since he was here, he had to be determined to succeed. Mingye didn't want the events of the manga to repeat, nor did he want his second brother and eldest brother to end up dead or driven to despair and madness.

If the manga must follow its original course, then let me die before my brothers, rather than making me feel that stinging sorrow.

The loss of his mother and two younger brothers had left Mingye in despair. The only things supporting him were his two older brothers and the will to change his clan. Because he had lost so much, he cherished what remained. With his adult mind, Mingye wanted to protect the things he held dear.

"Little Mingye, get down there! What are you spacing out for?"

As he spoke, a massive force struck him from behind, knocking Mingye directly into the Dragon Transformation Pool. The White Snake Sage appeared at the edge of the pool, puffing on her pipe, and said haughtily, "Too much talk. I told you to bring him to the pool; why are you lecturing him? Listen closely, boy. I will only say this once. Whether you live or die depends on your own fortune! Chakra flows through your entire body from top to bottom. Starting from the Root Chakra, it circulates through the Sacral Chakra, Navel Chakra, Heart Chakra, Throat Chakra, and Brow Chakra. The energy refined from this is chakra. A thousand years ago, for unknown reasons, chakra appeared and was passed down to all of humanity. Since Sage Arts were difficult to understand and hard to practice, the true legacy was lost. Now, only we three unknown lands possess the method. What you must do now is the reverse method: absorb the spirit of all things, and from bottom to top, force the Qi to flow through your entire body to purge the residual chakra bloodline from your system. But I warn you: because the Dragon Transformation Pool is not a place for humans to train, you only have two hours to extract Qi and circulate it through your energy centers. If you exceed two hours, your body will begin to transform into a snake, and if you cannot control the Qi, you might just turn into a snake right here in the pool!"

"Turn into a snake! Is that all?" Climbing out of the pool, Mingye listened carefully to the White Snake Sage. After she finished speaking, Mingye understood the method of practicing Qi. The side effect was similar to practicing Sage Arts—failure meant turning into an animal. He nodded to her.

"Not bad! The energy of heaven and earth is inherently dangerous to extract and cultivate. If everything could be cultivated, would it still be called immortality? Cultivation is an act that defies the heavens; whether it is chakra or sage arts, neither is tolerated by the world. Therefore, you must remember: if you do not control the energy carefully, you will no longer be human!"

The White Snake Sage nodded at Mingye in approval and then spoke again to remind him. Mingye clenched his hands into fists, gritted his teeth, and replied firmly.

"I understand. I will not turn into a snake! I will succeed!"

"Hahaha! Well done! This Seat likes people like you. Ara, you stay here and watch him, lest this brat accidentally turns into a snake. When refining the sense of energy, one loses track of time. So, after two hours, you must make him leave the Dragon Transformation Pool. The taijutsu training is also left to you; there are so many snake descendants, it's time they got some exercise too!" The White Snake Sage laughed, finding Mingye more and more pleasing. After speaking to Ara, she turned and slithered away.

"Understood! Grandmother!"

"Big Brother! I heard you're still going to that forest to train often lately!"

Madara, who was in the middle of throwing kunai, was suddenly stopped by Izuna. He looked back, full of confusion, and asked.

"What's wrong?"

Izuna pursed his lips and said to Madara.

"Father found out! It wasn't me who told him, but you've been going too frequently!"

Madara was startled. He hadn't expected that, despite his efforts to be discreet, he would still be discovered—and by Father, no less. With his mind in turmoil, Madara quickly asked again.

"What! What did Father say?"

"I don't know, but Father told me to come and summon you to the study!"

Madara and Izuna arrived at the study. Tajima, who was reviewing documents, looked up at Madara and asked casually, "You've been going to the forest to train quite often lately, haven't you?"

"Yes, Father!" Madara dared not say anything reckless; he sat precariously on the cushion, motionless.

"Is there a boy training with you?" Tajima put down his brush, looked at Madara, and asked again.

Madara looked at Izuna in surprise, but Izuna gave a slight shake of his head. Madara composed himself and said, "That's right! There is indeed a boy training with me!"

"Do you know his identity?"

"Father, we are merely training together. I do not know his identity, nor do I have the inclination to concern myself with such things. In my eyes, there is only training!"

