"Oh, having some tea, Madara-senpai?"
With his hands behind his back, Raijin strolled into Madara's home.
There, in the courtyard, basking in the sun and sipping tea, was Uchiha Madara.
"Well, if it isn't Uchiha Raijin? Here, Setsuna-kun sent me some tea leaves. Want to try some?"
Madara poured a cup and handed it to Raijin.
"See, that's why you're Madara-senpai. I've never had the chance to drink Setsuna-senpai's tea before."
Raijin looked down at the steaming tea in his hands.
"Hmph~ So, does that mean you've figured out a solution?"
Uchiha Madara raised his head and asked Raijin.
When it came to discussions about peace, Madara was always interested. Even if it only meant refining his Eye of the Moon Plan, he was open to improvements.
"Oh? Does Madara-senpai really not know what just happened?"
Raijin feigned surprise as he looked at Madara.
"What happened?"
Madara was taken aback and frowned slightly, looking at Raijin with confusion.
But instinctively, he became more serious. If Raijin had come to him personally, it couldn't be a trivial matter.
After all, Uchiha Raijin's presence alone could almost represent the entire Konohagakure.
Or rather, very few people in Konohagakure had the power to override Raijin's decisions.
"Zetsu—he's one of yours, isn't he?"
Raijin chuckled and spoke softly to Madara, his tone noticeably more relaxed now that he saw Madara's current demeanor.
"What about Zetsu?"
Madara's brows furrowed slightly as he looked at Raijin.
"Half an hour ago, Zetsu appeared near the ninja academy."
Raijin paused for a moment before speaking seriously.
"And at that exact same time, my daughter, Uchiha Ryuri, was in the middle of combat training."
As he spoke, Raijin raised a hand, stopping Madara from interrupting.
"You may not know this, but once, due to my negligence, my child, Uchiha Tatsu, was marked with an unknown seal by Jigen. Because of that, I'm especially sensitive to these kinds of things."
"I understand."
Uchiha Madara nodded.
Family was a sensitive subject for any Uchiha.
"That's why I hope Madara-senpai can keep your people in check and make sure they stay away from the ninja academy and its students.
Being able to work with you is an honor for me, and I don't want small matters like this to damage our relationship."
Raijin continued, his tone calm but firm.
"Hmm… While I have taken certain actions for the sake of the Eye of the Moon Plan, you can rest assured—I have no intention of using your family as leverage against you.
As for Zetsu, I'll make sure you get an explanation."
Madara's tone was solemn.
He wasn't pleased right now, but his frustration wasn't directed at Raijin.
After all, if someone's family was threatened, they were bound to react.
And Zetsu… well, this wasn't the first time he had pulled something like this.
The worst part? The victim was the same person.
Most importantly, Madara had personally chosen to ally with Raijin.
Zetsu acting on his own without informing him was what really irritated him.
"Of course, I trust you."
Raijin nodded at Uchiha Madara.
In truth, Raijin had come here today for two reasons.
One was to make it clear where his boundaries were. If those boundaries were crossed, there would be no turning back.
Raijin wasn't afraid of Madara turning against him.
Uchiha Madara, once the leader of the Uchiha clan, was arrogant but not reckless.
Raijin believed that Madara was capable of making rational decisions.
After all, it was Madara's subordinates who made the mistake first.
Another reason was to let Madara know— the creature he created, Zetsu, had started to act against his will.
Raijin knew that Madara was unaware of Black Zetsu's actions.
After all...
Madara had no reason to harm Uchiha Ryuri.
What could he do to Ryuri?
User her as a hostage?
Unless Madara had suddenly lost all his intelligence because of Black Zetsu.
Otherwise, Madara would never do such a thing.
"Hmm."
Madara nodded slightly. He wasn't too eager to form an alliance with Raijin.
However, ending their partnership over something he didn't even do would instantly create a powerful enemy for him.
That didn't seem like a good deal.
So, what exactly was Zetsu up to?
"By the way, have you thought about what we discussed earlier?"
With a small nod, the previous matter was considered settled.
Then, Madara turned to Raijin and asked.
Since they were already here, they might as well talk. Even if nothing came of it, discussing ideas was still beneficial.
Strength had a way of changing a person's perspective.
Sitting at this level, possessing this kind of power, it was difficult for Madara to find someone who was his equal.
Besides, drinking tea alone was indeed a bit dull.
"Phew... this is a tough question."
Raijin raised an eyebrow, exhaled slowly, extended his hand, clenched his fist, then opened it again.
"But sometimes, complicated problems can be solved in the simplest way."
"Oh? Let's hear it."
Madara's interest was piqued, and he looked at Raijin expectantly.
"As things stand, as long as I don't give the order, no one in the shinobi world dares to start a war."
Raijin turned to Madara as he spoke.
"And now that I've allied with you, Konohagakure's presence is an even stronger deterrent."
After saying that, Raijin added another sentence.
"Hah? I didn't expect you to say something like that."
Madara suddenly laughed, pointing at Raijin while shaking his head.
He didn't bother to hide his amusement. As the Jinchuriki of the Ten Tails and someone who had absorbed a great deal of Jiraiya's natural energy, Madara wouldn't care even if the Sage of Six Paths himself were sitting in front of him.
So he didn't deny the fact that he was pleased by Raijin's words.
Praise wasn't something unfamiliar to Madara.
But the last time he felt this happy about it was when Hashirama complimented him.
Being praised by someone weaker than him was nice.
But being acknowledged by someone whose strength he recognized? That was even better.
