An Unfamiliar Future

Although he hadn't stayed in the clan's territory for very long, based on what the other kids said, he was pretty sure that many of the changes in the Uchiha Clan came from this Uchiha Shingen.

That's very interesting.

From where Uchiha Madara is standing now, he can see the actual effects of Earth Release: Mountain Earth Technique.

The overturned earth pressed directly into the Dodai that had risen in the center using the Earth Release Technique: Moving Earth Core.

From Uchiha Madara's perspective, this was already quite large among a bunch of ants.

But that's all there is to it.

"You're strong enough, but too soft-hearted," Uchiha Madara said. "You even waste time talking to ants."

"He and that Kitsuchi are old friends," Black Zetsu said.

Everyone knows that Uchiha Shingen had many friends.

He has friends or people who claim to be his friends in almost every village.

Guang has quite a few true friends whom he knows.

"Friend? Was he weak before?"

"No, it has always been very strong."

"Then why make friends with the weak?" Uchiha Madara, somewhat disappointed.

Getting Uchiha Obito gender was incredibly difficult back then.

It's just that he was too old to jump at the time, otherwise he would have been a real stunner if he had been flying!

Send Uchiha Obito to see his female companion whose name he calls even in his sleep!

"Lord Madara, what do you think of him?"

"He still needs some training, but... we can consider using him as a pawn and see how he performs in this war."

Performance? Hasn't he finished performing?

The Mist Ninja finished him off in one go. Although they managed to escape Jinchūriki, it was only a matter of a few moves against them.

The Iwagakure on the Tsuchikage side has already been killed, so that's about all the kinship with that guy from the Kitsuchi.

Although the main force of Cloud Village is in the north, the Kumogakure currently lacks a powerful fighter capable of holding its own. One of its rivals for the Raikage title has already died, and the remaining one is unlikely to last more than a few moves.

Leaf Village has already won.

In Black Zetsu's view, even Obito couldn't collect the Tailed Beasts; Uchiha Madara had to do it himself.

As for Uchiha Shingen, he might become Hokage after this battle.

Otherwise, who could command him?

"He's very proud; I doubt he'd work with anyone," Black Zetsu said.

Before the words were even finished, the earthen hill in the distance, formed by Ninjutsu, was blasted open by immense force.

After the powerful force blasted the earthen mound from the inside, it continued to push debris and air outwards, appearing from a distance as a huge, ever-expanding air shield until it also blew up part of the Rock Ninja and Cloud Ninja forces before disappearing.

What remains is a huge sinkhole.

"Oh? Shinra Tensei, quite well done." Uchiha Madara looked at the rain of stones sweeping across the distance with considerable satisfaction.

Judging from this, this junior is quite capable in terms of strength, except for his lack of a strong personality.

However, it wouldn't work if someone as rigid as Uchiha Obito that approach.

Uchiha Madara had seen countless people fail in various ways throughout his life, but he had never seen anyone fail as bizarrely as Uchiha Obito.

Even if the Genjutsu failed, they could have wiped out everyone present, but they couldn't have done that!

So weak! He clearly possesses Sharingan eye techniques that even he finds strange!

Uchiha Obito's weakness lay not in his strength, but in his mind.

"Chief Ban, what brings you here?"

In the sky, Uchiha Shingen's voice grew louder as it approached.

He flew over the battlefield and landed on the large tree where Uchiha Madara was.

He no longer needed to concern himself with the battlefield here.

A small-scale Shinra Tensei is enough to decide the outcome here.

Ōnoki is dead, Kitsuchi is dead, and the rear of the Rock Ninja and Cloud Ninja has been pacified. All that's left is to wipe out the remaining troops.

Uchiha Madara once said that the Uchiha Clan had lost their backbone, but in reality, the clan was quite resilient. Although there were some spineless ones, when the battle against the Senju of the Forest progressed to the later stages, even though it was clear that Uchiha Madara was no match for Hashirama Senju Hashirama, the majority of them refused to surrender and continued to fight alongside Madara against the Senju Clan.

Whether a person has backbone is judged by their attitude when facing absolute adversity that is impossible to overcome.

But the current Rock Ninja and Cloud Ninja are no good.

When Uchiha Shingen flew over, he already saw many Rock Ninja and Cloud Ninja laying down their weapons and surrendering.

In the original timeline, the ninjas from these ninja villages also showed similar behavior when facing the power of the Ten-Tails. If it weren't for Naruto Uzumaki holding out against them, they would have surrendered before the Impure World Reincarnation Hokage even entered the fray.

"Kid, not bad." Uchiha Madara even had a slight smile on his face. "Go and kill the Hokage, and you'll be the Hokage."

Uchiha Shingen: "???"

Why not be a decent person? Why be interested in being a beast of burden?

No way, I was fighting a perfectly good battle, why would I go and kill my own shadow?

"Clan Chief Madara, you jest." Uchiha Shingen shook his head. "What a fool I must have been to want to become Hokage."

"Hmm?" Although Uchiha Madara wasn't interested in the Hokage either, he felt uneasy upon hearing this.

He was quite excited when Hashirama told him he wanted to make him Hokage.

What do you mean? Becoming Hokage is a stupid idea?

So, you're saying I was desperate back then?

You have quite a broad perspective.

"Kid, Five Kage is the dream of your generation of ninjas, isn't it? You don't want to be Hokage, so what is your dream?"

"Hmm..." Uchiha Shingen thought for a moment, "Leaf Village is invincible?"

"Are you kidding me?" Uchiha Madara sneered.

Uchiha Shingen: "..."

As if you're not a ghost now?

