belamy20

481-485

Added 2025-05-27 17:16:08 +0000 UTC

Chapter 481: A Failed World

“Hmm... where should I begin?”

Standing atop the Hokage Rock bearing Hashirama Senju's face, Madara Uchiha stood with his back to Shinji, pondering for a moment before shifting his gaze to the land beneath him.

“Then let me start from this place... from the beginning of two boys' dreams.”

He let out a soft chuckle, his eyes tinged with nostalgia as he looked at the land that had witnessed so many stories.

In the next instant—

Time and Space Distorted!

Time seemed to reverse as the clouds in the sky moved backward, and the buildings below the Hokage Rock gradually vanished, replaced by the ancient, dense forests that had once stood there for centuries. Even the rock they stood upon, carved with Hashirama's face, disappeared, leaving behind a rugged, earthen cliff.

Though standing in mid-air above the cliff, neither Madara nor Shinji fell, defying the laws of physics, as if gravity itself held no power over them.

At that moment, Shinji faintly heard two youthful voices behind him, vibrant yet tinged with loneliness:

“Are all your brothers... gone?”

“I still have one younger brother.”

Madara turned around, his eyes calm as he looked at the scene behind him. Shinji followed his gaze and saw—

Two silent boys were sitting at the edge of the cliff, directly in front of him, though they seemed completely unaware of his presence.

One of them, a spiky-haired boy with jet-black hair—Madara—sat in silence for a moment before speaking with firm resolve:

“No matter what happens, I will protect that little brother of mine!”

Beside him, a boy with a bowl-cut hairstyle—Hashirama—was silent for a moment before a bright smile broke across his face. Stretching out his arms, he looked at the vast forest before them and exclaimed:

“Well then,

Why don’t we build our own village right here?”

“In this stronghold, we can stop children from killing each other!”

“We'll create a school to train them, help them grow stronger!”

“Based on their abilities and strength, we can assign appropriate missions and establish a governing body to fairly distribute tasks. In this village, we’ll never have to send children to die on the battlefield again!”

His eyes shining with excitement, Hashirama turned to Madara and asked eagerly:

“What do you think, Madara?”

“Hmph, only you would say something so naïve.”

Madara scoffed, but then looked down, seemingly deep in thought. Slowly, a spark of hope lit up in his eyes.

“If we build such a village...

I’ll be able to protect my brother from here, where I can see everything!”

In that moment, their shared dreams met, and both boys exchanged a glance, smiling with pure joy and hope for the future.

“Yeah!”

“Heh...”

Then, as the scene zoomed out, Madara’s deep, cold voice echoed around them:

“This place... would later become the Village Hidden in the Leaves—Konohagakure.”

“And what you just heard... were the first dreams shared between me and the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.”

“To you, he’s just a long-dead figure from Konoha’s history books. But to me... he was my closest friend. I lived through all of this.”

“At that time, I truly believed in that dream. I thought we could achieve it through hard work... but...”

Shinji stood there in silence as Madara continued, his voice still cold but carrying a trace of melancholy:

“In this world, nothing goes as planned. The longer you live, the more you realize that in this reality... there is only pain, suffering, and futility.”

“That dream, meant to protect my brother... in the end, only the dream itself was left behind.”

The scene before them suddenly shifted—

They saw how, after that day, the leaders of both clans—Senju and Uchiha—manipulated events, causing Madara to awaken his Sharingan, forcing him and Hashirama to part ways despite their friendship.

They witnessed the endless conflicts between the Uchiha and Senju clans during the Warring States Period...

Until the scene finally froze at—

Naka Shrine.

Lying on the ground, blindfolded, was Izuna Uchiha, who looked strikingly similar to Sasuke Uchiha. Weakly turning his head, he reached out and grasped the hand of his older brother, Madara, who knelt beside him with a look of anguish.

“Nii-san...”

With that last word, his hand fell lifelessly to the ground.

Madara sat there, tears streaming down his face, staring blankly at his brother’s body, his heart shattered.

“From the moment Izuna died...

The word ‘peace’ no longer existed in my heart.”

Standing in the shadows of Naka Shrine, the present-day Madara watched his past self with cold indifference.

“After that, I took Izuna’s eyes as my own, gaining the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan—an eternal eye that only those of the same bloodline could awaken.”

“For revenge... for the victory of my clan... I fought the Senju over and over again.”

“But even with my brother’s eyes, even with this eternal vision... I still lost more battles than I won against Hashirama Senju. The Uchiha Clan continued to suffer defeat after defeat.”

“Eventually, more and more Uchiha began to surrender to the Senju.”

“Because of my own weakness, the Uchiha could no longer bear the pain of war. Many began to consider accepting the peace treaty offered by Hashirama Senju.”

“And then, during our last battle, which lasted an entire day...

For the first time... I fell to the ground in defeat.”

As Madara’s cold, emotionless voice narrated, the scenes of his past continued to unfold, showing Shinji everything that Madara had experienced.

