Though initially caught off guard, once the faint ripple in his heart settled, Uchiha Madara didn't take Genma's little antics seriously.
To him, an ordinary shinobi like Hane Genma, even if he poured every ounce of his strength into it, could only muster a laughably childish threat. The world of the truly powerful was something a frog at the bottom of a well like Genma could never fathom, no matter how desperately he tried.
But thoughts were one thing, and reality was another. Madara had regained his composure and was now perfectly at ease—truth be told, he was indeed vulnerable to a backstab.
There was a fundamental disconnect between Madara and Genma. Madara believed Genma couldn't grasp the extent of his power, but the truth was the exact opposite. Genma understood Madara's strength all too well, which was precisely why his actions seemed so erratic and desperate.
To be honest, if Genma had even the slightest confidence that his Mayfly Technique could take down Uchiha Madara, he would've acted without hesitation to eliminate him.
It wasn't just because Madara posed a tangible threat to the Firefly Organization. More crucially, Madara was the linchpin in the "Mother Resurrection Plan."
Black Zetsu was merely the embodiment of Kaguya Otsutsuki's will. This "will" couldn't accomplish anything on its own, as it possessed thought but lacked power.
Only when a sufficiently powerful vessel carried Black Zetsu's malevolent intentions could it unleash its destructive potential. And Uchiha Madara—not too tall, not too short, not too heavy, not too lean—was the perfect fit for Black Zetsu's needs.
While Black Zetsu's constant manipulation played a role in pushing Madara toward extremism, it couldn't be denied that his personality and experiences left plenty of openings for exploitation.
So, if simply killing one person could save the world, Genma would gladly take the shot.
The only problem was that he couldn't. The gap in strength between the two was simply too vast.
Just because Senju Hashirama could stab Madara in the back didn't mean Genma could pull off the same feat. Those two were busy acting out their tragic, tear-jerking tale. What was Genma in comparison? Did he even have a place to interfere?
As for why Madara's genjutsu had no effect, he didn't care much about it. After all, he hadn't even bothered using his Sharingan.
A kekkei genkai like Boil Release, coupled with exceptional stealth and the ability to break free from ordinary genjutsu, only proved that Genma was a shinobi with some skill. But that wasn't enough to warrant special attention from Madara. Ninjas of that caliber were a dime a dozen in the current shinobi world.
Still, it wouldn't be fair to say Genma's actions were entirely futile. For a fleeting moment, as Madara's initial instinct kicked in, he did entertain the thought of wiping out this insignificant ninja organization.
Fortunately, he quickly dismissed the idea.
It had nothing to do with Genma's feeble attempt at intimidation. Madara knew that if he actually went through with it, it would only deepen the rift between Uchiha Nanami and the Uchiha clan. His ultimate goal was to bring Nanami back to the clan, not to burn bridges with her completely.
And with a moment of clear-headed thought, Madara realized he didn't even need to lift a finger. Events would naturally unfold in his favor. A small coalition of ninja clans like this? It would crumble to dust before long.
No one was foolish enough to miss the potential of united ninja clans. But the problem was that it was practically impossible to achieve.
When the vast majority failed to accomplish something, and yet a rare few succeeded—thriving now and poised to flourish in a few years—what would the "majority" do with this "rare specimen"?
Even a child could guess the answer: eliminate the threat before it grew.
Did Madara need to do anything? All he had to do was wait patiently.
And despite Nanami's clumsy handling of her Mangekyo Sharingan, Madara had unshakable faith in her ability to protect herself—a confidence far stronger than even Nanami herself possessed.
In short, though Madara's thoughts twisted and turned, they boiled down to a single sentiment: Let things play out for now.
Madara left Kikyo Castle, hastening back toward the Uchiha clan.
Whether it was his imagination or not—no, it definitely wasn't his imagination—as he distanced himself from Kikyo Castle, Madara caught fleeting glimpses of a white fox in his peripheral vision. It shadowed him until he was "escorted" beyond the castle's borders, only then vanishing completely.
Three days later, Madara neared the village where the Uchiha clan currently resided.
As he walked, he suddenly halted—not out of a sense of danger, but because he detected someone approaching to greet him.
"Sen, you didn't need to come out to meet me."
The figure before him was Uchiha Sen, Madara's other surviving brother besides Izuna.
Which raised a question: how did Madara, in his mid-twenties, still have two living brothers?
Regardless, seeing a family member immediately upon returning from a mission filled Madara with genuine joy.
He was happy but didn't show it or say it. Instead, he kept his expression stern, as if displeased that his younger brother was acting on his own.
But Madara was perhaps a bit too full of himself.
Sen's face had initially lit up with excitement, but when he realized it was only Madara returning, his smile collapsed.
"Where's Nanami? Wasn't your mission to bring her back, Big Brother?"
The blunt question shattered Madara's illusion of brotherly harmony. For some reason, he couldn't help but feel that this brother was distinctly less endearing than the other.
"The mission hit a snag. Nanami's fine, but she won't be returning to the Uchiha for now…" Perhaps fearing his brother would label him incompetent, Madara quickly added, "Don't worry. It won't be long before she's back."
Unlike his other brother, who idolized him, Madara knew this one was a bit rebellious. Sen had a reputation in the clan for badmouthing him. In a way, Uchiha Sen only listened to Uchiha Nanami.
Sen looked disappointed but kept his composure. He sighed and said, "I knew it wouldn't be that simple. Nanami's too disillusioned with some of the clan's affairs."
The brothers walked side by side. Madara reached out and ruffled Sen's hair, and to his relief, Sen didn't resist the gesture.
For a moment, the air grew heavy and silent.
This Uchiha Sen was one of the Uchiha shinobi who had once been in "Big Brother Town." He had nearly crossed paths with Genma before Nanami did.
But the personality and emotions he displayed now were so different from back then that he seemed like an entirely different person.
After a while, Sen couldn't hold back any longer. "Some people value Nanami's eyes more than they value her as a person. They see her ocular jutsu as the perfect tool, but they have no idea the pain it brings her… I've been through it once, so I know exactly how it feels to stand in her shoes."
His emotions nearly got the better of him, and he almost blurted out something like, "Those people deserve to die."
Sensing his brother's frustration, Madara recalled Nanami's accusations and the earnest expectations hidden behind them. He placed a hand on Sen's shoulder and said, "Don't worry, Sen. I promise you…"
"The rot within the Uchiha clan will be purged by my hand."
"No, not eventually…"
"Soon."
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