Chapter 221: "Madara Uchiha: Isshiki's Jinchuriki"

Madara Uchiha's voice faded from Obito's mind.

Being able to trigger this genjutsu so precisely was due to A-Huo's persuasion. Madara had made some minor modifications to the curse he had previously placed on Obito to prevent him from revealing his identity...

This made Madara's overarching plan appear incredibly far-sighted.

It gave the impression of a mastermind who had seen through everything over the past year or so...

"So it was the Hell Viewing Technique?"

"Damn it, I knew the Great Clan Head was lying to me back then! How could there be a jutsu that erases my memories of Lord Hokage, Kakashi, and Rin just by saying his name..."

Obito's eyes were still brimming with tears of blood, yet his demeanor was like that of a child who had just recovered a beloved lost toy, hastily wiping away his tears.

"This is so embarrassing."

"I've been training for over a year, and I still fell for a genjutsu of this level! If Mu and Uncle Gengetsu find out, they'll laugh at me for a long time!"

"The Great Clan Head is truly good to me. Even though his face is always cold and he never even smiles..."

The Hell Viewing Technique was a genjutsu that made the target see their deepest fears.

However, because its structure wasn't very intricate, it was easily detected by enemies, making it a very basic "D-Rank" jutsu.

Although the primary criterion for ninjutsu grading is the difficulty of learning it, for the vast majority of jutsu, the difficulty of mastery is directly proportional to the power it yields upon completion. Those with a poor return on investment regarding cultivation are naturally optimized out.

It's just that Obito was still too easy to fool.

Could a Hell Viewing Technique cast with a Rinnegan possibly be the same as the one he knew?

But the naive Obito simply felt his skills were lacking.

The scene he saw within the genjutsu this time was a warning and a test from Madara Uchiha.

It was also a graduation gift...

Not only did he have limbs crafted from Tobi's cells, but he also had a brand-new, factory-fresh pair of Mangekyo Sharingan...

"Oh, right!" Obito reflected for a long time before suddenly freezing.

He was a Mangekyo Uchiha now!

And according to the knowledge he had acquired, having half his body comprised of Tobi, the Son of the God Tree, seemed to make him different from other Uchiha...

His Mangekyo Sharingan didn't carry the risk of blindness; even with overuse, he only needed to rest a bit to recover.

"My visual jutsu is called..."

"Kamui?"

Obito read the information brought by his bloodline awakening, paused for a moment, and then burst into wild laughter at the sky:

"Hahahahahahahaha!"

This is too exaggerated. A Mangekyo visual jutsu like this actually exists?

After understanding Kamui's abilities, even Obito himself couldn't suppress his laughter...

Because it was simply too incredibly useful!

The left eye grants intangibility to dodge damage; the right eye warps space for high damage.

Compared to Izuna's "Kuramitsuha," which required intense micro-management, Kamui was practically an absolute crutch...

If he didn't have Tobi's body, Obito would have to constantly calculate the timing for his intangibility, meticulously managing the windows of engagement, and figuring out when to actively use it to conserve visual prowess...

But with Madara Uchiha having single-handedly constructed his combat framework, Obito didn't even need to worry about that.

In truth, neither Madara nor the other Kage could have anticipated that Obito's Mangekyo would possess such an overpowered ability as Kamui—a tremendously strong contender for the title of the strongest visual jutsu in the Uchiha clan's millennium-long history.

"Hehe..."

"He even gave me a house! And a large, single-floor apartment at that..."

Sensing the existence of the Kamui dimension, Obito wore a goofy grin:

"In the future, if Rin and I get together, it seems we can buy a smaller house. The financial pressure won't be as big..."

"Maybe we can even buy one in the inner second ring! Right next to Lord Hokage's house..."

"We can just toss things like the wardrobe and miscellaneous items into the Kamui dimension. How convenient!"

Since Konoha had essentially become the center of the Land of Fire, Land of Water, and Land of Rain, coupled with constantly innovating technology, it had practically become the core of the entire shinobi world.