Tajima's questioning made Madara consider several possibilities. If it wasn't Izuna who snitched, then Father must have discovered some suspicious behavior through minor clues. He decided to play dumb.

"Madara! I know your thoughts. You still hate me for what happened to that shameless clan. Yes, I admit that because of my miscalculation, they were able to ambush our clan, which led to your brother's death. But it is precisely because of that that we must further refine our movements and remain even more hidden! Kill him!"

However, Tajima had seen right through Madara's thoughts and gave him a direct order.

"No!"

Madara's blunt refusal left Tajima stunned, followed by a surge of rage.

"What did you say?"

"Father, if there is nothing else, I shall take my leave!"

Ignoring Tajima's fury, Madara stood up, bowed, and turned to leave.

"You stand right there!"

Seeing this, Tajima flew into a rage again and threw a kunai, which embedded itself right in front of Madara's feet.

"Father, have you never considered that it was precisely because you harbored murderous intent and were discovered by the other party that they were driven into a corner and betrayed us?" Madara turned his head to look at Tajima, his face expressionless, as if he were unleashing all the emotions hidden deep within his heart, shouting loudly.

Tajima stared in shock at the suddenly explosive Madara, suddenly realizing that his son was so rebellious—or rather, too clever, clever enough that he was no longer someone who could be easily deceived.

"You unfilial son, what do you mean by that?"

"The Hagoromo clan could never be stronger than our Uchiha clan. So, what reason would the Takigawa clan have to betray us when they were originally under our protection and seeking a stable life? Father, I am no longer a child; you don't need to hide everything from me, because I know far more than you imagine!"

Madara lowered his head. Images of the four brothers sneaking out of the house together, laughing and searching for wild game, flashed through his mind. He spoke with a sorrowful voice, pointing out the mistake Tajima had made.

"Unfilial son! You're courting death!"

Enraged by his own shame, Tajima drew his sword and lunged at Madara, but Izuna quickly stood up and blocked his path.

"Father!"

"Hmph! People's hearts are fickle; you will never understand the thoughts of outsiders. Only the clan is the only thing you can rely on in this world. Those so-called outsiders must all die; only then can our Uchiha clan survive forever. Put away your ridiculous ideas! Madara, I tell you, even if I did make the wrong decision back then, it wasn't because I wanted to kill the Takigawa clan, but because I didn't expect them to retaliate so quickly! Get out! Don't let me see you again!"

Tajima was only acting out of a moment of anger and had no intention of actually killing his genius son. He ordered them both to leave. Just as they were departing, Shimizu emerged from behind a screen and smiled at Tajima.

"Madara has grown up."

"Hmph! Unfilial son!"

Tajima, still in a state of rage, cursed loudly. Shimizu shook his head and sighed.

"Big Brother, you were truly wrong about that matter."

Tajima looked at Shimizu with cold eyes, radiating killing intent as he replied.

"That doesn't mean he has the right to question me! Even if I was wrong, I am still right!"

Knowing Tajima's meaning, Shimizu understood that he was defending his authority as the clan head, so he stopped dwelling on the topic and instead tried to persuade Tajima to calm down.

"Argue however you like, but you've already ruined three children and your sister-in-law. I hope you can calm your anger, Big Brother."

"You don't need to worry about this. I will go and kill that boy myself!"

Tajima was naturally just venting his anger; if he really wanted to kill his own child, it would be the death of him. He then thought of the boy from the Senju clan reported by his spies and made his decision.

"But!"

"I will kill him right in front of Madara. I want to show him that this world is just that cruel!"

Shimizu wanted to continue, but Tajima cut him off. Tajima then tucked his long sword into his belt, stood up, and walked out of the room.

"Was it you who secretly told Father? Are you still holding a grudge just because I didn't let you come along last time?"

At the training ground, Madara glared at Izuna and demanded an answer. Izuna, feeling quite helpless, explained, "How could I have said anything? Big Brother, am I that kind of person? You already warned me, so I naturally helped you cover your tracks. But Father still found out—it really wasn't me!"

Madara felt frustrated. After hearing Izuna's words, he trusted that Izuna wouldn't betray him, which meant he must have slipped up himself. But what was he to do now? Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he blurted out, "Damn it! Refusing Father definitely won't make him give up. Then... oh no, Hashirama is still waiting for me!"

