Year 12
When Madara learned that a delegation from Iwa-gakure was arriving to form an alliance with Konoha, he made a fateful decision.
He would act, alone.
And without informing Hashirama.
***
In front of a shrine near the border of Land of Fire.
"What?! This is different from what we heard!" an Iwa ninja shouted in disbelief, "Hasirama-dono said–"
"There is no alliance," Madara interrupted coldly. "Submit before Konoha, unconditionally. And do not ever mention that shinobi's name in my presence again."
At the top of the shrine steps, Uchiha Madara stood imposingly, his crimson Sharingan piercing through Mu and Onoki of Iwa-gakure.
Moments later, the shrine collapsed.
Mu and Onoki lay battered and bloodied, barely conscious. Madara, untouched and unscathed, remained standing atop the steps. His first-stage Susanoo had been more than enough.
Onoki, trembling and clutching a stone for support, struggled to rise. Madara watched him with disdain, eyes narrowing.
"….It seems like you still want to dance… but your steps are too clumsy for me."
Onoki dropped the stone and retreated, carrying Mu away in defeat.
Madara did not even exert 1% of his strength.
***
Following the encounter, Madara temporarily left Konoha. He needed to see the world with his own eyes, unfiltered by other's perspectives. Though his few remaining followers and his only disciple had insisted on accompanying him, Madara sent them back to the village. This was a journey he had to take alone.
Ironically, as Madara traveled, Zetsu secretly moved ahead of him, orchestrating scenes of pain and destruction even during Hashirama's so-called peace.
Madara witnessed horrors: bandits slaughtering innocents, unaffiliated shinobi and samurais attacking without cause, nobles abusing their power. Even Konoha ninjas ignored civilians in danger, prioritizing missions over morality, even within the Land of Fire.
After two years, Madara concluded that the current peace was a façade. The one-antion, one village system was better than Sengoku Era, but still, a failed experiment. Yet, instead of retreating, he spent the next year instilling fear along the borders, warning neighboring nations never to covet Konoha or the Land of Fire.
***
Year 15
Madara returned to Konoha and met with Hashirama, recounting his journey and the grim truths he had uncovered. He urged Hashirama to reconsider: to unite the world through the combined might of Senju and Uchiha.
But once again, they could not reach a consensus.
Hashirama pleaded for patience, believing the fruits of their dream would bloom in time. He begged Madara to stay: to be his right hand, his brother, and eventually his successor.
---
Madara returned to Uchiha compound, disillusioned. He gazed up at the Hokage Monument, at Hashirama's stone visage towering over the village.
"So much for mutual understanding. Hashirama… you don't even try to understand my view point. You are just as stubborn and arrogant as I am. Your mutual understanding is too one-sided... but… perhaps I am wrong."
Shaking his head in disappointment, Madara entered the Naka Shrine and reread the Uchiha Stone Tablet. After long contemplation, he reached a new conclusion:
"Senju and Uchiha can never truly work together. But what if the reunion of Yin and Yang… isn't about clans cooperating, but about merging their powers into one?"
Days later, rumors spread: Uchiha Madara and his clan were preparing to leave the village.
Few days afterward, Madara invited Hashirama to the Naka shrine for the first and final time.
***
Within the Naka shrine…
"This is Uchiha Stone Tablet passed down through generations. No outsider has ever seen it," Madara began. "To read its full contents, one must evolve the Sharingan through successive stages. So far, I've deciphered this:
['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.']
This is a universal truth. Cooperation between two contrary forces bring peace and happiness."
Madara's voice burned with conviction – as if he had found the answer.
"However…... this can also be interpreted differently."
"…?" Hashirama's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
Madara' tone shifted.
"Hashirama… do you think I am unaware?"
Hashirama flinched, realizing Madara was referring to the conversations he had overheard between Hashirama and Tobirama before the Hokage inauguration, and many that followed.
"...Let me handle Tobirama," Hashirama pleaded. I cannot do this without you…... continue to be the right hand of Hokage, be my brother, and lend me your strength. One day, the villagers will understand your sincerity…... And succeed me as Second Hokage."
Madara shook his head.
"Your successor will undoubtedly be Tobirama. And when that happens…Then, Uchiha clan will no longer be the same… and their fate….... That is why I tried to convince my clansmen to leave, but…. Only handful of them wishes to follow my will."
Madara's voice cracked with sorrow.
"I could not save Izuna. I promised to protect the clan… but I can't even gain their trust."
Hashirama hurriedly stepped in, "That is not True! Soon everyone will–"
Madara interrupted, eyes darkening.
"Perhaps, I should have asked you to stab your brother instead…."
Hashiarama froze, recalling their final battle before Konoha's founding.
"You once said that I am also your brother. But for the village… who will you kill? Tobirama? Or me?"
"..."
Hashirama opened his mouth, but no words came.
Hashirama hesitated and Madara instantly saw through his heart.
"I know you well. As well as you know me."
"I had enough…. I am leaving this village."
"I found a new path for peace."
"Because we showed each other's' guts, I can now see it even more clearly."
"This so-called alliance and cooperation between clan... is nothing more than a silent competition. The conflict between clans has never ceased from the beginning."
Hashirama protested. "That is not True! I will not allow that to happen."
Madara's voice was cold.
"It is a matter of how we accept this reality. Don't fool yourself Hashirama. Is there truly a place for Uchiha in Konoha? Why is Konoha filled with Senju allies and vassal clans? What happened to our own allies – the Hagoromo and Kaguya clan? Why are Sarutobi and Shimura welcomed, but not our kin?
Only small clans like Hatake and Fuma can join Konoha? or do they have to be a neutral clan like Hyuga? The rest… discarded.
…It is better to see this world as a mere passing moment."
Hashirama shouted, "Are you even listening to me, Madara?!"
Madara's Sharingan flared.
"The only one who can fight me on equal ground is you Hashirama."
"..."
"Untill I reach my true dream… I will fully enjoy our dances."
Hashirama was stunned, "What is you True Dream?!!, Wasn't this village our dream?!!!"
Madara's sharingan shifted into Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
"You cannot see it…. the future ahead of us…. And the True Dream."
"..." after a moment of pause, Hashirama pleaded.
"Then… teach me, what this True Dream is…. So that we can connect it together with our village…. Then you can act as our guide to lead us, as an advisor, as my friend…."
Mddara turned away
"There are no roads to connect them. You will never reach it.
It does not matter if you try to chase me. You know me, Hashirama, no one can catch my back."
Next day Uchiha Madara defected from Konoha.
He became the first rogue ninja.
And the dream they once shared…. shattered