Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon

(Note: Tobi is the name of the spiral-faced White Zetsu that once possessed Obito. Later, Obito also often called himself Tobi, so please don't be confused.)

"Back then, to prevent Tobi from dying along with the release of the Infinite Tsukuyomi, I appeared and froze its time. Yamato, who was wrapped inside Tobi, became a witness. Killing him seemed excessive, so I froze Yamato as well."

"When the time was right, I unfroze Tobi and cast Kotoamatsukami on Yamato. Of course, I merely corrected his 'Will of Fire' into a 'Will of Darkness.'"

"Such things are irrelevant now." Obito vanished in a flash, heading straight for Tobi's side.

"Uncle Madara, aren't you going?"

Madara shook his head. "No, no need to join the fun. I've always treated Tobi like any other White Zetsu pawn, even if it does have a fuller personality and combat ability compared to the others."

The latter half was Madara's inner monologue: Still, it's fortunate I didn't notice back then that Tobi actually felt sympathy for Obito. Otherwise, I'd have disposed of Tobi long ago, and Obito would have one less friend to talk to now.

On the rooftop, Obito and Tobi formally met.

"Long time no see, you bastard. Still alive, huh."

"Long time no see, but you're dead."

"Had a good life these years?"

"Not bad. I still can't figure out what the urge to defecate feels like, though."

"Still so frivolous. Haven't you studied anything serious?"

"Does watching Yamato take a dump count?" Tobi thought for a moment.

Obito's mouth twitched. "You've got some messed-up tastes..."

"Actually, I wanted to watch Konan take a dump, but she's heavily guarded, so I never succeeded. How about we ambush her together tonight? You're an immortal body now, unkillable!"

"I'm afraid I must decline. I have no interest in excrement, especially that woman's."

Tobi shrugged. "Alright then..."

"Tobi." Obito's gaze turned unprecedentedly serious as he stared at that spiraled face. "Even though this isn't the kind of atmosphere between us for such words, let me say it just once..."

"Yeah, go ahead." Tobi's tone seemed to sober up as well.

In Obito's Impure World Reincarnation eyes, a warmth long absent flickered. "It's so good to see you again!"

Tobi was silent for a long time. From the vine-wrapped cavity that served as its head came a low tone that never belonged to it: "Then let me say this too, Obito... I'm sorry about back then. I saw you as a friend, but I couldn't help you. I couldn't defy the will from the Demonic Statue that Madara controlled."

A gentle breeze passed, seeming to smooth out the wrinkles on his face. "Thank you. Hearing you say that in person makes this trip worthwhile."

Tobi raised a finger. "So, about my earlier proposal—won't you reconsider?"

Obito waved his hand. "This, I'm afraid I still must decline."

At the Training Ground, the grade assessment had ended.

"Big Sister~ Here here~~!" Tsuki waved her little hand cheerfully!

"Dad!! Mom!!" Yuki was overjoyed, nearly jumping on the spot!

"Wow, Yuki's parents! First time seeing them!"

"I heard they hold a high position in this village!"

"They must be incredibly strong ninja!"

"No matter how strong, they can't be stronger than Lord Shadow! I bet they're like Lord Shadow's right-hand people! Just like Angel!"

The children, unaware of the truth, chattered noisily.

Most of these children were orphans left homeless after the war in Amegakure. Chen had taken them all into the Hidden Shadow, giving them a quality education.

This so-called focused training wasn't based on favoritism but on aptitude. Gansuke, Yamato's son, who had little connection to Chen, becoming one of the 'Twelve Ninja' was an example.

Bloodline was important—a cruel but undeniable truth. The chance of a truly gifted child being born to ordinary parents was slim.

Moreover, Chen's identity as Lord Shadow was a secret known only to a handful of core ninja. This was Konan's method, borrowing from the past rule of Amegakure's god 'Pain,' to create a 'mystique' around Chen as the Shadow. The more mysterious, the deeper the reverence.

Chen was happy with this arrangement. Unless absolutely necessary, he didn't like showing his face in public.

"Ah!" Yuki suddenly realized her teachers and classmates were nearby. She quickly composed herself before stepping forward.

"When did you arrive?"

She leaned forward, speaking dotingly. "Just in time for you to show off your skills~ Your dad said you fought like a real ninja!"

Yuki met Chen's smiling gaze, a blush rising to her cheeks.

Then she said, "Dad's just flattering me! I'm still far from that level!"

Fuka also stepped forward, greeting respectfully, "Uncle! Uncle!"

This honorific wasn't born of distance, but because their late father had been strict about proper etiquette between elders and juniors. Even at home, they addressed him as 'Father' and 'Mother.'

Chen regarded these two children as his own, but he chose to respect his younger brother's upbringing, so he let them keep the honorifics.

