This was already Satsuki's second time personally visiting the Uchiha compound.
Thanks to her ability of Samsara Genesis, the chaos caused by the Nine-Tails had seemingly left no trace here. Otherwise, even if the Uchiha clan could have barely survived the Nine-Tails' rampage, they would have sooner or later been crushed by the combined assault of other ninja clans.
After all, the greater the Uchiha's fame, the stronger the enemies they had made.
Years ago, through manipulating Shirakumaru, she had taught the Uchiha of the Valley of Clouds and Lightning a harsh lesson with the Judgment of the Ten Kings and the Veil of Light and Shadow.
Back then, under the leadership of Tajima Uchiha, the Uchiha clan was at its zenith—each member wore pride upon their face.
Only after the subsequent border war, when multiple factions conspired against them and dealt the clan a heavy blow, did things begin to change.
At that time, the hearts within the Uchiha were restless. Beneath their proud history, such a humiliating defeat left them desperate for a reasonable explanation—someone to blame, a target upon which to vent their fury.
That is human nature—it has always been so, throughout all of history.
Later, after intense internal struggles, the clan finally established a leadership structure with Madara Uchiha and Izuna Uchiha at its core.
Tajima Uchiha, having completed the power transition, naturally became the sacrificial victim of that process.
During this period, although the Uchiha were far weaker than during their days in the Valley of Clouds and Lightning, their elite power was still far from diminished.
Civil war had consumed many Uchiha elites, but the survivors who emerged from such extreme conditions were far stronger than those who had once idled on the laurels of their ancestors.
Some among them even awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
The renowned illusion techniques—Izanagi and Izanami—also first appeared during this era.
However, the entire pace of this civil war was tightly controlled by the previous leader, Tajima Uchiha. The many clansmen without the talent to awaken their eyes were kept entirely in the dark, ensuring that the foundation of the clan, as a Kekkei Genkai lineage, was not fatally damaged.
Over the following years, due to a cautious foreign policy—and because the Land of Fire's internal environment was far more favorable than the Valley of Clouds and Lightning—the Uchiha had managed to stabilize.
Their subsistence on a small-scale family-based agricultural economy was sufficient for survival. Though inefficient, their strong sense of clan unity and resilience against natural hardship allowed them to maintain a relatively good standard of living for this era.
The most obvious outcome was that in recent years, the natural birth rate of Uchiha children had greatly increased.
This was good news for all factions within the clan. Even those who had lost in the power struggle gradually abandoned their ambitions after witnessing the improvements in the clan's prosperity.
In truth, Izuna Uchiha had long looked down upon these fellow clansmen.
He did not deny that some among them rebelled for personal gain, but for the vast majority, emotion outweighed self-interest. They merely acted according to their own perspectives of what was 'right,' trying to lead the clan toward an unpredictable future.
There was no absolute right or wrong among them—only power could ultimately decide the path of history.
...
Satsuki, dressed in her signature luxurious kimono, walked down the main street of the Uchiha settlement. Wherever she passed, the crowd quickly grew so dense it was nearly impossible to move.
Even mischievous Uchiha children, who had been playing without a care, stopped instinctively after running past her. They stood frozen behind her, their wide eyes fixed upon her retreating figure.
It wasn't merely her beauty that captivated them—it was the aura she radiated, the transcendent presence that emanated from her very being.
—Strength beyond perfection gave rise to absolute confidence.
—A calm and resplendent soul shone through in her golden eyes.
—Her lowered gaze and elegant, unhurried steps in high heels carried such grace that even fate itself seemed to pause for her.
These ineffable qualities intertwined upon her form, creating an otherworldly allure—something far beyond what could simply be described as 'beautiful' or 'ugly.'
However, as usual, Satsuki herself was completely unaware of the commotion she caused. She hadn't come to the Uchiha compound to show off.
"By my estimation, Madara Uchiha should have finished his preparations by now. Tomorrow is the day of their so-called 'public execution.'"
Thinking this, Satsuki's pace did not slow in the slightest. Soon, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she arrived at the very heart of Uchiha authority—the Uchiha Police Headquarters.
According to Uchiha clan regulations, on the day before an official mission's execution, the client was required to come and confirm the mission's progress and formally deliver the deposit payment.
Of course, last time, Satsuki had already paid the deposit in gold bars, displaying her overwhelming wealth. Therefore, she naturally had the right to check on the mission's progress at this time.
The guards at the door were the same two Uchiha ninja as before. As for their names—Satsuki had never made a habit of remembering people of no importance.
They, however, clearly remembered her vividly. The one who greeted her stammered nervously, barely managing to form words.
"S-Satsuki... Miss... g-good day!"
Originally, Satsuki had intended to ignore them and walk straight in. But since they had taken the initiative to greet her, she decided to offer a few polite words in return.
