Madara smiled from where he stood as he amusedly watched his brothers from afar compete against each other. Izuna, Ryota, Akito, Tatsuya, all four had been recklessly racing each other throughout the forest to see who was the fastest. Being the eldest, naturally he would have unfair advantages over them, and so he opted to sit this competition out.

Being on the sidelines like this gave Madara time to reflect. Seeing his siblings laugh and be happy as they were unexpectedly brought forth mixed feelings from within. Joy and sadness were the most apparent emotions, for someday soon they would no longer smile and laugh as they do now. Unlike his father, Madara did not want his brothers to step onto the battlefield. He did not want them to experience what he did.

He knew pleading was useless, and to fight fate at such an age was a pointless endeavor, yet it was not like his character to yield and resign, and as such, Madara resolved himself to become the strongest. He was more than willing to pay any price if it meant he could protect his family. If only he was given the chance to do so.

Wrapped up in his thoughts, Madara failed to see that his brothers had noticed his rather serious look. Despite being young, they weren't unaware of the happening that went on around them. They knew their older brother well, and all four siblings instantly knew what he was most likely thinking about.

Seeing the worried look on his brother's faces, Izuna stopped. ''You three go on ahead. I'll speak to Nii-san.''

Soon Madara was brought out of his reverie when he heard the voice of Izuna. ''Aniue, do you honestly have so little faith in your brothers? You worrying too much reminds me of Okaa-san, always being a mother hen. Just wait and see, we'll prove to you that we can handle ourselves!''

With a laugh, Madara poked Izuna lightly on the forehead, causing the younger boy to flinch. ''It's not so simple as a matter of faith little brother. In this cruel world we live in, how can I not be worried? I made a promised to our mother that I would look after her sons, and I intend on keeping that promise.''

Seeing Izuna begin to pout, Madara playfully ruffled his hair. ''Go gather our brothers Izuna. Otou-san doesn't want us to be out any later than sundown.''

Madara let out a soft sigh when Izuna left. Honestly, his brothers were much too observant when it came to their older brother's way of thinking.

With a flicker, all four of his brothers appeared before him, ready to leave and head back without complaint. When it came to father's strict curfew, none of them wanted to be scolded for being late.

But…they weren't they only ones to have appeared within Madara's field of sight. Off in the far distance were a dozen figures coming in fast through the line of trees. A mix of both adults and children, a sinister look on their faces as they saw the clan symbol of the Uchiha on him and his siblings' backs.

''Izuna, Ryota, Akito, Tatsuya, go now,'' said Madara in a low and menacing voice. ''Warn Otou-san and the clan.'' Scowling, he chided himself for not noticing the enemy sooner.

None of his brothers hesitated to do as he told. They trusted their brother to make the right decision, and so, adapting to the sudden situation, they left quickly with haste, but not without worry in their eyes. For a Shinobi, a moment's hesitation was all it took to die in this world.

Leaning back from where he stood whilst forming hand signs, Madara inhaled a large amount of air and gathered his malevolent chakra in his chest. Katon: Gōgakyu no Jutsu! From his mouth spewed a great fireball, large but slow, it would be his first attack towards the oncoming enemy.

The moment they scatter to dodge it is when I'll pick them off one by one! No, wait…

Having them scatter would ultimately be a mistake. The veterans would break off immediately and begin to hunt down his siblings, not wanting them to alert the clan. Madara couldn't have that happening, wouldn't let it happen!

The Uchiha felt his blood begin to boil. Anyone who would dare try to hurt his kin would feel his wrath.

A kid no older than Tatsuya was the first to dodge the fireball. Grabbing a Kunai, Madara threw it with reinforced chakra, cutting right through the intended target's throat. The boy was dead before he even hit the ground.

''Bastard Uchiha! You'll pay dearly for that!''

They have me outnumbered eleven to one now. Kill the children first and handle the adults later if possible. I can do this…

Madara had no hopes of winning, that was a given. He knew realistically that all he could do was buy time until reinforcements came.

The Uchiha rushed forward, not wanting to give his enemies the chance to form hand signs. With a flicker he appeared behind the now scattered group. Pulling out his Tanto and an Explosive Tag, Madara aimed to strike at the two closest to him. Though the Body Flicker Technique was basic, it was effective for the most part, truly a force to be reckoned with.

With an arc, Madara slashed the boy from shoulder to hip, cutting muscle and bone. The other enemy turned around with fear, barely comprehending what was happening. Too late had he seen the Explosive Tag that had been planted on his person. With a kick, he was sent flying, crashing into a number of the fledgling Shinobi who had caught him. Screaming with anguish, he clutched feverishly at the Tag in hopes of getting it off.

Forming the Snake hand seal, Madara watched as the tag detonated, killing and maiming those who had been near its vicinity. Blood and body parts went flying, painting the leaves and skin of any nearby.

Madara's heart turned sour as realization hit him. These children no older than me, than my brothers…this is the first time they have engaged in real combat. No doubt they've never faced an opponent with killing intent directed towards them. Their screams of pain filled his ears as his eyes took in their blood-splattered faces. Those who didn't die on impact from the blast would soon bleed to death.

