At the Hokage Monument, Uchiha Ren walked forward with a calm smile and greeted Uchiha Madara.
On the surface, he looked composed. Inside, he was anything but.
This was Madara. The ultimate boss of the future. Ren couldn't help feeling uneasy. What made it worse was the kid standing right next to him.
He had already reviewed Ito Sosuke's background in detail. Family, talent, relationships. Nothing special. Just an ordinary boy.
That made it even more troublesome.
How was he supposed to send this kid away later?
Admitting defeat in front of Madara was one thing. Doing it in front of a child was another.
Still, if the situation demanded it, he would yield.
He just hoped Madara wouldn't suddenly summon Susanoo and start a fight.
Fortunately, the conversation went far more smoothly than expected.
There was no pressure, no hostility. It felt more like a simple fan meeting.
A friendly Hokage, an eager child, and Madara, who was now… working in a factory.
Yes. Madara was working in a factory.
Ren was genuinely shocked.
He had thought it was just a disguise, but Madara was actually putting in real effort on the job.
Uchiha Madara, the legendary "Shura of the Shinobi World," working shifts in a factory.
No one would believe it.
Madara even complained about work conditions.
Limited food options. Long hours. Frequent overtime. Low wages.
Ren listened patiently.
Complaints were natural. But compared to starving on the streets, having food and shelter already made a huge difference.
Workers complained, yet still showed up every day.
No one wanted to return to a life where they might die of hunger at any moment.
Madara relayed these concerns as if speaking for his coworkers.
Ren acknowledged everything sincerely.
But change would take time.
At least now, people could eat.
That alone mattered.
As long as the overall system kept improving, even small gains would eventually benefit everyone.
Peace in the shinobi world was not achieved overnight.
Even Tobirama Senju was working tirelessly day and night.
If even the dead were working, what excuse did the living have?
Reality would never be as perfect as Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Some truths were better left unsaid.
Ren responded carefully. He admitted the problems, promised gradual improvement, and asked for patience.
How long that patience would take was another question.
Beside them, Sosuke eagerly supported Ren, speaking up for him.
Students who had never worked could not fully understand the hardship of labor.
But their sincerity was genuine.
Ren, however, was far from powerless.
Much of his support came from comparison. The nobles of the Land of Fire had done so poorly that even modest improvements made him look exceptional.
Madara was no fool.
He saw through everything.
Ren's attitude was sincere, but reality would not change anytime soon.
Madara did not press further.
Compared to the outside world, Konoha was already close to paradise.
Even the workers' complaints could be considered a form of "luxury dissatisfaction."
The atmosphere remained relaxed.
No conflict. No mention of the Eye of the Moon Plan.
Ren finally relaxed. His posture straightened slightly.
"Third Hokage," Madara said, pointing at the book in Sosuke's arms, "this book is excellent. I like it. Setting aside strength, your vision surpasses Hashirama's."
Ren immediately became cautious.
This was no longer casual talk.
"I'm just standing on the shoulders of giants," he replied calmly. "Without the First Hokage and others like Madara-sama, Konoha would not exist."
The flattery was subtle but deliberate.
Madara's lips curved slightly.
"Hashirama was too naive. I prefer Madara."
Ren nodded without hesitation.
"An insightful perspective."
Then Madara asked suddenly, "Who is Zhang San?"
Ren paused for a split second.
"A stubborn but brilliant old man," he answered. "He contributed greatly to Konoha, though he preferred to remain in the shadows."
"Interesting," Madara said, intrigued.
"Unfortunately," Ren added smoothly, "he passed away early."
That ended the topic.
Letting Madara meet "Zhang San" would be disastrous.
The conversation shifted again.
Madara began asking deeper questions.
Peace. The future of Konoha. The structure of the shinobi world.
Ren answered steadily.
"Peace will come, but it will be painful. Wars like the First Great Ninja War will happen again, possibly on a larger scale."
"What Konoha is doing is fundamentally changing the nature of shinobi. Shinobi are not tools for missions. They are the backbone of societal production."
"If that doesn't change, peace will always be temporary."
Madara listened carefully.
This was a completely different path from what he and Hashirama had taken.
Back then, they created Konoha.
But nothing truly changed.
Clans still competed.
Missions still drove conflict.
Only the scale had grown.
Ren continued.
"Shinobi cannot spend their entire lives fighting. They need to control production, build systems, and create a stable society."
Madara asked, "Then why not overthrow the daimyo now? They are just ordinary people."
Ren shook his head slightly.
"Because there are too few smart people and too many fools."
"Even Hashirama didn't do it."
"Politics, economics, culture, productivity. It's complicated."
"Unless you have absolute power to crush everything instantly, you must move step by step."
Madara narrowed his eyes.
Ren continued calmly.
"Konoha is strong, but not strong enough to overturn the entire system overnight."
"If we act recklessly, we become enemies of the entire world."
He briefly analyzed the current balance of power across the shinobi world.
Each village had formidable figures.
None were easy opponents.
"I see," Madara said quietly.
Ren took the opportunity to push further.
"Konoha's goal isn't just dominance over the shinobi world."
"It's something bigger."
He paused, then added,
"Beyond this world."
Madara's gaze sharpened.
Ren continued,
"Chakra didn't originate here. It came from the Sage of Six Paths."
"And his power came from the Rabbit Goddess, who came from beyond the sky."
"There are civilizations beyond this world. Stronger ones."
"If we only fight within this land, we are nothing more than frogs in a well."
Silence.
Madara's expression shifted slightly.
"…What did you just say?"
His voice dropped.
"Who exactly are you calling a frog in a well?"
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