The village of Uzushio was decked out in lights, and by the time the Uchiha clan arrived, the preparations were nearly complete.
Madara led Izuna and the other Uchiha members as they transported cartloads of supplies to the Uzumaki clan. When he saw the Great Elder, he greeted him with proper respect. Since he was representing Xiu Yu, he couldn't afford to embarrass the Uchiha clan. At the same time, he needed to leave a good impression on the Uzumaki clan, so he even instructed his people to act more friendly than usual.
The Uzumaki members receiving the Uchiha were a little surprised. The Uchiha were known for their arrogance, yet their behavior today was surprisingly courteous.
News of this spread quickly to the Senju clan, and Senju Hashirama soon arrived with gifts to congratulate Su Xiuyu on his engagement. This time, however, he repeatedly told Tobirama to stay home and not cause any trouble.
Of course, Tobirama wasn't an idiot. Picking a fight with Su Xiuyu right now would be the equivalent of signing his own death warrant. It wasn't just about Xiuyu—it would also offend the entire Uzumaki clan. Did his older brother really think he was dumb enough to ruin someone's engagement and make enemies out of everyone at once?
---
"Madara! Xiu Yu!" Hashirama called out as he finally arrived at the banquet.
"You're late, Hashirama. What took you so long?" Su Xiuyu teased.
"Come on, Xiu Yu, you didn't even send me an invitation! I'm lucky I made it at all," Hashirama said with a helpless smile.
"I don't believe for a second that the Senju don't have a few spies in the Uzumaki clan. You were just too slow," Madara scoffed, arms crossed. The Uchiha members had warned him to act more serious for the occasion, but his intense demeanor ended up scaring a few Uzumaki children instead.
Hashirama hesitated. He couldn't exactly admit that while they did have spies, Tobirama controlled them all—and Tobirama hadn't told him anything about this. If he said that out loud, his little brother would never hear the end of it.
Izuna, sensing Hashirama's awkwardness, quickly changed the subject. "Big Brother, you're too serious. Relax a little."
Hashirama sighed in relief. "Izuna, I wish my brother was as considerate as you."
Izuna rolled his eyes. "If I acted like your brother, Big Brother and Xiu Yu would've beaten me to death already."
That shut Hashirama up.
---
The banquet was a massive success, with both the hosts and guests enjoying themselves. As it neared its end, Su Xiuyu stood up and addressed the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen—Uchiha, Uzumaki, and our Senju friends—we've prepared something special for tonight. A fireworks display will begin shortly at Uzushio's largest training ground. If you have time, I promise you won't regret it. It'll be a sight you'll never forget."
Mito, standing beside him, leaned in and whispered, "You never mentioned this to me. Since when did we have a fireworks show planned?"
"That's the point—it's a surprise," Su Xiuyu grinned.
"…Your last 'fireworks show' was when you first arrived in Uzushio. What did you do this time?"
"You'll see soon enough. Let's hurry over."
---
The crowd gathered at the training ground, waiting eagerly for the fireworks to begin. No one seemed to notice that the elders, who were supposed to be presiding over the banquet, were missing from the stands.
"Everyone, get ready for the grandest fireworks display you've ever seen. Don't blink, and don't worry—our safety measures are solid. Because of the sheer scale of this display, we need to take some precautions. Great Elder, I'll leave it to you."
The Uzumaki Great Elder chuckled. "You young people sure have energy to spare. Fine, fine—I'll go along with your madness just this once. Masahiko, Hibiki, are you both ready?"
"Ready, Great Elder!" came the synchronized response.
"Four Red Yang Formation!"
A barrier of intense red light enclosed the training ground stands, ensuring the audience's safety.
Hashirama, watching from inside the barrier, muttered in disbelief, "You need the Four Red Yang Formation just to watch fireworks? What the hell is Xiuyu planning?"
---
"Susanoo!"
The voices of Su Xiuyu and Madara rang out in unison, and in an instant, two massive figures—one golden, one deep blue—rose from the ground, towering over the training ground like giants of legend.
Gasps echoed through the crowd.
"So that's the legendary Susanoo… I never quite believed it when Masahiko described it, but seeing it with my own eyes is unreal."
