Uchiha's undercurrent and Madara's decision

The heart of the Uchiha clan, once brimming with the cries of kunai and the shouts of ninjutsu sparring, was now enveloped in a crushing silence, akin to the approaching storm. Even the crows roosting beneath the eaves of the ancient clan house seemed to sense the unusual atmosphere, shrinking their necks and pausing their clamor. Deep within the clan leader's residence, in the secret room reserved for the most consequential discussions, the air was so thick it seemed as if water could drip from it. The flickering candlelight illuminated the faces of those seated around the long table, some aged, some wiry. Every wrinkle and scar seemed etched with the pride and sorrow of the Uchiha.

Uchiha Madara sat at the head of the table, his back straight as a pine tree, his hands flat on his knees, his knuckles slightly white from the effort he'd exerted. His Mangekyō Sharingan, imbued with immense power, now resembled a bottomless pool of ice, slowly sweeping across the faces of every core elder and elite jonin present. These individuals were the backbone of the Uchiha clan, the most steadfast holders of stubbornness and hatred. When he finally spoke, with an undeniable, resolute tone, laying out the marriage-centered peace terms proposed by Hashirama Senju at the Valley of the End, the once-silent conference room erupted in icy water, as if a red-hot iron had been dropped into a boiling pot.

"I object! Absolutely!" A roar like a wounded tiger came from an elder with white hair and a ferocious scar across his face—Uchiha Tetsuka. He abruptly rose from his seat, his body trembling with extreme rage, his knuckles white as he pointed at Madara. "Marry the Senju clan?! Or marry our noble Uchiha princess, your only sister, Miss Aoi, to that... that Senju Tobirama?! Madara-sama! Wake up! Have you been bewitched by Hashirama Senju's hypocritical peace talk?!" Elder Tiehuo's voice was hoarse and full of grief, "This is a great shame! It is a complete betrayal of the blood of our Uchiha clan that has flowed for decades and the countless heroic spirits of our clan who died on the battlefield! I, Uchiha Tiehuo, will be the first to disagree! My son... my son died at the hands of that kid Tobirama Senju's tactics! Is this blood debt going to be repaid with Miss Aoi's happiness?!" The sad and angry accusation revealed the thorn in the hearts of many people present.

"Elder Tiehuo is right!" The voice that answered was a relatively young jonin, around thirty, with a hawk-like gaze. The eighth Uchiha, a representative of the clan's rising hawkish faction, spoke up. "The Senju Clan has always been cunning! This so-called marriage is nothing more than a delaying tactic! They're trying to lull us into submission with a false sense of affection, weaken our vigilance, and then wait for an opportunity to completely annex the Uchiha clan! Madara-sama, think about it, if Miss Aoi marries, alone in the enemy camp, wouldn't that be like walking a sheep into a tiger's mouth? Then, we'll be so cautious, how can we hold our heads high in the future so-called 'united village'? Where will the dignity of the Uchiha clan be?!"

"We would rather fight to the last man, shed our last drop of blood, than bow to the Thousand Hands!"

"Marriage? This is absolutely ridiculous! This isn't a marriage at all, it's surrender!"

"Master Madara, please think twice! You must not push Miss Aoi into the fire pit!"

Questions, objections, and angry rebukes tinged with blood and tears swept through the conference room like a violent storm. Many radical members lost control of their emotions, their eyes crimson, and some even unconsciously activated their Sharingan. Hatred burned in their crimson eyes, and the chakra in the conference room became chaotic and aggressive due to the violent emotional fluctuations. The name of Senju Tobirama, especially his inextricable connection to Uchiha Izuna's death, was like a sensitive fuse, completely igniting long-simmering resentment.

Madara remained seated, his expression sullen and gloomy. He didn't immediately lash out, but his eyes, always piercing, now held a weight of heavy fatigue. He understood this anger, for it had once been the bedrock of his strength, the driving force that had sustained him through countless difficult years. He had once been its ultimate embodiment. But now, as the clan leader, he must see beyond this, must rise above the all-consuming fire of vengeance.

"Quiet."

Finally, Madara spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a cold electric current, instantly piercing through the clamor and clamor. With the undeniable pressure of an absolutely powerful being, he forcibly suppressed the situation that had spiraled out of control. The conference room immediately fell silent. Everyone felt an invisible pressure envelop them. They unconsciously held their breath, their eyes fixed on Madara, awaiting his explanation, or perhaps, his final, unshakable decision.

Madara slowly stood up, his figure looming even taller in the candlelight, like an unshakable deity. His gaze, sharp as a torch, swept across the room once more, this time tinged with a complex mixture of pain and resolute determination.

"Do you think," his voice was low and raspy, as if carrying a heavy burden, "that I would marry Aoi... my only remaining, most important relative in this world, to the Senju?" The rare pain of a brother etched in his words moved some of the elders, familiar with his ruthless style. "Do you think I, Uchiha Madara, will ever forget how Izuna fell before the Senju? Do you think I will ever forget the resentment and the instructions etched in those eyes, unable to close?!"

When mentioning Izuna, Madara's voice choked for a moment, but he suppressed it. He paused for a moment, letting the deep sorrow and equally deep hatred resonate and ferment in everyone's heart.

"But!" He suddenly changed the subject, his voice rising an octave with a deafening force. "Open your eyes and take a good look! Look at how many new tombstones have appeared in our Uchiha clan's territory over the years! Look at the children who have lost their fathers, the mothers who have lost their sons! Look at our people. Do they still have to live in this precarious fear, with their families torn apart at any moment?! Endless war, besides the constant depletion and withering of our Uchiha bloodline, besides bringing more orphans and widows and unforgettable hatred, what else can it bring?! Will it bring Izuna back to life, or let the dead of our clansmen rest in peace?!"

