Since he started going to the battlefield, Ling felt that the days of recuperating from his injuries were so hard to endure for the first time.
Eating, changing bandages, and getting dressed...
Things that could have been easily accomplished were now difficult to do on his own even after making all kinds of mistakes. He might even aggravate his injuries because of some minor mistakes or omissions.
Just by losing his vision, Ling felt as if the world had abandoned him and was showing its Malice towards him without hesitation.
Ling slowly propped himself up against the wall, constantly recalling what had happened that day. All kinds of negative emotions welled up from the bottom of his heart.
[Not to mention fighting, after losing my eyes, just living a normal life is a huge challenge for me...]
[Although I told Father that I would pull myself together, can I really do it?]
[Moreover, can an Uchiha who has lost his Sharingan really be considered an Uchiha?]
But no matter how confused his thoughts were, at the moment he heard the paper door sliding, the unwillingness and resentment on Ling's face all faded away, leaving only a gentle smile. "Korega time... Is it Madara?"
Young Madara
After his voice fell, a childish voice pretending to be calm sounded. "Yes, it's me. Is your body feeling a little better, Brother?"
Listening to the footsteps getting closer and closer to him, Ling smiled. "Of course. I'm recovering well. There isn't much pain in my body now. I should be able to move normally in a few days."
Madara knelt down beside Ling with a medicine box in his hand. "Father talked to me yesterday and said that he wanted me to participate in the new heir selection..."
"Really? That's great. After all, Madara is so talented. I believe Madara can do better than I did back then."
"But don't you think the elders are being too much, Brother?" Madara pursed his lips and frowned tightly. "They didn't even wait for you, Brother, to recover from your injuries and attend the meeting before trying to deprive you of the heir position through that so - called vote..."
Ling was stunned for a moment and reached out in the direction where the voice came from. Soon he could feel his younger brother holding his hand. He held his younger brother's hand back and lowered his voice a little. "Madara, you can't just look at the surface of some things."
Hearing this, Madara got angry. "Then, at least they should wait until your injuries have recovered and you can attend the meeting before making a decision. It's just too much that they won't even let you participate and have deprived you of all your original rights. Not to mention the baseless rumors they're spreading within the clan!"
Right now, everyone in the clan is talking about you, big brother. They're saying you abandoned your mission and barely escaped from the Senju clan. They claim you were removed from the position of heir because of your improper conduct and that you had your eyes gouged out as punishment! But that's not the truth at all!"
Feeling the strength in the palm on his hand, Ling gave a somewhat helpless smile. "That's not it, Madara. The Grand Elder has already spoken to me about this. It was the result of our discussion, or rather, my own decision... There are many complex factors involved in this matter."
"What's so complicated? They're just twisting the truth! Big brother, you completed the mission brilliantly and successfully disrupted the Senju's supply line, giving us an edge in this battle. The rumors in the clan about you are nothing but slander!"
Although Ling was touched by Madara's defending him, he still softened his tone to explain. "My actions this time, while giving our Uchiha clan an advantage, undoubtedly enraged the Senju clan.
When comparing the situations of the two clans, the emotions of our Uchiha clan members will surely change. Our Uchiha clan will undoubtedly want to press on with the attack, but the Senju clan won't show weakness. When the conflict breaks out, more Uchiha clan members will die.
But if we change the nature of this matter and spread the covered-up side, then the Uchiha clan members will focus on my mistakes and be more vigilant about the actions of the Senju clan. After we get through the period when the Senju are most furious, their momentum will decline, and we Uchiha can win at the lowest cost.
After the war ends, we can reveal the truth, clear my name, and enhance my reputation at the same time. All I need to do is endure the gossip for a while. This is already a pretty good outcome."
Looking at the gentle smile on Ling's face, Madara felt like he had nowhere to vent his anger. "But aren't you even a little angry about being slandered by them, big brother?!"
"As the heir, the most important thing is to think about the big picture as much as possible... Madara, you'll have to learn to think about these things in the future."
Madara wanted to retort, but seeing the gentle smile on his elder brother's lips, he suddenly stopped. He pursed his lips and lowered his head. "But I can never compare to you, big brother. You had already awakened your Sharingan and entered the battlefield at my age, but I still haven't obtained the Sharingan...
If it weren't for those damned Senju, big brother would have been the most talented person in the Uchiha clan. You should have had a bright future. Once I'm on the battlefield, I'll never let those hateful Senju off!!"
Ling felt even more helpless. "Madara, maybe you won't believe it, but although we Uchiha and the Senju are old enemies, and I won't show mercy when facing the Senju, I don't actually hate the Senju clan. In the current situation, the only thing I hate is my own lack of strength."
"What about Brother Shun and mother? They were killed by the Senju clan! How can you not hate the Senju, big brother?!"