"Lord Madara, our Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan agreed back then to share joys and sorrows together."
"According to common sense, their Senju Clan Leader, Senju Hashirama, has already served as the First Hokage, so the next Hokage should come from our Uchiha Clan. Does Lord Hokage really intend to betray the alliance we made back then and forcefully support his younger brother Senju Tobirama to become the next Hokage?"
"Can't this matter really be discussed again?"
"I don't believe Lord Hokage would be so stubborn and completely betray the agreement made by our two clans back then."
These words were indeed prudent.
The current peaceful life was truly hard-won.
If the goal could be achieved through negotiation, it would naturally be best.
Even if the Uchiha Clan had to pay a small price, letting Uchiha Madara become Hokage while allowing Senju Tobirama to retain significant power was not non-negotiable.
What the Uchiha Clan wanted was the position of Hokage!!
Of course.
After that, Senju Tobirama would definitely have to move out of the Hokage's office.
The Uchiha Clan could save the Senju Clan's substance, but regarding face, the Uchiha Clan definitely couldn't lose it anymore.
Otherwise, what would be the point of the Uchiha Clan obtaining the position of Hokage like this?
However, if things really reached an irreversible point, then they could only listen to Uchiha Madara's suggestion and take the family away from Konoha.
—If the Senju Clan is unkind, then they can't blame the Uchiha Clan for being unjust.
Facing the Uchiha Grand Elder's inquiry, Uchiha Madara felt it necessary to explain clearly to his clansmen.
He didn't want to cause a shootout between the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan because of this, repeating the bloody battles between the two clans back then.
It wasn't that he didn't have a chance to become Hokage.
But Konoha carried Senju Hashirama's dream, and now he, Uchiha Madara, had found a new path. The paths of the two sides had fundamental differences.
With that guy Senju Tobirama in Konoha, the conflict between the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan would only intensify from now on.
In short... Konoha was no longer suitable for the Uchiha Clan to continue staying.
"No, this has nothing to do with Hashirama. He didn't do what you said."
"He is just hesitating... He is willing to nominate me as the next Hokage, but he also supports Senju Tobirama..."
"But this is no longer important."
"In the past, Konoha carried the dreams of Hashirama and me, but I have found a brand new path. This is a path that can realize true peace, but it contradicts Konoha's path. So I think Konoha is no longer suitable for our Uchiha Clan to continue living in."
Uchiha Madara said this.
He already knew Senju Hashirama's mind.
Although he was willing to nominate him as the next Hokage, he also supported his younger brother Senju Tobirama.
But Uchiha Madara was very clear about his own talents. If it was about combat talent, Senju Tobirama was just mere gravel in his eyes, not even half as good as him.
But Uchiha Madara knew he wasn't good at handling those miscellaneous matters in Konoha.
Even if he became the Second Hokage then, Konoha couldn't do without Senju Tobirama at all.
And between Konoha and him, Senju Hashirama would definitely choose Konoha.
Rather than compromising and lowering his stance to continue fighting secretly with that guy Senju Tobirama in Konoha, it was better to take the family clansmen and leave Konoha as soon as possible, re-establish a village, and start a new life.
However, Uchiha Madara's answer certainly couldn't satisfy the Uchiha clansmen present.
Their focus wasn't on the so-called path to eternal peace that Uchiha Madara mentioned, but on the fact that Uchiha Madara clearly had a chance to become Hokage, yet he gave it up himself.
—Something the family dreamed of was just given up by Uchiha Madara like this.
The Uchiha clansmen simply couldn't accept such a thing.
"Lord Madara, why? I don't understand."
"Since you have the chance to become the next Hokage, why should we leave Konoha.... What's wrong with our current life?"
The Uchiha Grand Elder said this; he really couldn't understand Uchiha Madara's thoughts.
Since Senju Hashirama didn't oppose Uchiha Madara becoming the Second Hokage, and in the Uchiha Grand Elder's eyes, Senju Tobirama definitely wouldn't be Uchiha Madara's opponent.
Then it could be said that as long as Uchiha Madara participated in the election, he would definitely become the next Hokage.
Now under these circumstances, Uchiha Madara actually wanted to take the Uchiha Clan and leave Konoha?
