Hokage: Ryo’s Path

“Wait…. You’re really Uchiha Madara?” No one could tell how many times Obito had said those words already.

The old man on the stone chair didn’t pay attention to his question, as if he could not hear his voice.

Obito was the playful fun loving type. In the Manga, when he impersonated Madara, he was very serious. But whenever he acted like Tobi, he let some glimpses of that nature of his be exposed.

Obito at this point in time did not go yet through all of the experiences that the old him had in the Manga; he wasn’t mature enough. Ever since he woke up, he never even stopped speaking.

“Obito, I said you shouldn’t disturb Madara sama!” White Zetsu popped out of the ground.

“But I really want to know if he’s Uchiha Madara!”

“Of course he’s Madara sama!” Zetsu was getting a bit helpless.

“But didn’t Uchiha Madara lose to the 1st Hokage in the battle of the Valley of the End, and then die?”

“That’s just what the world had seen!” On the stone Chair, Madara, whose eyes were closed for a long time, finally answered Obito’s question.

“Madara sama!”

“It doesn’t matter. He wants to know; I will tell him what happened.” Madara said faintly. His tone was very dull, and there was no emotion in his voice, as if he was telling the story of someone else.

Much of the Uchiha’s history in Konoha was hidden by the clan’s elders from their younger generations. Obito was hearing about the Warring States Period for the 1st time.

As Obito was listening to Madara’s emotionless storytelling, an image of that period appeared before his eyes.

In the center of that image were two teenagers, who had great friendship while growing up, and dreamt together of founding a great village where every child could live long and have a prosperous life. Their dream seemed to be out of reach, yet so vivid.

But fate made them stand on opposite sides, because of their clans.

The two rose in the war, crushing their peers and surpassing the older generation.

After the deaths of Tajima, Madara’s father, and Butsuma, Hashirama’s father, the two teenagers and their younger brothers became the leaders of their clans.

At the same time, both acquired new powers, being the Mangekyo Sharingan and Wood Release, respectively.

This was the 1st time Obito had ever heard of the Mangekyo. He had always thought that the peak of a Sharingan’s evolution is becoming a three tomoe Sharingan.

The battle between the two continues for long years, and the Uchiha were getting gradually overwhelmed. Even Madara’s younger brother, Izuna, died at the hands of Tobirama Senju.

Madara skipped the matter of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan directly to mentioning the last battle before Konoha’s establishment.

Obito’s eyes shined as he was listening to Madara. He could not imagine people so powerful. The scenes described by Madara made his blood boil of excitement.

In the end, the Uchiha clan still got defeated. But it was Hashirama’s willingness to exchange his life for peace that finally convinced Madara.

In this way, the Uchiha and the Senju formed an alliance, and the strongest families in the world united to form a village.

This force was enough to sweep away all obstacles standing in the way of peace. In particular, Hashirama and Madara’s power exceeded everyone’s imagination. Other than each other, the two could have no rivals, and soon, their names echoed all over the world:

God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju!

Ghost of the Uchiha, Uchiha Madara!

With the power of these two, Konoha was founded in the most prosperous land, the Fire Country.

Everything went beautifully, and the village kept on thriving. For the sake of peace, Hashirama captured the Biju and intended on distributing them to the villages.

At that time, Madara was finding out the shortcomings of his childhood dreams, and he read the Stone Tablet left by the Rikudo Sennin. Considering what he read to be the real path to peace, he decided to leave Konoha.

“The real path to peace? What is that?” Obito asked with curiosity.

“When you acquire the Mangekyo Sharingan, go to the underground bunker of the Naka Shrine to find out the answer.”

“I can get the Mangekyo Sharingan?!” Obito asked with some excitement.

“Obito, you’ve directly opened the 2 tomoe Sharingan! You are a genius! You must be able to get the Mangekyo!” Zetsu on the side gave Obito the thumbs up!

For the 1st time, Obito was described by the term “genius”, and that made feel quite awkward.

Madara did not care about Obito’s last question, and continued talking about the Battle of the valley of the End.

It went exactly like what was already known to the rest of the village. However, its outcome was different.

What everyone in the village believed was that Madara lost to Hashirama, eventually dying at his hands. But in fact, Madara survived, after successfully obtaining Hashirama’s flesh.

“How could you manage to deceive the 1st Hokage sama? And what did you want with his cells?”

“The Uchiha’s Sharingan has two forbidden Jutsus. One is Izanagi, and the other is Izanami. I programmed my Izanagi to activate in my right eye.”

“Izanagi? What’s that?” Obito sounded doubtful; he never heard of this Jutsu.

“Izanagi can convert all unfavorable factors, including death, into a dream. However, once used, it makes its user lose sight in the eye he used.” Zetsu whispered and explained.

“And why did you want the 1st Hokage sama’s cells?”

“To achieve true peace!” After finishing those words, Madara closed his eyes and ignored Obito again.

After listening to Madara’s story, Obito went into a rare silence. What he heard today took him by surprise.

He kept thinking about what Madara mentioned; what is true peace?

In the Earth Country not too far away from him, Onoki and the Earth Country’s Daimyo were having a discussion.

The relationship between the Earth Country and its hidden village is usually very good. The Daimyo had been unconditionally supporting the Rock’s development and never interfered with the village’s actions. Today, he uncharacteristically came to talk to Onoki.

The village had been having several defeats in succession, and suffering heavy losses. They even lost the Yonbi Jinchuriki, twice!

In order to support the village’s war, the Earth Country had also spent huge sums of money, which led the country into an economic crisis.

Anyway the Daimyo looked at the matter, he felt that this war could not go on.

Onoki is a very stubborn person, who’s never willing to admit defeat. He wasn’t accepting that this would end with defeat to Konoha.

For this reason, the Daimyo himself came to put pressure upon him, and make him recognize his situation.

“Alright! I understand Daimyo sama. I will send people to Konoha for negotiations. This time, we have lost indeed.” Onoki sighed helplessly admitting the fact of defeat.

The Daimyo comforted Onoki, and then left.

Onoki then called Kitsuchi, and explained everything to him.