Chapter 277: The House Was Stolen

After traveling for a while, the two left the town and entered the deep mountains.

"Madara Uchiha, can you—can you abandon the 'Moon's Eye' plan?"

Senju Hashirama, helped by his close friend, felt his drunkenness fade a bit, and, buoyed by the alcohol, spoke his heart.

"This plan is too extreme. Can—can we switch to another?"

"I can help you achieve your ideal, just as you once promised me to establish Konoha..."

He tried to persuade his close friend to return from the wrong path and stop persisting in his folly.

The wrong road would only drag Madara deeper, eventually making him the enemy of the entire Ninja World.

Hashirama, as Madara's close friend, naturally did not want this to happen.

Unfortunately, over the years, no matter how he pleaded, Madara never listened.

The more he spoke, the less successful he was, and he only ended up angering Madara.

Thus the matter fell into dead end.

If not for the alcohol's boost, he wouldn't have dared to bring it up again.

Because an angry Madara is terrifying...

Madara Uchiha turned his head, expressionless, staring at the drunken, dazed Hashirama, a flicker of impatience flashing in his eyes.

After a moment of silence, he spoke coldly: "Hashirama, I told you not to try persuading me to change my ideal."

"Everyone has their own life; the world won't always go your way. Forcing your will on others' choices only backfires."

"Madara..." Hashirama's face showed pain, "but I cannot stand by, watching you walk into the abyss without acting."

"The abyss?" Madara Uchiha's gaze flickered as he looked up at the full moon, retorting, "Before the plan succeeds, how can you know it's an abyss?"

He turned his head toward his close friend, madness flashing in his eyes.

"Do you know, Hashirama? This Ninja World has already rotted; only I can bring true peace to the Ninja World!"

Perhaps the alcohol's aid made Madara lose his usual composure.

"A peaceful world will no longer see war, nor tragedies like Quan Nai's!"

"You claim the Genjutsu World is bad, yet the real world holds only greed, slaughter, and suffering, especially for the civilians who live daily in fire and water."

Over the years, Madara and Hashirama roamed the Ninja World, witnessing countless small nations' civilians' sorrows.

The anguished faces of those displaced by war, who lost parents, children, relatives, remain vivid in their memory.

"Hashirama, your founding of the Village only grants the Ninja Village's civilians a good life, yet you never consider the lives of other civilians in the Ninja World."

"Your so‑called peace is narrow and selfish, whereas my peace would let the entire Ninja World achieve peace, each person living happily in the Genjutsu World for a lifetime!"

Hashirama's heart jolted at the words, disbelief flashing on his face, and he instinctively stepped back half a pace.

"Madara, your thinking is wrong..."

He wanted to retort, but for a moment could find no reason.

Madara Uchiha was completely drunk; under normal circumstances he would never explain so much to Hashirama.

"Hashirama, you must understand: only I can achieve true peace!"

"And you are merely a failed founder of the Ninja Village system, with no reason at all to stop me!"

Madara extended both hands to press Hashirama's shoulders, saying slowly, "I don't demand you join my plan, but I hope you won't hinder my ideal."

"Otherwise..." his voice suddenly turned cold, the murderous intent on his body unmasked, "I will kill you with my own hands!"

Out of the former friendship, he allowed Hashirama to stay by his side.

Not only did Hashirama refuse to help him realize the 'Moon's Eye' plan, he kept urging him to abandon the peace‑making scheme.

If it were anyone else, he would have been killed the first time they tried to persuade him.

But that doesn't mean he can tolerate Hashirama's constant ear‑talk forever; a person's patience has limits.

If Hashirama never heeds, then he can only let Hashirama die.

Their deep friendship had long vanished in the battle at Shuukyoku no Tani.

Since Hashirama was willing to kill his close friend for the Village, he could likewise kill Hashirama to achieve his ideal!

Friendship is meaningless before an ideal!

Out of the former bond, Madara did not strike Hashirama down; instead he sought ways to ease his condition, merely so Hashirama could live to see the day Ninja World peace is achieved.

But if Hashirama again blocks him from abandoning the 'Moon's Eye' plan, don't blame him for forgetting old ties.

Staring at Madara's crimson Sharingan, Senju Hashirama knew his close friend was no longer joking.

If he blocks Madara again, Madara would truly kill him...

"I understand, Madara," Hashirama forced a smile, "I'll stay by your side until the day you achieve Ninja World peace!"

Given his current condition, merely surviving is good enough; he cannot use absolute strength to stop Madara's plan.

But Hashirama does not wish to leave Madara that way; he can only stay beside him and watch how he achieves Ninja World peace.

"You'd better do so," Madara Uchiha's crimson eyes faded, and after using chakra to sober up, his face returned to its usual calm.

"Don't worry, Madara!" Senju Hashirama said seriously, "Though I don't endorse your plan, I will stay by your side until the day it succeeds."

Madara Uchiha heard this, and a barely perceptible smile curled at his mouth.

"Since that's the case, I'll let you continue staying by my side."

"Hahaha, let's go back and rest!"

The two walked side by side toward their hidden cave, chatting about old anecdotes along the way.

In the shadows, Heijue, who had witnessed everything, revealed a triumphant grin, "Hehehe, my scheme is indeed flawless!"

It had secretly altered the Uchiha Clan's Stone Tablet, intending to push Madara Uchiha to carry out the 'Moon's Eye' plan.

Originally it worried that Senju Hashirama's existence might affect the plan, but after hearing Madara's words earlier, it knew the matter was secure!

Madara Uchiha now fully believes in 'Infinite Moon Reading', moving one step closer to breaking his mother's seal.

I believe that soon mother will be freed, and then will return to the Ninja World again.

"Mother, please wait a moment; I will be able to rescue you soon!"

Heijue gazed at the round moon in the night sky, and a glimmer of tears welled up at the corner of his eye.

Having plotted for a millennium, this is the most likely chance to save mother.

On the other side, Madara Uchiha and Senju Hashirama arrived near the cave.

"Wait, there's someone inside!" Madara Uchiha noticed the firelight leaking from the cave, his face taking on a sour expression.

Who could have imagined that simply stepping out for a meal would result in the house being robbed.

"Ban, let's go in and take a look!" Senju Hashirama lowered his voice to avoid startling anyone.

I hadn't expected anyone to come to such a barren mountain ridge; it seems we'll need to find a new hideout again in a couple of days.