Chapter 10

Clang!

Dengguang Pill instantly blocked Senju Shizuma's kunai, causing Uchiha Madara's forehead to be drenched in cold sweat. If it weren't for the automatic counterattack of the Dengguang Pill, he would have been seriously injured just now.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

In just a few seconds, the two had already exchanged dozens of moves. Uchiha Madara could only passively defend, with no power to attack.

"Damn, even as a Jonin, I'm not without a fighting chance. This guy is definitely not just an ordinary Jonin. If things go badly, I might really not be able to escape this time." Uchiha Madara gritted his teeth, trying to find an opportunity to counterattack. Unfortunately, Senju Shizuma no longer wasted words, seemingly determined to take down Madara in one go.

"Beep! Beep!"

The sudden sound made both combatants pause. The golden blade of the Dengguang Pill suddenly turned red, flashed a few times, and then turned back to ordinary silver.

"It's out of power!" Uchiha Madara sighed, sheathing the Dengguang Pill. After the battle, he was already out of chakra. If it weren't for the support of the Dengguang Pill, he would have already lost. Now that the Dengguang Pill was out of power, his stamina was also exhausted. Even a Chunin might be able to defeat him now.

"Since that's the case, let me do one last thing!" Uchiha Madara's eyes had already deactivated the Sharingan. Although they were ordinary eyes, there was no trace of fear.

"Are you giving up? I told you before, you're no match for me. You had to suffer a bit to believe it. Now, can you come with me?" Senju Shizuma clearly saw Madara's state and stopped attacking, waiting for his surrender.

"Master!" Uchiha Gen and the other two, covered in injuries, were shocked to see the wobbling Uchiha Madara. They wanted to rush over to save him but were blocked by Senju Kawakami and Senju Ida.

"What's your name?" Uchiha Madara asked calmly.

"Senju Shizuma!" Senju Shizuma raised an eyebrow and said his name.

"Very well. I have a request now. If you agree, I will immediately go with you to the Senju clan's base." Uchiha Madara said indifferently.

"You are now my prisoner. Why should I agree to your request?" Senju Shizuma laughed loudly.

"Listen carefully. I am Uchiha Madara, the eldest son of Uchiha Tashima, the head of the Uchiha clan. I believe you understand what this means. If nothing goes wrong, I will be the future head of the Uchiha clan." Uchiha Madara calmly revealed his identity.

"You are indeed his son, just as I suspected." Senju Shizuma frowned, his eyes showing a thoughtful expression.

"Now, I order you to release these three ordinary Uchiha clan members." Uchiha Madara glanced at the three Uchiha clan members and said calmly.

"You... really want to do this." Senju Shizuma's pupils constricted, already understanding Madara's thoughts. Seeing the kunai Madara placed at his neck, he fell silent.

"I believe a living Uchiha heir is far more useful than a dead one, don't you think?" Uchiha Madara's face carried a faint smile, seemingly indifferent to his own life.

Thud!

"Master Madara!" Uchiha Gen and the other two fell to their knees, tears streaming down their faces. They never imagined that Uchiha Madara would use his own life as a bargaining chip to save them, three ordinary ninjas.

If Uchiha Madara ordered them to die at this moment, they would not have the slightest hesitation.

"Lord Shizuma!" Senju Kawakami and Senju Ida were at a loss, but for the first time, they felt a sense of admiration for the Uchiha clan they had always despised.

In this era of the Warring States, where human life was as cheap as grass, the presence of such a person who valued righteousness and emotion stirred their long-numb hearts.

"Are they your friends?" Senju Shizuma asked.

"No, I didn't know them until today. However, as the heir of the Uchiha clan, I have a responsibility to protect my clan members. I believe that if the situation were different, you might do the same." Uchiha Madara smiled.

"I admire you now, but I also want to kill you. If you become the head of the Uchiha clan in the future, I really don't know what will happen." Senju Shizuma looked at Uchiha Madada with a complex gaze.