Whether in terms of economy, culture, or influence.

Therefore, if one wanted to own a great house in Konoha's inner ring, the price was naturally a core factor.

And whether anyone was willing to sell was another aspect to consider.

Many times, it wasn't even a matter of money anymore...

Obito walked up to a tree trunk, his arm entering an intangible state. He phased his arm into the trunk, experiencing the bizarre sensation.

He was also evaluating his own visual prowess.

"Maintaining continuous intangibility for three to five minutes is no problem. Pushing it for an explosive burst of six to seven minutes is also doable..."

Obito made an assessment, exhaled a long breath, and flashed a massive smile:

"This time, Kakashi will have a hard time beating me!"

"Shisui won't be able to either, and even Big Brother Ao..."

But the moment he thought of Tobirama, Obito stopped his fantasies and shivered involuntarily.

On paper, Obito felt he was actually stronger than his Big Brother Ao.

The problem, however, was that real combat isn't a simple comparison of stats.

Various unexpected factors and on-the-spot calculations during battle are of paramount importance.

Within the Uchiha clan, after the Third Great Ninja War, even his own clansmen were unwilling to spar with their pride and joy, "Ao," anymore.

Because everyone knew he possessed the direct bloodline of the Second Hokage. At his age, he had inherited a series of Tobirama's jutsu and was incredibly proficient with the combination of Edo Tensei and Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags.

And he had a whole array of dirty tricks, like soul-binding jutsu and the like...

In the Uchiha clan, sparring between peers also required going all out.

At the very least, they couldn't hold back against each other. But Tobirama's jutsu were clearly very unsuitable for sparring...

"Wait!"

"I think I forgot something important!" Obito realized belatedly.

Only at this moment did he remember Madara's strict instruction not to reveal his identity upon returning to Konoha.

On his left is Lord Hokage; on his right is the Great Clan Head...

Doesn't this make him the filling in an Oreo?!

"Lord Second is truly innocent. The Great Clan Head is far too ruthless when taking revenge. Now everyone thinks all the bad things were done by Lord Second..." Obito muttered to himself: "Although Lord Second isn't entirely innocent! He targeted Big Brother Ao's parents so much, but I've heard he was also Lord Hokage's teacher..."

But the most critical point was:

How could he tell Lord Hokage the truth without damaging his bond with Madara?

To let Lord Hokage know that the Great Clan Head's ideology was currently flawed, and that the mastermind behind the scenes wasn't his teacher, but the Asura of the Shinobi World whom everyone thought was dead.

"But the Great Clan Head told me..."

"If I value my bond with him, I am forbidden to say a word."

"According to Mr. A-Huo's interpretation, did the Great Clan Head essentially acknowledge me as his god-grandson just now?"

Obito felt a massive headache coming on.

It seemed loyalty and filial piety couldn't both be achieved...

"What should I do?!"

Although he had been cultivating in seclusion at the Mountains' Graveyard for over a year, making rapid progress in all aspects.

But when it came to his shortcoming in "wisdom," Obito still hadn't compensated for it fully...

Or rather, not many of the Warring States weirdos were actually logically sound.

Only the Second Raikage and Mu were, but they weren't responsible for all of Obito's training. In the realm of strategy and intellect, Madara interacted directly with Obito, but the Asura of the Shinobi World was clearly not a very good educator.

And just as Obito was wracking his brains, A-Huo slowly emerged from the ground and coughed lightly.

Obito turned around in pleasant surprise, immediately throwing his arms around A-Huo's neck: "Mr. A-Huo! You're finally here. Please tell me what I should do, the situation is—"

A-Huo waved its hand:

"I know all about the situation! You really are something else. Didn't I tell you Lord Madara would test you?"

"And you still ended up like this. I don't even know what to say to you!"

A-Huo genuinely had given Obito a preventative shot.

Even though doing so might have prevented Obito from successfully awakening his Mangekyo, thereby losing significant combat power.