Shinji furrowed his brows, feeling a twinge of surprise as he looked at Madara.

In his mind, Izuna’s death should have been the most pivotal moment for Madara—the core reason for his hatred and desire for revenge against the world.

But now, it seemed that to this Madara, all of these events—no matter how painful—were merely memories of failures long past.

The scene shifted once more to a moment from Hashirama’s memories:

“You’re finished, Madara!”

Amidst the shattered earth, Tobirama Senju, his silver hair stained with the dirt of battle, gripped his sword tightly, aiming it at Madara’s heart.

“Wait, Tobirama!”

“But brother! This is the perfect opportunity!”

“I forbid you to attack him!”

Kneeling beside Madara, Hashirama glared at Tobirama with the ferocity of a lion, his presence so powerful that even Shinji, merely an observer, felt a chill down his spine.

Tobirama hesitated, his face faltering as he stepped back in shock.

“Hmph...” Lying on the ground, Madara scoffed with a bitter smile.

“Do it... end this, Hashirama.”

“To die by your hand... would fulfill my wish.”

“If you, the leader of your clan, die by my hand... then the young Uchiha who admire you will rebel once more...”

Hashirama Senju lowered his head and sighed.

"Can things ever be like they used to be? Can we be together again?"

"There is no one like that left in the Uchiha clan anymore. And as things stand now, I no longer have a brother. I am all alone," Madara Uchiha said coldly, glancing at Hashirama, then at Tobirama Senju standing behind him, along with the surrounding Senju clansmen.

"Besides, I will never trust you!"

Hashirama took a deep breath. "Then what must I do for you to trust me?"

"If you truly want to show your sincerity—"

"Then either kill your own brother right now… or take your own life!"

Lying on the ground, Madara let out a mocking chuckle.

"That way, we will be equal. If you can do that, then I will believe in the Senju clan."

At those words, the surrounding Senju clansmen were stunned.

"Whoa, whoa—he’s actually asking our leader to either kill his own brother or commit suicide?"

"Is he out of his mind?!"

Tobirama, standing to the side, stiffened. "!"

He knew all too well his older brother’s unpredictable way of thinking. Instinctively taking half a step back, he gritted his teeth and shouted angrily,

"Big brother! He’s just trying to provoke you!"

"What are you going to do? Kill me? Or are you actually willing to die just because of this guy’s words?"

"This is absurd! Brother, you don’t have to listen to this lunatic!"

However—

Hashirama simply raised his hand, silencing everyone. He then turned to Madara and flashed a bright, confident smile.

"Thank you, Madara."

"You truly are a man of deep emotions and loyalty."

With that, he pulled out a kunai and, right in front of Madara, pointed it at his own heart.

"Madara has given me a choice—a way to resolve this without killing my own brother."

"Listen to me, Tobirama. These are my last words, my dying will. And to the rest of the Senju, hear me now."

"After my death, you must not kill Madara!"

"From now on, the Senju clan must never engage in conflict with the Uchiha clan again!"

"Swear it—on the name of your fathers and your unborn descendants!"

With those final words, Hashirama tightened his grip on the kunai, determination flashing in his eyes. He closed them and swiftly plunged the blade downward—

Everyone froze in shock. Even Madara, lying on the ground, was stunned by Hashirama’s actions.

For a moment, time itself seemed to stop.

Stopped at the very moment when—

"Enough. I see your heart clearly now, Hashirama."

Panting heavily, Madara suddenly sat up and grabbed Hashirama’s wrist, stopping him from taking his own life.

As an observer of this scene, another Madara—standing beside Shinji, watching—spoke in a deep, cold voice:

"Shinji."

"What you are witnessing right now… is the key turning point that led this world to its downfall."

Standing next to him, Shinji turned his head, frowning slightly at Madara’s sarcastic smirk.

"Do you see anything?"

"Um..." Shinji scratched his head, having already watched this scene once before. After hesitating for a moment, he finally voiced the question that had been troubling him for years:

"That kunai… could it really kill someone with Hashirama’s regenerative abilities?"

Madara’s smirk froze instantly.

A moment later, he regained his composure, his expression now unreadable.

"If he truly wanted to die, he could make it happen."

"But I’ve tested it myself—you can’t kill yourself that way. The heart regenerates too quickly."

"Enough!" Madara’s eye twitched as he scowled.

"I’m asking about your thoughts on Hashirama as a person!"

Shinji raised an eyebrow, his gaze lingering on Hashirama’s resolute face before he shook his head.

"He had the advantage… yet he still chose to sacrifice himself."

"His actions and determination are admirable, even awe-inspiring, but—"

Madara coldly cut in,

"Exactly. Hashirama was far too naïve."

"After this moment, the Uchiha and Senju clans made peace. We began building our village. Then, we allied with the Land of Fire and established a new world order, where ninja villages and nations coexisted as equals."

"It all felt like a dream."

The world around them shifted, accelerating forward. The scene changed to an aerial view of Konoha.

