The Naka River under Moonlight

Moonlit shadows swayed. It was already deep into the night.

Only those manning the watch posts and the night patrols were still awake.

Since negotiations had begun, the two clans had first signed a ceasefire agreement for the duration of the talks, each withdrawing two or three li from the battle line.

The Naka River enjoyed a rare moment of peace that year.

Madara Uchiha had just sat down by the river and picked up a stone to toy with between his fingers.

When he looked up, he saw a figure drifting toward him from the woods across the river, waving, his long black hair disheveled in the night breeze.

Madara Uchiha closed his eyes briefly, unable to bear the sight. If he hadn't recognized Hashirama Senju at a glance, he would have mistaken that thing for a female ghost.

In the instant his eyes were closed, Hashirama Senju had already crossed the river and sat down beside him.

"Long time no see, Madara," Hashirama Senju said.

Madara Uchiha sighed. "We parted less than twenty-four hours ago."

"Really?" Hashirama Senju widened his eyes and said innocently, "But it feels like ages. What do they call it... one day apart feels like three years."

Goosebumps rose all over Madara Uchiha. He shoved Hashirama Senju. "Could you be any more disgusting? Spare me the sappy nonsense."

Hashirama Senju chuckled. "What's sappy about it? You're my divine revelation, Madara. Meeting here tonight means we were thinking the same thing, doesn't it?"

Madara Uchiha couldn't stand any more of that. He sprang to his feet.

"Wait, wait, wait..." Hashirama Senju immediately moved to stop him. "If you leave, who am I supposed to talk to?"

Madara rolled his eyes at him. "Whatever you have to say, say it at the negotiating table."

"What I want to say isn't something I can bring to the negotiating table," Hashirama Senju said.

Madara Uchiha folded his arms and tipped his chin at him. "What is it?"

Hashirama Senju lowered his voice, putting on a mysterious air. "I brought my son."

Madara Uchiha raised an eyebrow. That little bastard Setsuna really did guess right.

Watching Madara's expression, Hashirama Senju asked, "Why aren't you surprised?"

"Sarutobi brought his son too," Madara Uchiha said. "Obviously, he wants him to build a relationship with the Senju heir."

Hashirama Senju's eyes widened. "You figured even that out?" He studied Madara Uchiha closely. "You never used to handle this sort of detailed intelligence analysis."

Madara Uchiha gave him a cold look. "What, you think I'm incapable of analyzing intelligence?"

Hashirama Senju hastily shook his head. "How could I underestimate you? It's just that neither of us is cut out for intelligence analysis. Tobirama handles that in my family. On your side, it's Izuna, right?"

Madara Uchiha snorted, keeping Setsuna's contribution to himself.

"You brought your son somewhere this dangerous," Madara Uchiha said. "Aren't you afraid something might happen?"

"We've already reached the negotiation stage," Hashirama said. "With us watching over things, nothing serious will happen."

Madara Uchiha gave no answer either way.

"Seriously," Hashirama said, "I brought my son because I wanted him to meet your heir. It would lay the groundwork for friendship between the next generation."

Madara Uchiha froze. The proposal to make Setsuna the young clan head was recent; it wasn't even common knowledge within the Uchiha. How had Hashirama found out?

Hashirama noticed Madara's uncertainty. He slapped his knee. "My younger brother told me."

Hashirama Senju explained at an unhurried pace. "Tobirama said he encountered a squad escorting children back to the Uchiha from Hagoromo a few days ago. At first, he intercepted them because he thought they were carrying classified intelligence. Later, he decided they were probably escorting someone important back to the clan. Since there was a remarkably outstanding young child among them, he concluded that the child had to be a candidate for the position of Uchiha young clan head."

Madara Uchiha sneered. "Your brother certainly knows how to spend his energy keeping tabs on other people's children."

Inwardly, though, he frowned. Setsuna's intelligence analysis and willingness to use any means necessary were exactly like the younger Senju brother's. He really had no idea where that little bastard had learned it. There was none of the forthrightness of the Uchiha, who had always preferred facing their opponents head-on.

Hashirama Senju, however, knew that Madara Uchiha had tacitly admitted the child was indeed his heir, and his expression brightened.

