Highlights
Madara Uchiha, a powerful and legendary shinobi, co-founded Konohagakure with Hashirama Senju to achieve their shared dream of peace.
Madara's animosity towards the rival Senju clan intensified following the demise of his brother Izuna, propelling him to acquire the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan in order to exact revenge. Discordance in their ideologies regarding peace and authority ultimately prompted Madara to abandon the village and instigate his Eye of the Moon Plan.
Madara Uchiha, one of the strongest shinobi in history, was the leader of the Uchiha clan during the Warring States Period in Naruto. He was known for being the only shinobi who could rival Hashirama Senju, and together, they founded the village of Konohagakure. Their alliance was driven by their shared dream of peace, which laid the groundwork for the hidden village system adopted by all the Five Great Shinobi Countries in Naruto.
As the revered leader of the Uchiha clan, Madara dedicated himself to improving the clan's status within Konohagakure. However, deep-rooted animosity between the Senju and Uchiha clans remained a challenge. Despite efforts to reconcile, many members were consumed by hatred, hindering progress. Over time, Hashirama's growing influence led to the Senju taking control of the village's governance. This, among other factors, compelled Madara to forsake the village, his clan, and his dream of peace, opting to confront the Senju and his former rival in battle.
Grieving His Brother's Loss
During the later part of the Warring States Period, Madara and his younger brother Izuna both awakened their Mangekyo Sharingan, attaining levels of power that surpassed most other Uchiha clan members. The Mangekyo, a result of immense grief and sorrow from the loss of comrades, family, and allies in battle, bestowed a power that surpassed the abilities of an average shinobi.
Despite this newfound strength, both Madara and Izuna were unable to overcome Hashirama, who couldn't bring himself to kill his childhood friend. Tragically, as the conflict between the rival Senju and Uchiha clans escalated, Izuna was slain by Tobirama Senju, Hashirama's younger brother. Witnessing this, Hashirama endeavored to reconcile the two clans, offering enticing propositions that attracted many Uchiha members. However, Madara consistently rejected these attempts, consumed by his desire for revenge against those responsible for his brother's death, as Izuna was his only remaining family at the time.
Madara, eager to attain eternal power, seized Izuna's eyes and acquired the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, a kekkei genkai that surpassed the limitations of the conventional Mangekyo Sharingan. With this newfound power, he launched a final, all-out assault on the Senju clan but was ultimately soundly defeated and compelled to surrender. Despite being cornered and outnumbered, Madara tenaciously refused to yield, until Hashirama, demonstrating a genuine gesture of goodwill, offered to sacrifice his own life as a means to halt the fighting. Touched by this remarkable act, Madara finally relinquished his deep-seated hatred and agreed to unite his forces with the Senju clan.
The Senju's Domination
The two rival clans found temporary peace and formed the village of Konohagakure. Along with their allies, various warring factions came together under the village's common banner. The village was named by Madara, while Hashirama, using his Wood Release kekkei genkai, laid the foundation for its infrastructure and architecture. It was meant to be a sanctuary for children, a place where they could be shielded from the hardships of war, a belief shared by Madara and Hashirama since their childhood friendship.
Unfortunately, this temporary pause in the conflict would not last, as Hashirama and Madara held contrasting views on peace. While Hashirama aimed to establish alliances between villages for cooperation, Madara followed a ruthless approach of exerting power to dominate other villages and nations. This was evident in his intimidation tactics towards Lord Mu, the Second Tsuchikage, and Onoki, his student, in order to ensure their submission to Konohagakure.
Within Konohagakure, the election of Hashirama as the First Hokage and the growing influence of the Senju clan in the village's affairs heightened Madara's concerns about his own clan becoming subordinate to their authority in the hierarchy. Despite Tobirama's insistence on a democratic election for the Hokage position, Madara feared that it would only solidify the Senju's control over the village, transforming it into an extension of their power rather than an institution dedicated to the village's welfare. Moreover, he could never escape the feeling that he was dishonoring his brother by collaborating with the Senju, planting the seeds for his eventual betrayal.
The Curse Of Hatred
Madara, feeling a renewed sense of pride and concern for his clan's safety, decided to abandon the peaceful vision he once shared with Hashirama. Despite Hashirama's pleas for him to work alongside him and succeed him as the Second Hokage, Madara refused to listen. He saw through Hashirama's plan and believed that Tobirama would ultimately become the Second Hokage, which would negatively impact the Uchiha's status in the village.
In addition, Madara had been studying the Uchiha Stone Tablet, which had been altered by Black Zetsu after Kaguya's death. Through this, he learned about the never-ending cycle of hatred between the Uchiha and Senju, as well as the history of the shinobi world and the failed attempts at reconciliation between the rival clans. He also discovered the secret of the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Seeing all of this, Madara viewed Konohagakure as yet another failed attempt at achieving peace. He tried to share this information with his clan and the rest of the village, but no one would listen.
As his reputation dwindled among the villagers, Madara succumbed completely to his Curse of Hatred. Recognizing that he had no other option, he launched multiple attacks on the village and eventually took control of the Nine-Tails to confront Hashirama. After a long and fierce battle, Hashirama finally found the determination to kill his former friend and rival. However, Madara had prepared an Izanagi to revive himself in the event of his death. Now, possessing Hashirama's DNA, which would grant him the Rinnegan later in life, Madara embarked on his Eye of the Moon Plan, lurking in the shadows of the shinobi world.
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