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The thought flashed through Qianyu's mind: 'Maybe I could seal Black Zetsu, tell Madara the whole truth, try to turn him into an ally?'
He dismissed it instantly.
He had no proof. Only his word. With Madara's arrogant, suspicious nature, would he believe a word of it?
The story about the Sage of Six Paths being an alien, his mother traveling light-years to plant a tree on Earth, only to get sealed into the moon by her own sons…
Honestly, when he'd first seen that plotline on TV, even Qianyu had been utterly baffled.
Even Naruto showing up wouldn't convince Madara to abandon "his own will" and believe such an outrageous tale.
Taking a step back, even if Madara believed him, how would they split the Ten-Tails' power? Who would lead the final battle?
Qianyu knew Madara's character. The man would seize total control, gripping it with an iron fist. Qianyu understood. They were the same kind of creature.
"One monk carries water to drink. Two monks go thirsty," he thought. "If we each hold our own opinions, Madara might not become my help. He'd become my obstacle."
Better to keep Madara as a pawn for now. Secure the Ten-Tails' power as fast as possible.
He was already the tallest tree in the forest. If that Otsutsuki lurking in the shadows (from the Boruto timeline) set its sights on him, without the Ten-Tails' power, he'd be defenseless.
"Senior Madara, I think you misunderstand me," Qianyu said, shaking his head under the older man's expectant gaze. "My goal isn't to crush the shinobi world. It's to win its heart."
"Oh? Explain."
Madara's manic laughter died. He frowned.
"Here's my idea," Qianyu said calmly. "We put on a show for the whole world. You play the villain. Destruction. Chaos. I'll play the hero. Subjugation. Reconstruction."
He spread his hands. "Once we have all nine tailed beasts, with absolute power and reputation on our side, the entire shinobi world will be in our pocket."
"Heh!" Madara sneered. "Clever plan. I become the monster. You get to be the saint."
"You don't care about reputation anyway, Senior," Qianyu shrugged, unconcerned. "I restored your power. By our prior agreement, it's your turn to help me now."
He knew Madara would agree.
Because Madara's real goal was 'Just go to sleep, all of you!' He never intended to help Qianyu. As long as it served the Moon's Eye Plan, Madara wouldn't give a damn about the rest.
"Fine. We'll do it your way," Madara said after a moment's thought, as Qianyu predicted. "But I require your covert assistance."
"Naturally. I'll take responsibility for capturing the Four-Tails, Seven-Tails, and Nine-Tails. You handle the remaining five. Agreed?" Qianyu asked.
"Hn. It's settled."
Qianyu volunteered to handle nearly half the work. Madara's tone softened slightly.
That left him with just three tailed beasts to seize from Sunagakure and Kumogakure, aside from the two in Kirigakure.
"One more thing, Qianyu. I suspect you've guessed some of this already."
Madara paused. "The eyes that child Nagato possesses… they were originally mine. I transplanted them when he was young. For our plan to proceed, I need you to retrieve them for me."
Qianyu was silent.
After a long moment, he spoke slowly. "I can bring Nagato to you. But you will not gouge out his eyes. You can slowly transfer the ocular power using Yin-Yang Release."
"Sentimental fool! Do you know how much power is lost in a gradual transfer?" Madara snapped, displeased. "They're just eyes. You can use Yin-Yang Release to give the child new ones anytime. He won't even know what happened."
"Did you not hear me?" Qianyu's gaze turned cold, his words deliberate. "I said. You will not touch Nagato's eyes."
"Boy," Madara's face darkened instantly, his recovered power bringing back his old temper. "Do you know who you're speaking to? Are you threatening me? Uchiha Madara?!"
No one had dared use that tone with him in decades. No one except that bastard Tobirama Senju!
"If you perceive it as a threat, then yes."
Qianyu met Madara's gaze head-on, his voice icy, refusing to back down.
The Blood-Eyed Asura of the Shinobi World? Just a relic of a bygone era. Give him face, call him 'Senior.' Don't give him face… send him six feet under.
BOOM.
Their chakra erupted. A shockwave of energy clashed violently. The earth cracked beneath their feet.
'How much of the Ten-Tails' power did this brat absorb?! Why is he so much stronger now?! He's matching me?!'
Madara's pupils contracted. He wasn't at his peak, true. But this shouldn't be possible for a mere junior!