"You two Uchiha gentlemen, I'm here today to check on the progress of the mission I commissioned."
The other guard, slightly calmer, kept his eyes fixed forward, clearly forcing himself not to lose composure like his companion.
"If you wish to confirm the mission status, please proceed directly to the mission desk in the first-floor hall and ask the attendant there."
"Thank you, both of you."
Nodding slightly, Satsuki walked past them and entered on her own.
Just as she stepped inside, she happened to see Izuna Uchiha and Hayato Uchiha descending from the upper floor.
Upon seeing Satsuki, Izuna froze momentarily before quickly regaining his composure. "Miss Satsuki, are you here to check on the mission progress?"
"I trust the Uchiha clan's reputation," Satsuki replied with her usual refined poise. "However, two million ryō isn't exactly a small amount. I'm sure you can understand my concern."
"Of course, of course. I was just heading over to check how Brother Madara's preparations were coming along. Why don't we go together?"
In truth, Izuna couldn't comprehend this at all.
Hiring ninja for two million ryō—to dance?!
—If I had two million ryō, wouldn't it be far better spent buying ninja tools from the Cat Fortress or the Hagoromo clan? Or purchasing grain and iron from nearby settlements?
Truly, the rich can do whatever they please.
The three of them walked together, chatting idly as they headed toward a secluded area.
There were few people along the way. Apart from a few hidden Uchiha sentries, only the occasional messenger hawk passed overhead.
Finally, as Satsuki approached the rehearsal site, she could already hear two extremely familiar, distinctive voices even before anyone came into view.
"Madara!!!"
"Hashirama!!!"
Following those two trademark shouts, a violent tremor immediately shook the ground ahead of them.
"These two... it seems their spirits are still lively," Satsuki remarked casually, clearly treating whatever was happening between Madara and Hashirama as pure entertainment.
Izuna Uchiha, on the other hand, was far less relaxed. Exchanging a glance with Elder Hayato, both instantly activated the Body Flicker Technique and rushed toward the source of the disturbance.
Meanwhile, Satsuki relied on her Tenseigan's insight to skip the distance altogether, directing her gaze straight to the two figures facing off on the stage.
"I've told you countless times, Hashirama—your rhythm is off. After the third beat, you're supposed to be on my right side, not behind me."
On stage, Madara Uchiha was no longer wearing only his long robe with the clan's fan emblem on the back. Over it, he now donned a red layered cuirass.
The combination not only improved his protection in actual combat but also lent a striking visual appeal.
However, his temper was as short as ever.
"When you move behind me, you throw off my rhythm completely. If you're that tone-deaf, why not stop getting in my way?"
"Ah, come on now, Madara, don't be so mad!" Hashirama Senju, also wearing a red cuirass over his usual outfit, grinned with his characteristic foolish smile. "I didn't expect your old habit still hasn't improved after all this time."
Madara raised an eyebrow. "You're saying this is my problem, Hashirama?"
Knowing he was at fault, Hashirama waved his hands hurriedly. "Alright, alright, I'll try harder. Let's play the music again, okay?"
"Hmph~"
...
When Izuna arrived, the first thing he saw was a large crater in the ground—and the two of them preparing to replay the music.
"Brother Madara, Lord Hashirama—tomorrow's your official performance. How's the preparation going...?"
Izuna had always had full confidence in his elder brother. No matter the mission, Madara could always complete it perfectly.
But never before had any of those missions involved dancing.
And judging by the current state of things, the coordination between his brother and Hashirama still looked far from polished. Could this really be okay?
Izuna couldn't help feeling uneasy. He himself had a small role in the performance, but it was only a brief supporting part, hardly appearing for more than a moment.
The real spotlight was on his brother and Hashirama Senju.
"Oh, Izuna."
"There are still a few moves that aren't quite synchronized," Madara said, turning toward Izuna and Hayato. "But after another half day of practice, it should be fine."
Then he looked past them toward Satsuki, who was approaching at a leisurely pace.
"Time really flies, Miss Satsuki. Have you come to check on our progress?"
Satsuki nodded slightly. "That was my original intent. But judging by your current progress, I think I'm more likely to see you flailing helplessly on stage tomorrow."
Both Izuna and Hayato turned toward her with darkened expressions.
Did she have to be that blunt? So this wealthy lady really did come just to watch them make fools of themselves!
Meanwhile, Hashirama was busily repairing the damaged stage.
Placing one hand on a scroll, an immense surge of chakra poured from his fingertips.
—"Earth Release: Active Transformation."
With the technique's activation, the surrounding ground shifted and reshaped itself according to the blueprints beneath his palm.
In short order, the crater was filled, and the stage restored to its original state.
Judging by Hashirama's practiced motions, it was obvious this wasn't the first time they had wrecked the terrain.
