Kenji reached the outskirts of the village just as the confrontation began to escalate. His enhanced sensory perception had guided him to this location with perfect precision, allowing him to position himself among the dense foliage that bordered the expansive clearing. The chakra barrier technique continued to drain his reserves steadily, but the opportunity before him was worth every ounce of energy expended.
From his concealed vantage point, he could observe the legendary scene unfolding without obstruction. Three figures stood in the center of the ground—Mu and Onoki from Iwagakure facing off against the most infamous Uchiha in history.
Madara Uchiha's presence commanded a respect that seemed to warp reality around him. Even from a distance, his chakra signature radiated an aura of absolute arrogance and unshakeable confidence. He stood with casual elegance, hands clasped behind his back, as if the two powerful shinobi before him were mere children playing at being warriors.
Across from him, Ōnoki appeared almost diminutive despite his considerable reputation. The future Tsuchikage's chakra burned with determination, but there was an underlying tension that spoke of someone beginning to grasp the magnitude of power they faced. Beside him, Mū maintained the composed bearing of a seasoned shinobi, though even his techniques seemed inadequate against the overwhelming presence of his opponent.
"Despite your alliance with Konohagakure," Madara's voice carried clearly across the training ground, each word dripping with condescension, "understand this fundamental truth—Iwagakure will remain subordinate to our village in all matters."
The declaration struck Kenji as breathtakingly bold, even by Madara's standards. This wasn't mere negotiation tactics or diplomatic posturing. The Uchiha patriarch was asserting absolute dominance over an entire hidden village, demanding submission from equals who had come seeking alliance.
"Any orders issued by Konoha," Madara continued, his Sharingan spinning lazily as crimson light reflected off his armor, "will be obeyed without question or delay. This is not a request for consideration—it is a statement of reality."
Mū's chakra flared with barely contained anger. "Madara Uchiha, your arrogance exceeds even the legends. Iwagakure has never bowed to threats, and we will not begin today."
The response seemed to amuse Madara rather than anger him. A slight smile curved his lips as he finally moved, stepping forward with predatory grace. "Threats? No, this is merely... education."
What followed was less a battle than a systematic demonstration of overwhelming superiority.
Mu began decisively, stomping the ground as he summoned his formidable Earth Release technique. "Earth Release: Mud Slide!" he shouted, sending a powerful wave of shifting earth and mud barreling toward Madara. The ground shook, boulders and debris propelled forward with the relentlessness of a landslide.
Madara's crimson Sharingan eyes locked onto the assault with cold precision. With fluid grace, he leapt aside, avoiding the attack effortlessly. His mouth curled into a cruel smirk. He responded with overwhelming offense: "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" The air thickened as a massive orb of searing flames burst forth from Madara's mouth, roaring with destructive energy. The inferno rapidly expanded, consuming all in its path and turning the sky red with blazing heat.
Mu's eyes narrowed as he reacted with practiced speed, planting his feet firmly. Chanting, "Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!" he formed towering stone barriers to shield himself and Onoki from the fiery onslaught. Massive walls of rock rose, absorbing the initial impact and buying precious moments.
Yet Madara's flames surpassed mere size—they burned with supernatural intensity, overwhelming Mu's Earth Wall. The heat cracked stones and sent smoke billowing into the air. Onoki, his expression grim, struggled to mentally match the sheer pace and ferocity radiating from the Uchiha.
Recognizing the peril, Mu seized Onoki's arm and retreated behind an earthen shield. "This shield won't hold much longer," Mu murmured to himself. In the heat of battle, Mu employed his secret and rare form of deception—"Invisible Clone Technique!" Two indistinguishable copies of himself appeared silently behind Madara, aiming to flank the legendary shinobi.
Madara's Sharingan flared wide, his senses sharpened to a supernatural edge. Without hesitation, he unleashed "Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" — streams of fiery embers exploded from his palm, incinerating the invisible clones in bursts of flame before they could strike.
The real Mu lunged forward. The battlefield vibrated with the clash of their bodies as they engaged in an intense taijutsu duel. Their movements were lightning-fast, fists and feet clashing in a deadly rhythm. Mu's strikes carried the weight and solidity of boulders, powered by his mastery of Earth Release chakra. His elbow smashed toward Madara's ribs with the force capable of cracking stone.
