Madara's gaze lingered on the boy's face for a moment, his voice still calm, "Tell me about your background."
Uchiha Akira did not hesitate at all. He straightened his back and replied, "I am the son of Uchiha Kagami. My father died in last year's conflict. Now, in the clan... only I am left."
A very faint ripple passed through Madara's eyes.
Uchiha Kagami.
That hawkish clan member who had once held a clear position. He had died young, but had always been one of the few people in Madara's impression who had not been completely softened by Konoha.
He had not expected that the boy before him would be Kagami's only surviving child.
In his heart, he had already silently accepted this child.
But verbally, he remained cold and left no room for negotiation.
"Is that so."
Madara turned around, his back facing him, his voice carried over by the wind, "I'll test you in the future. Whether you can keep up is your own concern."
After saying that, he raised his foot and walked out of the village without looking back.
A light appeared in Uchiha Akira's eyes. He immediately jogged after him, following closely behind without daring to fall even one step behind.
———
Inside the watchtower high above Konoha's village gate, several gate guards saw everything clearly.
They looked at one another and swallowed, but none of them said anything, let alone went down to stop or question them.
Uchiha Madara.
He was the kind of man who would attack the moment things didn't go his way.
The few of them only made that little bit of money each month. There was no reason to risk their lives over something like this.
So they simply watched in silence as the two figures, one large and one small, gradually disappeared at the end of the road covered by the morning mist.
The wind passed through the watchtower, and the flag rustled loudly.
Konoha's village gate returned to peace.
But when the news that "Uchiha Madara has defected" spread from the village gate like wildfire, the newly built village instantly erupted.
Some could not believe it. Some whispered among themselves. Some had already begun packing their things, preparing to move their homes farther away from the Uchiha residential area.
They were afraid blood might splash onto them.
———
Inside the wooden building where the Hokage's office was located.
Hashirama sat at the table, both hands supporting his forehead, saying nothing for a long time.
He had already had a premonition, but he was still somewhat stunned by the sudden reality that had been dropped on him.
"Madara... really left."
His voice was low, carrying an unmistakable heaviness and disappointment.
Tobirama stood to the side, his face cold as ice.
"Big brother, you're only realizing it now?"
There was not the slightest bit of comfort in his tone, only restrained anger and the coldness of someone who had seen it coming long ago.
"I've told you countless times. His ideals have completely gone astray. You still wanted to use your feelings to pull him back. And what happened? Not only did he leave, he also took Kagami's son with him."
"The village has only just been established. If news of this gets out, it will be a huge blow to Konoha's reputation. We must strengthen our defenses immediately, especially within the Uchiha clan. Who knows if there is another person who wants to run off with him?"
Hashirama slowly raised his head, his expression complicated.
"Tobirama... he is Madara, after all."
"I know." Tobirama interrupted him. "That's why I have to be even more cautious. Feelings are one thing, but the village's safety cannot suffer another mistake."
The two fell into a brief silence.
In the end, Hashirama only let out a long sigh and did not argue further.
———
Inside an ordinary little house at the edge of the village.
Yumeko was sitting at the doorway eating breakfast when she heard the sudden commotion in the street. She instinctively perked up her ears.
"Uchiha Madara defected?"
"Really? He left with a child?"
"The people at the village gate saw it with their own eyes..."
The rice ball in her hand stopped in midair, and her eyes widened slightly.
After a moment, she slowly lowered the rice ball and leaned against the doorframe, murmuring to herself, "...It's here."
The classic scene from the original story.
Madara leaves Konoha, then completely sets off down another path.
She had thought this second round would be changed beyond recognition by Arisu, but the key point had still arrived right on schedule.
Yumeko curled her lips and muttered, "The Observer really is pretty reliable... At least the main plot hasn't fallen apart."
She picked up the rice ball again and took a bite, but her eyes turned toward the center of the village, her tone carrying a hint of indescribable complexity. "Next, it should be Madara's turn to dig up that fox, right?"
