Compromise and Anger
Madara gripped Aoi's cold, trembling hand tightly, leading her as they stepped out of the stifling meeting room. His palm burned like a volcano about to erupt, yet his strength was perfectly controlled, providing support without causing any pain. Unlike the raging, destructive aura he'd displayed when he arrived, the terrifying murderous aura surrounding him now emanated like a demonic sword forcibly sheathed. Though restrained, it emanated a deeper, more oppressive, terrifying aura that practically froze the air around them. It was the deathly stillness before a storm subsides, a chilling calm that contained an endless desire for destruction.
The elders waiting outside the hall immediately gathered around, their gazes fixed on the siblings with complexities, particularly Madara's face, which looked gloomy enough to drip with water. Uchiha Kagome stood at the front. Though he tried to maintain composure, his slightly tense jawline betrayed his inner tension. He cautiously refrained from speaking immediately, merely questioning silently with a probing gaze.
Madara's icy gaze, like a tangible blade, slowly swept across every face of the elders, led by Uchiha Hikari, taking in their expressions of anticipation, anxiety, and calculation. His voice was devoid of any emotion, as flat as an announcement about something unrelated to him, yet it carried an undeniable final verdict:
"The marriage will proceed according to your plan."
This short sentence seemed to have drained away all his immense strength, and seemed to contain endless humiliation and anger, which were simply forcibly suppressed.
Upon hearing this, the elders' faces instantly lit up with relief, but within that relief was a complex mix of emotions that were difficult to conceal—satisfaction at their plan's success, surprise at Madara's compromise, perhaps even a faint hint of regret for Aoi's fate, but mostly hope that the family crisis might be alleviated. A variety of thoughts flashed through their eyes.
Uchiha Fire Core nodded slightly, trying to force a look of relief that suited the occasion and represented the unity of the family. His tone also slowed down considerably: "The Uchiha clan is fortunate to have the clan leader who understands the greater good and the difficulties faced by the clan. Miss Aoi's sacrifice will surely be..."
"Lucky?" Madara sneered, interrupting his high-sounding words. The laughter was cold and bitter, full of undisguised sarcasm and a biting chill, as if he had heard the most ridiculous joke in the world. "No need to say these disgusting formalities. I only have one request -"
His gaze once again became as sharp as a knife, staring intently at Uchiha Fire Core and the elder in charge of material management behind him: "Before the wedding officially takes place, Aoi must not be neglected in any form! All her reasonable requests must be met unconditionally and immediately! Especially those materials she requested-"
Madara's voice was deliberately emphasized, each word clearly striking everyone's heart. "Count, pack, and give as dowry, and don't give less! You can only give more, not less! If I find out that anyone is deducting, delaying, or having any inappropriate thoughts..."
He didn't finish his words, but the blood-red glow that suddenly appeared in his Sharingan, the magatama within it slowly twisting, spoke for itself. Though fleeting, the icy murderous intent was enough to send chills down the spines of all the elders, leaving them in no doubt of the truth of his words.
Uchiha Huohe's face froze slightly, but he quickly recovered and agreed: "Of course. Clan leader, please rest assured. Miss Aoi is a hero of the Uchiha clan. How could we neglect her? As for the supplies, we have arranged for Elder Qingmu to be personally responsible for the inventory and verification. He will definitely..."
Madara was too lazy to listen any further. He no longer glanced at the elders, as if even one more glance would taint his eyes. He lowered his head and looked at Aoi, who stood beside him, pale and with empty eyes. His cold gaze instantly melted, replaced by a deeply suppressed tenderness and pain. His voice also slowed down, becoming unusually gentle, a stark contrast to the cold threat from earlier: "Aoi, are you tired? I'll take you back to rest first."
He didn't give the elders any chance to speak, and took Kui by the hand, walking straight through the crowd, heading towards Kui's residence. Wherever he passed, the elders and guards subconsciously made way, no one dared to stop him, and no one even dared to breathe loudly.
After returning Aoi to the still somewhat deserted residence where she was temporarily housed, Madara carefully and repeatedly instructed the trembling maids waiting nearby to serve her with care, meet her every need, and report anything to him immediately. His tone could even be considered gentle, but the lingering red in his eyes and the icy aura that lingered about him frightened the maids into nodding their heads repeatedly, not daring to breathe.
It was not until he saw Aoi sit down obediently and take the hot tea handed to her by the maid, who, although still not angry, was at least temporarily calm, that Madara looked at her deeply, as if he wanted to carve her appearance into his heart, and then resolutely turned and left.
When he returned to his room, the heavy door clicked shut behind him, completely isolating him from all sight and sound from the outside world.
"boom!!!"
A dull bang like thunder suddenly exploded!
All the strength in Madara's body, the raging anger, humiliation, guilt and despair that had nowhere to vent, were concentrated in his right fist, and he smashed it hard and unreservedly on the hard bluestone wall next to him!
