"A traitor?" repeated Madara with disgust, plunging back into the memory of that fateful day facing Hashirama Senju.
To the world, he was the traitor, but deep within himself, he perceived the true betrayal in Hashirama. This sage molded in Senju was responsible, poisoning the minds of his clan and relegating the Uchiha to a status inferior to the Senju. Thus, it was only natural, even inevitable, that Madara would rise to defend the honor of his own, leading to the confrontation in the Valley of the End.
"It's rather your son-in-law who's the traitor," added the brun, his teeth clenched.
"Hashirama? Do you dare make me believe, you who wields illusions and deceit, that my son-in-law is a traitor!?" Ashina exclaimed, rising abruptly from his position. Challenging his honor, that of his family and clan, was intolerable in his eyes. "Remember that it was YOU who attacked Konoha! YOU who released a Bijû on Konoha No Sato! YOU who forced MY DAUGHTER... to become a Jinchûriki!"
The last words were spoken with such rage and bitterness that everyone could feel them. So much so that Sakura wondered if their presence here was a mistake. Ashina approached Madara, the two men soon standing less than a meter apart, increasing the ambient tension.
"Mito chose to become a Jinchûriki on her own. No one forced her, certainly not me," retorted Madara, confronting the Uzumaki chief whose murderous intent was palpable. All the ninjas present in the room were on edge, ready to intervene at the slightest sign of danger.
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Ashina, dismissing such an excuse with a wave of his hand. Seeing this reaction, Madara understood that Mito was the weakness of this man, a weakness he would not hesitate to exploit.
"Do you regret it, old man?" affirmed Madara, a hint of insolence in his voice.
"What do you mean?" asked the Uzumaki patriarch, desiring only one thing at this moment: to confront the Uchiha.
"Arranging this marriage," replied the brun with a smirk, "condemning your beloved daughter to sacrifice..."
He paused, leaving his interlocutor hanging on his words.
"Was that your wish for your beloved daughter?"
"Silence!" retorted Ashina with a chilling coldness, his brows furrowing as the truth struck his senses.
"If you hadn't forced her into marriage with Hashirama, she wouldn't have had to intervene and wouldn't have become a Jinchûriki," persisted the brun, openly defying the old man despite the palpable threat. Ashina immediately reacted: he closed the gap between them before grabbing Madara's brown kimono. The latter didn't flinch, plunging his only eye into his opponent's steel-gray gaze.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Madara," began Ashina through clenched teeth, before noticing the woman accompanying the brun, approaching them. Madara protected her with a gesture, preventing any interference. "You come to my home, to my domain, strutting as if you were invincible, all while insulting me! Don't forget that an Uzumaki is twice as dangerous at home."
Then, his gaze fell on the young woman's forehead seal. It was too much for him; anger rose a notch, his Uzumaki blood boiling. Sakura instantly understood where Naruto got his temperament.
"I don't know how you managed it, but I won't accept such an insult," Ashina continued, fixing Madara squarely in the eyes again. "Do you dare bring a whore with you, doubled as a thief? Where is your honor, Uchiha?"
At these words, the clan leader Uchiha lost his composure. Insulting Sakura like this was intolerable. Madara drew his sword from his belt, ready to strike the Uzumaki, but his attack was parried by the old man's wakizashi.
"Watch it, old wreck! Another word against this woman, clan chief or not, and I'll kill you without hesitation!"
Barely had he spoken these words that all the hidden ninjas in the room surged forward, weapons drawn. Madara didn't move, his gaze fixed on the ancestor. For his part, Sakura pulled out a kunai, ready to fight.
"I'd like to see that," challenged Ashina.
"Just give me the opportunity, old man," retorted the brun, and Sakura wondered if Madara was truly trying to get them both killed by this provocation.
A heavy silence fell over the room. Ashina Uzumaki, despite his advanced age, held the great Madara Uchiha at bay. Both remained motionless, their senses alert, ready to detect any hostile action from the other. Heartbeats almost echoed in the silence, while the soldiers waited for their leader's orders, ready to act to defend their clan.