He said teasingly, "Let's pick a day for the two children to get acquainted. If they play together and build a friendship from childhood, things certainly won't be as difficult for them as they are for us when they become clan heads. Our clans might even enter an alliance outright."

Madara Uchiha glanced at Hashirama Senju.

This man was still absurdly naive, always imagining the best possible outcome without considering whether Setsuna's temperament suited the plan at all.

The thought of his own little rebel made Madara Uchiha frown.

The child was clever, courageous, adaptable, and loyal to his comrades. Those were his strengths.

But he had plenty of flaws too: he was shortsighted, focused only on immediate victories and defeats, ruthless toward enemies, and completely uninterested in peace talks.

In that child's mind, there seemed to be only friends and enemies. His understanding of war was apparently that either the enemy exterminated his clan, or he wiped out the enemy's entire family.

He was extreme and radical, magnifying both the Uchiha's strengths and their flaws to the utmost.

He looked away, thinking that Hashirama Senju had no idea the little bastard Setsuna had been contemplating kidnapping his son earlier that day to deal a blow to Senju morale.

If Setsuna really met Naoki, there was no telling what the boy might do with those extreme ideas of his.

Noticing Madara's concern, Hashirama Senju asked in confusion, "What, don't you think it's a good idea?"

Madara shook his head. "Forget it. That child just lost his parents. He's still unsettled. If we rush into having him meet Naoki, I'm worried he might hurt him."

Hashirama Senju couldn't help laughing. "Tobirama said that, judging by his build, the child couldn't be older than six. My son is already eight. You think my son can't handle a little boy more than two years younger than him?"

"But don't worry," Hashirama Senju added. "My son is a gentle boy. He certainly won't bully that child."

"That's far from certain," Madara Uchiha said, turning his face away. "Your son might end up with that little bastard trampling all over him."

Hashirama Senju didn't believe it. "Oh? You have that much faith in your heir?"

"I'm saying this precisely because I don't trust his temperament," Madara Uchiha said. "That child is rebellious to the core."

Hashirama Senju raised an eyebrow. "More rebellious than you?"

Madara Uchiha clicked his tongue in irritation. "Do you even know how to talk to people?"

Hashirama Senju raised his hands in surrender.

Only then did Madara Uchiha continue. "Today, Izuna told that child the Daimyo had a hand in the war between the Senju and Hagoromo. Guess what he said?"

"What?" Hashirama Senju asked.

"'Are kings and nobles born to rule?'" Madara Uchiha said. "He wants to overthrow the Daimyo and become the Daimyo himself."

Hashirama Senju stared wide-eyed in disbelief. "That's so..."

"That's why I said your son couldn't handle him," Madara Uchiha said.

The night breeze swept over the water, breaking the moon's reflection into shimmering fragments.

They were silent for a moment before Hashirama Senju spoke. "Sometimes, I also think it's pretty irritating to have a Daimyo above us who's always looking to stir up conflict."

Madara Uchiha murmured in agreement.

The two fell silent again.

After a long while, Madara Uchiha spoke. "Whatever happens, since we both want peace, the Daimyo is an obstacle we can't get around."

Hashirama Senju looked at him and asked uncertainly, "You mean... choose one of the Daimyo's sons who's sympathetic to shinobi, then help him take power?"

Madara Uchiha glared at him. "I didn't say that." He snorted. "Besides, even if he seems sympathetic to shinobi now and courts our support to get him into power, we won't be able to control what he does afterward. He'll be the Daimyo above us."

Hashirama lowered his head and sighed helplessly. "True."

"Personally, I don't think overthrowing the Daimyo would be such a bad thing," Madara said.

Hashirama instantly straightened. "Don't talk nonsense!"

Madara continued, "I just haven't figured out how this world would function after we overthrew the Daimyo. Things might be uncomfortable for everyone now, but on the scale of the whole continent, it's all minor skirmishing."

Hashirama nodded. "That's why it's best not to act until we have a sound plan. Who knows what chaos would follow the Daimyo's downfall? Then the Daimyo of the other four countries could claim that a shinobi rebellion in the Land of Fire had destabilized its rule, and openly invade the Land of Fire to carve up its territory. They'd have a legitimate reason to issue mobilization orders to every shinobi clan to march against us. We'd become everyone's target."

Madara Uchiha nodded. "So we can't act yet."