Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

"Incomprehensible." He muttered through gritted teeth, though it was unclear whether he was referring to the Uchiha clan or himself.

The night breeze swept through the long corridor, bringing with it the damp moisture of the Namga River.

Madara Uchiha stood on the edge of the cliff, his crimson Mangekyou Sharingan overlooking the outline of the Senju clan's territory.

Behind him, your voice was as soft as falling snow, "Tobirama Senju has already received the message."

“Of course he’ll receive it.” Ban chuckled, a cluster of red flames igniting at his fingertips. “That white-haired rat is a master of spying.”

Flames devoured the fragments of the intelligence report in your hand, and ashes drifted toward Senju. Madara suddenly turned around, grabbed your wrist, and pulled you closer.

His nose was almost touching your carotid artery, his breath hot. "When he looks at you... does he look like a hungry wolf?"

Your eternal kaleidoscope flickers slightly, offering no answer, but the answer is already in the quickening of your pulse.

"I really want to gouge his eyes out." Ban's canines rubbed against your throbbing veins, his voice gentle yet chilling. "You can only let me watch."

Under the same moon, Tobirama Senju stood in the laboratory, the test tube in his hand gleaming with a faint blue light.

His slightly distorted face was reflected on the mirror-like surface of the liquid.

"Uchiha..."

The test tube suddenly shattered, glass shards piercing his palm, blood trickling down his wrist, yet he felt no pain. Compared to the ants gnawing at his heart, what was this pain?

He recalled the last time Nagi Uchiha's kunai brushed past his ear, and the patterns flowing through her kaleidoscope eyes.

At that moment, he absurdly thought that perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to die while being watched by those eyes.

Tobirama smashed the entire experimental rack to pieces. Through the rain of glass, he panted heavily as he looked towards the Uchiha clan's territory, a self-destructive smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

We should have been each other's most hated enemies, but why have you made even my hatred impure?

On the eve of the summer festival in the Uchiha clan's territory, even the wind carried a sweltering heat.

You sit in your dimly lit study, your fingertips dipped in ink, reviewing one secret report after another delivered by the hawks. After the poisoning incident in Nanhechuan, the clan is in a state of panic, and even the most basic transportation of supplies has to go through three layers of inspection.

The deaths of Ryoei and Hakuho cast an indelible shadow over the entire Uchiha clan.

It wasn't until the lanterns were hung up for the summer festival that the tribal land finally came to life.

Hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by a ninja's respectful report, "Clan Chief!"

Without looking up, you traced sharp marks on the paper with your pen.

Only when a shadow fell over the desk did you slowly lift your eyelids and meet Uchiha Madara's deep Mangekyou Sharingan.

"I heard you didn't have lunch again?"

Ban's voice was deep and carried a hint of danger. He was holding a package of red bean cakes wrapped in oil paper, which he casually tossed onto the table. Then he crossed his arms and leaned against the edge of the table, looking down at you with a condescending gaze.

Your pen paused slightly, then you calmly put it down, reached out and unwrapped the oil paper. "I forgot."

Madara sneered, his Sharingan narrowing slightly; he didn't believe your excuse at all.

Picking up a piece of red bean cake, you slowly took a bite, the sweet taste melting on your tongue.

You chew as you continue reviewing documents, as if the presence of the spots were nothing more than air.

You are testing his patience.

Ban's fingertips tapped lightly on the table, the rhythm slow and imposing.

Since the Senju and Uchiha ceased hostilities, military affairs have decreased significantly, leaving him so idle that he could almost count every fallen leaf on the clan's land.

But after you took over the hawks, you were so busy that you couldn't even take care of your meals.

"The engagement between Hashirama and the Uzumaki clan has been postponed for two years," Madara suddenly said, his voice carrying a subtle hint of probing. "I heard that the Uzumaki princess plans to come to the Land of Fire in person."

You paused almost imperceptibly as you swallowed the red bean cake.

"Don't you want to see your old friends? Or rather... allies?" His voice rose slightly at the end, like a blunt knife slowly scraping your nerves.

Your eyes gleamed coldly in the dim light. "There's nothing to see."

Ban looked at you with a half-smile, his fingertips gently stroking your chin. "Are you avoiding me... to avoid angering me?"