Shinji watched as the once-barren land flourished—trees fell, buildings rose, and people gathered, turning the village into a prosperous hub.

"Those who trusted Hashirama came together to establish the Hidden Leaf Village."

"Hashirama and I named the village and the title of its leader—Hokage. He even nominated me as the First Hokage."

"But behind the scenes, the villagers rejected this idea. Instead, they unanimously chose Hashirama."

"It was then that I realized—the Uchiha had no future in this village."

"Hashirama’s willingness to die back then… it wasn’t for me. It was for his ideal of peace."

Madara shook his head, looking up at the massive stone faces of the Hokage Monument, as if seeing the young Hashirama with his arms wide open, embracing the world.

"From that moment on, he had already made up his mind."

"To achieve that future, he would endure anything. Even if it cost him his life."

"And he did change."

Madara’s voice grew colder, tinged with anger.

"It was no longer about stopping children from killing each other. It was about the village itself. About making his ideals a reality."

"This place called Konoha—"

"No matter if they were friends, brothers, or even children—anyone who harmed the village was unforgivable."

"Hard to understand?"

"Then keep watching. You’ll see soon enough—"

Madara paused, then turned to Shinji with a sinister smile.

"It was during this time that my conflict with Hashirama truly exploded."

"The ninja system, once composed of warring clans like the Senju and Uchiha, was widely praised and imitated by the world."

"After Konoha’s founding, the Five Great Nations and their respective hidden villages soon followed suit."

"At this point, I had already lost everything but my dream. Though I was disappointed about losing the Hokage position, it didn’t really matter. What I truly wanted was to complete the ideal that Hashirama and I once shared."

"Everything was progressing steadily… until—"

The scenery shifted once more.

Now, they stood inside a relatively simple-looking Hokage’s office, reflecting Konoha’s early years.

"As planned, we’ve captured all the tailed beasts except for the One-Tail, which is still sealed away."

"Hashirama."

Madara stood before the Hokage, who was wearing his ceremonial hat, raising an expectant eyebrow.

"It’s finally time, isn’t it?"

"These creatures aren’t particularly powerful, but as weapons, they will be more than enough to crush the Five Great Nations and unite the ninja world under our rule."

But Hashirama simply smiled at Madara, a hint of helplessness in his expression.

"What are you talking about, Madara?"

"These tailed beasts… are gifts for the other nations to balance their power with ours."

Madara’s expression froze.

For a moment, his brows twitched uncontrollably. His face darkened. Veins bulged on his forehead.

Forcing himself to stay calm, he barely managed a smile as he spoke through gritted teeth:

"You mean to tell me…"

"The tailed beasts we captured together… weren’t meant to destroy the Five Nations… but to be given… to those weaklings?!"

Chapter 482: It All Comes Full Circle!

“You’re absolutely insane!”

Bang!

In the office, Uchiha Madara glared angrily at Senju Hashirama, who was wearing the Hokage hat. Madara slammed his fist onto the desk, causing the documents on it to tremble.

“If you distribute the Tailed Beasts to balance the power among the nations, then everything we’ve done up until now... what was it all for?”

“Hashirama, do you understand what you’re doing?”

“I understand!” Senju Hashirama quickly stood up, trying to soothe him.

“Madara, I know you’re dissatisfied with me becoming Hokage, but I’ll handle Tobirama. After that, I promise to make you the Second Hokage. Right now, the most important thing is to end the chaotic wars plaguing the entire ninja world. We need to unite the clans for the village, resolve disputes, and create time for peaceful development.”

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Madara couldn’t help but laugh in anger. His expression darkened as he glared at Hashirama.

“Is that what you think I’m talking about?”

“The first Five Kage Summit is about to begin. Madara, if we want the nations to understand each other, this is our only bargaining chip. Please, trust me.”

Madara didn’t say anything more. He took a deep breath, then coldly glanced at Hashirama, who was looking at him sincerely while wearing the Hokage hat. With a mocking laugh, Madara spat out,

“You’ll regret this, Hashirama!”

Then, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Bang!

It felt as if the entire world was struck by a heavy blow, cracking inch by inch.

Watching the scene of Madara and Hashirama’s conversation—a scene not depicted in the original story—gradually shatter and disappear before his eyes, Shinji couldn’t help but blink in astonishment.

In the original series, through various characters’ flashbacks, it was emphasized that Madara’s descent into madness was primarily influenced by his brother Izuna’s death and the altered Uchiha Stone Tablet he saw at the Naka Shrine.

These two factors supposedly drove Madara to pursue Infinite Tsukuyomi to control all of humanity, making him the ultimate villain.

But Shinji never fully understood it.

The original series explained it quite clearly:

The inscription on the stone tablet simply read:

“To achieve peace, the God of Creation divided yin and yang. The interaction of opposites gave birth to all things.”

This was meant as a message from the Sage of Six Paths to his sons, Indra and Asura, encouraging harmony.

