Chapter 104: The Senju Clan is Best at Sneak Attacks

"Hoo~"

The two youths, who had been locked in close-quarters combat, exhaled at the same time. Seeing the situation reach a stalemate, they retreated by mutual understanding.

Leaping back to the front of his own camp, the youth Madara, his expression slightly cold, stared intently at the few people opposite and issued a warning.

"I will never forgive anyone who attempts to harm my younger brother!"

"Same here!"

Standing at the very front, the bowl-cut Hashirama also wore a serious expression, echoing his sentiment.

After speaking, a flash of resolve crossed the complex-looking youth Madara's eyes, and he spoke slowly to the person before him.

"Hashirama."

"What is it?"

Hearing the youth Madara's slightly icy tone, the bowl-cut Hashirama felt his heart tighten.

"Those silly, beautiful futures we talked about, in the end..."

How did that sentence sound so strange? Uchiha Gin, who was watching the show, almost wanted to pull out some melon seeds and a small stool to watch the naive love-hate drama between the youths.

"They might really be unreachable..."

After the youth Madara finished these words, he seemed to have exhausted all his strength; after lowering his head, the look in his eyes shifted from conflicted to indifferent.

"Madara, you..."

Sensing the unfamiliar coldness, the bowl-cut Hashirama looked at his former best friend with a shocked expression, but after opening his mouth, he could not continue.

The youth Madara, who had already decided in his heart to sever this bond, lifted his head with hollow eyes and said with a cold expression,

"Although the time was short, I was truly happy, Hashirama."

???

Isn't the Senju clan famous for having great stamina and endurance?

Just as the two youths were saying their emotional goodbyes, the adults on both sides had their own thoughts.

Senju Butsuma: There are four people on the other side; three against four puts us at a disadvantage.

Standing behind the group, Uchiha Tajima spoke up to inquire,

"How is it? Can you do it, Madara?"

He would come to pin down Senju Butsuma, Izuna would hold off the white-haired brat, and as long as Madara could defeat the bowl-cut Senju kid and distract Senju Butsuma, his side would surely win.

"No, Hashirama is stronger than me."

Hearing the subtext in his father's words, Uchiha Madara, who had not truly let go in his heart, spoke up,

"If we go head-to-head, we will lose!"

No, did you guys leave me out? This is three against four; the advantage is with me, right?

Uchiha Gin heard the retreat in the youth Madara's words. This kid might indeed be unable to beat the bowl-cut Hashirama, but if he added himself to the mix, it shouldn't be much of a problem.

With Uchiha Gin's current strength, crushing the four brats present without exposing Amaterasu would be a piece of cake.

"A child even more powerful than brother?"

Standing behind the youth Madara, the brother-obsessed Izuna couldn't help but ask in surprise. In his mind, his brother should be the strongest among their peers.

"Is that so? To have such strength."

Uchiha Tajima, who also sensed that his eldest son had no will to fight, said helplessly,

"Don't be like that, cousin. If the two of us go together, we might be able to keep this old guy here."

Uchiha Gin leaned over to Uchiha Tajima and whispered, trying to incite him. Having been silent for so long, he could no longer bear it and came out to aggressively demand some presence.

The result was a big eye-roll from Uchiha Tajima.

"Gin, you don't understand the strength of a clan head. Senju Butsuma and I are evenly matched; taking your life would be as easy as turning over a hand."

Uchiha Tajima was not deliberately ignoring Uchiha Gin's combat power. He knew Uchiha Gin's physical condition better than anyone; it was precisely because he understood it so well that he wouldn't let him act rashly.

"But I've awakened my eyes."

Feeling looked down upon, Uchiha Gin couldn't help but mutter under his breath.

"It's precisely because you've awakened your eyes that I won't let you go up. Your body cannot withstand it..."

Uchiha Tajima explained briefly.