You calmly met his gaze, and after a moment, you spoke softly, "It's not that I'm afraid, I just don't want to upset you."

With a single sentence, he precisely pierced Madara Uchiha's heart.

Ban's ears instantly turned red. He abruptly turned his face away and snorted coldly, "Don't think that just because you say a few nice words, I'll allow you to do whatever you want!"

You finally finished approving the last document, stood up, and gently patted Ban on the shoulder. "Really? The clan leader is quite principled."

Your tone was slightly teasing as you walked towards the door.

Ban stood there, his brow furrowed, until you stopped at the door, turned back to look at him, and said, "Go, my two-faced husband."

The moment you called him "husband," his heart pounded, and the whole world seemed to soften in that instant.

Madara pursed his lips, forcibly suppressing the upward curve of his mouth, and said in a deliberately cold tone, "...You can only stay in the Land of Fire for three days."

You turned your back to him and curled your lips into a triumphant smile.

Dog training is no different. Even the most ferocious ninja demon can be trained without a chain once you find the right spot.

Ban suddenly hugged you from behind, his sharp teeth pressed against your carotid artery. "You just laughed?"

"You're lying." He licked your throbbing veins. "You won't be sleeping tonight."

The moment the carriage curtain was lifted, Madara Uchiha smelled the mockery of fate.

Hashirama Senju's smiling face was nauseatingly bright in the sunlight, with a few bits of grass still stuck to his black hair, making him look like a tanuki that had been struck dumb by lightning.

Behind him, Tobirama Senju stood silently like a blade, his white hair glistening with morning dew.

"Madara! It's you!" Hashirama's voice sent the birds scattering in the forest.

Madara's fingernails dug into his palm. He clearly saw that when Hashirama said those words, Tobirama's gaze went over his shoulder and precisely landed on you inside the carriage.

He just wants to be alone with you.

Instead of having a noisy loudspeaker and a dishonest rival.

"What are you doing here?" Madara spat out the words through gritted teeth, his chakra surging through his meridians, causing the carriage to creak and groan.

Hashirama scratched his head and laughed, "The carriage was missing a screw, and it fell apart halfway there!"

"Two idiots." Ban's sneer made the air temperature drop sharply. "They don't even check their carriages before going out?"

"You're going to the Land of Fire too? You can take me and Tobirama with you." Hashirama had already clung to the carriage shaft like a familiar dog, looking at him expectantly.

Madara's gaze was fixed on Tobirama. The white-haired man stood in the shadows, his face half-lit and half-shadowed, only his scarlet eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly when they met Madara's gaze.

Ban's pupils contracted, and just as he was about to leap out, your knee gently pressed against the side of his leg.

Fine, for Hashirama's sake.

Ban roughly flung down the carriage curtain, which could be considered tacit approval.

The carriage creaked under the weight as they sat down. Hashirama casually took the opposite seat, while Tobirama chose the corner furthest from you, yet couldn't control his gaze.

You look down at Tobirama from your high vantage point, your eternal kaleidoscope filled with sarcasm, as if you've already seen through the screws hidden in his sleeves, and all his despicable schemes.

You saw it, that screw, this man-made 'coincidence'.

Tobirama unconsciously rubbed the screws in his sleeve with his fingertips.

An hour earlier, when he saw this carriage bearing the Uchiha clan crest at the post station, he was only assessing the value of the precious fabric, until the curtain was lifted, revealing your beautiful eyes.

She raised an eyebrow, chuckled softly, and lowered the carriage curtain.

Three actions made his blood run cold, so when Hashirama urged him to get in the car, he expressionlessly loosened the screws on the key parts.

This piece of evidence is now burning hot against his pulse.

Madara suddenly lunged and grabbed Hashirama by the neck, yelling, "You dare put your foot on Nagi's scroll again?"

In the chaos, your kunai 'accidentally' grazed the cuff of Tomon's sleeve. The fabric tore open, and a brass screw clattered to the ground, rolling to Ban's feet.

Ban slowly picked up the screw, and the pattern in the kaleidoscope twisted into its most grotesque form. "Explain."