He suddenly pointed out the window, pointing to the land shrouded in darkness and stained with so much blood. "The peace idea proposed by Hashirama Senju, to build a village that embraces all families and allows children to grow up in peace, may sound naive, like a fool's dream! But this may be our Uchiha's only chance! The only chance to escape this cycle of hatred and allow the clan to truly recuperate and grow stronger! Marriage," he emphasized, "is the bond that ensures this opportunity is not destroyed! It is the highest symbol of our Uchiha's determination and sincerity in pursuing peace, demonstrated to the Senju, and to all those forces that are still watching or even hostile to us! This is not humiliation, it is a strategy!"

"But, Madara-sama," said a relatively rational and prudent middle-aged elder, Uchiha Kagami (not the one who appeared later), worriedly, "It's not that we don't want peace, but it's simply courting disaster. The risks are too great. What if... what if there are evil intentions behind this marriage, then this will be a trap. Then, we Uchiha will be in irretrievable ruin!"

"A trap?" Madara sneered coldly. A frightening scarlet light flashed in his Mangekyō Sharingan. A faint, yet terrifying aura emanated from his body, one that made everyone's soul tremble. "I, Uchiha Madara, have roamed the ninja world until now. When have I ever been afraid of a trap? Marriage is not a simple surrender, but a game on a higher level! It is to allow the Uchiha to take the initiative in the future of Konoha Village and gain more say and initiative! Aoi, when she marries, is not a humble hostage. She is an envoy sent by the Uchiha clan, a bridge between the two clans! Her eyes will help us see the true strength of the Senju clan; her presence will be an important bargaining chip for us to influence the Senju clan's decision!"

His tone softened slightly, but the firmness remained undiminished, even carrying a hint of the unquestionable, protective air of a brother. "And, listen carefully! Aoi is my sister, Uchiha Madara! As long as I'm here, I will never let her suffer the slightest injustice in the Senju Clan! Hashirama Senju guarantees me, in the name of the Hokage and with his own life, that he will give Aoi the respect and status she deserves. Under these circumstances, for Aoi personally, this may be... the safest, most... least bleak destination I can secure for her." He practically uttered these last words through gritted teeth, the resignation and heaviness of his voice causing even some of the initially enraged elders to fall silent. They could sense the immense torment the clan leader must have endured in making this decision.

However, deep-seated hatred cannot be dispelled with a few words of reason. Elder Tiehuo and the others were momentarily speechless, but the resistance on their faces remained undimmed. Tiehuo abruptly stood up, his hair and beard standing tall: "Lord Madara! Even if you speak with all the finery, I cannot accept it! The honor of the Uchiha clan must not be tarnished! I would rather die in battle with my men than approve of this marriage!"

"Yes! We would rather die in battle!"

"I absolutely do not approve!"

Seeing the meeting about to reach another impasse, potentially leading to internal division, Madara's eyes turned completely cold, the last trace of warmth vanishing. His previously restrained chakra erupted like a volcano, and the immense pressure, like a physical mountain, weighed heavily on everyone's heart, making some less powerful jonin almost breathless. Even a formidable figure like Elder Tiehuo's expression suddenly changed.

“That’s enough!”

Madara's voice was like a chill wind from the Netherworld, instantly freezing all opposition. He slowly raised his hand, his gaze like the sharpest blade, sweeping over the most staunch opponents, including Tiehuo, one by one, finally settling on Tiehuo.

"I summoned you here, not to discuss, much less to vote!" Every word he said was like an icicle hitting the ground. "I am here to inform you of the final decision made by me, Uchiha Madara, as the clan leader! The future of the Uchiha clan will be guided by me! Anyone who stands in the way of the clan's progress, no matter who they are, will be ruthlessly eliminated!"

He leaned forward slightly, his Mangekyō Sharingan fixed firmly on Tiehuo, his undisguised murderous intent surging out like a tide: "Tiehuo, who else still refuses to accept? Stand up now! Use your strength, use your Sharingan, to prove to me that your choice is more correct than mine! Prove that your path can lead the Uchiha to a better future!"

The sheer force of force, coupled with the unquestionable authority of the clan leader, created an overwhelming force at that moment. Under Madara's all-consuming, terrifying aura, no one, despite their deep resentment and resentment, dared truly challenge his authority. Elder Tiehuo's face sank, his chest heaving violently. Finally, under Madara's icy gaze, he snorted harshly and sat back down like a trapped animal forced back into its cage, his clenched fists trembling slightly from the intense exertion. Seeing this, the other opponents also lowered their heads, expressing their (even if temporary) submission with silence.

The meeting ended in an extremely depressing atmosphere. With his immense strength and will, Madara forcibly suppressed the most intense opposition within the clan, clearing the most obvious obstacle to the marriage.

After the meeting, Madara remained alone in the empty conference room. The candlelight cast a long shadow on the wall, making him appear somewhat lonely. He rubbed his brow, and for the first time, a trace of fatigue slipped across his face. He knew that today's suppression was only temporary; the undercurrents within the clan still surged, and the seeds of hatred lay deep within his heart. But he had no way out. For the Uchiha Clan to survive and even thrive in this approaching new era, and to give his sister Aoi a relatively secure future, he had to risk everything and embark on this most difficult and least understood path. He ordered the highest standards for Aoi's dowry, ensuring a radiant Uchiha heritage. He also dispatched skilled personnel to coordinate wedding details with the Senju clan, forcefully securing every possible advantage. Within the Uchiha clan, preparations appeared to be in full swing, but undercurrents of support and opposition clashed fiercely, unseen. Madara, like a lone walker on a tightrope, shouldering the fate of his entire clan and his sister's happiness, stepped forward into the unknown.