Evening.
The setting sun slowly sank below the horizon, dyeing the sky a gentle orange-red.
"The Leaf... It really is... nostalgic."
"I, Madara, have returned!"
Madara stood on a high slope, looking at the Leaf Village not far away, unable to stop himself from sighing.
Ever since he faked his death and escaped after his battle with Hashirama, Madara had never returned to the Leaf. He had focused entirely on awakening the Rinnegan and carrying out his Eye of the Moon Plan.
"The Third Hokage of the Leaf, a junior of the Uchiha... I hope you don't disappoint me."
Madara formed a hand sign and used the Transformation Technique. After disguising himself, he slowly walked toward the Leaf Village. This time, he had returned to the village specifically to inspect Haru, find an opportunity to let Haru see the truth of the ninja world, and then persuade Haru to join the great Eye of the Moon Plan.
"The Leaf has developed this well? I haven't even entered the village yet."
Madara walked along the solid concrete road. Although the sun had not completely set, the streetlights on both sides had already been switched on. There were vendors hawking goods on both sides of the road, selling simple rice balls, tea, and the like.
Once inside the Leaf Village, food prices would be a little higher. Shops and street stalls all had to pay fees. Setting up stalls outside the village was still in a no-man's-land for now, so they saved on expenses, and the food could be sold a little cheaper.
Workers coming off late shifts at the sweatshops often came here. Eating protein blocks all the time would get boring, so they had to change their taste once in a while. The roadside stalls were cheap, generous, and filling.
Wonderful.
Had the Leaf already become so rich that they were building roads outside the village too?
And these lights were really bright.
The cries of the roadside vendors attracted a group of workers coming off their late shifts. They took out money to buy dinner, then squatted in small groups by the roadside. Under the glow of the streetlights, they bragged and joked with each other while eating their dinner in big mouthfuls.
Madara looked at the scene around him, and ripples stirred in his heart. Any ordinary person visiting the Leaf for the first time would be amazed by this sight.
Madara's footsteps unconsciously slowed. Perhaps it was because he had grown old, but Madara now enjoyed this kind of atmosphere.
Quiet. Peaceful.
"Is that... my statue?"
When he reached the Leaf's gate, two enormous stone statues stood on either side of the entrance, one on the left and one on the right, guarding the Leaf like guardian gods.
Madara was somewhat curious. He knew very well what his status was in the Leaf. Tobirama would definitely have labeled him as a rogue ninja.
Of course, he had indeed defected from the Leaf.
Yet with the title of rogue ninja on his head, his statue was actually placed at the Leaf Village gate just like Hashirama's?
"Honoring Madara, the Uncrowned Kage of the Leaf."
A line of red characters was carved into the base of the statue. After Madara finished reading it, his emotions surged in an instant.
As one of the founders of the Leaf, Madara had yielded the position of First Hokage to Hashirama. According to the plan between the two of them, he, Madara, would become the Leaf's second Hokage.
It was only because of a certain sinister little man that the position of Second Hokage had nothing to do with Madara. Later, that also became the trigger for Madara to firmly decide to follow the method recorded on the stone tablet, awaken the Rinnegan, and carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan.
That day, Madara had suffered betrayal. The Senju had never truly accepted the Uchiha. Between people, there would still be suspicion and jealousy.
Even so, deep inside Madara's heart, there still remained a desire to become Hokage of the Leaf.
Although it was extremely faint, it truly existed.
"Uncrowned Kage... Uncrowned Kage. That does sound rather good."
Madara murmured. In his heart, he immediately guessed who was behind all this. The only person in the Leaf who could clear his name and had the authority to place his statue at the Leaf Village gate was Haru.
There was no one else who could do it.
How interesting.
Madara became increasingly curious about Haru.
Before even entering the village, Madara already had a feeling that this return to the Leaf would definitely allow him to harvest something interesting.
"Stop!"
"Name, age, gender, where you're from."
The ninja guarding the Leaf gate stopped Madara, who was about to enter the village.
"Hey, Junji, be a little nicer. Don't scare the old man."
"Sir, don't mind him. This is just a routine inspection. Recently, there have been far too many merchants coming to the Leaf to do business. New regulations have been issued. Anyone entering or leaving the Leaf has to register here."
The ninja standing beside Junji had a much better tone. After explaining the Leaf's new regulations to Madara, the gate guards brought Madara into a room beside the gate.
Inside the room was an illusion technique specially designed by the Leaf. It was used specifically to identify spies from other ninja villages with hostile intentions. Even weaker elite ninja would fall into it.
"Madahashi."
