Chapter 12: The Trial

Tobirama hazily stared in the darkness as he heard the lock click. His cell doors opened and he had to shield his eyes from the sudden invasion of the bright flame torch. It took him a few moments to adjust but when he did, he saw the visitor staring at him impassively.

"Kinslayer..." he spat, but it didn't evoke a single emotion from the Uchiha.

Naruto didn't speak and instead called for a chair which the guards provided quite quickly before bowing out of the cell. He then glanced at the Senju and was satisfied to see his wounds were healing thanks to Naori's aid.

Tobirama would still not be fight worthy for another few weeks, but he wouldn't fall dead either.

"Senju, how is your new accommodation treating you? I hope your stay here has been comfortable..." greeted Naruto with his trademark smirk,

"Mocking me, are you?" asked Tobirama with a scowl,

"Accurate assessment" agreed Naruto with a smile,

When their barbs died down, both Uchiha and Senju glared at each other intensely for several long minutes. The tension was almost breaking the air until Tobirama spoke...

"I underestimated you" admitted the white haired Senju, and was surprised when Naruto nodded.

"You're not the first to do so..." confessed Naruto,

"Why haven't you killed me?" asked Tobirama flatly,

"You know why..."

Tobirama could only think of one reason as to why he was alive and why the Yamanaka as well as the Hatake were still under the control of the Uchiha clan.

"Hashirama..." said Tobirama bitterly, knowing what price his brother must have paid for his life.

"You're an ungrateful bastard, you know that?" asked Naruto sarcastically,

"You don't know anything about my family! My life is not worth the loss it would mean for our clan, it would make the deaths of all those warriors meaningless if the Senju lose control over the Hatake and Yamanaka" said Tobirama seriously,

"Your brother thinks otherwise" pointed Naruto, making Tobirama slam his hands against the strong walls.

"He's a fool!"

The glare he received from Naruto made him shut his mouth and he couldn't help but wonder at the anger that arrived in the Kinslayer's eyes.

"You're lucky, Senju. Your brother is still alive for you to call him a fool, be grateful that you still have family that would give anything for your life. If the situations were reversed..."

Naruto stopped himself abruptly but Tobirama didn't need him to finish what he wanted to say. It was clearly visible in the Uchiha's eyes...

"Your father would have let you die"

At first he thought the Uchiha would either rebuff his claim or remain silent, but Naruto nodded much to Tobirama's surprise.

"Then why fight for such a family? Such a clan?" asked Tobirama curiously,

"For my brother"

Tobirama never saw a shred of doubt in Naruto's eyes. For the first time the Senju could respect his enemy's loyalty; for Tobirama despite his opposition to Hashirama's beliefs would never hesitate to lay down his own life for his siblings.

They both stared at each other knowing they were bitter enemies who would have seen each other dead if it was any other situation.

"Why are you not interrogating me for information?" asked Tobirama seriously,

"It's risky and can shatter your mind leaving you a living corpse. Your brother specifically asked for you to not be harmed in any manner or else the deal was off. We have agreed to those terms" admitted Naruto reluctantly,

"Yet I see in your eyes the desire to kill me..." remarked Tobirama, and clenched his fists when Naruto snarled at him.

''You killed my brother! Don't mistake this small mercy, Senju. I spared your sister's life in our very first battle, if I had known you bastards were going to kill Izuna I would have slaughtered her. Only then you would feel the pain that I feel everyday..." yelled Naruto furiously,

Tobirama glared at his enemy with twice the anger and hatred.

"I lost a brother that day as well! Your bastard clan killed my brother Kawarama and he was more important than all your brothers. Consider yourself lucky, Kinslayer, for if it was in my hands then none of your siblings or even you would have survived that day!" spat Tobirama viciously,

"Speak like that and I'll slit your throat right here!" warned Naruto, holding back his hands from grabbing a kunai from his pouch and finishing the deed.