What exactly was wrong with life in Konoha!
As one of the founding clans of Konoha, their status in Konoha was transcendent, and they were on equal footing with the Senju Clan. Even if Senju Tobirama was indeed a bit annoying, as long as Uchiha Madara became the Second Hokage, these wouldn't be problems.
The Uchiha Grand Elder's words also represented the heartfelt wishes of the Uchiha crowd present.
They all turned their gazes towards Uchiha Madara.
"I said it, I have found a new path that can realize eternal peace, which contradicts Konoha's path."
"Then there is no need for me to continue staying in Konoha. And if you continue to stay in Konoha, after Senju Tobirama becomes Hokage, the Uchiha will definitely be erased by Senju Tobirama."
Uchiha Madara could only patiently continue to explain.
He emphasized again the path he found that could realize eternal peace.
For this path, he had to leave Konoha.
And after he left Konoha, it would become inevitable for Senju Tobirama to become the Second Hokage.
This group of his clansmen definitely couldn't outfight Senju Tobirama. Sooner or later, the Uchiha Clan would face a catastrophe because of Senju Tobirama.
However, the Uchiha Grand Elder still didn't care about the path emphasized by Uchiha Madara.
Nor did he care about the so-called threat of Senju Tobirama.
He admitted that Senju Tobirama was indeed a tricky character, but the Uchiha Grand Elder didn't think a mere Senju Tobirama could lead the Uchiha Clan to destruction.
The Uchiha Clan had fought with the Senju Clan for a thousand years. Something the Senju Clan couldn't do in a thousand years, Senju Tobirama could do?
It was simply alarmist talk.
Impossible, absolutely impossible!
The most important thing for the Uchiha Clan now was the position of Hokage; nothing was more important than the position of Hokage!
He must dispel Lord Madara's unrealistic idea.
"No, Lord Madara, you don't need to take the family away from Konoha at all!"
"As long as you stay in Konoha and participate in the Hokage election, I believe you will definitely become the Hokage. At that time, you will be the Second Hokage of Konoha. That guy Senju Tobirama just relies on his big brother being the Hokage; otherwise, how could he be an opponent for our Uchiha?"
"Also, Lord Madara, as long as you become Hokage, we Uchiha are willing to support you on that path to eternal peace you mentioned. And at that time, you will be the Konoha Hokage; who can stop you?"
This was the train of thought a normal person should have.
The Uchiha Grand Elder was absolutely right.
Uchiha Madara becoming Hokage didn't conflict with executing the Eye of the Moon Plan at all.
More importantly, Uchiha Madara hadn't awakened the Rinnegan yet, which meant he didn't even have the most basic conditions for executing the Eye of the Moon Plan.
Nothing was even close to starting yet, and now he wanted to drag his family and take the Uchiha Clan away from Konoha with him; it was simply somewhat bizarre.
However, Uchiha Madara's brain was already abnormal.
He was too proud, too paranoid, and now he couldn't listen to the Uchiha Grand Elder's words at all.
Now Uchiha Madara was bent on taking the Uchiha Clan to run away from Konoha together.
Having no choice.
The Uchiha Grand Elder could only use another argument to win back Uchiha Madara's heart.
Regarding... sunk costs!
"Lord Madara, have you considered the sacrifices our Uchiha Clan has made in Konoha?"
"We obeyed your orders back then to reconcile with the Senju Clan and established the current Konoha. Now Konoha is our home. Our Uchiha Clan has poured all our heart's blood into Konoha. Now you want us to leave Konoha; wouldn't all the efforts our family made in Konoha over these years, the industries we painstakingly created, and the land we obtained, all be in vain?"
"And how would Konoha easily allow such a thing to happen? Lord Hokage will definitely not agree!"
"Also.... where should we go after leaving Konoha? Where are we going to rebuild our homeland? How much effort will it take to build a ninja village like Konoha again?"
"Lord Madara, have you considered all these things clearly?"
Uchiha Madara just needed to slap his forehead and think about taking the Uchiha Clan away from Konoha, but the Uchiha Grand Elder had to consider much more.
Since Uchiha Izuna's death, although Uchiha Madara was nominally the Uchiha Clan Leader, he had always been a hands-off leader.
