White Zetsu Cells

Liao Wu touched the White Zetsu Clone's skin. It felt woody.

With a thought, Liao Wu channeled the Chakra within him and activated a Forbidden Technique.

Chimera—Bloodline Plunder!

The Chimera Technique completely fused another person's bloodline cells into the user's body, allowing them to steal that person's Kekkei Genkai.

The White Zetsu Clone didn't struggle. It obeyed Madara's will absolutely.

Tobi watched in horror. "That's terrifying. He's being absorbed just like that. Soon he'll come out the other end like a turd."

Obito had stopped struggling beneath Tobi. He stared at Liao Wu in shock.

Honestly, he felt like this was the first time he'd seen the real Liao Wu.

He seemed so unfamiliar, it was frightening.

Hidden within Madara's shadow, Black Zetsu silently watched Liao Wu absorb the White Zetsu Clone.

Liao Wu's appearance also gave Black Zetsu an opportunity. Nagato and Obito were both too naive. Who knew what kind of trouble they'd cause if they were left to carry out the Moon Eye Plan?

It was better for Madara to gather the Tailed Beasts himself.

Both Black Zetsu and Madara thought Liao Wu was an attention-seeking nuisance, but they looked down on him. Whatever tricks Liao Wu had up his sleeve, he was still just a clown.

Madara Uchiha, restored to his full strength, would be Number One Under Six Paths.

Even if Hashirama Senju came back to life, he couldn't stop Madara Uchiha, who possessed the Rinnegan.

As time passed, the White Zetsu Clone's body gradually shriveled, as if Liao Wu had absorbed him entirely.

At the same time, Liao Wu's white hair slowly turned black, and his figure grew straighter. In the blink of an eye, he had regained his youth, transforming into a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old who looked like Sasuke.

Obito was stunned. An old man with a head of white hair had turned into a young man in an instant. This—

No wonder Liao Wu had defected. This really was some kind of evil art!

Madara's Sharingan slowly widened, and his breathing grew unsteady. He wanted to regain his youth just like Liao Wu.

The moment he saw Liao Wu's youthful appearance, Madara's Sharingan opened as wide as it could. He rose to his feet almost involuntarily.

"Izuna!"

Uchiha Izuna had the classic good looks of the Uchiha Clan, and he looked a lot like Sasuke. No, it was more accurate to say that Sasuke had been modeled after Izuna.

The first time Madara saw Sasuke after being revived, he noticed the resemblance to Izuna and even sincerely invited Sasuke to join him.

Even when Sasuke firmly refused, Madara still held back. If he'd simply burned Sasuke to a crisp, Kabuto wouldn't have been able to bring him back later.

And then Naruto and Sasuke wouldn't have teamed up to fight Madara.

That was how deeply Madara was attached to his younger brother.

Liao Wu was a distant relative of Mikoto's and looked a lot like her. His appearance, too, was modeled after Uchiha Izuna.

So when Madara saw how much Liao Wu resembled Izuna, he lost himself for a moment.

Madara thought Liao Wu might be one of Izuna's descendants, but then he shook his head. Izuna had died young and left no descendants.

Madara's brothers had all died in the Warring States Period. Their branch of the family had practically died out.

Perhaps Liao Wu was a grandson from a distant cousin's line.

But even if Izuna were still alive, Madara would have to steel himself. Everything was for the sake of creating a world without conflict.

In the world of the Moon Eye, Madara's brothers wouldn't go to war, and tragedy would never happen again.

After absorbing the White Zetsu Cells, Liao Wu felt a surge of vigorous life flowing through his body, from head to toe. Every inch of his skin trembled as it soaked up the power of new life.

His Chakra was now at Jonin level. No—beyond that of an ordinary Jonin.

And thanks to the White Zetsu Cells, Liao Wu had gained White Zetsu's abilities.

White Zetsu had an incredible number of special abilities.

Perfect disguise, Chakra absorption, blending into the environment, the Mayfly Technique, the Root Concealment Technique, Spore Clones...

He could even use Wood Style.

Liao Wu had become a White Zetsu who wasn't under the control of the White Zetsu's original body.

Madara could hardly contain his excitement. Using his cane for support, he got to his feet. "Good, very good, Liao Wu. Hurry up and use your technique to restore my youth."

"I'll take you back to Leaf Village. Then you can do whatever you want with everyone there. I can even make you Daimyo of the Land of Fire."

"Really?"

Liao Wu looked delighted.

Madara nodded. "I, Madara Uchiha, have never told a lie in my life."

"Good, Great Ancestor. I love Tsunade most. Once we take Leaf Village, Tsunade has to be mine."

Liao Wu looked delighted on the surface, but he understood old people better than anyone. They didn't tell big lies—they just liked to tell little ones.

"Fine, fine, she's yours. You can have the Hokage's wife, too."

"Biwako! That's way too Dai Faction. Better leave her to you, Great Ancestor!"