"I'd like to see you try" challenged Tobirama with a smirk,

He watched in satisfaction as Naruto fought with himself, his hatred trying to overpower his sense of reason. In the end, the Uchiha could only sigh bitterly before falling silent.

Tobirama felt his own anger fade on seeing the heartbroken look in Naruto's eyes and he didn't need to be a scientist to imagine what was on the Uchiha's mind.

"You loved Izuna the most in this world, even more than Madara?" suggested Tobirama knowingly,

Naruto's murderous glare was all the confirmation Tobirama needed to know.

"One day I will kill you, Senju" promised Naruto, earning a smirk from the white haired boy.

"Likewise, Uchiha"

Seeing that he was getting nowhere, Naruto got up and was about to exit the cell when Tobirama's question stopped him.

"There is more to you than what you let people see..."

Turning back, Naruto saw Tobirama staring at him intently which was the motivation Tobirama needed to continue further.

"I imagined you to be a mad bastard. But when I saw you, that image shattered. They all call you Kinslayer, a heartless bastard who couldn't remain loyal even to his own people and killed dozens of his family. A monster, but I wonder what kind of monster would sacrifice himself to save a clan who hates his very guts?" questioned Tobirama pointedly,

"I think this cell has made you lose the last of your sanity" chipped Naruto with a playful smirk, but Tobirama's knowing gaze didn't falter.

"Why did you do it?"

Naruto was left speechless by that question. Nobody had dared to question him on his darkest secret, most just assumed him to be a heartless monster while others were too scared to ask it. His family knew his reasons and his friends cared enough about him not to ask.

But Tobirama despite his hatred had seen through the mirage of lies and rumors.

He had seen through Naruto's soul itself.

"Why did you do it?" asked the Senju again,

Naruto clenched his fists as he remembered that fateful night, all those screams, all those who begged him for mercy, that madness and all that blood, most of all he remembered those haunted eyes.

"Loyalty"

Tobirama remained silent pondering over that mysterious answer as the Uchiha walked out of his cell leaving him in darkness.

Naruto carefully sharpened his new temporary sword with the help of a sharp iron stone. It was tedious work tending to the blade's edge but knowing that it could mean life and death on the battlefield made him do it without any complaint.

Still, this sword was so heavy and cumbersome to move around. If not for his years of experience in sword fighting, he doubted he would have been as effective in the battle against Senjus with this blade.

It made him yearn for Dawn even more, the weapon was like a best friend. No matter how many foes stood against him, if he had that sword with him then he could still win no matter the odds.

There was a strange pull that drew him to the blade, every Uchiha no matter how good or bad had handled that sword with great respect. Naruto had always felt some strange connection with the weapon, as if it held some great secret in it and gave him strength in his most dire hour.

Dawn was a bloodthirsty blood, having feasted on the blood of thousands over the eras that passed ever since the First War broke out between the Uchiha's and Senjus. It was a longsword, but still light as a feather, and its steel was coated in chakra that was rumored to be stolen from the Ten Tails by Indra himself in secret.

Naruto could believe all other aspects of the sword except the last one. He had held on to that belief for as long as he could remember until the recent battle with the Senjus...

He could still remember the moment Touka Senju's sword shattered before his own. The Senju woman was wielding a fine steel sword, probably passed down for generations in her family and yet it had shattered like glass. Now that he remembered it, even the Fuma clan head alongwith all his enemies who had wielded great ancestral swords had almost destroyed their ancient weapons when they clashed them against Dawn.

It made him hesitantly glance at the fox currently sleeping near him...

"Kurama..."

The fox opened one lazy eye on being called but was forced to open the other one as well when he noticed Naruto's grave expression.

"Did the Ten Tails exist?"

The beast gave him such an intense stare that made Naruto want to flinch but he defied that reaction and stared in his friend's eyes seriously.

"Yes. It was a holy tree which wielded the fruit of chakra every few centuries, it was forbidden to be possessed by any human. Until Kaguya Otsutsuki ate it..."