He looked at them kindly.

"Mm. Tonight, your Aunt, Grandpa Madara, and Uncle Obito and I will be staying in the village. You three take your little sister Tsuki and go watch the Fireworks Festival."

Fuka were both born after the war and knew nothing of the plan, so they didn't recognize Grandpa Madara or Uncle Obito.

The siblings studied Madara in unison, then said together, "Hello, Uncle Obito!"

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"Pfft!" The scene suddenly went quiet. Light couldn't help it and burst out laughing.

She leaned forward, speaking patiently and gently to the two children: "Little Wind, Little Flower, this one right here is Grandpa Madara. That one on the rooftop, talking with your Principal Tobi, that's Uncle Obito!"

"Ah...!" Having made such a blunder, the two were incredibly embarrassed.

Especially Madara, who was born with a face that could stop children from crying at night!

Little Flower reacted quickly: "Sorry, Grandpa Madara, it's because you look so young, so handsome, you really don't seem like a grandpa at all. Sorry, hehehe!"

As she spoke, she pressed down on Wind's head along with her own.

Little Wind quickly followed up: "Right, right, that's how it is, Grandpa Madara!"

"Hmph, no matter."

Madara thought to himself: Obito has been my substitute for all these years, and now I've substituted for him once. I suppose we're even now.

Grandpa Madara...

Yuki knew the plan.

So this was the legendary ancestor of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Madara!

Also an indispensable ally in Father's plan...

Yuki slowly raised her gaze, and it happened to meet Madara's eyes...

What astonishing eyesight!

Just from this exchange of looks, she could feel that intimidating pressure that commanded respect without anger!

"Zing!" Madara smiled slightly, his Sharingan swirling with light!

"Eh...?"

"Big sister, big sister...!"

Tsuki's call snapped Yuki back to reality.

Father and the others had already left, leaving only Tsuki by her side.

Just now, that was...

In her mind, Madara's expectant words still echoed.

"Girl, if you can master the Forbidden Jutsu I demonstrated to you in that genjutsu before our next visit to this village, then I will formally take you as my disciple!"

"Why would Madara... want to teach me the Uchiha's Forbidden Jutsu, and why take me as a disciple? Father was right there, he couldn't have missed that! That means... Father allowed it?"

"Alright... then I have no choice but to get motivated!" Uchiha Yuki decided to fully repay her father's expectations of her!

After leaving the Training Ground, they continued touring the other facilities of the Shadow Hidden Ninja Village.

Madara asked Dust one question: "Dust, do you expect those children to go to the battlefield in the future?"

"No." Dust gave a measured reply: "In the future, only top-tier combat power will matter on the battlefield. Army operations would just be throwing lives away. The purpose of my founding this Shadow Hidden Ninja Village is to provide a stable and comfortable environment for the people I want to protect, allowing them to grow into who they want to be, according to their own wishes. That's all."

"For me, only when they are secure can I fight without reservation. Even if I die in battle, even if this land falls, I can ensure there is a corner for them to call home."

Madara thought to himself: Dust, you're a man with more sense of responsibility than I imagined, but you're also deeply bound by it...

At a turn, using a voice only the two of them could hear, Madara posed a soul-searching question: "So, what you want is security?"

Dust, are you trying to interrogate the ultimate desires of my humanity?

Fine... there's no need to hide it.

Dust said in a low voice: "No. Security is a reluctant compromise for the sake of survival."

"What I truly want is something more extravagant than that."

"What?"

Dust clenched his hand beneath his sleeve, gazing at the distant Heavenly Field.

"Freedom. Not being constrained by any external force, not having to compromise on anything I don't will... absolute freedom of body and mind. That is my ultimate pursuit!"

In the evening, at the Shadow Hidden Izakaya, the Dust Light Couple accompanied Madara and Obito in a lavish welcome banquet.

Afterward, the group arrived at the hot spring inn that Samui had booked out.

"Drip~!" Steam rose, the spring water dripped.

A wooden bucket scooped up the full warmth, pouring it over wet hair, the hot stream flowing down the spine, warming the entire body...

Stripping away the clothes that covered them, meeting openly—whether male or female, this was the best way to foster bonds...

Then let's... start with the women's bath.

Light's ripe and full figure, embraced by the hot spring, glowed with a rosy sheen.

"Mmm~, so good~~~!" She was enjoying the time gifted by the Creator.

"Plop~!" Suddenly, an even more explosive warmth pressed against her back. Samui's deft hands slipped through her smooth armpits, launching a sudden attack!

"Come, come on...! Samui, what are you doing all of a sudden~!" Light exclaimed softly.

Samui poked the springy side, her seductive, mature voice sounding: "Light, this part of you has more womanly charm than the last time we met. All thanks to A-Chen's efforts, right..."

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