Click…
The coffin inside the secret room slowly opened from within.
A sturdy man crawled out.
With his long hair disheveled, the man opened his mouth and spat out a chunk of flesh and blood onto the palm of his right hand, only then truly feeling the sensation of being alive once more.
It was none other than Uchiha Madara.
No one would have ever guessed that Uchiha Madara was still alive.
Perhaps the entire Shinobi World already believed that Uchiha Madara had been killed by Senju Hashirama’s own hands; they would never imagine this man could return from the dead.
"The timing is just right."
"It seems my guess was spot on…"
Uchiha Madara raised his head to survey the subterranean secret room, a contemptuous sneer on his lips as he mocked the fellow he loathed most: "Even though I fell in battle against Hashirama, that treacherous and despicable villain Senju Tobirama wouldn't dispose of my corpse immediately…"
Uchiha Madara extended his left hand, instinctively brushing against his own eyes. One of them had turned a blind, grayish-white.
Clearly.
That blinded eye was the price he paid to cheat death.
"I set the Izanagi technique and its activation time in advance, using a Transcribing Seal left dormant within the Sharingan—this method really worked after all…"
This was a secret technique of the Uchiha clan.
Izanagi was the ultimate technique of the Uchiha, capable of turning any unfavorable circumstances experienced within a brief span into mere illusion.
Even death itself.
The Transcribing Seal was a Sharingan jutsu of the Uchiha clan, allowing a specific technique to be sealed within the eye beforehand, along with a set activation time or special conditions, so that the jutsu would trigger under certain circumstances or at a designated moment.
It would remain effective even after the caster who set the seal had died.
Before his monumental clash with Senju Hashirama, Uchiha Madara had already prepared for defeat, using Izanagi and the Transcribing Seal to slip through the grasp of death.
Uchiha Madara felt a twinge of regret for his blinded eye, reaching up to stroke his empty socket: "It's just a shame about the eyes Izuna left me…"
These were the eyes left to him by his younger brother, Uchiha Izuna.
Yet, as Uchiha Madara recalled the purpose behind his deliberate provocation of Senju Hashirama, his spirits swiftly rallied once more.
"Hashirama's flesh and blood…"
Uchiha Madara’s gaze burned as he looked at the tissue in his palm—a piece he had bitten straight off Senju Hashirama during their battle, and the ultimate trophy of this conflict.
This was the most crucial thing of all.
Even more important than victory or defeat.
This was the very result Uchiha Madara had sought by provoking the fight, a prize attainable only through a battle to the death.
"Hashirama…"
"This time, my plan succeeded."
"As long as I graft this flesh onto my wounds, I will acquire Hashirama's cells, and I should gain his chakra as well…"
Uchiha Madara clutched the flesh of Senju Hashirama tightly, feeling the surging vitality within it, and envisioned the outcome after the transplantation.
"The interaction of the forces of creation and destruction gives rise to All of Creation…"
"The underlying meaning must be that by merging the chakras of the constantly warring Senju and Uchiha clans, one obtains the power to save the world…"
"Let us hope…"
"It does not disappoint me."
Before leaving the secret room, seemingly struck by a sudden thought, Uchiha Madara raised his finger sharply: "Ninja Art: Shadow Clone Technique!"
Poof!
A shadow clone materialized beside him!
Watching his shadow clone lie down inside the coffin to masquerade as a corpse, Uchiha Madara permitted a cold smile to touch his lips.
"Hmph…"
"I shall leave a shadow clone behind for now…"
"If anything happens to this clone here, it will feed all the encountered information back to me the moment it disperses…"
"That way, I will know the exact moment that treacherous villain Senju Tobirama discovers my corpse is gone and realizes I am still alive…"
"And I can make preparations early."
As a shinobi of the Warring States Period who had survived brutal slaughters and bloody conspiracies, Uchiha Madara did not believe a fake death would secure his absolute freedom; he merely wanted to buy himself enough time to acquire the so-called power of All of Creation.
The Shadow Clone Technique was immensely practical for powerhouses like them.
This clone left behind served as a safety valve to detect whether his feigned death had been uncovered, for the defining trait of the shadow clone was that upon its demise, it transmitted information back to the original body.
Believing he had prepared for every contingency, Uchiha Madara quietly departed the secret room, needing a quiet place to transplant Hashirama's flesh.
Yet…
Before that…
Uchiha Madara wished to take one last look at Hashirama.