Naruto listened with rapt attention as Kurama regaled him the tale of the mystery woman whom most today believed to be a myth. The beast told him how Kaguya was not from their world, but some other universe which further added to Naruto's shock. The fox told him of Kaguya's struggles, her eating the fruit, descending into madness, her desire to rule supreme over the world with an iron fist. She became the judge, jury and executioner.

She gave birth to two sons, Hagoromo and Hamura who rebelled against her tyranny in the future. Both brothers had to defeat not only their mother, but also the holy tree that took the form of Ten Tails in order to gain back chakra from humanity.

Kurama recalled the time with a haunted look in his eyes,

The War for Dawn.

Kurama told him horrible tales that followed in the war, of never ending nights when the sun was concealed as darkness took hold of the world, of lands submerging into seas, mountains breaking apart like pieces, volcanoes erupting, and most of all the birth of unholy creatures which while looked human but were not. They were something else, and the leader of those creatures was the third tainted son of Kaguya born from her madness and hate.

In the end, the Otsutsuki brothers won and Kaguya alongwith the Juubi were defeated. However, Hamura sacrificed his life in sealing his mother away alongwith the shell of the Juubi in a place that was today known as Land of Water. It was a desecrated small continent where no life grew, no people lived and was said to be haunted by the ghosts of all those who died in the war. It was where Kaguya and the Juubi had made their final stand, so devastating was the battle that even today those lands were not suitable for habitation.

Hagoromo divided the spiritual power of the Juubi into nine beasts, the most powerful of whom was Kurama.

"I always knew there were more of you. But you never told me as to what happened to your brothers and sisters..." implored Naruto, and saw great sadness flash in the beast's eyes.

"We all scattered across the world to maintain the peace that the Sage wanted, but we failed as war spread everywhere. Men tried to use us for our power forcing my kind to hide, for centuries we remained hidden until one by one all my brothers and sisters vanished. I never heard from them again..." said Kurama sadly,

Naruto bit his lip wondering as to where his family and Dawn fit into the war.

"If this is true, then the Kaguya and Hagoromo clans are our great enemies. Is that why they came for you?" asked Naruto in horror, remembering the night when he and Kurama were attacked by those clans.

Kurama didn't want to speak but his friend's pleading eyes forced him to relent.

"Kaguya left behind a few of her illegitimate children who over the centuries grew into the clan you know as Kaguya. They waged war against the Uchihas and Senjus, even managing to influence the Hagoromo minor families to side with them. They both inherited the worst of Kaguya's madness, followed by the Uchiha. You all have her madness running in your veins, it is why the Sage had asked me to watch over the Uchiha" revealed Kurama,

"Why?" asked Naruto worriedly,

"Because it was Indra who nearly reanimated the Juubi again in his mad thirst for power. It was he who was about to unleash the apocalypse and trust me boy, if that creature is born again then the world of men shall fall" warned Kurama,

Naruto tried to keep his shock in check, he knew his people were impulsive, prideful and even arrogant. But they couldn't be mad enough to unleash that monster?

Kurama almost gave him a pitiful look before abruptly walking away, leaving Naruto with even more unanswered questions.

Indra was about to release the Juubi on to the world?

It was impossible for him to believe, but never once had Kurama lied to him. But everything the fox said had bitter seeds of truth hidden in it...

The Kaguya, Hagoromo, Uchiha and Senju were the direct descendants of Kaguya Otsutsuki.

The first two were completely power hungry and lusted for blood just like their female ancestor. While the Uchiha were prone to madness on losing things close to their heart, the Senjus were renowned for their legendary temper which they inherited from Kaguya.

Tajima, Madara and even Naruto himself had always felt there was a point where they would snap and do things no sane human would do.

Kaguya and Hagoromo clans were mad enough that they had made enemies of almost the entire world. But were too strong enough together to be challenged by either Uchiha or Senju. Only together could the descendants of Indra and Ashura alongwith their allies could hope to take on those mad men.

