"Tobirama, are you saying we should pin the blame for the war on Father and Uchiha Tajima? Isn't that… a bit inappropriate?" the young Hashirama asked cautiously.
If resurrection jutsu existed in this shinobi world, he honestly feared Butsuma would burst out of his coffin and start cursing them in rage!
"I never said that…" Tobirama shot him a glance, shrugged indifferently, and continued: "Just answer me this—do you want to fight Madara until only one of you is left alive, and watch this world collapse further under the ruin of endless war? Or do you want to build an entirely new order, one without war?"
"Believe me, if Father still had awareness on the other side, once he saw us ending the war for the sake of the Senju clan, he would smile with relief…"
Tobirama spoke without the slightest burden on his conscience. After all, he wasn't familiar with the Butsuma of this timeline. And even if this very timeline's Butsuma were to return—
So what?!
He could show him respect and call him Father in daily life, but when it came to deciding the future of the shinobi world and peace, it would be Tobirama's command that had to be followed!
What old man?
Step aside already!
The young Hashirama stared at Tobirama in shock.
For all this time, Tobirama had always served as Butsuma's right hand. To everyone else, he had seemed to fully embrace their father's doctrine, treating the Uchiha as sworn enemies who could never be spared.
And yet, he had hidden it this deeply? Only after Butsuma's death did he reveal his true face—Tobirama, the Senju clan's greatest pro-Uchiha advocate!
It was unbelievable…
"Alright… alright, Tobirama… I'll follow your lead!" Hashirama admitted. He had suffered so many shocks today that his mind felt like it had been scorched by a raging Fire Release, running hot enough to spew out white smoke.
"You should draft a letter yourself. Write that we're inviting Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Izuna to sit down and talk…"
Tobirama spoke slowly, giving Hashirama's shoulder a firm pat: "To change the Senju and the Uchiha, to change this wretched shinobi world—it all begins with you and me, brother!"
"I understand, Tobirama!"
Hashirama's eyes hardened with resolve. "Leave it to me!"
Tobirama gave a nod, then stepped out of the room.
"I came to this timeline… primarily to help Kazuki collect the Shibai Remains. So, I must bring the Warring States chaos to an end as soon as possible and establish an organization I can use…"
Tobirama narrowed his eyes, gazing into the distance.
"The Uchiha clan shouldn't be my enemy—they should be my allies."
"More importantly, who should I bind with to unlock my strength?"
He pondered quietly.
"What are the conditions for this so-called system's binding? Kazuki never told me…"
This was one of the reasons he wanted to meet with Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Izuna.
Tobirama knew full well his compatibility with the two Uchiha was abysmal—especially Izuna, with whom he was as incompatible as fire and water.
But at the very least, he was confident he could provoke their emotions enough to generate the otherworldly resonance he needed to unlock the seals of spacetime law.
As for finally finding a partner, using the mechanism of his departure from this timeline to carry away the Shibai Remains for Kazuki…
Tobirama had already thought of many ways!
No need for arranged matches—if nothing else worked, forcibly using ocular power to control one wasn't out of the question.
All of it, for Kazuki's sake…
...
Uchiha Clan Grounds.
Madara sat broad-shouldered and imposing in the clan head's seat. His newly awakened Mangekyō Sharingan blazed with raw, domineering power, intensifying the aura of killing intent around him.
Yet when his gaze fell upon his younger sister, Uchiha Izunai, his expression softened.
"Izunai… Hashirama has invited me to peace talks. What do you think?"
He handed her the letter, then asked gently: "How are your injuries?"
"It's nothing, brother… That Senju bastard was lucky enough to cut me once, but I cut him too!"
Izunai waved her hand carelessly, brimming with boldness like a brash man, before pointing at her own eyes.
"This time, I awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. In the next battle, I'll take his life!"
"Peace talks? Nonsense! It must be that Senju Tobirama's trickery. He definitely has some unspeakable scheme!"
With a fierce shout, Uchiha Izuna declared: "Leave it to me, brother! This time, we will not lose!"
"So what you mean is—we pretend to agree, then ambush Hashirama and that bastard Tobirama afterward?"
Uchiha Madara paused in thought, then shook his head with some difficulty.
"Izunai… you know, this is Hashirama's request. If we set a trap and take advantage of it…"
"Wouldn't that be a little wrong? After all, we're friends."
Uchiha Izunai shot her brother an exasperated glance.
Strange—so strange!
The Senju and the Uchiha had been enemies since the previous generation, even thousands of years back, and the battlefield had always been dyed red with their blood.
So how did such a bizarre pair of clan leaders come about?
