"You went to see Uchiha Madara today?"
Sitting next to Uchiha Setsuna, Raijin asked.
Now that things with Madara were settled for the time being, it was time to deal with Setsuna.
He couldn't let Madara sweet-talk him into dragging the entire Uchiha clan over to his side.
Infinite Tsukuyomi?
Eternal peace?
Peace, my ass. There were going to be plenty of wars ahead, especially with Jigen around.
"Are you spying on me?"
Setsuna's face darkened, and he shot Raijin a sharp look.
"Not rigorous enough."
Raijin slowly shook his head upon hearing this, his gaze at Uchiha Setsuna filled with disbelief.
"You don't really think I'd be at ease just because Uchiha Madara decided to settle in Konohagakure, do you?"
"You..."
Uchiha Setsuna frowned slightly at Raijin's words. This response felt more like Raijin was deliberately keeping an eye on him.
Such an answer was downright infuriating! "Forget whatever Madara told you. I've already reached an agreement with him. Don't make things difficult for me."
Raijin spoke to Uchiha Setsuna, who had once passionately argued with him during clan meetings.
If possible, Raijin didn't want him to become an enemy.
"Is this how you talk to persuade someone?"
Uchiha Setsuna raised his chin slightly, his tone arrogant as he shot back at Raijin.
"Madara-sama's attitude is far better than yours."
After a pause, Uchiha Setsuna continued.
"Talk nicely with you?"
Raijin chuckled softly, stood up, and turned to leave.
"I'm afraid I might scare you to death."
With that, Uchiha Raijin walked away.
"What a... brat..."
Watching Raijin's retreating figure, Uchiha Setsuna muttered angrily under his breath.
But a faint smile, unnoticed even by himself, appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Truth be told, if Uchiha Raijin had spoken to him as gently as Uchiha Madara did, Uchiha Setsuna would have been genuinely startled.
Having lived for so many years, Uchiha Setsuna was no longer one of those overly prideful young men.
He could see through certain things.
Behind a gentle demeanor might lie an interest in the value he could bring.
And behind bluntness might be a degree of trust.
After all, they were all people who had weathered storms together...
...
"How did it go?"
At home, Tsunade asked Raijin.
"What do you think? If you want to convince someone to give up the Moon Eye Plan, you need to offer an alternative, don't you?"
Raijin shook his head with a bitter smile. Peace—this issue was truly difficult.
In the ninja world, it was practically impossible to achieve.
"True. People are just too well-fed these days. In a world like this, taking care of yourself is hard enough. Why bother with all that?"
Tsunade shook her head helplessly, unable to understand Uchiha Madara's actions.
Admittedly, Uchiha Madara's ideals were grand.
If done well, he could become a great figure like the Rikudou Sennin.
But...
The Infinite Tsukuyomi?
It didn't seem like something a sane person would come up with.
"Talking about this is pointless. The problem is here, and we need to find a way to solve it."
Raijin sighed in frustration, leaning back and lying down on the bed.
"You know me. If I had a solution, I would've said it already."
Seeing this, Tsunade knelt on the bed and moved closer to Raijin.
She lifted his arm, adjusted it as a pillow, and lay down on it.
Her hand rested on Raijin's stomach.
Like a nimble loach, she smoothly slipped her hand under Raijin's shirt.
"Don't..."
Sensitive spots under her control, Raijin instinctively furrowed his brow.
Tsunade, this woman...
Does she ever get tired of this?
...
"Do you think... the Moon Eye Plan is truly perfect?"
In Madara's room, Madara looked at Black Zetsu kneeling before him and asked softly.
Madara's conversation with Raijin made him start rethinking the Moon's Eye Plan.
Raijin brought up real issues—things he had no choice but to consider.
Unlike Senju Hashirama, who kept talking about kindness and forgiveness while flipping out whenever it involved Konohagakure.
There was no way to have a proper conversation with that guy. Madara still couldn't understand how Hashirama ended up like that.
