Uchiha Madara began training harder, began speaking less in front of his father, and began staring blankly at his younger brother's back at night.
Izuna noticed something was wrong and asked several times, but Madara only shook his head. "It's nothing. Just... a little tired."
Uchiha Tajima noticed it too.
As a transmigrator, he had long since guessed what was going on.
Judging by the timing, Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama should have met by now.
In the original story, Madara and Hashirama met right here, planting the seeds for all the grievances and reconciliation that followed.
Tajima had originally wanted to stop it, wanted to lock Madara inside the clan grounds, but in the end, he did not act.
The mysterious man's warning hung over him like a shadow: "History has its own rhythm."
He did not dare try again.
So he chose the safest course.
Follow the original story.
———
On this day, the first autumn wind had begun to blow.
Uchiha Tajima called Izuna to his side, his voice as calm as if he were giving instructions about an everyday matter.
"Come with me today. Bring your sword and travel light."
Izuna was startled, then nodded. "Yes, Father."
When Tajima left the clan grounds with Izuna, it was still early.
They did not take the usual patrol route. Instead, they went around in a large circle, eventually sneaking into the dense forest near the river in the afternoon.
Standing at a high point, Tajima looked through the gaps between the leaves and saw a figure on the opposite bank in the distance.
Senju Hashirama was crouching by the bank with his feet in the water, occasionally picking up stones and throwing them a couple of times.
He looked completely defenseless, like an ordinary boy.
Tajima's fingers tightened slightly.
He knew Madara would come soon.
He remembered the script from the original story perfectly.
"Izuna, listen carefully."
"We'll surround them from the side later. The target is that Senju boy. It's best if we can capture him alive. If we can't... kill him.", Tajima said in a low voice.
Izuna nodded, his expression serious. "Understood."
Tajima took a deep breath and silently said in his heart, 'I'm sorry.'
'But this is the only way I can stay alive and keep you safe for now.'
———
At the same time, deep in the forest on the other side of the river.
Senju Butsuma stood with his hands behind his back, with the already somewhat sharp-looking Senju Tobirama standing beside him.
"Are you sure?" Butsuma's voice was low.
"I'm sure."
"There's an Uchiha who has appeared alone in this area several times recently. According to the information, he seems to be secretly meeting with my brother...", Senju Tobirama said.
Butsuma's eyes turned cold. "That brat Hashirama is doing something unnecessary again."
"Don't rush." Butsuma slowly said.
"Wait until the Uchiha show themselves as well. It would be best to catch them all in one net. Especially that Tajima... He's been behaving strangely honestly lately. I'd like to see what he's really up to."
Tobirama nodded, his figure disappearing into the shadows of the trees.
And so, the ambushes of the two clans lay hidden on opposite sides of the same river.
———
The sun began to sink toward the west.
Uchiha Madara came as expected.
He emerged from the familiar path as usual and stood by the bank. Seeing that Hashirama was already waving to him from the opposite bank, Uchiha Madara nevertheless vaguely sensed that something was wrong.
The two skipped stones a few times as usual. Suddenly, Hashirama pulled a stone from his clothes. Several crooked characters were carved into it, "Danger. Run."
Madara's pupils contracted slightly. Almost at the same time, he threw over the stone he had prepared beforehand, which had the same warning carved into it.
The two instantly understood. The ambush had already been set.
They turned around almost at the same time, preparing to retreat.
But at that very moment, footsteps sounded from the bushes on both banks at once.
Senju Butsuma emerged from the forest on the opposite bank with Tobirama, while Uchiha Tajima appeared from the dense forest behind Madara with Izuna.
Four figures appeared on the two sides of the river almost simultaneously, and killing intent spread through the air like something tangible.
"Hashirama."
"So you really have been associating with an Uchiha.", Butsuma's voice was cold.
Tajima's gaze fell on Hashirama, then swept over Butsuma and Tobirama.
His heart beat heavily inside his chest.
The original story's turning point had arrived.
He had to play his role properly.
"Madara, take Izuna and get ready to fight." Tajima gave the order in a low voice.
Madara's face instantly turned pale. He looked at Hashirama, and Hashirama was looking at him as well.
Complicated emotions flashed through their eyes: friendship, shock, and the helplessness of having no choice but to draw their swords.
"Brother..." Izuna gripped the short sword in his hand, his voice trembling.
Tobirama had already gathered chakra at his fingertips, with faint water-element fluctuations visible.
The next second, the battle erupted.
Tobirama attacked first.
His figure skimmed across the river like a fish in water, his short sword aimed straight at Izuna's throat.
Though Izuna was young, his reactions were not slow. He dodged to the side and immediately swung his sword back across.
The shrill sound of metal striking metal exploded through the morning mist.
Tajima and Butsuma burst into action almost simultaneously.
Their ninja swords collided fiercely in midair, sparks flying in all directions.
The two launched a fierce exchange along the riverbank. The gravel beneath their feet was kicked in every direction, while the impact of their chakra sent waves rippling across the river.
Madara and Hashirama wanted to stop them, but they were pinned in place by furious shouts from their respective fathers.
"Don't interfere!", Tajima roared.
"This is a battle between adults!"
"Hashirama, watch your brother!", Butsuma also shouted in a low voice.
Tobirama and Izuna's clash grew increasingly fierce.
Tobirama's Water Release began to show itself. Thin blades of water extended from his sword, forcing Izuna to retreat again and again.
Although Izuna had not awakened his Sharingan, he relied on his sharp senses to narrowly evade one deadly strike after another.
The flashes of their swords intertwined into a field of silver-white along the riverbank. The occasional drops of blood fell into the water and were quickly washed away by the rushing current.
The battle between Tajima and Butsuma also entered its most intense stage.
Tajima launched a "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique," and a huge fireball roared out, carrying scorching heat straight toward Butsuma.
Butsuma advanced instead of retreating. He rapidly formed hand seals, and a wall of earth instantly rose from the ground.
At the same time as it blocked the fireball, he had already circled around to the side, his ninja sword stabbing straight toward Tajima's ribs.
Tajima turned sideways and blocked it. The two became entangled in battle again. The frequency of their sword clashes grew faster and faster, their hands going numb from the impacts, their breathing becoming heavy.
At this moment, the two fathers almost simultaneously had the same thought.
Their strength was evenly matched. If they continued fighting head-on, both sides would only suffer heavy losses.
To break the deadlock, they had to inflict a greater psychological blow on the other side, kill the other side's child.
Butsuma's gaze suddenly sharpened.
At the instant he clashed swords with Tajima, he suddenly leaped backward and pulled several kunai from his waist. Chakra covered them, turning them into sharp flying weapons that shot straight toward Izuna, who was fighting Tobirama!
Almost at the same moment, Tajima made the same decision.
His ninja sword turned in midair, and several specially made kunai carrying Fire Release chakra flew toward Tobirama with a roar!
"Izuna!"
"Tobirama!"
Madara and Hashirama's pupils contracted at the same time.
Time seemed to become extremely slow in that instant.