"Such clumsy tricks, Senju Tobirama."
"Did you really think I couldn't see through your intentions?"
"All this frantic scheming… just for the title of village leader?"
"Hashirama and I are not the same as you."
There was no doubt about it—
At this point in time, Uchiha Madara was still an idealist, someone who held boundless expectations for the village's future.
This village was something he and Hashirama had built together with their own hands.
In Madara's eyes, it made no real difference whether Hashirama or he himself became the village's leader. What truly mattered was that their nindō could be carried out—
that children would no longer be sent to the battlefield,
and that true peace in the shinobi world could one day be realized.
A mere title meant nothing.
Did Hashirama really seem like the kind of man who would be shackled by fame and power?
Our ambition, Madara thought, is far beyond the comprehension of that crude schemer, Tobirama.
"Hmph. Hashirama, hasn't your dear brother already prepared everything for you?"
"In that case… I have no objections."
"Let's do it this way."
Madara's voice was as cold and detached as ever.
If you become the village leader, Hashirama, I don't mind.
But your brother is pulling tricks right under my nose.
And that makes me unhappy.
So—you'd better make it up to me.
(I heard you're supposed to be spending tonight with Uzumaki Mito. I trust you know how to behave.)
"Madara, Tobirama didn't mean it that way!"
"I've always believed you're more suitable than I am to lead the village!"
Hashirama was starting to panic.
He'd heard the unspoken meaning behind Madara's words.
Madara… he's sulking.
What do I do now?!
"All right. I still have things to attend to."
"I'll be heading back first."
Madara shot Tobirama a cold glance, then gave Hashirama a long, meaningful look before turning around and leaving without another word.
Hashirama, there are too many people here. I'll wait somewhere else.
Tobirama, seeing this scene, was secretly delighted.
Even if his scheme hadn't worked quite as cleanly as expected, the final result still counted as a success… right?
Hashirama, meanwhile, looked visibly distressed. He immediately dropped the survey report and rushed after Madara.
The Corridor
"Madara, wait! Let me explain!"
"I've always supported you becoming the village leader!"
"I already said it's decided."
"Once I, Uchiha Madara, agree to something—I never go back on my word."
Madara folded his arms, maintaining his cool, aloof demeanor.
I don't care about the title.
What I care about… is your attitude.
"Then… Madara, are you free tonight?"
"Aren't you supposed to be with Mito tonight?"
"We'll do it another day! Another day!"
"Mito won't mind!"
"Since I'm becoming village leader anyway, tonight's a good chance for us to discuss how to plan the village's future."
"Hmph… honestly."
"…Fine, then."
The moment Madara agreed, Hashirama's face lit up. He immediately slung an arm around Madara's shoulders, then turned back toward the office and shouted:
"Tobirama! Help me tell Mito I won't be coming home tonight!"
Tobirama: "..."
(Am I about to become my sister-in-law's punching bag again?)
That Night
Uzumaki Mito had prepared an entire table of food.
She sat there, waiting expectantly for her husband, her posture so still and hopeful it was as if she'd turned into a stone statue awaiting her man's return.
The outcome, of course, was obvious.
That night, Mito would once again be alone.
The only person who came back was Senju Tobirama.
Being a lifelong bachelor with no wife to cook for him, Tobirama had always freeloaded meals at his brother's house.
Seeing only Tobirama return, Mito frowned.
"Tobirama, where's your brother?"
"Why didn't he come back with you?"
Tobirama swallowed nervously.
"Sister-in-law… Big Brother asked me to tell you…"
"He'll be spending the entire night with Uchiha Madara, so…"
"…he won't be coming back for dinner."
Mito froze.
Then—
"AAAAAHHHH—THAT NATURALLY EVIL UCHIHA MADARA—"
"*****!"
"******!!"
"And you, Tobirama!"
"Didn't I remind you again and again to keep an eye on your brother?!"
"To stop him from getting too close to that smelly Uchiha man?!"
"I cooked a whole table of food—what am I supposed to do with it now?!"
Tobirama:
"Sister-in-law… this is hard to deal with…"
(Inner monologue: You can't even keep track of your own husband—how is this my fault?)
(Also, I'm starving. If Big Brother ran off with Madara, I can absolutely finish this entire table myself.)
Mito slammed the table.
"Hard to deal with?"
"Then DON'T DEAL WITH IT!"
(Table-flip.jpg)
Elsewhere
Uchiha Makoto lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
At this moment, he felt both pain and joy, his emotions so tangled he couldn't fall asleep.
After days of relentless effort, he had finally secured sponsorship from the Fire Daimyō.
The Fire Daimyō expressed high praise for Makoto's plan—to establish a new shinobi village, preserve a future path for the Uchiha, and keep the Senju in check.
Support would be provided.
Including—but not limited to—funding, land, and policy backing.
For the Daimyō, balance in the shinobi world was paramount.
Hashirama's ambition to unite the Uchiha, build a village, and eventually pacify the entire shinobi world was terrifying.
So terrifying that the Daimyō had been losing sleep over it.
However—
The support had limits.
For example, in terms of funding, the Daimyō initially provided one billion ryō.
Makoto was still too weak, after all, and his pitch reeked strongly of "cult-leader energy."
Threat theories and grand visions alone weren't enough for full commitment.
One billion ryō sounded massive.
And for Makoto personally, it was astronomical.
At a minimum payout of one million ryō per S-rank mission, he'd need to complete 1,000 S-rank missions.
If he worked like a normal shinobi, he'd die of overwork long before earning that much.
But for a newly founded shinobi village, where everything cost money—
It was just barely startup capital.
Still broke.
Painfully broke.
Makoto rubbed his temples.
But heaven hadn't been completely cruel.
Besides the Daimyō's support, he had successfully recruited a third-rate minor shinobi clan—the Satō Clan.
The clan head was named Satō Kazuma.
The entire clan numbered barely over a dozen people.
But still—
A village had officially been founded.
And none of that was the most important thing.
What truly mattered—
Tonight, his system finally met the activation conditions.
"System…"
"Activate."
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