"So..." Uchiha Masaki drawled lazily, the smile on the corner of his mouth carrying a hint of intimidation. "Do you, this arrogant little punk, understand why no one dares to mess with the Uchiha?"
Madara, who had been a bit chilled at the fingertips because of what Uchiha Ryo and Uchiha Masaki had said, immediately rolled his eyes. Did they think he was scared so easily?
Uchiha Ryo didn't immediately notice the little tiff between the two. He just nodded slightly. "Well, as Masaki said, after that incident, the Uchiha clan gradually came into the public eye and was no longer content to stay in a corner. It was also from then on that they were given the title [Madmen]."
"Well, I can understand the contributions our ancestors made for us, but..." Madara showed a somewhat troubled expression. "What does this have to do with the struggles among the ninja clans?"
"Pfft, haha, You, little brat, have good martial - arts talent, but you have no comprehension in this regard at all." Uchiha Masaki put his hand on Uchiha Ryo's shoulder and laughed frivolously. "Looking at you like this, you're really innocent~"
Madara's brow twitched, and he secretly gritted his back teeth. He decided in his heart that when he was strong enough, he would punch this guy in the face hard.
"Masaki, stop teasing Madara." Uchiha Ryo sighed with a bit of helplessness. "You weren't much better back in the day. Do you want me to tell Madara about your affairs?"
Uchiha Masaki's laughter suddenly got stuck in his throat, and his voice became plaintive. "Uchiha Ryo, among so many of our peers, why do you always pick on me? Can't you pick someone else to 'shear the wool' from?"
"When did I always pick on you?" Uchiha Ryo looked even more helpless. After giving a soft sigh, he raised his hand to support his forehead. "Really, where was I?"
Uchiha Masaki whispered, "You were saying that your brother has no comprehension at all."
"Masaki, you... sigh," Uchiha Ryo sorted out his thoughts and turned in Madara's direction. "Madara just asked what all this has to do with the disputes among the ninja clans, right?"
"Yes." Madara nodded. "I really can't figure out what the fact that our Uchiha are called madmen has to do with the struggles among the ninja clans."
"In that case, Madara, I'll ask you: Why was our clan initially bullied by others?" Uchiha Ryo showed no expression on his face. "Was it because we shouldn't have repaid that person's kindness? Or was it because we shouldn't have let that person spread our clan's information? Or was it because our clan lacked the strength to fight back?"
"No, that person saved a member of our clan. It was right to repay his kindness. Moreover, information like this would spread sooner or later, so it's not a big deal. As for strength..." Madara curled his fingers slightly. After a brief moment of thought, he shook his head. "Since our clan was able to retaliate against those who had harmed us in such a way in the end, it's obvious that we're not weak."
"Then why did our non - weak clan become an item in the eyes of others to exchange for rewards?"
Madara frowned deeply, looking extremely conflicted. "Because... because it has no fame?"
"That's right, but that's only part of it," Uchiha Ryo nodded slightly. "Another major reason is that the Uchiha clan didn't fight back at that time."
"Didn't fight back?" Madara cocked his head. "Why would not fighting back be a reason for being invaded?"
"If Madara can't figure it out, you can put yourself in the situation," Uchiha Ryo said with a gentle smile. "Think about what happened when you didn't fight back."
"When I didn't fight back..." Madara recalled his experiences from childhood to adulthood. "People would pick on me... Ah."
"So, how did Madara handle it?"
"I fought back."
"And after you fought back?"
"After I fought back, they avoided me when they saw me..." At this point, Madara seemed to understand. "So, big brother, this time you went to the Land of Lightning not only to avenge your friend but also to warn the Hyuga clan?"
"That's right," Uchiha Ryo nodded with a gentle smile. "As I told Madara before, in order to preserve their strength, major ninja clans usually don't target each other's training teams.
Even the Senju clan, almost our sworn enemies, won't attack the young trainees of the Uchiha clan outside the period of battles between the two clans.
After all, attacking the young members of a clan not only means declaring war on that clan but also shows their contempt for it.
In such a situation, one must never back down. If you show weakness and remain silent, the enemies you have to face will no longer be just the provoking clan. All the enemies with grudges will follow them and pounce on you, tearing you to pieces. Even those who have no grudges with you won't mind stepping on you...
The battles between ninja clans start silently, but if you're not careful, they will devour you completely. So when the other side knows your identity but still deliberately provokes a conflict, you must never show weakness.
Because at that time, you no longer represent just yourself but the clan behind you."
"Well, in that case, it's indeed fundamentally different from ordinary fights..." Madara nodded thoughtfully. "But in that case, why doesn't the clan just send its stronger members to respond to the provocation? Why did big brother have to step in?"
"The fundamental reason why the other side dared to provoke is that they think you're not strong enough," Uchiha Ryo patiently explained. "In such a situation, only a peer or a junior responding to the provocation can provide better deterrence."
"Well, it's probably to convey the idea of [You're not even as good as our clan's junior. How dare you provoke us?]" Uchiha Masaki timely interjected. "And sending a peer or a junior also means not wanting to escalate the conflict.
In short, it's like saying - [You sent a junior to provoke, and I'm also sending a junior to respond. It's just a scuffle between juniors. The clan doesn't need to step in, right?]"
Madara nodded slightly and fell into deep thought.
Uchiha Masaki glanced at Madara, who was deep in thought, and spoke up again. "Now that you've finished lecturing your brother, let's talk about something serious."
"Huh? What is it?"
Seeing Uchiha Ryo turn around, Uchiha Masaki frowned and grumbled, "... The root of the problem lies in the Land of Lightning. There are also clan members who are going to handle affairs at the Ancestral Land on this trip. It might not be appropriate if things really get out of hand."
"Heh... What's inappropriate about it?" Ryo smiled. "It's not the Uchiha who are targeting the Hyuga clan. After all, as a great clan, we should have the tolerance of a great clan.
But the nobles of the Land of Lightning, whose interests have been damaged, are different. They won't tolerate those 'lowly weapons (referring to the Hyuga clan)'. They won't let them reach for the cake on their plates."
When Uchiha Masaki heard Ryo's words, he automatically translated them in his mind as - they wouldn't let this trip to the Land of Lightning pass without making the Hyuga clan suffer for their provocation.
[The Hyuga clan is in for it.]
This thought involuntarily popped up in Uchiha Masaki's mind. But as much as he sympathized, did he really want to show mercy?
Thinking about his poor nose bridge, he decided to forget it.