Hearing Uchiha Yato's words, Madara composed himself and asked coldly,
"How did you know I was still alive?""There's no one in the Hidden Leaf who's my informant, so how did you know about this?"
When Uchiha Yato heard Uchiha Madara still trying to make excuses at this point, he chuckled and said.
"Lord Madara, stop joking around."
"The way you manipulated Danzo was practically no different from sending him to his death."
"If I hadn't thought it'd be a waste to let him die like that, he'd already be dead by now."
Upon hearing these words, Uchiha Madara's expression shifted slightly.
Indeed, the implied meaning behind Uchiha Yato's words translated to:
"Your technique is still too amateurish—you need more practice~"
However, Madara's tolerance toward members of the Uchiha Clan remained quite high.
After a moment's contemplation, Madara decided to exploit information asymmetry to instill fear in Yato.
After all, during their first encounter, losing the upper hand in terms of presence would make it difficult to seize the initiative later.
Madara spoke first: "Name: Uchiha Yato."
"Already awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan."
"Your Eye Technique is likely related to muscle regulation or speed."
Hearing Madara begin listing his own information, Yato perked up with interest.
Yato was well aware of Madara's intentions, so he remained composed.
As the saying goes—never lose the upper hand in presence!
Madara continued, "Possessing Senju lineage, your ocular power receives supplementary enhancement."
"Your mastery of Fire Release can be described as truly remarkable."
After listening, Yato raised an eyebrow and said, "Is that all? Or does Lord Madara have more up his sleeve?"
For some reason, though there had been no hostility earlier, Yato's words left Madara feeling inexplicably unsettled.
Yato activated his Mangekyo Sharingan.
Then, he slowly stated, "My ability is indeed time-related, and it can be applied to others as well."
"Slows aging, you see~"
The moment these words left his mouth, Madara's estimation of Yato rose yet again.
Why was Madara seeking a proxy? Precisely because he knew his time was running short.
If Yato could slow aging—and apply it to others—then he could apply it to Madara himself.
No sooner had Yato finished speaking than Madara lunged toward him with astonishing speed, aiming for his eyes.
If he could obtain those eyes, Madara could have them transplanted to extend his own lifespan.
This move, of course, was within Yato's expectations.
Given his usual cautious nature, how could he possibly act so carelessly in front of Madara without precautions?
Just as Madara was about to reach him, Tom Cat sprang into action.
A rocket shot straight toward Madara.
Ninjas were typically high-offense, low-defense—Madara was no exception.
Having witnessed this Summoning Beast's capabilities earlier, Madara had no choice but to tread carefully.
Yet, the allure of Yato's eyes was simply too great.
Thus, Madara's decision was simple: if trading some injuries for those eyes was possible, it would be worth it.
The moment passed in a flash.
Madara's hand shot toward Yato's eyes—only for Yato to dissolve into a puff of white mist.
Madara had anticipated this outcome. If it were that easy, Yato wouldn't have survived till now.
Madara said, "Well played, boy. State your terms."
"If you dared reveal your Mangekyo and its abilities before me, you must be confident."
"Or do you actually want to fight me?"
This last line was, in truth, what Madara hoped for.He could say he had watched Uchiha Yato grow up, and while he might not understand 100% of Yato's abilities, he grasped at least 90%.
Precisely because of this, he hadn't resorted to extreme measures to deliberately kill Shisui or Yato's close friends and family.
After all, they were both of the Uchiha Clan, and Madara still didn't want to be ruthless toward his own clansmen.
Uchiha Yato said, "Lord Madara, don't be so impatient. At your age, getting too worked up might make your heart give out."
Yato had a way with words—sharp enough to pierce straight through someone's chest.
This remark was clearly mocking Madara, implying that he was too old to keep up anymore.
As for why Yato was doing this?
It was all for the Emotion Coins. This was Uchiha Madara, after all—a figure of immense combat prowess and historical significance in the Hidden Leaf.
If Madara's emotional fluctuations were strong enough, Yato could easily dream of earning millions in a single day!
Of course, stirring Madara's emotions with just a few words was still difficult.
After all, this was an old monster who had survived from the Warring States period—his will was unshakable.
Uchiha Yato continued, "Why not hear what I have to say as well?"
Another psychological battle had begun.
Yato said, "Back then, when Lord Madara left the Hidden Leaf Village, it must have been for a certain plan."
"A plan so important that it made you abandon your promise with Hashirama Senju."
"Later, Lord Madara controlled the Nine-Tails to attack the Hidden Leaf and used Izanagi to fake his death and escape."
"There must have been some other hidden reason for all this, right?"
Hearing Yato's words and deductions, Madara couldn't help but acknowledge them.
His relationship with Hashirama wasn't something that could be explained in just a few words—just as Yato said, there had to be another reason.
But there was still one crucial missing piece.
Yato hadn't seen the clan's stone tablet, so he didn't know the true reason.
He had no idea about the schemes brewing in Madara's mind.
Though Yato genuinely hadn't read the tablet's contents, that didn't stop him from making things up!
Yato said, "I once saw the Senju's family records in the Senju Clan Grounds."
"And I've also seen that stone tablet in the Uchiha Clan."
At these words, Madara's expression shifted. If Yato had seen the ancestral tablet, then he must have formed his own interpretation.
Madara also began wondering when Yato could have seen it—after all, he had kept a close watch on Yato's movements.
Yato's next words made Madara grow eager to hear his choice.
Yato said, "After I awakened the Mangekyo, I saw something different on that tablet."
Madara then spoke, "Then you must understand why I left the Hidden Leaf Village, don't you?"
"For that nobler ideal, I was willing to abandon everything!"
"Young man, surely you can relate to my feelings."
"If our plan succeeds, suffering will vanish from this world!"
"The scars of war will be washed away, and everyone will attain eternal happiness."
Madara laid out his vision without hesitation.For a long time, no one could understand him.
This time, it was also a portrayal of his own heart—not just persuading Uchiha Yato, but also affirming and expressing his grand ideals.
Without giving Uchiha Yato a chance to react, Uchiha Madara continued.
"Since you've come here, you must agree with me, right?"
"Join me in my glorious plan!"
As long as he could secure Uchiha Yato's assistance, he believed this plan would surely succeed.
However, Uchiha Yato spoke up at this moment.
"I refuse!"
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