With Great Interest

"I'm wondering, just who exactly is this Uchiha King?"

He turned to look at Ban beside him, his eyes filled with clear scrutiny and certainty.

"It's impossible to build up such a ninja village from scratch within a year with just exceptional skills and ruthless political maneuvering."

The meticulous task classification, the two-tiered security system, and the scientific planning that separates commercial and residential areas—these structures completely transcend the limited thinking of the Sengoku period.

"A person who can do this must have seen a more mature and perfect world."

He understood how to govern the ninja village effectively in the long term, knew how to balance the interests of various clans, and was adept at maneuvering with the Daimyo.

"They can leverage external forces to survive, but they will never be controlled by others. They can use external forces to pave the way, but they can also firmly safeguard their own sovereignty and not be devoured by power."

He slightly raised his eyes and uttered a crucial judgment.

"This kind of vision and experience cannot be explained simply by the word 'talent'."

Ban's eyes narrowed slightly, instantly catching the unspoken meaning in his words.

Having experienced half a lifetime of power struggles and conflicts, he has always had a keen perception of people's hearts and the overall situation.

"Do you know him? Or did you already know his background?"

"I don't know him."

Natsu answered crisply and decisively, her tone carrying an almost absolute certainty.

"But his style of doing things is exactly like mine."

"The logic of thinking about problems, the means of handling situations, and the ideas of building a power structure are exactly the same as the way I established myself, built the system, and stabilized the situation on Origin Island."

This is the bottom line for establishing authority firmly; we will not back down an inch.

The room for maneuver and compromise was handled with perfect finesse.

He slowly dissected every step of Uchiha King's plan, his arguments clear and his words insightful.

"Bringing in the Uzumaki is a way to ensure the continuation of the bloodline."

Recruiting Kaguya Clan and Yuki is to build up the clan's fighting strength;

Maintaining the Land of Fire's Daimyo is crucial for securing external resources for the village's development.

Every move he made, seemingly gentle and safe, was in fact a calculated strategy, each step paving the way for the Uchiha's future and avoiding all foreseeable risks.

After a brief pause, he looked at Ban and posed a thought-provoking question.

Do you think this kind of thinking, which transcends the limitations of its time, is something that people in this world can learn out of thin air?

Hearing Yaoyu, he was startled and stunned for a moment, then suddenly understood, his eyes filled with shock.

"Young Master Natsu, do you mean... this Chief Jin is the same kind of person as you? Possessing the same vision and perspective?"

"It's not just one type of person."

Natsu withdrew her gaze, took another step forward, and spoke in a calm but weighty tone.

We are people who share the same mindset.

If I were in his position, I would most likely make the exact same choices with every move he makes today.

So I know what he wants, and I understand what he fears and craves deep down."

Ban silently accompanied them, saying nothing the entire way.

He looked up at the orderly, peaceful, and prosperous village before him, and all the doubts from the past quietly came together in his mind.

Then I recalled the various endings that Natsu had mentioned in Konoha before—

The inevitable demise of the Uchiha Hashirama, the fact that Hashirama's pure ideals would ultimately be betrayed by future generations—all these perplexing questions suddenly became clear.

He finally understood.

No wonder Uchiha King was able to quietly take away a branch of his clan right under his nose, easily persuade the Uzumaki, Kaguya Clan, Yuki clans to form an alliance, and even firmly control the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, gaining official protection without being restrained.

If this person foresaw from the beginning that the Uchiha would inevitably die if they stayed in Konoha, then his establishment of the Flame Ninja Village was never an ambition for temporary separatism, but rather a path to survival that he carved out for the Uchiha in the face of their predetermined fate of destruction.

After a moment of silence, Ban spoke in a deep voice.

So, how do you plan to meet him?

"You can just come in person."

Natsu's lips curved into a very faint smile, calm and composed.

"There's no need for pretense or roundabout probing with someone on the same path. He must be waiting for me. Otherwise, Flame Ninja Village wouldn't have developed so rapidly, and he wouldn't have proudly engraved the Uchiha clan crest in the most conspicuous place on the city wall."

"He's waiting for someone who can understand his plans and walk in sync with him, not for Hashirama, and certainly not for Konoha's tolerance."

He turned his head to look at Ban, his tone frank.

"But before that, I'd like to hear your opinion. What do you think of him as a person?"

Ban lowered his eyes and pondered for a long time before his clear, cold voice slowly rang out, unbiased and objective in every word.

"If he is truly as you say, then he is the leader the Uchiha needs most in this world. He is clear-headed enough, calm enough, never relies on luck, and never gambles on the illusory nature of human hearts."

He changed the subject slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.

"But I still don't understand, if he had planned this all along, why did he never come looking for me on his own initiative?"

"Perhaps he has contacted you, or perhaps he has been waiting for you to take the initiative to approach him."

Natsu's answer was calm, yet incisive.

"You are Madara Uchiha, the Asura who stands at the pinnacle of the Ninja World, and the registered Second Hokage of Konoha."

His rashly entering Konoha to meet you will only place this painstakingly built and still unstable Flame Ninja Village completely under Konoha's shadow and control, resulting in more harm than good."

"But he left all the clues. The location of Flame Ninja Village was never concealed; the clan crest on the city wall was blatant."

He never waits for you to bow down and submit; he waits for you to see your destiny clearly, to see the situation clearly, and for you to make your own choice.

Ban gave him a deep look, all his doubts vanished, and he said no more.

The four continued towards the core area of the village. The deeper they went, the more orderly and meticulous the layout of the streets and alleys became, and the more peaceful and stable the lives of the people seemed.

Natsu's suspicions grew stronger. This Uchiha King was indeed on the same cognitive level and with the same mindset as him.

At this moment, the only remaining question in his mind was the last one.

Is this person, whose plans share the same origin and whose vision is similar to his, really worth taking a gamble on and entrusting with the entire future of the Uchiha clan?

The main street stretches straight ahead, and at its end, a magnificent building suddenly comes into view.

Unlike the simple, unadorned, and haphazard Hokage Building in Konoha, the entire Flame Shadow Building is constructed entirely of dark, solid stone, with a heavy and solemn texture.

The eaves soar into the sky, with sharp and clean lines, exuding an imposing and powerful aura.

A giant Uchiha Gunbai emblem hangs high above the main gate, its lines deep and clear, both ancient and majestic.

The emblem is flanked by staggered engravings of the Uzumaki, Kaguya Clan, and Yuki clans, surrounding and supporting the central Uchiha main emblem, creating a scene reminiscent of all clans returning to their origin and all stars surrounding the moon.