"The thing I need you to do is very simple: help me protect and guide a boy your age as he grows up."
Uchiha Madara did not tell Yahiko who the other two Wood Release users were. Instead, he said something that completely caught Yahiko off guard.
"I will give you great power, capable helpers, and a method for guiding that boy's growth. If you have that kind of personal charisma, you may even make him serve you—but on one condition: you must not expose my existence."
After saying that, Madara raised a hand and pointed at Yahiko's heart.
"To prevent you from leaking any information about me, I left a formula inside your heart. That is the price of your survival."
Yahiko did not feel anger. Instead, his impression of Madara actually improved. He seemed to see a shadow of Hanzō-sensei in him, and suddenly understood.
"So that's why you're doing all this—you want to protect a kid you value. Is he an Uchiha from Konoha?"
At the same time, Yahiko began filling in the gaps himself.
Could it be that Madara had seen reflections of himself and that kid in Hanzō-sensei and Yahiko, and that was why he had ordered that White Zetsu guy to save him?
Thinking that, Yahiko's opinion of Madara immediately soared. To him, this felt like an enormous act of kindness.
The moment Madara saw the change in Yahiko's eyes, he knew the boy had fallen completely into his trap.
Just like how he had searched for so many years before finally finding Obito Uchiha, that rare specimen within the Uchiha clan, Madara never chose his tools at random.
He had been observing Yahiko for a long time. This was a brat of the same type as Obito Uchiha—perfect material for a chess piece.
In Senju Tobirama's eyes, Uchiha Madara was a domineering man who disdained lying.
But what Tobirama never understood was that Madara only disdained lying because he possessed the power to realize his ambitions without needing to lie.
The aged Uchiha Madara could still manifest Susanoo even without eyes. Perhaps, with the power of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, he might even be able to unleash strength far beyond what should have been possible at his age—strength infinitely close to his peak.
But an outburst like that would probably last even less time than Might Duy's, and afterward, he would die without question.
In fact, perhaps even that kind of outburst no longer existed.
Now, this Madara—who needed to use his scythe as a cane just to stand—was a schemer and a player willing to sacrifice the lesser self for the greater self in order to bring the Eye of the Moon Plan to fruition. In order to grant eternal happiness to the future, he was willing to sacrifice the present.
To sever the world's chain of cause and effect, Madara would stop at nothing. To him, lying was a trivial matter.
The trap he was setting for Yahiko now was merely a rehearsal for the future Obito Uchiha.
As for whether Yahiko might discover the truth someday, Madara could not have cared less.
If not for the unbelievable existence known as Gojo Yoru appearing in this era, Madara would never have bothered interfering in Nagato's growth ahead of time through Yahiko.
One spokesman was enough.
Only a pawn who combined the power of Uchiha and Senju would be qualified to inherit his mantle and borrow the name "Uchiha Madara."
So Madara slowly said, "You should know about Konoha's space-time ninja, shouldn't you?"
It was phrased as a question, but his tone was filled with certainty.
Clearly, even Madara—the Asura of the ninja world—did not believe there was anyone in the current era who did not know Gojo Yoru.
More accurately, as long as one possessed chakra—whether a three-year-old child or an old man like Madara clinging to his last breath—so long as they lived among people or paid attention to the outside world, they had to have heard the name Gojo Yoru.
"Of course I know him," Yahiko said, his expression complicated. "Gojo Yoru—the embodiment of miracles. At twelve years old, he defeated Hanzō-sensei and stood at the summit of the ninja world. Just by revealing his space-time kekkei genkai, he brought the Second Great Ninja War to an end. Even the Land of Earth, after losing its Five-Tails jinchuriki, could no longer see any hope of victory or revenge and had no choice but to retreat."
"This year, at seventeen, he's called the most unsolvable ninja in the world. If ninja from any country encounter him during a mission, they're allowed to abandon the mission and return to their village without punishment. This era is even known as the Era of Gojo Yoru."
"If Konoha didn't have him, Hanzō-sensei would never have given up on his dream and chosen to train me as the future of the Hidden Rain."
Thinking of Hanzo's evaluation of Gojo Yoru—and of how the ninja who killed Hanzo might very well have been a Konoha shinobi, perhaps even that very space-time ninja—hatred suddenly rose in Yahiko's eyes.
"Hanzō-sensei said he would become the strongest ninja in history. If it really was him settling old scores, then even if he has an unbeatable ability, I will still avenge Hanzō-sensei."
"He truly does deserve to be called a miracle of the ninja world," Madara said, giving him unusually high praise. Then his tone shifted. "But aside from the space-time bloodline, there is another miraculous power in this world."
