Chapter 109: The Original Wish
The weight of Uchiha Raizen's words settled in the silent chamber. Hashirama and Madara, the two pillars of this nascent village, stood in quiet contemplation.
He was right. Their original dream, whispered between two boys by a river, had been about more than just power. It was about a place where the cycle of hatred could be broken. But in the process of building that dream, the sheer effort of unification had caused them to lose sight of the finer, more difficult work of reconciliation.
"But what does this have to do with appointing him?" Madara asked, the old, familiar resentment towards Tobirama simmering just beneath the surface.
"The connection is the elimination of all hatred, Madara," Raizen replied, his voice low and intense. "My hatred for Tobirama is no less than yours. In my eyes, you and Senna were brothers. One brother is dead, and the other is in pain. You of all people should understand my feelings. But precisely because of that, shouldn't we, the founders, be the ones to take the first step? Shouldn't we lead by example?"
Hashirama's gaze shifted to Madara, full of a painful hope. He had suspected Raizen's motive, but hearing it stated so plainly was both shocking and profoundly moving. The final decision, however, rested with Madara.
"Really… I understand," Madara said finally, his voice gruff. Without another word, he turned and strode from the room, his cloak billowing behind him.
Raizen let out a quiet breath. The immediate crisis had been averted.
"Hashirama," he said, turning to the Senju patriarch. "Tobirama's actions will bear close watching. You must understand that if he ever does anything to threaten the unity of this village… you know what must be done."
Hashirama's face remained serene, but a new resolve hardened his eyes. He simply nodded. "I understand." Then, with a faint, sad smile, he too took his leave.
Raizen returned to the comforting familiarity of his home. In the courtyard, his mother and sisters were enjoying the evening, preparing tea.
"I'm home."
"Welcome back, Raizen," his mother, Uchiha Yōyō, greeted him warmly. "Come, have some tea with us."
"Thank you, Mother." He sat opposite them and accepted a cup, the simple ritual soothing his frayed nerves.
"Big sister, second sister," he began after a moment, setting his cup down. "Is there someone you like? If there is, and he feels the same, you can speak freely now. You don't have to worry about the clan's politics anymore."
"Raizen! What are you talking about?" Uchiha Kuna and Uchiha Shiori exclaimed in unison, their cheeks flushing a bright crimson.
Their reaction told him everything. His sisters, now safe and respected within the powerful Uchiha clan, had clearly found objects of their affection. The days of using marriage as a political tool were over.
"Good," he said with a genuine smile. "With my current standing, any man would be blessed to have either of you as his wife!" He then deftly shifted the focus. "And Haruka," he said, turning to his fiancée. "Let's be married next month."
"Raizen, your… condition…" Haruka began, her concern evident.
"It's fine," he assured her. "By next month, I believe I will be fully recovered." He paused, a thought occurring to him. "By the way, where is the Ozawa clan now?"
He had tried to find them before, to formally bring Haruka's family into the fold, but their old lands had been deserted.
"I do not know," Haruka admitted softly. "Once a member is cast out, they are no longer considered part of the clan. I have no news of them."
"That doesn't matter," Uchiha Yōyō said firmly, pulling Haruka into a comforting embrace. "You are my daughter now."
The family shared a quiet meal before retiring for the night.
But as the moon rose high, Uchiha Raizen did not sleep. He walked through the silent Uchiha compound, his footsteps leading him to a place of quiet power and heavy history: the clan's ancestral hall.
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