Izuna was also stunned, immediately thinking of Tajima's methods. He replied, "Ah! Right now? Big Brother, what if Father has already rushed over there?"

"I must notify Hashirama. You go keep an eye on Father, and if necessary, cause a little distraction for me!"

"Alright!"

Madara calmly looked up at the sun to estimate the time and gave his orders to Izuna. Izuna nodded, and Madara quickly turned and ran out of the clan compound. Unfortunately, Madara did not see that, right behind him, the moment Izuna watched Madara leave the training ground, Shimizu appeared before him.

"You two are truly too naive!"

The moment Izuna saw Shimizu, he knew the situation had changed, and another possibility flashed through his mind. "Oh no! Big Brother shouldn't have gone!"

"Heh heh heh!"

Shimizu could only offer a helpless, bitter laugh. If Madara hadn't gone, Tajima would never have known where the meeting spot was. Unfortunately, Madara was still just a child; his first thought was to warn the other party rather than consider Tajima's next move.

In the Forest Senju Clan's compound, a similar scene was unfolding. Hashirama sat on a wooden stump, glaring at the indifferent Tobirama. The stare became too much for Tobirama to bear, and he set his face sternly to explain, "I didn't say anything. Father knowing about this has absolutely nothing to do with me. Father did ask me, but I didn't tell him a single thing! You know me—I hate lying. I already broke my principles once just for a meal!"

"Tobirama, I know you hate them because of Itama, but this is the heartlessness of this world. We cannot continue to harbor hatred just because our kin have died. You should understand this!"

Hashirama sighed helplessly. Seeing that Tobirama, who was unwilling to speak much, had already repeated himself three times, he knew the boy wouldn't lie to him, so he tried to persuade him.

"I know what you want to say, and I know what I am doing. I didn't tell Father about your whereabouts. I don't want to repeat myself. The reason I hate them isn't because of Itama's death; I never hate those who make mistakes!"

Tobirama looked up at the sky. Though he didn't want to admit it, he truly hated the Uchiha clan. However, Tobirama's self-control was not inferior to an adult's—in fact, it was even better. Extremely self-disciplined, Tobirama was confident that he would slowly erase that so-called hatred from his heart. Thinking of this, he proudly explained to Hashirama.

"Honestly! You stubborn thing, I really don't know what to say to you. Now that Father knows about my business, given his personality, he definitely won't sit idly by. Then... oh no! Father is going to the forest!" Watching the proud and aloof Tobirama, Hashirama knew his character and stopped dwelling on the topic. He looked at the sky and suddenly remembered the time he had agreed to meet Madara. He jumped off the stump and cried out, "Father is going to kill Madara!"

Hearing Hashirama's words, Tobirama replied, "I must notify Madara! Tobirama, help me keep an eye on Father!"

Hashirama didn't think twice. Worried for Madara's life, he finished speaking to Tobirama and turned to leave. Tobirama suddenly blocked his path and said, "Wouldn't it be better if he died?"

"What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Help me keep an eye on Father!"

Hashirama shoved Tobirama aside, ordered him again, and sprinted toward the meeting place. What Hashirama also didn't see was an elder standing before Tobirama. The moment Tobirama saw the elder, he let out a bitter laugh, shook his head, and sighed at the sky.

"We are all too young!"

The lush forest was like another ocean, distinct from the deep blue sea. Madara and Hashirama moved rapidly toward their rendezvous point. When they reached the familiar river and stood on opposite banks, both revealed a look of relief and simultaneously tossed a stone toward each other.

"You're here quite early today!"

"You as well!"

"I have some things to attend to today, so it seems I can't train with you."

"Same here! I came here to tell you that I'm very busy today, and we might have to wait a few days before we can hang out again!"

"Is that so? Then I'll be going first!"

"Sorry, Hashirama! Let's leave it at that for today!"

The two youths didn't say anything more and stopped there. Both turned quickly and ran into the forest, moving in serpentine patterns and seeking cover to protect themselves.

The moment the two youths turned, a kunai flew out from the woods on each side of the river, colliding in the center. Tajima and Butsuma leaped out of the woods simultaneously, their sickle and long sword clashing in mid-air. The two then separated and stood in the middle of the river.

