"What do you mean? Madara… aren't we supposed to end the chaotic age and bring peace to the shinobi world? Why start a war?"
Hashirama lowered his thoughts, puzzled. "I've recently learned something… since the Uchiha and the Senju united, wars in the shinobi world have almost disappeared. Isn't that a very good situation?"
"Why… would we break that up…"
Tobirama glanced at Hashirama and smiled inwardly.
Just as decades ago… at the first Five Kage meeting, if Hashirama had been able to harden his heart and immediately integrate all the ninja into one, those later terrifyingly intense wars would never have happened.
In the short term, a unified shinobi world might encounter this or that problem.
But compared to becoming five separate ninja villages each possessing tailed beasts, even if a certain degree of internal unrest broke out, the trouble caused would be trivial compared to the Three Great Shinobi Wars…
The Shinobi Wars were whole hidden villages fighting as organized units… measured per unit time, the number of shinobi killed in such a war—and the efficiency—far exceeded that of the Warring States era!
This is the bitter fruit borne of a momentary hesitation.
"No, Hashirama… the reason the shinobi world has paused its wars is because you and I, Tobirama and Izunai, are still alive. As long as we exist in the shinobi world for a single day, I truly believe those other clans will not start major wars…"
Uchiha Madara snorted coldly, not indulging Hashirama but instead retorting sharply: "Then what if we all die?"
"Who knows how many will want to proclaim themselves king, how many will seek to seize the shinobi world? If we do not, now, eliminate this disaster for our descendants…"
"Then we who now have the ability to do it will later be pointed at and cursed by our descendants like Indra and Asura!"
Hashirama stared at Madara in bewilderment.
"Cursed like Indra and Asura? That would be awful…"
Just like Tobirama of old—when the Uchiha choked on water they would instinctively curse, 'damn Senju Tobirama'…
The current Uchiha and Senju already trended that way.
Whenever something displeased them, they'd curse those two damned ancestors…
Putting aside whether Asura and Indra were at fault, Tobirama observed that this behavior had indeed greatly eased the tensions between the Senju and the Uchiha.
That was enough.
Someone would have to bear the blame—what's wrong with Asura and Indra suffering a little? If the souls of those two ancestors in the Pure Land knew, Tobirama believed they would be comforted as well…
"…But this… is this right? Or wrong?" Hashirama was stunned by Uchiha Madara's rapid-fire rebuttal. For a moment he didn't know what to say and could only look pleadingly toward Tobirama.
"Tobirama, what do you think?"
"I think Madara is absolutely right." Tobirama nodded with a straight face.
Hashirama then pitifully turned to Izunai, hoping that the clearest-headed woman in the household would speak a word in his defense.
"I think Tobirama and Madara are right." Izunai hooked her arm through Tobirama's, gave Hashirama a sweet smile, and said: "No helping it—three votes over one! So, the resolution for a proper war is passed!"
Hashirama listened helplessly to Izunai's proclamation. He wanted to speak of peace, of avoiding war, but when the words reached his lips they tangled and refused to come out.
He could only sulk for a moment before nodding helplessly: "If that's the case… then let it be so… But don't kill too many. Persuasion to surrender should be the priority! We can offer them generous treatment to make them willingly join the village."
Tobirama, Madara, and Izunai nodded mechanically. It was obvious none of the three intended to truly take Hashirama's words to heart.
"Don't worry, Hashirama… As shinobi, since we are to conquer, we naturally must demonstrate force. You understand that."
Seeing Hashirama's bewildered, helpless look, Tobirama felt a trace of pity and spoke to console him: "But afterward, Madara will give them the chance to surrender… If they truly join the village, let go of hatred, and hold hope for peace, Konoha will of course welcome them."
"Good, that's enough, Tobirama!" After thinking for a moment, Hashirama's gaze gradually turned firm.
"If you need me to fight, call me anytime!"
Tobirama gave a vague nod—call you? That was never going to happen…
In recent months, Tobirama had put major effort into strengthening the power of those around him.
For example, Izunai and Madara: both had already mastered senjutsu. Madara, infused with Hashirama's cells, could now use Wood Release with great proficiency.