"Fifty-six years old."
"Came to the Leaf to do business."
Madara naturally discovered the illusion technique inside the room. This level of illusion had negligible effect on him. He casually reported a fake identity and passed the inspection smoothly.
"Old Mr. Madahashi, welcome to the Leaf."
"This is a poster about immigrating to the Leaf. Buy a new house in the Leaf, complete with supporting facilities, electric lights, water heater... If you buy a house and live in the Leaf, you can obtain a Leaf resident identity card."
"If you want to buy a shop in the Leaf and do business, the current policy..."
"This is a map of the Leaf. It marks the Leaf's most prosperous commercial street and entertainment district. Even at night, this area is brightly lit."
Following Haru's requirements, the ninja on duty promoted the Leaf's new policies to merchants coming and going, encouraging merchants from all over the ninja world to settle and invest in the Leaf.
Along the way, he also handed Madara a Leaf map, welcoming visiting merchants to spend money in the Leaf.
"All right. I understand."
Madara looked at the ninja on duty, who was like a salesman, tirelessly promoting the Leaf's new policies, which shops were worth investing in, and which commercial street was the most fun.
He really could not keep up with the times anymore.
Madara put away the promotional posters on the table. It had been far too long since he had last returned to the Leaf. The current Leaf had changed far too much from what he imagined. Madara decided to follow the map given by the ninja on duty and walk around the Leaf.
On the map, a ninja wearing the Leaf's green vest had a string of thick, extended, eye-catching red words coming out of his mouth.
"If you come to the Leaf, you have to visit..."
I'll go take a look there first.
Listening to advice kept one well-fed. Since the Leaf was promoting this commercial street so heavily, then this place must be...
Soon, Madara entered the Leaf. He strolled through the Leaf's streets. There were streetlights on the roadside, pedestrians coming and going, and the sound of insects chirping in his ears. With the cool evening breeze, Madara, a lonely old man who had spent years in a dark underground cave, enjoyed it immensely.
This kind of life... really isn't bad.
Speaking of which, why did I need to hide in an underground cave to awaken the Rinnegan?
I am Madara.
Hashirama is already dead. Although I am old now, and my life force is constantly being drained by my eyes, so what?
In the entire ninja world, there is still no one who is my opponent!
What difference would there be between openly buying a new house in the Leaf, living in the Leaf, and trying to awaken the Rinnegan here, compared to trying to awaken the Rinnegan in an underground cave?
Once this thought arose, it lingered in Madara's heart like a spell. In an instant, it took root and sprouted.
Madara enjoyed the life of an old man taking a walk. Not far behind him, a pitch-black creature followed his steps.
"What exactly has gotten into Madara recently?"
"Wasn't it just watching a movie? How did that make him unable to endure the loneliness in his heart? Wouldn't it be fine to obediently stay in the underground cave and awaken the Rinnegan?"
"And now he's actually run back to the Leaf!"
"What a sin."
Black Zetsu's heart was full of sorrow. After plotting for a thousand years, he had finally made progress.
The Uchiha had produced Madara, a clansman who could awaken the Rinnegan, and Madara had even believed the story Black Zetsu had left on the stone tablet. He was simply the best tool the heavens had given Black Zetsu.
Unfortunately, this tool had recently developed new ideas and become restless. He even dared to show himself and run back to his old home, the Leaf. What if he was discovered?
Would he just smash through the Leaf and overturn the entire ninja world?
Black Zetsu kept complaining about Madara in his heart, but his feet were very honest as he continued following Madara, afraid that something might happen to him.
"So many people."
Madara followed the lights forward and arrived at the commercial street marked on the map. This was the Leaf's most prosperous street. Wealthy merchants from the Land of Fire, nobles, and the Leaf's ninja clans had all invested huge sums of money here. This was the most active free market in the entire ninja world.
Nobles who had moved to the Leaf loved coming to this street to throw money around.
Well, to spend money shopping.
They bought all kinds of luxury goods, spending extravagantly without blinking. The Leaf had specially launched luxury goods aimed at them, such as bags and perfumes. Once the Leaf's logo was attached, the price began soaring.
To enter the Leaf's luxury specialty stores, one had to possess a special black card issued by the Leaf. This was a symbol of status and wealth. Aside from the first batch of black cards issued by the Leaf to nobles, all other black cards were obtained through a referral system. One had to be recommended by two black-card holders and pass the Leaf's review before having a chance to obtain one.
This purchasing method, which highlighted identity, precisely grasped the mentality of those nobles who had money but nowhere to spend it. It also attracted a large number of wealthy merchants from across the ninja world to open shops here, making outstanding contributions to the Leaf's economy.