"Strange... In the original story, when Madara left, he clearly didn't take anyone with him."
But after thinking about it, she no longer found it that surprising.
The original story had indeed mentioned that Uchiha Madara was not completely without followers.
Didn't people like Uchiha Setsuna continue to operate in secret afterward?
It was just that the scale at the time was so small that it could almost be ignored.
"Forget it.", She murmured softly.
"Having one follower is pretty good. At least when Madara left, he wasn't quite so alone."
Actually, Yumeko also shipped Hashirama and Madara. If the Observer hadn't forbidden it, she definitely would have tried to persuade the two to make up.
"Forget it. Being a witness isn't bad either."
She stood up, brushed the crumbs from her hands, and turned back into the house.
As for who this extra boy really was, she was too lazy to investigate for now.
He was probably just some random Uchiha. It couldn't be a transmigrator, right?
Anyway, the Observer was here.
———
[On The Main Road]
Most of the morning mist had already dispersed, and sunlight fell between the dirt and scattered stones.
Uchiha Akira jogged behind Madara, his steps light but steady, always maintaining a distance that was neither too far nor too close.
His heart was actually far from as calm as he appeared.
"Finally... I caught up."
The memories of his previous life clearly surfaced in his mind.
In that world, he had only been an ordinary Naruto fan, but he had a nearly obsessive fondness for Uchiha Madara.
After finishing the original story, he had thought countless times that if he could transmigrate, he would definitely stand beside Madara instead of watching helplessly as he was misunderstood and isolated time and time again, eventually walking toward a lonely ending.
He had not expected his wish to actually come true.
He became the son of Uchiha Kagami, becoming Uchiha Akira in this era.
When he heard that Madara was going to leave Konoha, he barely hesitated.
Even if the road ahead was unknown, even if he might be treated as cannon fodder, he still had to follow.
"Madara..."
Uchiha Akira silently repeated this title in his heart, his gaze becoming more determined.
Ahead, Madara's back stretched long beneath the sunlight.
Uchiha Akira took half a step faster and firmly overlapped his own shadow with Madara's.
The wind passed along the road, kicking up fine dust.
The two figures, one large and one small, gradually moved farther away.
Konoha, the wooden building housing the Hokage's office.
Tobirama placed a prepared draft transfer order heavily on the table.
"Big brother, we must move the Uchiha clan to the edge of the village."
Hashirama raised his head, his brows slightly furrowed.
"Reason?"
"Isn't the reason obvious enough?"
"Madara has just defected, and he even took a clan member with him. The Uchiha currently live near the center of the village. If another problem arises internally, they can directly threaten the administrative core and the supply warehouses. Moving them to the edge will both reduce the risk and make them easier to monitor."
Tobirama tapped his fingertips against the table.
Hashirama was silent for several seconds, then slowly shook his head.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because our original purpose in establishing the village was to end discrimination and division."
"If we drive the entire Uchiha clan to the edge just because Madara left, how is that any different from the clan conflicts of the past? Treating everyone equally is what Konoha should be like."
Hashirama's voice was not loud, but it was unusually firm.
Tobirama looked helpless.
"Big brother, you're using ideals to bind reality. The Uchiha's eyes can copy ninjutsu, they have strong combat abilities, and they have never hidden their ambitions. Keeping them in the center is the same as hanging a blade over your own neck."
"I know the risks."
"But if we have to guard against even our own people like this, then what meaning does this village have?", Hashirama looked seriously into his younger brother's eyes as he spoke.
Their gazes briefly confronted each other in the air.
In the end, Tobirama took a deep breath and put the draft transfer order away.
Tobirama thought about it and decided to let it go. After all, big brother was here. No matter how bad the situation became, it wouldn't get that bad.
Hashirama sat there alone, looking at the newly built streets outside the window, and murmured, "Madara is gone... At least the remaining clan members shouldn't be targeted anymore."