"This is… the Sage of Six Paths' legacy!"
Uchiha Madara gazed at the ancient text glowing on the walls of the volcano cavern, his eyes trembling.
He never imagined that although he'd searched high and low for traces of the Rabbit Goddess and the Sage of Six Paths to no avail, he would, in this place, obtain the Sage's legacy.
"Could it be... that Moryō was also a monster created by the Sage of Six Paths?" Madara muttered, a trace of regret flashing in his gaze. "I've been too arrogant. I should have realized that these kinds of immortal, indestructible creatures—if not linked to the Sage of Six Paths—would be connected to the Rabbit Goddess or that Ōtsutsuki clan on the Moon!"
Now that he thought it over, Madara noticed many similarities between Moryō and the Tailed Beasts.
For instance, they were both energy given form: Tailed Beasts are chakra given form, while Moryō is negative emotion or evil energy personified.
And both cannot be killed: even the Ten-Tails, if it degenerates into the empty husk of the Gedo Statue, cannot truly be put to death by space-time ninjutsu or anything else.
As long as the planet remains alive, the Gedo Statue can keep siphoning chakra or the planet's life force to restore itself from any injuries.
And if a Tailed Beast is killed, it will reappear somewhere in the ninja world a few years later.
Thus, so long as the planet lives on, the Gedo Statue and Tailed Beasts exist immortal.
Only that Jinchūriki system the Sage of Six Paths devised can seal Tailed Beasts into human bodies—and by killing the Jinchūriki, one can temporarily "kill" a Tailed Beast.
Moryō was the same. Even Madara's Rinnegan could not kill it.
From what the Land of Demons' citizens said, only a Priestess's power could seal it, and they also could not truly kill Moryō. This was practically another variant of Tailed Beast plus Jinchūriki.
Not even the Rinnegan could handle it, so it must be the work of the founder of ninjutsu or the progenitor of chakra!
Hence, Madara carefully read the ancient script on the walls. The more he read, the more astonished—and the more delighted, yet regretful—he became.
"So Rinnegan's Yin-Yang Release is only the foundation. There are so many lines of development… so many uses…"
Indeed, these walls contained a complete exposition of Yin-Yang Release.
After finishing that section, Madara felt his heart sink.
At that moment, he couldn't help suspecting Black Zetsu.
Yes, Yin-Yang Release does allow creating incarnations of one's will.
But that requires extremely advanced Yin and Yang elemental manipulation along with both physical and spiritual energy at a realm beyond ordinary limits—only then can one spontaneously create matter from the formless, and breathe life into it with Yin-Yang Release, thus forming incarnations of one's will.
Madara was severely imbalanced in his talents, with his Yin Release far outclassing the Yang Release he'd obtained from Hashirama.
The Rinnegan's basic Yin-Yang Release only let him create solid form—i.e., the black rods.
His skill with Yin Release wasn't sufficient to breathe true life into matter.
"They who can endow matter with life using Yin-Yang Release—like the Rabbit Goddess's incarnation of will… Heh…"
Madara sneered. "So that stone tablet, the text above it, everything was shaped by Yin-Yang Release. Even this altar and these walls. Only someone with Rinnegan and the Sage of Six Paths' bloodline can unlock these secrets.
"No wonder that fellow Black Zetsu guided me to awaken the Rinnegan and become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki. He wants to use me to break Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's seal!"
"Rinnegan plus the power of her bloodline are the 'keys' to decoding the tablet and opening these walls. Then… What is the 'key' to unsealing the Rabbit Goddess?"
Madara pondered, softly muttering,
"Black Zetsu."
"If it's the incarnation of her will, that must be the key to unsealing her real body. Then what's the keyhole?"
"God Tree and the Chakra Fruit, the Ten-Tails and Ten-Tails Jinchūriki… The progenitor of chakra merges with the 'fruit'—the fruit returns to the God Tree, and the God Tree once again bears fruit!"
A chill shot through Madara, cold sweat beading down.
He lifted his eyes toward the cavern ceiling inscribed with ancient words, his gaze seemingly piercing through the volcano to outer space, meeting Kaguya Ōtsutsuki sealed upon the moon.
"The moon was cut apart, yet Kaguya didn't break free. That shows that even destroying the moon can't undo the Sage of Six Paths' seal."
"Kaguya, the God Tree, can only break free by two methods: The "carving" of the seal… or 'possession!'" Madara ground his teeth, naming a jutsu:
"Yin-Yang Release… Spiritual Possession!"
"Once I devour the God Tree to become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, Black Zetsu can latch onto me, releasing the Rabbit Goddess's will—who ate the Chakra Fruit from the same source—and fight me for control of my body."
"Given we share the same source, or there's a gap in Yin-Yang Release mastery, there's no way I'd resist the Rabbit Goddess. So that's how she revives?"