After all, he was the leader of the Senju clan.
"Master, I've never questioned whether the Moon's Eye Plan is perfect. Right now, you already have the power to activate Infinite Tsukuyomi whenever you want.
So from now on, no matter what you decide, I will always stand by your side."
Black Zetsu spoke respectfully, his face full of sincerity as he looked at Uchiha Madara.
Whether Madara carried out the Moon's Eye Plan or not, Black Zetsu no longer cared.
At this point... whatever.
Either way, Uchiha Raijin wasn't going to let him cast Infinite Tsukuyomi that easily.
And more importantly, Raijin actually had the power to stop him.
Not just by talking.
Besides, Black Zetsu had recently found someone promising.
"You..."
Madara looked at Black Zetsu with a helpless expression, then let out a silent laugh.
—
Ninja Academy, training grounds.
"The first match, Hatake Kakashi vs. Uchiha Ryuri!"
Igo watched as the two students stood on the training field, forming the seal of confrontation. Even as a jonin, he couldn't help but feel a bit of anticipation.
Thanks to the village's changes in education, the original six-year curriculum had been extended.
Now, after completing the first six years, academy students would receive direct training from jonin.
This approach significantly increased the academy's expenses, but it also noticeably improved the basic skills of Konohagakure's new generation of ninja.
His two students were both exceptional.
One was the most outstanding genius among civilian ninja in recent years, already as strong as a jonin.
His mastery of the White Fang sword style was incredible. Even Igo had to take him seriously.
The other was a child who inherited the power of both the Senju and Uchiha clans—wielding the strongest Kekkei Genkai in the ninja world.
Even Igo couldn't imagine what her limits might be.
"I heard you unlocked the Three Tomoe Sharingan?"
Hatake Kakashi gripped his short sword tightly, watching Uchiha Ryuri with caution.
"Yeah."
Ryuri nodded slightly, resting a hand on the hilt of the long sword at her waist.
Faint sparks of lightning flickered around her body.
She had a strong affinity for Lightning Release and was naturally gifted at using it.
"I really want to see the legendary Sharingan in action."
Kakashi's eyes flickered. Even without the Sharingan, just comparing chakra levels, Uchiha Ryuri already had at least three times as much as him.
And now, she had awakened the legendary Sharingan on top of that.
How could someone like this even exist?
"I don't need the Sharingan to beat you."
Ryuri shook her head slightly.
The next moment, her sword flashed, and she charged at Kakashi with incredible speed!
"She's even faster than before!"
Kakashi dodged the attack, his expression growing serious.
As expected of Raijin-sama's child.
Igo watched the scene before him, his eyes flickering with thought.
A twelve-year-old with this kind of speed and strength was incredibly rare.
Back when Raijin was this age, his power was probably about the same, right?
Ryuri's slash was dodged, but he didn't panic. With a slight flick of his wrist, the tip of his sword suddenly swung upward.
A powerful rising slash—so strong that even the air trembled!
"Clang!"
Kakashi really didn't want to block this attack head-on, but there was no choice—he couldn't dodge in time!
Sparks flew as his short sword clashed with Ryuri's blade.
He blocked it—but not completely.
The overwhelming force traveled through his sword and into his body.
Kakashi was sent flying.
The moment he hit the ground, he quickly adjusted himself, barely avoiding Ryuri's follow-up strike.
His hand trembled slightly from the impact.
So fast, and so strong…
How is he supposed to win against that?!
Meanwhile, from a tree in the distance, Black Zetsu silently observed everything.
A body with both Senju and Uchiha blood… not a reincarnation of Indra or Asura, but…
That didn't mean there was no chance of becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki.
As long as they could obtain Indra and Asura's chakra, it would be possible.
And that was something Black Zetsu could make happen.
This body… Mother should be very pleased.
Black Zetsu pressed his lips together, thinking about how to guide Ryuri onto the path he had prepared.
"Hello there. You're that Zetsu who follows Madara, right?"