"Actually, there's nothing as heavy as 'dream'," Uchiha Shingen said. "Being stronger than anyone else, enough to protect the people I want to protect, is enough."

"I see." Uchiha Madara nodded. "But that's just wishful thinking. Even if you're stronger than anyone else, you still can't protect them in the end. That's how it is for me, and it's the same for Hashirama. Hashirama obsession only creates new darkness."

"It all depends on how you interpret darkness." Uchiha Shingen smiled. "Different people are born with the same rice, Madara. It's impossible for everyone to think the same way. Sometimes, a little tolerance is nothing."

"Too weak." Uchiha Madara glanced at Uchiha Shingen. "You've reached the same level as me and Hashirama. Those weak and restless people have no value in living."

"As for the war, it's actually not too bad," Uchiha Shingen considered his words. "After all, the foundation is what it is. It's not bad to have such a bad start, but it will get better and better. Compared to the Warring States period you lived in, things are much better now."

"It seems you are quite easily satisfied." Uchiha Madara expressionlessly.

"If you have no further instructions, I'm going to take a look in the north."

"Leaf Village has already won this battle, so it doesn't matter whether you go or not," Uchiha Madara said. "The person who revived me in this state has also summoned Hashirama. Hmm, there are two people I really hate, but if that guy is here, this technique definitely can't control him. By now, Hashirama should be free too."

At this point, Uchiha Madara became excited.

Uchiha Shingen: "... First Sir?"

Orochimaru, do you really want me to kill you!?

I told you not to disrespect the previous Hokage!

"Clan Chief Madara, the person you hate the most, you mean the Second Hokage, right? There are other people you hate?"

Uchiha Shingen was certain that he did not have amnesia. For Uchiha Madara to dislike him, he would first have to be someone Madara respected. And the only person Madara respected and disliked without getting killed was that rich dog.

How could there possibly be any left?

Besides being loyal and righteous, Uchiha Madara had another great virtue: he was magnanimous. After killing someone, he no longer hated that person.

"Yes, that guy killed one of my most trusted subordinates and caused me a lot of trouble while he was alive. Unfortunately, I didn't kill him because of Hashirama."

"Who is this person? So powerful?" Uchiha Shingen felt the name sounded familiar, but he couldn't recall anyone like that.

"You probably don't know this guy's real name. He was later called Senju Muzoku, a born evil Senju Clan brat!"

Uchiha Shingen: "???"

"Hmm?" Uchiha Madara looked at Uchiha Shingen's fiery eyes. "What? You look very angry? Could it be that you really are a descendant of Akira? His entire family was wiped out by that evil brat."

After observing him along the way, Uchiha Madara felt that this kid was probably a descendant of Uchiha Kei.

That move, the one with the Kagutsuchi, was clearly Qi's. Qi hadn't recorded this move in the library yet; he had only taught it orally to a few children. This was something he had told himself.

Perhaps it's the child of a concubine? Indeed, ninjas must be cautious; as long as the bloodline remains, that's good.

The more Uchiha Madara thought about it, the more it made sense, and he began to find Uchiha Shingen much more agreeable.

The death of Uchiha Kei was one of the few things that haunted him throughout his life, and it was precisely because of this that he Senju Muzoku.

He was only saved by Senju Hashirama's protection; otherwise, he would have killed that guy long ago!

"... No, Clan Chief Madara, my parents weren't even ninjas."

Uchiha Shingen forced a smile.

But he was incredibly irritable inside!

I'm just floating here peacefully, and Orochimaru has summoned some imposter to tarnish my reputation!?

Or perhaps my initial guess during my first playthrough of the research was correct?

"Chief Ban, I'll stop talking to you now! Since you're back, why don't you stay a while longer in the tribe? The young people in the tribe are eager to hear your teachings, and they should be coming out of the shelter by now."

After saying that, without waiting for Uchiha Madara to say anything, he soared into the sky and sped straight north.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: An Unfamiliar Future

Sarutobi Hiruzen is running.

He only had one idea.

At your age, Wu Zu you treat me like this? You have no professional ethics!

Sarutobi Hiruzen would bet everything in his secret stash that Senju Muzoku was never under control in the first place!

What nonsense! You want to kill me? You're lying! I didn't see you trying to kill someone?

Who uses secret techniques indefinitely?

Well, Orochimaru, that traitorous disciple, hadn't seen it, so he believed it, but the disciple's behavior was also very strange.

"Teacher Sarutobi, where are you going?"

The Kusanagi Sword slashed diagonally, but Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't even bother to look. He Adamantine Staff, which suddenly extended and aimed at the traitor's heart.

As expected, Orochimaru transformed into a swarm of snakes in mid-air.

The old man Enma, extended half of his body from the Adamantine Staff, using his indestructible body to block the venomous fangs of the snakes, and casually chewed up a small snake and spat it out.

"Orochimaru! If you're going to fight, then fight! Stop being so disgusting!" it yelled angrily.

The only response he received was Orochimaru's sinister laughter.

You can only hear their voices but never see them.

"Sarutobi Clan, if you had killed him back then, none of this would have happened." Orochimaru was unmoved by any persuasion; the Enma had no effect whatsoever. So he started nagging his wife, "What kind of nonsense have you been teaching?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen remained silent.

Didn't you praise him back then for his excellent learning and for surpassing his teacher in concealing his whereabouts? How come now it's like I've been teaching him nothing but rubbish?

Your transition was even smoother than Biwako!

"Let's put that aside... Your teacher has long since disappeared, so why are we still running away?"

"Lord Wu Zu wouldn't do something without a purpose. Since he wants us to go in this direction..."