"Is it Wood Release—the power the God of Shinobi used to pacify the warring age?" Yahiko looked at Madara with hope in his eyes, recalling what Madara had said earlier about him awakening the legendary Wood Release.
If he could also master the Wood Release that once brought the age of war to heel, then combined with the salamander's deadly poison, he could absolutely fulfill Hanzō-sensei's expectations for him.
Even if his opponent was the embodiment of miracles, Yahiko would not fear him.
Madara crushed that hope without mercy.
"No. Wood Release is not qualified to be called a miraculous power. And your Wood Release is nothing compared to Hashirama's. Even a hundred of you wouldn't measure up to a single hair on Hashirama's head."
"T-that's way too harsh…"
Yahiko was deeply shaken, but also indignant and confused.
"If even the bloodline limit that pacified the age of war can't be called a miraculous power, then what kind of ability can stand alongside a space-time bloodline as a miracle?"
"The Rinnegan."
"The Rinnegan?"
The name felt strangely familiar to Yahiko, as if he had heard it somewhere before.
Very quickly, something seemed to click in his mind. His eyes flew wide open, and he stared at Madara in shock.
"T-the Rinnegan? You… you mean the Rinnegan from the myths—the eyes the Sage of Six Paths used to create the moon? Isn't that just a fictional power?"
"It is not a story."
Madara spoke calmly.
"The Rinnegan is a real power. I have already found the ruins left behind by the Sage of Six Paths. Following the prophecy and methods recorded there, I spent decades searching, and finally found the Child of Prophecy destined to awaken the Rinnegan. He is the true future of the ninja world."
Yahiko reacted instantly and asked, realization dawning on him, "The person you want me to protect and guide—that peer of mine—is the one who possesses the Rinnegan?"
"Correct."
Madara's face remained expressionless.
"If this were several decades earlier, I would never have believed in so-called prophecy. But only a few years ago, I was forced to admit it. This is fate."
"Just as, during the Warring States era, only my eyes could counter Hashirama's Wood Release, and only Hashirama could stand against me, it seems the Sage of Six Paths' eyes had already foreseen the future. He knew that this era would give birth to someone even more unsolvable than Hashirama and me. So he fused his own power into the chakra he distributed among mankind, waiting until the appearance of a space-time ninja before selecting a host in this generation to awaken it."
"Because it is the Rinnegan itself choosing its host, the Child of Prophecy who awakens it—the one chosen by God—does not possess the innate ability to develop the Rinnegan on his own."
"That is why the Sage of Six Paths deliberately left behind a ruin. It was not only to pass on the legacy of how to wield divine power to the future Rinnegan bearer, but also to choose a protector for his path."
Madara raised a hand and pointed at Yahiko once more, speaking each word clearly.
"And you and I are both protectors of the Rinnegan. Your task is to pass on the inheritance left behind by the Sage of Six Paths to the one who awakens the Rinnegan, and help him grow stronger as quickly as possible."
"I see!"
Yahiko looked completely enlightened.
Madara's fabricated story was flawless. Not only could twelve-year-old Yahiko find no holes in it, even Black Zetsu—hidden inside the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path—couldn't help but silently applaud.
"Afly."
Madara suddenly spoke another name.
"Madara-sama, long time no see!"
Unlike the other White Zetsu, the one called Tobi had a spiral-patterned face. He instantly emerged from underground and gave Madara a salute.
"A-another one?!"
Yahiko jumped again, badly startled by the scene.
And his voice immediately drew Tobi's attention. The creature squatted in front of him and waved cheerfully.
"Hello, I'm Tobi. Nice to meet you! Are you new here? By the way, do you know what the urge to poop feels like?"
Looking at Tobi—somehow even more bizarre than the other White Zetsu—Madara rarely felt a trace of helplessness and snapped, "Tobi, stand aside."
"Y-yes!"
Having received no answer, Tobi dejectedly moved to the side.
Watching Yahiko secretly glance at Tobi, Madara said, "Tobi is the other Wood Release user in the ninja world besides you, and his Wood Release is many times stronger than yours."
"Of course, that is not the important part."
"What matters most is that, like White Zetsu, Tobi is a mutated human with special abilities."
"Tobi's ability is simple. He can attach himself to your body, comprehensively enhancing your strength. He can give you extremely durable defenses, a second chakra source as vast as the sea, and dramatically improve your Wood Release ninjutsu."
"He is the power and helper I am giving you."
Madara's gaze turned deep and unreadable as his low voice tempted Yahiko further.
"I'll say it again: if you have that kind of charisma, then by all means make the Rinnegan's bearer work for you. Compared to those who are arranged by ancient people to follow a fixed destiny, I admire those who have the courage to break fate."
