Talking Peace, a Wild Fantasy

Talking Peace, a Wild Fantasy

Using a Shadow Clone for the talks while hiding his real body in a corner looked very ninja-like, but the main reason was that Tobirama Senju understood his own strength clearly. Knowing he was no match, he had prepared a Shadow Clone in advance.

So, hidden in the corner, he listened to Uchiha Shangwu's provocative words without the slightest emotional fluctuation. There was not even a trace of anger.

A true ninja needed to learn to control his own emotions, including anger.

Anyone who could not even control his own emotions was not suited to becoming a ninja.

Seeing that the Shadow Clone made no move, Uchiha Shangwu revealed a look of disdain. He swept a contemptuous glance across the river, hoping to draw out the hidden Tobirama Senju with that expression.

"Since we're here to talk, shouldn't we meet openly? Sending out only a Shadow Clone is a bit too arrogant, isn't it?"

Tobirama Senju's Shadow Clone said, "I won't be swayed by words. If you want to lure me out this way, you can give up."

He had merely decided to give it a try, and failure meant nothing. Seeing that the Shadow Clone across the river did not react at all, Uchiha Shangwu only felt a flicker of disappointment. His face showed no unwillingness.

As though they had reached an unspoken understanding, he and the Shadow Clone across the river fell silent.

Elsewhere.

Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama arrived at the place where they had practiced taijutsu as children. Looking down at the vast, emerald-green forest below, both of them could not help recalling memories of their childhood.

Uchiha Madara said, "All right, let's talk here. Tell me what you wanted to say."

Senju Hashirama said excitedly, "Madara, do you remember the future we imagined together as children? Back then, I thought that if we could truly reconcile and put aside our hatred for one another, we should come here and build a place where everyone could live together."

"Heh, give it up. The hatred between the Uchiha and Senju Clan will never be cast aside. And that future we spoke of as children—do you really think it could come true?

You should know perfectly well what this world is like. War is everywhere, and death covers the land.

So peace is simply impossible."

The Warring States Era's brutal living conditions were a reality no ninja of that era could escape. To survive, they had to risk their lives.

The Uchiha Clan might have been one of the strongest ninja clans in the Land of Fire during the Warring States Era, but for the sake of survival, men, women, the elderly, and children alike were destined to die on the battlefield.

Uchiha Madara still remembered learning as a child that his younger cousin had died while carrying out a mission. In that instant, he completely understood what kind of era the Warring States Era truly was. Only the strong had the right to live.

So from that time onward, Uchiha Madara trained like a madman. To increase his strength as much as possible, he neglected neither ninjutsu nor taijutsu, and even kept his genjutsu at the highest level among the younger generation.

Yet hearing his good friend Senju Hashirama once again speak of the future they had imagined as children stirred his heart. If an era of peace truly could exist, the members of his clan could grow up safely. They would not have to go to the battlefield for the clan at the age of six or seven, as he had.

"It will, Madara. Believe me. As long as the two of us join forces, we can definitely bring peace."

"Then we'll build a huge village here. Besides the members of our two clans, many other people will live there too. No one will have to worry about the flames of war reaching them. There will be lots of children playing happily in the streets, with full bellies. No one will starve to death again."

"Believe me, Madara! I truly, truly want to join hands with you and create peace in the Ninja World! As long as we can put aside the hatred between the Senju Clan and Uchiha Clan, the other ninja clans will see hope. They'll be willing to believe in us, sit down and reconcile, and create true peace with us!"

Having witnessed the Warring States Era's incomparably harsh living conditions and lost his young brother on the battlefield, Senju Hashirama likewise understood the importance of strength.

But in Senju Hashirama's heart, becoming stronger was for the sake of creating peace—for building a village where everyone could live together, enjoy tranquil days, trust one another, and never have to fear war again.

Uchiha Madara pondered for a moment. "You're too naive. If just a few words from you and me could decide the future of two clans, then they would not have fought continuously from hundreds of years ago until now."

Uchiha Madara still did not believe they could truly trust each other. On one hand, he understood firsthand just how cruel the Warring States Era was. Trying to change the current situation with only two clans was nothing more than a wild fantasy.

On the other hand, nearly every member of the Uchiha Clan bore blood feuds with the Senju Clan. Hatred like that could not be put aside with just a few words.

Likewise, although the Senju Clan called itself the "Clan of Love," in reality, not a single Senju ninja was softhearted. On the battlefield, either they killed their enemies or they were killed.

Therefore.

Uchiha Clan ninjas were stained with the blood of Senju Clan ninjas.

Senju Clan ninjas had their hands covered in the blood of Uchiha Clan ninjas.

If the hatred between the two clans could be so easily talked away, they would not have fought for hundreds of years.

Senju Hashirama knew it would be difficult. He understood even more clearly how unrealistic his idea was—more fantastical than a wild fantasy.

Uchiha Shangwu did not know what Senju Hashirama would say to Uchiha Madara, but based on his understanding of Senju Hashirama from the story, he could easily guess that Senju Hashirama wanted to bring up the future he and Uchiha Madara had imagined as children and persuade Uchiha Madara to lead the Uchiha Clan in putting aside their hatred.

What was there to say about that?

All he could say was that sanctimonious kindness deserved death.

They were supposed to set aside a thousand years of blood feud with just a few words? Then what had those Uchiha clansmen who died at the hands of the Senju Clan given their lives for?

Perhaps the greatest culprit was Black Zetsu, the most insidious bastard in the entire Ninja World. But Uchiha Shangwu did not even know where Black Zetsu was now, and he had no desire to waste time searching for him. He would rather spend that time improving his strength.

Once the time came, Black Zetsu would appear. Whether to deceive Uchiha Madara or arrange something else, he would always leave traces behind.

The silence between Uchiha Shangwu and Tobirama Senju lasted until Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara returned together.

Uchiha Madara said, "Let's go. We're returning to the clan."

Uchiha Shangwu did not ask what Uchiha Madara had discussed with Senju Hashirama. It was probably close to what he had guessed anyway—nothing more than hatred, peace, and dreams.