Naruto: Uchiha Izuna with system

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The strong wind howled against his cheeks. Madara stirred, and as he opened his eyes, Izuna's calm voice greeted him.

"Are you awake?"

Madara fully opened his eyes, blinking as the blurred figure in front of him sharpened into focus.

"I am…" He trailed off, pushing himself upright on the hawk's back. As he did so, he felt a sharp pang at the site of his previous injuries. Yet, to his astonishment, the pain quickly faded.

"It doesn't hurt?" he thought, his hand instinctively reaching for the area.

Izuna glanced back briefly, his tone nonchalant. "Hashirama used his Wood Release medical ninjutsu to treat you."

"What!?"

Madara's expression shifted from surprise to indignation. His memory of the events was incomplete. He recalled being intercepted by Senju Hashirama during their retreat, but everything after that was blank.

"What happened?" he demanded, barely suppressing the anger in his voice.

Izuna exchanged a glance with the two surviving Uchiha jounin. After a subtle nod from them, they recounted the events to Madara.

As the story unfolded, Madara's face twisted with rage.

"I, Madara Uchiha, was taken hostage and then saved by Senju Hashirama?" he bellowed. "This is unforgivable!"

His hands clenched into fists, and his whole body trembled with fury.

"Cough, cough!" Madara suddenly doubled over, coughing violently.

"Clan leader, are you okay?" one of the jounin asked anxiously, rushing to his side.

Madara waved them off irritably. "I'm fine."

Izuna, still seated at the hawk's head, looked back with a calm but sharp expression. "Madara, you need to sit this one out. Your body can't handle the strain of using the Mangekyō Sharingan any longer."

Madara's lips tightened, his pride refusing to accept the truth.

"But Kaguya has lost half its combat strength, and their leader, Kaguya Manro, is dead," Izuna continued. "These achievements will be attributed to you when we return. Do you understand?"

Madara's eyes narrowed. He could already sense what Izuna was implying.

The two surviving Uchiha jounin quickly interjected, "We won't say a word, Deputy Chief!"

Madara's face twisted in protest. "Izuna, this isn't right! Those achievements aren't mine alone, nor are they all mine to claim!"

Izuna turned fully toward his brother, his voice low and deliberate. "This isn't about right or wrong, brother. It's politics."

Madara's breath caught. As much as he despised the idea, he couldn't refute it. If the clan knew the truth—that he had been incapacitated and rescued by Hashirama—it could damage morale. And worse, the secret of his eyes' failing condition would spread.

Izuna's plan was simple yet ruthless: to claim that Madara had personally wiped out half of Kaguya's forces and slain Kaguya Manro. This fabricated tale would not only maintain Madara's prestige but also keep the clan united and strong in the face of the looming war with Senju.

Madara fell silent, his pride warring with his understanding of the necessity of Izuna's deception.

After a long pause, Madara finally asked, "Do you think my eyes can recover?"

Izuna's response was immediate and unwavering. "Yes, but it will take time."

Though Izuna had a solution in mind—acquiring a new pair of Mangekyō Sharingan through his unique abilities—he didn't share the specifics with Madara.

Hearing Izuna's confidence, Madara allowed himself a faint glimmer of hope, even as his heart simmered with unresolved frustration.

Two days later, the hawk carrying Madara and his companions landed at the Uchiha stronghold.

Despite the team's losses—only three of the original ten jounin had returned—the clan was electrified by the news.

Word spread quickly: Madara had killed more than half of Kaguya's forces and personally slain their leader, Kaguya Manro. The clan erupted into celebration, praising Madara's strength and leadership.

However, for Madara, bedridden and isolated, the praise felt hollow. To him, it was nothing but an ironic reminder of his failure.

The day after his return, Madara announced that he would not meet with anyone. He shut himself away, refusing visitors except for essential clan duties.

Izuna, understanding his brother's state of mind, left him to his solitude. Instead, he focused on preparations for the imminent war with Senju.

In a private meeting with Uchiha Inosuke and Uchiha Enhuo, Izuna laid out his strategy.

"Senju's forces have been bolstered by Kaguya, who will undoubtedly join the fight under Kaguya Takeri's leadership," Izuna began. "This puts their numbers at roughly six thousand to our three thousand."

The room was heavy with tension.

Izuna continued, "Inosuke, I need you to recall a portion of our forces from the northwest. We can't leave the frontlines undefended, but we need every available soldier here."

Inosuke nodded solemnly. "Understood."

"Luckily," Izuna added, "the other clans in the Warring States have been intimidated by our recent success. They fear retaliation from Uchiha and have refrained from joining Senju's alliance. This will prevent their numbers from growing further."

Despite this, the disparity in numbers was undeniable.

Izuna's gaze hardened as he concluded, "We must be prepared for a war unlike any we've fought before. And this time, victory will depend on precise strategy and absolute unity within the clan."

The others nodded, their resolve strengthened.

End of the Chapter.