Just then, a voice suddenly spoke right next to his ear.
At the same time, a hand landed on his shoulder.
Black Zetsu shuddered instinctively.
Flying Thunder God!
That was the first thought that popped into his head.
His gaze immediately locked onto his own shoulder.
Nothing…
Black Zetsu let out a heavy sigh of relief.
If Raijin had really marked him with the Flying Thunder God, his life wouldn't be his own anymore.
The only way to escape would be to cut off the marked part of his body.
But fortunately, Raijin hadn't done that.
"Yes, that's me. Greetings, Raijin-sama."
Black Zetsu subtly took half a step back, putting some distance between them.
It was only then that he realized—Uchiha Raijin had managed to approach him without him noticing at all.
Honestly… that was terrifying…
"My daughter is quite talented, isn't she?"
Raijin clasped his hands behind his back, turning to look at Uchiha Ryuri sparring with Kakashi in the training field.
Well… calling it a sparring match might not be quite right.
It was more like a stress test for Kakashi.
Looking at the increasing number of craters on the training ground…
Raijin couldn't help but smile a little.
Just like her mother.
"Of course. I've never seen anyone more exceptional."
Black Zetsu swallowed instinctively.
Even though Raijin wasn't looking at him…
Even though his voice was calm and gentle…
The pressure didn't lessen.
If anything, it only got worse.
An overwhelming sense of dread made Black Zetsu want to leave immediately.
But… he didn't dare.
Black Zetsu could only comfort himself in his heart, thinking that he was Madara's man, and Raijin wouldn't dare to do anything to him.
"To receive such praise from someone close to Madara-sama is an honor for me as a father."
Raijin smiled lightly and nodded, then turned to look at Black Zetsu.
He hadn't placed a Flying Thunder God mark on Black Zetsu out of consideration for Madara.
Killing Black Zetsu would be easy.
For Raijin, it wouldn't even take a second.
But Raijin couldn't do that, because it would ruin the relationship he had just built with Madara.
However…
If Black Zetsu ever targeted his children, Raijin couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
When Tatsu was marked with an unknown seal, Raijin wiped out Sunagakure and Iwagakure.
If Ryuri were to be targeted by Black Zetsu, Raijin wouldn't hesitate to fight Madara to the death!
"But Zetsu, I believe children should grow up happily. There are some things they don't need to experience, don't you think?"
Raijin looked at Black Zetsu and asked softly.
"You're absolutely right."
Black Zetsu nodded without hesitation.
"I hope you can keep a certain distance from the children of Konohagakure. Of course, I won't make things difficult for you. I'll discuss this with Madara-sama."
Raijin spoke to Zetsu.
"Understood…"
Black Zetsu immediately lowered his head in agreement, his eyes flickering as he began to think about how to explain this to Madara.
After all, Madara didn't know he had come here.
"This is the first time, and I hope it's the last. I'm sure Mr. Zetsu wouldn't want Madara-sama to have a conflict with Konohagakure over this, right?"
Raijin nodded.
"Of course, I understand. I'll be more careful in the future."
Zetsu nodded repeatedly. Madara was his shield, and because of Madara, Raijin wouldn't kill him.
But he wasn't Madara's shield. His existence should bring value to Madara, not trouble.
Zetsu was very clear about his role.
"Then, Zetsu, you may go."
Raijin smiled and gestured for Black Zetsu to leave.
Zetsu quickly disappeared from Raijin's sight.
As soon as Black Zetsu left, the smile on Raijin's face faded.
It seemed Black Zetsu's focus on Madara was shifting.
Was it because of the difference between the two Ten-Tails? To release Kaguya, did they need to use the original Ten-Tails to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi? Perhaps there was some connection between that Ten-Tails and Kaguya.
"Hah…"
Raijin turned around, his hands behind his back, and a gentle smile reappeared on his face.
In the next moment, Raijin appeared beside Igo Nagahisa.
(End of chapter)
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