The Living Legend, Uchiha Madara.

In the Land of Earth's battlefield, Konoha had added five thousand elite ninja troops. Although Minato's quiet departure meant there was no one to counter Ōnoki among the high-end combatants, Shikaku Nara's exceptional intellect could still hold back the rock ninja's assault.

The main battlefield no longer required Minato's worry. Konoha couldn't repel Iwagakure, nor could Iwagakure breach the Land of Fire's border. The war had temporarily reached a stalemate.

Within the Land of Grass, Minato's squad was resting in a hidden swamp area.

"We're about to enter the Land of Earth. You all rest here for a bit; I'll go scout for intel," Minato said, pointing beyond a patch of lush green ahead.

Faintly, one could already see the sky filled with dust, sandstone, and dry riverbeds.

"Don't worry, Sensei Minato, I've got this!" Obito declared, patting his chest with full confidence.

Minato's expression turned grim, and he inwardly grumbled, You're the one I'm most worried about!

However, he didn't discourage Obito, merely offering a slight smile before vanishing, leaving behind a golden afterimage.

"Alright, Sensei Minato's gone. Now I'll arrange the guard duty," Obito announced, standing before Tōka and Kakashi with his nose held high.

Tōka rolled his eyes at Obito, then looked at Kakashi, his gaze seeming to say, It must be tough for you, having to deal with a pig teammate.

Kakashi's gaze shifted uncomfortably, as if blushing on Obito's behalf.

"Obito, Sensei Minato said that when he's not here, I'm the squad leader!" Kakashi stated coldly, staring at Obito with dead fish eyes.

"When did he say that? How come I don't know?" Obito feigned ignorance, crossing his arms and scoffing.

It seemed he had no intention of obeying Kakashi.

A cold glint flashed in Kakashi's eyes. Obito's usual flippancy was one thing, but this was a crucial and dangerous mission.

Tōka, meanwhile, chuckled inwardly. Is Obito's talent for comedy innate?

The class clown was clearly trained from a young age.

The atmosphere grew tense. Kakashi seemed ready to teach Obito a lesson to make him obedient, while Obito acted as if he were the only important person, refusing to back down.

To avoid further trouble, Tōka stepped forward, positioning himself between the two.

"Guard duty doesn't need to be so complicated. Doesn't Obito have the Sharingan? Just let him handle it," Tōka said with a grin, a strange glint in his eyes.

Kakashi blinked slightly, opening his mouth. Obito's Sharingan hasn't even awakened yet!

But seeing Tōka's playful gaze, Kakashi ultimately kept his words to himself.

Obito, upon hearing this, first grinned smugly, then his smile froze. However, admitting defeat was out of the question for him! Especially in front of a kid much shorter than himself.

"Hmph, leave it to me! Kakashi!" Obito said, though he didn't acknowledge Kakashi as captain, he secretly accepted it. He just wouldn't admit it to save face.

With that, Obito darted away, disappearing in a flash.

"Obito..." Kakashi reached out, intending to stop him, but Obito was too fast.

"Don't worry, we'll just be careful," Tōka reassured him. "Centering on our current position, we'll each take a side within a one-mile radius, forming a triangle formation for our patrols."

"Alright, let's maintain contact!" Kakashi nodded in agreement.

If he really let Obito handle the entire guard duty alone, Kakashi wouldn't be at ease.

Most of the Land of Grass was now occupied by Iwagakure ninja, with a denser military presence than in the Land of Earth itself.

The three of them were lurking at the border between the Land of Grass and the Land of Earth. If discovered, they would face a pincer attack and pursuit from the rock ninja of both nations.

Therefore, Kakashi had to be cautious.

As the squad leader, he was responsible for the lives of his comrades, as well as his own.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Tōka and Kakashi immediately darted out, and the swamp once again fell into silence.

Arriving in a secluded, shadowy corner, Tōka used his Chakra Sensing technique to briefly scan the area. There were no other presences nearby.

Kakashi and Obito were several hundred meters away.

He stood within the shadows of the trees, completely concealed, as if speaking to the air.

"Come out. You've been following me since the Land of Fire border. Is there something important?"

"Heh heh... Tōka, your sensing ability is getting stronger!"

From the soil about five steps away, a pitcher plant emerged, revealing the half-black, half-white Black Zetsu.

Although the other half of his body was White Zetsu, that was merely a puppet Black Zetsu had created to deceive Madara. The true mastermind behind everything was only Black Zetsu.

"Stop with the pleasantries. Minato Namikaze will be back soon," Tōka said, frowning. His sensing technique wasn't particularly strong.