Most of all nobody knew where those two mad clans lived and it was one of the key reasons neither Uchiha or Senju had been able to destroy them completely.

Even kind hearted Hashirama was known to have a dangerous temper, the same trait was almost shared by most of his siblings and family. But comparatively the Senjus were much more sane than the other three great clans that descended from Kaguya.

It made Naruto wonder as to what was the true history of his world.

Kurama had perhaps kept watch over the Uchihas for a very, very long time. But it surely couldn't be just for the fact that Indra tried to revive the Ten Tails? No Uchiha knew even half the history which Kurama just told him, nor did they know any way to revive the Ten Tails.

He froze.

Memory after memory flashed before him, image of Dawn, that dark night, that madness, that blood, that fire, those screams.

For every day of his life after that incident, he had wondered the reason behind it.

And now he knew why it all happened.

It filled his heart with unspeakable horror making him dash towards the Yamanaka Castle.

Madara had been grudgingly going through the Yamanaka clan's finances in order to decide what fines should the Uchiha collect as compensation for the blonde headed bugger's treachery. Frankly, this was more his aunt and if possible his brother's domain and Madara despised paperwork to begin with.

But Naori had simply bonked him on the head, her and his father the only two people having the audacity to do such a thing.

His aunt had reminded him that his brother was thrown out of their family and out of the line of succession, that left Madara as the sole heir of the Uchiha clan. It was imperative he learned how to rule and govern, and not just conquer and plunder.

Naori was also trying to make him interact with the important nobles of the Hatake and Yamanaka clans, but so far Madara had been abysmal in those interactions for those men and women were terrified of his power and barely spoke more than a few words.

At times, he wondered whether he was the right person to lead their clan when his father died.

He was quite strong and there were only a handful who could match his prowess. But apart from battles, Madara had little interest in politics or administration. In fact, he detested that web of lies and treachery preferring to deal with brutal honesty. A fact for which he was repeatedly chastised by his father and aunt, even the elders of their clan.

In his eyes, there was another more suitable for the job.

Thinking of him only made Madara feel incompetent in his role as heir. Naruto was also powerful, cunning, politically skilled and was good at managing things far better than Madara ever could. His brother had all the necessary qualities their people needed from their next clan head, but not only was his brother despised because of his past actions, Naruto was also cast out of the line of succession leaving Madara helpless. But more importantly, his brother had never desired power or shown any interest in ruling which added further to Madara's dismay.

He was actually relieved when the door of their solar was slammed open and his brother marched in. However, Madara's smile faltered when he saw the absolute terrified expression in his brother's eyes.

In a second he was up on his feet startling Naori and quickly approached his younger brother.

"What is it, little brother?" asked Madara worriedly, and didn't miss his brother clenching his fist.

"Where's the ancestral tablet?" demanded Naruto in near panic,

Madara frowned, didn't his brother remember? However, Naruto looked to be on the verge of a mental breakdown until Naori immediately came forward and grabbed him in a fierce motherly hug.

At first the boy protested, but Madara saw his aunt was quite determined and didn't relent which made Naruto finally breathe and sink in her embrace. His brother was still shivering and Madara knew the boy enough that there was only one thing that could reduce his brother to such a panicked state.

Still, he kept his silence watching Naori whisper soothing words in Naruto's ears allowing the boy to calm down. It took a few long minutes, but neither Madara or Naori lost their patience which helped Naruto to calm down. When the boy seemed in control again, he gave Naori a wide grateful smile before kissing her cheeks affectionately earning a smile from her.

Madara felt jealousy course through his heart on seeing the unending love his brother had for their aunt. Granted, she had been like a mother to the boy but it still made Madara feel a little insecure.

It was supposed to be him and Naruto against the entire world, but it seemed that while their years of separation had not shattered their brotherly bond, it had also not been able to prevent another from taking an important place in Naruto's heart.