"It seems we thought of the same thing, Senju Butsuma!"

"It seems so, Uchiha Tajima!"

The current heads of the Senju and Uchiha clans had finally clashed once again. As they spoke, they leaped up, their weapons slashing at each other. Their other hands didn't pause either, simultaneously drawing short blades to stab at one another. Sparks flew as the short blades collided. Just as they were locked in a stalemate, a voice suddenly rang out from behind them.

"Rasengan!"

Madara and Hashirama appeared, each holding a bright blue sphere of chakra in one hand, and slammed them together between the four of them.

BOOM

The collision between the Rasengan created a powerful shockwave, momentarily repelling both Hashirama and Madara. Butsuma and Tajima were likewise forced back to opposite sides of the riverbank, where they scrambled to their feet in disarray. Madara's heart bled; the sincere friendship he had known could no longer be sustained, and the naive dreams of his youth shattered and vanished into thin air. Looking at Hashirama, who had also risen on the other side of the river, Madara offered a bitter smile and spoke.

"We really are fools! And it seems those dreams we once thought were foolish can no longer be pursued together!"

"Madara!"

Madara did not give Hashirama a chance to continue. He drew a kunai from his sleeve—a weapon he kept ready at all times—and assumed a defensive stance before speaking again.

"We were always so naive, forgetting the cruelty of this world. Though we haven't known each other long, I truly felt happy and joyful during this time! Let us reintroduce ourselves, Hashirama! My name is Madara Uchiha!"

Watching Madara, Hashirama realized that their so-called friendship had been severed at this very moment. He did not say another word, instead drawing the short blade from his thigh and adopting a defensive posture of his own, his expression grim as he looked toward Madara Uchiha.

"Heh! Indeed. Hashirama of the Forest Senju Clan, reporting for duty!"

At the summit of a towering peak in the forest, Madara sat on the edge of a cliff, his hands braced behind him as he gazed out over the vast, undulating expanse of the forest and mountains, unable to help but laugh aloud.

"Haha! I won again!"

"That's only because you got a head start!"

Panting, Madara and Hashirama sat on opposite sides of the cliff. Hashirama boasted loudly and happily, while Madara retorted with a disdainful scoff. This did not dampen Hashirama's spirits; a loss was a loss, and he felt he should be magnanimous in victory. Catching his breath, Hashirama stood up, looked out at the beautiful forest, and spoke loudly to Madara once more.

"Let's build a village of our own here! A place without sorrow, without death, where there is only joy. No more scenes of children killing one another—let everyone live out their lives here with a smile!"

Madara did not reply, merely watching the excited Hashirama with a calm gaze. Hashirama, however, seemed unable to stop the flow of his thoughts, pouring out every idea in his mind.

"We could build an academy to train children and help them grow stronger. Based on their individual aptitude and ability, they could choose their own missions. We could establish a system for assigning tasks and rewards so that the benefits are distributed equally. I believe that in such a village, children would never again have to face the cruelty of the battlefield, and there would be no more children like you and me dying in war!"

"You are as naive as ever! But then again, you are the only one who could come up with something like this."

After hearing Hashirama's words, Madara couldn't help but sigh. In this era of warring states and clans, the idea of pulling every family into a single village was simply unrealistic—or rather, no one had the ability to do it, nor the desire to even conceive of it.

"What do you think?"

Hashirama asked for Madara's opinion with great excitement. Madara began to ponder it in earnest, then nodded and spoke.

"Hmm. If we were to build such a village, I could protect my younger brother here in this open land. I could even go so far as to guard everyone in the village from any enemy's harm."

"Hahahaha!"

"Haha!"

Madara and Hashirama locked eyes, both seeing the firm conviction in the other's gaze, and they burst into laughter.

"Sitting here again, Brother?"

As Madara stood lost in thought, Izuna appeared behind him. Madara turned to look at him, smiling as he asked the reason for his visit. "It's you, Izuna. Is something the matter?"

"The clan's scouts sent word that a remnant group of the Hagoromo clan has been spotted in a village ten miles to the north. They want us to go and wipe them out."

"Then let's go."

Izuna pointed toward the north as he explained, and Madara nodded, rising to his feet. Izuna looked around, curious as to why Madara always liked coming to this desolate mountain peak.