To speak fairly, Uchiha Izunai would even say their battles could only be described as sickeningly sentimental!
Even on the battlefield, Madara and Senju Hashirama shared an unspoken agreement never to strike directly at each other's close kin.
Years ago, Hashirama's fourth brother, Senju Itama, had been killed in a horrific fashion by several adult Uchiha working together with genjutsu.
When Madara learned of it, though he said nothing at the time, afterward he sought out those Uchiha under the pretense of a friendly spar—and beat each of them to the ground without mercy.
That incident stirred fierce dissatisfaction in Uchiha Tajima. As their father, he furiously scolded Madara, but her brother remained obstinate, never offering a single apology…
Izunai had seen it all. Though she wished to persuade him otherwise, she knew that the moment the matter touched on Hashirama, her brother would sink into an irrational state.
Such behavior was entirely wrong.
After all, those Uchiha who had killed Senju Itama had also lost their own kin at the hands of the Senju.
As the young clan head of the Uchiha, even if Madara had a bond with Hashirama, he should never have worn his feelings so plainly on his face, lashing out in anger on Hashirama's behalf…
And what was more outrageous—after doing all that, Madara never told Hashirama. Instead, he put on a cold, indifferent front, as if Itama's death had been orchestrated by him from the start.
Neither side gained anything from it. Izunai truly had no idea what the point of such an act was!
Even more absurd was Hashirama's reaction. When met with Madara's frigid demeanor, he didn't get angry at all. He only shook his head seriously and said something bizarre like—"Madara, I know this has nothing to do with you."
Standing at the side, Izunai saw with her own eyes the way her brother's lips curled wildly upward at those words, a smile so uncontrollable it looked like not even a Wood Release giant could hold it down…
Sometimes Izunai worried deeply.
If one day she were to meet with misfortune, losing her place as the one who held balance within the Uchiha, could her brother truly unite their clan's hearts and continue resisting the Senju?
Being clan head was a craft—one that required skill.
So long as you weren't unmatched in the world, with an opponent like Senju Hashirama, you also had to consider the feelings of the rest of the clan…
All the more so when, beside the seemingly harmless Senju Hashirama, there lurked the ever-scheming Senju Tobirama—like a venomous snake in the shadows, always waiting for the chance to sink his fangs into the Uchiha!
"Brother… I don't know how many times I've said this to you already. Senju Hashirama might be a decent man, but the Senju clan standing behind him will never yield!"
Uchiha Izunai let out a heavy sigh.
"Now that Father is gone, along with that old bastard Senju Butsuma… you and I have both awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"Brother, I'm certain that bastard Senju Tobirama will bring plenty of forces with him! Maybe Hashirama really does intend to negotiate with you, but the movements of the Senju clan are not his to command. Even as clan head, it makes no difference!"
"Tobirama is gambling—he's betting that we might let down our guard and walk into a trap. At the same time, he wants to test how strong we've become after awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, so he can gather intelligence for the next war ahead of time!"
Izunai's eyes turned vicious as she gripped Madara's shoulder hard, forcing each word out.
"Brother, you've made plenty of foolish mistakes before, but this time—I cannot let you lose your head again!"
"No matter what you say, this time I will gather every elite warrior of the Uchiha! For the sake of your friendship with Hashirama, I'll agree to hold back if Hashirama and Tobirama don't bring an ambush…"
Her eyes glowed scarlet as she went on coldly: "But if I sense the slightest sign… then no matter whether Hashirama personally takes part or not, I will lead our clan to strike first!"
"Hashirama will be yours to handle, Brother… I'll deal with Tobirama! His threat to the Uchiha is too great. I can't allow him to probe and gather intelligence right under my nose!"
Madara felt the crushing weight of her grip on his shoulder. He wanted to speak.
But when his gaze fell on the bandages wrapped around Izunai's own shoulder, he could only nod firmly.
'I can't make things harder for Izunai anymore…' Madara thought to himself.
"Fine… Izunai. But you must promise me this: if Hashirama truly comes with nothing but peace in his heart, then you must not make a move! After all, with our Mangekyō awakened, you and I already stand leagues above him and Tobirama together…"
Madara spoke slowly, his tone hardening at the end.
"But if Tobirama plays any tricks—kill him."
Relieved, Izunai nodded obediently.
"Alright, Brother. As long as you agree!"
When it came to Hashirama, Madara still felt things could be resolved with words. To speak of life and death was unnecessary…
But when it came to Tobirama—both Izunai and Madara agreed: that bastard deserved to die.
As for Hashirama, they could set him aside. But Tobirama? Was he not guilty of countless crimes already?
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