'Wait.'
A cold realization struck him.
Qianyu's power had surged. Madara had no Rinnegan. If this kid used the Flying Thunder God Technique to summon more allies… he could be a genuine threat to Madara's life.
'Has the world moved on without me, Hashirama? In the old days, only you could threaten me. Now, even a junior can…!'
His old, overwhelming dominance was gone. Cornered by a child. A strange sense of dislocation, of a tiger fallen to the plains, washed over him—a dazed, powerless feeling.
His pride forbade bowing to a junior. But if he didn't yield… he might actually die here.
His dream. His ambition. Everything… would become dust.
'What do I do?'
Madara gritted his teeth. He'd never imagined being brought to such a point—backed into a corner by a boy.
"…Fine. Do as you say, Qianyu. I have no objection."
After a tense stalemate, Madara was the first to withdraw his chakra, the words forced through clenched teeth.
'Well, well. You live long enough, you see everything,' Black Zetsu thought from its hiding spot underground, thoroughly satisfied by the spectacle. 'To see Uchiha Madara forced to back down…' It silently retracted its half-exposed head.
Qianyu's power was beyond its expectations too, but it didn't matter. Once Mother was revived, she could handle Qianyu with one hand.
"See? Was that so hard, Senior?" Qianyu also withdrew his chakra, his tone lightening. "We can discuss things civilly. No need for hostilities."
Finding a new pawn wasn't easy. If he could avoid replacing this one, sticking closer to the original plot was safer.
As for dealing with Kaguya's eventual appearance… Qianyu had a plan. The system. Farming Witness Points.
First, from Six Paths Madara getting his heart ripped out by Black Zetsu.
Second, from all of humanity, captured by the Infinite Tsukuyomi, teetering on the edge of death.
Farm enough points, and he'd damn well find a way to handle Kaguya!
'But before that, I need to boost my ocular power. At least enough to resist the light of the Infinite Tsukuyomi,' Qianyu mused.
"Senior Madara, let's proceed with our respective tasks then. I'll bring Nagato to you in due time."
"…Hn."
Madara's expression was deeply uncomfortable. He merely grunted in response to Qianyu's words, quickly turning his burning face away.
Any trace of camaraderie he'd felt towards Qianyu had evaporated during their clash.
For men like Madara and Hashirama, anything—brothers, friends, descendants—could be sacrificed for their ideals. A distant junior like Qianyu meant even less.
And for Qianyu? Manipulating a schemer who saw everyone as pawns… he felt no psychological burden at all.
…
One week later. The ceremonial platform atop the Hokage Tower.
Qianyu stood there, draped in the white ceremonial robe embroidered with flame patterns and the mark of the Fourth Hokage. Flanked by Konoha's top brass, he swaggered up to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Grand-Teacher," Qianyu said with a cheerful, teasing grin, waiting for the old man to hand over the symbolic hat. "I still remember you patting my shoulder, saying you were old and sickly, that I should 'strive hard.' Well, I've finally taken your seat. Are you… proud?"
"Qianyu, I…" Hiruzen's mouth felt full of cotton.
He'd said those things back then just to secure Qianyu's loyalty! Who knew the kid would pull him down and take the seat for himself?!
In the days Qianyu was away, Hiruzen had tried. Oh, he'd tried to reclaim his power.
But the clan heads who once obeyed him now ignored him. His old comrades, Homura and Koharu, gave him the cold shoulder.
Even the heads of the Aburame and Inuzuka clans, who had staunchly supported him in that meeting… for some reason, now treated him with open contempt!
'My plans have failed… it is heaven's will!' He thought bitterly. The tide had turned. He had no choice but to step down.
He was, after all, a man of decorum. Passing the title to Qianyu voluntarily was the dignified way. If he refused to be dignified… others would help him become so.
"The future of Konoha… is in your hands now, Qianyu."
Hiruzen's voice trembled. His hands shook as he removed the Hokage hat—the symbol of power and status—from his head. Slowly, reluctantly, he held it out.
"Mine now!"
Qianyu snatched the hat from Hiruzen's grasp. He strode to the front edge of the platform and raised it high for the villagers gathered below to see.
"I, Uchi—ahem, I, Qianyu, am now the Fourth Hokage! The prosperity of Konoha… from this day forward, that burden is mine to bear!"
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