SHIMMERING MIST : HATAKE SI (Naruto)

Part 21

Chapter 21

MADARA UCHIHA

There were few things that were truly eternal. And peace wasn't among them. Peace was respite, a short dream enjoyed by men as they geared themselves up for the conflict that lay ahead of them. Men against men, Clans against clans, Villages against Villages.

War would return, bringing with it death and devastation upon all. Time and time again, fuelled by a cycle of greed, dreams, and aspirations. For it was nothing but a consequence of human nature itself.

They had sought to end this cycle. Him and Hashirama had dreamt the same dream of breaking this cycle. Two boys, born to families that were bitter rivals, torn by war and conflict. Separated by years and years of war and blood. Yet united by a dream.

And perhaps they had achieved their dream for some time. Had ended the years of conflict between their clans, bringing them together to form Konoha. Yet the world shifted once more. Other clans joined up, made alliances, and began to make villages of their own.

He had seen it then, the start of another cycle. Tried to resist the tide, yet he failed. Defeated by Hashirama, only to survive and hide away and watch as the cycle of war and pain ravaged the world once more, proving him right once more.

"How?" he questioned as he stared straight into the young man's eyes. His youth had been spent on the same battlefields, him and Hashirama had sought to empty out. A young Hatake, descendant of the Hatake clan that had once served as samurai in the court of Daimyo of the fire country. His white hair, reminiscent of Hashirama's wretched brother.

The boy gulped and tried to mold chakra, trying to break the illusion as the chains around his body tightened, binding him to the pole. A sense of recognition and trepidation hung in those black orbs highlighting that the boy was somehow not only aware of his identity but also knew of his prowess as well, for why else would a young jounin have such fear in front of an old man?

He had long understood that Hashirama's vision was flawed, yet he couldn't make that stubborn fool see the truth. Mankind had a major flaw in their basic constituency, men sought peace yet felt compelled to dominate and have authority over the next person. It was a duality, a contrast in desire and aspirations that made them incapable of change.

"It seems you are reluctant to answer my question," said Madara with a frown, his curiosity growing as the boy refused to answer his question. He was impressed by his resilience for the illusion he held the boy in, had broken shinobi twice his age in seconds, reducing them to mumbling fools.

"Perhaps a bit of motivation is needed," he spoke as he pushed chakra into his eyes. The years and years of practice made it as easy as taking a simple breath, and he watched as the boy grunted in pain as a nail was hammered into his hand.

"AGHH!" the boy grunted in pain, and though it may be an illusion, it was one cast by him. By Madara Uchiha, and he knew that the pain felt by the boy was in no way lesser than the one he would feel if a pain was truly hammered into his hand.

Yet the boy held his tongue and didn't utter a single word, making him frown. What the hell was he hiding?

The world shifted again, and he pushed his chakra forcing another nail into the boy's body. The another. Then another. And he continued it for quite some time, yet the boy remained tight-lipped and Madara looked straight into the haggard eyes of the boy as sweat and saliva dripped from his chin, his eyes dazed yet still defiant.

A part of him wanted to let it go. And yet he was intrigued, by both the young boy's resilience and the secret he held in his mind.

He brought the first illusion to an end, and the world around him shifted, the lights died down as the darkness of his cave once more enveloped them. He had long since moved away from his chair, and now stood in front of the huffing and haggard form of the young white-haired jounin.