Hashirama's Decision

Madara Uchiha's departure shook the entire Konoha Ninja Village. The recruitment of disciples was delayed as a result, and no one continued training at the Konoha Academy. Everyone returned to their clans to wait for Hashirama to deal with the matter.

Since they parted that day, Kazemori Masaki had not seen Kagami Uchiha again. According to the others, Kagami seemed to have been implicated, leaving his standing within his clan in jeopardy. He could lose his position as heir to the clan leadership at any moment. Although Masaki believed that nothing too serious could happen to Kagami, who would become Tobirama's disciple, he was less confident that Kagami could retain his position as heir. After all, the manga had never mentioned whether Kagami succeeded as Clan Head.

As the Kazemori Clan's representative, Masaki had at least personally attended the entire process of establishing the Shinobi Village's founding agreement—even if he had no say and merely watched from the sidelines. He knew that even the Hokage, the village's leader, could not interfere in a clan's internal decisions. That was the foundation of mutual trust, so whether Kagami could inherit leadership of the Uchiha Clan was a matter for the Uchiha Clan alone to decide.

Zhenghui could only pray that Kagami's supporters within the Uchiha Clan could prevail over the opposing faction. Kagami had been the heir for years, after all, and with his gentle disposition, he could hardly have been without supporters. Had they not used Madara's departure against him, no one could have brought him down.

With the matter still unresolved, Masaki lost the inclination to train. He spent his days at home with Satomi instead, and the two enjoyed a few leisurely days together.

Although Satomi belonged to the Senju Clan, she was very young. After Hashirama succeeded as Clan Head, he had forbidden children from taking part in battles. Thus, she had never fought anyone from the Uchiha Clan, let alone developed any deep-seated hatred toward them. Her poor impression of the Uchiha Clan came only from her clan's influence.

Zhenghui, however, held no prejudice against Kagami. Through his conversations with Satomi, he led her to see Kagami as a good person, and she expressed concern over the trouble Kagami was facing.

"We can only wait and see what Lord Hashirama does," Masaki said. "When the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan made peace, relations between them should have improved. But Madara's departure has all but wiped out the progress they made."

"What was he thinking? He was the one who made peace with our clan, yet after the village was founded, he was also the one who opposed us." Satomi could not understand Madara's behavior.

Zhenghui fell silent for a moment before saying, "I suppose their personalities simply clashed. Back then, Lord Hashirama moved him enough that he agreed to make peace with the Senju Clan. But his ideals were too different from Lord Hashirama's. A moment of emotion couldn't erase their differences. I'm afraid things would have ended up like this no matter what."

Zhenghui knew that Madara had been misled by the stone tablet altered by Black Zetsu, Kaguya Otsutsuki's third son. Ultimately, however, the problem lay in Madara's own personality. Had he not wanted to settle everything once and for all and directly achieve the peace he envisioned, how could the tablet have deceived him?

Hashirama believed that peace could not be achieved overnight. Even if their generation failed, the next would inherit their ideals. With that will passed down from generation to generation, peace would eventually become a reality. Madara, however, did not believe this. He had long since lost faith in reality and wanted only a path that would resolve everything once and for all.

Masaki withheld judgment on whether Madara's thinking was right. He was not qualified to judge Madara as he was now. Madara had lived far longer than he had, and Masaki had never witnessed the realities Madara had seen, so he could not pass judgment.

When it came to whether Infinite Tsukuyomi was right, however, Masaki could say without hesitation that it was wrong. Without the schemes behind it, he would not have been able to judge whether it truly suited this world. But since Infinite Tsukuyomi would turn people into White Zetsu, and the shadow of an Otsutsuki resurrection lurked behind it, he had to oppose it.

After hearing Masaki's explanation, Satomi understood why Madara had chosen to leave the village. "I hope Lord Hashirama can handle this properly," she murmured. "I don't want Konoha to disappear just like that."

"Don't worry. It won't," Masaki said with a smile, taking Satomi's hand. He had never doubted that, not for a moment.

A few days later, Hashirama, the First Hokage, invited every Ninja Clan head to a High-Level Meeting. Everyone knew that Hashirama was about to make his stance clear, and that it would determine the future of the Konoha Shinobi Village.

