The shrine’s main doors were tightly closed, giving off a mysterious aura.
You slowly stepped into the shrine.
Compared to last night’s haste, today you appeared much more meticulous.
Following the walls of the secret chamber, you examined them inch by inch.
Your fingers lightly brushed over every gap between the bricks and stones, not missing any corner that might hide a clue.
Madara’s gaze, however, was drawn by the tall and mysterious Uchiha Stone Tablet in the center of the secret chamber.
The stone tablet was covered in dense writing and mysterious symbols, giving off an ancient and enigmatic aura.
A trace of curiosity and desire flashed through Madara’s eyes, and he involuntarily walked closer to the tablet, wanting to investigate it.
Seeing Madara so fascinated by the stone tablet, you raised your head slightly and reminded him, “It is said that the writing on the stone tablet can be deciphered after awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan.”
Your voice echoed through the silent secret chamber, carrying a faint chill.
Madara subconsciously raised his hand and touched the one-tomoe Sharingan he had already awakened.
He turned his head and looked at you, his gaze carrying a trace of inquiry.
“I remember you seem to have awakened the Mangekyo.”
You nodded slightly without many words, and the Mangekyo Sharingan glimmered faintly in the darkness.
“You don’t seem very curious about the contents of the stone tablet?” Madara asked again.
Your gaze once again fell on the stone tablet, a trace of indifference showing in your eyes, then you slowly withdrew your gaze.
“The contents on the stone tablet are too distant from me.”
In your eyes, what you saw recorded on the stone tablet was some legend about Indra’s reincarnation, but you felt these things had no practical meaning for your life.
What you cared about more was the current safety of the Uchiha Clan, as well as the people and matters by your side.
Madara nodded thoughtfully, but in his heart, he was thinking about the relationship between the stone tablet’s contents and power.
“Speaking of which, I really want to know what your Mangekyo ability is.” Madara’s gaze fixed tightly on your Mangekyo Sharingan, with its rotating shikigami rune pattern, his curiosity overflowing without concealment.
Feeling Madara’s gaze, you changed the Mangekyo Sharingan back into the Three Tomoe Sharingan and said calmly, “One day, you will know.”
“I look forward to it.”
After leaving the shrine, you were still bothered by Madara’s words about having the same thoughts, so you called out to him.
“Little brat.”
Madara’s expression did not look very happy.
“As an elder, can you stop always calling me little brat?”
“Then tell me, if I don’t call you little brat, what should I call you?” you asked with your arms folded.
“You can call me Madara.” He said this very solemnly.
At that time, you did not understand what it meant.
“No thanks.
Little brat is still easier to say!” You immediately refused his request, and Madara’s voice went hoarse for a moment, as if this was the first time he had met someone so arrogant.
“What did you want to say just now?” Madara changed the topic.
“What exactly did you mean by what you said yesterday?” With his reminder, you remembered the proper matter.
“This isn’t a good place to chat.” Madara’s tone was somewhat teasing, but in his heart, he felt incomparably pleased because you were willing to open your heart to him.
You raised your head slightly, glanced at him, and said nothing, only nodding lightly.
And so, you and Madara walked side by side toward a quiet sushi restaurant.
Stepping into the sushi restaurant, the elegant scent of wood intertwined with the fresh smell of raw fish, forming a unique atmosphere.
After taking a small sip of sake, the cold aura around you gained a few shades of gloom and sorrow.
Perhaps because of the effect of alcohol, you could not help speaking more.
“Ever since I can remember, I was the sharpest blade of the old faction, hidden in the darkness, never seeing the light of day.”
“I killed many people.
Their curses before death, their hatred, their helpless appearances—they remain in my mind even now.
Even so, I was still willing to give my life for the old faction.”
Your voice was low and hoarse, as if every word carried the weight of the past.
Madara quietly gazed at you from the side, as if wanting to see through the surface and look directly into the most hidden corner of your heart.
You felt Madara’s gaze, so scorching it almost seemed to burn you, and continued, “You should have already guessed.
I was once a death warrior, and the only surviving death warrior.”
Hearing these words, a strong feeling of pity surged in Uchiha Madara’s heart.
“I had a little brother.”
You paused.
Within that brief pause was endless longing and pain.
Only then did Madara learn for the first time that you actually still had family, and he could not help being slightly stunned.
“You may not know who he was if I say it this way.
His name was Uchiha Asuku,” you said faintly.
At this moment, in your eyes, only deep longing for your little brother surged.
That longing was like a raging tide, almost drowning you.
When Uchiha Madara heard this name, his heart abruptly shook.