Yet, Madara kept his silence. He had no particular need for affections from either his aunt or father, he loved and cared for them, but he could fight his own battles as long as he had Naruto by his side. He had to suppress his bloodlust on imagining the situation if the Senjus had killed his last brother.

Gods knew how much restraint it had taken him and repeated pleadings from Naruto to stop Madara from ripping Tobirama apart limb from limb. That Senju had already killed Izuna and now he tried to take Madara's last brother from him?

Madara had never forgiven the Senjus for killing his brothers, he had once shared a friendship with Hashirama which had also gotten destroyed when he learned his friend was in truth the head of the clan that slaughtered his brothers.

He had to agree to negotiate because the Senjus had Dawn and even Madara knew the importance of that sword, most of all it was Naruto's pride and for his brother Madara was willing to set his bloodlust aside.

Temporarily.

One day he would still have justice against the Senjus for the murder of his brothers and clansmen. But he would wait for the right moment and then...

He would kill them all!

"Madara?"

He saw Naruto staring at him and it did not surprise Madara anymore that his brother always read through his thoughts no matter how much Madara tried to hide them. Madara wished he could say the same regarding his brother...

"You destroyed the Uchiha tablet that night with your own hands. Have you forgotten?" reminded Madara, with a frown and didn't miss Naruto sighing in relief.

Naori checked her nephew's forehead and asked, "Are you alright?"

"Just a bad dream" whispered Naruto, which was enough to pacify Naori but Madara saw through that lie easily and if not for Naruto's pleading gaze he would have called his brother out on that lie.

"Father will be arriving shortly" informed Madara, and saw the nastiest scowl arrive on his brother's face.

"I see"

Madara pretended to not notice the hostility and decided to bring his brother upto speed as to their next move.

"He brings with him a force of 7000 strong men from the Uchiha, Shimura, Aburame, Yuhi, Kurama, Namikaze and other smaller families" revealed Madara,

"That is not our full strength" suggested Naruto, earning a nod from his aunt.

"There is no need to bring all 10,000 of our fighters. Tajima knows what he's doing" she said confidently, and frowned when Naruto snorted insultingly.

"The Damiyo has 15,000 fighters and the Senjus must have brought a few thousand of their own to the Capital. If conflict starts, then we'll be outnumbered. Has the old man lost his wits?" asked Naruto sarcastically,

"Careful, brother" warned Madara, while he had little love for his father it didn't mean he would allow anyone to disrespect the man, even if it was his own brother.

"Are you defending father? You? After what he did to me" said Naruto in disbelief, his accusing eyes staring at Madara with unending fury and disappointment making Naori sigh.

"We respect the position, if not the man" reminded Madara patiently, earning a snarl from his little brother.

"I did everything that was asked of me, and he promised me that things would change between us. But even after all I have done, never once did he write to me or visit me even" said Naruto bitterly, almost taking an aggressive step towards Madara before Naori got in the way placing a restraining hand on his chest.

"He's a clan head, brother. He has many important duties" said Madara hesitantly, and winced when he himself realized how weak that excuse was. And it showed as Naruto stared at him with a clear betrayed look in his eyes.

"You've changed, brother"

Those words hurt Madara more than any blade ever had and the heartbroken look in his brother's eyes made him want to bonk Tajima on the head multiple times for placing him in this ridiculous situation; forced to choose between a father and a brother.

"Madara is only trying to keep the peace in the family. Naruto, he has fought more for you than anyone else" said Naori soothingly, but Naruto's accusing stare didn't relent. In fact, it became downright cold.

"Have it your way then, brother. But I am taking back what's mine when Father gets here.." snarled Naruto furiously, making Madara sigh.

"Don't do anything stupid, brother. Your reputation is improving, don't ruin it" warned Madara, earning a snort from the younger Uchiha.