"I always thought the rumors were exaggerated. 'If you see Susanoo, you die'—I laughed at that. But now… it makes sense. No wonder people say the Uchiha already have two Ninja Gods. It's not an exaggeration at all."
"I just don't get why a fireworks show requires such an insane display of power…"
Hashirama had a feeling he knew what was coming, and all he could do was sigh. Only Su Xiuyu would come up with something this ridiculous.
The two Susanoo continued to grow, their forms stabilizing into their fully armored states. Since this wasn't a battle, both Xiuyu and Madara had to be extra careful not to cause too much destruction. Even so, the sheer size of their Susanoo was overwhelming. From the stands, it felt like staring up at two mountains.
The Senju members watching had mixed emotions. They knew their leader was strong—maybe even stronger than Madara—but it was hard to ignore the fact that there were two Uchiha standing here, both wielding monstrous power.
---
"Madara, you ready?"
"Let's get this started."
Madara made a hand seal, and his Susanoo followed his lead.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
Flames erupted from his Susanoo's blade, launching into the sky in an unrelenting barrage.
At the same time, Su Xiuyu's Susanoo summoned a colossal earth dragon, which wrapped around its body like an armored serpent.
"Earth Bending: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
The earth dragon coiled upward, launching countless smaller earth bullets high into the sky. Inspired by Hashirama's Wood Dragon, Su Xiuyu had developed his own variation using Earth Release.
The sky was instantly filled with dazzling explosions as the earth bullets ignited upon contact with Madara's fire. Each explosion scattered bursts of vibrant colors, painting the night sky in breathtaking patterns.
Su Xiuyu had carefully prepared the earth bullets in advance, mixing them with different metals and compounds. When exposed to high heat, these elements reacted, producing different colors—creating an effect that looked just like fireworks.
The entire display was a fusion of ninjutsu and science, a show made possible by Su Xiuyu's knowledge of chemistry and physics.
The crowd was mesmerized. This was no ordinary fireworks display—this was a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle created by two of the most powerful shinobi in existence.
Mito stood beside Xiuyu, speechless. She had always thought he was a bit dull, but now… she realized he was romantic to his core.
Tonight, the sky had never been darker, yet the stars could not compare to the brilliance of this moment.
-----
Last night's fireworks display in Uzumaki Village had ended successfully, but the news of two Uchiha "Ninja Gods" had already spread. Naturally, only the Uchiha and Uzumaki clans were celebrating, while the Senju clan had much more complicated feelings about it.
Su Xiuyu's "fireworks" had won over a legion of young admirers. Every young man in the Uzumaki clan now idolized him as a powerful figure, while the young women saw him as the epitome of romance—strong, charismatic, and undeniably handsome.
Of course, none of them dared to act on their admiration too openly, not when Princess Uzumaki Mito was around. That didn't stop some from harboring crushes, though. After all, who wouldn't be drawn to a ninja who embodied strength, elegance, and legend?
Mito had suddenly become the woman every girl envied.
---
"Madara, we need to move fast and reach out to the major ninja clans in the Land of Fire," Su Xiuyu said. "The Yamanaka, Nara, Akimichi, Aburame, Inuzuka, and Hyuga clans are all key players. We can't afford to be hesitant—we need them to form a strong foundation for the village we're building."
"Relying solely on the Uchiha, Senju, and Uzumaki clans isn't sustainable. If we want Konoha to stand strong, we need more manpower."
"More importantly, we need political leverage. Even within the village, there will be power struggles. The Uchiha clan must secure its voice and influence from the start."
Madara understood what Su Xiuyu was saying. He just didn't like it. In his mind, as long as the Uchiha clan remained strong, there was no problem they couldn't crush outright.
Still, he respected Su Xiuyu enough to listen.
So, they split up. Su Xiuyu would handle negotiations with the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi clans. Izuna would reach out to the others. And Madara? They sent him back to Uchiha headquarters. Both Su Xiuyu and Izuna agreed—Madara was unreliable when it came to diplomacy.
As for the Sarutobi and Shimura clans? They didn't even bother. Those two were never on good terms with them, and they weren't about to start playing nice now.
---
Su Xiuyu's first stop was the Nara clan.
From what he remembered, the Akimichi and Yamanaka clans usually followed the Nara clan's lead. If he could win over the Nara clan, the other two would likely fall in line.