Seconds passed in oppressive silence, each moment fraught with tension. Unexpectedly, the Uzumaki chief decided to continue the conversation.
"Give me one good reason not to have you executed on the spot!" he ordered unequivocally, offering their last chance.
"Who says, old man, that we would stand by and allow it?" retorted the brun with palpable pride.
"One reason!" insisted Ashina, his piercing gaze leaving no doubt about his determination. It was their ultimate opportunity. Internally, Sakura refrained from responding to the Uzumaki leader's provocation, but she burned to rebuke the Uchiha's excessive arrogance.
"Prevent the eradication of your people," declared Madara with palpable gravity.
Ashina stared long at the Uchiha in silence before commanding authoritatively: "Sheath your weapons!" The soldiers obeyed, although some wondered if it was a wise decision. Coming from Ashina Uzumaki, it was troubling.
Sakura felt an inner relief as the threat of death subsided, although everyone remained on guard, ready to act at the slightest sign of treachery. She scrutinized Ashina's face, sensing a certain credulity in his features. The Uzumaki chief detected neither falsehood nor evasion in the brun's words. When it came to his clan's security, Ashina knew how to temporarily set aside his grievances, as long as the information provided was vital. Even if that envoy was named Madara Uchiha.
Furthermore, a small inner voice whispered to Ashina that he needed to learn more about this woman wearing the same forehead seal as his beloved daughter. She seemed to hold an important place in the Uchiha's eyes, eliciting varied reactions from him. If Ashina could admit that his weakness was his daughter Mito, it was evident that Madara Uchiha had one too: this woman with pink hair.
The shinobi in the room sheathed their weapons, some reluctantly, others relieved. They revealed their presence by re-entering the space, now devoid of any camouflage. Sakura remained vigilant, her modified kunai still ready to be drawn.
Madara and Ashina eyed each other for a moment longer before sheathing their respective weapons. The leader of the Uzumaki turned on his heel to return to his original position.
The two envoys from Heiwa followed suit, taking their seats facing him in near-religious silence.
"Explain yourself," demanded Ashina bluntly, seated cross-legged.
"In three days, your city and your people will be wiped off the map," announced the brun bluntly, knowing it was useless to beat around the bush. Ashina was not one to be swayed by honeyed political speeches.
"Why should I believe you? Aren't you a traitor to your own village? Who guarantees me that you're not manipulating me?" Ashina retorted, although he couldn't detect any falsehood on the Uchiha's face.
"I've already told you, I'm not the traitor!" insisted Madara, furrowing his brows slightly. Ashina Uzumaki was decidedly stubborn, he thought. It seemed their conversation was taking the path of a monologue. To gain the upper hand, Madara had no choice but to resort to his sharpest talent since the war: deception.
"Why should I trust you?" repeated Ashina, his arms now crossed. The patriarch was known for his distrust and reluctance to place his trust. It would be surprising if he yielded without resistance, especially facing Madara Uchiha. And there was this woman beside him, with a forehead seal similar to that of his own daughter. Ashina couldn't help but shift his gaze from Madara to Sakura; and he had to admit that the young woman seemed completely unimpressed by them, or even by the tense atmosphere in the room. That deserved some respect, and the patriarch was even admiring of the calm and impassive attitude of the young woman.
"Because before my confrontation with your son-in-law, I was awakened to the truth," revealed Madara.
Upon hearing these words, Sakura cast a fleeting glance at the man she loved. His expression was serious, and Sakura understood that he was skillfully manipulating the facts to lead Ashina Uzumaki to the desired conclusion: that the Uzumaki would join them of their own accord. She wondered how far he would go; would he reveal his Rinnegan and how did he obtain it? But for now, the two protagonists seemed to be moving in the right direction, arousing curiosity and a sense of frustration in the old man.
"What truth?" asked Ashina uncertainly, hating not being in control of events and information. What revelation did the Uchiha hold? It was then that Madara glanced behind Ashina to assess the distance between them and the ninjas stationed around. They were all too far away. Seeing this, the patriarch understood that the brun had something to show him, something that had to remain secret.
