Chapter 66: Right into the Line of Fire
Masahiko, Hashirama, and the others saw off the Second Tsuchikage Mū and his disciple Onoki. Masahiko was ready to go home and continue writing his third book.
"Did I forget something?" Masahiko returned home, only to realize he might have forgotten something.
"In the original story, Mū and Onoki then went to visit Madara, their alliance was rejected, and they got thrashed..." Masahiko muttered. He was about to go check it out, but then sat back down.
"Nothing serious will happen anyway. The book is more important. I feel like Madara is getting close to leaving Konoha..."
A short while later, Masahiko sensed a violent chakra fluctuation. He didn't pay much attention, assuming Madara was just teaching the two Iwa ninja a lesson. However, two minutes later, Masahiko suddenly stood up.
"Perfect Susanoo? Has Madara gone crazy? Is he trying to kill them?" Masahiko couldn't stay calm anymore and hurriedly flew toward the battle site.
Fortunately, the battle was taking place at the entrance of the Uchiha compound, so Madara couldn't use his full power. Otherwise, Masahiko would have arrived just in time to collect the corpses of the Tsuchikage and his disciple...
Even so, when he arrived, the Second Tsuchikage was already injured, and Onoki was lying on the ground, shouting, "Why are you doing this?! Lord Hashirama already..."
Madara ignored him and was about to strike again. Masahiko quickly shouted, "Madara, stop!"
Madara did stop, and Masahiko thought he was finally giving him some face. Unexpectedly, the Susanoo turned and slashed its sword at Masahiko.
Masahiko narrowly dodged and was about to curse when Hashirama and Tobirama arrived quickly. Hashirama shouted, "Madara, stop!"
Seeing Hashirama, Madara snorted coldly but ignored him, slashing at Masahiko again.
Masahiko sighed and was about to form seals when Hashirama shouted, "Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall!" blocking the attack for Masahiko.
Madara frowned, feeling he had no further opportunity to act, and deactivated Susanoo.
Seeing the crisis averted, the Second Tsuchikage, Mū, quickly checked on Onoki while asking, "Lord Hashirama, what is the meaning of this? The treaty we just signed..."
"My apologies. Tobirama, take Lord Tsuchikage and his disciple to rest first. I will give you an explanation later!" Hashirama said seriously, giving the order.
After Tobirama took the two away, Hashirama asked, "Madara, why did you do this?"
"Yeah, Madara! What kind of madness has gotten into you? Even attacking me?" Masahiko was still bewildered.
Madara snorted coldly, pulled two books from his robe, and threw them over. "Old man, you are the one I wanted to cut!"
Masahiko caught the books and looked embarrassed. Weren't these the ones he wrote? So that's what this was about.
Hashirama watched this scene from the side, not knowing what to say. He rubbed his forehead; this Great-Uncle gave him headaches too.
"Madara, then why did you attack the Second Tsuchikage and his disciple? I just signed a treaty with them!" After thinking for a moment, Hashirama could only ask this.
"An alliance? Meaningless. Only power can deter them. I originally just wanted to teach them a lesson, but I didn't expect that so-called Tsuchikage to use the same jutsu as the old man..." Madara said slowly.
Masahiko didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He felt the Second Tsuchikage had completely walked right into the line of fire.
As they spoke, more and more onlookers gathered. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio and the Hyuga Clan Head all rushed over.
Masahiko winked at Hashirama, signaling him to disperse the crowd first.
Hashirama nodded and actually walked over to explain things to the onlookers, leaving Masahiko and Madara facing each other awkwardly.
"Old man, you wrote these two books, didn't you..." After a moment of silence, Madara said hatefully.
"I wrote them." Masahiko nodded, smiling. "How are they? I wrote you as a great man... loving your brother, having grand dreams, and achieving them."
Madara's Sharingan began to spin. Masahiko quickly interrupted, "Madara, this is your Uchiha compound. Do you really want to fight me here?"
Madara looked back at the compound. Many people were already peeking out. He hesitated, then decided not to act.
Masahiko breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, 'It seems Madara still cares about the Uchiha clansmen. He probably won't leave the clan for the time being.'
With the storm calmed, Masahiko gained another two Witness Points and then got busy.
Although the Uchiha compound was relatively remote, many civilians and even ninjas nearby had been injured by collapsing buildings. Feeling guilty, Masahiko actively summoned Katsuyu to heal them.
As for Mū and Onoki, Masahiko also visited them a few times. After all, they had taken a hit for him.
After visiting the two a few times, Masahiko gradually came to agree with Madara's view: military deterrence was indeed useful. Although Mū was furious at the time and wanted an explanation from Konoha, after calming down, he never mentioned the incident again. After quietly recovering from his injuries, he prepared to take Onoki and leave Konoha.
However, Masahiko stopped Mū. "Lord Second Tsuchikage, we are both Dust Release users. I hope to spar with you."
Mū's expression changed slightly. "Dust Release is a jutsu passed down solely within my lineage. Where did you learn it?"
Masahiko laughed it off. "Don't worry about the details. Maybe we were family five hundred years ago..."
Mū: "..."
Although called a spar, the two merely exchanged a few Dust Release attacks outside Konoha before tacitly stopping.
Masahiko knew that to cultivate Dust Release, Mū's Fire, Earth, and Wind natures must be around Level 7 according to the system's grading. But Mū relied on talent, while Masahiko relied on adding points...
Therefore, he could sense that their strength was likely similar. Unless they exchanged over a hundred moves, it would be hard to determine a winner.
Masahiko looked relaxed. After all, he hadn't used Sage Mode or the Eight Inner Gates. At the same time, as Madara said, he used military force to deter Mū. Mū, on the other hand, felt even heavier hearted. He hadn't expected a Konoha Elder to be evenly matched with him. It seemed establishing an alliance with Konoha was the correct choice.
That afternoon, Masahiko joined Hashirama and the others to see off the Second Tsuchikage and Onoki, then rushed home.
Over the past few days, because Madara had recklessly fought near the clan compound regardless of accidentally injuring civilians, although no one died, the Uchiha clan's image had become even worse.
Conflict between the Uchiha and others intensified. Everyone in Konoha seemed to stand against the Uchiha. Masahiko's bad premonition grew stronger and stronger.
Masahiko wanted to make one last effort. He hurried to publish his third book, hoping to make the villagers understand the Uchiha a little better so that Madara wouldn't go down that path...
Two days later, everything was ready. Just as Masahiko was about to send it to the printers, Hashirama found him. His first sentence left Masahiko stunned.
"Great-Uncle... Madara... has left."
A line of text flashed in Masahiko's eyes: "Witnessed and slightly changed a Naruto world Side Story: Uchiha Madara's Break. Received 5 (*2) Witness Points."
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