"Brother, why do you always like to come here to think? There's nothing to see in these barren mountains."

"This is where my dream began."

Madara offered a faint smile without giving a detailed explanation. As he spoke, he leaned over the edge of the cliff and plummeted toward the forest below. Izuna followed suit, leaping off the cliff alongside him.

"Young man, can you truly not see?"

On a mountain path, a youth was walking while carrying an old man whose ankle was wrapped in a splint made with crude technique. The old man stared at the youth with a look of bewilderment.

"That's right, old man," the youth replied with a gentle smile and a nod.

"What an incredible child. To be able to walk so steadily despite not being able to see the road... thank you so much."

The old man couldn't help but praise him, praying in his heart that such a kind soul would surely be rewarded. After they had walked for another ten minutes or so, they finally arrived in front of a village. Suddenly, a massive fireball erupted from the village gate. A disheveled ninja dodged the blast and shouted toward the village.

"Are you Uchiha clan ninjas really going to hunt us all down to the last man?"

"You ask the obvious!"

A cold, arrogant youth with long hair stood at the entrance of the village, his hands crossed over his chest as he looked down at the man and answered coldly. Another youth rushed out from the village to launch a surprise attack on the ninja, but the ninja seemed to have anticipated it; he pressed a hand to the ground, and a barrier manifested around the youth, eventually expanding to envelop the entire village.

"Hahaha! Did you think I was standing here for nothing? You mad dogs of the Uchiha clan, just you wait! We of the Hagoromo clan will never let this go!"

"Old man, could you rest here for a moment? I need to take care of some business."

"Yes, yes, of course!"

"I'll be right back."

"Summoning Jutsu: Manda!"

"What! Ah!"

The Hagoromo ninja turned to flee, but he was caught off guard as the youth who had just emerged from the forest path pressed a hand to the ground. A massive shadow erupted from a summoning barrier and swallowed the ninja whole.

"Boy! You actually used your chakra to summon me!"

Manda flicked its tongue in annoyance, its massive head turning toward Mingye with a look of deep displeasure.

"Heh! Mr. Manda, thank you!"

The youth smiled, tilting his head back to look at Manda with eyes that lacked pupils as he offered his thanks.

"What I want is millions in blood-offerings, not to be summoned by you to clean up your trash! If you summon me when you have nothing better to do again, watch out—I might just eat you too!"

Manda finished speaking and vanished into vapor on the spot. The old man nearby had long since fainted from fright, so the youth gave a wry smile, hoisted the old man onto his back once more, and headed toward the village.

"Mingye!"

The moment the giant python disappeared, the barrier trapping Izuna dissipated. Izuna ran quickly to the youth's side and asked with some confusion. Mingye nodded and greeted him in return.

"Second Brother! It's been a long time!"

"It really is you, Mingye! Hahaha! Big Brother, come quickly! It's Mingye!"

"What? Mingye, is it really you?"

After the three brothers delivered the old man to an inn to rest, they quickly left, hunted down a wild boar in the woods, and sat around a campfire. As they waited for the food to roast, they chatted and laughed.

Mingye had been gone for three years. During this time, the Uchiha Clan had relentlessly pursued and attacked the Hagoromo Clan. Under Madara's will and persistence, Tajima had finally begun to make contact with high-ranking officials within the Land of Fire to seek political power in the country.

When Izuna finished telling Mingye about the changes over the past three years, Mingye looked at Madara with a smile and said, "It seems Big Brother has also begun to involve himself in the clan's affairs!"

"Father sustained some injuries during a surprise attack on the Hagoromo Clan a year ago, and he likely won't last much longer. You've returned just in time; any later, and you might not have seen him," Izuna sighed and said to Mingye again.

Mingye was stunned, never expecting to encounter such a situation upon his return. He confirmed the news with a heavy heart.

"Is it really that serious?"

"To kill the head of the Hagoromo Clan, Father gave everything he had. He finally managed to corner him alongside Uncle Shimizu so he couldn't escape. Besides, after this year of fighting, the Hagoromo Clan's ninjas are all but wiped out."

Izuna nodded, confirming the answer to Mingye. He forced a smile and pointed out the roasted pork to his two brothers.

"Let's eat, then head back. It seems I really did return at just the right time."

