After all, no matter how one looked at it, this "Tomato-and-Egg" duo would one day become the parents of the world's savior. The primary reason Konoha survived the Third Ninja World War was Namikaze Minato's last-second heroics.
Before Naruto was born, Namikaze Minato was the one fate had crowned as the protagonist; even Jiraiya believed he was the Prophesied Child who would save the world.
At the very least, Uchiha Gen didn't want the plot to spiral out of control due to butterfly effects before he had gained enough power to protect himself.
The group agreed to meet at the barbecue restaurant later that evening, then went their separate ways.
Unable to wait any longer, Gen—desperate to draw a card—sprinted straight for the Uchiha compound and rushed home.
Face-washing, tooth-brushing, bathing, incense-lighting: once the full ritual was done, he sat cross-legged on the bed.
First, he bowed to the Three Pure Ones and the Four Imperial Ones, then to Tathāgata and Guanyin, and finally to the Sage of Six Paths.
System: draw!
[System drawing…]
[Pity rate triggered.]
[Recruit successful: Character Card—Young Madara (Green)]
[Green Character Card note: While equipped, you gain the character's full abilities.]
Uchiha Gen opened his eyes, a flash of delight within them.
Among all green-tier cards, this might not be the absolute strongest, but it was the one he knew best—and the one he felt suited him most.
Because this was the very card he himself had designed before crossing over. From his backstory to his abilities, he knew every detail. Most crucially, this version of Young Madara had already awakened the Sharingan.
In his inventory, a card edged in green light lay quietly. On its face, a spiky-haired boy in black hefted a pebble while standing on a riverbank.
A cutscene began: the boy flicked the stone, sending it skimming across the water; before reaching the far bank it sank, creating ripples across the surface.
"Told you, Hashirama! I'm sensitive—if someone's behind me I can't even pee, let alone put any force into my throw."
Young Madara spun around, annoyed, shouting at the grinning mushroom-head behind him.
"Heh-heh."
Young Hashirama said nothing, just picked up a rock and threw it. Though his technique was rougher, sheer strength carried the skip all the way to the opposite bank.
The two boys were soon scuffling while scenes flashed past. From skipping stones to seeing who could pee the farthest, then sparring with Ninjutsu, and finally sitting together on the cliff that would become the Hokage Monument, sharing their dreams.
In the background, leaves turned from green to yellow, were buried by winter snow, and then turned green again with spring. Time was passing.
The scene shifted: corpses of Senju and Uchiha littered a battlefield. Inside a tent, Madara faced his father's questioning, his face full of defiance.
Back at the riverbank, there now stood not only Madara and Hashirama but also Uchiha Tajima, Uchiha Izuna, Senju Butsuma, and Senju Tobirama. The two friends were forced to turn against each other.
"Hashirama, those foolish futures we spoke of… they may never come. From today, on the battlefield there will be no more 'Madara and Hashirama,' only Uchiha Madara versus Senju Hashirama."
A crimson gleam flared in the boy's eyes.
The animation ended, showing the exact moment this Madara card's Sharingan first opened. Though it was still only a Single-Tomoe Sharingan, years of war had already honed him far beyond an ordinary Genin.
Gen glanced at his card slot. At his current level, he had only one slot; the second would unlock at level twenty when higher-tier cards arrived.
So, between Young Madara and Academy Sakura, he could only equip one.
Was there even a choice?
[Sakura Haruno (Academy Student) unequipped.]
[Young Madara equipped!]
The instant the card slotted in, Gen felt his physique and chakra quality—and quantity—jump noticeably.
The version of Madara on the card was slightly older than him. While his base stats couldn't match those of the monster Senju or Uzumaki, they were already impressive.
Most importantly… Gen stepped to a mirror and channeled chakra to his eyes.
As if by instinct, his irises blazed red; a single tomoe spun beside each pupil.
This feeling…
The world seemed suddenly crystal-clear. The steam curling above freshly boiled water, a tiny bug on a distant leaf—every detail leapt into view.
A Single-Tomoe Sharingan offers only minor boosts for copying jutsu or casting genjutsu; its true hallmark is perception. Within his field of vision, every motion and minute detail stood out.
And more… Gen lowered his gaze to his hands, channeling chakra. Red and green—the hues of Fire and Wind chakra—flowed along his arm's meridians.
Fire and Wind: those were his own elemental natures. Apparently, Young Madara also favored Wind and Fire before acquiring Hashirama's cells.
From this moment, he could actually see chakra. With a Single-Tomoe Sharingan, the view was hazy, nowhere near sharp enough to copy jutsu like a two-tomoe could, but he could still gauge an opponent's chakra flow and condition.
Activating the Sharingan meant an Uchiha of equal rank started a step ahead. The most common counter-strategies in the ninja world were either overwhelming force or ganging up.
For a gang-up, you needed at least two: one to draw the eye, one to strike. As for overwhelming force… the Uchiha consistently fielded the most Jonin in the world, the very foundation of their reputation as the strongest clan.