"Your nephew? Tobirama's son?" In an instant, Dave felt a massive killing intent bearing down on him. Uchiha Madara's pair of scarlet eyes stared right at him.
Dave's heart skipped a beat—he'd forgotten that Madara's brother had been killed by Tobirama.
"Madara! He's not Tobirama!" Hashirama shouted quickly.
"Hmph, of course I know." Madara retracted his murderous aura, which had surged like a tidal wave, and said coldly.
"Uncle, your name is Madara?" Dave wouldn't miss this chance to cozy up to a powerhouse. He had to make a good impression, so the guy wouldn't scheme against him later when that thousand-year-old filial son got involved.
"Yeah," Madara replied coldly, though inwardly shocked.
Because of Madara's aloof demeanor and the terrifying reputation he'd built during the Warring States Period a few years ago, hardly anyone in the village—outside the Uchiha clan—wanted to interact with him, let alone the children.
Kids usually ran away in fear from just a glance from Uchiha Madara, but this child in front of him wasn't afraid? Was it ignorance? Or bravery?
"Uncle Madara, you're so handsome! Way more handsome than my uncle!" Dave's eyes sparkled with admiration.
"Huh? Hahahaha, kid, you've got good taste! Hashirama, this time, I win! I'm more handsome than you!" Madara was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing. From the corner of his eye, he kept glancing at the fuming Hashirama and raised an eyebrow.
This time! It was I, Uchiha Madara, who defeated you, Senju Hashirama!
"Hey, hey, hey! Dave! Your uncle is obviously way better-looking than Uncle Madara, okay?!"
Hashirama yelled at his nephew, totally unconvinced! This was the first time he'd lost to Madara in something like this! Except for that one time peeing as a kid, he'd never lost in all these years! And now he lost at this?
"Well, Uncle Madara, my uncle is being so mean." Dave hurriedly ran into Madara's arms, pointing at the yelling Hashirama with an aggrieved expression.
"Well, Hashirama, if you lost, you lost.
Don't take it out on the kid."
Madara looked at Dave, who had suddenly darted into his arms, and thought to himself: So this is what it feels like to be trusted by a child... Turns out...
This is how Hashirama feels when the village kids run to him?
It feels pretty good.
Where did I, Uchiha Madara, lose to Hashirama? He's not even that handsome! Those kids must just be clueless! Then he reached out a hand, patted Dave on the back, and said disdainfully to Hashirama.
"Ahh! I won't admit defeat! I'll take better care of my skin when I get back! I won't lose to you next time!! Madara! Dave! Come back with me!" Hashirama yelled.
"No, we just got out here!" Dave turned and said.
"Okay, Hashirama, you head back first. I'll take the kid around the village." Uchiha Madara frowned at the "ugly" Hashirama in front of him.
"Hmph! Dave, be back before nightfall." Hashirama turned away angrily.
As he walked off, Hashirama had a smile on his face.
Madara's reputation in the village wasn't great, and no one wanted to talk to him.
If this kept up, Hashirama worried something bad would happen to Madara eventually. But Dave's performance just now showed him that there were people who liked Madara, and Madara had smiled genuinely for the first time in the village.
But his angry act earlier wasn't entirely fake, right? Am I really not as handsome as Madara? Maybe I should try those skincare products from Mito... Hashirama sank into self-doubt, leaving Dave staring at his lonely figure... and even wanting to laugh a bit.
"Let's go, kid." With Hashirama gone, the smile vanished from Madara's face. He took Dave's hand and continued strolling through the village.
Along the way...
Dave saw many children watching him and Madara from afar. The fearful looks in their eyes made Dave's heart sink. Though the god-like figure beside him showed no reaction, the lack of expression only made Dave more uneasy.
"Uncle Madara, I want some meatballs!" Dave felt he should do something and said to Madara beside him.
"Okay." Madara was stunned for a moment, frowned at first, then agreed. Kids are such a hassle, huh?
Madara led Dave into the meatball shop and ordered a serving.
"Hey, Dahe, did you see that guy in the Uchiha clothes? You know who he is? He's a weirdo. No wife in his forties. I heard he likes men! Look at that cold face—it's like ice. What a creep."
"No way, that's too wild! Who told you that?"
"My dad! I heard he likes our Hokage-sama!"
"Wow! That's intense!"
While Madara and Dave sat awkwardly waiting for the meatballs, a table of teenagers behind them—older than Dave—were pointing at Madara and whispering. Dave could hear it, and Madara definitely could too; his face grew darker and darker.
"Hey! You jerks! Who gave you the right to insult Uncle Madara!" Dave couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed the two bottles of sake from Uchiha Madara's table, marched over to the teenagers' table, slammed one bottle down, and roared.
The teenagers were stunned—and so was Madara.
"...Where... where'd this kid come from! You looking for a fight?" The teenagers were startled by Dave's outburst. Then, seeing he was just a little kid, one of them shouted back.
"Looking for a fight? Why don't you try it!" Dave was furious. He smashed the other bottle of sake right over the boy's head and roared.
The young man dropped to the ground, howling.
"What I hate most are people like you who gossip behind others' backs! If you've got the guts, say it to his face! Who the hell spreads crap about people like that!"
Dave kicked the fallen boy and shouted.
The teenagers were all too scared by Dave's domineering presence to move.
They were just ordinary teens. The ninja academy hadn't opened to civilians yet, and they hadn't seen much of the world. Naturally, they'd be terrified by something like this.
"You'd better not let me hear you badmouthing Uncle Madara again! If you're not happy about it, come find me at the Senju compound! Bring your parents—I'll beat them too!" Dave snorted coldly, then returned to his seat and sat down obediently.
Madara was shocked by the scene. This kid... he seems...
"Kid... you..." Madara didn't know what to feel or say.
"Hehe...
I've lived with my mom in the clan compound since I was little.
My mom had me after my dad... well, got involved.
She's always been the target of clan rumors.
Every time we went out, they'd point at us just like those guys.
I'd want to do exactly what I just did, but Mom would stop me, and I'd cry alone at night.
It made me so sad.
After Mom died, I came here to find my dad.
On the way, I swore: I'd beat up anyone like that every time I saw them!"
Dave lowered his head and said in a deep voice.
This mix of sadness and anger came from deep within his body, and that impulse just now felt like... it controlled him!
"You... you're way better than your father." Madara didn't know what to say. He'd never comforted anyone before. Back in the day, he'd just beat Hashirama to snap him out of it, but Dave was a kid—he couldn't do that.
This kid was way better than his dad, who was even colder and more infuriating than him.
"Hey, the meatballs are here! Uncle Madara, let's eat them quick."
"Um."
After eating, Dave sat there waiting for Madara to pay.
"Put today's damages on the Uchiha clan's tab, and as for what just happened—if those people have complaints, tell them to come to the Uchiha compound and find me." Uchiha Madara said coldly to the shop owner.
With that, he took Dave and left.
"Uncle Madara, can you carry me on your back? I'm a little tired." While walking down the road, Dave had a bold idea and asked Uchiha Madara beside him, a bit nervously.
"Tch, kid, you're really a hassle. Come on up." Madara was stunned for a second, then said exasperatedly. But he still knelt down to let Dave climb on. Once Dave was up, Madara froze—why did I just do that?
"Hehe, so tall, Uncle Madara! I'll definitely grow as tall as you someday! When you're old, I'll carry you!"
"...Kid."