"Who's to say otherwise? With the three of us reunited, this world will surely belong to us brothers!"

Madara stood up abruptly, his hands clenched into fists, and spoke with great ambition. Mingye and Izuna both nodded, stood up, and raised their fists to echo Madara's resolve.

"Cough, cough, cough! You've returned. It seems your training at Ryuchi Cave was quite successful."

Lying on the bed, Tajima's face was pale; he looked like a lamp running out of oil. Seeing Mingye's return, Tajima gave a miserable smile and tried to sit up. Mingye quickly sat on the edge of the bed to support him, nodding as he replied.

"Yes, Father! I can do more for the clan now."

"Strength has its limits, and this is all I can do. Three years have passed—I wonder if you still hate me?"

Mingye knew what Tajima was referring to. Whether it was Madara or Izuna, their obsessive assassination of the Hagoromo Clan stemmed from the fact that the Hagoromo had once colluded with the Takigawa Clan to ambush the Uchiha. His mother and his fifth brother, who hadn't even been named yet, had died tragically; even worse, his fourth brother had died in his own arms. Tajima's desperate attempt to kill the Hagoromo leader might have been an act of atonement. Mingye's heart had long since calmed. Since the past could not be changed and Tajima was his father in this life, there was nothing that could not be forgiven. Thinking of this, Mingye smiled faintly at Tajima.

"Father, you joke. Your son has never hated you."

"That's good! That's good!" Hearing Mingye's answer, Tajima nodded with a smile, closed his eyes, and wore a look of gentle peace.

Madara and Izuna appeared at the bedside as well. Madara's eyes welled with tears, and he couldn't help but smile as he looked at his father, who appeared so serene with that gentle expression.

"Father, we never hated you."

Uchiha Tajima passed away very peacefully, and the succession ceremony for the Uchiha Clan was simple and without the slightest obstruction. As Madara grew, his combat prowess soared, changing day by day. Under such overwhelming strength, no clansman dared to raise any objection to Madara inheriting the position of clan head.

That day, Mingye and Izuna walked into the study that had once been their father's and was now Madara's office. They found Shimizu, who had lost an arm while intercepting the Hagoromo leader, inside as well. Mingye asked with curiosity:

"Why did Big Brother have Second Brother call me here?"

"Father has passed away, and we must report it to the people at Okayama Castle. I want you to handle this matter."

"Me!?"

Mingye was stunned and pointed at himself in disbelief. Shimizu nodded and explained to Mingye:

"In these chaotic times, we must ensure the clan receives the full support of the Shogun. You must understand that if we don't, we will face failure. The clan is not yet powerful enough, so we must attach ourselves to the Shogun to accumulate strength. Only then can we take the next step."

"Which clan does Big Brother want to bring into the fold?"

Mingye did not know the current landscape of the ninja world. He only knew the clans he had encountered in this life—the Wind-Thunder Clan, the Hagoromo, the Senju of the Forest—and those he knew from his past life that might or might not exist yet. He didn't know who Madara's first target was. Madara thought for about ten minutes, filtering through his targets in his mind before speaking to the three of them.

"The Hatake Clan shares a distant bloodline with our Uchiha. Furthermore, they have many enemies, making them the perfect first target to absorb. Our clansmen won't feel much resentment toward them, either."

Listening to Madara's careful deliberation as he displayed the Hatake clan crest, Izuna considered the current state of the Uchiha and asked:

"Big Brother, I don't mean to dampen your spirits, but with Father's passing, shouldn't we halt all activities? After all, we might need some time..."

"To become strong, the most important thing is to force your enemies to bow through sheer power! Father has passed, but that does not mean the Uchiha Clan should stop functioning. We must work harder and be more resolute in perfecting this world. Only then can our father's spirit find peace."

Madara looked at Izuna coldly, the aura of a clan head radiating from him, causing Izuna to frown. But since Madara had already decided, he shouldn't contradict his older brother, so he offered a suggestion:

"Big Brother, is using such forceful methods wise? If we want to build a village, oppression alone won't create stability."

Mingye, who had been deep in thought, nodded at this, though not to agree with Izuna's sentiment. The rule of law was cold, but it allowed people to live in relative peace; governing by human emotion would only lead to more chaos. After all, people were inherently selfish—no matter how selfless one claimed to be, there would always be a shred of self-interest. Only absolute rule of law and strong suppression could turn this chaotic world around.

