Two Years after the founding of the Senju-Uchiha Alliance and their village, Konoha, several prominent clans joined the growing coalition. The Sarutobi, Shimura, and Hyuga clans were among the first to align with the two behemoths. Soon after, the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanka clans, long standing allies, also pledged their loyalty. They were followed by the Inuzuka, Aburame, Hatake, Shimazu, Ouchi, and others, forming a formidable union of ninja power within the Land of Fire.
The village, which had rapidly grown into a city-like stronghold, was named Konohagakure no Sato (Village Hidden in the Leaves or Village of Hidden Leaf), honoring Madara Uchiha's wish. Hashirama Senju, who had initially offered the title of Hokage to Madara, postponed the appointment. He insisted that the decision should wait until all remaining ninja clans within the Land of Fire had been consulted. Despite knowing that they majority favored his own ascension, thanks to Tobirama's insights, Hashirama hoped to give Madara a fair opportunity.
Yet Madara Understood the reality: his chances were slim. Most of the clans joining Konoha were either traditional allies of the Senju or their branch and vassal clans. The Uchiha's allies that joined, such as the Fuma, Hatake, and Kohaku clans, were relatively small. Their major allies, like the Hagroromo and Kaguya clans, had been quietly exterminated or driven out of the Land of Fire, forced to seek refuge in the Land of Water.
This did not escape the notice of Madara or the Uchiha clan. But by the time they realized the extent of the purge, it was too late. The Uchiha were deeply focused on recuperating and rebuilding their strength after years of conflict. Konoha had been constructed within their territory, near their ancestral Naka Shrine, and their attention was split between restoration and guarding against the influx of Senju-aligned clans.
After all, it was Uchiha's defeat that laid the foundation for both the alliance and the village.
Initially, most Uchiha clansmen supported Hashirama's claim to the Hokage title. But as events unfolded, doubts crept in. The extermination of the Hagoromo clan was a turning point. It awakened a sense of unease among the Uchiha, even if no one voiced it publicly. The message was clear: the village had the power to eliminate even a major clan.
This event sent shockwaves not only through the Uchiha but across every ninja clan in the Land of Fire. In its aftermath, nearly all unaffiliated clans either joined Konoha or fled the country. The power of a unified village was undeniable; no single clan could stand against it.
Witnessing the might of Konoha, other daimyos began to take notice. They sought to replicate its success by rallying powerful ninja clans within their own territories. The Land of Earth was the first to follow suit, establishing its own village: Iwagakure.
***
Five years had passed since the founding of Konoha, and the village had already outgrown its name. No longer a mere gathering of clans beneath the shade of tress, Konoha had become a city and a military titan nestled within the heard of Land of Fire. With over hundred clans residing within its borders, Konoha had evolved into a bustling city-state. Its population swelled over 100,000 with nearly one-third, around 20,000, being active shinobi. Of these, 10,000 were stationed across border outpost and strategic locations, as per the agreement with the Fire Daimyo.
Konoha's strength was not just in numbers, but in legacy. Three clans stood at its summit: the Senju, the Uchiha, and the Hyuga. Some whispered of "Two Behemoths and One Major," others poke of "A King and Two Majors." Beneath the, nine intermediate clans – Sarutobi, Shimura, Yamanaka, Akimichi, Nara, Aburame, Inuzuka, Kurama, and Fuma – formed the backbone of the village. And scattered throughout were countless minor clans: Hatake, Izuno, Onikuma, and many more, each contributing their own traditions and talents to the growing mosaic of Konoha.
But such rapid progress came at a cost.
Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha – names that echoed like thunder across the Land of Fire and if not the entire elemental nations – had forged peace from the ashes of war. Their strength was unmatched and their visions were revolutionary. Yet even they could not foresee the shadows cast by their own light.
Before Konoha's founding, the Senju and Uchiha clans had commanded armies of thousands. At their peak, the Senju boasted 250 elite shinobi; the Uchiha, 220. These were warriors of Jonin caliber or higher, men and women who shaped the battlefield by their mere presence. And though the war had ravaged their numbers, both clans retained the ability to produce over 70 if not 100 elite shinobi each generation, securing their status as major clans.
In an effort to temper the brutality of war, Hashirama and Madara had agreed, one year into their leadership, to forbid children under ten from participating in combat. It was a small mercy, but a meaningful one, this became a cornerstone to establish something greater.
And Four years later, Konoha was born.
Hashirama's dream was simple: Unity. He envisioned a village where clans stood not as rivals, but as family. His compassion was legendary, and his closest allies, Tobirama, the Senju elders, and even Madara, followed his lead with fervor.
