Chapter 32: Resurrection of the Dead

"Why are you doing this?"

From their conversation, Elder Itachi could deduce that Uchiha Madara had been targeting Tōshirō for a long time. "With your power, there's no need to rely on a child's strength."

Madara replied, "As you said before, the only constant in this world is change. People change. A day will come when I become old and unable to move, while that child will grow into a powerful ninja. At that time, I will need him to carry out certain tasks. Even after my death, my goal will continue to be achieved."

Elder Itachi coldly responded, "You won't succeed. Human abilities have limits. I've learned in my long life that the more one manipulates schemes, the more likely they are to fall into unforeseen circumstances."

Madara sighed lightly and said, "You're right."

Elder Itachi stared intensely at Madara, knowing that a character like Madara wouldn't agree with anyone's opinion easily.

The best way to refute someone's view is to start by agreeing with them and then calmly present your argument. This approach is more effective than direct opposition.

As Itachi expected, Madara continued with a mysterious smile: "That's why I need to become a being beyond human limits."

"What do you mean?"

Elder Itachi understood every word Madara said, but he couldn't grasp the full meaning.

"I no longer want to be human!"

Madara clenched his right fist in the air, and his power began to surge to the maximum as the glow of fire shone in his eyes, releasing an ominous aura.

"What do you mean!"

"I want to become the Sage of Six Paths."

"Are you insane?"

"Haha… That's the difference between you and me, old man. Your thinking is traditional and conservative."

Elder Itachi mockingly said, "The Sage of Six Paths is nothing but a myth."

Elder Itachi looked at Madara as if he had lost his mind. It was hard to imagine that someone like him could say such words.

"The Sage of Six Paths did indeed exist. Your existence and mine are the best proof of that. The power of the Sharingan originates from him."

Elder Itachi fell silent, seriously contemplating Madara's words.

"Beauty is just a fleeting moment, while truth is eternal, and the truth is never beautiful! But with the power of the Sage of Six Paths, I can turn everything around and make beauty eternal."

"This information, you obtained it from the inscriptions in the Nakano Shrine, didn't you?"

Madara smiled and said, "Even in your old age, you still possess sharp intellect. What do you say? Do you want to lead your clan back under my command?"

Once again, Madara invited Itachi to join him.

Elder Itachi met Madara's cold gaze without hesitation, releasing immense chakra from his frail body. He had a killer aura that appeared and disappeared, making him seem as if he had survived the greatest battles of the past.

There was no use in groveling or attempting to deceive; the powerful eyes of the Sharingan could easily see through lies, whether it was true for Tōshirō or Itachi himself.

"It seems this is your decision… What a pity. In the end, this was merely a temporary attempt for the sake of our clan members. Completing this great work will require me to rely on myself."

Despite the immense chakra Itachi released, Madara didn't care and took a calm step forward.

This seemingly simple step created enough distance between them to end one another's life.

Suddenly, as white smoke rose, deadly weapons were launched at incredible speed from all directions, rushing toward their target like lightning.

The attack was as dense as rain, capable of turning the enemy into a sieve in moments.

But Elder Itachi wasn't naïve enough to think that such an attack could kill or even harm Madara. His only goal was to delay his movement slightly, allowing him to execute the forbidden jutsu, using his body as the center to unleash an explosion that would take both his and Madara's life.

Against a formidable opponent like Madara, the chance comes only once.

However, the unexpected happened—Madara was struck by many hidden weapons, and his body was drenched in blood.

Elder Itachi's face suddenly turned pale, his eyes wide open in shock, unable to speak.

"Why are you surprised? Are you truly shocked to have fallen into one of my illusions?" Madara said.

It wasn't clear when Madara had approached Elder Itachi, but he patted his shoulder lightly, as if congratulating him.

Although many weapons had been launched earlier, the room was as if nothing had happened; everything remained as it was.

Madara slowly raised his right hand, forming a symbol with his fingers to begin casting a jutsu.

Madara's power was no longer what it once was, but he still easily outmatched an old man like Itachi. With just a single glance, he had taken control of the situation.

Elder Itachi's hand dropped helplessly.

"Stubbornness leads to destruction."

Madara scoffed and lowered his hand that had formed the symbols, then raised his head and looked at the ceiling, speaking to himself: "Since Tobirama isn't here, that's good. He once developed a ninjutsu technique that has always intrigued me. Perhaps it might be useful to me in the future."

The night was dark, and the wind was strong.

A man with black hair quietly entered a secret room. The walls were lined with shelves filled with scrolls, documents, and ninja tools neatly arranged.

But these items were mere distractions. The true treasures weren't here. After a brief search, he discovered a secret door and pulled out a white scroll.

At the outskirts of the village, in a remote area where no one ventured during the day, the place was deserted that night.

Uchiha Madara emerged from the shadow of a tree, took the scroll from the black-haired man, and upon opening it, found that it contained a forbidden technique: "Edo Tensei."

Madara nodded in satisfaction.

He then signaled with his eyes to the black-haired man, who disappeared from the scene, avoiding the guards, and left the village for a forest far from Konoha. At that moment, the place was devoid of people. The man formed a symbol with his hands and summoned a clone of himself, then handed it a sword.

The clone took the sword and, without hesitation, stabbed the original man in the throat from behind, causing blood to burst out.

The man's eyes widened in shock, and he fell dead in a pool of blood.

Madara slowly opened his eyes, lowered his hand that had formed the symbols, and smiled lightly.

With that, the crime scene was set up to look like a betrayal of the village that ended in murder to cover the evidence. When Tobirama returns and discovers that a forbidden ninjutsu has been stolen by one of his trusted followers, he will face a major crisis.

Seeing is not always believing, and hearing is not always reality.

But sometimes, eyes can deceive.

Sometimes, what people see and believe is only what others want them to see.

(End of Chapter)

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