Humored like a child

Follower?

Shisui Uchiha, who had already officially become a ninja, found Madara Uchiha's words somewhat absurd. Even if you are the clan leader's son, the Uchiha Clan isn't the Hyuga Clan. We have no main and branch families. Everyone in the Uchiha Clan is equal. Shisui would not become Madara Uchiha's tagalong simply because he was the clan leader's son.

Shisui Uchiha raised his head, about to argue, but the imperious aura radiating from Madara Uchiha made him feel a trace of awe toward the little boy despite himself.

Shisui Uchiha did not understand. Uchiha Itachi was clearly only four years old, so why did the pressure he felt from him surpass even that of the Third Hokage?

"Your reflexes are good, and your Taijutsu is decent, but you're using your blade wrong."

As Madara Uchiha offered Shisui pointers, he gestured for him to hand over his blade. Under Madara Uchiha's gaze, Shisui handed over his Ninja Blade in a daze.

The four-year-old picked up the short sword, which was almost as tall as he was. Although Madara Uchiha had been training diligently, only after taking the short sword did he realize that his small stature made it impossible for him to wield it one-handed. Once he realized this, he switched to a two-handed grip.

"I'm still young. I haven't figured out one-handed swordsmanship, but I do have some insight into two-handed slashes."

Shisui Uchiha's performance had genuinely stirred Madara Uchiha's appreciation for talent. Besides, although Shisui was older than Madara Uchiha's current body, he was still a child, so Madara felt no need to guard himself around him. Holding the blade with both hands, Madara Uchiha demonstrated several slashing stances that showed how to put force into a strike. They were only a few corrections to his posture, but when Shisui copied Madara Uchiha's movements and slashed, he immediately discovered that these stances made his blade at least thirty percent faster.

"That's amazing, Itachi! How did you know to put force into your swings like that? Did the clan leader teach you?"

Although he had only been taught a few stances, Shisui was confident that once he fully mastered them, his actual combat ability would rise a whole level. For a four-year-old to have such a profound understanding of weapons, Shisui instinctively assumed that Madara Uchiha had learned these sword stances from Uchiha Fugaku.

"Does that really need teaching? The moment I saw your blade, I knew how to use it. Unlike you, I'm a genius."

Ever since childhood, Shisui's exceptional talent had left all his peers far behind and earned him praise from the village's jonin. This was the first time someone had boasted about their talent to his face. For a moment, he was almost dazed. Now he finally understood how those ordinary children who could never master ninjutsu had viewed him when he was younger.

That's right. Since he's a genius, ordinary people naturally can't understand how he thinks.

Shisui Uchiha studied Madara Uchiha carefully, then smiled.

It looks like our Uchiha Clan is about to produce a genius who will leave everyone speechless. I wonder which of them is more gifted, this child or Lord Minato Namikaze.

"A follower it is, then. Well, Uchiha Itachi, I suppose we're acquainted now. I look forward to learning from you."

In the afternoon sunlight, Shisui Uchiha held out his hand to Madara Uchiha. Faced with Shisui Uchiha's friendly gesture, Madara Uchiha shook his hand in acknowledgment, but for some reason, Shisui's bright, cheerful smile left him with a strange feeling.

Damn it, he's humoring me like a child!

Only after Shisui and Madara Uchiha finished training, when Shisui smoothly hoisted the exhausted Madara Uchiha onto his back, did Madara finally realize what had felt so strange about their interactions.

Although Shisui acknowledged Madara Uchiha's strength, he clearly saw Madara more as a little brother who needed looking after than as a powerful leader.

It was all because he was only four now. Once again, Madara Uchiha found himself missing his strong, imposing body. Unfortunately, he could not get angry with Shisui now. Wouldn't that only make him seem even more like a child throwing a tantrum?

Besides, Madara Uchiha did feel some attachment to being cared for so sincerely. After all, before his rebirth, he had been nothing more than a pitiful fool living within Black Zetsu's lies.

I'll let you off for today. Just wait. Once I'm a little older, you'll be my most loyal subordinate.

Riding on Shisui Uchiha's back, Madara Uchiha pinched Shisui's arm hard. Unfortunately, at four years old, he had very little strength. What he intended as a show of ferocity with all his might felt to Shisui like nothing more than a child seeking affection.

War inevitably erupted on all fronts. As the Land of Lightning's offensive against the Land of Wind intensified, Sunagakure in the Land of Wind was driven back again and again. At the same time, Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning even began extending its reach into the Land of Fire. To prevent Kumogakure from launching a surprise attack on the Land of Fire, Konoha had no choice but to send troops to garrison the border.

But that was not the worst of it. Worse still, over territorial disputes between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth, Iwagakure openly launched a large-scale offensive against the Land of Fire. Konoha had to mobilize yet another large force of ninja to counter Iwagakure's attack.

At the dinner table, as Uchiha Fugaku shared news from outside with his wife, worry written across his face, Madara Uchiha, their son, found it all laughable.

Iwagakure's Tsuchikage should be that brat Ōnoki of Both Scales now, shouldn't he? Since when could a child like him bully Konoha at will?

Hashirama, the Konoha you left behind really has grown worse with every generation.

Come to think of it, he had found and exploited that brat Obito during the fighting against Iwagakure. Unfortunately, Madara Uchiha's body was only four years old now, and heading to the battlefield alone to investigate was still too risky. Otherwise, he would have liked to go straight to the place where he had hidden in his previous life and take a look.

The fighting outside grew larger and larger, and more and more people died. It was not just members of the Uchiha Clan. Every day and night, people from all of Konoha's great clans were parted from their loved ones. At first, Konoha had only conscripted adult ninja. Later, when the adults were no longer enough to fill the gaps left by the war, even children still attending the Ninja Academy were forced to join the fighting. Four-year-old Madara Uchiha sat at Konoha's entrance, watching wave after wave of young people head to the battlefield to die, and his loathing for war welled up once more.