However, based on the Hokage's speech during his eleventh inspection of the Scientific Research Department, A-Huo, after repeatedly studying it, profoundly understood a fundamental truth:

Uncontrolled, chaotic power will only have adverse effects...

If you can't control it, it's better not to have it at all!

This was also Hiruzen Sarutobi's most fundamental line of thought when instructing Orochimaru, Hiruko, and the others in researching "Hashirama's cells," "Kekkei transplants," and "Curse Marks."

What's the point of creating so many freaks?

They might be strong, but if they stand in opposition to Konoha due to various side effects, the losses will outweigh the gains.

Konoha needs Warriors of the Will of Fire, not unstable elements lost in the pursuit of power.

"I'm sorry, Mr. A-Huo..."

Obito lowered his head in embarrassment, like a student being reprimanded by a teacher.

"You might feel that awakening your Mangekyo Sharingan through recklessness and carelessness is a blessing in disguise. Are you perhaps feeling a bit unrepentant in your heart?" A-Huo crossed its arms and said sternly:

"Let me tell you, it's only your talent and bloodline that made you lucky. But your inability to think calmly and judge the situation has been completely exposed!"

"You must strictly control this in the future. When your emotions get the better of you, you disregard everything. If an enemy exploits this and you make a terrible mistake, it will be too late to make amends!"

A-Huo continuously administered preventative shots to Obito.

Being lucky once is one thing, but will he be this lucky a second time?

People often have the deepest memories when their emotions are turbulent.

For this approach with Obito, A-Huo was referencing how the Lord Hokage had Danzo self-reflect during the "Fireside Chats"...

It all had strict points of reference!

If Obito was the "leaf" of the village's future, then A-Huo would be his "root"...

"I understand, I understand, Mr. A-Huo..."

Obito nodded like a chicken pecking at grain, tightly grasping A-Huo's pale arm:

"Mr. A-Huo, what should I do now?"

"The Great Clan Head said I'm not allowed to talk about him even after returning to the village. But I've been missing from Konoha for over a year, and Lord Hokage has visited my grandmother several times..."

"The kids at the Ninja Academy have used me as material for so many model essays!"

"Going back covered in Tobi's cells and possessing a Mangekyo Sharingan, it's impossible for me to not say a word! Moreover, the village's protocols will definitely subject me to inspections. I can't just stiffen my neck and oppose the village, can I?"

Obito was so anxious he was practically sweating.

To him, his own life was certainly important, but letting down the people important to him was a far more terrifying prospect.

"Regarding this matter of yours..."

A-Huo chuckled. Seeing Obito's expression grow increasingly anxious amidst its hesitant tone, it curled the corner of its mouth and dragged out its words:

"There is actually a way to solve it!"

"Mr. A-Huo, please teach me!" Obito was overjoyed.

"It's very simple..."

"First, if you don't want to be deceived by others in the future, you must remember: no matter what happens, as long as Lord Hokage is there, you must absolutely trust him."

"Keep this firmly in mind, and you won't stray from the right path. Do you understand?"

A-Huo said earnestly.

"Yes, that's actually what I was thinking too, but I'll make sure to pay even closer attention to it!"

Obito nodded gravely.

"So, following this line of thought..."

"Once you return to Konoha, find a way to avoid contact with anyone else. Go directly and report your experiences over the past year to Lord Hokage."

"Regarding your training, intel on the Mangekyo, intel on the Mountains' Graveyard..."

"Just don't mention Lord Madara."

Obito blinked: "But will that work?"

"It will work."

"Because Lord Madara only forbade you from mentioning his identity. Anything he hasn't explicitly forbidden implies that Lord Madara has tacitly permitted you to do it." A-Huo shrugged: "With Lord Madara's intellect, he wouldn't make such an oversight."

"Furthermore, you must understand that Lord Hokage does not believe Lord Madara is his teacher, Tobirama Senju. He is the only person in all of Konoha who has consistently maintained this stance..."

