Chapter 115: A Touch of Humanity
"Why are you still staying in Konoha?"
A gloomy, deeply dissatisfied voice echoed through an underground tunnel outside Konoha.
Uzumaki Zetsu looked at Black Zetsu in front of him and scratched his head, looking somewhat troubled.
"Madara-sama is still alive. Where else do you want me to go?"
"He's still alive?!"
Black Zetsu was rendered speechless.
How could Uchiha Madara still be alive?
The life force he had extracted from the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path should have been enough to sustain him only until late July at most.
But it was already August.
How could he possibly still be alive?
Uzumaki Zetsu glanced at Black Zetsu and scratched his head again, his face filled with misery.
That morning, although he had sensed that Madara's life force was about to disappear, he happened to hear the children outside calling him "Big Brother Zetsu" and earnestly asking him how to draw ice cream.
So Uzumaki Zetsu went outside for a while to bring them some snacks.
Unexpectedly, when he returned, Madara's life force had suddenly become vigorous again. It seemed that he wasn't going to die anytime soon.
The thought that he would have to spend several more months teaching other people how to draw poop made Uzumaki Zetsu's expression turn troubled again.
At this moment, Black Zetsu raised his head.
Looking at Uzumaki Zetsu's mouth stretched into a grin almost reaching his ears, Black Zetsu pounced on him.
"You've been slacking! You've been slacking!"
Uzumaki Zetsu quickly raised both hands in surrender.
"Hey, you can't say that about me. You know I'm actually the hardest-working one."
Hearing this, Black Zetsu couldn't help getting angry.
"Besides drawing poop every day and answering questions about poop, what else have you done?"
Uzumaki Zetsu stared at Black Zetsu with a wise expression before grinning.
"Two days ago, I successfully drove Orochimaru out of Konoha by reporting him. Konoha's combat strength has taken another major hit."
"If this continues, one side will rise while the other declines. One side will grow stronger while the other becomes weaker."
Black Zetsu suddenly released his grip on Zetsu's neck and looked him up and down suspiciously.
"Who taught you to speak like that?"
He suddenly remembered what Zetsu had been like in the past—constantly talking about poop while being stared at by children with disgusted expressions.
Uzumaki Zetsu, infused with Hashirama's cells, slowly crouched down and used a branch to write two words on the ground.
Self-taught.
Black Zetsu's eyes widened.
He let out a furious roar.
"You taught yourself? Then what about Madara? What about Madara?! What is he doing?"
Uzumaki Zetsu thought for a moment before answering with utmost seriousness.
"Recently, Madara-sama has been digging holes everywhere with Uchiha Ryoichi and Uchiha Asuka."
"But Black Zetsu, you don't need to worry. Madara-sama's determination to carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan hasn't wavered in the slightest. If anything, it has become even stronger."
"I don't think it's a bad thing for Madara-sama to stay in Konoha a little longer."
"Madara-sama has witnessed the cruelty of war and the beauty of peace. With his family by his side, he has become increasingly eager to create a world without war and protect this precious 'peace' for future generations."
"These two things aren't contradictory. In fact, they complement each other."
Hearing Uzumaki Zetsu suddenly spout such profound philosophy, Black Zetsu's eyes widened.
He pointed at the stone wall and roared,
"Get out! Stay as far away from me as possible!"
A moment later.
Black Zetsu looked toward the spot where Uzumaki Zetsu had already disappeared.
He leaned weakly against the stone wall, staring into the darkness around him, and muttered,
"Mother, I wonder if this dark environment is somewhat similar to the sealed space you're currently trapped in."
"Stale air. Suffocating darkness. All alone."
"Carrying out this plan really is difficult, Mother."
At this very moment.
Inside the Uchiha clan compound.
Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Ryoichi, and Uchiha Asuka were each carrying a bundle of shovels over their shoulders as they hurried toward Naka Shrine.
Seeing such an unusual group, the clan members they passed stopped to watch and sent them off with strange looks.
"Why are Ryoichi-sama and Asuka-sama carrying so many shovels?"
"I heard a mysterious treasure was discovered near Naka Shrine recently."
"A mysterious treasure?! What kind of mysterious treasure?"