The Chakra Sensing technique was taught to Tōka by Kurenai. Its range wasn't vast, and it couldn't compare to powerful sensing abilities like the Byakugan or Mind's Eye of the Kagura.

The reason he could detect Black Zetsu was his heightened sensitivity to nearby energies.

Black Zetsu's Yin-Yang Release originated from Kaguya Otsutsuki, Tōka's mother, making him naturally sensitive to it.

As long as Black Zetsu was within a hundred meters of Tōka, he would be detected!

"Don't worry, I've already sent White Zetsu to monitor Minato Namikaze."

Black Zetsu wasn't worried about Minato Namikaze at all. While that guy was fast, he didn't have the terrifying sensory abilities Tōka possessed. Minato definitely wouldn't be able to find him.

"I mainly wanted to see you because someone wants to meet you."

"Meet me?" Tōka raised an eyebrow. Who would want to see him at this point in time...

Wait!

Tōka's small face changed slightly. It was precisely because of the timing that someone might want to see him!

"Hehe, that's right, it's the person you're thinking of." Black Zetsu noticed the change in Tōka's expression and chuckled strangely.

"You did this on purpose?" Tōka's eyes turned cold as he stared at Black Zetsu. If Black Zetsu hadn't deliberately leaked information to Uchiha Madara, that guy wouldn't have noticed him at all.

Black Zetsu flinched under Tōka's cold gaze, putting on a scared expression, though his eyes were full of amusement.

Tōka knew the true purpose of the Moon Eye Plan. Black Zetsu couldn't allow any mistakes.

Even if they were "brothers," Tōka had promised not to hinder him, but Black Zetsu didn't trust Tōka. The belief in rescuing his mother made him only trust himself.

"What do you want me to do?" Tōka's icy gaze flickered and vanished as if it had never appeared.

"Uchiha Madara wants someone to act as his proxy after his death to execute the Moon Eye Plan," Black Zetsu said with a smile.

The Moon Eye Plan he spoke of was clearly Uchiha Madara's understanding of the Moon Eye Plan, not Black Zetsu's.

Although the first half of both plans was no different, the latter half...

"What a pitiful guy, you're probably going to break him," Tōka said expressionlessly. His words carried a double meaning.

The first layer was literal, teasing Black Zetsu for his penchant for scheming in the shadows.

The second layer was a veiled threat, testing Black Zetsu's bottom line. If he told Uchiha Madara the true purpose of the Moon Eye Plan, would Black Zetsu have any other tricks up his sleeve?

"What's your decision?" Black Zetsu asked calmly, as if he hadn't heard Tōka's threat.

That tone...

Tōka's mood immediately soured.

Too calm, too composed!

Black Zetsu definitely has a backup plan. What could it be? Tōka's eyes darted around, and he already had an idea.

To prevent Black Zetsu from causing trouble, Tōka still hoped to follow the course of history. Although there might be minor changes, as long as the general direction was correct, it would be within his control.

The thought flashed through his mind, and Tōka asked, "What should I do?"

"Come with me to see Uchiha Madara," Black Zetsu stated the purpose of his visit.

"What about here?" Tōka wasn't ready to give up his Konoha identity yet. After all, it was the trust he had painstakingly earned over two years.

Compared to the darkness of other villages, Konoha could practically be called paradise, if one didn't count that scoundrel Danzo.

"Don't worry, they'll soon have their hands full, and no one will notice you," Black Zetsu said with a mysterious smile, hinting at something.

Hearing this, Tōka's heart stirred. No wonder...

Although Black Zetsu hadn't directly instigated the ninja world war, he had been involved in every conflict.

Fanning the flames – the phrase flashed through Tōka's mind.

He truly lived up to his reputation as the greatest schemer in history – Black Zetsu.

As Black Zetsu's words fell, he strangely sank into the ground. He wasn't worried about Tōka falling behind; as long as he maintained a certain distance, Tōka could completely track Black Zetsu's aura.

"Uchiha Madara..."

Tōka murmured the name and then leaped out with a whoosh, following Black Zetsu.

In a dim underground world, an elderly man in his twilight years stood with countless lifelines connected to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path behind him.

Tōka and Black Zetsu emerged from the rock wall. A pair of crimson three-tomoe Sharingan turned towards them, cold and devoid of emotion.

"Uchiha Madara!" Tōka's heart tensed. Even a transplanted three-tomoe Sharingan possessed such terrifying deterrence. He truly was a legend from the previous era.

No, even in this era, Uchiha Madara was a legend.

A living legend!

