Natsu's Envelope
The two walked one after the other along the stone path into the heart of the Uchiha Clan District.
When the people of the tribe who came along the way saw Ban's figure, they all stopped, bowed their heads, and respectfully paid their respects.
Ban merely nodded slightly in acknowledgment, his steps unhurried, without pausing for a moment.
Madara's residence is located deep within the clan's territory, quiet and secluded. Across a narrow forest path lies the solemn Naka Shrine.
By the time the two pushed open the courtyard gate, Dusk had already fallen, and the last rays of the setting sun had completely disappeared behind the distant mountains.
The dry landscape garden inside the courtyard is meticulously maintained, clean and tidy. The evening breeze sweeps through the eaves, swaying the hanging wind chimes and sending out a series of delicate and crisp sounds.
Everything in sight was exactly the same as when he left home that morning—quiet and desolate.
His steps suddenly stopped when his gaze swept over the stone table in the courtyard.
A plain white envelope lay quietly on the table.
It has no luxurious materials, no complicated patterns, just the most ordinary white paper cut into pieces. The opening is not sealed with wax, but simply folded in half to fix it, casual yet neat.
On the front of the envelope, however, was a line of neat and upright calligraphy, the strokes revealing the sharp edge unique to young people—"To be opened by Madara Uchiha."
Standing Hashirama him, the pillar's gaze naturally fell on the letter, and his incessant chatter abruptly ceased.
The two exchanged a silent glance, a hint of surprise flashing in their eyes.
Madara walked to the stone table and picked up the envelope. The Setsuna his fingertips touched the cool paper, a faint Chakra quietly entered his senses.
It was Natsu's scent, faint and calm, without the slightest aggression, merely clinging lightly to the surface of the paper, more like a unique, hidden mark.
He gently untied the seal with his fingertips and pulled out the letter inside. The paper was thin and soft, and the handwriting was exactly the same as on the envelope, neat and sharp.
However, upon unfolding the letter, they discovered that the content it contained was far more extensive and profound than they had anticipated.
Madara Uchiha:
I apologize for the intrusion into Konoha today and for causing you much trouble.
Regarding the fate of the Uchiha Clan's annihilation in a parallel world, I have told you the whole truth. Whether you believe it or not is entirely up to you; I have no need to corroborate or explain it to anyone.
The purpose of leaving this letter today is not to seek any so-called justice for my clansmen—justice is never something given by others, but something that must be fought for and upheld by our own hands.
Now that I've made a special trip to Konoha, there are some things I've been keeping to myself that I'd like to say to you before I leave.
You must also be curious about what fate awaited you in your other world.
In the battle at the Valley of the End, you were defeated by Hashirama Senju.
You should have died in that final battle, but you survived by relying on Forbidden Technique, hiding alone in the boundless darkness for decades.
All that long-term forbearance and scheming ultimately turned into a joke—you were manipulated by Black Zetsu, reduced to a pawn in the resurrection of Kaguya Otsutsuki, and your story ended abruptly, devoid of any dignity befitting a powerful figure.
You might not believe it, but in that life, you left behind only one last message before you died.
You said that your biggest mistake in this life was never trusting Hashirama.
I know that upon reading this, you'll most likely feel angry and want to tear this letter to shreds.
But I must write it down.
You should have known what a terrible path you were about to take.
And then there's Hashirama Senju, who was always by your side, always pestering you to eat dumplings, and seemingly carefree and easygoing. In that misaligned timeline, it was he who pierced your heart with his own hands.
I'm sharing these past experiences not to create distance, nor to make anyone feel guilty.
Hashirama that lifetime, Hashirama never had the slightest thought of betraying you; he remained true to his original intentions from beginning to end.
But at this moment, you have already broken free from that predetermined tragic fate and made a completely different choice.
I just want you to see one thing clearly: everything you have now, living together day and night in peace and security, has long since shattered into nothingness in another world. The most precious thing in the world is always the fulfillment you have in the present moment. Just cherish the people in front of you, that's enough.
When discussing Hashirama's Hashirama ideals, I frankly admit that I do not agree with them.
His original intention was beyond reproach: he hoped that children in the world would be spared from the flames of war, and that the ninja clan would put aside their blood feuds and cease their killings. Such a vision is gentle enough and touching enough.
But this ideal is far too fragile.
He used his military strength and personal prestige to forcefully suppress all conflicts in the world, creating a seemingly peaceful Four Blues, but in reality, undercurrents were surging.
Once you and he are gone, this peace that has been built up will be like a fortress built on sand on a beach; it will collapse in an instant when the tide comes in.
With your perspective, you naturally understand this principle far better than I do.
In comparison, I admire your past obsession more—to unify the entire Ninja World with absolute power.
Without relying on fragile alliances or empty promises of support, they govern all ninja clans and maintain control over all villages with a strong and unified order.
Only a completely unified framework can perhaps sustain a truly lasting period of peace.
Unfortunately, you and Hashirama ultimately couldn't do it.
He is too soft-hearted and too concerned about human relationships;
You value relationships too much and are always reluctant to completely sever ties.
The two of you working together can maintain the stability of Konoha, but ultimately you cannot break through the layers of enmity and entanglement in this world.
You are both bound to each other, and you also limit each other.
Therefore, I plan to head to the Flame Ninja Village.
I want to meet that man named Uchiha King.
To be able to calmly take away the Uchiha clan members and establish a separate sect right under your nose, while also steadily winning over the powerful clans of Uzumaki, Kaguya Clan, Yuki, and even maneuvering in the imperial court to stabilize the position of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire —this level of forbearance and skill is indeed worth witnessing in person.
Although this place is not my homeland, it is ultimately a world where the blood of the Uchiha flows.
If this person's vision and character satisfy me, I wouldn't mind paving the way for him and leaving him a trump card that would be enough to sweep away the chaos and unify the Ninja World.
As for what this trump card is, I'll find out once I've met him and figured out his strength. You can rest assured, I won't rashly gamble the future of the Uchiha on an ordinary person.
If you ever want to see me again, you won't need to search everywhere.
Before I leave, I will leave a unique mark within the territory of Konoha. If needed in the future, simply infuse Chakra into the back of this letter, and I will sense it.
By the way, the Dango in Konoha definitely tastes better than the ones in my world. They're just too sweet. Next time, maybe I should ask Hashirama to buy a couple less skewers to avoid them being too cloying.
Respectfully submitted by Uchiha Natsu