Over these years, the actual managers of the Uchiha Clan had always been the Uchiha Grand Elder and a group of Uchiha clan elders.
And the Uchiha Grand Elder was very clear about how much the Uchiha Clan had paid for Konoha and how much they had gained over these years.
As one of the two founding clans of Konoha, the Uchiha Clan had gone all-in, paying with blood and sweat during the construction of Konoha, but the Uchiha Clan had also gained a lot.
Numerous land and real estate in Konoha, as well as many industries and shops established with Uchiha Makoto's help, were all important sources of finance for the Uchiha Clan. Once they left Konoha, all those industries and lands they had painstakingly established in Konoha over these years would have to be cleared out at once, and they simply couldn't take them away.
Not only that, the most important thing was the obstruction from Konoha.
How could a ninja village allow a ninja clan within the village to leave at will?
Even a founding clan of Konoha was no exception.
The Uchiha Grand Elder didn't think Konoha would let the Uchiha Clan leave Konoha so easily.
Raising it to the level of principles, this was the Uchiha Clan collectively betraying the village.
This was something that would shake the foundation of the village!
As the Hokage, Senju Hashirama had the qualification to lead the Konoha ninja clans to encircle and suppress the Uchiha.
And he had to take action!
Otherwise, how would the village manage the ninja clans within the village in the future?
It could be said that the Uchiha Clan was completely bound to Konoha. If the Uchiha Clan actively broke away from Konoha, not only would they nominally bear the bad reputation of betraying the ninja village, but it would also be an absolute loss in terms of the family's actual interests.
Even if they really paid a huge price and the Uchiha Clan successfully cleared out and left Konoha at a loss.
Where should the Uchiha Clan go to build a prosperous ninja village like Konoha in the future?
Except for the Land of Fire, the other four great nations already had their own ninja villages.
Going there rashly would probably mean another storm of blood.
Of course, they could actually go to Akatsuki Village.
This was indeed a good choice. Uchiha Makoto was an Uchiha clansman after all; he wouldn't refuse his family seeking refuge.
But this was completely unnecessary.
The Uchiha Clan was one of the two founding clans of Konoha and was now thriving in Konoha. Why bear the infamy of betraying the village and join Akatsuki Village like a rat crossing the street?
Not to mention that Uchiha Madara could become Hokage now!
The Uchiha Clan was in a state of vibrant vitality where all things were competing for development; why did they have to make themselves as wretched as stray dogs?
After the Uchiha Grand Elder's persuasion, Uchiha Madara couldn't help but frown.
He indeed hadn't considered so many things..... The matter of the Uchiha Clan leaving Konoha seemed indeed much more complicated than he imagined.
However, this didn't shake Uchiha Madara's determination to take the family away from Konoha.
He would personally go to find Hashirama to solve the matter of leaving Konoha.
As for the sacrifices and gains mentioned by the Uchiha Grand Elder, Uchiha Madara felt they could all be discarded.
These vulgar things were not worth mentioning in front of a path that could realize eternal peace; they were things that could all be discarded.
Moreover, for this path, he had even given up on Hashirama. What did giving up these things matter for the Uchiha Clan following him to pursue this broad road?
Anyway, it was impossible for anyone in the Uchiha Clan to starve to death because of this.
At worst, there was still Uchiha Makoto. When the time came, just let the Uchiha Grand Elder go find Uchiha Makoto.
Hmm... he wouldn't go.
"This... I indeed didn't consider so much."
"But these things are not important."
"I will personally go talk to Hashirama about the family leaving Konoha."
"For this matter, I can even sever the bond between Hashirama and me!"
"As for the family's sacrifices and accumulated industries over these years, they are not worth mentioning in the process of pursuing the path of eternal peace."
Uchiha Madara was a romantic idealist.
He didn't need exquisite bread in his life; a few food pills on ordinary days could fill his stomach.
So he could say these words lightly because he really didn't care.
However, these casual words from Uchiha Madara sounded rather jarring to the ears of the Uchiha Grand Elder and the group of Uchiha clansmen.
You're amazing!
You're high and mighty!!
You don't care about anything!!!
Then what about all our sacrifices in Konoha over these years?