It was a wise approach—letting those who excelled in strategy handle diplomacy. The Nara had always played the long game, securing their survival through careful alliances rather than brute force.
"Chief Nara, I am Uchiha Su Xiuyu. I've come on behalf of the Uchiha clan."
Across from him sat Nara Shikadai, the current clan head. Likely from the same lineage as Nara Shikaku, a sharp mind through and through.
"I've heard much about you, Uchiha Su Xiuyu," Shikadai said, nodding slightly. "I hope you'll forgive the simple hospitality."
Shikadai had arranged their meeting at the edge of the Nara clan's deer preserve. A shogi board sat between them, untouched for now. Several sika deer wandered nearby, nibbling on grass. The entire setting was perfectly in line with Nara traditions—serene, strategic, and subtly intimidating.
"I wonder, Su Xiuyu, do you play shogi?" Shikadai asked, his voice calm and measured.
Su Xiuyu shook his head. "Not really. I never had the patience for it. Strategy games don't suit me."
"A shame," Shikadai said, moving a piece on the board absentmindedly. "You seem like someone who'd be good at it."
Su Xiuyu sighed. "Chief Nara, let's not dance around the subject. You already know why I'm here. I'll get straight to the point—does the Nara clan want an alliance with the Uchiha?"
Shikadai's hand paused mid-move. He met Su Xiuyu's gaze and sighed.
"I'm afraid you're a step too late," he said. "The Nara clan has already reached an agreement with the Senju."
Su Xiuyu's fists clenched slightly, and the deer nearby instinctively scattered.
Shikadai tensed. He still didn't know much about Uchiha Su Xiuyu's temperament. The information they had gathered on him was fragmented at best. If Su Xiuyu turned hostile, the Nara clan wouldn't stand a chance.
That was the harsh truth.
But regardless of personal fears, the Nara couldn't afford to offend the Senju clan. And, to be honest, they simply believed the Senju were the better bet.
Su Xiuyu understood what had happened. The Nara clan was lost to them. That meant the Akimichi and Yamanaka clans were out of reach as well.
It didn't matter. Even if he had arrived earlier, history wouldn't have changed.
The Nara clan's choice didn't threaten him. Ten Nara clans wouldn't be enough to stop him if he ever decided to act. But he wasn't a conqueror. He had no interest in slaughtering the Nara just to prove a point. Even if they built Konoha, he didn't need its power to intimidate people.
I am the deterrent.
If things don't go my way, I'll just flip the table.
Madara had once said something in the Fourth Great Ninja War—What adult takes a child seriously?
That was exactly how Su Xiuyu felt about this situation.
His irritation came from being rejected despite showing up in person. Was it just bad luck? Or did the Uchiha name carry too much baggage?
"I understand, Chief Nara," he said coolly. "I respect your clan's choice."
He glanced at the shogi board and smirked. "By the way, Chief Shikadai, I may not be skilled in shogi, but I've never lost a game. Not even against Uchiha Madara."
Shikadai raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I wasn't aware Madara played."
"He doesn't," Su Xiuyu said, chuckling. "Neither of us do. When we see a complicated game, we don't bother playing. We just flip the board."
Su Xiuyu turned, his crimson Sharingan catching the last light of the setting sun.
Shikadai felt a chill run down his spine. Su Xiuyu's words weren't just metaphorical.
"Master Su Xiuyu... that's quite the joke," Shikadai said, forcing a smile.
Su Xiuyu only laughed and walked away.
---
After Su Xiuyu left, Shikadai turned to his clan members. His voice was unusually serious.
"From now on, all Nara must be respectful and cautious around the Uchiha. As long as Uchiha Su Xiuyu and Uchiha Madara are alive, we must avoid conflict with them—no matter the circumstances."
"Master, isn't that a bit extreme?" one of his men asked. "If we act too submissive, it could weaken our position—"
"The Nara clan only exists if we survive. If we're dead, none of it matters," Shikadai interrupted. "Seal all information on Uchiha Su Xiuyu and Uchiha Madara within the clan archives. It must never leave our hands. Future generations must understand this."
He glanced at the deer in the forest, deep in thought.
"The wind is calming, but the trees refuse to be still," he murmured.
And for a long time, he said nothing more.
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