"I will stay in the Hidden Mist Village for at most one month. Once the village becomes completely stable, I will leave," Uchiha Madara said calmly to Uchiha Su.
They were standing inside a quiet room. Outside the window, the sea breeze of the Hidden Mist Village carried a faint smell of salt. Madara's voice was steady, but the words carried a sense of finality.
"Uncle… are you returning to Konoha?" Uchiha Su asked carefully, observing Madara's expression.
Madara nodded slightly.
"That's right. I must return to Konoha. There are still matters I need to handle there. Once those things are finished, I may not come back to the Hidden Mist again."
As he spoke, a faint trace of hesitation appeared in Madara's eyes.
He was considering something.
For a moment, he wondered whether he should reveal the secrets recorded on the Uchiha clan monument to his young but exceptionally intelligent nephew.
Uchiha Su had always been unusually perceptive for his age. Sometimes, Madara even felt that the boy's thinking ability rivaled that of experienced adults.
After a brief pause, Madara made up his mind.
He looked at Su and asked slowly, "Su, do you know about the relationship between the Uchiha and the Senju clans?"
Inside, Uchiha Su almost sighed.
Of course I know.
In fact, I probably know even more than you do.
But on the surface, Su deliberately showed a puzzled expression.
"Aren't the Uchiha and Senju mortal enemies?" he replied. "Their hatred lasted for hundreds of years. The conflict only ended when the Hidden Leaf Village was established."
Madara nodded first, then slowly shook his head.
"That is both true… and false."
His voice became deeper.
"A while ago, I secretly returned to Konoha. My purpose was to examine the clan monument located at the Naka Shrine."
Madara's eyes became distant, as if recalling the moment when he had read the ancient text carved into the stone.
"The monument records the true origins of the Uchiha and Senju clans," he continued.
"The Uchiha inherited the Sage of Six Paths' Eyes, while the Senju inherited the Sage's Body."
"When these two powers combine, they can produce a power capable of creating all things."
Uchiha Su listened quietly.
Although he already knew the information, he maintained a serious expression, as if he were hearing the story for the first time.
Madara continued speaking, his tone becoming increasingly passionate.
"The Sage of Six Paths also left behind a great plan."
"A plan that could bring true peace to the entire ninja world."
"If someone awakens the Rinnegan, they can execute the Eye of the Moon Plan."
Madara's eyes glowed with intensity.
"This plan will lead the entire ninja world into an eternal dream—a world without conflict, hatred, or suffering."
"My current goal is to complete this plan and bring true peace to the world."
Madara's voice gradually rose with excitement.
"When that day comes, I would really like to see Hashirama's expression."
The moment he mentioned Senju Hashirama, Madara's demeanor changed dramatically. His calm expression became almost frighteningly intense.
Uchiha Su watched him silently.
He knew this plan far better than Madara did.
In fact, he even knew the tragic fate that awaited Madara in the future.
One day, Madara's heart would be mercilessly ripped out… by Black Zetsu.
"Uncle," Su said thoughtfully after a moment, "this plan truly sounds magnificent."
"But… are you certain that the information recorded on the clan monument is completely authentic?"
He could not directly warn Madara.
Instead, he could only offer a subtle hint.
Madara frowned slightly.
Before he could respond, something else was happening beneath their feet.
Deep underground, hidden within the earth, Black Zetsu was silently observing everything.
Using the Mayfly Technique, he had merged with the soil and was carefully listening to the entire conversation.
"This is unusual," Black Zetsu muttered to himself.
His strange black eyes narrowed slightly.
"I have been observing Uchiha Madara for a long time. The chakra of Indra's reincarnation shines like a bright moon in the darkness. It would have been impossible for me not to notice him."
For years, Black Zetsu had carefully guided events behind the scenes.
Madara had always been his most important pawn.
Everything had been progressing exactly according to plan.
But recently, something unexpected had appeared.
Uchiha Su.
"This boy…" Black Zetsu whispered.
"Since when did the Uchiha become so intelligent?"
Black Zetsu fell into deep thought.
Something about the situation felt wrong.
However, he could not clearly explain why.
Over time, he had gathered quite a bit of information about Uchiha Su.
He knew that the boy was Madara's closest living blood relative.
He also knew that Su possessed an unusually cunning mind.
Otherwise, the boy would never have been able to hide his true strength for so long while attending the Ninja Academy.
Black Zetsu's expression became darker.
"I have a bad feeling about this child."
A murderous glint flashed across his eyes.
"Perhaps I should eliminate him before he becomes a real problem."
After all, excessive intelligence could be extremely dangerous.