"I'm just stating a fact."
Giving a little praise didn't cost him anything.
Besides, it helped ease the tension that had just formed between him and Madara.
"Tell me the truth, is this how you earned Senju Tobirama's trust when you were younger?"
Madara raised an eyebrow and gave Raijin a sideways glance.
"Madara-senpai, don't say such things! My loyalty to Konohagakure is absolute."
Raijin immediately pounded his chest and spoke with absolute confidence.
"I know, right now you're definitely loyal to Konohagakure. The entire village listens to you—why wouldn't you be loyal?"
Uchiha Madara laughed and teased.
~~
"That's right, you're not wrong. Konohagakure is here, and as long as you don't give the order, no one dares to start a war. But Jigen, have you forgotten? You just finished the Third Great Ninja War."
Madara sighed and looked at Raijin.
Madara couldn't understand how Uchiha Raijin had forgotten something like that so quickly.
"But not a single person from Konohagakure died."
Raijin narrowed his eyes and looked at Uchiha Madara.
"But wasn't that still a war?"
Madara crossed his arms and questioned Raijin.
"First, yes, it was a war. But at the same time, it was also a warning to the other hidden villages."
Raijin slowly raised one finger.
"Second, the root cause of that war was Jigen."
"Do you really think Jigen is from this world?"
Raijin looked at Madara seriously.
He was about to test the waters and share his intel with Madara—
And he wanted Madara to believe him.
"Oh? Why do you think Jigen isn't from this world?"
Madara didn't dismiss Raijin's idea right away. Instead, he asked for his reasoning.
Madara trusted Raijin. He wasn't an idiot. In fact, even an idiot wouldn't be able to achieve what Raijin had accomplished.
So Madara believed that Raijin must have a basis for his theory.
Right now, everyone only had a vague understanding of Jigen's existence.
At this stage, any theory was worth discussing.
"In the history of the ninja world, the two who stood at the very top were the Sage of Six Paths and his brother, Otsutsuki Hamura."
Raijin said to Madara.
"Your existence, the power you now possess—it all comes from the Sage of Six Paths. The combination of Senju and Uchiha awakened the power of all creation. This was one path of development."
"That's right."
Madara nodded. This wasn't a secret. After all, his entire journey had practically been a recreation of the Sage of Six Paths' path to power.
"My eyes—these came from the moon."
Raijin pointed at his own eyes.
"The moon?"
Madara was stunned. This was something he truly didn't know.
"Legend has it that after the Sage of Six Paths, Otsutsuki Hagoromo, and his brother, Otsutsuki Hamura, sealed Otsutsuki Kaguya away, Hagoromo remained in the ninja world and founded ninjutsu, while Hamura went to the moon to guard over Otsutsuki Kaguya."
Raijin explained.
"And then?"
Madara blinked, confused.
Of course, he had heard of this before—it was basically the only myth in this world.
Well, in the past, he had always treated it as just a myth.
But now, Madara was certain that the Sage of Six Paths was real.
Because at this point, Madara himself wasn't far from the Sage of Six Paths in power.
"Once, in order to find your and Jigen's hiding place in the ninja world, I discovered a location that leads directly to the moon. There, I found remnants of the Otsutsuki and gained these eyes."
Raijin pointed to his own eyes as he spoke to Madara.
"So, if that's the case, then it basically confirms that the Sage of Six Paths, Otsutsuki Hamura, and Otsutsuki Kaguya all truly existed."
Madara nodded thoughtfully. That would mean the Sage of Six Paths' brother also really existed.
Someone that powerful wouldn't do something meaningless.
In other words, Otsutsuki Kaguya was real too.
"Is that passage still there?"
Madara asked Raijin. If possible, he wanted to see it for himself.
After all, only what you see with your own eyes can be considered real.
"I'm not sure, but I left a Flying Thunder God mark there."
Raijin replied. Ever since he placed that mark on the moon, he had never gone back to that passage.
"Is this the reason you believe Jigen isn't from this world?"
Madara nodded. Since there was a Flying Thunder God mark, they could check at any time.
But to Madara, this alone wasn't enough to prove that Jigen wasn't from this world.
"That's right. With the resources of the ninja world and the legacy left by Otsutsuki Hamura, the fact that people like you and me exist is already its limit."
Raijin nodded.
Madara didn't disagree. That statement was true.
To have this level of power, effort alone wasn't enough.
Madara understood that better than anyone.
"The most crucial thing is the second Ten-Tails."
Raijin continued.
"That's why I believe Jigen is an invader from another world. There are countless beings just as strong as him, or even far stronger. "
Raijin said to Uchiha Madara.
"That's the worst-case scenario. But if we prepare with that in mind, it's the safest decision. "
Madara nodded, agreeing with Raijin's reasoning.
" So, does that mean as long as Jigen is alive, the ninja world can never be at peace? "
Raijin asked Madara.
"Yes. That's the fundamental reason for our alliance. "
Madara responded without hesitation.
"Then if we kill Jigen together, won't the ninja world finally have true peace? "
Raijin spread his hands as he spoke to Uchiha Madara.
"But you and I will eventually die. "
Madara shook his head with a hint of helplessness. Was he supposed to keep reviving himself with the Rinnegan?
But he knew that no matter how perfect the plan, each time he revived, countless people would die as a result.
In other words, if he did that, he would become the very cause of war.
No one would ever accept a suffocatingly powerful existence rising again and ruling over them.
"Do you know that the original purpose of permanent Senjutsu development was immortality? "
(End of Chapter)
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