What do you mean "cannot withstand it"? He was as strong as an ox right now, okay? Uchiha Gin curled his lips in frustration.

The original owner's physical fitness was indeed too trashy. If he showed off too much now, it would only invite suspicion. Forget it, lying flat is fine.

"Retreat!"

Uchiha Tajima did not know if the other side had reinforcements. Knowing that his own side had none, it was better to retreat.

"Goodbye."

The youth Madara glanced at the bowl-cut Hashirama and turned to leave.

"Madara! Actually, you haven't given up, right!"

Seeing the person he cared for about to leave him, the bowl-cut Hashirama took a step forward, emotionally trying to hold onto this bond.

"You finally had the same thoughts as me..."

"You are a Senju!"

With his back to the bowl-cut Hashirama, the youth Madara said slowly,

"If only we could, I really wish our thoughts were different... Our two clans have been enemies for generations. My relatives died at the hands of the Senju clan, and your brothers and sisters also died at the hands of the Uchiha."

"So, there is no need for you and me to be honest with each other. From now on, let's meet on the battlefield!"

"Senju Hashirama!"

The youth Madara, his tone cold, said these words word by word. The power of his language was like a sharp blade, cutting through the deep bond the two had built.

"I am... Uchiha... Madara!"

For the first time, he added his surname between them, like a bottomless chasm opening up, separating the two childhood friends forever.

After saying these words, the youth Madara felt a pain in his heart. Under the stimulation of his brain, a cold energy surged into his eyes. When he looked up again, the youth Madara's dark eyes had turned scarlet.

"Look, Father, Brother's eyes!"

Izuna, the first to notice, pointed excitedly at the youth Madara's eyes and shouted to Uchiha Tajima behind him.

"Heh heh heh, although we couldn't get information on the Senju, we got another good thing on our side."

Watching the youth Madara walking slowly toward him, Uchiha Tajima nodded with great satisfaction. Although they retreated without a fight and gained nothing, his eldest son successfully awakening his eyes was a great joy.

"Sharingan? Did he just awaken it?"

Senju Butsuma, who was still waiting for an opportunity, witnessed the youth Madara awakening his eyes, and a sense of unease rose in his heart.

Such a genius must be nipped in the bud. Senju Butsuma's gaze shifted slightly. Although they were at a disadvantage in numbers, if he struck like lightning while the other side was retreating, the chance of taking down that Uchiha brat was high.

Calmly, he exchanged a look with the white-haired brat beside him. The scheming father and son hit it off immediately and reached out to quietly touch the weapons behind them.

"Gin, let's go. This place is not a place to linger."

Uchiha Tajima, with a slight smile, patted the dazed Uchiha Gin beside him and urged him.

Something wasn't right. Why was his Heart of Steel treasure chest still in an activated combat state? Didn't they all stop fighting?

Uchiha Gin looked at the Heart of Steel treasure chest still playing BGM in his mind, and a trace of doubt rose in his heart.

"Alright."

Uchiha Gin, coming back to his senses, scratched his head and hurried to keep up with his cousin's pace.

Suddenly, a sense of crisis welled up. With his back to the Senju group, he could clearly see in his field of vision that Senju Butsuma and the white-haired brat, who had feigned a retreat, were once again drawing their weapons and charging toward the two brothers at the back of the team with extremely fast strides.

"Not good!"

Without time to think about why he could suddenly see the scene behind him, Uchiha Gin pushed off with his feet, bolstered by his superhuman strength, and the whole person shot toward his two younger cousins behind him like a cannonball.

"Duck!"

The newly awakened Uchiha Madara's body was somewhat weak, and Izuna was supporting him on the side. Following behind Uchiha Tajima and Uchiha Gin, they had not noticed the murderous intent behind them at all.

The two brothers suddenly heard their eldest cousin's serious shout and subconsciously ducked their heads.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

Several sharp kunai grazed their scalps, and the two brats broke out in a cold sweat.

(End of chapter)