At first, the Senju lived humbly, striving to embody the Hashirama's ideals. They treated all villagers as equals, and the village responded with admiration. But admiration, unchecked, can become something else.
Whispers spread. The Senju were no just powerful; they were noble, benevolent, and were destined to lead. Civilians and young shinobi began to speak of the Senju as the true rulers of Konoha. the Senju, at first embarrassed, soon grew accustomed to the praise. And then, quietly, they accepted it.
What began as gratitude turned into privilege. Senju clansmen received favors in shops and restaurants – free meals, leniency, special treatment. It was never demanded outright. A forgotten wallet here, a humble request there. But the pattern was unmistakable. Even well-meaning Senju began to benefit from a system they hadn't built, but no longer questioned.
Discipline waned. Pride, once buried beneath compassion, began to surface. The Senju's interpretation of Hashirama's vision twisted into something else – something dangerous. Konoha was no longer a village for all. It was becoming Senju's Village.
The second crisis came swiftly, riding the coattails of the first. Hashirama's inauguration as the Shodaime Hokage was meant to be a symbol of unity. Instead, it deepened the divide.
The Uchiha, once equals in war and peace, found themselves sidelined. Their pride, their legacy, their sacrifices – overshadowed by the growing influence of the Senju. The tension between the two great clans, long dormant, began to stir once more.
And so, beneath the surface of Konoha's prosperity, two crises brewed: an invisible hierarchy that fractured the village's unity, and a rekindled rivalry that threatened to undo everything Hashirama had built.
***
A man cloaked in a dark navy-blue robe, its high collar rippling in the breeze, stood a top the northern rocky cliffs of Konoha-gakure. His long, untamed hair fluttered rhythmically with the wind, casting a shadow over the village below. Once a crude and barren outcrop, the cliff had since become a monumental landmark, a natural barrier and a symbol of the village's boundaries.
As the wind picked up, strands of his mane lifted, revealing the red and white fan emblem of the Uchiha clan.
Uchiha Madara – the Ninja Shura, the Clan Head of the Uchiha – gazed silently down at the rapidly expanding village. It was the dream he once shared with his closest friend. Or perhaps… a dream he had already abandoned.
Just days ago, Madara had visited Senju Hashirama, only to overhear a conversation between Hashirama and his brother, Tobirama. He had intended to leave quietly, but the mention of "Uchiha" caught his attention. What he heard next pierced deeper than any blade.
"A cursed and radical clan… Dojutsu that feeds on hatred."
Spoke Tobirama Senju.
This village, once a beacon of hope to protect the future of Uchiha from the horrors of war, started to feel like a glided cage. For Madara, the village held little meaning beyond his clan. And yet, to honor Hashirama's wish, Madara had gone so far as to abandon vengeance for Izuna, even sparing Tobirama. All for the sake of safeguarding the Uchiha.
"But to think that the outcome of enduring such pain and sorrow… is this."
Madara foresaw the village becoming a prison for the Uchiha, surrounded by enemies and Senju allies. Still, for the sake of Hashirama, whom he still considered a brother, he chose to endure.
***
10 years after founding of Konoha.
As other nations began forming their own hidden villages – Suna-gakure, Iwa-gakure, Kiri-gakure, and Kumo-gakure – tensions rose. These villages grew rapidly in strength and manpower, threatening the fragile peace.
Madara and Hashirama found themselves locked in decade-long ideological battle. Hashirama believed peace had been achieved and sought diplomacy and mutual understanding with the other villages. Madara, however, saw only a temporary lull in conflict. He believed true peace could only be forged by uniting the ninja world under one banner – Konoha's.
But his warnings fell on deaf ears. To many, Madara was nothing more than a warmonger, a brute obsessed with power.
Initially consumed by anger and betrayal, Madara eventually redirected his focus. He immersed himself in the ancient Uchiha stone tablet, deciphering its secrets with his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
"[A god seeking stability split the power into Yin and Yang. The counter acting force of Yin and Yang created All things of this universe.]
[Yin, the Uchiha and Yang, the Senju…..]
[Only through cooperation of two opposing force can peace and happiness be achieved.]"
With this revelation, Madara recommitted himself to Hashirama's vision, at least outwardly. But he could not ignore the threat posed by rival villages. He refused to accept a future where war would return due to present-day complacency.
The villagers, and even some Uchiha, began to view him with suspicion. Most of his loyal supporters had perished in the Senju-Uchiha war. The remaining clansmen were either civilians, too young, or too weak to challenge the status quo.
Madara had nothing left in the present. His visions were fixed on the future; a future he feared would be soaked in blood once more. But for the villagers, the present was everything. They basked in the peace they had long fought for, blind to the storm on the horizon.