"Swear on your honor that you will not divulge to anyone what I am about to show you," demanded Madara. This request left no doubt as to its gravity. Indeed, Ashina was respected worldwide for his integrity, but also for his insatiable, even obsessive curiosity. After a moment of reflection, he finally said:
"I swear to you that I will not reveal to anyone what you are about to show me."
Barely had the promise been uttered that Madara lifted a lock of hair. Ashina's eyes widened at seeing something he had only heard of in the oldest legends of the Uzumaki heritage: the Rinnegan.
"How?" he murmured, amazed.
"I don't know myself," began Madara, lowering his lock of hair back over his Rinnegan eye. "One day, I woke up like this, and when I obtained this pupil, I could see glimpses of the future and the intentions of Hashirama and Tobirama," he added, his voice tinged with anger.
"What did they intend to do?" queried Ashina with a hint of suspicion. Sakura watched closely, noting that the old man was asking questions not only out of curiosity but also to form his own opinion of Madara's statements. Of course, the latter possessed the legendary Rinnegan, but the Uzumaki didn't forget who stood before him: the most deceitful and manipulative ninja the world had ever known.
"They planned to subjugate my clan like beasts to eradicate them little by little. A prospect I could not tolerate!" declared Madara with rage.
Ashina took a deep breath upon hearing this response. He couldn't deny that the Senju, whether Hashirama his deceased son-in-law or Tobirama the current Hokage, could have firm ideas. Some decisions were irrevocable, leaving no room for any alternative but death for those who opposed them.
"Okay... let's admit what you're telling me is true. Why tell me all this?"
"Because I was able to see the future in broad strokes, and I saw your clan and your people being annihilated," Madara revealed once again. This announcement had the desired effect; the soldiers around them shivered with concern for some, while others, like their leader, were skeptical.
"Bullshit! Do you think you can convince me with such nonsense?!" Ashina quickly retorted, not believing at all that someone could have such a gift, even if he had to admit that the Dōjutsu possessed by his interlocutor must conceal many secrets, and why not such an ability. But what he especially couldn't admit in the current state was the fact that the Uchiha announced the outright eradication of his clan. Who could defeat an entire clan? And even more so his, the Uzumaki could not be wiped out with a simple snap of the fingers. "We're keeping the Kumo ninjas at bay, and it's only a matter of time before our allies triumph against Kaze No Kuni and Tsuchi No Kuni," he added confidently, eliciting affirmative nods among the ninjas in the room.
Madara recognized the stubbornness of his interlocutor. The Uzumaki were indeed formidable fighters, which is why he wished to rally them to their cause. However, he understood that too much confidence in one's own abilities could be detrimental to the future of a clan, or even a village or nation. Without expressing it, he understood that humility could lead to greater wisdom and better decisions.
"Exactly Ashina, don't you find it strange that everything is going so smoothly? Haven't you wondered why this war continues when you have had the upper hand from the beginning? In three days, troops from Kaze No Kuni, Tsuchi No Kuni, and Kaminari No Kuni will besiege your beloved city and wipe it out!"
This revelation tensed the atmosphere in the room and sparked reflection in Ashina, who stroked his white mustache in silence, lost in thought. His silence heightened the palpable tension among the ninjas around them.
But as they all awaited their leader's response with anticipation, the silence was broken by a different commotion. A shinobi had entered the room and was whispering hurriedly with one of the guards. The information he was conveying seemed to shock the guard. After a few moments, he approached the three protagonists.
"Uzukage-sama," he began, kneeling, "I'm sorry to disturb you, but our scouts have returned with alarming news."
Madara inwardly smiled at seeing a potential element that could support his revelations and play in their favor to bend the clan leader.
"Come closer!" ordered Ashina to the Shinobi, who hurried to come near his military leader.
He bowed before delivering his report.
"Several of our scouts stationed around have counted a massive movement of troops in our direction," explained the man with blood-red hair.
"Which direction?"
"All directions, Uzukage-sama, there's a large gathering coming from the west, many ships coming from the south and east, and the front to the north is still occupied by the Kumo troops."
