As the only living shinobi capable of manifesting a complete Susanoo, Uchiha Madara understood this technique better than anyone. He had mastered it decades ago — and he knew the immense cost of using it. No ordinary ninja, especially not a civilian-born one, should have the chakra or spiritual power to sustain it.
Only someone channeling Yin Release through the Sharingan should ever be able to wield it.
So when White Zetsu saw Madara abruptly rise to his feet in shock, his face twitching with emotion, it became even more excited. It teased him in a sing-song tone:
"See? See? I told you that kid's ridiculously strong. You'd better not underestimate him~!"
But as Madara looked closer, he started noticing differences.
Although Arata's Susanoo looked extremely similar to his own, the details were wrong. Madara's Susanoo was pure Yin chakra given form — but Arata's… its surface crackled with lightning. Heat visibly distorted the surrounding air. Space itself shimmered under the pressure.
This wasn't a true Susanoo at all. It was an imitation — a perfect copy shaped entirely by extreme chakra control over Lightning Release.
Madara's brows lowered.
"Hmph. So it's only an imitation…"
Of course. Without Uchiha blood, without a Mangekyō, how could Arata possibly manifest a real Susanoo? The technique clearly mimicked the shape — but its chakra nature was fundamentally different.
Yet White Zetsu noticed something Madara didn't say out loud:
The old warlord's expression wasn't dismissive at all.
He was tense.
Because Madara recognized a terrifying truth:
To shape lightning into a Susanoo-like construct — to stabilize it, control it, and weaponize it — required chakra control and raw power that far exceeded even most Kage.
It was something only someone at the level of a Sage Mode user could achieve.
Even with all his experience, Madara felt compelled to watch the rest of the battle.
White Zetsu had only started monitoring Arata after Danzō targeted him, so the memories Madara saw included:
Arata's clash with Danzō
His battle with Zōshirō
And finally, the war against the Kumogakure army
The first two conflicts painted Arata as roughly Kage-level. But during the battle against the twenty-thousand-man Kumo force, his entire presence changed. In the span of barely three months, his power had skyrocketed to Super-Kage territory.
Madara's eyes narrowed.
Arata's physical combat against the Raikage.
His ability to stand alone against thousands.
His sheer killing efficiency.
To Madara, ninjutsu alone meant nothing — true strength required taijutsu and genjutsu mastery. Arata had shown no illusions yet, but his body and ninjutsu were already at a level even Madara could not ignore.
Most alarming of all was Arata's lightning control — it had clearly evolved into something on par with Nature Energy. If this continued, reaching the peak of Super-Kage was no longer a matter of if, but when.
As for Sage-level power, Madara never even considered it.
To him, without the blood of the Sage of Six Paths, achieving that power was impossible — the absolute law of the world.
But he still gave the order.
"Strengthen surveillance on this boy. I want to know everything he does."
White Zetsu, usually playful, immediately grew serious.
"That's not easy right now. His sensory abilities are insane. If I get too close, he'll notice immediately."
Madara nodded thoughtfully.
"Then keep your distance. I only need his movements. And whatever you do… do NOT let him come into contact with Nagato."
Nagato was vital to the Eye of the Moon Plan. He had only recently received his Rinnegan. If he crossed paths with someone like Arata, the plan might collapse — and Madara would be forced to intervene personally.
Worse, Arata's appearance had accelerated another issue:
Madara needed a supervisor — an Uchiha with a sufficiently extreme personality to oversee the Eye of the Moon Plan after his death. But the current Uchiha clan…
"How goes the search for a suitable candidate?" Madara asked.
White Zetsu shook its head.
"The Uchiha are finished. Not a single promising person in years. Their clan head, Uchiha Tsuki, is only mid-Kage level. At this rate, he'll probably die in the war."
Madara's expression didn't change, but his heart twisted.
To see his clan reduced to this… even he could not suppress the bitter taste.
"Keep looking. I can still afford to wait."
He reclined back onto his stone seat.
White Zetsu resumed reporting the major events of the world.
When he mentioned the Uzumaki clan's encirclement, Madara didn't blink. Their impending destruction meant nothing to him. And when he heard that Hiruzen had conspired with other nations to steal a share of the spoils, Madara snorted coldly:
"Lowly creatures playing petty games. To think the Land of Fire is ruled by such worms."
Finally, White Zetsu asked quietly:
"If Arata interferes in this war… what then?"
Because based on his behavior, Arata had already stopped training.
His actions made it clear —
He intended to move.
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