"Don't overthink it. Perhaps by the time you're halfway through your confession, Lord Hokage will already understand and won't let you speak Lord Madara's name."

"Some things have no weight until they are placed on the scale; once spoken, they carry the weight of a thousand pounds!"

A-Huo said with profound emotion:

"Tobirama Senju is a dead man, so he can bear infinite debts. But Lord Madara will return to Konoha sooner or later. You need to slowly digest this point..."

Obito listened in a daze.

"It's normal if you can't comprehend it right now."

"Simply put, everything Lord Madara has done—such as his actions towards Yashiro Uchiha, reviving these Kage, making Ao Uchiha realize the Flying Raijin isn't omnipotent, including his designs for you..."

"And his upcoming series of actions, are all to ensure Konoha can grow robustly, preventing it from becoming a greenhouse flower after losing external pressure..."

"You can understand this, right?"

A-Huo looked at Obito.

Obito slowly nodded.

If Madara's plan had been like his past ones—forcing Kakashi and Rin to slaughter each other in the most brutal manner, making twisted emotions manifest in reality...

Obito wouldn't have understood a damn thing!

But over the past year or so, under A-Huo's mediation and assists, Obito had experienced what it felt like to have a "great-grandfather who loves him but is extraordinarily strict"...

Coming to this final step, listening to A-Huo explain Madara's designs for him, and even allowing him to return to the village as a strategic retreat...

The logic suddenly aligned perfectly.

This was absolutely not something a bad person would do; rather, it stemmed from a profound love for the village in his heart...

It's just that this love was a bit extreme, and carried a strong flavor of the Asura of the Shinobi World.

"Don't rush to return to the village just yet."

"Lord Madara has instigated a war between Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Konoha. After this battle, Lord Hokage's prestige will reach a new peak."

"This is Lord Madara helping Lord Hokage engage in proactive warfare. Lord Hokage truly loves peace too much."

"Lord Madara will also use this turmoil to take over Iwagakure and Kumogakure, turning them completely into controllable 'unresolved external conflicts for Konoha'..."

A-Huo racked its brain to make Madara's intentions sound as pleasant as possible:

"Let's just watch from here for now! You are essentially half-Tobi anyway. You can communicate with me via telepathy at any time, and you can also connect to the White Zetsu network..."

"There are still some details regarding your return to the village that I need to slowly explain to you..."

Obito nodded earnestly.

Despite A-Huo telling him so much, Obito essentially only kept three points in his head.

First, trust Lord Hokage unconditionally. If there's something he can't figure out, go talk to Lord Hokage...

Second, Mr. A-Huo is his brain.

Third, the Great Clan Head has a difficult personality; he has to find a way to help whitewash his reputation!

"Sigh, Lord Madara..."

A-Huo and Obito sat cross-legged under the shade of a tree: "You need to pay more attention to his affairs. When people get old, their thinking always becomes very stubborn, so occasionally it's like..."

A-Huo pointed to its head, implying he was mentally unwell.

But it wasn't appropriate to say it out loud.

Obito nodded knowingly, deeply agreeing with this.

Because he also felt the Great Clan Head sometimes acted like he had split personalities, his way of thinking constantly changing...

As for how to ultimately whitewash Madara, even someone as capable as A-Huo felt a massive headache coming on.

It even wanted to truly resurrect Tobirama Senju!

Madara would inevitably expose his identity sooner or later; they had to find a way to shift the blame off his shoulders...

Otherwise, it would be hard to explain once he returned to the village...

It wasn't that A-Huo wanted to secretly criticize Madara, but after serving him for all these years, A-Huo truly felt that Madara's emotional fluctuations were sometimes even larger than Obito's!

If they didn't sort out this series of events smoothly, when inexplicable situations arose later, there was no telling what crazy ideas the old man's heart might conjure up... After all, Madara would still occasionally bring up the incident where a little girl cried after seeing him back in the day, just to vent to A-Huo...