Especially for someone who might interfere with his thousands-of-years-old plan.
Meanwhile, inside the room above the ground, Uchiha Su suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
He instinctively looked around the room.
But everything appeared normal.
Still, the strange feeling did not disappear.
Instead, the uneasy sensation continued to grow stronger.
It felt as if something disgusting and sinister was watching him from the shadows.
"Could it be… Black Zetsu?" Su thought silently.
The possibility seemed very real.
That ancient schemer might be hiding somewhere nearby, secretly listening to their conversation.
At that moment, Madara spoke again with great confidence.
"The monument must be genuine," he said firmly.
"I carefully examined the handwriting carved into the stone."
"Only something that has endured thousands of years of history could develop such texture and depth."
Uchiha Su could not help but sweat slightly.
He had not expected Madara to analyze the monument's authenticity through handwriting.
"Uncle… are you confident that this plan will succeed?" Su asked cautiously.
Madara smiled.
His expression was filled with absolute confidence.
"I have already made far more preparations than Hashirama ever did."
"In the end, I will be the one who survives."
His tone carried an unwavering determination.
Then Madara looked directly at Su.
"After I leave, do you believe you can stabilize the situation in the Hidden Mist Village?"
His voice was serious.
Su nodded firmly.
"Of course, Uncle."
"I already have several plans prepared."
"I will ensure that the Uchiha clan will never again suffer the same discrimination they experienced in Konoha."
Madara listened quietly.
Su continued speaking with confidence.
"By the time you leave, it will be at least one month from now."
"During this month, I will achieve results that will earn the trust of the villagers."
"Furthermore, I have already arranged for certain rumors to spread throughout the village."
"Once those rumors circulate for a few days, my task should be completed."
At that point, Su would obtain the Mangekyō Sharingan.
With the power of the Mangekyō and the support of the Uchiha clan, the Uchiha would never again experience the isolation they had once faced in Konoha.
Moreover, Su was very confident in his own strategic abilities.
The Hidden Mist Village was currently in a chaotic state.
In such a situation, even a small amount of effective planning could create dramatic changes.
Once people saw those improvements, they would naturally begin to trust him.
Madara suddenly smiled faintly.
"You have always been very intelligent," he said.
"Since you were young, you have rarely given me any reason to worry."
"Sometimes, I even feel that I have not been a very good uncle."
Madara's voice softened slightly.
After the death of his younger brother Taiga, Su had become his only remaining family member in the world.
Back then, the young boy had brought him a great deal of comfort during his darkest moments.
"Uncle," Su said gently, "once you finish everything you want to accomplish…"
"If you ever want to come home, you can return here."
"The Hidden Mist is our home now."
Madara was momentarily stunned.
For a brief moment, his usually cold expression softened.
Then he nodded.
"Yes… I will return."
The next day.
Inside the Mizukage's Office Building.
Hōzuki Gengetsu sat lazily in the Mizukage's chair, watching Uchiha Su working tirelessly at the desk.
The young boy who constantly declared that he would become the Third Mizukage was now buried beneath piles of paperwork.
Documents covered the entire table.
Su was carefully reviewing village reports, mission records, and financial statements.
Gengetsu scratched his head awkwardly.
Seeing Su handle the administrative work so seriously made him feel strangely uncomfortable.
After all, he was technically the Mizukage.
Yet he himself hated dealing with such complicated paperwork.
"You need to let me review those documents after you finish reading them," Gengetsu shouted across the room.
"I should check them first before they become official."
"Understood," Su replied without even lifting his head.
Gengetsu watched him for a moment before asking curiously,
"You're still just a kid."
"Shouldn't you be focusing on training instead of worrying about administrative affairs?"
Su calmly set aside one document and picked up another.
"I only need about one hour of training each day," he said.
"Excessive training can actually be harmful."
"If a child trains too much, it may overwork the body and reduce their future potential."
Gengetsu blinked in surprise.
"Really?"
Su nodded.
"Chakra is formed through the fusion of physical energy and spiritual energy."
"If a young ninja overexerts their body before it fully develops, it can disrupt that balance."
"For children, too much physical training may limit their future growth."
Gengetsu's eyes widened in disbelief.
The ninja academies across the various villages had only been established recently.
Their teaching materials were still extremely limited.
In particular, theoretical knowledge about chakra and training methods was almost nonexistent.
Most ninja relied purely on experience.
So hearing such clear and logical reasoning from a child left Gengetsu completely astonished.
He stared at Uchiha Su with a strange expression.
For the first time, he began to feel that this boy might truly have the potential to become the future Mizukage.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)