"Black Zetsu, you're back!" Uchiha Madara spoke to Black Zetsu, but his eyes never left Tōka.

"Yes, Lord Madara, I've brought the person you were looking for," Black Zetsu replied respectfully, a stark contrast to his casual demeanor when speaking with Tōka.

"Tōka, from the Kaguya clan, possesses a mutated Kekkei Genkai, his Genjutsu is also good, and his Taijutsu is passable," Uchiha Madara recited calmly, describing Tōka's abilities.

Tōka gave Black Zetsu a strange look. It was likely that this guy had provided half-true, half-false information.

Others might not recognize the value of All-Killing Ash Bones, but Black Zetsu definitely knew it was a Kekkei Mōra, transcending all Kekkei Genkai and Kekkei Tōta.

Yet, Black Zetsu told Uchiha Madara that Tōka was from the Kaguya clan...

As the thought crossed his mind, Tōka chuckled again. The Kaguya clan... Kaguya was his mother's name, so it wasn't entirely wrong.

"What are you laughing at?" Uchiha Madara's gaze was incredibly sharp, and he clearly caught Tōka's slightly upturned lips.

"Well, it's nothing really." Tōka couldn't exactly tell Uchiha Madara, I'm laughing at you, you idiot, for being played like a fool and not even knowing it!

"It's just an honor to meet a living legend. I feel very lucky," Tōka said, half-jokingly.

"A living legend?" A flicker of melancholy flashed through Uchiha Madara's eyes before disappearing.

He was barely clinging to life thanks to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path behind him; he truly was a living legend.

Merely... just alive.

"Madara, is there something you need me for?" Tōka saw Uchiha Madara lost in thought and didn't want to waste any more time, so he spoke up to interrupt him.

"The brat knows how to butter me up." Uchiha Madara could sense the sincerity in Tōka's address and wasn't angry. Instead, he let out a hoarse laugh.

Tōka's lips curved into a smile. Combined with a face that was seven parts Kaguya Otsutsuki, he looked incredibly... beautiful?

"I wonder if Black Zetsu has told you about the Moon Eye Plan," Uchiha Madara asked, staring at Tōka with a smile, his three-tomoe Sharingan slowly spinning.

A smiling tiger? A wolf in sheep's clothing?

Tōka raised an eyebrow. He could feel the killing intent in Uchiha Madara's eyes. If his answer didn't satisfy him, and he learned the secret of the Moon Eye Plan... he would surely be killed!

Thinking of this, Tōka's relaxed expression turned serious.

"I know a little," Tōka said gravely.

"Then what are your thoughts on it?" Uchiha Madara asked again, his scarlet three-tomoe Sharingan fixed on Tōka, not missing a single expression that flickered across the young face.

Thoughts? Tōka rolled his eyes internally.

Why does this guy also like asking these kinds of questions?

"It's a decent plan for peace," Tōka said after some thought.

"Just decent?" Uchiha Madara frowned, seemingly displeased with the answer.

Even Black Zetsu, standing beside them, became slightly nervous, breaking out in a cold sweat for Tōka in his heart. He cursed inwardly, My little ancestor, you're not really looking to die, are you!

Black Zetsu didn't care whether Tōka lived or died. He was only worried that Tōka would say something foolish and disrupt the plan he had spent a thousand years preparing!

"If the plan doesn't succeed, no one knows what will happen afterward, so it's a decent plan," Tōka explained calmly.

Under Uchiha Madara's expectant gaze, and Black Zetsu's anxious eyes.

Tōka paused for a moment before continuing, "Perhaps it's worth a try."

"Oh? So you approve of the plan." Uchiha Madara smiled, genuinely happy. To meet someone who shared his vision before his death.

Not someone controlled by his Sharingan, but someone who genuinely thought the plan was good.

Uchiha Madara's gaze was sharp; he could naturally see that Tōka's words came from the heart. He truly intended to... try—the Moon Eye Plan.

"Something like that," Tōka nodded, but inwardly, he pitied Uchiha Madara. I wonder what Madara's expression will be when he learns the truth?

Oh! Right, he'll probably be shocked, and then what? Unwillingness...?

"In that case, I'll leave the rest to you. I'll leave Black Zetsu here to assist you." After a brief moment of joy, Uchiha Madara's expression returned to a calm, placid state.

Then, Uchiha Madara slowly closed his eyes, clearly feeling very tired from his conversation with Tōka.

Uchiha Madara's body was deteriorating, and even with the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path supporting him, he was nearing his limit.

Perhaps Tōka was the last person he would see in his life.

Tōka and Black Zetsu exchanged a look before quietly retreating. (To be continued)