"I don't know. But yesterday, I saw those three digging holes all over the area around Naka Shrine. They looked like they were searching for something."
"Oh~ That makes me want to go digging too."
"Idiot. Can't you be a little more practical?"
"If we don't make money, we'll starve."
Hearing the discussion behind them, Uchiha Ryoichi hurriedly greeted Mikoto as she approached.
Then, after watching her walk away, he muttered,
"Has Mikoto been having a hard time lately? Why does she look so haggard?"
Asuka shifted the shovel on his shoulder and looked at Uchiha Mikoto's departing figure with sympathy.
"Maybe she's just been having some bad luck lately."
"Giving birth was difficult, and then she spent two hours cooking only to end up with nothing. I heard she even caught Itachi secretly reading books and taking notes last night."
The corner of Ryoichi's mouth twitched.
He was completely speechless.
"This old man has never heard of anyone reading that sort of thing while taking notes. Our young clan head is finished."
With that, he turned toward Madara.
"Cousin, where are we digging today?"
Madara lowered his head and thought silently for a while before slowly speaking.
"Back then, Izuna took the effects of 'time' into full consideration when choosing the location."
"He buried the box somewhere near Naka Shrine."
Uchiha Madara raised his head and looked toward the faint outline of Naka Shrine in the distance. A trace of nostalgia appeared in his eyes as he confidently continued,
"This old man remembers that there used to be a lake over there. Izuna buried the box about ten meters from Naka Shrine."
Ryoichi and Asuka exchanged a glance before helplessly looking up at the crow flying overhead.
They had said the same thing yesterday.
And after an entire day's work, they had found nothing.
When the three reached the lakeside, Uchiha Madara stood at the water's edge and surveyed the dramatically changed terrain.
He measured the distance with his feet and slowly said,
"Since we've ruled out one possible location, we'll dig here today."
Ryoichi and Asuka exchanged another glance before clapping their hands.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Poof! Poof! Poof!
White smoke flashed.
The original and their clones each took up a shovel and got to work.
An hour later.
After this location was ruled out as well, Madara walked a little farther ahead.
He looked at the small, steep slope in front of him and said confidently,
"It must be here. This old man remembers this steep slope from back then. And I've seen this rock before."
"Within a ten-meter radius."
"Dig."
Ptooey!
Uchiha Madara spat into his palms, gripped the shovel with both hands, and began digging.
Ten hours later.
The sun had set, and moonlight gradually illuminated the earth.
Asuka lay sprawled in the dirt, staring at the box in Uchiha Madara's hands. His exhausted expression contained a trace of excitement.
They had finally dug it out.
Uchiha Madara gazed at the box nostalgically.
He removed the waterproof cover, inserted the key into the lock, and gently turned it.
Click!
A mechanical sound came from inside.
Madara glanced at the two heads that had suddenly poked into his field of vision.
Seeing the curiosity in their eyes, he chuckled softly.
Then he opened the box and showed them what was inside.
Scrolls.
Letters.
Kunai.
A stone.
Asuka stared at the stone inside the box and asked curiously,
"What kind of stone is this? Why is it in the box?"
Madara took out the stone and rubbed it between his hands twice before changing the subject.
"This box was Izuna's idea after he awakened his Sharingan. He suggested that we put something meaningful inside, seal it away, and bury it deep underground."
He lowered his head and looked at the stone in his hand.
This was something he and Hashirama had exchanged when they first met.
His thoughts back then had been simple.
He had thought that many years later, when he dug up this stone, he would probably remember that powerful opponent.
He should have been holding the stone just as he was now, remembering the Hashirama he had once defeated.
Sigh.
Let the past remain in the past.
Madara then took out a scroll and a kunai and handed them to the other two.
"This is the Uchiha Flame Formation, a sealing technique. As long as you have enough chakra, it can defend against a tailed beast's attacks."
"This was the first gift Ryota's fiancée ever gave him. Take it home as a keepsake."
Ryoichi's mouth twitched violently as he accepted the kunai.
A sealing technique capable of defending against a tailed beast's attack...
And an ordinary kunai.
The difference between the two was enormous.