Even after interpreting it with Sharingan and discovering the altered instructions for Infinite Tsukuyomi along with historical narratives, it amounted to nothing more than a “methodology” for fixing the world.

How could such content have such a profound, almost logic-defying influence on Madara’s actions?

And now, he finally understood.

The truth was, the decision was always Madara’s own.

Faced with the opportunity to dominate the entire ninja world together, Hashirama chose compromise for the sake of the village he cherished, while Madara chose to stick to his original dream.

From that moment on, their differences became irreconcilable, and their dreams diverged completely.

As the world continued to crack, Madara’s deep, icy voice echoed indifferently:

“The truth is, this world is nothing more than a contradiction created by Hashirama.”

With those words, the world of Limited Tsukuyomi began to flow. From a higher, god-like perspective, fragmented scenes showed the world after Hashirama distributed the Tailed Beasts.

From the First and Second Shinobi World Wars after Hashirama’s death to the recently concluded Third Shinobi World War,

What began as small skirmishes between clans during the Warring States Period evolved into brutal, large-scale conflicts between nations.

Hashirama’s choice did not lead to the world of mutual understanding he envisioned.

Instead, it expanded the scale of tragic suffering.

Endless smoke, shattered weapons, and fields of corpses repeated over and over.

Hatred, fueled by the power of chakra, became chains that bound people, driving them to the battlefield, making them endure pain, and then crave peace...

Only to be dragged back into the cycle of conflict once again!

Amid this endless cycle, Madara stood before the raging fires of war, his expression melancholic, almost like a savior with compassion for the world.

Then, he looked at Shinji, sighed, and spoke softly:

“Hashirama and I, and in fact, everyone in this world, are like two sides of the same coin.”

“On one side, they desire conflict, and on the other, they long for peace.”

“People possess both desires. If one seeks peace without conflict, they’ll lose sight of their original dream, just like Hashirama did, leading the world down a misguided path.”

“But if I had convinced Hashirama to achieve the true dream by beheading the other Kage at the summit, igniting a war to unify the ninja world, then the newly founded Konoha would have been destroyed.”

“To protect what’s important, sacrifices must be made.”

“That’s true everywhere except in the world of the true dream.”

Hearing this, Shinji didn’t know how to respond. From his perspective, Madara’s vision was clearly more impactful on the world’s structure and aligned more with his expectations for the ninja world’s future.

Unification would surely bring longer-lasting peace than fragmented feudal states.

But then, hearing Madara’s last words, Shinji raised an eyebrow and looked at him in surprise,

“The world of the true dream? What’s that?”

“Exactly.”* Madara smiled, pleased that Shinji noticed this point. He continued,*

With a gentle wave of his hand, the shattered world merged back together, returning to the original white void.

Then, Madara began to explain:

“After the first Five Kage Summit, I was completely disillusioned with Konoha and Hashirama. Before leaving, I returned to the Uchiha clan’s Naka Shrine to retrieve my war fan.”

“But by some twist of fate or destiny, I made an unexpected discovery there—”

“I found,”

“Another path. A path leading to the world of the true dream!”

At that moment, the scene changed. They stood before a collapsed embassy on the south side of Konoha Village.

Amid the rubble lay two unconscious Iwagakure ninjas—Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki and his teacher, Second Tsuchikage Mū.

Seeing this, Shinji couldn’t help but marvel at the irony of fate.

So, the Iwagakure delegation’s embassy for the first Five Kage Summit was right next to the Uchiha compound.

Ōnoki and Mū just happened to run into Madara, who was enraged and about to leave Konoha. They were beaten senseless.

Suddenly, everything made sense. It all came full circle!

Chapter 483: I, Uchiha Madara, Recognize You as My Most Outstanding Successor!

Following the footsteps of Konoha Year 2’s Uchiha Madara, the two entered the underground chamber of the Naka Shrine, where the stone tablet passed down by the Sage of Six Paths was enshrined.

Standing before the stone tablet—

Uchiha Madara and Shinji personally witnessed a moment in ninja world history. They watched as Uchiha Madara of Konoha Year 2 opened his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan before the tablet, observed his expression shifting from confusion to slight shock, then to deep contemplation, until finally—

Senju Hashirama stormed into the underground chamber. The two erupted into a heated argument, and as if confirming something in that moment, Uchiha Madara made his final decision.

In the end, they parted on bad terms, going their separate ways.

The chamber returned to silence once more,

leaving only the soft flickering of flames in the hearth.

Uchiha Madara and Shinji stood before the ancestral stone tablet of the Uchiha clan, within this now deserted chamber.

Shinji tilted his head slightly, glancing at the silent "young" old man beside him, puzzled about what kind of scheme he was plotting.

At this point—

He more or less understood why Uchiha Madara initiated the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Or rather, the Infinite Tsukuyomi was merely a means to correct this world. What Uchiha Madara truly sought to uphold was the dream that was first and last betrayed by Senju Hashirama.

However—

He still didn’t understand,

why did it have to be the Infinite Tsukuyomi?