"A dragon does not care for the opinion of sheep"

Naori saw Madara's eyebrows twitch which was a blatant warning that the man was about to snap, so she forcefully pushed both boys further away glaring at them both equally.

"Cool off your head, Naruto. You're clearly not having a good day..." she ordered,

"No-"

"Now"

Madara smirked on seeing the little runt squirm under their aunt's gaze before clenching his fists tightly. Naruto glared at his aunt receiving the same gesture from her but in the end he loved or atleast respected her enough to follow through with the order.

"Madara, get back to your paperwork" reminded Naori sternly,

It was Naruto's turn to smirk when he saw the groan that escaped from Madara's lips. Yet his triumph didn't last long as he realized something had changed between him and his brother.

There was a distance...

It was small, but there. He knew Madara still loved him and would protect him, but his brother was slowly being groomed to be more dutiful towards his responsibilities as heir of their clan. Being forced to be more objective than emotional, even if it meant going against Naruto.

He could see it in his brother's eyes that he didn't want it, but it was his duty.

But Naruto was not deterred by that, he had to fight his own battles rather than rely on his brother every single time.

He was a man now, and not the young boy who had needed protection from his brother all those years ago.

So, he gave a cut nod to his brother who returned the gesture with unmasked sadness in his eyes. Exchanging a glance with Naori, he walked out of the room.

It was evening and almost the entirety of the Uchiha, Hatake and Yamanaka population had assembled before the gates of the settlement.

Naruto dutifully stood beside his aunt and brother, flanked by the members of the Kinsguard as they all patiently waited.

The sound of thousands of footsteps made the ground tremble and Naruto didn't miss the slight shivering of the Yamanaka and he didn't blame them.

For the first man to clear out of the dense forest was riding atop a dark black warhorse. Dressed in blazing Uchiha armor, Tajima Uchiha still made many cower before him.

Naruto coldly stared at the man for whom he had once harbored affection, even love which was transformed into pure loathing over the years. Despite his dark emotions, he still couldn't help but admire the man's power.

Behind Tajima came thousands of the Uchiha bannermen, many holding the flags of their respective clans but it was the dragon banner that was fluttering the most, carried proudly by thousands of Uchiha.

He followed Madara and Naori's lead when they both knelt before their leader, his kinsguard and the remaining population following suit. While everyone had their heads bowed too, Naruto while kneeling never broke eye contact with the man.

There was not a flicker of emotion visible in Tajima's cold eyes which only glanced at him for a moment before nodding as he descended from his horse. Within seconds, the clan head was flanked by his supporters and the elders of the clan.

Naruto didn't miss the sheer loathing in the eyes of the elders, they had all wanted his head on a spike after that night and if not for Madara they would have had it. One glance at their sneering faces zeroing down on him, and he knew.

Tajima brushed past Naori and Madara ignoring them both only to step before his youngest son.

There was no joy, or surprise, or even fury in those cold and lifeless eyes as they motioned him to rise from his feet.

Naruto followed the command making sure his own eyes were the same as his father's.

"You lost Dawn..."

There was a time when those words would have stung, but that time was long gone for Naruto had expected nothing less from this cold man and his equally ambitious advisers.

They would not see why he relinquished their clan's greatest relic, they would not see the victory he brought them, nor would they accept any excuses from him.

"I did" replied Naruto, his voice as cold as ice.

It was Hotaru Uchiha, an elderly woman who stepped forward next. Naruto had not forgotten the fact that he had killed her brother that night earning the name Kinslayer. She had been out for his blood for a very long time, and now she had the chance.

"A vote was called among the clan. As the council represents the voice of the Uchiha people, we have deemed you guilty for deliberately handing over our family heirloom to our sworn enemy. A trial will be held to determine your guilt, and if proven then appropriate punishment shall be awarded" declared Hotaru loudly, earning shocked gasps from his supporters.

Naruto was not surprised having expected something like this, but his father' silence still stung him. This woman was accusing his son in front of their clan and allies, and yet he was silent despite knowing why Naruto had to do what he did.