And just as A-Huo was wracking its brain, unable to find a logical way to whitewash Madara.

At this moment, an Otsutsuki the size of a grain of rice arrived at the Mountains' Graveyard...

Isshiki Otsutsuki surveyed Madara's hiding place and sighed softly.

No wonder it took him so long to find it!

If Ashina Uzumaki hadn't appeared, prompting Isshiki to specifically monitor the White Zetsu network by following the clues, who knows how long he would have had to wander the shinobi world before discovering this place!

Does this guy really hate leaving the house that much?

What Isshiki didn't know was that let alone a year or two, Madara used to stay here in increments of decades.

It was only after Madara absorbed the power of all creation modified by Nagato's Rinnegan that his physical condition improved slightly.

Coupled with the need for an open space when training Obito, he had finally stepped out the door.

As for the other Six Paths puppets, those old fossils naturally had no need for sunlight either.

Usually, they were either helping train Obito or gathering together to banter and sharply critique the major hidden villages and Kage of the shinobi world.

They chatted with immense joy!

"So this is the so-called Gedo Statue?"

"The husk and the chakra of the Ten-Tails have been separated..."

"Kaguya's son truly is formidable to have achieved this. He is a powerhouse even among the Otsutsuki. Momoshiki... at least Urashiki and the others lack this capability."

"Truly worthy of being the descendant of the demoted 'Main Branch'..."

Isshiki hovered before the Gedo Statue, his eyes narrowed, whispering inwardly:

"Kaguya, you didn't expect this, did you? You bastard violated the clan's taboo, yet you suffered the backlash before I even had to make a move, sealed away by the offspring you yourself spawned!"

At the thought of this, Isshiki felt his luck was truly terrible.

When the Otsutsuki Clan conducts tree-planting activities, they generally operate in pairs.

One from the Main Branch and one Guardian. The Guardian can be understood as the Branch Family of the Hyuga Clan.

When planting the God Tree, the "Branch Family" member offers themselves as a catalyst to accelerate the process.

Upon arriving in the shinobi world, Isshiki was the Main Branch, while Kaguya served as the "Guardian."

The problem, however, was that Kaguya, this "Branch Family" member and "Guardian," was extremely unique.

Because she wasn't born into it; she was demoted to it due to her personality and efficiency repeatedly failing to meet standards!

The former Kaguya possessed top-tier talent even within the Otsutsuki Clan. However, her mindset was fundamentally incompatible with the tone of the Otsutsuki Clan, and she botched numerous missions...

Therefore, she was demoted to "Guardian" and partnered with Isshiki.

Isshiki gazed at the Gedo Statue and sighed yet again.

"If that weren't the case, how could I have possibly been sneak-attacked by a 'Guardian'?"

If it had been any other Otsutsuki Branch Family member, for instance, Kinshiki, who partnered with Momoshiki.

Isshiki wouldn't have cared in the slightest if the other party tried to sneak attack him, because even if they hit him, it would be meaningless.

There was a dimensional gap between them.

But it just had to be Kaguya!

To put it into perspective, it felt something like "Branch Family Hinata counter-killing Main Branch Neji"...

"That shinobi named Hiruzen Sarutobi had a very good saying."

Isshiki Otsutsuki had visited Konoha. Although he couldn't acquire Hiruzen Sarutobi, he had read many quotes on the noticeboards, quite a few of which he found very reasonable.

"Know shame, and then find courage!"

"Because of the unique nature of this planet, the shinobi world, I let the massive power within it go to my head. To think I actually underestimated you, a demoted 'failure'..."

"But as long as I endure this, and transform this bitter fruit into my motivation and warning."

"I will progress even faster than I did at my peak!"

Isshiki's eyes were filled with ambition: "I will cultivate deeply in the shinobi world, obtain everything that surpasses my peers, and even the treasure of the Supreme Being of the Otsutsuki Clan..."

"However, this planet, the shinobi world, is still far too bizarre."