"Who knows! Maybe I will stop the war. Actually, you are not wrong, and neither am I. Perhaps the world is wrong. The Uchiha and Senju clans have been opposing each other since I was a child, but few people understand why. The hatred between generations has continued, breeding more hatred. We cannot stop this meaningless slaughter. The adults always find various reasons and excuses for war, satisfying their own desires, but in the end, the ones who suffer are the people below, even children who know nothing." Uchiha Madara looked up at the sky, squinting in the sunlight.

Uchiha Madara understood the root of the hatred between the Senju and Uchiha clans. The Sage of the Six Paths had two sons. The elder son, Indra, was a genius, proud and self-centered, pursuing power and inheriting the Sage's Rinnegan. The younger son, Asura, was the opposite, very foolish from a young age, friendly to others, and inheriting the Sage's body.

On his deathbed, the Sage of the Six Paths had to choose one of his sons as his successor. He chose the kind-hearted younger son, Asura, which caused the elder son, Indra, to hate him. Thus, the two sons constantly fought, and after many years, their descendants became two rival ninja clans: the Uchiha, descended from Indra, and the Senju, descended from Asura.

One could say that the hatred between the Senju and Uchiha clans was deeply rooted, but few knew the cause. Perhaps the leaders of the two clans knew, but the ordinary ninjas knew nothing; they only followed orders.

In short, both the Sage of the Six Paths and Indra were at fault, but regardless, their hatred should not have been passed down, causing countless descendants to suffer.

Uchiha Madara was the reincarnation of Indra, but he did not acknowledge it. He was Uchiha Madara, and the Nara had nothing to do with him. Because he understood everything, he deeply despised this intergenerational hatred.

"Perhaps these two can change our two clans." Senju Shizuma gazed at Uchiha Madara. He was one of the few intelligent people in the Senju clan, and Uchiha Madara's words reminded him of his naive nephew.

"I agree to your request!" Senju Shizuma nodded after a long silence.

"Thank you!" Uchiha Madara put down the kunai, not knowing what to do if Senju Shizuma had refused.

Fortunately, Senju Shizuma did not make things difficult for him. Uchiha Madara said to the dazed Uchiha clan members, "From now on, you are free. However, I have a favor to ask. Please do it for me."

"Master..." Uchiha Hi did not want to leave, but Uchiha Gen covered his mouth. He bowed respectfully on the ground and said, "Please give your orders, Master."

Uchiha Gen understood that even if they stayed, nothing would change. The master would still be captured by the enemy. It was better to leave quickly and find the clan leader to rescue him.

"You are a smart person!" Uchiha Madara praised and said to Uchiha Gen, "Ten miles ahead, at the edge of the battlefield, there is a flat area. Wait there, and you will find a black cat. Tell her that I am a guest of the Senju clan for a few days and not to worry."

"Yes!" Although Madara's request was a bit strange, Uchiha Gen still respectfully agreed.

"Go quickly!" Madara stood still and said calmly.

"Take care, Master!" Uchiha Gen stood up, quickly pulling Hi and Masao, who were unwilling to leave, and ran away without looking at Senju Kawakami and Senju Ida.

"Lord?" Senju Kawakami asked anxiously.

"We should go too." Senju Shizuma did not look at Senju Kawakami and walked towards Madara.

Madara threw away the kunai and thought to himself, "What a disgrace!"

Just as Senju Shizuma was about to seal Madara's chakra, he suddenly became alert and jumped away. The ground he had just been standing on was pierced by a kunai.

"Madara! You did well." A middle-aged ninja stood in front of Madara, his back to him, and the Uchiha fan emblem on his back was clearly visible.

"Uncle Kai!" Madara was startled by the familiar voice.

"Uchiha Kai!" Senju Shizuma narrowed his eyes, glanced at the Uchiha Madara behind him, and said calmly, "It seems you have been protecting him all along. Why didn't you come out earlier?"