This battle had been the most ferocious of their lives.
Although Uchiha Madara knew he had lost to Senju Hashirama in this clash, he also knew he had undoubtedly inflicted unprecedented wounds upon his former bosom friend.
Perhaps…
Hashirama was mortally wounded?
Though that idiot possessed formidable self-healing capabilities, the trauma inflicted by him should prevent Hashirama from waking up in such a short span of time, right?
This final visit…
Consider it a farewell to his past self.
Uchiha Madara had already made up his mind: once he obtained the power of All of Creation and crossed swords with Senju Hashirama again in the future, he would do so with the absolute resolve to kill him!
"Hashirama."
"I have learned from you as well."
Uchiha Madara recalled their final exchange, remembering the agony as Hashirama drove his ninja blade straight through his back.
"Hashirama…"
Clenching his fist, Uchiha Madara bit down hard on his teeth to prove his determination was now absolute!
"I will become just like you."
"Whether it is one's own sibling…"
"One's own friend, or one's own child…"
"Anything can be killed in pursuit of one's convictions…"
"Hashirama."
"You taught me this."
"This dark will…"
"I accept it."
Uchiha Madara’s spirits gradually relaxed.
For once a choice was made, nothing seemed quite so difficult anymore.
His expression smoothed out, and his footsteps carried him slowly into the darkness of Konohagakure.
Though Konohagakure was heavily guarded, it was utterly useless against Uchiha Madara; to him, these sentries were mere children playing games.
Throughout all of Konohagakure.
Only Senju Hashirama could cause him any trouble.
However…
Uchiha Madara never could have imagined.
Just as he left, Black Zetsu, lingering in the secret room to observe, had slipped beneath Uchiha Madara and shadowed his every move.
Furthermore…
Without arousing the slightest suspicion.
"Heh heh heh heh…"
"Madara, that fellow is truly clever…"
Taken aback by Uchiha Madara's covert scheming—which had almost fooled even it—Black Zetsu finally wore a cunning and smug smile.
"Never thought I'd see hope for the plan's success in Madara…"
How truly…
Fortunate!
Black Zetsu’s mood could not possibly be more delightful!
Noticing Uchiha Madara's act of leaving a shadow clone in the secret room, Black Zetsu was well aware that Madara intended to conceal his feigned death.
"Let me lend you a hand."
Submerging beneath the earth as it trailed Uchiha Madara's footsteps, Black Zetsu secretly pondered how to help maintain the illusion of Madara's death.
"That fellow Senju Tobirama collected Madara's corpse undoubtedly to research the secrets upon it. I'll just have to stir up some trouble for Senju Tobirama so he has no time to poke around at Madara's body…"
"As long as no one notices Madara's fake death…"
Believing its plan to be completely airtight, Black Zetsu could not stop the corners of its mouth from curling upward: "That way, once Madara finishes transplanting Senju Hashirama's flesh, he can quietly wait for the Rinnegan of creation and destruction to awaken…"
Imagining the smooth execution of its grand design, Black Zetsu's smile grew increasingly sinister: "When that power belonging to the Sage of Six Paths awakens within Madara, it will finally be time for me to take center stage!"
"Hm?"
Just as Black Zetsu was happily trailing Uchiha Madara while plotting how to secure him a tranquil environment to awaken the Rinnegan, it noticed Madara abruptly halt and vanish into stealth for reasons unknown.
"Hm?"
Puzzled, Black Zetsu felt a flicker of doubt.
"Could it be that my cover is blown?"
Doubtful that its stealth capabilities had failed, Black Zetsu found evidence to reassure itself: "I watched Indra for ages; this concealment technique comes from Mother, and even the Sage of Six Paths himself could never detect it!"
Soon enough.
Black Zetsu understood why Uchiha Madara had stopped.
For Black Zetsu also spotted two figures walking down a Konohagakure street, discussing Senju Hashirama's condition. One of them happened to be Senju Tobirama—the very man Black Zetsu had intended to disrupt.
As for the other person…
Black Zetsu initially assumed him to be an ordinary Konohagakure shinobi.
To Black Zetsu, everyone besides Senju Hashirama was just an ordinary ninja.
Then…
Black Zetsu cast a casual glance at the stranger.
That single look made its mind go blank for a split second, causing it to question the very fabric of its existence.
"This…"
"Is this a millennium later?"
"How is it that I seem to see… Emiya Shihara?"