After planting the Cursed Seal on the Third Mizukage, Ren Uchiha turned and departed without hesitation.
To rewrite the world's ending, prevent the tragedies awaiting his companions, and forge a future according to his own will, an eventual clash with the most oppressive antagonist, Madara Uchiha, was inevitable.
But now was not the time for a direct confrontation.
Ren knew there was still a significant gap between their current strengths. Even in the best-case scenario—where Nagato summoned the Gedo Mazo and forcibly unplugged the elderly Madara, giving Ren a window to strike before the statue was re-summoned—the success rate remained dismal.
Even without eyes, Madara could manifest a Perfect Susanoo and utilize the Six Paths abilities of the Rinnegan. Setting aside the Six Paths, the Perfect Susanoo alone occupied an entirely different dimension of power. Ren's strongest attack to date—the Radiant Greatsword: Eight Million Gods' Pressure—was barely enough to crack its defense.
If something went wrong and Madara reconnected to the Gedo Mazo, his near-infinite chakra would allow him to summon dozens of leg-equipped Susanoo clones to hunt Ren down. Against that, Ren would be utterly powerless.
To stand on the same level as an eyeless Madara, Ren needed to turn attacks like the Eight Million Gods' Pressure into his standard basic attacks, and fortify his defense until it was harder than a Susanoo.
He already possessed the path to this power:
[Advanced Sage Transformation] + [Nine-Tails Chakra Physical Refinement] + [Tailed Beast-Level Chakra Reserves].
Even if he never awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, Ren could become stronger and tougher than a Susanoo. This was the confidence provided by his Heart of Steel!
He already had the Nine-Tails' chakra nature to strengthen his body; he only needed mastery. As for Tailed Beast-level chakra, Orochimaru's methods could provide a solution. Thus, his next objective was clear:
Head to Turtle Island and explore the upper limits of Sage Transformation.
Soon, Ren returned to the wreckage of the lightning ship, now a twisted mass of scrap metal floating amidst scattered parts. Using his Sharingan, he quickly located a directional instrument. After orienting himself, he set off northward across the waves with heavy, purposeful strides.
Turtle Island lay ahead. He had to reach it, board it, and steer it away before Madara arrived.
An hour later, a colossal shadow fell over the sea.
Drifting from afar was a gargantuan, humanoid creature the color of withered wood. Even sitting cross-legged on the water, it stood over a hundred meters tall. It possessed nine closed eyes, and its hands were bound by heavy iron chains.
Atop the head of this creature, the Gedo Mazo, sat an old man with one knee drawn up, a scythe resting by his side.
The man's hair was white and thin, his body withered like a corpse, yet his glowing crimson eyes held a chilling contempt for all creation. After a moment of silence, a White Zetsu emerged from below, carrying two figures.
"Lord Madara, the only ones still alive are Guruguru and the Third Mizukage."
"Oh? Still alive?" Madara frowned slightly, glancing at the unconscious Byaran at his feet with a flicker of impatience.
Swish—
A translucent blue Susanoo hand manifested, scooping up the Third Mizukage and giving a light squeeze.
"Ngh!!" Byaran, previously unconscious, felt like a trapped chick; his eyes bulged as the pressure mounted.
Madara cast a cold, indifferent glance. The three tomoe in his scarlet Sharingan spun, instantly invading Byaran's mind through his vacant eyes to read his memories.
After a long silence, Madara tossed the Mizukage aside like a piece of trash. A faint smile played across his lips.
"Hmph..."
"He discovered someone was controlling this puppet from the shadows, so he erased the traces of his own presence and chose to leave without startling the snake?"
"And he even tried to plant false memories to create a trap, hoping to lure the mastermind out."
Madara shook his head and let out a hum of amusement.
"Very well. I shall play along with your wishes."
"But, during the journey to the Land of Water you are forced to take... I will ensure you glimpse the truth of this world!"
"Until you willingly take over this—" Madara stood up, leaning on his scythe, his voice cold as ice. "The Eye of the Moon Plan!"
Meanwhile, in the Land of Lightning, Unraikyō.
In a remote, abandoned Baroque-style building, the sounds of an argument echoed.
The orange-haired Yahiko slammed his hand on the table, glaring at Terumi Mei on the other side of the map. Nagato and Konan stood nearby, watching the two of them trade verbal blows with increasing intensity.
On the other side of the room, the other wanted ninja sat in a daze, as if the shouting had nothing to do with them.
"Why must it be the Land of Water?" Yahiko asked indignantly, pointing at the map.
Terumi Mei responded with absolute resolve. "I told you, the Land of Rain is situated between three great nations. Even if, as you say, that country has no Daimyo and the process of reform would face no political resistance, have you considered this—"
"Once war breaks out, that place will be the first to fall! War isn't the game you make it out to be—recruiting people to form an organization that exists outside the Five Great Nations to deter them and stop the war."
"If the members you just recruited are forced into a war and killed because of your 'idealistic' reasons, then who exactly is deterring whom?"
Yahiko instinctively glanced at Nagato, his face flushing red. "It's not like that! We are..."
"You want to say you're strong? How do you compare to Ren Uchiha?" Terumi Mei sneered, undaunted. She slammed her hand on the map.
"Don't you understand why that guy won't accept your invitation? It's because you're too naive. Both your past ideas and your current ones are childish!"
"That guy is a madman who declared he would flatten the Five Great Nations with his own hands when he had absolutely nothing. Whether you exist or not doesn't actually matter to him!"
"You want to drag him into your dangerous schemes, but you'll only end up as a burden—something for him to worry about. Do you understand!?"
Terumi Mei took a deep breath, her fists clenched. "He is a hopeless idiot! An idiot who would rather sacrifice himself than see a single person by his side die!"
Yahiko, provoked, swiped the papers off the table and stared her down. "And what about you? You talk a big game, but aren't you just trying to use Ren Uchiha's strength to help you seize control of the Land of Water?"
"At the end of the day, everyone is a selfish creature. Are you any better!?"
Under those blunt, harsh words, Terumi Mei fell silent for a moment. Then, she raised her head, her emerald-green eyes shining with an unyielding light.
"No!"
"I am different from you! Ren Uchiha won't accept your invitation, and he won't join the Akatsuki."
"That is exactly why I came here to persuade you!"
"I have a way... to make Ren Uchiha join the Akatsuki!"
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