Chapter 61: A Proposal of Alliance
Though a knot of worry tightened in his stomach, Uchiha Raizen had to acknowledge that events were continuing to tumble forward, echoing the grim rhythms of a history he knew all too well. With Senju Hashirama now in possession of Sage Mode, the next logical, terrifying step was for Uchiha Madara to awaken his Mangekyō Sharingan. The path ahead was paved with unimaginable pain and loss.
After the formal meeting adjourned and the others filed out, Raizen remained in the conference room.
Uchiha Tajima observed him coolly. "Elder Raizen, by your expression, I assume you have more to say."
"Indeed, Patriarch," Raizen began, his voice low and deliberate. "We now know what our enemy is, but we cannot find him. This shadow eludes us. I believe we require a powerful, specialized ally."
"An ally?" Tajima leaned forward, intrigued. "What kind of ally could possibly solve this predicament for us?" He had long since learned to take this young elder's counsel seriously. The two years of peace, bought with a single suggestion, were proof of Raizen's foresight.
"The reason this 'black figure' can move so freely is that our clan lacks shinobi with powerful sensory abilities. We cannot track what we cannot perceive. If we had someone who could…"
"The Uzumaki clan?" Tajima interjected, his eyes sharpening.
"Precisely," Raizen confirmed. "Their fuinjutsu is legendary, but their sensory techniques are equally formidable. With their help, we could pinpoint this enemy's location and trap him."
"It is a sound strategy," Tajima conceded, stroking his chin. "But they have been long-standing allies of the Senju. Why would they turn their expertise to our cause?"
"Marriage."
The single word hung in the air between them.
"Marriage?" Tajima repeated, his eyebrow arching.
"Yes. A political union to secure a military alliance. The young patriarch is of age, is he not? If we offer Madara himself as a suitor, even the Uzumaki would find it difficult to refuse such a prestigious match."
He knew the historical threads he was pulling at. A powerful kunoichi like Uzumaki Mito should not be wasted on the oblivious Senju Hashirama. Raizen was an Uchiha, and his primary duty was to protect his clan and his family. Strengthening the Uchiha was the only way to ensure their survival.
"Madara? But he would never…" Tajima started, only to be interrupted as the door slid open.
"Father, I…"
"The Young Patriarch is here?" Raizen said, feigning surprise.
Uchiha Madara stood in the doorway, his expression grim. "I overheard. If you were about to say I would be unwilling… you are mistaken. I am willing."
Raizen's sharp eyes didn't miss the faint, freshly healed bruise at the corner of Madara's mouth. The boy was hiding it well, but Raizen saw it. He could easily piece together what had happened. Madara, pride stung and seeking to test his rival after two years, had confronted Hashirama after the meeting. And Hashirama, now brimming with the power of sage chakra, had handed Madara a decisive defeat. That humiliation, that stark feeling of weakness, was the catalyst for this sudden pragmatism.
"Excellent! Worthy of my son!" Uchiha Tajima boomed, a rare smile touching his lips. "Very well. Send a messenger at once to the Land of Whirlpools. Draft a formal proposal. Inform them we wish to marry their princess to our heir, and as a betrothal gift, we offer the southern iron mine under our control."
Seeing the matter settled, Uchiha Raizen gave a curt nod and took his leave. The wheels were now in motion, altering alliances that had stood for generations. The world was shifting violently, and Black Zetsu was already active in the shadows. It was time to prepare in earnest.
His first priority was clear: he had to make his own family stronger. Only with undeniable personal power would they have a true chance to survive the storm that was coming.