In this world of ours, the strong devour the weak…

In the end, seven of the enemy remained. Now knowing that half of his enemies were inexperienced, perhaps this young Uchiha did have a chance to end this bitter conflict. Madara couldn't afford to make a single mistake now.

The adults looked on with shock. What they thought to be an easy prey was in all actuality the predator. Their faces unsightly, a handful of them rushed together to destroy the Uchiha. They needed to destroy this boy here and now, for they knew he was a threat that would only grow with time and experience. Nip the bud before it grew thorns was their thoughts on the matter. Kill the tiger before it grew wings!

''Forget about the others, kill that Uchiha boy! He cannot be allowed to live!'' The leader of the group looked on with rage as he saw the casualties. For one boy to do this in an instant, it shouldn't be possible.

Instead of running away from the incoming Shinobi, Madara held his position. Believing this to be the end, the leader smiled wickedly. It wasn't until he saw the boy's sinister grin did his face turn into dismay. From his angle, the man saw a small glint that wasn't seen before.

Madara grinned when he saw that the enemy fell for his trap. Distracted by the explosion, they failed to see the razor-sharp wires he had planted in front of him. Their weapons raised to kill, the men and women who rushed him were cut into pieces. Arms, legs, all manner of flesh was torn apart.

Wet with blood, the Uchiha looked even more terrifying, what with those dark eyes of his…but it wouldn't be that easy to kill these Shinobi. The ones who had rushed weren't children, but adults who had faced battle before.

Some of the bodies turned into smoke, revealing severed pieces of wood. Three Shinobi, two a man and the other a woman, appeared behind Madara. Their weapons pierced through his chest, causing blood to spill.

The enemy smiled, believing they had won. How could they believe that this too had been a trap. With a pop of smoke, Madara's body was revealed to be a log of wood, and attached to it was another explosive tag. The two Shinobi watched helplessly as the tag ignited before their widening eyes.

It wasn't within Madara's personality to be all cloak and dagger like this, but he wasn't strong nor powerful enough to face the enemy head on as he initially wanted. Brains over brawn, think then act, as Okaa-san used to say.

The last one standing was the leader. In the beginning, Madara had wanted to kill him in hopes of diminishing the enemy's morale, but had decided that if given the chance, he would instead opt to capture the man alive. Their armor wore no symbol, no distinguishable way of identifying what clan or sect they were from. Who dared to attack the Uchiha Clan?!

Madara revealed himself from behind the shadows of a tree, his expression cold and sharp. This time he would pull no tricks nor traps. He truly wanted to test his strength and might, and what better way to do so than to fight the man before his eyes.

''Unexpectedly revealing where you hid, truly courting death boy!'' Despite his words, the man did not rush to attack like his comrades. Underestimating the boy had costed him dearly, a mistake that wouldn't be repeated.

Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu! Madara spewed a volley of fireballs, each unpredictable from one another.

With a speed too fast for the normal eye, the leader weaved signs in a blur and pounded his fists against the Earth as he felt the heat of the fireballs reach him. Doton: Doryūheki!

Smoke emerged as the volley of flames collided against the wall, breaking it down with each blast. The man was blown back several feet when the wall had been shattered. Breathing hard, he struggled to stand.

What power! As expected of an Uchiha, their affinity for fire is indeed praiseworthy. I wonder, why has he not utilized the famed Sharingan?

''Boy, if you have any hopes of winning here, then I suggest you use that Sharingan of yours.'' The man thought that if he could steal the famed Dōjutsu of the Uchiha, then perhaps this wouldn't have been for naught.

How could the man know that Madara had yet to awaken the renowned Dōjutsu. The Uchiha guarded the ins and outs of the Sharingan strongly, not wanting any to know how it worked or developed. What they did know was that it could transplanted, giving the User great benefits. Whilst the knowledge had been passed down, the people who discovered it did not survive. The Uchiha Clan killed any and all who had stolen or tried to steal their famed eyes, and learning from their mistake, took the eyes of their dead warriors.

Madara sneered when he heard the suggestion laced with ulterior motive. How could the boy not know what the man wanted. ''You've obviously never fought an Uchiha before. Our eyes are what easily distinguish us, but it's not what makes us the strongest, despite the advantage is gives. If we relied solely on our eyes for victory, then we'd have died out long ago.''

With that statement, the battle resumed once again. Both Shinobi rained down Ninjutsu upon one another, each struggling to find an edge to turn the battle in their favor.

Until…

Madara looked coldly at the man tied to the tree. Eyes, hands, feet, everything was bound, leaving no chance for escape. The leader couldn't even bite off his tongue if he wanted to. In the end it was Chakra exhaustion that did him in. With the last of his remaining strength the man had tried to kill himself.

The leader had pleaded brokenly for mercy. He knew what was going to happen when the Uchiha came. He would be tortured until he gave them what they wanted, and even after that they would break him to set an example. The Uchiha were not to be trifled with.

In the end, Madara had won. The fight with the leader was not without its consequences however. Bruised, cut, and mentally exhausted, the young boy felt the warmth of his own blood run down his skin.

