"To gain complete trust, you must first make others believe you are their friend. In the end, you have to stand behind someone—so you can stab them in the back… There are villains within the Senju?"
Madara frowned slightly, savoring Makoto's words.
Someone he trusted… stabbing him from behind?
What did Makoto mean—
that Hashirama would do such a thing to him?
No.
Absolutely impossible.
This was nothing more than Makoto's bias, born from clan hatred—a malicious slander against Hashirama.
First of all, Hashirama was not that kind of person!
Second—he was Hashirama, I am Madara.
Hashirama and Madara, for a hundred years—unchanged!
In just a moment, Madara completely rejected the possibility in his mind.
Hashirama would never do such a thing.
Only a villain would.
Then… did the Senju clan have villains?
According to Hashirama's own philosophy—
theoretically, no; objectively, yes.
So who was this villain?
Almost instantly, Senju Tobirama's face appeared in Madara's mind.
If it were Tobirama… then yes, that was indeed possible.
"But it's only a possibility," Madara snorted inwardly.
"I'll snuff it out with my own hands."
Madara despised Tobirama from the bottom of his heart.
In his eyes, there had always been only Hashirama.
A mere Senju Tobirama couldn't possibly stir up any real trouble.
"Uchiha Makoto, you're overthinking things," Madara said calmly.
"I will protect the Uchiha clan. I promised Izuna that myself."
"And I've already spoken with Hashirama. He loves peace."
"Hashirama would never tolerate villains within the Senju. He and I will handle such matters together."
Madara spoke with utmost seriousness.
At this moment, he truly believed in Hashirama—and truly believed that the two of them together could reconcile the Uchiha and the Senju.
Makoto merely nodded perfunctorily, while internally launching a torrent of complaints.
Damn it…
Hashirama, Hashirama, Hashirama—your whole world is just Hashirama!
Your brother Izuna literally said with his dying breath that he wanted you to avenge him!
Hashirama stabbing himself with a little kunai doesn't mean anything—given that freakish regenerative ability of his, the wound would scab over in seconds!
I really have nothing to say to someone with terminal "love-brain" syndrome…
"Madara-sama," Makoto continued aloud, "I know you and Senju Hashirama are being completely open with each other, hoping to jointly establish a village belonging to both clans."
"But that only turns open warfare into covert struggle."
"I understand that the Uchiha are currently at a disadvantage. But humiliating ourselves for survival isn't the answer. The shinobi world is vast—there will always be a place for the Uchiha clan!"
"Once a shinobi village is established—once it becomes 'you within me, and me within you'—that is where the Uchiha's future will truly go wrong!"
After taking a deep breath, Makoto pressed on.
Even though he knew Madara had already been completely ensnared by the Hashirama's persuasive nature' Hashirama, determined to bring the Uchiha along as a "dowry" to rekindle their bond—he still had to try.
If persuasion failed, then going independent would become perfectly justified.
The Uchiha were a starving camel, but still bigger than a horse. If Makoto was going to strike out on his own, he desperately wanted to take some assets with him.
Even a little would be invaluable.
He really didn't want to experience a "bare-commander, doomed-from-the-start" opening.
More importantly, these so-called warnings were actually a long-term investment.
Because once Konoha was established, it would only take a few years before Madara completely fell out with Tobirama—and even Hashirama.
In the end, Madara would openly defect from Konohagakure, leaving through the front gate—
And not a single Uchiha would be willing to follow him.
As a clan head, falling to such a state… that was truly tragic.
When that time came, who would Madara think of?
There was no doubt—
Himself.
The great prophet, Uchiha Makoto.
Madara angrily joining his side to oppose his former "lover" Hashirama—just imagining it made Makoto grin like a true chaos-lover.
And there was no need to worry about Madara staging a coup.
Madara had no interest whatsoever in being a village leader—otherwise he wouldn't have left Konoha in the first place.
If he truly wanted to compete with Tobirama for the position of Second Hokage, Tobirama wouldn't stand a chance.
The gap in raw strength between them was simply too great.
Before absolute power, even Tobirama's schemes—despite his "innate Senju evil"—would be meaningless.
Just imagine it:
Konoha is searching for a second-in-command.
Madara's good brother—Uchiha Madara himself—brings wine and meat to seek support from First Hokage Senju Hashirama.
Hashirama would practically wave banners in excitement.
Hashirama: "I support Uchiha Madara! He believes in peace for the shinobi world!"
Tobirama, standing nearby—
Hashirama: "Tobirama, you already have so many supporters. You don't even need me!"
Sadly…
Madara didn't want that future.
He glanced at the Uchiha Stone Tablet, instantly swallowing the nonsense engraved upon it whole—
and was utterly deceived by the Ōtsutsuki remnant, the so-called paragon of filial piety, the thousand-year mastermind—
Black Zetsu.
From that moment on, Madara's fate was sealed.
Madara-sama… you will definitely fall into my arms one day.
Even if Madara wanted Makoto to help him carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan, Makoto would go all in without hesitation and raise the banner together with him.
Squeeze out Madara's remaining value first.
After all, by the time Madara awakened the Rinnegan, he would already be a withered old man on the brink of death.
And Makoto?
He had a cheat.
There was no way his growth speed would lose to Madara's.
Madara listened to Makoto's words in silence.
He was thinking them over.
They sounded reasonable—
but unfortunately, Madara had already been completely captured by the Hashirama's persuasive nature'.
"Alarmist nonsense. Pure alarmism!" Madara declared.
"The matters of the Uchiha rest with me. The matters of the Senju rest with Hashirama."
"Hashirama and I have already laid everything bare between us. As long as the two of us work together, is there anything in this shinobi world we cannot accomplish?!"
Madara spoke with supreme confidence.
Makoto simply stood there, quietly watching him show off—
patiently awaiting the day he would be proven wrong.
On that day, he would definitely ask:
"Madara-sama, since you didn't become the Second Hokage—
why don't you reflect on yourself?"
"Answer me!"
"Look me in the eyes!"
"Tell me why!"
"Why, baby, why?!"