If the answer to realizing the dream was conquering the entire world, creating a unified nation, and shaping the future according to one's will,

then even if the Infinite Tsukuyomi could instantly wipe out all resistance,

Uchiha Madara’s current actions were, in fact, deviating from that goal.

And at that moment,

Uchiha Madara slowly turned his head, looking at Shinji, who bore a puzzled expression.

"You don’t understand, do you?"

"You and I possess the same powerful eyes, yet the answers we derive from this stone tablet are completely different."

"At the same time, you are filled with doubt."

"But it’s actually quite simple—"

Uchiha Madara turned back to face the stone tablet, his gaze calm, his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan slowly rotating!

The immense ocular power surged, affecting reality itself!

The sheer force of his chakra created intense air currents centered on the two of them, violently sweeping outward!

Boom! Boom! Crack!

Sparks from the hearth were blown away, clattering to the ground, and the wooden walls began to crack, faintly revealing a golden glow within.

Then—

Under the influence of this immense ocular power, the content on the stone tablet began to shift in Shinji’s eyes, transforming into finer text, then further morphing into flowing symbols, eventually evolving into moving images.

"The one true god, in pursuit of stability, divided into Yin and Yang. The opposing poles interacted, giving birth to all things."

The words inscribed on the tablet twisted into a form only discernible through the power of the Sharingan,

And in an instant, the knowledge was imprinted into Shinji’s eyes!

[You are now mastering: Divine · Infinite Tsukuyomi (SSS).]

[You are now mastering: Divine · Birth of the World Tree (SS).]

Two lines of text, surpassing the usual limitations of the Infinite Tsukuyomi, flashed before his eyes.

It was as if divine knowledge had been bestowed upon him, ancient scenes unfolding in his mind, accompanied by Uchiha Madara’s deep, solemn voice.

"Listen well—"

"You are confused because you have experienced too little. The suffering you have endured has not been enough for you to truly perceive the essence of this world!"

"The reason we live in pain and continue to be trapped in cycles of hatred and conflict,"

"Is because the world created by the Sage of Six Paths—"

"Was a failure!"

"The chakra that the Sage widely spread was originally meant as a means of connection, linking people’s hearts so they could understand each other even without words, bringing about peace in the world."

"But at some point, people stopped using chakra to connect with one another. Instead, they used it to connect their own spiritual and physical energies, even going as far as transforming it into a weapon—ninjutsu!"

Uchiha Madara turned his head, staring intently at Shinji, who was absorbing the knowledge and techniques transferred through his ocular power. His tone was both stern and resolute.

"Shinji,"

"Remember these techniques, even if you think little of them."

"They are the keys to unlocking a new world!"

"One day, you will need them!"

"The longer I live, the more I realize—this reality consists only of pain, suffering, and futility!"

"And the root cause of it all—

is chakra!"

"Whether it was the Sage of Six Paths or Senju Hashirama, their actions only fueled the conflicts between people. The so-called Ninja Creed, the so-called bonds of the heart, in the end, only reinforce the belief that true understanding between people is impossible!"

"The only things chakra has ever created—are endless strife and false hope!"

Shinji’s eyes suddenly widened, and he let out a deep breath, then turned toward Uchiha Madara in shock.

[You have mastered: Divine · Infinite Tsukuyomi (SSS)!]

[You have mastered: Divine · Birth of the World Tree (SS)!]

Unlike what Uchiha Madara assumed, Shinji had never actually attempted to decipher the Uchiha stone tablet, nor was he certain he could interpret its altered contents.

When Uchiha Hachida first brought him to the chamber to see the tablet, his Sharingan had not yet reached the necessary level. And by the time his ocular power had surpassed that threshold, the power and mechanics of the Infinite Tsukuyomi seemed somewhat redundant to him.

After all, both of these techniques required the Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan in combination with the God Tree’s power to activate. Even if he mastered them, without the right conditions to use them, he could do nothing but stare at them blankly.

But now…

Uchiha Madara was actually teaching these two techniques to him in such a way?!

For a moment, Shinji was completely dumbfounded.

Weren’t we supposed to be enemies?

I came here to kill you!

What the hell, Madara?! What exactly are you doing?

To be honest, Shinji never harbored deep malice toward Uchiha Madara. From beginning to end, he simply believed that this ancestor of the Uchiha clan had taken a misguided path. However, it wasn’t that Madara had chosen the wrong road—he wanted to be a great sage, a savior of the entire world. Shinji couldn’t judge whether that was right or wrong.

But in terms of their stances, the two had irreconcilable differences.

After all, everyone Madara cared about was already dead, while those Shinji cared about were still very much alive in this world.

For the sake of those he loved, no matter how eloquently Madara spoke today,

Shinji’s determination to kill him would not waver in the slightest!

Yet Madara’s current actions—while not outright aiding the enemy—left Shinji utterly confused.

What exactly was he trying to do?

At that moment, the world around them began to change.