With his fist as the center, the solid wall instantly caved in like a fragile eggshell, and dense spider-web-like cracks spread wildly in all directions and exploded! Debris and dust fell, and the entire room seemed to shake! There was even a faint drop of blood oozing from the place where his fist collided with the wall, but he seemed unaware of it.
Feeling of powerlessness!
A feeling of powerlessness that penetrated deep into his bones and almost crushed his soul, like the coldest venom, instantly flowed through his limbs and bones!
He hated it! He hated the feeling of being forced by circumstances, of being held hostage by the so-called "big picture," of having to accept the truth he couldn't accept! He hated those incompetent elders who only knew how to hide behind safety, talking about family justice and the continuation of glory, but paving the way with the sacrifices of others! He hated it even more! He hated himself for possessing enough power to make the entire ninja world tremble, but unable to break through this suffocating predicament, and instead forcing the little sister he wanted to protect the most to sacrifice her life's happiness for his own. He was incompetent!
“Ah ...!!!”
An uncontrollable, trapped beast-like roar finally ripped from the depths of his throat, filled with violence, pain, and a madness that threatened to destroy everything! His scarlet Sharingan spun wildly, the magatama within them moving at a rapid speed, even appearing to blur, attempting to connect and change! A vast, cold chakra overflowed from his body like a flood, surging wildly throughout the room! Files and papers on the table were blown all over the air, furniture and utensils trembled violently, making rattling sounds, and the temperature in the air seemed to drop suddenly!
He once dreamed of using these eyes and this strength to change this ugly and distorted world, to create a dream country, a peaceful pure land where his younger brother, sister, and all the people he cared about and cherished could live in peace and no longer suffer from the pain of war!
But what about reality? !
Cruel reality dealt him the loudest, most vicious slap in the face! He couldn't even protect his only remaining sister! He could only watch helplessly as she, for him and for this corrupt family, voluntarily jumped into the endless pit of fire! His so-called strength seemed so ridiculous and pale in the face of the cold reality and his sister's gentle "voluntary" willingness!
Deep hatred for the Senju clan! Absolute disgust for the corrupt elders within the clan, who only knew how to fight among themselves and oppress their own people! Fury at his own inability to break free! And utter disappointment and disgust at the world's law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak and sacrifice the weak! ... All these extreme negative emotions, like the most potent poison, madly intertwined, grew, and burned within him, nearly completely devouring his sanity and pushing him to the brink of irreversible destruction!
An unknown amount of time passed before the uncontrolled chakra slowly receded like a tide, gradually subsiding. The room was a mess. Madara was panting heavily, his forehead covered in sweat. He leaned against the cold, cracked wall, his eyes terrifyingly deep, filled with an unresolved storm and a near-empty darkness.
He compromised, but that didn't mean he accepted it.
The marriage will continue because it is Aoi's "voluntary" choice, the most beneficial to the family and the only option that can temporarily stabilize the situation. However, he will never give up and will never completely entrust his sister's fate to others!
He would spring into action. He would do everything in his power to ensure that Aoi's final days within the Uchiha clan were as smooth as possible, free from any interruptions or grievances. He would personally oversee the sorting and packing of the weapons and medicines that would be her dowry, ensuring that they were of the highest quality and sufficient quantity. This would be Aoi's most crucial asset and guarantee for her future survival in this unfamiliar environment. He would mobilize all available connections and resources, and at all costs, thoroughly investigate every detail within the Yeyue clan, especially the character, conduct, strength, and status of Aoi's soon-to-be husband, Yeyue Ai. He would also personally review and even revise the marriage agreement with the Yeyue clan, striving to secure as much autonomy, safeguards, and rights for Aoi as possible, down to the smallest detail.
At the same time, he would train himself even more frantically, squeezing out every ounce of potential, seeking any method or power that might break the current impasse. Marriage was merely a temporary solution, a stalling tactic, not a long-term solution! The true path forward lay in absolute power! Power enough to crush the Thousand Hands, power enough to intimidate all those who threatened him, power that would allow him to act completely according to his will and protect all he wished to protect, absolute power above all else!
And those elders who had pressured Aoi and secretly pushed this matter... A glint of icy coldness, filled with endless murderous intent, flashed across Madara's eyes. He had memorized this incident. Every person involved, their faces, their names, were etched in his mind. Not touching them now didn't mean he would not touch them later. One day...
The guilt and anger in his heart, like the hot magma surging underground, looking for an outlet, surged wildly beneath his seemingly calm and compromising appearance, waiting for a certain explosion point, or... transforming into some more extreme, more terrifying power and determination that could subvert everything.
His trust in this hypocritical, cruel world that relied on sacrificing loved ones to maintain it was already dwindling, and now, a huge piece of it completely collapsed, revealing the bottomless, cold, dark abyss beneath.
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