I am still this weak huh? This is not enough to protect them, nowhere near…

Madara felt a hand on his shoulder from behind, one he knew well. Turning around, Madara saw his father and Takashi-san, and with them an army of warriors. Uchiha surrounded the Forest from all around, with many looking down at the scene before them from above.

The warmth in Tajima's eyes withered when he looked away from his son and at the enemy Shinobi that littered the surrounding area. Seeing that Madara had fought on his own and came out on top, Tajima was boundlessly proud, even more so when learned that the enemy leader had been captured for information, a feat not so easily accomplished.

While the Uchiha retrieved the enemy leader and gathered the dead, Takashi closely inspected the battlefield that had been created. Scorch marks plagued the trees and ground, with craters embellished all throughout. Looking at the dead children, his heart was not without sympathy when he saw their fear-stricken faces and maimed bodies.

It wasn't that long ago when Tajima's children had warned the clan on the attack occurring. The two men were just about to leave for the meeting when the siblings had fast approached them, their fear apparent for their brother's life.

Takashi hadn't expected to see what he did. He knew personally that Madara was a gifted Shinobi, but he had prepared himself for the worst when he had heard the news that he was fighting alone against a number of enemies.

To find that the boy had not only killed the enemy battalion but also captured the leader, it was simply unheard of. Every Uchiha who came looked on in amazement at Madara's achievement. Truly a prodigy.

On their way back, Takashi talked with Tajima about their captive. It was tacitly agreed upon that once the enemy talked, the clan meeting would commence. Day was turning into night, and the Uchiha were confident they could get what they needed before the moon fully shined on the land.

XxX

Tajima and Takashi stood guard while Akeno did what she did best. Akeno Uchiha was not only a skilled Kunoichi within the clan, but also their most gifted in torture, with her family cultivating techniques that would make even the most loyal of Senju break. With a malicious glee in her eye, she joyfully carved away at the trembling man.

Not even an hour had passed after the battle had the man given in. Though experienced he may be, the enemy leader was but young, and after the third severed finger did he finally talk.

Unexpectedly they were of the Uzumaki Clan, famous for their Fūinjutsu and long lifespan. Allies of the Senju of the Forest, it made sense why they dared to strike against the Uchiha. With the backing of a clan hailed to be a contender against them, it was no wonder at all.

''Who was it that ordered the attack?! Was it Ashina Uzumaki, leader of the Uzumaki Clan? Be quick boy, else you'll lose an eye next.''

He shook his head weakly. ''N-no. No order was m-made for an a-attack,'' groaned out the man as blood leaked from his mouth. ''Ashina-sama's orders were to s-scout. Find where the U-Uchiha made base, then once d-done, we were to a-await further instruction near the Land of Rivers.''

With a sneer, Akeno leaned in, her glowing red eyes further frightening the already terrified man. ''Tell me then, why attack? Just what kind of Shinobi are you really, to give away your position and let yourself be captured?''

''W-we did have a second directive. C-capture the S-Sharingan and take it back for further research. As long as any of these t-two directives were accomplished, then the mission was considered a s-success…''

P-please, I gave you what you wanted, h-have mercy…''

Akeno glanced back towards Tajima, a question in her eyes. After seeing his nod, she smiled. ''Ever since your damned alliance with the Senju, the Uzumaki Clan grow evermore bold. Let's knock your clan down a peg or two shall we? Show them where they really stand.''

''Do what must be done Akeno. Make an example out of him for all the Uzumaki to see. The Uchiha are not to be trifled with by any, not even by those with the backing of the Senju.''

XxX

''Aniue, you need to rest.'' Seeing that their brother was trying to get up from where he laid, the four brothers gently eased him back down. For a while now, they had been treating his many wounds and bruises with ointment.

With his upper torso exposed, and a small towel lightly soaked in water placed over his eyes, Madara let out a sigh of relief when he felt the cool ointment touch his bare chest and abdomen. Sadly, healing ointment was all the Uchiha had nowadays.

No words had been spoken after that. The crackle and hiss of the small flame illuminating the room were the only sounds to have been made. That day had been a sobering one for the siblings, a wake-up call of sorts, one they'd never forget for the rest of their lives, no matter how short or long that life may be.

Knowing that their brother had fallen asleep by the gently rise of his chest, Ryota whispered a question to Izuna. ''He looked sad, didn't he? If it was anyone else, they'd have been happy at the achievement, but not him. Why?''

The other brothers looked to Izuna, concern apparent in their eyes for their oldest brother. To anyone else, their brother was just being his usual reserved self, but not to them. They could tell that big brother was not like usual.

''You know how Aniue is, he likes to keep to himself. It could be for any number of reasons Ryota. Maybe he was dissatisfied with how he handled the situation. Perhaps he's sad because he did not realize the enemy was near until it was too late, or maybe it was because he killed kids the same age as his own brothers. It could be any of these, or all of them…''

A/N: So, I was having a bit of trouble in the beginning. I don't know if it's Okaa-san, or Okaasan, with some even saying it was O-kaasan, same with Aniue or Ani-ue. I've looked all over the internet and a variety of websites say differently about it. I decided to go with my initial typing of the terminology, though now I feel it may be wrong the more I look at the words on my screen.