Madara wasn't interested in women, but he wanted to keep Liao Wu happy, so he agreed without a second thought. "Fine, fine. She's mine, she's mine."

Obito wanted to join in, too, and say that Rin was his. But he was ashamed to associate with these two Uchiha lowlifes.

"Come, Liao Wu. Hurry and restore my youth."

"Sure!"

Liao Wu walked over slowly, then suddenly looked behind Madara in shock. "Lord Hashirama, what are you doing here?"

Madara looked puzzled, but when he turned around, he saw nothing. Damn, I fell for it.

"Haha... Old Undying, I'm off. Enjoy yourself!"

Liao Wu transformed into a White Zetsu, then immediately used the Mayfly Technique to burrow underground.

Obito struggled with all his might. Uncle, take me with you, Uncle!

Tobi held Obito down with all his strength. "Obito, don't try to escape, or I'll make you eat shit."

Madara turned back and laughed helplessly. "Slippery Kid!"

Black Zetsu was confused. Liao Wu's file said he couldn't use Earth Release, and the technique he'd just used had been incredibly fast. It was clearly White Zetsu's Mayfly Technique.

Could he have absorbed other people's abilities along with their life force?

If so, the kid was finally worth noticing. He might even be useful.

But, kid, when did you start thinking Madara hadn't used an Illusion Technique on you?

Liao Wu swam underground for a long time. In White Zetsu mode, he didn't need to breathe, so he didn't have to swim up for air.

He fled with all his might, without a thought for anything else.

It wasn't that Liao Wu didn't want to side with Madara Uchiha. It was that Madara was too dangerous. Liao Wu had no idea if Madara would kill him the moment he restored his youth.

Liao Wu touched his heart.

He really wanted to cut it out and see if Madara's Curse Mark was there.

But he kept fleeing, and fleeing, until he realized he seemed to be going around in circles. Then a club struck the back of his head.

Before he passed out, he cursed inwardly: Damn it! You didn't block the flying ones, but you blocked me underground?

"Great Ancestor, I was only joking just now. You know how I like to joke around when I get young again. You laughed just now, didn't you?"

Liao Wu clung to Madara's leg and begged for mercy. White Zetsu stood beside Madara, waiting like a loyal servant.

Under Madara's Illusion Technique, Liao Wu had been going around in circles underground. When White Zetsu returned, he found a White Zetsu Clone with a mind of its own and wondered if Lord Madara had made a new one.

Only after taking a closer look did he realize it was Liao Wu. He'd knocked him out with a club and brought him back.

Madara had to admit that he really was old. He'd let himself be fooled by a little trick like Liao Wu's.

He ignored Liao Wu and looked at the White Zetsu beside him.

White Zetsu said, "Lord Madara, Orochimaru seems to have discovered my Spore Fragment!"

After seeing Liao Wu's Forbidden Technique, Madara no longer needed to fear being discovered by the Ninja outside.

"It doesn't matter. Orochimaru is just a snake. Once I've regained my full strength, Leaf Village will be nothing but a bunch of clowns."

Madara then stroked Liao Wu's hair. "Liao Wu, don't waste time. Hurry and restore my youth!"

"I imagine you've spent all these years unable to be with Hashirama's granddaughter because of your Uchiha's Identity. Don't you want revenge on Leaf Village?"

Liao Wu quickly nodded. "I do. I dream about it every night."

Madara said, "Then help me!"

"That's right. If you keep stalling, Lord Madara will lock you in the toilet and treat you like a turd."

Tobi shouted from the side.

Liao Wu opened his mouth and lied. "Great Ancestor, it's not that I don't want to. My Forbidden Technique has a cooldown, so I can't restore your youth right now!"

"Cooldown?"

Madara looked puzzled.

Liao Wu nodded. "That's right. This technique is so perfect—you can obtain a second life just by taking someone else's. Great Ancestor, do you really think a technique like that wouldn't have a weakness?"

Madara nodded. Every Ninjutsu had weaknesses. There wasn't a single perfect technique in the Ninja World.

"How long is the cooldown? I've waited this many years. I can wait a little longer!"

Liao Wu ventured, "Thirty years!"

"ಠ_ಠ."

Madara simply stared at Liao Wu. Everyone in the base stared at him, too, as if the air had frozen.

Even Obito thought Liao Wu was lying.

Liao Wu laughed awkwardly. "Just a joke. The mood was so tense, I wanted to lighten things up. Actually, it's not years, it's days. Great Ancestor, surely you can wait a month?"

Liao Wu's technique didn't have a cooldown. Did having to spend a life each time count as a weakness?

For powerful people who didn't value human life, it really was a perfect technique, without a single flaw.

But people weren't crops. You couldn't harvest one batch and expect another to grow.

One life for another—that was an equivalent exchange.

Madara's eyes slowly turned blood-red. "But I can't wait another second."

Illusion Technique: Hypnosis!

I'm toast! He's going to control me!