Konoha, the Hokage's office.
Madara turned, his long black robe stirring up a gust as he strode toward the door.
Hashirama Senju abruptly rose, stepped up behind Madara, and clamped a hand firmly onto his shoulder.
Madara stopped and turned his head, shooting Hashirama a sidelong look.
"Madara, don't jump straight to killing every time."
Hashirama grinned, patted Madara's shoulder, and softened his voice.
"The Hyuga Clan never said they wanted to oppose Konoha. They just don't want to join."
"Building a village was always supposed to be voluntary."
"If they want to stay here and build their own village, let them."
The corner of Madara's mouth twitched upward, his gaze as cold as a blade.
"Let go."
He and Hashirama had gone to the Hyuga Clan Compound in person out of respect for the Hyuga.
That Hyuga Clan Leader had told them to their faces that he needed to discuss it, then sent someone the next day to agree to join. Now a new clan leader had popped up and said they weren't coming.
They were making a fool of him.
If there was one thing Madara Uchiha could never tolerate, it was being made a fool of.
Hashirama's hand remained on his shoulder, its grip not loosening in the slightest, that same foolish grin still on his face.
The two stood at an impasse in the doorway.
After a while, Madara ultimately did not shake off Hashirama's hand, nor did he take another step toward the door.
But his expression was frighteningly dark.
Tobirama Senju had remained seated behind the desk without making a sound, watching the two at the door with cold eyes.
To him, Hashirama's remark about letting them do as they pleased had been utterly foolish.
The Hyuga Clan absolutely could not be allowed to establish a separate village in the Land of Fire.
The Land of Fire needed only one Konoha.
If another Hyuga village appeared, a share of the funds the daimyo allocated to the Shinobi Village each year and the missions he assigned would all be diverted to it; even the allegiance of the other ninja clans within the country would begin to waver.
What was more, not only had the Byakugan failed to enter Konoha, it was instead about to establish an independent foothold on the edge of the Land of Fire. That was no different from driving a nail in right under Konoha's nose.
No matter what, the Hyuga could not be allowed to build a village in the Land of Fire.
Tobirama's gaze fell on Madara's slightly trembling fist, held tight against his side, and his eyes darkened.
If Madara truly could not swallow this insult and went to wipe out the Hyuga, he would not say a single word, much less stop him.
That same day, at the Hyuga Clan Compound.
In the Main Family's hall, Shinichi stood alone before a table, studying the map spread across it.
The Land of Fire already had Konoha.
If the Hyuga stayed in the Land of Fire to build a village, they would be competing directly with Konoha for territory and missions, inevitably coming into conflict with the Senju and the Uchiha.
What the Hyuga needed most now was stable development.
The Hyuga had just undergone internal strife. This was precisely when they needed stable development, and they also needed to establish a Shinobi Village. All of that required growth.
If they wasted all their strength on infighting with Konoha, guarding against trouble from Konoha today and competing with it for territory tomorrow, the Hyuga would never be able to develop.
Besides, with the Hyuga Clan's current strength, they were no match for Konoha at all.
Konoha not only had Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha; even the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan alone were more than the Hyuga Clan could handle.
Even counting the Genin, the Hyuga Clan currently had only around three hundred ninja, with fewer than thirty Jonin.
If they really went up against Konoha, the Hyuga Clan would be the ones to suffer.
Shinichi folded up the map of the Land of Fire.
They could no longer stay in the Land of Fire.
The Hyuga needed to leave the Land of Fire for somewhere they could develop in peace.
Shinichi spread the map out fully again, his gaze passing over the Land of Fire's northern border and settling squarely on the area marked as the Land of Rice Fields.
The Land of Rice Fields.
In the original story, after Orochimaru defected from Konoha, he had put down roots in the Land of Rice Fields and established Otogakure.
Those Sound Ninja at the Chunin Ninja Exams, and the Sound Four who later went to fetch Sasuke, had all come from there.
Even a rogue ninja with a band of followers had been able to establish a Shinobi Village in the Land of Rice Fields.
That showed the country was weak enough to have virtually no ninja clans of any significance.
There was also that valley on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rice Fields.
It would later be called the Valley of the End.
Shinichi organized the advantages of establishing a Shinobi Village in the Land of Rice Fields.
First, there were no major ninja clans there.
The Land of Rice Fields was a small country with no ninja clans of any significance within its borders. In past wars, it had relied entirely on hiring wandering ninja from elsewhere.
Once the Hyuga's three hundred-odd ninja entered the Land of Rice Fields, they would be its strongest fighting force and could take charge as soon as they arrived.
Second, there was plenty of food.
As its name suggested, the Land of Rice Fields consisted mostly of plains and rice paddies. Grain was the last thing it lacked.
The Hyuga had over three thousand people, and the grain stored in the Main Family's warehouses would last only three or four months. Moving to the Land of Rice Fields would solve their food problem outright.
Third, its roads led in every direction.
The Land of Rice Fields bordered the Land of Fire to the south, the Land of Hot Water to the east, the Land of Waterfalls to the west, and even the Land of Iron to the north. Travel would be easy in any direction.
Fourth, the daimyo would have little power to restrict them.
The daimyo of the Land of Rice Fields had few troops and little money. If the entire Hyuga Clan settled there, even if he objected, he would not have the clout to interfere.
Shinichi extended a finger and pressed it firmly onto the Land of Rice Fields on the map.
This was where they would go.
But he also understood very well that, sooner or later, that daimyo would step forward to oppose what he planned to do next in the Land of Rice Fields.
Shinichi straightened and called loudly toward the door.
His eldest uncle and the branch family ninja with the scar on his face pushed the door open and entered.
As soon as they came in, they saw the map spread wide across the table, with Shinichi's finger pressed firmly onto the area marked as the Land of Rice Fields.
"The Hyuga won't be building a village in the Land of Fire. We're going north, to the Land of Rice Fields."
Shinichi looked at the two of them, his tone level, leaving no room for discussion.
"I'll take Scarface and three others and set out first thing tomorrow morning. We'll go to the capital of the Land of Rice Fields to meet the daimyo first."
"Uncle, stay behind to guard the compound. Have the clan continue packing as usual and wait for me to return."
"Also, send people to recall all two hundred-odd ninja who are out on missions."
His eldest uncle and Scarface both froze for a moment after hearing this.
But neither asked a single question.
"Yes."
His eldest uncle answered quietly.
Scarface was even more direct. After answering, he turned and headed out to select the others.
Early the next morning, Shinichi left the compound with Scarface and three other branch family ninja, heading north.
His eldest uncle stood alone at the compound's entrance, silently watching their figures recede into the distance.
The five sped through the dense forest, their feet making soft sounds against the branches as they shot forward like arrows.
Scarface and two others led the way with their Byakugan activated, scouting ahead and keeping watch on their surroundings.
After traveling all day, they stopped at the northernmost border of the Land of Fire at dusk.
Ahead lay a sheer-sided valley so deep its bottom could not be seen, the cold wind making their clothes flap.
Shinichi stood at the cliff's edge and glanced down.
This was the Valley of the End from the original story.
He withdrew his gaze and took the lead in leaping down into the valley, crossing straight over the border.
Ahead lay the Land of Rice Fields.
Before you continue