Chapter 76: Delicious Meatballs (Part 3)
The Elder remained silent.
His mind was racing, desperately searching for a solution.
Madara's existence was nothing less than a living disaster.
If something went wrong...
The entire Uchiha Clan could be erased overnight.
Ryoichi noticed the troubled look on his face and gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"I know Namikaze Minato is incredibly strong."
"But..."
He raised a finger.
"I'm only speaking hypothetically."
"If..."
"If my cousin summoned his Susanoo..."
"Drew those two gigantic swords..."
"And cut from the eastern edge of the village all the way to the west..."
"Then turned around and carved a path from south to north..."
"What exactly would Minato do?"
"And what about Hiruzen?"
The Elder's expression darkened.
Ryoichi continued calmly.
"You know very well..."
"My cousin's Susanoo isn't like everyone else's."
"It flies."
"Hashirama is gone."
"No one can use Sage Art: Gracious Deity Gates anymore."
"And even if Konoha somehow erected something like the Four Red Yang Formation..."
"...my cousin isn't an idiot."
"If the battle turned against him..."
"He'd simply leave."
"When Susanoo starts running..."
"...those enormous legs move frighteningly fast."
The Elder's face grew darker with every sentence.
Seeing he still hadn't spoken, Ryoichi sighed once more.
Wrapping an arm around the old man's shoulders, he continued,
"You've lived since the final years of the Warring States Era."
"You witnessed the battle between Hashirama and my cousin with your own eyes..."
"...didn't you?"
"My brother once told me..."
"One slash from my cousin's sword flattened an entire mountain."
"Susanoo..."
"The War God's armor..."
"It was the ultimate power of our clan."
"Yes."
"Hashirama was stronger."
"But that doesn't mean my cousin was weak."
"Tell me..."
"Aside from Senju Hashirama..."
"Who else in the entire shinobi world could stand against him?"
"My cousin was the second strongest shinobi alive."
"Do you understand?"
"And now..."
"The strongest man is already dead."
Every word Ryoichi spoke pressed down on the Elder's heart like another stone.
He had seen that battle himself.
Otherwise...
His legs wouldn't still tremble whenever he remembered it.
It was true that ninjas grew old.
Their bodies weakened.
Their chakra diminished.
But...
Who would dare gamble on how long the reincarnation of Asura could continue fighting?
Silence lingered between them.
After a long while, Ryoichi spoke again.
"You really don't need to worry so much."
"The stories passed down today..."
"...are nothing more than beautified clan history."
"You and I both know what actually happened."
"The people who betrayed him..."
"...have all died of old age."
"He neither loves nor hates the clan anymore."
"To him..."
"We're simply strangers."
"It's that simple."
"I don't know why he returned."
"But I don't think he came looking for trouble."
"He..."
"...isn't that petty."
"Hm?"
A voice suddenly came from above.
Both men looked up simultaneously.
Tsuru was leaning over the top of the wall, staring down at them with obvious curiosity.
"So..."
"What's the real history of our clan?"
The two old men fell silent at exactly the same moment.
Their expressions turned equally grim.
The Elder took a slow breath.
"When did you get there?"
Tsuru blinked.
"I saw the two of you whispering over here."
"I thought you were talking about me."
"I didn't expect it to turn into a discussion about clan history."
"So..."
"What really happened after Uchiha Madara left?"
He rested both elbows on the wall.
"If I remember correctly..."
"Didn't Madara already die a long time ago?"
"It should've been..."
"Not long after Obito awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"It's been decades."
"His bones should've turned to dust by now."
The Elder silently looked at the utterly clueless Tsuru.
After a long pause...
He slowly shook his head.
Then he stood up.
Brushing the dust from his robes, he turned toward Ryoichi.
His face was calm.
So calm that not even the slightest ripple remained.
Who could have imagined...
That merely hearing a certain man's name...
...would still make him break into a cold sweat even after all these years?
Some wounds...
People never spoke of them.
No matter how much pain they had endured...
No matter how many grievances they had swallowed...
As long as the next generation could live peaceful and prosperous lives...
Everything they had suffered was worth it.
Wherever the leaves of Konoha danced...
The Fire would continue burning.
Its light would illuminate the village...
Allowing fresh leaves to sprout once again.
To shoulder every burden...
To protect the clan without complaint...
He had rehearsed that resolve countless times in his dreams.
This time...
He would not make the wrong choice.
Ryoichi quietly met his gaze.
Neither man spoke.
After a long silence...
The Elder rubbed his still-trembling calves.
Then he casually waved a hand toward Tsuru.
"I'm leaving."
Tsuru tilted his head.
"Oh."
"I like dango."
The Elder nearly stumbled.
"..."
What does that have to do with anything?!
Behind him, Ryoichi burst into laughter.
The heavy atmosphere that had lingered between them vanished in an instant.
The Elder simply shook his head and walked away, unable to decide whether Tsuru was a fool...
...or a genius capable of ruining any serious conversation with a single sentence.
The morning sun continued to shine over the Uchiha district.
The marketplace remained as lively as ever.
Life...
Went on as usual.
End of Chapter