Chapter 5. Uchiha Makoto: That Day, Not a Single Clan Member Would Follow Me
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Talents are rare.
If you want to create a ninja village, money is important—no, it's extremely important. Extremely, extremely important. Even the God of Ninja, Senju Hashirama, had to scrounge around for funding sources for the village.
But for a ninja village, the most important thing is still a group of capable ninjas.
Uchiha Makoto knew this better than anyone. A ninja village is a place where ninjas gather!
But training ninjas from scratch is incredibly costly and time-consuming—it's far more cost-effective to take what's already available.
Although the Uchiha clan had been beaten and scattered by the Senju, the Senju's top-tier power, Senju Hashirama, was essentially an overpowered entity, beyond conventional measures. This was a problem no one could solve.
In front of the Senju clan, the Uchiha clan would always be at a disadvantage.
But if you put Senju Hashirama aside, the Uchiha clan could continue fighting the Senju clan for another thousand years.
And facing other ninja clans in the world: "Hmph! Have you seen the Sharingan of the Uchiha? Kneel and surrender now, or I'll make you fly!"
So compared to money, what Uchiha Makoto wanted was people!
Even low-ranking Genin, or Uchiha without activated Sharingan—Uchiha Makoto wanted them all!
"Madara-sama, I believe I'm not the only one in the clan with this thought!"
"If they want to come with me…"
Uchiha Makoto began his dangerous probing.
Taken to extremes, Uchiha Madara could easily define Uchiha Makoto's actions as attempting to split the Uchiha clan—a crime worthy of execution!
But considering Uchiha Madara's usual behavior and the series of future "tricks," Makoto figured it was worth a gamble. Uchiha Madara didn't seem like a conventional clan leader. After only a few years of joining Konoha, Uchiha Madara lost control of the clan, defecting from Konoha with no one willing to follow him. Later, he transformed himself into the ninja world's ultimate boss, manipulating the situation from behind the scenes. His subordinates were all traitors. Therefore, Uchiha Makoto thought he could give it a try. Uchiha Madara might arrogantly see Makoto's intentions, but he wouldn't care at all!
"Hmph, is that really the case?"
"I don't think so!"
Uchiha Madara cast a glance at Uchiha Makoto.
To him, Uchiha Makoto was still just a brat who was wet behind the ears, lost in the thousand-year hatred between the Uchiha and Senju clans.
But he had already seen the future!
"My eyes are above yours!"
"I can see a path farther than yours!"
As he spoke, powerful, dense chakra radiated from Madara's body, and his Mangekyō Sharingan instinctively opened.
"Everyone, I am the head of the Uchiha, the strongest ninja of the Uchiha clan!"
"My eyes have seen the future!"
"I will, together with Senju Hashirama, end the generational hatred between the Uchiha and Senju clans. I will, with Hashirama, establish an unprecedented village. I will, with Hashirama, bring peace to the war-torn lands. In the village we build together, whether Uchiha or Senju children, they will never have to step onto the battlefield again."
Uchiha Madara's voice echoed throughout the room.
As the Uchiha clan leader, his prestige needed no explanation.
His stirring speech painted a grand vision, fully satisfying the remaining Uchiha.
The surviving Uchiha members had no "god's-eye view" like Makoto; they couldn't see the clan's tragic future. Uchiha Madara would be isolated, fleeing Konoha, and Senju Tobirama as the Second Hokage would ensure the Uchiha clan could never gain real power in the village. Step by step, this path would lead them to near genocide.
"So, will you follow me toward a new, bright future, or leave the clan to wander the ninja world with Uchiha Makoto?"
Madara arrogantly gave Makoto exactly what he wanted—but with a slight deviation.
"You naturally evil Uchiha Madara!"
"Who told you to give a speech to the clan with your Mangekyō Sharingan!"
"Don't you know the Mangekyō Sharingan has a special attack effect on the Uchiha?"
Makoto cursed Madara repeatedly in his mind. "Your 'bright new future' versus my 'wander the ninja world together.'"
Hmph!
Don't look down on poor youth!
One day, Madara…
You will definitely regret it!
The Uchiha clan members present couldn't help but immerse themselves in the future described by Uchiha Madara. The strongest of the Uchiha united with the strongest of the Senju. Madara's Susanoo, hundreds of meters tall, and Hashirama's hundred-meter wooden Buddha—they remembered vividly the unstoppable power of the two of them together.
In this ninja world, was there anything they couldn't accomplish?
No!
"Uchiha Madara… Uchiha Madara… Uchiha Madara…"
Soon, the Uchiha began spontaneously chanting Uchiha Madara's name. Uchiha Madara spread his arms, basking in the cheers of his clan.
Uchiha Makoto stood alone, momentarily feeling like a mere minion.
"I didn't expect that the taste Uchiha Madara will experience in the future… I'm going to experience it before him."
"No one in the Uchiha clan trusts me. No one is my comrade. No one is willing to follow me. I'm starting completely alone, a lone commander in a collapsing world!"
Makoto felt helpless.
At this moment, trying to compete with Uchiha Madara in terms of clan prestige was hopelessly overambitious.
"Don't forget there's Senju Hashirama too."
"Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama… Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama…"
Amid the wave of chanting and the feeling of loss, Makoto resolutely added "Senju Hashirama" to the loud slogan.
The Uchiha clan members paused for a moment.
"That's right—the beautiful future is created by me and Hashirama!"
Madara heard this "discordant" voice, but he was too busy enjoying the cheers to notice where it came from.
But that didn't matter!
The words were well spoken!
Who said it?
The clan leader clearly likes you very much!
Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama.
Those two names sounded perfect together!
"Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama!!"
The Uchiha members exchanged glances, feeling that adding Senju Hashirama's name at this moment might not be appropriate.
Yet Uchiha Madara was the first to affirm the voice.
So the chant naturally became "Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama," repeating over and over.