In the end, he proposed that both sides first cease fighting for one month. During that month, each side would count their casualties, bury the dead, and discuss whether to completely end the war afterward.
At the end of the letter, he did not use the tone of a clan head, but an old, private form of address instead, "Madara, if you still remember the promise we made by the river, then give me an answer."
After finishing, Hashirama carefully folded the letter and sealed it with his own chakra.
Tobirama looked at the simple yet sturdy seal and suddenly said, "Big Brother, do you really believe he'll agree?"
Hashirama leaned against the back of his chair and looked at the night outside the window. His voice was very soft. "I don't know. But I have to reach out first."
The next morning, the letter was sent out by a ninja skilled at infiltration.
He was given very clear instructions, only deliver it to the edge of the Uchiha clan grounds, hand it to the patrol team, and immediately withdraw. No fighting, no lingering.
———
[Uchiha Clan Grounds]
Tajima's funeral had not completely ended yet, but the meeting hall was already packed with people.
Madara sat in the main seat, with the Uchiha clan's Gunbai placed beside him.
The wound on his left arm had not fully healed yet, and it was wrapped in thick bandages.
Izuna stood beside him. His eyes were red and swollen, yet he forced himself to keep his back straight.
The elders spoke one after another.
Some advocated immediately gathering the clan's elite forces and teaching the Senju a bloody lesson.
Some suggested stabilizing things internally first, then slowly making plans.
Others secretly sized up Madara's Mangekyo, their eyes filled with both awe and apprehension.
Madara listened for a long time before finally speaking. "Bury Father first. As for everything else, we'll discuss it three days from now."
No one dared to object.
The pressure of the Mangekyo Sharingan was too strong. Even though Madara was merely sitting there quietly, the air seemed to have been pressed down by a layer.
Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside the door.
A patrol captain pushed the door open, knelt on one knee, and presented a letter with both hands.
"Young Master... no, Clan Head. This was sent from the Senju."
Madara took the letter and looked at the seal. The familiar chakra fluctuation made his fingers pause slightly.
He opened the letter and read it line by line.
The meeting hall was so quiet that only breathing could be heard.
After reading it, Madara gently placed the letter on the table without speaking immediately.
Izuna could not help asking, "Brother, what does it say?"
Madara raised his eyes, the Mangekyo slowly rotating under the lamplight.
"Hashirama has become the clan head. He wants a truce. He also wants to exchange Father's body... for Butsuma's body."
As soon as those words fell, the meeting hall exploded.
"Ridiculous!"
"Lord Tajima's bones haven't even grown cold, and they're already daring to propose a truce?! This is an insult!"
A white-haired elder suddenly slammed the table and stood up.
"That's right! That old bastard Butsuma deserved to die. Why should we return his body?"
"That brat Hashirama has always been soft-hearted, but Tobirama is still among the Senju! Who knows what kind of trick they're playing?"
The voices of opposition rose one wave after another. Some even pressed their swords against the table, their knuckles turning white.
Madara did not move.
He merely looked at those agitated faces and suddenly remembered the days many years ago when he and Hashirama threw stones by the river.
Back then, they did not yet know what a clan head was or what a blood debt was. They only knew who could throw farther.
But now...
Izuna said quietly, "Brother, what do you think?"
Madara was silent for a long time before slowly speaking. "I want to agree."
The entire hall fell dead silent.
The next second, the voices of opposition nearly lifted the roof.
"Clan Head! Have you gone mad?!"
"Lord Tajima died at the hands of the Senju! And now you want to make a truce with them?!"
"The Mangekyo Sharingan is for killing enemies, not seeking peace!"
Madara raised his hand, and all the voices stopped instantly.
His voice was not loud, but it carried a calmness that left no room for argument. "Father is dead. Butsuma is dead too. Many people have died on both sides. If we keep fighting, only more people will die."
"But hatred..."
"Hatred can stay."
"But the dead cannot carry hatred away. Father's body has already returned. Butsuma's body... is still in our hands. Hashirama is willing to stop for one month first."
"During that month, we can bury the dead and reorganize our forces. If they dare to break the agreement, I'll go kill them myself.", Madara interrupted him.
An old elder sneered. "You trust him that much?"
Madara looked at him, the Mangekyo turning slightly. "I don't trust him. I trust these eyes of mine!"
Low murmurs rose in the meeting hall again.
Some shook their heads, some remained silent, while others secretly looked toward Izuna, hoping to find a trace of opposition on the face of this young clan heir who had also awakened the Mangekyo.
Izuna merely bit his lip and said nothing.
In the end, Madara stood up, folded the letter, and put it into his clothes.
"Three days from now, I'll personally reply. Before then, no one is allowed to launch an attack on their own. Anyone who disobeys will be dealt with according to clan rules."
When he reached the doorway, he suddenly stopped without turning around. "I'll dig Father's grave myself."
The door closed.
What remained in the meeting hall was prolonged silence, along with several suppressed snorts of displeasure.
———
[Three Days Later]
At an open area on the edge of the Uchiha clan grounds, Madara stood alone beneath a withered tree.
He held a reply letter in his hand. There were only a few short lines on the paper, "The body can be returned. We can discuss a truce. Meet in the river valley one month from now. If you break the agreement, I'll kill you."
There were no pleasantries, no unnecessary words.
He handed the letter to a trusted subordinate and quietly instructed, "Personally deliver it to the edge of the Senju clan grounds. No fighting, no lingering."
The subordinate accepted the order and left.
Madara stood where he was, looking into the distance, and suddenly said in a low voice that only he could hear, "Hashirama... you've become a clan head too... Will we change the current situation?"
———
On the other side, Arisu was slacking off.
"Sigh, the level of technology is terrible. It's really killing me. Phones... computers... there aren't any."
"Last cycle, I had Gamamaru, so I could still slack off. This time, I'm all alone. I don't even have anyone to talk to."
Arisu reached out and tapped the air a few times.
A faint screen of light appeared, with real-time images of the world below continuously scrolling across it.
Madara stood beneath the withered tree watching the messenger leave. After receiving the reply, Hashirama remained silent for a long time, while Tobirama coldly analyzed the pros and cons beside him.
The images were clear.
Arisu stared at those scenes and gave another bitter smile.
"It's a good thing you two brats are finally willing to sit down and talk. Otherwise, I'd have to keep watching, worried that one of you might mess around again."
Arisu stood up, casually gathered the bowls and chopsticks he had finished eating with, and cleaned them with a simple cleaning spell.
"Eh....."
"Eh..."
"I remember that Yumeko I locked up isn't she a top university student? Could she...?"
Arisu raised his eyebrows slightly and thought about it. Yumeko was currently being kept on the moon by him. If she could create modern technology, he wouldn't mind letting her out.