In his mind, the image instantly appeared of that brave boy who, before death, had handed his Sharingan over to Ryoei.
So it was him!
A trace of shock and realization flashed through Madara’s eyes.
“You…” Uchiha Madara’s voice suddenly turned hoarse, as if something had lodged in his throat.
He finally understood why you were so gentle toward Uchiha Ryoei.
Guilt and pity intertwined in his heart, making him involuntarily say softly, “I’m sorry.”
You lightly shook your head.
“After Asuku died, I betrayed the Uchiha.
From that time on, I swore that one day, I would make it so that all children no longer died in war, and realize true peace.”
Thinking back to that despairing scene five years ago, you slowly lowered your eyes again.
Seeing you like this, Uchiha Madara felt a stab of pain in his heart, and he could not help holding your hand.
Scorching body heat came from his palm.
You raised your head in some surprise, your gaze carrying helplessness.
Seeing the opportunity, Madara slowly drew closer to you.
The distance between the two of you gradually shortened, and the sound of breathing became clearly audible.
“I have four younger brothers.
I can understand how you feel.
Perhaps it cannot be realized now, but war will always have a day when it ends.
When that time comes, young children will no longer die in war, and they will be able to play freely and joyfully at the Naka River.”
This was the dream Madara had always had.
Now that he discovered you unexpectedly carried the same longing, excitement was unavoidable in his heart.
Madara’s words deeply touched your heart.
You did not speak, but your gaze clearly softened by a great deal.
Looking at Madara, in his eyes you seemed to see that beautiful future: children laughing and playing on the bank of the Naka River, sunlight falling on their innocent faces, with no shadow of war, no fear of death, only endless joy and hope.
Outside the sushi restaurant, a gentle breeze blew past, lifting several fallen leaves and sending them spinning through the air.
After that day, your relationship with Madara became much more familiar.
You would look up at the stars together on the rooftops at night, sharing your thoughts with each other; you would train together in the woods at dawn, sparring with one another; you would walk together by the river at dusk, discussing plans for the future.
Every time you spent together made your understanding of one another deepen.
Uchiha Madara discovered that although your exterior was cold, your heart was full of gentleness and kindness.
And you, too, became full of expectation toward Madara’s ideals and ambitions, faintly developing a trace of admiration so subtle it was almost impossible to notice.
The development of events did not go as smoothly as imagined.
Three months later.
Uchiha Mami brought the Uchiha youths to Naka Forest.
“Today, your task is to learn how to design traps and conduct reconnaissance in different terrains.
This is not the clan grounds’ training field.
As ninja, you may encounter enemies in Naka Forest!”
“At the same time, you must be prepared to be injured or even die.
This is your first lesson in real combat.” Uchiha Mami’s tone was extremely serious as she explained this.
The youths, who had originally treated this practical exercise like an outing, all grew solemn.
Under Uchiha Mami’s command, they moved in groups of three.
They carried medical kits, trap kits, as well as maps of Naka Forest and signal flares.
“Onii-chan!
Be careful!” Uchiha Izuna shouted to Madara.
Uchiha Madara had an ominous feeling in his heart, especially because his three younger brothers were all in the same group.
As he spoke, the three of them left first, and Madara silently watched from behind them.
“Young clan head!
Reikei!” Uchiha Kakunetsu was very pleasantly surprised.
A figure stood silently not far from the two of them.
He was Uchiha Reikei, currently the strongest genius in the hawk faction.
They were in one group, and tacitly headed deeper into Naka Forest.
Uchiha Kakunetsu, who had always been carefree, also became serious.
“It’s too quiet along this road.
So quiet it feels like something bad is about to happen!”
Uchiha Reikei suddenly appeared from the shadows and handed Madara a kunai.
Uchiha Madara took the kunai, and when he saw the clan crest on it, his expression changed drastically.
“Someone is lying in ambush in Naka Forest,” Uchiha Kakunetsu said with certainty.
“There is a spy among the Uchiha.
Today’s enemy ambush is likely well-prepared,” Uchiha Reikei said, voicing his thoughts.
Uchiha Kakunetsu looked at Uchiha Madara.
“What should we do?
Release a signal to notify everyone?”
Uchiha Madara stopped Kakunetsu’s idea.
“Releasing a signal will only alert the enemy and put them in danger.”
“The best method is for us to find the other groups as quickly as possible and inform them, doing our best to notify everyone to withdraw.” Uchiha Reikei’s plan happened to coincide with Madara’s.
In the far north of Naka Forest, a signal suddenly went up.
