After returning to the clan, Uchiha Izuna's mind was filled with Chu Yang's heart-piercing words. He was unwilling to accept them and still wanted to persuade Uchiha Madara to overturn the agreement.
Madara remained silent for a long time before finally saying just one thing:"Go walk through the clan yourself. Look at how the clansmen are reacting. Then come back and tell me what you've decided."
Left with no choice, Izuna wandered the streets alone. To avoid disturbing anyone, he deliberately used a Transformation Technique.
It was already close to dusk. Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, smoke rose from every household as dinner was prepared.
Breathing in the scent of daily life, the tension that war had wrapped tightly around Izuna's nerves for days on end gradually loosened.
He heard laughter.
Turning his head, Izuna saw a group of children running past him, playing and laughing together.
The laughter came from their games—
But not only from them.
Clansmen approached from all directions, smiling as they passed by Izuna. They chatted about everyday matters, bursts of laughter spilling from their conversations.
It was like a gentle melody drifting into his ears, soothing and uplifting.
This was a scene that had not appeared in Izuna's memories for a very long time. He had always believed that only by completely crushing the Senju could the Uchiha see such sights again.
Yet in reality, after the two great clans ceased hostilities and announced their alliance, the shadow that war had cast over people was rapidly fading.
Izuna stood there in a daze.
Feeling the bustling vitality around him, countless emotions surged in his heart.
He realized that he might have been wrong. If he continued to persist, his enemy might no longer be the Senju—
But his own clansmen, who had long yearned for peace.
Faced with the overwhelming weight of popular sentiment, even Izuna, who had originally opposed the alliance, could only bow his head.
He no longer tried to obstruct the alliance between the Uchiha and the Senju.
Not long after, news of the alliance continued to spread, sweeping across the entire shinobi world and shaking every major power.
The two great clans put aside their grudges and joined hands. Following the ideals of Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, they began building the first ninja village in history.
However, new troubles were already on the horizon…
As Konoha Village entered a massive construction phase, the major clans and common citizens alike began voting for the first Hokage.
Public opinion overwhelmingly favored Senju Hashirama.
But Chu Yang offered Senju Tobirama a different suggestion.
"The Clan Head will definitely vote for Uchiha Madara," Chu Yang said with a fox-like smile. "Sensei might as well do the same and give Madara your vote too."
Tobirama immediately became wary. "Kid, do you even understand what you're saying? If something goes wrong and Madara actually becomes Hokage, then everything my brother worked so hard to build will be finished!"
Chu Yang calmly explained, "Sensei, you must have investigated the Uchiha clan's internal opinion of Madara. It's practically fallen to rock bottom. If not for the Clan Head repeatedly stressing Madara's importance to Konoha, he probably wouldn't even be able to suppress his own clansmen anymore."
"In that situation, how many people do you think would actually choose him as the First Hokage? Yours and the Clan Head's votes would be nothing more than help in the snow."
"Even if you truly wanted Madara to become Hokage, the people below wouldn't agree. The first ones to oppose it would be the Uchiha clansmen who want Madara out of power."
Hashirama wanting to step aside was impossible—the people below would never allow it. They would push him firmly onto the throne. That was how being forced into kingship worked.
Tobirama pondered for a moment, then asked, "Is this also part of your plan to win hearts?"
Chu Yang chuckled. "We can simultaneously win over some of the Uchiha clansmen and accelerate internal division, isolating Madara—while also embracing him, giving him a sense of belonging on our side."
After a pause, Chu Yang lowered his voice."A Madara who is bound to Konoha by ties of affection and friendship, working tirelessly for the village, is far better than a Madara who leaves with resentment after being abandoned by everyone, don't you think?"
A chill seemed to pass through the air. Tobirama's hairs instantly stood on end.
He understood now—Chu Yang intended to lock Madara firmly in place with emotional chains.
Would it work?
Tobirama couldn't be certain. Madara was an ambitious man, after all. But there was no doubt that this plan brought nothing but benefits to Konoha and the Senju.
Even if it failed to achieve the ideal result with Madara, they would still come out far ahead.
Persuaded by Chu Yang, Tobirama went to find the headache-ridden Hashirama and told him that he intended to vote for Madara.
After hearing this, Hashirama stared at his brother as if looking at a stranger."What's gotten into you? This really doesn't seem like your style…"
"First you release the Uchiha prisoners early, and now you want to vote for Madara. What exactly are you trying to do?"
Tobirama recalled Chu Yang's arguments and awkwardly tugged at the corner of his mouth, forcing out something resembling a smile."I want to mend the rift with the Uchiha."
"The Uchiha may have surrendered, but their strength still remains. Aside from the Senju, they're the strongest clan. If they can't integrate into Konoha, they'll cause huge problems for the village in the future."
"So I want to repair relations with them as soon as possible and help them truly become part of the village."
After saying all this, Tobirama was almost moved by his own words—let alone Hashirama, who had always been striving for exactly that but was rarely understood.
What support could be stronger than that of one's own family?
"Tobirama, I'm really glad you think this way. Let's work together!" Hashirama said happily, patting his brother on the shoulder. The mental exhaustion weighing on him vanished in an instant.
Neither of the brothers knew—
At that very moment, someone outside the room had overheard their entire conversation.
It was Uchiha Madara. He had originally come to discuss the selection of the First Hokage with Hashirama, only to "accidentally" hear their exchange.
Madara never imagined that Tobirama Senju—who had always been hostile toward the Uchiha—would be willing to do something like this for them.
As for Tobirama's mention that the Uchiha might cause trouble for Konoha in the future…
Feeling increasingly isolated within his own clan, Madara suddenly found himself able to understand Tobirama's concerns.
Certain traits hidden deep within the Uchiha could never truly be eradicated. Under specific conditions, they would grow wildly—
Such as betrayal.
Deeply shaken, Madara returned home and immediately told his brother Izuna everything.
Izuna was just as stunned.
Recalling Tobirama's recent change in attitude, his emotions became indescribably complex.
The next day, before the eyes of all the other clans, the Senju brothers and the Uchiha brothers did something that left everyone utterly dumbfounded—
They cast their votes for each other.