Izuna had barely been gone for an hour when he came sprinting back into the Uchiha clan grounds. His small frame darted between training posts and stone pathways, kicking up dust as he ran at full speed toward the inner courtyard.
There, seated in composed meditation, was Madara Uchiha.
Izuna skidded to a halt.
"Brother! Brother!!!"
Madara's eyes opened slowly.A rare smile, not cold, not arrogant, but genuinely pleased, appeared on his face.
"Izuna, you're back already? Did you manage to defeat Ishiki?"
Izuna's excitement evaporated instantly.He clicked his tongue.
"Tch… Ishiki… That guy has too many frustrating tricks. After what happened today, defeating him is going to be FAR harder than I thought."
Madara's eyes sharpened with interest."Oh? And what exactly happened that could surprise you, Izuna?"
He leaned forward, intense curiosity blazing.
Izuna took a breath and recounted everything, every shock, every unpredictable technique, Ishiki's insane gadgets, the rope, the sword, the impossible defence, the medical device, everything.
Madara silently absorbed the tale, and a dangerous thrill flickered across his gaze.
So he has grown stronger again… in just one week.Interesting. Extremely interesting.
Izuna continued, now reaching the part that annoyed him the most.
"Brother… he also said you have one of his gadgets. And, " Izuna snickered despite himself, "he told me to remind you that he lent it to you, and you should pay him 'rent.'"
The effect was instantaneous.
Madara's pleasant curiosity was shattered.A vein popped on his forehead.
Rent…? From that little brat…?
His fists clenched.
He needed to hit something.Immediately.
Without warning, Madara rose and entered a battle stance.
"Izuna. Come. Fight with me."
"Eh? Now!?"
There was no time for hesitation.
Madara charged.
It wasn't a spar.It was Madara venting his Ishiki-induced irritation through pure, overwhelming force.
Fireballs detonated across the training ground.Izuna dodged, blocked, countered, but Madara's assault didn't stop, didn't slow, didn't falter.
Only when Izuna was panting, wobbling, eyes shimmering with unshed tears, did Madara finally halt.
His expression softened.
He immediately stepped forward, guilt replacing the frustration.
"Izuna… I'm sorry."A gentle hand touched his brother's shoulder."Come. Let me show you something as an apology."
Izuna sniffled and nodded eagerly.
Madara stepped back, his expression shifting into something more composed.
"Use your strongest Fire Jutsu on me."
Izuna blinked.
"What? Right now?"
"Yes. Do it."
Izuna inhaled deeply, forming the seals with conviction.
"Katon: Gōryūka no Jutsu!!"
A roaring dragon of blazing fire shot forth.
"Brother, MOVE!" Izuna yelled.
Madara didn't move.
He smirked.
At the last moment, he flicked his arm.A red cloak, the Reverse Cloak, unfurled in his hand.
A thunderous ripple of chakra flashed, and the colossal fire dragon bounced backwards, redirected away harmlessly into a patch of trees that instantly erupted into flames.
Izuna almost choked on his breath.
"BROTHER!? How, how are you unharmed!?"
Madara's grin widened.
"I showed you the trick. But you closed your eyes."
Izuna flushed bright red.
"Show me again! I won't blink this time!"
Madara toyed with him for a moment, amused by his urgency, then finally relented.
"Fine. But if you blink again, I won't repeat it."
Izuna inhaled sharply and unleashed the Dragon Fire Technique again.
This time he didn't blink.
Madara lifted the cloak with a smooth, precise motion, not toward the trees, but downward, redirecting the massive flame harmlessly into the earth and creating a scorched crater.
Izuna's jaw dropped.
He rushed forward, grabbing the cloak excitedly.
"BROTHER! Is this the gadget Ishiki meant!? Can I use it!? Please!"
Madara actually let him test it, once, twice, three times, Izuna gleefully bouncing fireballs around the training ground.
Then Izuna made a bold declaration:
"Brother, lend me this! With the Reverse Cloak, I can DEFINITELY defeat Ishiki!"
Madara simply flicked Izuna's forehead.
"Foolish brother."
Izuna yelped.
Madara continued, voice low and serious:
"Right now… even I cannot confidently say I can defeat Ishiki. His growth rate is unnatural. Dangerous. One gadget will not give you victory."
Izuna froze.
Madara flicked him again.
"Besides, you have me. To complete Ishiki's test, you only have to touch me. I can make that happen easily."
Izuna's eyes sparkled instantly.
"Training with my brother! I LOVE IT!"
But Madara's expression turned serious again.
"Listen carefully, Izuna. Your first mission is not to defeat him. You must observe him. Study how he grows. Study how his abilities evolve."
He stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"If he continues improving at this pace… You will not defeat him alone.And then, "
Madara paused.
"You will have to join forces with that Senju brat."
Izuna recoiled violently.
"With THAT Senju dumbass!? NEVER!!"
Madara shrugged.
"Then you lose."
He turned and walked away, leaving Izuna speechless and fuming.
At that very moment, in the Senju compound,
Hashirama had delivered the same requirement.
"Work with Izuna."
And Tobirama's reaction?
"With that Uchiha idiot? NEVER!!"
Two clans.
Two prodigies.
Two identical, furious responses.
That night was restless for three people.
Izuna lay awake, staring at the ceiling, replaying Madara's words.Join forces with a Senju? Me? Never! But… Ishiki… he…His pride burned hotter than any fire he could summon.
Tobirama tossed and turned.Join forces with a Uchiha? Impossible! But… Ishiki's strength…His analytical mind couldn't ignore the truth he hated.
Ishiki, in his small home, trained long past midnight, perfecting the three foundational jutsu, Shadow Clone, Transformation, and Substitution, pushing himself until dawn's first light.
When he finally collapsed into bed, he muttered:
"Tomorrow… the real training begins."