Why had Big Brother buried this thing back then?
Why couldn't he have buried something valuable?
With that thought, Ryoichi watched silently as Uchiha Madara took a letter from the box.
Then he turned around and dragged Asuka away.
Izuna's letter.
"Hmph!"
Madara spent an hour reading the simple letter describing Izuna's hopes for the future of the clan.
After folding the letter, he raised his head and gazed at the moon in the sky.
For a moment, Madara seemed to see Izuna's figure reflected upon it.
Until the day he died, Izuna had remained proud of the Uchiha clan and entrusted his "reliable elder brother" with taking care of the clan.
Life was unpredictable.
Although the clan had abandoned him, he had still found it.
The Eye of the Moon Plan!
"Izuna!"
"In the illusionary world, the Uchiha clan will surely become what you envisioned back then."
"Hashirama!"
"The shinobi world in the illusionary world will also prove to you that my path was the correct one."
"Heh heh~"
Madara slowly stood up and turned toward his clansmen.
He was looking forward to the arrival of the illusionary world, where every person in the shinobi world would have a smile on their face.
It truly was something worth looking forward to.
Inside the clan compound.
The three returned from the shrine, shovels still in hand, and headed home.
One of them had obtained a powerful sealing technique.
Another had obtained several meaningful keepsakes.
And the third had obtained a kunai.
Seeing Ryoichi's gloomy expression, Asuka carried his shovel over to him and consoled him.
"Actually, if you think about it carefully, the kunai isn't bad either. It was given to me by your sister-in-law back then."
"Next time you visit the memorial, bury the kunai together with Great-Grandfather. Ryota will definitely be very happy."
Ryoichi's expression darkened even further.
"So this old man worked for two whole days for nothing?"
"How can helping Big Brother fulfill his wish be considered working for nothing?"
"I'm not burying it. I'll keep it myself."
"Just bury it. Keeping it will only cause you trouble."
"No."
Thump!
Before the argument could continue, Ryoichi suddenly heard a dull impact from ahead.
He poked his head out and was surprised to find that Madara had stopped walking.
What happened?
At this very moment.
A little girl stood motionless in front of Uchiha Madara.
She watched as melted ice cream slowly dripped down Madara's trouser leg.
Tears instantly welled up in her eyes.
"My ice cream..."
Under the dim streetlight nearby, she looked up at Uchiha Madara.
Seeing his rigid, dark expression and his large hand descending rapidly, the little girl panicked.
She quickly lowered her head and apologized loudly.
"I... I'm really sorry!"
Seeing Madara's hand descend, Ryoichi's heart sank.
"Cou—"
Thump!
Uchiha Madara's large hand landed on the little girl's head.
Looking at the trembling child, he slowly crouched down.
His aged voice carried a trace of apology.
"Sorry. Your ice cream got eaten by this old man's trousers."
As he spoke, Madara took a small banknote from his pocket and pressed it into the girl's hand.
"Go buy a bigger one before the shop closes."
"Huh?"
She looked at the money in her hand, then at Uchiha Madara's departing back.
She had been prepared to be scolded, perhaps even beaten.
But now, an unexpected sense of happiness welled up inside her.
"???"
Ryoichi stared at what had just happened and somewhat bewilderedly pinched his own cheek.
"Why... why does it feel like my cousin suddenly became gentler?"
Hearing this, Asuka looked at the delighted little girl walking away and asked curiously,
"Wouldn't he normally just hit someone in a situation like this?"
"It wouldn't go that far."
Ryoichi shook his head in confusion.
"Although my cousin wouldn't lower himself to act like a child, he definitely wouldn't compensate her for the loss."
"Something's wrong. Something's definitely wrong."
Thinking about Madara's sudden change, Ryoichi suddenly turned toward Asuka and said seriously,
"Beat this old man up."
"Old man, are you crazy?"
"Stop talking nonsense and hurry up."
Thump!
The moment he finished speaking, a dull impact rang out.
Ryoichi staggered backward several steps before regaining his footing.
He calmly brushed the dust from his clothes and looked at Asuka.
"This old man suddenly remembered something."
"What?"
"Ten years ago, you broke the window of this old man's house."