Madara looked at Shinji’s bewildered expression and let out a low chuckle before speaking in a calm tone:

"You and I are at an impasse—there is no room for reconciliation. Both you and I understand this well. But one day, Shinji, you will face the same despair as I have, gain a profound insight into reality, and come to understand the true nature of this world."

"People pursue peace while simultaneously seeking conflict. That is an undeniable reality."

"With power comes the desire for battle."

As he spoke, the images around them began to shift—scenes of war throughout the ninja world unfolded. From Madara’s legendary battle against Hashirama at the Valley of the End to the end of the Third Great Ninja War, where Shinji had personally put an end to the conflict at Yunming City.

"And without power… one loses everything."

The images continued to change—from the death of Izuna Uchiha to the countless people who had lost their homes and loved ones to the wars. Finally, the scene settled on Uchiha Setsuna, blind and alone, sitting lifelessly by the Naka River, staring into the darkness.

Madara took a deep breath. His youthful, sharp features gradually faded, replaced by the face of an aged man nearing the end of his life.

With this visage, he gazed down at Shinji—watching him, studying him.

"This world is twisted, broken, and lacks proper guidance!"

Then—

His eyes flashed with the despair and hope accumulated over countless years.

With a deep, commanding voice, he declared:

"That is why—"

"I shall create a dream world, one free of that detestable chakra!"

"I will sever the cycle of cause and effect and create a world where only victors exist, where there is only peace, only love—where nothing else remains!"

"And you—"

"Shinji—"

"Without a doubt, deep down, you think the same way. You and I are fundamentally the same!"

"Everything you have done up until now, every thought that has crossed your mind, has been driven by your insatiable ambition—one that rivals my own!"

"You and I are those who seek to impose our will upon the world itself. Deep inside, you know it—you hear it every moment—"

"You must become the strongest!"

"Only by becoming the strongest can you save this world, can you truly become its savior!"

"Though I do not understand why, even when you were so weak back in the Land of Hot Water, you already held such ideals."

"But in the end, our paths lead to the same destination—"

"I, Uchiha Madara, see you as my greatest successor!"

At this, Madara paused briefly, a smirk playing on his lips.

"The time has almost come."

"If you can survive against me today, then I shall permit you to inherit this title."

"You shall become the second—"

"Uchiha Madara!"

As his words fell,

The entire world of the Limited Tsukuyomi shattered!

A storm of wind and rain engulfed every inch of the collapsing illusion.

Shinji’s pupils contracted sharply.

Then, a co Chapter 484: Now, I Am the Dance King!

Waves crashed against the shore, colliding with the jagged reefs.

Droplets scattered through the air,

Like cherry blossoms falling at a speed of five centimeters per second. These 0.5-millimeter droplets, leaping from the boundless blue sea, descended at a terminal velocity of two meters per second.

And the moment they struck the sandy beach—

The dream shattered!

Both sides had concealed their trump cards within the constraints of Tsukuyomi, lurking amidst the raging storm.

Now, they erupted!

“Summoning Jutsu: Gedo Statue!”

“Sage Art: Majestic Attire—Susanoo!”

An infinite surge of power erupted from his heart!

Sage Mode, Majestic Attire—Susanoo, Lightning Chakra Mode, Fire Chakra Mode, Sage Transformation—Curse Mark Stage 2, Immortality, Nine-Tails Chakra Cloak...

A stack of top-tier buffs from the ninja world layered upon his body, an almost boundless force surged within him, compressed, then exploded, forming what seemed like a miniature cosmos undergoing a singularity burst!

Beside him, the old man sitting on the reef gradually faded into nothingness. Before disappearing completely, he cast a cold, eerie smile at Shinji.

It was an Elephant Transfer Technique body, created through the Rinnegan, combined with a disguise technique. Even for Shinji, distinguishing between real and fake in such a short time was nearly impossible.

At this moment, Shinji suddenly lifted his head, gazing toward the mountaintop on the other side of the island.

“—ROAR!!!”

From there, the mountains crumbled, trees toppled, and an endless storm blasted away the torrential rain.

A colossal 140-meter-tall figure tore through the mountains, placing its massive hands on the ground, hoisting itself upright. It lifted its newly-formed head and bellowed toward the heavens in fury!

Beneath this towering giant, an elderly, withered figure slowly rose to his feet.

Connected to the Gedo Statue by thick, ochre-colored tubes, he carried a massive, flame-patterned war fan on his back. He had shed his usual blue robe and instead donned a tight black bodysuit with rubber gloves, over which he wore a crimson-layered armor that, due to his advanced age, no longer fit properly.

In this form, Madara Uchiha leaned on an inverted scythe of death, slowly straightening himself beneath the Gedo Statue. His gaze shifted toward Shinji, standing thousands of meters away.

Then—he suddenly opened his eyes.

“This decrepit body has finally regained some of its former strength.”

The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan in his crimson eyes quietly shifted—

Transforming into a pair of ominous, terror-inducing purple Rinnegan!