No wonder this area had been isolated. Clearly, the two of them had been mixing dance practice with a bit of sparring on the side.
After repairing the ground, Hashirama walked over.
And, quite inconveniently, a loud grumble came from his stomach.
Hearing the sound, Madara gave him a sidelong glance and sighed. "There's no point continuing for now—we'll only end up wrecking the place again. Let's eat first."
"Uh, Brother Madara... that's a bit harsh, don't you think?"
Izuna looked embarrassed. Despite everything, the Uchiha still held some gratitude toward Hashirama—after all, he was the man who had betrayed his own clan to personally bring their leader back.
Yet, somehow, Madara still acted as though he were perpetually sulking.
Still, anyone who truly understood the bond between Madara and Hashirama could easily comprehend his reaction.
—"Who would have thought that the Madara Uchiha who nearly destroyed the world in later generations could still be so childish in expressing his emotions."
Satsuki could instantly see through Madara's current state: outwardly stubborn, but inwardly remorseful.
He and Hashirama had been friends for many years. In the past, they had risked everything for one another—even secretly signaling each other through skipping stones to warn, "Run away!" and protect one another's lives.
And this time, Hashirama had gone so far as to betray his clan for Madara's sake.
Such a debt was not easily repaid—especially for the proud Uchiha. Deep down, Madara carried a profound sense of guilt toward Hashirama.
It was precisely this guilt that led him to lower his pride and accept Satsuki's commission—hoping, in his own way, to repay Hashirama's kindness.
Madara's petulance was not truly directed at Hashirama, but rather at his own inability.
And for that, he firmly etched the name of that woman—Ranzuki Ōtsutsuki—into his mind.
Yet just as Satsuki observed, Madara's way of handling his emotions was painfully immature.
"Uh..."
Watching the two men clearly too distracted to rehearse, Izuna Uchiha glanced awkwardly toward Satsuki.
After all, she was their benefactor—wasn't it rude to ignore her like this?
"It's fine. Don't mind me," Satsuki said, stepping back on her own initiative. "Waiting one more day is nothing. I do have the patience for that."
"Oh~ In that case, why don't we have a meal together?"
"White rice? We don't have anything like that here. It's either pickled vegetables with rice or radishes with millet porridge—take your pick."
Hearing this, Hashirama visibly deflated, a series of black lines practically forming above his head. "Aww, come on~"
Madara sighed. "If you want meat, go to the south side of the village. Our clan keeps a semi-wild reserve there. I've already given orders—if it's you, you're allowed to hunt one animal every three days."
Do not underestimate that privilege of 'one animal every three days.'
That meat was usually supplied to nearby nobles as luxury goods.
Being allowed to eat meat was a rare extravagance in this era.
After all, this was the shinobi world—in this age, hunting wild beasts was often more dangerous than killing people or raiding bandits. One could easily encounter some overgrown monster and lose their life.
Under such conditions, domesticating livestock was an extremely risky venture.
Thus, for most common folk, meat usually meant small fish from rivers.
For the Uchiha clan, however, their two greatest sources of pride were their cooperation with the Cat Fortress in producing ninja tools—and their mastery of taming wild beasts through the illusionary power of the Sharingan.
Allowing an outsider to freely enter that reserve was already a gesture of the highest trust.
But then, a few casual words caught Satsuki's attention.
"I remember seeing you bringing back a few toads the other day," Madara said. "Next time, bring a few more—those would make a fine meal."
"W-wait, Madara, don't joke like that! Those aren't ordinary animals—they're sages! They can talk, you know! Eating them would bring divine punishment!" Hashirama exclaimed in alarm.
Toads... that could talk...
Such a distinct clue immediately made Satsuki realize—Mount Myōboku, one of the Three Great Sage Lands, had already sent emissaries to contact the reincarnation of Asura.
Hashirama's identity being exposed was inevitable. That much wasn't surprising.
What interested her was the toad sages' true purpose in approaching him.
"Ever since that encounter with Candle Nine Yin in the Tenryū Heart Cave, I haven't dealt with those creatures again... And now, of all times, they choose to approach Hashirama Senju," Satsuki thought to herself as she watched the two men's retreating figures.
Beside her, Izuna and Elder Hayato seemed entirely unconcerned by the mention of talking animals.
After all, in this world, most powerful summoning beasts could speak.
They simply assumed Hashirama had made a contract with one.
"Miss Satsuki, it's rare to have a chance to eat meat. Why not join us for lunch?" Izuna offered politely.
"No need. I have matters to attend to. See you tomorrow."
With that, Satsuki turned to leave. Though she hadn't gotten the chance to witness Madara and Hashirama's full rehearsal, she had obtained a new piece of information—which was, in its own way, a valuable gain.