"They've already started?"
"That chakra sensation... it has to be Uchiha Madara."
As expected, that masked man from the future could never truly be Uchiha Madara. This kind of overbearing, heaven-reigning chakra fluctuation was something a rat hiding behind a mask could never replicate.
As Madara invaded the Kingdom of Roran, Shiraishi and the Snake Queen, watching from a distance, simultaneously noticed the massive surge of power radiating from the city.
"The Hagoromo clan is finished," the Snake Queen remarked with a hint of lament. "With Uchiha Madara personally taking the field, neither the Amanonuhoko nor their powerful talismans will save them."
She sighed softly. "In truth, the alliance between the Uchiha and the Senju was the greatest factor in ending the Warring States period."
During that era, shinobi clans were merely mercenaries for hire, lacking fixed organizations or nations. To survive, ninjas couldn't even reveal their last names.
The average lifespan of both shinobi and civilians was barely thirty years. A primary cause of this tragedy was that even small children were forced onto the battlefield, dying easily and meaninglessly.
The Senju of the Forest and the Uchiha of the Flame—history had bestowed upon these two clans an inescapable destiny of endless slaughter. The protracted war had left both sides exhausted.
As leaders of their respective clans, Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama met by a twist of fate. The cruel war had brought immense trauma to both; Madara had lost three brothers, and Hashirama had lost two.
During a chance encounter as boys, two youths who had not yet revealed their surnames—two ninjas who loathed war but were forced into opposition—began a deep connection through a simple conversation.
They shared the same dream but had different understandings of how to achieve it.
Standing on opposite banks of a river, Hashirama proposed ending the war through signed agreements and alliances, while Madara believed peace required an unyielding will and sufficient strength.
Through skipping stones, climbing, and sparring, they built a profound friendship. Their bond deepened over time, and they even talked about building a village together one day.
"Hmph. Just a farce directed by the Sage of the Six Paths," Shiraishi muttered, unimpressed. To him, their meeting was nothing more than the chakra consciousness of Ashura and Indra acting up—drawn together only to eventually stand on opposite sides.
Seeing the Snake Queen's odd look, Shiraishi coughed. "But I suppose the Sage's goal was for them to join forces and end this chaotic era."
The Snake Queen smiled. "You really are a vengeful man. You're still bitter that the Sage used the Box of Ultimate Bliss to plot against the Sand."
"I don't have Hashirama's noble sentimentality, nor Madara's delicate emotions. To me, ending a chaotic era and achieving unification is simply the first step of civilizational evolution. The Hagoromo clan has simply become the Sage's discarded pawn."
As the two boys grew into men, their clans continued to fight year after year. Eventually, both became the heads of their respective tribes, their strength nearly equal in every encounter.
During one battle, Senju Tobirama used the Flying Raijin Slice to defeat Uchiha Izuna, leading to Izuna's death from his wounds.
Before dying, Izuna gave his eyes to his brother so Madara could protect the Uchiha; this sacrifice allowed Madara to awaken the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
The scales of war gradually tipped toward the Senju. As the Uchiha faced a disadvantage, more clansmen chose to surrender, but Madara insisted on resisting to the end to honor his promise to his brother.
He challenged Hashirama to a final duel. After a day and night of fierce fighting, Madara was defeated for the first time.
Hashirama proposed an alliance for peace, but Madara demanded that Hashirama either kill himself or his brother Tobirama to prove his sincerity.
The deeply loyal Hashirama chose suicide, instructing Tobirama to maintain the peace. Moved by Hashirama's sincerity, Madara stopped him. The two clans declared a truce, and the long-time rivals formed an alliance for the first time.
"Hashirama's methods are truly impressive," Shiraishi noted. "Using 'great wisdom appearing as folly' to resolve Madara's grudge. By contrast, while Tobirama is thorough, his methods lack his brother's touch."
The Snake Queen rolled her eyes. "You don't believe Hashirama genuinely wanted reconciliation? When I first heard this story, I was moved to tears."