The three of them inwardly cried that things were bad.
A group had encountered a powerful enemy.
Seeing Ryoei block an attack for him, Uchiha Izuna immediately shouted, “Second Brother!”
Uchiha Ryoei’s abdomen was injured, and blood flowed continuously.
Looking at the four jonin sent by the Kurosawa Clan, they knew that today they were likely doomed.
“This is my fault.
I shouldn’t have brought you here!” Uchiha Ryoei’s chakra had bottomed out, and he no longer had the strength to resist.
Uchiha Kiya, the only one unharmed, immediately awakened the one-tomoe Sharingan upon seeing his two elder brothers injured.
The four Kurosawa jonin all developed killing intent.
These three boys were all geniuses; they could not be allowed to grow up.
They had to carry out the plan as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, the other groups that saw the signal all panicked.
There was an ambush in Naka Forest!
Even after awakening the Sharingan, Uchiha Kiya could do nothing.
“I’m still too weak!”
“Izuna, hurry back to the clan grounds and request support!” Uchiha Ryoei had always been gentle, but at this moment, he actually possessed Madara’s toughness.
Uchiha Izuna’s face was full of disbelief.
“Second Brother!
No, if someone is going back, it should be Kiya!”
Of course Izuna could think of it: the Kurosawa Clan must have made thorough preparations before turning against the Uchiha.
There was a ninety percent chance they would all die here together.
Ryoei roared without even thinking, “Listen to me!
This is my order!”
Seeing that Izuna was still standing in place, Kiya spoke.
“Third Brother, please don’t worry.
Second Brother and I are here!”
To reassure Izuna, Uchiha Kiya deliberately acted relaxed and raised the corners of his lips.
“No!
Kiya is the youngest.
This chance to live should be left to him!” Uchiha Izuna still resisted his second brother’s order.
Hearing Izuna’s words, Ryoei closed his eyes in pain.
“Only your talent, Izuna, can make everyone willingly give up this chance to live.
No one will object.
I won’t, and Kiya even less so.”
“You and Big Brother are the hope of the Uchiha.
No matter what, you absolutely cannot have an accident.
Hurry and request support.
Maybe we’ll still be alive, won’t we?”
That was indeed the logic, but Izuna was unwilling.
Yet time waited for no one.
Uchiha Izuna gritted his teeth.
“Hold on!
Wait for me to come back!”
His figure immediately disappeared into the sea of flowers in Naka Forest.
Ryoei and Kiya were both prepared to die, when at that critical moment—
A black figure suddenly appeared, holding long blades in both hands, moving through the battlefield at ghostlike speed.
Before the four jonin could clearly see her appearance, a line of blood appeared across their necks.
As the blades were sheathed, the bodies of the four jonin fell to the ground.
The light of battle flames shone on your beautiful face, illuminating even those red-and-black eyes clearly.
Fresh blood sprayed onto your face, and at this moment, the way you looked at people was especially hair-raising.
“Can you two get up?
We need to leave here as soon as possible.
Enemy reinforcements will arrive very soon.” Your voice was cold and clear.
The two of them were stunned.
They had never thought the person who saved them would be Elder Nagi.
Perhaps this was the most you had ever spoken to them, Uchiha Kiya thought.
Uchiha Kiya could barely stand, while Ryoei had lost too much blood and had no strength to support himself at all.
Looking at Uchiha Ryoei’s wound, you furrowed your brows slightly.
You hooked an arm under him, and in the blink of an eye, Ryoei was carried on your back.
“Blood will leave traces.
Follow me.” You said this to Uchiha Kiya.
Your appearance gave them a sense of safety after surviving disaster.
When Uchiha Madara and the others finished gathering the groups, Uchiha reinforcements had already arrived.
Seeing that his three younger brothers were nowhere to be found, Uchiha Madara’s eyes turned scarlet and he wanted to go search for them, but Kakunetsu and Reikei immediately stopped him.
“Young clan head!
The three young masters’ whereabouts are already unknown.
We cannot let you risk yourself!” Uchiha Kakunetsu blocked Madara’s way.
Madara had already begun to lose control, and his eyes also started turning red.
“I told you to let go.” Uchiha Madara’s tone was cold and grim.
Looking at Madara’s eyes, Uchiha Kakunetsu also felt fear in his heart, but his actions grew even firmer.
Uchiha Mami was also frantic with worry at this moment, and hurriedly sent ninja to search.
Just as the situation was about to lose control—
“Look!
Someone’s appeared!” a youth shouted.
Everyone looked over.
It was Izuna.