Izunai, having received Tobirama's cells, possessed nearly Eternal Mangekyō power, and had also learned a series of techniques centered on Tobirama's Flying Thunder God.
And this teaching was not without purpose.
As Tobirama poured his all into raising Madara and Izunai's strength, the partner at his side who noticed every detail had long since been so moved she nearly melted inside.
So much so that Tobirama had drawn extensively from the temporal aura on Izunai's body, unlocking nearly all of the Six Paths power…
And thanks to these alien temporal auras, Kazuki was able to briefly descend into this world, ignoring the restrictions of time and space.
Everything fit together, reinforcing one another.
Now Madara could already achieve the great feat of merging his Susanoo with the Buddha statue alone…
As for Hashirama…
"Well, in the miscellany section of the clan's archives, I remember a chess manual handed down from ancient times. It's said to contain extremely exquisite moves."
Izunai coughed lightly and said slowly: "Want to take a look? I believe with your intelligence, once you learn it, you'll surely be able to beat that old man…"
Hashirama's eyes lit up instantly!
How many days had it been? How many days had he been tormented by that Uchiha elder?
But even after being moved, Hashirama still couldn't give up and asked: "Uh… you really don't need me? Tobirama, Madara, you both know—I can actually fight pretty well…"
"Go play, Hashirama. There'll be more important things for you later. Relaxing now is just to preserve your strength for what's to come…"
Madara spoke with a smile at his lips, deliberately mimicking Tobirama's tone.
"Oh… remember to call me if anything happens! And don't kill too many people!" Hashirama scratched his head, gave a final reminder, then trotted off cheerfully in search of the chess manual.
Watching his departing back, the three Mangekyō Uchiha all laughed.
"Does that chess manual even exist?"
Tobirama brushed Izunai's cheek, amused. "I've read through every text in the clan archives long ago. How come I never saw it?"
"Caught me!"
Izunai stuck out her tongue at Tobirama, giggling. "I knew Hashirama would come running once he heard about it…"
"That manual was written by me. That old man he plays against is an obstinate elder of the Uchiha, named Uchiha Rai. He once fancied himself a strategist and often picked fights with me…"
"Later I studied the chess he was good at. After losing a few dozen matches in a row, I knocked him out in a duel. Ever since then he's supported me and my brother completely."
Tobirama burst into loud laughter. "Good! Then let's see if, after learning your chess manual, Hashirama can beat this old man Uchiha Rai!"
Hearing the sweet yet perfectly attuned exchange between Tobirama and Izunai, Madara felt a wave of emotion.
His younger sister—perhaps only a man like Tobirama could truly match her…
The two of them were like a pair born for each other: Tobirama instantly spotting the falsehood of the chess manual, while Izunai, as if already knowing he would, eagerly admitted it.
This, too, was part of the small joys in Tobirama and Izunai's life together.
And for Uchiha Madara, who had already accepted Tobirama, it was a scene he was glad to see.
His cherished pearl, the rose of the Uchiha clan, had been entrusted to a worthy man…
"Let's begin the war, Madara…"
With utter ease Tobirama wrapped his arm around Izunai in front of Madara and said naturally: "After being given notice to surrender, they still answered only with excuses…"
"This shows they truly do need to be conquered."
"Shall we do it together? Or will you go alone…"
Uchiha Madara swept his hand in bold grandeur and barked in a deep voice: "No need… they're just a bunch of weaklings who can't even dance with us! We already gave them the chance to surrender. Since they spurn it and cling to false hope, it means they've chosen to be our enemies!"
"You and Izunai go collect the Tailed Beasts. I hear those shinobi clans even tried to imitate us, founding their own villages. Ridiculous… in this shinobi world, there is only one ninja village—Konoha!"
"And there are no other Kage—only one Hokage!"
Tobirama nodded, taking out a stack of intelligence and handing it to Uchiha Madara. "Then we'll split into two forces. But be careful…"
"Here's a list of some dangerous figures in the other hidden villages. Their kekkei genkai and secret techniques are all written down. Look them over when you have time."
Madara took the intelligence with a helpless look and gave it a glance.
Not only the existing secret arts and kekkei genkai—even the so-called Iwagakure's research into something called a 'Kekkei Tōta' was marked out…
The power of this technique might even threaten Susanoo.