Chapter 165: Surging Undercurrents!
"Madara, this is a disaster!"
In the dark cave, a white creature with a spiral face shouted in alarm. "Kagami's mission failed! The Konoha ninja are searching for your location right now!"
"Isn't that to be expected?" The ancient Uchiha Madara leaned on a cane, sitting on a wooden throne, his aged voice betraying no hint of panic. "Identify the problem, find the problem, solve the problem. That is the ninja way of thinking. If the Yellow Flash discovered the Edo Tensei and didn't investigate it, I would actually think less of him."
"So what do we do now?" The White Zetsu known as Tobi continued to use exaggerated movements to express his agitation. "That's the Yellow Flash we're talking about! He goes 'swoosh' and disappears, then 'swoosh' and reappears! I can't deal with him. And you're so old, Madara. What if he 'swooshes' behind you and uses that weird kunai of his to cut the tubes connecting you to the Gedo Mazō? Wouldn't you just keel over and die?"
"For one who has mastered the Edo Tensei, death is not to be feared," Madara said, but his face couldn't help but darken.
Death itself wasn't frightening, but that didn't mean he was ready to embrace it. Otherwise, why would he have clung to life for so many years, sustained by the Gedo Mazō? Madara spoke lightly, as if he could cross the boundary of life and death at will, but in reality, he was far more adept at direct confrontation than scientific research. Though he had managed to master the Edo Tensei after a long period of practice and had successfully summoned the "Edo tool-man" Kagami, he had no clue how to actually modify the jutsu.
Madara knew that a ninja summoned by the Edo Tensei would be revived in the state they were in at the time of their death. In his current frail condition, where a strong gust of wind could knock him over, reanimating himself would be completely useless.
His true hope lay with the Rinnegan he had hidden away in the Land of Rain—the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths, still growing within the boy named Nagato. Unfortunately, Nagato was not yet fully grown, and his will was far too naive. Peace through harmony and mutual understanding? What a joke. Madara seriously doubted the boy had the courage and conviction to ever use the Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique.
To prevent his main plan from failing, Madara had spent the years since implanting the Rinnegan searching for backup pawns within the Uchiha clan. He had finally found Kagami, but the man's love for Konoha far outweighed any other hatred. Madara couldn't understand why an Uchiha would so fervently believe in the Will of Fire. Wasn't Hashirama Senju just a melon-headed fool who spouted empty words and stabbed people in the back?
Damn you, Hashirama! Always...
Madara realized his thoughts were straying and forced his focus back to the present.
"Tobi, I recall there was a promising seedling near the Yellow Flash."
"You mean that kid, Uchiha Obito?" Tobi responded instantly. "Madara, that kid doesn't have an ounce of Uchiha cleverness in him. He seems dumb and clumsy, and he hasn't even awakened his Sharingan yet."
"What does it matter if he awakens it late?" Madara scoffed at the idea that a later awakening meant weaker talent. He himself had awakened his Sharingan at a later age. And so what? Did that stop him from becoming the strongest Uchiha?
"But Madara," Tobi pointed out cheerfully, "Uchiha Shisui, who is four months older than Obito, already has a three-tomoe Sharingan. And if Kagami's plan had succeeded, Shisui would have a Mangekyo Sharingan by now."
Mangekyo... four months older...
Madara fell silent again. Could Obito go from "no Sharingan" to "Mangekyo" in just four months? He suddenly wondered if he should switch targets. Shisui was also on his watch list. Loyal to Konoha, cared for his comrades, exceptionally talented... The only problem was that he was Kagami's son. After the fiasco with Kagami, Madara was reluctant to deal with that bloodline. He felt there was something wrong with their brains for believing in that blasted Hashirama over their own great ancestor.
"Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Obito... we'll deal with them later," Madara said, shaking his head, deciding against any immediate dark plans for them. "Back to the Yellow Flash. Where is he now?"
"According to our intel, he's back at the Konoha camp," Tobi replied. "They're probably having dinner right now... I'm so jealous. They'll probably have to poop after dinner, right? I really want to know what having diarrhea feels like!"
"Shut up, Tobi," Madara interrupted, a headache forming. In his eyes, the White Zetsu were nothing but inferior clones of Hashirama, capable of a few shoddy Wood Style tricks but a far cry from the real thing. And even among them, there were differences. This individual, Tobi, was the "strongest" one Madara had cultivated, but his brain was more than a little defective. Lacking a normal human physiology, he was morbidly curious about many biological functions, which was a constant source of irritation for Madara.
"I will ask, you will answer. No nonsense."
"Okay, Madara," Tobi sighed, agreeing on the surface but with no intention of changing. "But you probably don't know what diarrhea feels like either, right? Since you don't have to eat, just like me."
I'd never tell you that I can't even pee when Hashirama is standing behind me...
Madara slammed his cane on the ground. "First question. Do Obito and Shisui have your spores on them?"
"I haven't put my spores on them, but other Zetsu have secretly planted theirs," Tobi said, then asked curiously, "Madara, are you planning to make a move on them?"
"Second question," Madara said, ignoring him. "Are Minato Namikaze and Nara Keisuke within your range of observation?"
"That's a tough one," Tobi said, shaking his head. "Minato has the Flying Thunder God, and Keisuke can fly. I can't track them. Madara, are you going to go after the Yellow Flash and the Shadow of Darkness? You'll really die, you know."
"Third question." Madara's eye twitched. "The White Zetsu that Keisuke took. Can you get it back?"
"I don't know," Tobi continued to shake his head. "Keisuke's abilities are weird. I didn't even see how he pulled the Zetsu out of Kagami's body, and the Zetsu didn't react at all."
Madara had already heard Tobi's report on the battle between Minato, Keisuke, and the reanimated Kagami more than once.
"Now," Madara tapped his cane again, "bring me all the intelligence we've gathered on Minato Namikaze and Nara Keisuke."
"Minato's is easy. He's close to Obito, so we've gathered quite a bit," Tobi said, scratching his head. "But Nara Keisuke? He's a huge lazy bum. Even Shisui has barely seen him make a move."
"One more thing," Madara continued. "Use your Mayfly Technique, go to the Land of Waterfalls, find a random spot, and create a fake base."
"Are we going to use that base as a toilet?" Tobi asked, raising his hand. "Can I be the first to go? Even though I don't have a toilet to go to."
"And one last thing," Madara gave his final order. "Go and find me another White Zetsu! If you don't want to, you can do it yourself!"
The movements in the shadows of the earth went unnoticed.
The next morning, the warm sun illuminated the Konoha camp. Nara Keisuke, following his internal clock, woke up on time. It wasn't yet time to return to the village, and his squad had no missions. After checking in with his team and leaving a Shadow Doppelganger behind, he went straight back to the remote forest to continue his research.
He spent the better part of the morning writing an A-rank scroll, "[The Method for Creating Boil Release Chakra]," and filed it away with his other Kekkei Genkai research. His project to improve the Shadow Invisibility Technique also progressed smoothly. The Shadow Invisibility and the Art of False Plantation were, in essence, both techniques that used one's chakra to manipulate external elements—water molecules and natural energy, respectively—to enhance stealth. Their effects didn't conflict.
Just as Keisuke was about to push through and fully integrate the two techniques, the Shadow Doppelganger from the camp suddenly sent back a message.
"Returning to the village for a break? No, that's not it..." Keisuke paused his experiment and reviewed the memories, his brow furrowing.
"Minato has already found Uchiha Madara's approximate location. And... it's in the Land of Waterfalls?!"
But that wasn't the only thing that made him frown.
"And Hiruzen has ordered me and Minato to form a two-man team to go after Uchiha Madara?"
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