"What a terrifying scheme—damn it!"
Madara seethed in fury. Right now, he felt like a clown.
From deciphering the Uchiha clan's tablet to his own resurrection, everything fit Black Zetsu's plan.
Infinite Tsukuyomi, far from severing cause-and-effect for lasting peace, was a doomsday jutsu that turned humanity into White Zetsu!
Everything from the Valley of the End to his own revival was accounted for by Black Zetsu.
His entire revival plan could be illusions whispered by Yin-Yang Release.
Scowling at the thought, Madara wanted to order his wood clone to shred Black Zetsu to pieces.
But he knew he couldn't do that.
As the embodiment of the progenitor-of-chakra will—just like Moryō—Black Zetsu was immortal.
Just as only a Priestess can seal Moryō, so only a Ten-Tails Jinchūriki can seal the progenitor-of-chakra will.
"Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, the so-called 'Otsutsuki Toneri,' and Black Zetsu…"
He repeated these three names in his mind, eyes flaring with cold resolve.
The path to true and permanent peace, once his dream, was now overshadowed by clarity.
Now his aim was to clear away the threat so that a doomsday known as Infinite Tsukuyomi would never strike the shinobi world again.
To accomplish that, ironically, he still needed to become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki.
And currently, the ones hindering that were not only Otsutsuki Toneri but also Izayoi.
Gazing at the final text upon the wall, Madara muttered:
"'Six Paths Sage Mode'? So that's the power that brat wields?"
Indeed, the Sage's legacy on the wall described not only complete Yin-Yang Release but also the training and acquisition method for Six Paths Sage Mode.
Once Madara finished reading, he found it took just a single read to memorize. The next instant, the text on the walls vanished on its own. Underfoot, the altar emitted a series of cracks.
Madara rose into the air, gliding up toward the volcano cavern's exit.
With a loud rumble, a geyser of molten lava erupted, engulfing the altar behind him.
As Madara departed the temple, he never noticed a spirit body floating behind him, gazing in approval at his back.
"Turn back from a wrong path, awaken to move forward… You who inherited Indra and Ashura but have shed their wills—perhaps you can accomplish what even I could not." The Sage of Six Paths let out a gentle laugh, then turned to some other direction, a trace of icy suspicion gleaming in his gaze.
Once Madara left, the Sage's soul and the barrier vanished as well.
Not long afterward, a figure who concealed his chakra signature arrived at the volcanic path's edge.
"The altar has disappeared…"
Izayoi's wood clone stood on the winding pathway, frowning as he surveyed the place once hosting an altar, now only rolling magma.
"No chakra trace remains—my Tenseigan can't see through it. This level of barrier can only come from three people."
"It can't be Otsutsuki Isshiki, since Madara didn't show that Kāma.
"Nor would it be Otsutsuki Hamura—so that leaves the Sage of Six Paths!"
That realization stirred heaviness in the clone's mind—and a greater excitement.
Having the Sage of Six Paths as an enemy would be dreadful indeed.
Because, to a transmigrator like Izayoi, the oldest and mightiest figure in this world was not truly Kaguya or Isshiki but the Sage himself, who could intervene even after death, bestow Six-Paths-level power upon Naruto and Sasuke, and help seal Kaguya.
A thousand years ago, the Sage needed Otsutsuki Hamura's help.
But a thousand years later, he alone could bestow Naruto and Sasuke the means of sealing Kaguya with "Six Paths—Chibaku Tensei."
Adding to that, the fact that Naruto and Sasuke's Six Paths–tier strength came solely from his spirit's gift meant the Sage's soul still had Six Paths–level might.
Even if he never devoured a Chakra Fruit or refined it into pills to extend life, he'd gained a different kind of immortality.
Being watched by such an existence… sleeping at night might become unsettling.
Yet Izayoi, hearing this, felt more thrilled than worried.
Because… that alone was a sign!
Izayoi knew perfectly well he wasn't a descendant of Hagoromo or Hamura. With the Sage's abilities, that would be obvious at a glance.
If the Sage was truly omnipotent, he'd have had no need to rely on Madara to wipe Izayoi out.
But he didn't do so—instead using some unknown method to help Madara.
That implied either the Sage could not act directly or lacked the power and certainty to kill Izayoi.
Either possibility was good news.
Though the Sage was strong, he was system-strong.
His "stats" ultimately couldn't compare to Kaguya.
When Izayoi awakened the "Sage Eyes" or obtained the ultimate Yin power, that old ghost hadn't appeared.
When Izayoi awakened the Tenseigan, the Sage still didn't appear.
He even grew horns on his forehead and still no response.
Only after Izayoi unlocked Six Paths Sage Mode did that old fox start meddling in the living world.
It likely meant Izayoi's Tenseigan–Six Paths Sage Mode combination had made him anxious.