But then again, the Uchiha people were represented by the Council and unanimously they could call for a vote which the clan head would be forced to pass. It was the only flaw to the rule of Naruto's family, which Tajima was duty bound to uphold.

Still, he was pleased that his friends and all those Uchiha, Hatake, and even Yamanaka whose lives were saved because of his actions were none too pleased. In fact, they looked downright furious but Tajima's cold gaze was enough to make them cower.

Madara and Naori tried to get close to Tajima surely to oppose this farce, but the clan head simply shook his head making them stop.

Naruto's once beating heart turned as cold as ice as he approached his father. Another elder, Itama tried to stop him but was swiftly made to step back when Naruto activated his sharingan glaring down at the man.

Father and son locked gazes with each other, with no emotion present in their eyes.

"I will never receive justice from this farce and I've had enough of this madness. I will not stand in this trial..." declared Naruto, earning outraged shouts from the elders and their hundreds of supporters.

For a moment, Tajima's eyes flickered with pride but it could be Naruto's imagination as he saw the older man glance back at him coldly.

"The law is the law..." announced Tajima,

Naruto smirked before unleashing his sword drawing shocked gasps from majority of the people. Ignoring the outraged cries, he pointed the weapon at his father.

"I challenge you to single combat..."

Stunned silence engulfed the entire crowd at his words, even Tajima blinked looking for the first time a bit startled. He glared at his youngest son for his open defiance warning him to back down, but Naruto didn't.

Tajima was well aware of this law. It could be used by any Uchiha to challenge their leader should they feel they could be a better leader of their clan. But in the strong patriarchal Uchiha society, nobody challenged their betters. Surely, various noble families vied for leadership but they worked from the shadows knowing openly challenging the hierarchy would mean doom for their entire family should they lose.

Naruto was the first to exercise this law and that too against his own father which had the entire clan and their allies alike stunned.

Even Madara had paled and Naori looked ready to faint.

His friends looked at him worriedly but Naruto's gaze was solely fixed on his father.

The elders who were previously confident now looked uncertain for if Naruto won then he would be the new clan head, and they didn't need anyone to tell them what the boy would do to them after all they did to him.

Tajima for all his power and shrewdness knew what his youngest son was capable of. There was a time when he could put down Naruto easily, but it had long since passed.

He was a warrior proven having many victories to his name, even claimed to be the finest swordsman in the elemental nations.

But at the same time if Tajima won, then he would be free to decide Naruto's fate and the young Uchiha doubted it would be anything pleasant. Certainly not after this open defiance, but it was now or never.

"Then I name Madara as my champion" announced Tajima with the tiniest of satisfied smiles,

The Uchiha clan head saw Naruto stagger for the first time as he glanced at his elder brother. There was no doubt Naruto was powerful, but Madara was a totally different beast. Most of all, Naruto would never raise his sword against his brother.

And Tajima knew that.

"Father-" protested Madara, only to have Tajima glare at him coldly.

"That was a command or will you betray me too just like your brother?" asked Tajima with the barest of hope visible in his eyes.

Naruto's heart broke on seeing so much hope and pride that his father had in his eyes for Madara. It was enough to make him see that nothing he would do would ever be enough for this man. At the same time, Tajima had not only ordered but requested his eldest son to remain loyal.

Glancing at the crowd, Naruto saw they were all looking at Madara anxiously. If his brother refused, then it would not only undermine their father but also make Madara unpopular. It could also endanger their family's rule over the clan and Naruto knew the elders and lesser noble families would exploit this incident to create further divide.

"I accept"

Madara watched in horror as those words escaped from his brother's lips. He wished it were his imagination, wished so badly for Naruto to set aside his acceptance, but his brother stared back at him with sadness but determination ever present in his eyes.

Their painful silence allowed Tajima to step forward and glance at the crowd...

"May the gods let the true dragon win"