Thus, every ninja clan head came to the Hokage Building and entered the room reserved for village-wide meetings. Although Masaki was his clan's only member, he was still the head of the Kazemori Clan, so he came as well.

The Kazemori Family Head held little standing, however, and his assigned seat was quite far back in the room. Zhenghui said nothing and went straight to his seat without approaching anyone to talk. The other clan heads were all around thirty, and he had little acquaintance with them.

No, he was not entirely without someone his own age. Zhenghui spotted Kagami sitting in the seat assigned to the Uchiha Clan. Until Kagami's removal as heir was formally announced, he remained the Uchiha Clan's representative.

Noticing Kazemori Masaki's gaze, Kagami Uchiha smiled and nodded to him. Kazemori Masaki understood. Judging by Kagami Uchiha's demeanor, there was no need to worry anymore.

Once everyone had taken their seats, Hashirama and Tobirama entered the room together. Tobirama went to the seat representing the Senju Clan, while Hashirama took the Hokage's seat. This made it clear that Hashirama was presiding not as a representative of the Senju Clan, but as the leader of the entire village.

Hashirama slowly swept his gaze over the assembled clan heads. First, he stated that Madara had not betrayed the village, but had chosen to leave. Regardless of whether the others believed or agreed with him, Hashirama established how Madara's departure was to be regarded. He then addressed the rumors circulating over the past few days, angrily declaring them utterly baseless. There had only been a few misunderstandings between the Uchiha Clan and the village, never any profound conflict. Those rumors were complete nonsense.

At this point, Kagami rose to affirm Hashirama's words. He stated that the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan had always been friends. No matter what happened, the Uchiha Clan was part of the Konoha Ninja Village and would never break away.

Immediately afterward, Tobirama announced that he would take Kagami Uchiha as his disciple. His declaration sent shock waves through every clan head present. A disciple was effectively the inheritor of his teacher's legacy, someone trusted without reservation. By saying this before everyone, Tobirama was making it clear that the alliance between the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan remained firm.

That was not all. Hashirama then announced that he intended to betroth his youngest daughter to Kagami. With Madara gone, no one remained who could prevent a marriage alliance between the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan. Hashirama could now bring the two clans closer together without any resistance.

Kagami Uchiha, however, politely declined. He had already entered into an engagement with Madara as a witness. Although the marriage had not yet taken place and Kagami Uchiha could break off the engagement at any time, he felt that he should honor his promise rather than hurt the girl's feelings. Besides, there was a considerable age gap between him and Hashirama's youngest daughter, and he did not want to hold her back.

Hashirama knew that Kagami was already engaged. But Madara's departure had dealt him such a heavy blow that he had become impatient to strengthen the ties between their clans, and a marriage alliance was undoubtedly the best means. Still, with Kagami refusing him in front of the other clan heads, Hashirama could only accept it. After calming down a little, he also realized that he had been too hasty, and his admiration for Kagami deepened. Not everyone could remain faithful to an engagement when offered the powerful bloodline of the Senju Clan, especially through his own daughter. This young man truly was admirable.

Hashirama nodded and offered Kagami Uchiha a few words of praise, then expressed his hope that Kagami Uchiha would soon succeed as Clan Head. After all, the Uchiha Clan could not go even a day without a Clan Head.

His purpose in saying this was to give Kagami Uchiha more leverage. Although the Hokage could not interfere in clan affairs, his personal influence could still help wavering members of the Uchiha Clan make the right decision. After all, the Hokage had personally expressed his wish for Kagami Uchiha to become the Uchiha Clan's Clan Head. Since Madara himself had designated Kagami Uchiha as his successor, this would not look like interference in clan affairs. Kagami Uchiha's supporters had also received reassurance, which should allow them to prevail over the opposition within the clan.

At this, Kazemori Masaki breathed a sigh of relief. The village's crisis of trust had been resolved, and Kagami Uchiha had received crucial backing. It was now all but certain that Kagami Uchiha could smoothly succeed as Clan Head.

(End of chapter)