At that thought, Izayoi pinned even more importance on Shion.
Until he could enter Six Paths Sage Mode at will without relying on the Priestess's power, he needed to ensure no mishaps befell her. Even sleeping, he'd keep a wood clone to watch over her.
Relaying everything he saw and deduced back to the main body, Izayoi's clone vanished in a teleport.
…
After departing the temple, Madara ended his quest for the Land of Ancestors and did not return to Amegakure just yet. Instead, he went searching for someone.
"That confused look really doesn't suit you, Obito!" Madara spoke up straightaway.
"You're back at last?"
On a cliff, quietly looking into the distance without his mask, Uchiha Obito cast a dull glance at Madara, tone calm:
"Seems you've found what you wanted?"
"Indeed I have. But for you, it's bad news." Madara gave him a wry smile.
A tremor leapt across Obito's heart. "What bad news?"
"Project Tsuki no Me is canceled."
Madara folded his arms, watching Obito's face darken, delivering a direct blow:
"Infinite Tsukuyomi is fake—there's no perfect dream world to create."
"What…?!"
Obito's features instantly turned contorted and menacing. With one Mangekyō Sharingan and one three-tomoe, he glared at Madara in rage:
"So all along, you've been lying to me?"
Black haze emanated from Obito's body—Yin Release chakra, tangible negative emotion and darkness.
The effect of Madara's words was enormous.
He could accept losing control of the Akatsuki, or having his identity exposed—reduced from mastermind to a mere observer, even the fact that his other eye had been taken and now he had to open Izanagi whenever stepping into the Kamui dimension to avoid Otsutsuki Toneri seizing it. He didn't mind any of that.
Nor did he care if he'd once schemed to replace Madara and cast Infinite Tsukuyomi himself. Even that dream fell through.
So long as Infinite Tsukuyomi would succeed in forging a world with Rin, that alone sufficed.
Because in that perfect dream, Rin would be alive again, along with everyone else and true lasting peace. That's why Obito scorned the present world: teacher, teacher's wife, clansmen or civilians—he slew them all without remorse, certain they'd be reborn in the new world.
Where Rin would care for him, Kakashi would admire him, sensei wouldn't come late, his wife would be loving, and perhaps a boy named Naruto would become his disciple. All were Obito's illusions.
That dream was Obito's will to carry on.
If Madara now told him that dream was false, that he had deceived Obito all along… not even the curse seal in Obito's heart could stop him from trying to kill Madara.
"I wasn't lying. I also learned this only recently."
Seeing Obito teeter on the edge, Madara waved a hand. "Infinite Tsukuyomi's storage does exist, and that dream world truly is real, but not as one entire large dream. Bah, you'd best see for yourself."
Madara used the Rinnegan's genjutsu to pull Obito into an illusory realm, replaying the same scenes Nagato had witnessed.
Obito couldn't care less about Kaguya Ōtsutsuki or the Sage. Even mention of Black Zetsu failed to interest him.
But when he saw that Infinite Tsukuyomi was actually turning people into White Zetsu, he was ruined.
Even after the illusion shattered, he remained there lifeless, blank-eyed.
He recalled the joys of childhood, but each memory—apart from Rin being killed by Kakashi—was shattered by a figure in a black robe, wearing a mask.
A tardy sensei who cared, a fierce but doting sensei's wife, clanmates and the villagers… all murdered by him.
And they wouldn't revive in that dream world.
In that instant, Obito felt as though Madara had triggered the curse seal on his heart; the pain in his chest was suffocating, like drowning.
"Hahahaha…"
He suddenly burst out laughing, the hallmark madness of an Uchiha.
He trembled so hard that tears fell from his eyes.
Observing Obito's breakdown, Madara felt a hint of dark satisfaction.
Yes indeed. Why should he bear the despair of shattered dreams alone?
Watching the once-iron-willed, now-fragile-like-paper Obito break down gave Madara a bit of comfort.
Both had been pawns. Both had their dreams broken. At least Madara wasn't the unluckiest one.
Still, looking at Obito—dragged into darkness by his own hand—Madara, who had now returned from his own illusions with clarity, felt a trace of guilt (though not much).
Thus, Madara once again painted illusions for Obito:
"Do you want to revive your cherished ones and begin anew?"
Obito's laughter cut off. Tears streaming, he stared at Madara, the light re-igniting in his eyes.
Madara drew him back into that genjutsu world, promising:
"Help me with one task. Once I become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, I'll resurrect your precious people."
"Fine."
The moment Obito's dream collapsed, he hardly hesitated before agreeing. He didn't even ask what favor Madara wanted.
But this time, Obito was more cautious. Scowling, he said:
"First, remove that thing. You know what I mean."
"Alright," Madara replied without complaint.
~~~
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