"But remember one thing—never let yourself develop thoughts you shouldn't have about something that does not belong to you."
"Just like the space-time bloodline, which has never been seen before and has never existed before, these miraculous powers choose their hosts on their own. If others foolishly try to seize them, the consequences will be disastrous."
Without giving Yahiko time to think, Madara shifted the subject.
"For the next period of time, I will teach you powerful ninjutsu and help you master the power of Wood Release. Once you recover, I will have Tobi leave with you and help you pacify the chaos in the Hidden Rain Village. After that, it won't be too late for you to guide the growth of that chosen one."
Yahiko, who had been deep in thought, suddenly lit up.
Then he thanked Madara with complete sincerity.
"Thank you, Madara-sama!"
Inside the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, Black Zetsu nearly lost it.
He killed your teacher, blew you up until your whole body was covered in burns, turned you into a chess piece—and in the end, you're thanking him for it.
No wonder I feel so delighted. Madara, you really are pitiful.
While Madara was busy manipulating Yahiko, Gojo Yoru was also reporting the assassination attempt they had encountered during their mission to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Impure World Reincarnation?!"
Hiruzen shot to his feet, his eyes full of shock as he stared at Gojo Yoru.
"Yoru, are you sure?"
"Yes."
Gojo Yoru nodded grimly.
"The one who attacked me was the Second Tsuchikage, his entire body wrapped in bandages. The way he appeared and disappeared was through Flying Thunder God teleportation. I also found a Flying Thunder God kunai at the scene."
"Because I was worried the one behind it all might come back for a second strike, I didn't seal away that Flying Thunder God kunai."
"But I saw the formula carved onto it. It was a jutsu-array pattern."
Hearing that, Hiruzen's expression shifted rapidly.
"A jutsu-array pattern… that was Tobirama-sensei's Flying Thunder God formula."
"Tobirama-sensei died many years ago. The one using Impure World Reincarnation cannot possibly be him."
"And Impure World Reincarnation is a forbidden jutsu that violates all ethics. It has always been sealed inside the Forbidden Techniques Vault. Unless I personally grant permission, no one is allowed to freely enter, study, or access it."
"That leaves only two possibilities."
"First, after Tobirama-sensei died in battle, either Kumogakure or some mysterious individual obtained the method for practicing Impure World Reincarnation from his brain. Or perhaps they possess a Yin Release technique similar to the Spirit Transformation Technique—something capable of imprisoning the souls of the dead and reading their memories through their souls, thereby obtaining all of Tobirama-sensei's jutsu."
Hiruzen's face looked extremely ugly, and there was even a hint of gritted fury in his voice.
"Second—the one behind Impure World Reincarnation is someone from Konoha."
Before Gojo Yoru could reply, Hiruzen raised a hand and summoned an Anbu.
"Pass down my order. Surround the Forbidden Techniques Vault. Check whether any of the sealed forbidden scrolls are missing, or whether there are traces of anyone using chakra to break the seals."
"Yes."
The Anbu lowered his head and vanished in an instant.
Gojo Yoru then explained the main reason for his report.
"Hokage-sama, I suggest we notify all jonin of this. The person behind it wants me dead badly enough to specifically create a nearly unbeatable combination technique and battle plan. If Kushina and I didn't have exceptional sensory abilities, we might really have both died."
"That combo couldn't kill us, but they may target other people next. They don't have the same luck or methods that Kushina and I do."
Hiruzen's expression immediately darkened.
Gojo Yoru's words snapped him awake. Just imagining that combination was enough to make one's blood run cold.
But very quickly, Hiruzen came up with a solution.
"For the next period of time, I will prohibit everyone from leaving or entering the village. Yoru, Kushina—I want the two of you to search Konoha and see if anyone has been parasitized by that kind of thing."
"This is an S-rank mission entrusted to you on behalf of the village."
"Yes."
Gojo Yoru nodded. That had been his goal from the start. He wanted a legitimate reason to search all of Konoha from top to bottom. He had no interest in experiencing that kind of sudden ambush again.
Just then, a blurred shadow suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
An Anbu who had flashed in reported urgently, "Hokage-sama, the Forbidden Techniques Vault has been robbed. Jonin Hiruko has defected."
Gojo Yoru: "…"
So that guy was still in Konoha?
This butterfly effect was starting to get a little ridiculous.
Running now would almost certainly make Hiruzen suspect him as the caster behind Impure World Reincarnation. The pursuit this time would be far more intense than in the original.
And sure enough—
A piercing cold light burst from Hiruzen's eyes.
It was killing intent so intense it was almost tangible.