You chuckled softly, and amidst Hashirama's bewildered expression and Tobirama's pale face, you slowly pried open Madara's fingers and took the incriminating evidence into your own palm.

"The Thousand Hands trick is very interesting!"

"boom--!"

Madara Uchiha's Susanoo cleaved the carriage in two with a single sword strike, sending wood chips flying, tearing the curtains, and even causing the horses pulling the carriage to neigh in fright, break free of their reins, and flee.

"Madala! Listen to me, this must be a misunderstanding!"

Hashirama Senju stood beside the half-destroyed wreckage of the carriage, his arms outstretched, trying to stop the enraged Madara Uchiha. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and he had cursed his younger brother eight hundred times in his mind.

Madara's Mangekyou Sharingan burned in the shadows, while Susanoo's giant sword still hung in mid-air, its blade pointing directly at Tobirama Senju.

"A misunderstanding?" Madara's voice was as deep as a demon crawling out of hell. "I think it's a scheme to deliberately get close to a married woman, isn't it?"

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, his chakra almost turning into a tangible flame. Who was Tobirama Senju? That meticulous man who personally inspected even the army's provisions—how could he possibly make such a basic mistake as 'a missing screw on a carriage'?

He was clearly doing it on purpose!

You stand beside the ruins, rubbing your temples in exasperation. You've just finished opening the secret letter; the feathers of the ninja hawk are still floating in the air. Meanwhile, your husband has completely gone berserk.

Madara's gaze was fixed on Tobirama, who stood not far away, his silver hair disheveled, his red eyes cold, and a mocking smirk on his lips.

He's stopped acting altogether.

Hashirama was devastated to find that his younger brother seemed to have completely abandoned his pretense, his scarlet eyes staring straight at him as if making a silent declaration.

He did it on purpose.

Hashirama took a deep breath, already considering whether or not to summon the True Thousand Hands to stop this disaster.

Now that's bad, nobody has a carriage to ride in. You sigh, "I should have known better than to expose them."

Hashirama was on the verge of tears, and could only frantically try to persuade you with his eyes, "Think of something quick!"

"Madara, Mito has arrived at Fire Elephant City."

Madara paused, and Susanoo's giant sword faltered slightly.

You waved the secret letter in your hand, your tone as calm as if you were discussing the weather, "If we don't go soon, she might negotiate with the Daimyo of the Land of Fire first."

Madara's Mangekyou Sharingan slowly rotated, and finally he let out a cold snort as his Susanoo transformed into chakra and dissipated into the air.

Hashirama let out a long sigh of relief and gave you a grateful look.

With just one sentence, you extinguished Madara Uchiha's anger.

But it also completely crushed Tobirama Senju's last laughable delusion.

Hashirama rubbed his temples and sighed resignedly, "Tobirama, let's go."

He grabbed his brother's arm and forcibly dragged him away. Tobirama did not resist, but only glanced back at you one last time, his eyes gloomy and obsessive, like a wolf whose prey had been taken away.

Ban grabbed your waist, his voice still tinged with anger, "You knew all along?"

You looked up. "You know what? You know he deliberately damaged the carriage? Or you know... he likes me?"

Ban's fingers tightened, almost crushing your back bones.

But you suddenly tiptoed and whispered in his ear, "So what? I am your wife, not his."

Ban's breath hitched, his anger abruptly suppressed by those words.

In the distance, Tobirama Senju stood still, his fingers digging deeply into his palms, blood dripping from between them.

In the end, he couldn't even touch the hem of your clothes.

The festival in Fire Elephant City was as bright as day, with crowds surging and the glow of paper lanterns painting the entire long street red.

Madara Uchiha's fingers gripped your wrist tightly, with such force that it felt like he was branding you into his very bones.

You've long been accustomed to his obsession, and can even taste a morbid pleasure in this almost suffocating control.

Let him pull you along, and occasionally your fingertips will lightly brush across his palm, as if to soothe him, or as if to silently subdue him.

As you pass a scroll shop, you pause in your tracks.

Ban's brows furrowed instantly, but he didn't say anything, simply following you silently into the store.

You casually pull out an ancient book and flip through it, your fingertips tracing the yellowed pages, your gaze as focused as if you've returned to the Uchiha's library.

Chapter 74·Dog Training (2)