"Has Kiri betrayed us?"
"No, these are ships from Kaze No Kuni," the scout retorted.
"How could they have a fleet?" Ashina murmured to himself.
"Perhaps because they've been preparing this invasion for a long time," intervened Madara, seizing the most opportune moment to continue manipulating the leader.
"What proves to me that you're not on their side? That your so-called gift of foresight isn't rather the result of a plot to make me bend and betray Konoha in turn!" accused Ashina vehemently, raising his eyes again to the brun.
"Seriously? I know you're old... but spouting such nonsense doesn't sound like you!" said Madara, delivering a veiled compliment to his counterpart.
"Send a message to Konoha! Tell them we need immediate reinforcements!" Ashina shouted to his scribe, who hurried to take an official parchment. The old ninja had no choice, he had to ask for help, and he naturally turned to the village with which he had made this alliance. Konoha couldn't abandon them; that was the deal when he gave his daughter to this Senju.
"They won't come," Madara immediately retorted with a sharp voice.
"How do you know?"
"I know!" the brun said, pointing to his concealed Rinnegan.
Seconds passed in another heavy silence. No one said anything, the scout and the guards didn't know whether to withdraw or stay, and the only sound present was the sound of the pen on the parchment.
The two men still stared at each other, one searching for a loophole while the other had a determined expression.
"Clear something up for me, Madara. If you're not with them, why is this woman in possession of a copy... admittedly different... but nevertheless similar to my daughter's forehead seal?" Ashina asked, now turning his inquisitive gaze towards the pink-haired woman, who flinched ever so slightly. From the beginning, she had been discreet, and she didn't think all the attention would be on her now.
"The Uzumaki are not the only masters of Fūinjutsu, Uzumaki-dono," Sakura declared respectfully. Unlike the man she loved, she had been educated to respect her elders.
"Not to this extent, my daughter is a virtuoso of Fūinjutsu," Ashina continued before being interrupted by a raised hand gesture from Sakura. She rolled up her sleeves and displayed numerous Fūinjutsu seals drawn on her forearms in front of the clan leader.
"That doesn't prove anything, your forehead seal is beyond such subtleties!" Ashina retorted before carefully observing the kunai and the small wooden stick that Sakura had placed before him. She had made them appear with a poof of smoke, an impressive talent in itself. He delicately picked up the weapon between his fingers and examined the numerous seal formulas engraved on it, which glowed slightly with a royal blue: it was a magnificent piece. Though he would never admit it aloud out of pride, he had to admit it was remarkable work, a formidable weapon on a battlefield. He continued to study the kunai for a moment, focusing on deciphering the inscribed formulas and mentally visualizing the effects it would have if used.
"May I borrow this formula?" Ashina asked, unable to resist despite himself. This enhanced weapon was impressive. Sakura nodded slightly in approval. What an honor for her that her work could please the leader of the Uzumaki clan. The Uzumaki placed the weapon back down before turning to the second object, which seemed much more complex. After carefully examining it, the old man realized that it wasn't simply an ordinary Fūinjutsu formula: it was a complex assembly of seals allowing to transmit a Genjutsu over a long distance without affecting the people nearby. The Uzumaki found it extremely interesting, even ingenious, and was so absorbed by this discovery that he almost forgot about Madara's presence.
"We didn't come here to see you marvel at Fūinjutsu," Madara intervened after several minutes during which he observed the old man taking notes on Sakura's two creations. "We're here to know if you want to save your people or see them perish!"
Ashina set down the objects and his pen before raising his eyes to the brun. He didn't like being told what to do, and true to himself, he replied:
"I hear your arguments, Madara... but they're not enough for me. I married off my daughter, the most precious person to me, to seal this alliance! I've honored all my commitments, so believe me, Konoha has every interest in honoring theirs, and they know it!"
"You're wrong, old man," Madara replied wearily. "You have no intention of changing your mind, do you?" he added, convinced that this battle was lost: this stubborn man refused to yield, at least not yet.