During his millennium in the shinobi world, on one hand, Isshiki recuperated from his injuries.

On the other hand, he also discovered that on this planet, there seemed to be traces of the Otsutsuki from tens of thousands of years ago, a time long before he and Kaguya arrived to plant the tree...

Furthermore, these were traces concerning the "Kage" of the Otsutsuki Clan, Shibai, the strongest Clan Head in history.

This individual very likely attained ascension on this very planet!

Consequently, Isshiki had once been mesmerized by this immense treasure.

He searched blindly in the shinobi world like a headless fly for a long time but yielded no results, merely accumulating clue after clue in his hands.

But after witnessing Hiruzen Sarutobi fight Gengetsu Hozuki and Mu, Isshiki suddenly woke up.

A mortal, without even a manifest bloodline, elevating his tier of life step by step, clumsily and comically simulating the Kekkei Mora he envisioned.

Yet even so, he had achieved significant results.

And looking at himself, he claimed to be searching for the God of the Otsutsuki Clan, yet he had achieved nothing in hundreds of years, to the point where his vessel's lifespan was nearly exhausted!

Doing grounded, practical work seemed to be the ultimate realization.

"In my current state, even if I obtained that person's remains, what could I do? Even at my peak, I couldn't digest it immediately; it would require extensive research..."

"This is yet another lesson!"

"I cannot aim too high; I must proceed step by step. I absolutely cannot be inferior to a lower life form in terms of temperament!"

For some reason, Hiruzen Sarutobi's image surfaced in Isshiki's mind.

This proud Otsutsuki sighed once again.

What a wonderful vessel!

If it were Hiruzen Sarutobi, Isshiki even thought that perhaps after possessing him, they could chat about cultivation...

Although shinobi are undeniably inferior life forms, towards Hiruzen Sarutobi, who could simulate an Otsutsuki on his own, Isshiki was willing to offer him some respect.

Treating him with the status of half an Otsutsuki!

"It's a pity Kaguya's son chose Hiruzen Sarutobi. That leaves me with no choice but to use this decaying vessel..." Isshiki looked at Madara Uchiha, who was deep in thought nearby, and curled his lip.

He'd just have to make do!

Compared to Hiruzen Sarutobi's physical body, although Madara Uchiha possessed the so-called "Power of All Creation," one glance revealed internal deficits, and the upper limit wasn't high.

He was still walking the path of the Otsutsuki bloodline, which offered no novelty to Isshiki.

It wasn't even half as attractive as Hiruzen Sarutobi's "Sealing Jutsu Architecture" and the "Kekkei Mora Lite Version"!

"But it's still better than Jigen as a vessel."

"I cannot repeat the mistakes of the past. If I keep being picky, it will ruin everything!"

His enemy now wasn't just Kaguya.

The Sage of Six Paths gave Isshiki a feeling of being far more threatening than Kaguya...

That woman had only been formidable once in her life, and unfortunately, he was the one who ran into it.

But afterward, she failed miserably as always, failing to even maintain a good relationship with the offspring she herself produced...

No matter how good her talent was, with a brain like that, she would never accomplish anything in this lifetime!

Isshiki steadied his mind.

"Being able to find a vessel for reincarnation once again in the shinobi world is already a good thing..."

"This one will have to do!"

Reaching the goal in one step would naturally be ideal.

But with the Sage of Six Paths holding him back, he could only use Madara Uchiha to improve his situation first.

The rice-grain-sized Isshiki remained hidden, slowly entering Madara Uchiha's body through his ear. The power known as "Karma" was planted slowly and stealthily within him!

"Karma" contained all the information and power of Isshiki Otsutsuki.

Once the transcription was successful, Madara Uchiha would become Isshiki Otsutsuki.

And Madara himself would naturally become the sacrifice for this rebirth.

And during this process, "Karma" would provide Madara Uchiha with new power.

Every time this power was used, or if the reincarnate didn't resist, the speed of transcription would gradually accelerate. This was a design meant to induce the vessel to succumb.

