"What an ugly sight."
The figure stepped out of the darkness, his gaunt, aged face exposed beneath the light.
His thick white hair was slightly disheveled, and his face was carved with the ravines of time, like an unmarked tombstone etched with an epitaph. Yet time had failed to completely erode his pride.
His tall figure stood straight with his arms folded over his chest. The crimson tomoe in his eyes seemed ready to drip blood, while the Third Mizukage blankly retreated behind him.
Even though these Sharingan did not belong to him, they still exuded a cold, imposing dominance.
Because these three-tomoe Sharingan were unworthy of him.
Because he was the "Battlefield Rose," the "Legendary Ninja."
—Madara Uchiha.
"A barren, remote village."
Madara Uchiha stood before the window, looking down from above as he calmly stated, "A bunch of cowardly fools who hide from the world and do nothing but fight among themselves."
"Their only value is being used."
To provide resources for his plan, he had long since infiltrated Kirigakure until it was riddled with holes. Quite a few of its higher-ups had become puppets.
His reasons for choosing Kirigakure were simple.
First, Kirigakure lay on the edge of the continent, with inconvenient travel and poor information flow. That also gave it a naturally advantageous location, isolated from the world and free from conflict. It could seal off news effectively, ensuring no one discovered his existence.
Second, Kirigakure had a great many bloodline ninja clans, such as the Kaguya Clan with their Shikotsumyaku, the Yuki Clan with Ice Release, the Hozuki Clan proficient in secret Water Release techniques, as well as clans with Lava Release and Boil Release bloodlines.
In Madara's eyes, bloodline limits meant strength. The more bloodline ninja clans there were, the stronger a village became. Clans possessing bloodlines and secret techniques were a village's true main fighting force.
If Kirigakure had been allowed to develop quietly in its corner for several decades, it would have been hard to say whether Konoha or Kirigakure would emerge stronger. By then, weakening it would have become far more difficult.
That was why Madara had infiltrated Kirigakure and used the Sharingan to control the Third Mizukage. From the shadows, he had guided the conflict between civilian ninja and clan ninja into erupting, forcing them to wear each other down while suppressing and weakening the ninja clans.
Now, it seemed his choice had indeed been exceptionally wise.
"Madara-sama!"
The ground behind Madara suddenly writhed. White Zetsu emerged halfway from it and reported in a somewhat flustered tone, "The White Zetsu assigned to monitor Nagato suddenly disappeared!"
Disappeared?
Then it had been discovered and killed.
At that, Madara Uchiha narrowed his eyes. The Sharingan within them flickered between light and shadow, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
After a moment, he asked without turning around, "Where did it disappear?"
"Probably near the harbor in the Land of Hot Water!"
White Zetsu sounded worried, even faintly unsettled. "It did not even get the chance to send back a message. Who knows what trouble it ran into? Our intelligence was not leaked, was it?"
Although the abilities of the White Zetsu Madara had obtained from the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path were mostly identical, these special White Zetsu individuals each had their own particular specialty.
For example, it was the special individual among all White Zetsu most skilled in the Mayfly Technique.
By entering organic networks such as plant roots and underground water currents, it could move rapidly to any location and erase all traces of its presence while the technique was active.
Although none of these special White Zetsu individuals respected one another, it had to admit that guy's stealth abilities were indeed the strongest. He was the White Zetsu most skilled in the Spore Technique and Impersonation Technique.
But before disappearing, it had actually sensed that guy's despair and fear through their connection...
"No." Madara merely shook his head indifferently at White Zetsu's worry and unease, with no intention of explaining.
Whether they were special individual White Zetsu or those mindless White Zetsu, they were nothing more than tools in his eyes.
Because White Zetsu's memories were not stored in their "brains." They did not even possess organs called "brains"; their memories were instead anchored to the "Demonic Statue of the Outer Path"...
If someone tried to use a secret technique to enter a White Zetsu's spiritual world and obtain intelligence, they would be shocked to discover that White Zetsu simply had no "brains."
"Ah, is that so? Then it is fine. As expected of Madara-sama, you have thought of everything. Still, it is a shame about that guy."
White Zetsu spoke of regret, but his face was full of gloating. He felt no sorrow whatsoever over that White Zetsu's death.
"Nagato probably discovered it. Then... do not approach him again for the time being."
After pondering for a moment, Madara frowned slightly and said in a low voice, "Nagato is growing a little too fast. It may be because of that brat surnamed Muyama."
He actually did hope Nagato could grow stronger.
After all, using the Outer Path — Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique required a sufficiently strong body to withstand that terrifying Chakra and life force.
But he had never intended for Nagato to uncover the Uzumaki Clan bloodline's exceptionally special sensory ability. He had originally planned for the White Zetsu monitoring him to arrange a few crises and spur Nagato into becoming familiar with the Rinnegan's abilities.
But then...
Mind's Eye of the Kagura was one of the few sensory techniques capable of detecting White Zetsu.
"Did that brat stumble into it by accident, or is he an unexpected piece on the board?"
Madara's brow furrowed even deeper, and a trace of irritation appeared on his face. Looking down at his shriveled palm, he thought, If this aged body were not dragging me down, why would I need to seek out some so-called proxy?
He had not cared about that brat in the first place and had thought he would have no effect at all. Yet the boy had actually managed to disrupt his board slightly.
"Madara-sama?" White Zetsu's cautious voice came from behind him. "Should we abandon the surveillance on Nagato?"
"Brainless fool." Madara could not help cursing before explaining, "Just do not approach Nagato. You can continue monitoring him from outside his sensory range... and that Tsukimiri brat."
Was that brat not short on people?
Something as useful as White Zetsu—surely he would not refuse.
Once the ninja world war fully erupted, that might be an excellent opportunity.
Before then, they would continue selecting suitable Uchiha clansmen to serve as proxies. When the time came, they could openly infiltrate Nagato's side.
"Oh, right." As if suddenly recalling something, Madara turned his head slightly and asked, "Has Konoha taken any targeted measures in response to Kirigakure's movements?"
The most important matter now was still destroying the Uzumaki Clan.
He had fought the Uzumaki Clan before. Although he had unquestionably won in the end, those people had disgusted him beyond measure.
What Dead Demon Consuming Seal, Contract Seal, Four Red Yang Formation, Six Red Yang Formation, and the most disgusting of all, Adamantine Sealing Chains and Mind's Eye of the Kagura...
Whenever Madara recalled how he had been bound up back then, a chill ran down his spine.
Damn Uzumaki Clan. They had no other skills whatsoever, yet their methods of disgusting people were endless!
Those revolting Sealing Techniques and sensory abilities had no need to exist at all. The ninja world was not lacking surviving Uzumaki bloodlines, either.
If he wanted them, White Zetsu could find several at any time. So it would be best if the Uzumaki Clan's inheritance could be completely severed. That way, he would not have to worry about White Zetsu being discovered.
However, although he had done his best to ensure news of this operation against the Land of Whirlpools did not leak, spies during wartime were like chives—cut one patch down, and another grew back.
The moment Kirigakure's forces set out, those spies had probably already sent the news back.
He was not worried about the other forces. The only concern was Konoha's response.
Konoha would definitely send support, but how much support could it send...
Madara had some guesses, but he was not certain yet.
Yet after hearing Madara's question, White Zetsu's expression became strange, almost comical.
"Well... you might not believe this."
"Konoha has made no move at all."
Upon hearing that, Madara Uchiha, who had always seemed to hold every advantage in his grasp, froze.
No movement at all?
Had that brat Hiruzen Sarutobi's monkey brain gone dull?
Before you continue