"The missive is ready, Uzukage-sama," announced the scribe as he approached with a message. Ashina stamped his Kage seal on the still-warm wax. Once done, the scribe rolled up the parchment before storing it in a case.
"You got it all wrong, I won't sacrifice my principles and commitments because of your apprehensions, Madara! My people are one of the most powerful among all the Elemental Nations, and I intend to defend every individual against any threat!"
"Then, I've wasted precious time here!" Madara resigned before getting up, quickly followed by Sakura.
"But... Madara-san," Sakura began, unable to believe that the brun would give up so easily. She knew that if they did nothing, these innocents would be condemned, and she couldn't accept it.
"He's stubborn, Sakura-san! He values his honor over the lives of his people," Madara replied, gesturing towards the still-seated Ashina. "My only consolation will be knowing that you'll be consumed by remorse when you realize I was right, when you see your precious village reduced to ashes!"
With these words, Madara and Sakura left the room.
Day 306
It had been three days since Madara and Sakura had left, and Uzushio was enduring relentless assaults from all sides. Despite stratagems, daring sorties, and desperate counterattacks, the enemy remained firmly entrenched, causing growing rage within Ashina. His clan surpassed their adversaries in power, but their understrength condemned them to a dire outcome.
Despite the Fūinjutsu protections erected, the city was transforming, hour by hour, into a landscape of desolation, strewn with debris and ruins. Explosions resounded, mixed with the panicked cries of civilians and the shouts of shinobi desperately fighting to protect the inhabitants.
If Konoha had responded to their call for help, they would have long since repelled and annihilated the invaders. But the Leaf's forces were conspicuously absent and seemed destined to remain so. Yet, since he had sent his message, the ninja allies could have arrived in time to bolster their defenses. But Ashina Uzumaki had to resign himself to the truth: Konoha had not answered their plea.
His inner anger grew exponentially as he pondered whether he had perhaps overlooked Madara Uchiha's warning. Two days earlier, a dreaded missive had reached him, informing him of the disappearance of his daughter, married to Hashirama Senju. He had placed her under vigilant protection, but now, she was gone. Why had Konoha failed to notify him? Ashina suspected Tobirama had preferred to keep the truth hidden to preserve the precious alliance.
This thought fueled his growing resentment towards Konoha's actions. From his vantage point, he surveyed the chaos before him, his eyes lingering on the enemy fleet steadily approaching. He recalled Madara's words about the reasons for his rebellion, and Ashina now understood the bitterness and betrayal that must burn in his counterpart's heart.
Betrayal! That was the bitter feeling gnawing at the clan leader to his core.
The old shinobi swallowed slowly, accepting his dire fate with a resolution tinged with shame for having naively believed in the alliance with Konoha. But he would not surrender without fighting to the last breath. For him, everything rested on honor.
"You see... I didn't lie to you," a voice said, one that Ashina hardly expected to hear again. He turned his head and saw Uchiha Madara, accompanied by the young woman with pink hair, standing behind him.
"How did you manage to get here?"
"They're mostly weak," Madara replied disdainfully, waving his hand as if swatting a fly. "And you, Uzumaki... will you remain an old fool blinded by your honor? Or will you choose to save your people?"
At first, Ashina was speechless, but he had to admit that Uchiha spoke the truth. Konoha was absent, his people were enduring an unrelenting assault for too long, and without intervention, their fate was sealed. For the first time in his life, Ashina Uzumaki swallowed his pride.
"How do you plan to defeat this army?"
"I never said we were going to defeat this army... I said we were here to save your people," Madara retorted, unfazed by the turmoil surrounding them.
As they spoke, an enemy shinobi lunged towards them, weapon in hand, in a desperate attempt to catch them off guard. But the sharp sensory abilities of the two clan leaders, along with Sakura's vigilance, thwarted his intentions. It was she who reacted first, welcoming the assailant from Kaze No Kuni. With a swift motion, she struck him before he even realized what was happening. Her powerful blow shattered his armor into a thousand shards, and the shinobi was flung far away, spitting out a stream of blood. Ashina, astonished by the speed and power of the attack, momentarily forgot about Madara and the battle raging around them. Was it even humanly possible to accomplish such a feat? But he quickly regained his senses, redirecting his attention to Madara.
