After Uchiha Tajima issued the absolute kill order, Madara and Xuan left his study. Outside, the stars and moon hung high in the night sky, but Uchiha Madara's heart was incredibly heavy. He subconsciously asked, "What do we do?"
Xuan's expression was equally solemn, but he still tried to offer some guidance: "As shinobi, we have to face one choice after another. Sometimes, like now, we are forced into situations where there seems to be no right choice. When that happens, choose the path that makes you the least uncomfortable. At times like this, you need to ask your own heart."
After leaving him with those words, Xuan headed home. As for whether Uchiha Madara actually understood him, he had no idea. He only knew that he didn't even fully understand the advice himself.
Returning to his manor and eating the meal prepared by his little maid, Xuan fell deep into thought. Despite his intervention making Madara and Hashirama's bond even stronger than in the original story, looking at today's developments, their falling out was likely still inevitable. Furthermore, there was still absolutely no sign of Black Zetsu—not a single trace or shadow of his presence anywhere.
...Or perhaps Black Zetsu has already intervened to influence the situation, but with my current strength, I simply can't detect it yet.
With these heavy thoughts, Xuan returned to his room and fell into a deep sleep. He woke up early the next morning.
After rendezvousing with Madara, the two headed straight for the agreed-upon riverbank. Uchiha Tajima and Uchiha Izuna secretly tailed them from a distance, flawlessly concealing their tracks. The intelligence networks of both the Senju and Uchiha were terrifyingly efficient; mobilizing a large squad would inevitably alert the enemy. It was far more tactical for the Clan Head to personally tail them with minimal backup.
When they arrived at the river, a figure was approaching from the opposite bank, wearing a similarly heavy expression: Senju Hashirama.
The three boys looked at each other across the rushing water, their gazes complex. Madara spoke first: "Let's begin, then. We'll start with skipping stones as a greeting."
"Yeah..." Hashirama nodded.
The three of them reached into their robes and pulled out skipping stones. Hashirama held two. With a synchronized flick of their wrists, four stones skipped lightly across the water's surface, perfectly crossing the river to land in each other's hands.
Glancing down at the smooth stones they had just caught, the expressions of all three boys shifted slightly.
Madara forced a smile and waved his hand. "Sorry... I can't hang out today. I just remembered I have something important to do. See ya."
Hashirama swallowed hard. "Is... is that so? Then I'll head back for today too."
Xuan also waved. "Take care." He similarly turned on his heel, following in Madara's footsteps.
The stone in Xuan's hand read, "Ambush." The stone in Madara's hand read, "Flee." As for the two stones Hashirama had caught, one read, "It's a trap," and the other read, "Run."
Just as the three boys turned to walk away, two blurs of motion suddenly shot out from the forests on either side of the river. They landed squarely on the water's surface, fiercely confronting each other.
Uchiha Tajima and Uchiha Izuna. Senju Butsuma and Senju Tobirama.
"It seems we had the exact same idea, Senju Butsuma," Uchiha Tajima sneered.
"And Senju Tobirama," Uchiha Izuna added coldly. During his brutal special training with the Shadow Guards, Izuna had occasionally been taken on covert field missions. During one such mission, they had clashed with a Senju squad, and he had personally fought Tobirama.
"Indeed, Uchiha Tajima," Senju Butsuma growled, tightening his grip on his kunai.
"And Izuna," Senju Tobirama said, shifting into a low combat stance.
The four of them stood in a suffocating standoff. A single leaf drifted lazily from the canopy, landing on the river's surface.
Ripple.
The exact microsecond the leaf touched the water, both sides attacked simultaneously.
Uchiha Tajima and Senju Butsuma instantly violently clashed. The two Clan Heads had fought each other on the battlefield countless times; they knew each other's combat styles intimately. Nearby, Uchiha Izuna aggressively engaged Senju Tobirama.
After exchanging a few blindingly fast blows, Uchiha Tajima and Senju Butsuma suddenly leaped backward. In perfect unison, they hurled their respective weapons—a katana and a kunai—directly at the enemy's child. If they could slaughter the opposing Clan Head's son right here, the psychological victory would be absolute.
In the absolute nick of time, two skipping stones whistled through the air, violently deflecting the lethal weapons. Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama leaped onto the battlefield simultaneously, standing in direct opposition to each other.
So it's finally reached this scene, huh, Xuan thought to himself. Whatever. This has its own benefits. Calmly stepping onto the water's surface, he walked over to stand beside Uchiha Izuna.
"I will never forgive anyone who tries to hurt my little brother," Uchiha Madara declared sternly.
"Neither will I," Senju Hashirama replied, refusing to yield a single inch.
