Zero-Tail Nihility

Chapter 42: Zero-Tail, Null (Seeking Monthly Tickets!!)

In a forest bordering the Land of Hot Water.

As far as the eye could see, lush, verdant trees thrived.

But the surface also revealed numerous human-faced statue pedestals.

This was the so-called Land of the Sky, and the location of the Sky Ninja Village, a subterranean fortress primarily constructed of stone.

In the fortress's main control room, a robust man sat upon a stone throne.

Appearing to be in his thirties, he possessed a thick head of jet-black hair, giving him an exceptionally youthful and arrogant air.

Standing before him was a ninja clad in a flight suit, bearing the Sky Ninja headband.

After listening to the Sky Ninja's report, the middle-aged man on the stone throne sighed with palpable disappointment. "Still unable to find an 'energy source' capable of stably supplying power to the 'Zero-Tail'?"

"I am deeply sorry, Lord Shinnō, but the chakra required by the 'Zero-Tail' is simply too vast. Perhaps only the legendary Tailed Beasts could provide a stable and continuous energy supply."

Faced with the Sky Ninja leader's apology, Shinnō merely waved his hand, furrowing his brow in deep thought.

As someone well-versed in biomedical technology, he wasn't surprised by this situation.

As the Sky Ninja Village's ultimate weapon, the destructive power of the "Zero-Tail, Null" was in no way inferior to that of the real Tailed Beasts.

If he could only complete the Zero-Tail's charging, the accumulated foundation of the great nations would be nothing more than that.

With the outbreak of the Second Shinobi World War imminent, he had planned to use the Zero-Tail's power to launch an aerial strike against Konoha while it was preoccupied by the great nations.

However, the current situation left him in a dilemma.

Although he didn't want to give up this excellent opportunity, the Zero-Tail's technology was still incomplete.

Once the Zero-Tail's energy was exhausted, their Sky Ninja Village would be as good as crippled.

"If that's the case, then there's no helping it."

After pondering for a moment, Shinnō was still unwilling to give up. He looked up at the Sky Ninja before him, his tone filled with coldness. "The negative spirit and life force emitted by humans can also provide energy to the Zero-Tail."

"In that case, kidnap people from the small countries near the Land of Hot Water. Whether it's a few hundred or a few thousand, we must have the 'Zero-Tail' fully charged as soon as possible!"

"..."

Upon hearing this, the Sky Ninja leader couldn't help but be taken aback, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes.

Currently, the fortress already held over a thousand humans, all ordinary people secretly transported from the outside, as backup "living sacrifices" to power the Zero-Tail.

That was enough if they were only for "backup," but if they wanted to fully charge the Zero-Tail with just ordinary people, a thousand wouldn't be nearly enough. They'd need even more humans to provide chakra and life force.

The number of sacrifices required would likely be countless.

"Turdus, let me ask you a question."

Looking at the somewhat reluctant Sky Ninja leader before him, Shinnō lightly tapped the stone chair and calmly asked, "In this world, humans without fangs and claws are fragile, but why has such a world become the domain of humans?"

"..." The Sky Ninja leader snapped back to attention, respectfully lowering his head and replying, "Forgive my ignorance, is it because humans can use tools and chakra?"

"No, no, no!" Shinnō shook his head, a smile spreading across his lips as he whispered, "It's because humans are the most cruel of all creatures!"

"Gathering together solely to gain a slightly more advantageous position than other species is what has led to humanity's current prosperity."

"This world is like that, and so are the great nations!"

"And so are we!"

"…Land of the Sky?"

Madara Uchiha's reminiscence was interrupted, and he glanced at White Zetsu with some displeasure, coldly saying, "Where did this clown come from?"

"Ah! Lord Madara, I don't know if this is important, but Tobi thought I should tell you."

White Zetsu shuddered at the glare, quickly passing the buck before continuing to explain, "While remotely scouting Uzushio Village's movements in the Land of Whirlpools, I discovered an organization calling itself the Sky Ninja Village of the Land of the Sky near the Land of Hot Water's border."

"Actually, I think they're pretty weak, but they have a lot of strange inventions, like ninja tools that can launch projectiles, flying ninja tools powered by Wind Release chakra, and their base is a flying fortress hidden underground..."

"According to our investigation, their leader is called Shinnō, ostensibly a highly skilled doctor, but in reality, he's a guy proficient in medical ninjutsu. They're preparing a very large amount of supplies on the black market..."

"If I'm not mistaken, their target is likely Konoha!"

White Zetsu recounted all the information he had gathered to Madara Uchiha in its entirety.

However, Madara showed no interest in it, scoffing, "Another fool with no strength, only ambition."

White Zetsu tilted its head, not quite understanding why Lord Madara would make such a judgment, but it didn't dare to refute him.

After all, it felt that those Sky Ninja's ninja tools were quite troublesome, flying around in the sky like pesky flies.

"...How boring."

Madara shook his head indifferently, with no intention of explaining to White Zetsu.

The shinobi world had never lacked ambitious people. This so-called Land of the Sky and Shinnō were not the first ambitious people to try to challenge the five great nations.

Such a situation had persisted for centuries, until he and Hashirama, with their absolute strength, completely ended the clan wars of the Warring States Period.

Only with the founding of Konoha and the creation of the era of one country, one village, did the shinobi world enter a brief period of peace.

——Madara had once thought that way, he had once been proud of Konoha.

But, ever since he faked his death and escaped during the battle at the Valley of the End, he had finally seen the truth of this world.

Seen this pitiful world full of hatred, full of violence and desire, full of pain.

The apparent obedience shown by various forces at that time was not due to the agreement of the Five Kage Summit, but simply due to the prestige and strength of him and Hashirama.

With the "successive" deaths of him and Hashirama, that trash Tobirama Senju didn't have the strength to maintain peace on his own.

Those guys naturally exposed their ugly faces, tearing up the so-called agreement and extremely fragile peace without any scruples.

The scale of the First Shinobi World War even exceeded Madara's expectations.

It was no longer a small-scale family feud, but a real national war.

The one-country-one-village system was useless. As long as humans still had desires, true peace would not exist.

Therefore, when Madara heard the news of the Land of the Sky from White Zetsu, he was not surprised at all. Instead, he felt that such a thing was reasonable and not worth making a fuss about.

Because of this, he felt even more resentful and aggrieved towards Hashirama's betrayal back then.

"Clearly, the original intention of establishing Konoha was to protect comrades and family!"

"If the clan could have followed me, where wouldn't be 'Uchiha'? If we were still together, where wouldn't be 'Konoha'?!"

"Now all of this is enough to prove..."

"Hashirama, I was right, you were wrong."

A trace of loss flashed in Madara Uchiha's eyes, and he whispered, "The one-country-one-village system we established back then is now just repeating the tragedy of the Warring States Period..."

The three tomoe in his eyes gradually dissipated, and his black pupils became cloudy and scattered. At this time, he looked like an old man, an old man reminiscing about the past and old friends.

As long as humans are alive, conflict is unavoidable.

There will be hatred, and there will be pain.

This curse cannot be broken by humans themselves.

"Unlike you, who are content with the status quo, I am on the path to seeking peace."

Madara slowly closed his eyes and whispered, "Therefore, I will definitely complete the Eye of the Moon Plan."

No matter what the price of peace may be, everyone will be in the Infinite Tsukuyomi, no longer experiencing any pain or sorrow.