"How do you plan to evacuate us?"
"I can't... but I sense that most of your people are underground," Madara remarked, focusing on his sensory abilities.
"Indeed, we have a secure underground facility, just in case," Ashina replied bitterly, as another building collapsed in the distance, struck by a projectile.
"Proceed with a general evacuation," ordered Madara.
"Pardon?!" exclaimed the Uzumaki, astounded.
"You heard me right," replied the brun with a hint of impatience.
Every second was crucial, and there was no time to waste on strategic debates.
"If I follow this path, I condemn my people even faster than expected!" protested Ashina. "Is that your plan? To exterminate us underground and erase all trace of your misdeed?" he added, struggling to place total trust in a man he had recently considered a traitor.
"Trust me, old fool!" sighed Madara. "I've proven that I speak the truth! Your city is in ruins, your people are slaughtered! Konoha has betrayed its alliance! What more do you expect? From the beginning, I told you the truth! So, trust me," Madara said, beginning to lose patience with this incessant debate.
"Very well," conceded Ashina before turning to ten of his men reinforcing the Fūinjutsu protections. "Shinobi! Retreat! Spread throughout the city and order an immediate evacuation to the underground shelters!"
"Understood!" they chorused before dispersing in different directions.
"And now?"
"Sakura-san, how many people can you protect and save?"
"Many."
"Then, act," the brun approved with a nod.
With that nod, she knew what she had to do next. She turned towards the center of the city before channeling a large amount of chakra into her legs to propel herself as far as possible. She bent her legs, and the ground cracked under the pressure as Sakura leaped high into the air.
As she was about to land in the main square of Uzushio, she bit her thumb until it bled before making the appropriate hand signs for her next technique.
"KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!" Sakura shouted, pointing her hand downwards. She discharged an enormous amount of chakra into this technique to summon the legendary Katsuyu right in the middle of Uzushio.
A cloud of white smoke enveloped the main square. When it dissipated, an immense slug stood, dominant, and atop it, a woman with pink hair.
"Katsuyu-sama, it's time," Sakura said to her summon.
"Understood, Sakura-sama," Katsuyu replied before her body imploded and separated into a thousand copies of herself. All the slugs moved at lightning speed in every corner of the city in search of any survivors, injured, or anyone who might not be safe before the fateful hour.
"Who is this woman?" Ashina asked, observing Sakura from a distance. The old man was impressed by the young woman. There was no doubt that she was a formidable kunoichi, far from the image he had formed of her a few days earlier.
"She is my wife," replied Madara with undisguised pride. Seeing Sakura in action was always impressive, and the Uchiha had no qualms about displaying his affection for the young woman.
"She's an Uchiha?"
"That will come in due time," affirmed Madara. He fully intended to marry this woman and make her the Uchiha matriarch, but for now, he had something to accomplish to implement his plan. "Ashina, be ready to leave with your people, otherwise I advise you to have a Fūinjutsu more powerful than ever to witness what is about to happen."
"I want to stay and see what you plan to do to save my people," declared Ashina defiantly.
"As you wish," acquiesced the brun before scanning the surroundings for the tallest building in the city, which he quickly located. He moved from rooftop to rooftop in seconds before reaching the structure overlooking Uzushio and the surrounding armies and fleets.
Madara placed his two hands in the ram sign, channeling a colossal amount of chakra. He took his time, allowing Sakura to protect as many people as possible. After a minute, Madara activated one of the abilities of the Rinnegan.
The entire sky lit up with intense light, almost forcing everyone to close their eyes for miles around. The density of chakra used was palpable, accompanied by a shrill noise. Then, as Madara's Rinnegan concentric circles widened, silence fell for two seconds...
"SHINRA TENSEI!"
An immense shockwave emanated from the Uchiha, ravaging Uzushio and the enemy Shinobi troops in moments. Madara's attack even spread over a portion of the water, creating immense waves that crashed into the ships.
Uzushio no longer existed!