Madara twisted away fluidly, blocking and countering with spinning back kicks that smashed into the cracked earth beneath Mu's feet. "Too slow, Mu," Madara taunted, sweeping low with a leg to trip him. Mu barely dodged, springing back with enhanced agility fueled by his chakra.
Undeterred, Mu countered with a fierce series of punches and kicks, each movement precise and punishing. "Earth Release: Mud Slide Barrier!" he shouted mid-assault, sending a wave of mud surging forward to disrupt Madara's balance.
Madara leapt nimbly over the mud, eyes gleaming. He closed the distance, launching an unrelenting barrage of punches and palm strikes with blinding speed. Each blow was a tempest strike, pushing Mu back with their relentless force. Despite his earth-hardened resilience, Mu gasped as the impact wore on him.
Invisible clones flickered in and out around them, creating momentary diversions, but Madara shattered each with sudden bursts of flame: "Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
From behind their barricades, Onoki watched, unsure whether to feel hope or dread. Though he witnessed his teacher's valiant defense, he was unaware of just how dire Mu's situation truly was.
Mentally, Mu urgently hoped for Hashirama's arrival. He knew that if Madara intensified his assault, the Tsuchikage would be overwhelmed.
Sensing Mu's hesitation, Madara's cruel smile widened. "This fight has been too easy," he declared. In a blur, he vanished, then reappeared behind the weary Mu. His leg shot out like a battering ram, a kick infused with lethal speed and power.
Mu barely had time to raise his arm. The force crashed into his chest with shattering impact—the sound of breaking ribs echoed through the hollow battlefield. Pain radiated through Mu's body, but he remained upright, a testament to his iron will.
Outraged, Onoki charged forward screaming, "Sensei!" but Madara brushed him aside with effortless brutality, sending the young shinobi sprawling.
Madara's eyes gleamed as he began to prepare his ultimate display. With a deep inhale, his body was engulfed by a spectral aura as the legendary Susano'o manifested.
The armored behemoth rose like a towering colossus, perfect in form and wrathful in presence. Its glittering indigo armor crackled with fearsome energy, its massive sword gleaming with deadly intent. The battlefield shook under its presence.
Onoki gazed upward, awe quickly curdling into despair. The perfect Susano'o was a testament not only to Madara's overwhelming power but to the impossibility of challenging such a force head-on.
The vibrant spectral warrior raised its massive hand, and the air rippled with unyielding strength. The oppressive aura of Madara's Susano'o pressed down on Onoki's spirit like an immovable mountain.
They say some defeats are not merely physical but shatter the very resolve within. As Madara's towering Susano'o loomed over, Onoki's breath caught, his knees weakened, and the weight of futility settled deep in his heart.
The battle had ended. Madara Uchiha, undefeated and imposing, stood master of the battlefield, his perfect Susano'o blazing with unchallengeable supremacy.
The echoes of battle faded into silence, the flames licking away hope—for now.
"Is this all Iwagakure's got?" Madara asked casually, summoning his Susanoo. With a flick of his hand, he sneered, "How utterly disappointing."
From his hidden position, Kenji found himself in awe while analyzing the susano with growing fascination.
One aspect of this historical scene had never made sense during his previous life—why had no one from Konoha intervened? Both Hashirama and Tobirama were present in the village, and a battle of this magnitude should have drawn their immediate attention.
The answer, he suspected, lay in the complex political calculations that defined the early years of the hidden village system. This wasn't simply Madara's arrogance running unchecked—it was a carefully orchestrated display of power designed to send a message to the entire shinobi world.
His theory proved correct when raised voices reached his enhanced hearing from the direction of the Hokage Tower.
---
In the Hokage's office, tension crackled between the two founders of Konoha's leadership.
"Brother, you cannot interrupt this confrontation," Tobirama stated firmly, his chakra signature burning with controlled intensity. "Step aside."
Hashirama's normally gentle demeanor had transformed into barely contained fury. "Move, Tobirama. I will not allow this to continue."
But the Tobirama held his ground, his tactical mind overriding emotional reactions. "This is a necessary evil, Hashirama. Madara's actions serve a purpose greater than your immediate comfort."
"A necessary evil?" Hashirama's voice rose dangerously. "Those men came here in good faith, believing in the alliance we offered. And you would have me stand by while—"
"While we demonstrate the futility of challenging Konoha," Tobirama interrupted. "Think beyond the immediate moment, brother. Every major village is watching this encounter. They're measuring our strength, calculating whether they can exploit perceived weaknesses."
