That night, unrest stirred within the Uchiha Clan.
In his capacity as clan head, Madara Uchiha ordered every clan member to gather in the Uchiha District immediately for a meeting. Everyone currently in Konoha had to attend, from the oldest elders to the youngest children, without exception.
Watanabe Ichiro, who had been idling at the training grounds, also received notice of the emergency meeting and immediately set off for the Uchiha District.
He encountered other Uchiha clan members along the way, but they looked bewildered, with no idea what had happened. Those who ran into friends gathered to whisper among themselves, asking one another why the meeting had been called. Unfortunately, no one knew what Madara Uchiha intended to do.
Because of the distance, Watanabe Ichiro was among the last to arrive. By the time he reached the Uchiha District, the meeting hall was already packed.
Madara Uchiha sat cross-legged in the highest seat, his eyes closed, stroking the Gunbai-the weapon said to have been made from the God Tree.
Watanabe Ichiro found a corner to sit in and pondered Madara Uchiha's motives. He had a feeling that a major plot event was about to unfold.
Almost every Uchiha clan member who could make it had arrived at the Assembly Hall. Some were away on missions, and Madara Uchiha had not sent anyone to notify them.
His bitter parting with Hashirama that evening had made him want to resolve this issue as soon as possible. Seeing that nearly everyone had arrived, he stood, propped the Gunbai beside him, and raised his right hand.
The quiet murmuring vanished at once. The clan members fell silent, watching solemnly as every gaze settled on him.
"Everyone, I have gathered you here today to put a grand plan for peace into action!"
He spoke slowly, sweeping his gaze over those present.
Watanabe Ichiro's eyes lit up at the somewhat familiar opening. His suspicions had become reality. The balance of power in Konoha was about to change: Madara Uchiha wanted to rally his clan to unify the Shinobi World by force.
Sure enough, what Madara Uchiha said next differed little from what he had discussed with Hashirama Senju.
Watanabe Ichiro pretended to listen attentively, but his attention was on the reactions of the clan members in the hall.
The elderly clan elders frowned, their resistance written plainly across their faces.
The younger members reacted in different ways. Some looked starry-eyed, their faces full of longing; some lowered their heads as though deep in thought; others shook their heads slightly, openly disagreeing.
Overall, however, those opposed were in the majority.
The Uchiha of this world were completely different from those in the original story.
First, the Uchiha in this world had established relations with the Senju Clan as equals. In the original story, their alliance had been formed after Uchiha Izuna died in battle, Madara Uchiha was defeated, and the Uchiha clan members surrendered. Different circumstances naturally meant different levels of influence and different divisions of benefits.
The most obvious example was that Hashirama Senju could put Madara Uchiha in the seat of First Hokage in this world, whereas in the original story, even if Hashirama Senju wanted to step aside for him, he could not convince everyone to accept it.
Who among the Senju would accept Madara Uchiha, a man defeated by Hashirama Senju, as their leader? The conflict between the Senju and Uchiha would only intensify, defeating the entire purpose of their alliance.
On top of that, policies introduced when the village was founded in this world, such as permitting interclan marriages, had made marriageable Uchiha men and women highly sought after. Love letters and marriage proposals practically clogged the gaps beneath every Uchiha household's door.
The Uchiha Clan's standing in the village even seemed to edge above that of the Senju Clan. Who would not want their children to have a chance of awakening the Sharingan?
Thus, almost every Uchiha clan member in Konoha enjoyed respect, admiration, and goodwill. Asking them now to leave everything they already had to wage war abroad and conquer other countries... perhaps only children going through their self-important phase, dreaming of making a name for themselves, and people addicted to war would choose that path.
The power of the Uchiha had blinded him, leaving him utterly unable to see the needs of his weaker clan members.
When Uchiha Izuna had been there to assist him, he had still had a channel of communication with his clan. Now, with Izuna gone, he had become completely disconnected from them.
When Madara Uchiha finished speaking, silence filled the hall.
Supported by someone beside him, the oldest clan elder shakily rose to his feet.
"Clan head, this peace was hard-won. The Uchiha Clan needs time to rest and recover."
"Exactly, clan head. And even if we conquer them, what would the Uchiha gain?"
"We cannot be the clan that takes the initiative to shatter the peace!"
"I think our lives are quite good as they are."
"People die in war. I don't want my only remaining child to die like my parents, my husband, and his older brothers..."
"A brief peace is good enough. Leave lasting peace to future generations. We don't need to worry about it..."
With several elders taking the lead, the clan members began voicing their opinions all at once. Even some youths who had initially been fired up remembered the horrors of war and the pain of never having enough to eat. It was like a bucket of cold water over their heads, and they began to reconsider.
Madara Uchiha's expression grew darker as he listened to his clan members. A bunch of cowardly, shortsighted fools who care only about comfort. Not one of them understands my intentions. If Izuna were here...
A mighty god could not understand ordinary people's daily struggle to put food on the table, just as the powerful in their lofty positions could not understand the hardship and heartache of the poor.
All he saw was his clan members shrinking back, and he deemed them cowards unfit for anything important.
But he failed to realize that a battle he could win effortlessly would be certain death for an ordinary clan member.
A goal he could achieve with a little effort was an almost insurmountable gulf for ordinary members of his clan.
It was like an older relative who had practiced martial arts for years and was a formidable fighter saying, "I can't stand that boxing champion Tyson. Come with me tomorrow, and we'll beat him up. I'll fight him, and you fight his underlings." Probably no one would follow, and they would think there was something seriously wrong with his head.
Madara Uchiha thought he could persuade his clan with grand promises, but he had clearly failed.
Hardship kept people alive; comfort led them to ruin. When the world outside was peaceful and free of danger, far too few people could remain mindful of future threats.
Looking around Konoha, probably only Tobirama Senju would agree with his views. Unfortunately, Madara Uchiha trusted his own clan members more than he trusted Tobirama Senju.
Madara Uchiha swept a disappointed gaze across the hall before fixing his eyes on the Uchiha's third-in-command, Uchiha Kagami-the man he had entrusted with clan affairs when he left the Uchiha District to track down [Black Zetsu].
Uchiha Kagami did not dare meet his gaze and lowered his head in shame.
The girl he loved was already three months pregnant. He could not support Madara Uchiha's bold and dangerous plan.
Once a man started a family and became a father, he had someone to worry about. Often, he could no longer do whatever he pleased; he had to consider the consequences and what the future might bring.
Family was both warm companionship and a shackle binding one's hands and feet-a sweet burden.
Useless.
Madara Uchiha cursed inwardly.
As he scanned the crowd, an ardent gaze caught his attention. He turned toward it, and a distinctive white-haired figure came into view.
Who is that?
Madara Uchiha searched his memory, and a somewhat unfamiliar name slipped from his lips.
"Uchiha... Ichiro?"
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