The clan head who betrayed his own people

Shinhiko Kōzuki's admiration deepened as he watched Madara Uchiha bow respectfully to him.

Over the past day and a half, he had learned that Madara Uchiha was a young prodigy of terrifying strength. Yet despite his exceptional talent, the boy remained humble. With Shinhiko Kōzuki's guidance, a child like him would surely become an asset to the Kōzuki Family in time.

"Before I answer your second question, Itachi, let me ask you something. Suppose you discovered a man so weak-willed that no matter how you bullied him, he would only back down. If that man possessed an immense fortune, with neither laws nor morals to restrain others, how much of his wealth do you think he could keep?"

The answer was beyond doubt: others would divide up every last bit of his wealth. But Madara Uchiha knew Shinhiko Kōzuki would not waste his breath telling pointless stories. With Madara's quick wit, Shinhiko needed only to offer a slight hint for him to understand the deeper meaning.

"The Land of Fire is like someone carrying a priceless treasure. That treasure is its territory and its people. In the struggle between nations, laws and morality offer no real restraint. If those governing a nation do nothing but show weakness and give way, other countries will see it as a helpless child carrying riches. They won't pity you. They'll race to exploit you, afraid that if they fall a step behind the others, their own share will shrink."

As Shinhiko listened to Madara Uchiha's answer, his admiration for the boy grew further. A child who was powerful, intelligent, and even so handsome was hard not to like.

"My lord, you advocate war because this country needs someone to do so. If a country suffers a loss and no one issues a warning or