Madara moved through the street. Pedestrians passed on both sides like a tide.
The prosperous commerce dazzled Madara, an old relic who had lived from the Warring States period until now. Like a curious child, he wandered around everywhere.
His heart, which had been dry and lonely for a long time, was nourished by the Leaf's human warmth. For the moment, he forgot the Eye of the Moon Plan that had constantly lingered in his mind. This flourishing age before him was precisely the ideal world an old antique like Madara had always pursued.
And all of it was right in front of his eyes.
"I'm a little hungry."
After walking around for a long time, Madara's stomach protested. Even Madara was still a body of flesh and blood. He still needed food from the mortal world.
"Candied hawthorn."
"Stinky tofu."
"Mom, I want roasted sweet potatoes! Fragrant and sweet roasted sweet potatoes!"
Madara followed his instincts and arrived at the snack street. The entire street was filled with the temptation of delicious food. It was a forbidden land for those running to lose weight, an area they absolutely could not touch.
Considering his teeth, Madara thought for a moment and chose food that would be easy for him to chew: roasted sweet potatoes.
Madara walked up to the roasted sweet potato stall. The stall owner was not an adult, but a little boy sitting on a stool with his head lowered, bitterly writing his homework.
"Child, I want to buy two roasted sweet potatoes."
Madara had hidden in an underground cave for years. The last time he had spoken to a child was probably ten years ago, so his words were somewhat halting. The corners of his mouth pulled into a smile as he tried his best to make his expression look kind.
He, Madara, had always been gentle toward children!
"Coming right up, Grandpa!"
When the little boy saw business arrive, he immediately put down the pen in his hand and skillfully took two roasted sweet potatoes out of the stove.
After Madara paid, the little boy saw him standing there eating the sweet potatoes and thoughtfully lent him a stool. Then he went back to lowering his head and bitterly writing.
"Sweet."
Madara sat on the small stool, peeled away the sweet potato skin, and revealed the yellow flesh inside. With one bite, it was soft, sticky, fragrant, and sweet. Looking at the crowds flowing back and forth, an inexplicable sense of satisfaction appeared in his heart.
"Hashirama... This kind of life..."
Madara's old habit appeared again. He sank into his usual memories, muttering nonstop.
"Grandpa, if you're thirsty, there's water here. It's free."
The little boy pointed at the tea bowl on the stall. Free boiled water was provided here. Thoughtful and humane service was the way to attract more customers.
"Child, what is your name?"
"Sosuke. Sosuke Ito."
Madara's thoughts were interrupted. He slowly stood up, walked to Sosuke's side, and looked at Sosuke's homework book.
Chakra is physical...
"You're a student at the ninja academy?"
Madara became a little interested and carefully looked over the child before him.
Weak chakra fluctuations, rough circulation, poor control.
With his sharp eye as someone who stood at the peak of the ninja world, Madara could see Sosuke's talent at a glance.
In the future, he would be a weak genin. On the battlefield, he would be small fry who could be killed by an ordinary shuriken.
A trace of sorrow flashed through Madara's heart. It was as if he had already seen a life vanish.
This ninja world was still so cruel.
"Yeah. I just enrolled in the Leaf's school this year. My mom and I were very lucky. We fled here and came to the Leaf. She works in a factory and even took out a loan to buy a house in the Leaf."
"The Hokage is a super good person. He gave us work, and I even have a chance to go to school. As long as we work hard for twenty years, we can pay off the house."
"After school at night, I still have time to come here and help Mom sell sweet potatoes."
With just a few casual questions, Madara extracted Sosuke's family background and work situation completely.
Good child.
A smile appeared on Madara's lips.
"The teacher says my talent is really poor. I can only become a genin."
"As long as I successfully graduate from the ninja academy and become a genin, the Leaf will arrange a job for me. I can go work on an engineering team. Construction work makes a lot of money, much more than Mom earns in the factory."
"The school teacher said that in the future, the Leaf will open factories all over the ninja world, so they'll need lots of new multifunctional talent. But for that, you still have to study further at the new school opened by the Hokage."
"The Hokage said technology is the primary productive force. Only by mastering knowledge can we change our fate and change the entire ninja world. Ninja have to devote themselves to production. Aside from ninjutsu, they also have to study more physics and chemistry."
"???"
Madara listened to the words of this little boy, Sosuke, and for a moment, his mind went blank.
This was what the ninja academy taught now?
They did not teach people how to kill anymore?
(End of Chapter)
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