"He was genuine, of course. But playing a few cards isn't against the rules... Anyway, did you really need to cry?"
"It was very touching," she insisted. "Madara needed a way out, and Hashirama gave him a graceful exit. Such perfect chemistry... they really were a match made in heaven."
Because the Snake Queen was far older than him, Shiraishi didn't feel the need to maintain his Kazekage dignity around her.
He could complain and dismiss these "messy ancients" without restraint. The Snake Queen, in turn, found Shiraishi's cynical viewpoints quite amusing, even if she occasionally bit back.
"However," she continued, "when the Hagoromo fled the Leaf's pursuit, they split into two branches.
The main lineage of the south took the Amanonuhoko and fled toward what is now the Land of Wind. As for the northern branch..."
Shiraishi reacted instantly. "I see. Kinkaku and Ginkaku were descendants of the northern branch. They were a branch family who inherited the other Sage tools."
Those brothers, born in the era of the Second Raikage, possessed the bloodline of the Sage. They were legends of the Hidden Cloud but also its most vicious criminals.
Powerful enough to surpass the Five Kage, they wielded the Bashosen, Kohaku no Johei, and other relics.
Cruel and perfectly synchronized, they even survived being swallowed by the Nine-Tails by eating its flesh, eventually gaining its chakra. When their rebellion was finally suppressed, that northern branch of the Hagoromo was extinguished.
As they talked, a massive army of Uchiha, Senju, and Fire Country mercenaries wearing Konoha protectors swarmed into Roran to corner the various ninja factions within.
In the center of the battlefield, Hagoromo Suzumi gripped the Amanonuhoko, unleashing a massive gale of chakra energy. Uchiha Madara effortlessly blocked it with his Gunbai.
"Too weak. You can't even draw out 1% of the Spear's power."
Flickering behind her in an instant, Madara delivered a punch that sent Suzumi flying. As he reached out to seize the spear, Reto intervened, sending a spray of sand toward him.
"Uchiha Madara! I am your opponent!"
In this era, sand manipulation was a secret art held by various clans and rarely shared; Reto's methods were basic compared to the systematic combat of the future Sand Village, but his combat intuition was top-tier. Despite lacking a prestigious bloodline, his will was ironclad.
"Was the Amanonuhoko destroyed in this battle?" Shiraishi asked.
"After this day, the Hagoromo becomes history," the Snake Queen replied, watching Madara amidst the flames. "The spear and their secret talismans vanished—likely due to Madara's slaughter. He also had a brother who died at the Hagoromo's hands."
"And Hashirama's brother," Shiraishi added. "The First Hokage might not have wanted to get his hands dirty with a blood debt, so he let his 'good friend' Madara handle the disposal. Quite convenient."
"You think in conspiracy theories too much," she huffed. "Your mind is twisted. You always assume the worst intentions."
"My Lady, I can't believe you are taking the moral high ground..."
She snorted. "I'm not. I just find it fun to argue with you. Besides, if I don't act superior, it wastes this perfectly ethereal outfit I'm wearing."
Ethereal? More like demonic, Shiraishi thought.
Just then, Queen Sara of Roran made her move. An army of puppets powered by the Dragon Vein emerged from the ground to assist Reto against Madara.
Standing on high ground, Madara looked down at the pale Reto with an arrogant, dominant gaze. "Did you just say you were my opponent?"
Madara hadn't even activated his Mangekyo. He looked at the "ants" before him with disdain. A burst of flames erupted from his body, consuming the puppets and Reto's sand.
Though he despised his three opponents, Madara's gaze swept across the city with predatory intensity. He scanned the mercenary families from the Nara Desert and the local defenders.
Slowly, his eyes stopped. His gaze locked onto the distant figures of Shiraishi and the Snake Queen.
And there, his gaze remained.
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed. Claim early access on Patreon: Patreon.com/kazama677
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:💬 10 reviews ignite 1 bonus chapter🔷 60 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.