Two Years, a New Uchiha Clan Leader

Two years passed, and the Uchiha Clan had a new leader.

The Uzumaki Clan and the Senju Clan made peace. The two clans settled side by side and even agreed to intermarry. Before long, the Senju Clan had so many newborns that its population grew by a full third.

The battered remnants of the Kaguya Clan fled the Land of Fire and rebuilt their clan near the Land of Water. New wielders of the Shikotsumyaku emerged, and with that terrifying Kekkei Genkai, the clan gained a foothold in the Land of Water.

The shinobi clans that had lived in the Land of Water for years saw how ready the Kaguya Clan was to fight to the death. It was not worth doing the same over a few missions. Better to give the Kaguya Clan a share than fight them outright.

Meanwhile, smaller clans like the Sarutobi Clan, the Fuma Clan, and the Kurama Clan showed signs of joining forces.

Much had happened in the Ninja World over the past two years. Repeated clashes with the Senju Clan had cost the Uchiha Clan many lives. If the Hagoromo Clan had not fought alongside the Uchiha, the losses would have been worse.

And then there was this.

Uchiha Tajima was dead.

With his dying breath, he had dragged the Senju Clan's leader, Butsuma Senju, down with him.

At the clan assembly, fifteen-year-old Uchiha Madara looked coldly at the elders. "You refuse to recognize me as clan leader?"

"Clan Leader Madara, we watched you grow up. Your talent as a shinobi far surpasses that of others, and at fifteen, you're already as strong as your father. We would have no objection to you becoming clan leader under normal circumstances."

"But the Uchiha need more than a shinobi who knows how to fight. Strength alone means nothing. The clan needs a capable leader who can guide it forward."

"With your impulsive nature, that will be difficult."

Uchiha Madara said coldly, "Is that all? Then you can be quiet."

"You! Madara, you haven't officially become clan leader yet. Until we all recognize you, you're only acting leader. Watch your tone!"

"Hmph. You should be grateful I haven't laid a hand on you."

"Uchiha Madara! Do you even want to become clan leader?"

"That's enough. Jobu, come out. Tell these stubborn old fossils what you intend to do next, and explain the plan you proposed."

The elders all started and turned toward the figure who opened the door.

There was more than one exceptional member of the Uchiha Clan's younger generation. Besides Uchiha Madara, who already possessed the strength of a clan leader, there was another young man whose abilities and strength stood out. His peers called him the "Star."

They meant that Uchiha Jobu was like a star lighting the way for travelers in the dark: someone who could guide the Uchiha Clan through the night.

"I'm here. As the clan leader ordered, I'll speak from this point on. Do any of you elders object?"

"Well..."

"Or do you think I'm not qualified to speak?"

"Enough. Go ahead. If you can convince us old men, we'll recognize Madara as clan leader."

Uchiha Jobu laid out the plan he had prepared long ago. If carried out properly, it could change the balance of power in the Ninja World and raise the Uchiha Clan to its strongest force.

One elder frowned. "Can this plan really succeed?"

It was so vast that even elders who had lived for decades could not help doubting it.

"Of course it can," Uchiha Jobu said calmly. "Why would I devise it otherwise? We've already completed part of it. We stopped taking missions, then brought the Hagoromo Clan into the Uchiha under the name of an alliance. The first stage is done."

The plan was to establish a Ninja Village.

In the story, the founding of a Ninja Village had done tremendous harm to the Uchiha Clan. It had nearly led to their extermination.

But as things stood now, establishing a Ninja Village was undoubtedly the best way to change the Ninja World.

Shinobi clans fought their own battles. They had no sensible squad structure. When they accepted a mission, several members of the same clan would usually carry it out together.

A Ninja Village would let shinobi undertake missions in standardized squads.

Each squad would have an experienced shinobi as its captain and three members with different strengths: perhaps a fighter, someone skilled in reconnaissance or medical care, and a third member to handle other needs.

Uchiha Jobu discreetly shifted his gaze away from Uchiha Madara. He was certain Madara and Senju Hashirama had known each other since childhood. A Ninja Village was bound to emerge someday. Rather than set aside their feud and build it with the Senju Clan, the Uchiha Clan would be better off carrying out the Ninja Village Plan on its own.

"I thought about it for a long time after Jobu told me his plan," Uchiha Madara said. "I believe he's right. Someday, Ninja Villages will replace clans as they exist now."

"Very well. We'll leave the clan to you two. We hope you'll lead it far."

After hearing the full Ninja Village Plan, the elders understood what it meant. If it succeeded, Ninja Villages would replace the shinobi clans. The age when a single clan could dominate a region would become a thing of the past.

Several shinobi clans would come together to form one vast force: a Ninja Village. Its shinobi would be assigned to squads according to their strengths, making missions more efficient than when members of a single clan carried them out.

Uchiha Madara was privately relieved when the elders relented. He also found himself thinking of a friend he had met beside a river as a child. By now, that friend should have become his clan's leader too.

The elders left one by one. Then Uchiha Madara said, "Jobu, when we put the plan into motion, could we bring the Senju Clan into it too?"

The Senju Clan?

So he still hasn't forgotten Senju Hashirama. Their clans had been enemies for centuries, and members on both sides had spilled each other's blood. Yet Uchiha Madara still considered Senju Hashirama a friend. He would not have asked otherwise.

Building a Shinobi Village Era together with the Senju meant one person could not be avoided: a man who could stand in the sunlight yet chose to place himself in darkness.

Tobirama Senju!

The Second Naruto of the Hidden Leaf Village.

A man who ushered in Konoha's golden age and possessed extraordinary talent. He alone created countless ninjutsu.

He was also known as the master of forbidden techniques.