The strategic implications hung between them like a blade. Tobirama's cold pragmatism warred against Hashirama's idealistic nature, each representing a different vision of how their village should interact with the world.
"If they witness Madara's overwhelming power," Tobirama continued relentlessly, "they will understand by extension what you are capable of—you who are acknowledged as even stronger. This demonstration will serve as deterrence against those with ulterior motives for decades to come."
Hashirama listened to the entire argument in silence, his chakra signature fluctuating between rage and reluctant understanding. When he finally spoke, his voice carried the weight of absolute conviction.
"Iwagakure envoys came here believing in my word, Tobirama. I cannot—I will not—betray that trust for the sake of political theater."
With those words, the First Hokage vanished from his office.
---
Back at the training ground, the confrontation was reaching its inevitable conclusion. Mū lay unconscious against a shattered boulder, his impressive techniques having proved insufficient against Madara's casual superiority. Ōnoki remained standing, but barely—his clothing torn, his breathing labored, his chakra reserves nearly exhausted.
"Do you understand now?" Madara asked, his tone almost gentle as he observed the young future Tsuchikage. "This is the reality of power. Your village's strength, impressive by ordinary standards, is meaningless before true superiority."
Ōnoki's response came through gritted teeth, his pride refusing to yield even in defeat. "We... will not... submit..."
"Admirable," Madara acknowledged with something that might have been respect. "But ultimately irrelevant."
It was at that moment that Hashirama arrived, his chakra signature blazing like a second sun as he materialized between the combatants. The First Hokage's presence immediately shifted the entire dynamic of the encounter, his overwhelming power dwarfing even Madara's impressive display.
But as Hashirama scanned the battlefield, his attention was caught by an unexpected sight. In the treeline, partially concealed but clearly visible to his enhanced senses, stood a familiar figure wrapped in heavy traveling clothes.
Kenji felt the moment of recognition like a physical impact. The First Hokage's gaze met his own across the clearing, both men equally surprised by the encounter. The situation was precarious—his presence here required explanation, and any weakness in his story would invite dangerous scrutiny.
Moments later, Tobirama appeared as well, his Flying Thunder God technique allowing him to match his brother's travel speed. The Second Hokage's analytical mind immediately processed the scene, noting not only the aftermath of battle but also the unexpected observer in the forest.
"Lord Hokage, Lord Tobirama," Kenji called out, stepping partially into the open while maintaining the safety of tree cover. He offered a respectful bow, his mind racing to construct a plausible explanation.
Hashirama returned the greeting with characteristic warmth, though confusion colored his expression. "Lord Kibutsuji, what brings you to this location?"
"I have been recovering well from my illness recently," Kenji replied, sticking as close to truth as possible. "The doctors recommended gradually increasing my exposure to sunlight and fresh air. While taking a walk around the village perimeter, I heard sounds of battle."
He gestured toward the devastated training ground with apparent curiosity. "Confrontations of this magnitude are rare, my lords. I confess I was drawn to observe, though I maintained a respectful distance."
Tobirama's red eyes studied him with uncomfortable intensity. The explanation was plausible but convenient—too convenient for the Second Hokage's suspicious nature. "You chose to observe rather than report the situation to proper authorities?"
"The battle appeared to be a formal demonstration rather than an unauthorized conflict," Kenji responded carefully. "And given the presence of Lord Madara, I assumed this was an arranged display for our diplomatic guests."
The logic was sound, even if incomplete. Both brothers recognized that civilian interference in such matters would have been not only useless but potentially dangerous. Still, something about the encounter felt off to Tobirama's analytical mind.
Before either Hokage could pursue the matter further, Madara's voice cut through their conversation.
"How touching," the Uchiha patriarch observed with obvious amusement. "The great Hashirama, arriving to rescue those too weak to protect themselves."
The confrontation between the legendary rivals was about to resume, but the immediate crisis had passed. Ōnoki and Mū had survived their encounter with overwhelming power, their defeat serving as the harsh education Madara had promised. The psychological impact would indeed shape the future Tsuchikage's worldview for decades to come.
As for Kenji, he had witnessed history in the making while successfully maintaining his cover. The chakra barrier technique had proven functional, if expensive, opening new possibilities for daytime operations. Most importantly, his enhanced sensory perception had allowed him to position himself perfectly for observation while avoiding direct involvement.