Isshiki could also follow the progress of the transcription, gradually interfering with Madara's thoughts and controlling his actions...

Ultimately becoming the master of this body!

Isshiki slowly closed his eyes.

The power of "Karma" flowed and took root within Madara Uchiha.

On the back of Madara's neck, near the spinal canal, an inconspicuous black mark gradually appeared.

This time, Isshiki decided to slow down his pace.

First, use Madara's identity as a cover to establish an organization in the shinobi world that could probe the intelligence of various factions for him, and only then proceed to take further action.

"Battles between shinobi are battles of intelligence..."

Isshiki muttered softly within Madara Uchiha's body: "There is truth in these words. Even for the Otsutsuki Clan, intelligence is an incredibly vital component."

Madara Uchiha, one of the masterminds of the shinobi world, had attracted the much deeper Isshiki Otsutsuki after becoming active and exposing his traces.

The entire hidden side of the shinobi world was like a Dark Forest...

Every player was meticulously hiding their tracks.

Once exposed, if they lacked decisive strength, they could be silently devoured by others...

However, what Isshiki didn't know was...

Even without the Sage of Six Paths, in his current state, if he had entered Hiruzen Sarutobi's body, it would absolutely not have been as smooth as it was within Madara Uchiha's.

Because the sealing jutsu within Hiruzen Sarutobi's body was definitely primitive to an Otsutsuki.

If Six Paths: Chibaku Tensei was a prison made of fine steel, then the seals within Hiruzen Sarutobi were like several dozen layers of duct tape.

Although primitive, with enough layers accumulated, it would still be enough to cause serious trouble for a less-than-peak Isshiki...

Moreover, this was also a substantive manifestation of the Will of Fire.

As the saying goes, a just cause enjoys abundant support, while an unjust cause finds scant support. For Hiruzen Sarutobi, who upheld the Will of Fire and the principles of Ninshu, being noticed by the Sage of Six Paths could be considered a coincidence, but in a sense, it was also an inevitability.

"What's going on..."

Madara Uchiha suddenly shuddered, but felt a warm current surging within him.

He looked up at the Gedo Statue and nodded thoughtfully:

"Is my extraction of the Gedo Statue's Power of All Creation making progress? I originally thought it still wouldn't mend my source, but it seems to be manifesting progressively. Luck is finally on my side..."

"Or did Hiruzen's performance inspire me? Making my blood boil..."

Madara Uchiha stared at his hands and smiled slightly.

Regardless, this was a good thing!

A youthful body was an obsession he had craved for decades...

Sensing Madara Uchiha's mood, Isshiki also smiled.

That's right...

Embrace my power, accelerate the transcription process!

And far across the shinobi world.

The Sage of Six Paths, who was currently making ramen, picked up a towel to wipe his forehead and smiled as well.

He maintained inextricably linked connections with every reincarnate of Indra and Asura...

If Isshiki wandered the shinobi world, it would be difficult for the Sage of Six Paths to pinpoint his exact location.

By proactively seeking out Madara Uchiha, he had actually locked down his own position...

"Tsk..."

"It seems I need to make some minor adjustments..."

"How should I adjust it? This is a major issue; I still need to prioritize fairness and balance..."

The Sage of Six Paths pondered seriously.

"Let's go, it's time for us to mediate the shinobi world!"

Madara Uchiha draped Tobi over himself, feeling the vitality of a physical body, and waved his hand grandly:

"It's time for the Akatsuki to officially take over Iwagakure and Kumogakure. Let's go have a chat with Hiruzen Sarutobi!"

And right at this moment.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was galloping across the battlefield, looked at the arriving Third Raikage and Onoki before him, completely stunned.

Onoki and the Raikage exchanged a glance, bewildered expressions appearing on their faces.

Wait...

Why did he look so surprised to see them?

But Hiruzen Sarutobi's frown only deepened.

Why was there a woman's voice ringing in his ears?

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