Yesterday's close friends—sworn brothers who had laid their hearts bare to each other—were now facing off at sword point. A profound surge of grief and indignation swelled in both of their hearts simultaneously.
"Hashirama!"
"What?!"
"That foolish, beautiful future we talked about... in the end, we probably really won't be able to reach it."
"Madara... you."
"Although it wasn't for long, I was genuinely happy. Second Brother... this is the absolute last time I will call you that. Senju Hashirama, I'll see you on the battlefield from now on," Uchiha Madara said heavily.
His fists were clenched so tightly that his fingernails pierced his palms, yet he felt absolutely nothing. Drops of blood dripped silently into the rushing river below. Who could possibly know that the pain in his heart was infinitely sharper?
"Four against three? It looks like we have the tactical advantage," Uchiha Tajima sneered.
Uchiha Madara suddenly threw his arm out, blocking the people behind him. "No! Senju Hashirama is incredibly strong. I am no match for him."
Lying through his teeth... Xuan rolled his eyes from behind Madara.
The current Madara was significantly stronger than his original timeline counterpart. Although Hashirama's growth rate was basically an illegal cheat code, he was at most evenly matched with Madara right now, perhaps even slightly weaker. Of course, given Hashirama's absurd talent, it wouldn't be long before he caught up, but claiming he couldn't beat him now was a blatant lie.
"Stronger than you, brother?!" Uchiha Izuna gasped in shock, subconsciously glancing at Xuan beside him.
"But we still outnumber them by one," Uchiha Tajima frowned, his sharp gaze also locking onto Xuan.
Xuan stepped forward and spoke with absolute, unwavering seriousness: "He's right. Senju Hashirama is the strongest shinobi of the new generation I have ever seen. Even if Madara and I team up, we are absolutely no match for him."
When it came to spouting blatant, straight-faced bullshit, Xuan was a hundred times more professional than Madara. His solemn expression, his tense posture, his grave tone—everything was utterly flawless. There wasn't a single microscopic crack in his acting for anyone to pick apart.
Uchiha Tajima nearly coughed up a mouthful of blood on the spot. He glared furiously at Xuan.
Are you kidding me?! The two of you together can't beat him?! I'll believe that when pigs fly! But seeing Xuan's dead-serious, unwavering expression, Tajima could only secretly grit his teeth. A frigid light flashed in his three-tomoe Sharingan. Brat, you're actively courting death. Don't blame me for what comes next.
"Retreat!" Tajima commanded.
In front of a monster like Senju Butsuma, he didn't dare drop his guard to force the issue. Punishing Uchiha Xuan could wait until they returned to the compound. To dare brush him off and lie to his face like this... when the time came, Tajima only needed to assign Xuan an impossibly suicidal mission to ensure he never returned.
"Goodbye, Hashirama," Madara said indifferently, turning to leave.
"Madara!" Senju Hashirama shouted desperately. "You haven't actually given up, right?! You and Xuan still believe in that dream, right?! We finally found people who share the exact same ideals!"
Uchiha Madara replied, his tone incredibly cold, "You are a Senju. Your people just tried to murder my little brother. If it were up to me, I'd wish our ideals were completely different."
Speaking such heartless, agonizing words, Uchiha Madara abruptly turned his head back. His eyes were entirely blood-red, with two distinct tomoe spinning clearly in each iris.
In that very moment of profound emotional trauma, he had shattered the limits of his Sharingan, evolving it into the Two-Tomoe state.
"Haha! Although we didn't manage to kill any Senju today, awakening the Two-Tomoe Sharingan makes this trip completely worthwhile!" Uchiha Tajima laughed, his foul mood finally lifting a bit.
Senju Hashirama stared at the two tomoe spinning in Madara's eyes, feeling as if he had just plummeted into a freezing abyss. He fully understood what the Sharingan's evolution represented. It meant that Madara had completely and utterly severed their bond, erasing him as a brother from his heart. A wave of profound, suffocating sorrow washed over him.
"Yo, Hashirama. That dream of yours is quite beautiful, you know. I really hope to see the day it becomes reality."
Suddenly, a voice pulled Hashirama back to the present. He looked up, but all he saw were the retreating backs of the Uchiha group.
«Xuan... you're still holding onto that dream... thank you!
Senju Hashirama murmured softly to himself. A moment later, an unbreakable surge of resolve filled his chest.»
Regarding that dream... I will never, ever give up.
____
PLEASE SUPPORT ME ON PATREON:
Patreon.com/IndifferentVillain
Early Access and + 60 chapter ahead of webnovel monthly, ur support keeps me motivated...thanks and enjoy reading
Chapter 210 is out on patreon... please check it out and support the work
_____________