Deep within the underground cavern, Madara, who had been resting on a stone bed with his eyes closed, slowly opened them when he heard footsteps echoing in the distance.
From the shadows came Zetsu, panting and disheveled — a rare sight for someone usually so calm.
Madara frowned slightly, his voice low and cold:
"Why are you in such a panic? What happened? Didn't I send you and Tobi to rescue those Uchiha clan members? Why have you returned empty-handed?"
In front of Madara, Black Zetsu continued to play the role of his "will incarnate." Seeing the elder's displeasure, he quickly dropped to one knee and spoke respectfully:
"Lord Madara, our plan met with an unexpected change. After rescuing the Uchiha from Konoha, we were somehow discovered by Gekko Hoshiyomi.
Left with no other choice, I divided our forces — Tobi took most of the Uchiha to hide temporarily in the Land of Rain,
while I came here with their Sharingan to seek your aid in dealing with Hoshiyomi."
Madara raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flashing in his deep eyes.
"Is that so? I didn't expect as much from him. For Gekko Hoshiyomi to discover you — he's not without skill.
But this is where his luck ends. I thought he might be a decent sparring partner once I was revived,
but it seems he won't live long enough to see that day."
As he spoke, Madara accepted three pairs of Sharingan from Zetsu's hand.
Examining their quality, his eyes flickered with faint disdain.
"The Uchiha clan really has declined… the quality of these eyes is appalling.
Still, they're a slight improvement over these old, dim ones of mine.
With a proper pair of three-tomoe Sharingan, I can at least manage that technique again."
He selected the best pair among the three and tossed the remaining two back to White Zetsu.
Then, holding the chosen eyes before his face, he pressed them into his sockets.
In the next moment, his once-dark pupils glowed scarlet, three tomoe spinning within — the gaze of the true Uchiha.
"Gekko Hoshiyomi… let me see just how capable you really are."
After saying that, Madara turned and gave his final command to Black Zetsu:
"After dealing with Gekkō Hoshiyomi, my time will probably be up.
The rest of the plan… I'll leave in your hands. Do not disappoint me."
With those final words, he raised his hand and severed the life-support tubes connecting him to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, cutting off its sustaining chakra.
Madara's expression grew calm — he was ready to face the inevitable confrontation.
...
No sooner had Zetsu left than Hoshiyomi appeared within the cavern.
In Sage Mode, his senses were razor-sharp. He could clearly feel the immense, almost suffocating presence lurking at the deepest point of the cave.
His expression tightened, and he dismissed his distant shadow clone, restoring himself to full strength before proceeding.
Even though he knew that Madara at this point was little more than a walking corpse, Hoshiyomi didn't dare to relax.
After all, this was Uchiha Madara — one of the most terrifying figures in history.
A little extra caution could never hurt.
Step by step, Hoshiyomi advanced into the deepest chamber of the cavern…
and finally locked eyes with that pair of deep, spinning scarlet Sharingan.
Just from the overwhelming aura emanating from the frail figure before him, Hoshiyomi didn't need to ask who he was.
He was a legend from the previous era — Uchiha Madara.
Hoshiyomi approached slowly, silently, his fighting spirit steadily rising.
Madara, too, sat still — unmoving, merely watching Hoshiyomi draw nearer.
His body was ancient, withered like old driftwood, devoid of any trace of vitality —
a mere gust of wind might have been enough to scatter his dry frame into dust.
Yet his eyes… his eyes still burned with blinding sharpness,
a gaze so fierce it felt like it could pierce directly through one's soul.
That decrepit form, paired with eyes so alive and deadly, should have been a contradiction —
and yet, standing before him, Hoshiyomi felt none at all.
Because the name of this body… was Uchiha Madara.
Buzz!!
Neither Hoshiyomi nor Madara spoke a word—
yet in that instant, their auras erupted, clashing violently in midair.
Centered around the two of them, an invisible shockwave spread outward in all directions.
For a moment, even the air seemed to freeze.
Though there was barely any light in the cavern, it felt as though all the light in the world had converged right here.
Gekko Hoshiyomi, the man recognized as the strongest in the ninja world today—
a warrior who had created countless miracles and defeated innumerable foes—
stood now at the absolute peak of his life, his sword heart unwavering.
And opposite him stood Uchiha Madara—
his body decayed, but once a man who fought the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, as an equal…
a legend who had been called a god in the previous era.
These two men each embodied the pinnacle of their own time.
Their confrontation now was nothing less than a collision between two eras.
The pressure between them was like needle meeting blade.
Even Zetsu, watching from behind Madara, felt his chest tighten.
Just the clash of their auras alone was enough to make it hard to breathe.
The invisible forces continued to collide—
a strange, humming vibration filled the air,
and even the ground beneath their feet began to tremble faintly.
After the stalemate had lasted for quite some time, Madara suddenly smiled.
"I once thought that after Hashirama and I,
the shinobi world would never again produce anyone who could stand at our level.
I didn't expect that before I completely withered away…
someone like you would appear.
Gekko Hoshiyomi—you're impressive."
Hoshiyomi met his words with an unyielding retort:
"The world is ever-changing.
New eras will always replace the old, erasing what came before.
Compared to the relics who failed to move on,
I'll admit—you're one of the few worth acknowledging."
Madara didn't show anger or displeasure at Hoshiyomi's words.
Instead, his smile grew even wider.
"I like your arrogance.
If you had lived in my time, perhaps we could've been friends.
But unfortunately for you… you won't have that chance."
Hoshiyomi shrugged casually.
"A pity—but there are no 'ifs' in this world.
You, on the other hand, should accept the flow of time and rest in peace.
You failed to control your own era,
and now, like a rat burrowing underground, you cling to life, dreaming of a comeback.
That's not exactly the behavior of a wise man."
Madara's smile faded.
"I am not some relic of a bygone age.
Hashirama has already returned to dust, while I remain.
That alone proves everything.
I will show this world that my vision was the correct one."
As he spoke, Madara slowly rose to his feet.
With that motion, the aura that had been slightly suppressed by Hoshiyomi surged again—
a tidal wave of power pressing back at him.
Yet Hoshiyomi stood unmoved, as immovable as a mountain.
No matter how Madara's presence swelled, he did not waver in the slightest.
Madara's voice rang out, echoing through the cavern:
"I have no interest in reviving the past—
my goal… is to create a new era!"
...
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