While Shinji had used Limited Tsukuyomi to unleash a full-power buff stack, Madara Uchiha had not been idle either.

Aside from buying time to repair the Gedo Statue, which had been shattered by Shinji, he needed a moment to fully readjust to the eyes that had always belonged to him.

Now—

He coldly gazed at Shinji, who stood on the beach, fully buffed, clad in a red-and-white dragon-bone armor, his expression heavy.

Madara shook his head.

“In this false world, beyond the reach of true dreams, protecting what is precious requires sacrifice.”

“No matter who it is... friend, brother, even... my own descendants.”

“Shinji, I gave you more than enough time.”

“What a pity.”

Shinji couldn’t hear what Madara Uchiha was saying from thousands of meters away.

The Rinnegan, once stolen from Nagato by Orochimaru and Black Zetsu, had now returned to its rightful owner—Madara Uchiha.

Shinji couldn’t understand what Orochimaru was scheming by doing this.

He also didn’t know just how powerful an elderly Madara would become now that he had reclaimed both of his Rinnegan.

Nor did he understand why Madara would use Limited Tsukuyomi—a dojutsu capable of evading Black Zetsu’s perception—to secretly pass down Divine Art: Infinite Tsukuyomi and Divine Art: Birth of the World of Trees to him.

What lay beneath all these strange occurrences?

However—

He knew one thing.

If he failed to kill Madara Uchiha here and now, everything he had fought for would be reduced to nothing!

A reality he would never accept!

At this moment—

[Warning! Madara Uchiha (All-Encompassing) has developed killing intent toward you! Power level disparity detected. Suggested course of action: Escape!]

A crimson warning message, unprecedented in its severity, flashed before his eyes.

But it no longer mattered.

From the moment he set foot here, he had already steeled his resolve!

With that thought, Shinji took a deep breath—then abruptly opened his eyes, staring directly at the Gedo Statue as it roared toward the sky.

The echoes of the beast’s furious howl still lingered in his ears.

The winds it stirred still tore at the surroundings.

He lifted his right hand—

Lightning, illuminating the entire rain-soaked beach like daylight, surged from his palm!

And in the next instant—

It transformed into a towering pillar of lightning that pierced the heavens!

Dark clouds gathered, spiraling furiously above. Blue lightning streaked through the sky, converging,

Altering the very weather!

“Sword of the Thunder God: Futsu-no-Mitama!”

“—CRACK!!”

Answering Shinji’s call, the divine radiance from the heavens condensed into an eighteen-meter-long greatsword of pure lightning. He seized it in his grasp, his body crouching low on the reef.

With a powerful stomp—

He launched himself forward!

At a speed beyond human perception, he sprinted madly—charging like a cannonball fired from point-blank range!

An aged Madara Uchiha, now wielding both Rinnegan and fueled by the Gedo Statue’s chakra, had but one weakness—

His decrepit body.

His physical abilities had deteriorated beyond recognition.

In the original timeline, by the year Konoha 50 (three years from now), he would die instantly upon detaching from the Gedo Statue’s support.

Even now, in Konoha 47, Madara might still be able to move after detaching from the statue—but compared to Shinji, whose body was in its prime and capable of engaging the Third Raikage in direct combat—

He was not the Dance King of the Fourth Great Ninja War!

“Now, I am the Dance King!”

This was the only chance Shinji could see.

A single opportunity to exploit and kill his opponent.

But if he wanted to defeat Madara using this, he would first have to break through the fortress of abilities that came with a true Rinnegan wielder—

Perfect Susanoo, Limbo: Border Jail, Chibaku Tensei...

In other words—

It was a battle between the ninja world’s ultimate shock trooper and the ninja world’s ultimate turret!

If he wanted to break through Madara Uchiha’s overwhelming arsenal, silencing this monstrous turret and seizing an opportunity to kill him—

For Shinji, the simplest way was—

To destroy the Gedo Statue, Madara’s chakra source, and yank the plug!

But—

Such an obvious plan was clear to both of them.

Both Shinji, who possessed a warrior’s instinct, and Madara Uchiha, a war veteran forged through countless battles since the Warring States period, knew this was an obvious course of action.

So—

As Shinji charged forward, closing the gap to just two kilometers—

Both warriors widened their eyes and roared in unison—

"Here it comes!"

Chapter 485: Limbo · Susanoo · Twin Blade Dance!

A sudden, torrential downpour poured from the darkened sky!

However, the rain never touched the skin—it shattered in midair, torn apart by the shockwaves of a sonic boom!

Moving at such an extreme speed, everything in Shinji’s vision had already blurred into streaks, except for the sharp and grim expression of the old man standing at his destination.

Yet, despite Shinji's relentless charge, Uchiha Madara remained completely still. He didn't move an inch. Instead, with his cold, purple Rinnegan eyes, he silently observed the incoming attack.

Then, the corner of his mouth curled into a mocking smile, as if he had just confirmed something.