"In chaotic times, one must use heavy codes. We will first integrate the weaker clans into our sphere of influence, and then we can further govern by law. It's fine; as long as we are alive, no one will dare to rebel. And by the time we grow old, the laws and the village will have already stabilized. Even if they want to cause trouble then, they won't be able to."

Seeing that Mingye understood his vision perfectly, Madara nodded slightly, shook his wrists, and walked over to Mingye's side.

"This is indeed the only way for now. Who told us to be the Uchiha Clan? They look at us with fear; rather than trying to win their hearts, it is better to suppress them with strength first! But that is not the most important thing, because we need to confirm one thing now—something that is more important to us than conquering the world!"

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

"Wind Chaos Performance."

The distance between Uchiha Mingye Hozuki Gengetsu and Madara was less than three meters. The massive fireball that appeared suddenly formed less than thirty centimeters from Mingye. Powerful blades of wind, following Mingye's rhythm, churned in front of him, and the great fireball seemed to be gently nudged by that wind, causing it to change direction.

BOOM.

A massive explosion erupted from a bookshelf to the side. Knowing that the bookshelf had been incinerated and blown apart, Mingye helplessly joked to Madara:

"This isn't good, is it? After all, these are books, and scrolls aren't exactly easy to buy these days, are they?"

"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Spits Pearl!"

"I've already memorized them all! You dare spit fire at me? I have to settle the score with you today! I'll pay for new scrolls and transcribe those ninjutsu myself!"

Madara unleashed another ninjutsu. The anger he had harbored for over a decade finally erupted in full. His only conviction now was that he would only feel satisfied after beating Mingye to a pulp. As he finished speaking, a fire dragon was spat out. Surprisingly, it didn't attack Mingye; instead, it coiled around Madara. The dragon's head looked incredibly lifelike, and its jaws held a red sphere of chakra.

"You're the clan head now, you know!"

Although Mingye couldn't see Madara's expression, he knew Madara must be feeling a sense of bitter satisfaction, eager to take revenge for the countless times Mingye had ambushed him in the past. This was a miscalculation on Mingye's part; for all his planning, he truly hadn't realized that Madara was this petty. Of course, Mingye wouldn't reflect on the fact that he had provoked Madara far too many times—so many that Madara was desperate to give him a beating, only having lacked the opportunity until now.

"Even a clan head has to beat you!"

Mingye didn't dare to take the Fire Dragon Spits Pearl head-on. Setting aside that scorching, rotating sphere of chakra, the density of the flames was three times stronger than what an ordinary person could produce, which showed just how hard Madara had been training his Fire Style. Madara pressed a single hand against the dragon's head and hurled it toward Mingye. Waves of dragon roars echoed the moment the fire dragon erupted. Behind Mingye, white wind burst forth violently, ripping the entire roof off, and Mingye was blown away by the gale like a sheet of paper.

BOOM.

"Brother, this is the study!" Izuna looked up at the torn-off roof, his face full of helplessness as he reminded him. Madara, feeling annoyed and frustrated that his fire dragon hadn't provided the catharsis he wanted, replied impatiently to Izuna:

"Can't you see I forced him outside?"

Izuna pointed at the clear sky and retorted:

"A skylight!?"

Madara had long since grown tired of staying in such a thatched hut. Since Mingye had conveniently ripped the roof off the study, he had provided him with the perfect excuse.

"We'll just move to a new place! We've lived here for over a decade; it's time for our Uchiha clan to move somewhere else!"

"Dragon Roar."

A powerful sensation of pressure descended from the sky. Madara's expression instantly turned grave. His eyes, originally those of an ordinary person, spun rapidly and transformed into Three Tomoe as he looked toward the sky. He saw Mingye in mid-air, his hands positioned in front of his chest in a triangular gesture. A surge of energy erupted from between his hands, creating the sound of a dragon's roar.

"Cannot be copied!"

Relying on the properties of the Sharingan, Madara intended to return the favor in kind, but he didn't expect that the Sharingan would fail to display the characteristics of the ninjutsu Mingye was unleashing. Without further hesitation, he quickly formed hand seals, took a deep breath, and concentrated all the chakra in his body into his throat.