On the Hokage Rock, Uchiha Madara stood before the carved face of Hashirama. He had been there alone for a long time, his expression unreadable, his thoughts unknown.
A sudden swish of movement broke the silence. Uchiha Chiga appeared beside him, smiling lightly.
"How have you been settling in Konoha these past few days?" Chiga asked.
Madara's lips curved into a faint smile as he looked out over the village.
"Not bad."
For Minato and the others, Madara remained a problem they did not know how to deal with. After Chiga had left the battlefield with him that day, they sealed Madara layer upon layer, almost mummifying him in restraints.
Fortunately, Minato had inherited many of the Uzumaki sealing techniques from Kushina. During the journey back to Konoha, Madara had remained quiet, causing no further disturbance.
Upon their return, Chiga strolled leisurely through the streets with Kaguya at his side. When he saw Madara wrapped in seals, he couldn't help but laugh. With a casual wave of his hand, he removed them all as if they were nothing.
With Chiga present, Minato and the others no longer worried. During the journey home they hadn't dared relax for a single moment, but once Madara was handed to Chiga, they finally allowed themselves to rest.
As for what to do with Madara, no one bothered to think about it further. A man of such overwhelming power was not someone they could handle in the first place.
Chiga arranged for Madara to stay at Itachi's home. Out of respect for his ancestor, Itachi agreed without hesitation.
Each day, Madara quietly observed the lives of Itachi and Sasuke. Watching the brothers reminded him of his own sibling, Uchiha Izuna. Sasuke, in particular, resembled Izuna so closely that sometimes Madara's gaze made Itachi uneasy, as though his ancestor might try to claim Sasuke for himself.
Troubled, Itachi eventually confided in Chiga.
Chiga listened with a faint smile, then told him the story of Izuna. Upon hearing it, Itachi's sympathy for Madara deepened. He thought of Sasuke—if his brother were ever taken from him, he would likely have fallen even deeper into darkness than Madara had.
After that, Itachi treated his ancestor with greater care. Slowly, Madara's frozen heart began to thaw.
During this time, Chiga also brought Kaguya to speak with Madara and revealed the truth about the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
When Madara learned everything, he did not rage. Instead, he laughed bitterly.
The plan he had spent decades pursuing had been nothing but a deception. He, Uchiha Madara, had been reduced to another's pawn.
Yet he felt no resentment toward Chiga. A loss was a loss, and he accepted it. In fact, a strange gratitude welled in him. If not for Chiga, he would have been nothing more than the vessel for Kaguya's resurrection, plunging the shinobi world into an eternal illusion.
Had that happened, he would have become its greatest sinner. How could he ever face Hashirama then?
From that moment, Madara set his heart at ease. Whether peace or chaos awaited, Chiga would decide. As for himself, he only wished to remain quietly in Konoha as a "normal shinobi."
Today, his presence at the Hokage Rock was not from sorrow, but simply to look once more upon Hashirama's face.
Chiga saw through his silence and smirked.
"What's wrong? Missing Hashirama?"
Madara's mouth twitched. After a deep breath, he muttered,
"I was just thinking, if Hashirama knew everything, would he laugh at me?"
Chiga shrugged. "How would I know? Kabuto is still at the orphanage. Why not ask him to summon Hashirama with Edo Tensei and see for yourself?"
Madara actually paused to consider. To him, the Impure World Reincarnation was not abhorrent. In fact, he saw it as one of the few jutsu worthy of praise from Tobirama.
Though Madara despised Tobirama, he couldn't deny the man's genius.
After some thought, Madara shook his head.
"Not yet. I'm not ready to face him."
He smiled faintly. "When this world truly stabilizes, then I will summon him."
Now, under Chiga's guidance, the Five Great Shinobi Villages had begun to unify, the very vision Madara once dreamed of. In a few more years, if true peace was achieved, then he would summon Hashirama and prove that his dream had not been in vain.
For now, the other villages behaved cautiously, wary of Chiga's overwhelming strength. Of them all, the Hidden Mist performed best, even appearing eager to align themselves with Konoha.
It was even said that Mizukage Mei Terumi had proposed living in Konoha permanently, though her own advisors quickly rejected the idea. If their leader remained in Konoha, what dignity would their village retain?
Besides, anyone could see Mei Terumi's true reason—her interest in Hokage Chiga.
Even Madara had heard of it, and for once, he made a rare joke.
"Chiga, the Uchiha clan has few members left. Mei Terumi seems quite taken with you.You interested?"
Chiga blinked, stunned that such words had come from Madara.
Madara realized it too and cleared his throat awkwardly. These days, under Itachi's quiet care, his rigid nature had softened, and sometimes he even allowed himself to relax.
Chiga shot him a sidelong glance. "You're decades old and still alone. Not a single woman by your side. Look at Hashirama, at least he had Mito Uzumaki."
Madara's expression froze. Unlike Hashirama, he had never been drawn to women. His father had died young, and no one had ever pressured him to marry. Alone, decade after decade, he had remained that way.
To Chiga, it was no wonder. A man who lived so long in solitude was bound to develop a heavy heart. If Madara had found love earlier, perhaps he would never have spent his life chasing the idea of "peace."
Of course, Black Zetsu's manipulation would never have allowed him that chance.
Madara absently touched his chin, falling into thought. Not of romance—such things were meaningless to him—but of what he had lost.
No brother. No companion. The love that once defined the Uchiha was gone.
For so many years, he had clung only to his love for the world. Now even that seemed to slip away.
A wave of loneliness swept through him. His eyes dropped once more to Hashirama's carved face.
This time, his sigh was heavy and real. For the first time in years, Madara felt the weight of his solitude.
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