"It seems, just as I thought... You, who fail to see the endless despair of this world’s cycle—"

"You see nothing at all."

The old man’s dry lips moved, but Shinji couldn't hear what he was saying.

However—

In that instant, a terrifying sense of crisis erupted in Shinji's heart, shooting to its peak!

His charging steps came to an abrupt halt. He twisted his body, digging his heels into the ground to stop his momentum, carving a deep trench more than ten meters long in the earth.

Driven purely by instinct, Shinji’s pupils shrank sharply. He planted one hand on the ground and flipped sideways in a desperate leap.

And at that very moment—

Shing!

It was as if an invisible blade had sliced through the air.

Then—

An absolutely horrifying force erupted right in front of him. He barely had time to see the air being compressed and distorted before it was propelled forward, transforming into two massive, crisscrossing sword slashes over a hundred meters long!

BOOM!!!

Just as Shinji pushed off the ground, his entire arm was suddenly flung into the air, severed cleanly. The impact sent him tumbling, face-first into the ground, rolling violently through the island’s palm trees, snapping several of them like twigs.

Only through sheer physical control did he manage to halt his momentum, landing in a crouch with his feet braced against the ground.

He shook his head to clear his vision.

And then—

He saw it.

The once-intact island beneath his feet had been cleaved apart by two intersecting, X-shaped sword slashes, each more than 20 meters wide, stretching all the way to the horizon—nearly splitting the entire island in half!

And then, at last—

BOOM!!!

The sword energy, which had seemingly come from nowhere, finally crashed into the distant ocean, sending a towering wave dozens of meters high into the air!

Gulp.

Standing atop the shattered island, Shinji instinctively swallowed hard. He glanced at his left arm—or rather, the stump where it used to be.

Blood gushed from the severed limb, dripping onto the ground from the exposed bone and the remnants of his Dragonbone Gauntlet.

The corner of Shinji’s mouth twitched slightly.

That attack—those two slashes—had been placed directly in his charging path!

If he hadn't sensed the danger in time, the first slash would have cut him in half at the waist.

Even so, he had still failed to dodge the second slash, which had severed his arm.

And he immediately recognized what had cut him.

It was Uchiha Madara’s grand gift—

Limbo · Susanoo · Twin Blade Dance!

This unseen attack, without a doubt, had come from Madara’s Limbo clones, summoned by his Rinnegan ability, Limbo: Border Jail.

Ordinary attacks—even from Limbo clones—should have been completely ineffective against Shinji’s defenses. His Sage Art: Mightiest Armor—Susanoo, a fusion of his Fourth-Stage Susanoo, Lightning Cloak, Partial Tailed Beast Transformation, and Sage Mode, was practically impenetrable.

The only thing that could cut through such a defense...

Was a Full-Body Susanoo wielding its Twin Blade Dance.

This was a technique where a Full-Body Susanoo summoned two massive swords and swung them in tandem. Even a single swing could effortlessly cleave a mountain in two.

In other words—

Right now, standing somewhere along Shinji’s charging path—somewhere completely unseen—was a Full-Body Susanoo, summoned by one of Uchiha Madara’s Limbo shadows.

And judging by the situation, there were probably three more of these invisible clones lurking nearby!

Worse still, Shinji had no idea where Madara had positioned them.

Right from the start of the fight—

Madara had greeted him with this.

A full-force, no-holds-barred, welcome gift.

Shinji didn’t even know how to respond. He could only marvel at how highly Madara apparently thought of him.

Seriously?!

This kind of move... wasn’t something you saved for later in a fight?!

He just threw it out like a basic attack!

How the hell was he supposed to carry out an assassination like this?!

But—

Despite the overwhelming odds, Shinji hadn't come away empty-handed.

At this moment, with a single blink, his severed arm regrew instantly.

Then, clenching his teeth, he narrowed his focus, tightening the detection range of his Kagura Mind’s Eye. He locked his full attention on the path ahead—less than two kilometers, leading straight to that old man.

A path filled with unseen dangers.

Even without the Rinnegan or the Six Paths' power—

With a combination of his Mind’s Eye, Combat Instincts, and Kagura Mind’s Eye, he had already started to sense the incoming danger, picking up the faintest disturbances in his surroundings.

The first slash of the Twin Blade Dance—Shinji had actually reacted to it in time.

The moment a Limbo shadow materialized in the real world and prepared to strike, its attack subtly disturbed the surrounding air. That slight change in the environment allowed Shinji to sense the threat and evade.

However, the second slash had been different.

Shinji’s initial dodge had left him momentarily unbalanced—creating an opening.

And Madara had seized that moment perfectly.

He had adjusted the second blade’s trajectory, catching Shinji off guard.

In reality—

Shinji hadn’t lost to Limbo: Border Jail.

He had lost this exchange to Madara Uchiha himself.

He had seen through the startup of Limbo: Border Jail.

But Madara had seen through his recovery lag.

Which meant—

Even without the Rinnegan—

Right now, he could already “see” Limbo: Border Jail.