"White Zetsu."
Madara Uchiha opened his cloudy eyes and looked at the white figure before him.
He sat in a huge chair woven from wood, with many tubes plugged into his back.
Behind those tubes was a massive Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
"Go ahead."
Madara Uchiha spoke calmly.
Though he never left home, he controlled information from across the Shinobi World through the vast underground network formed by the White Zetsu.
The reason was simple. The White Zetsu could use the Mayfly Technique to merge their bodies with the earth and plants at will, and move at high speed to any location.
On top of that, they could communicate telepathically over long distances and had the powerful Impersonation Technique. They could infiltrate any hidden village at will.
A White Zetsu emerged from the ground, its lower half still buried in the earth, and began its report:
"Today, Obito walked back and forth along the road two extra times. He picked up things the same White Zetsu had dropped on the ground twice."
Madara Uchiha said nothing, only giving a slight nod.
Obito was becoming kinder and kinder.
Whenever he saw an old person fall, he couldn't help but rush over to help. He cared more about others than himself.
People like that were perfect. When they lost everything, their kindness would rebound like a snapped blade, turning into hatred powerful enough to pierce the entire world.
Madara Uchiha knew all too well that Obito wasn't the sort of person who could endure endlessly.
Half-hearted do-gooders like him were the easiest to draw into the darkness and hatred in their hearts.
"What about Qingyu?"
he asked.
Madara Uchiha had been keeping an eye on Obito for some time.
But Qingyu, who was in the same year as Obito, interested him even more.
Qingyu had the same bloodline as him, as well as the same bloodline as Hashirama, making him an exceptionally unusual person.
If Hashirama had agreed with his ideals back then, the two of them wouldn't have gone their separate ways.
Perhaps there would have been many more people like Qingyu in the clan.
Besides, Qingyu had awakened his Sharingan at birth and was quick-witted. That proved that the two clans' bloodlines weren't incompatible after all.
Most importantly, when Madara Uchiha looked at Qingyu's handsome face, he saw an echo of someone else.
Qingyu really did look a lot like Izuna, his beloved younger brother.
Madara Uchiha closed his eyes. Izuna's face, which had appeared in his memories time and again, surfaced in the darkness once more.
His brother's death was the greatest pain in Madara Uchiha's heart.
If not for that accident, his beloved younger brother wouldn't have died at the hands of the despicable Senju Tobirama.
"He's performed excellently. He got full marks in shuriken throwing, and mastered the Three Basic Techniques on his first try. However, we still lack concrete information about his combat skills. He's only fought Kakashi once."
The White Zetsu reported what it knew about Qingyu.
Meanwhile, Madara Uchiha had fallen into reminiscence.
Like all old people, the older he got, the more he liked to look back on the past. Madara Uchiha, too, enjoyed reminiscing.
In the Uchiha Clan, the bond between brothers outweighed everything.
He and his younger brother had supported each other. Compared with his own arrogance, Izuna was not only a genius but also more composed and level-headed.
If he had to put it into words, Izuna was like the Senju Tobirama of the Uchiha Clan.
Even that level-headed brother, on his deathbed, had hoped for peace for the clan and had given Madara Uchiha his Mangekyō Sharingan.
Reminiscing the past, the tears of those years never dried...
"Lord Madara, that's everything."
The White Zetsu glanced at Madara Uchiha.
Sometimes, with Madara Uchiha's eyes half closed, it couldn't tell whether he was asleep or awake.
"How far has he gotten with his ninjutsu?"
Madara Uchiha opened his eyes again. He had just been lost in his memories.
"He's studying Water Release this week,"
the White Zetsu replied.
"From what I've observed, he's training in a D-rank Water Release Ninjutsu. It's probably a technique passed down by Senju Tobirama."
Water Release?
Madara Uchiha's lips curled in mockery.
Teaching Qingyu Water Release was ruining him!
In Madara Uchiha's eyes, Fire Release was naturally more destructive than Water Release.
That weak technique had to be the influence of the wicked Senju Clan!
Even though Madara Uchiha had a Water Release chakra nature, he rarely used ninjutsu of that kind.
"Keep observing Qingyu,"
Madara Uchiha said.
If he regarded Obito as a pawn, he had some intention of nurturing Qingyu.
Qingyu was practically born on the same path as him, combining the powers of the Uchiha and Senju.
If he implanted Hashirama Cells into Qingyu as well, how compatible would he be?
If the Infinite Tsukuyomi came to pass, he could give Qingyu, who looked so much like his younger brother Izuna, an eternally beautiful dream as compensation.
"Yes, Madara."
The White Zetsu nodded.
"And Obito?"
"Keep observing him too,"
Madara Uchiha replied.
Compared to Obito, who was as dense as a brick, Qingyu was highly vigilant.
He had once sent a White Zetsu disguised as an old woman for Qingyu to help. But Qingyu had actually said he was afraid she'd accuse him of knocking her over, and that if he hadn't been the one to bump into her, why should he help?
Even if someone really was in trouble, he would make sure there were witnesses nearby before helping. He was extremely cautious.
So Madara Uchiha planned to prepare for both possibilities.
Qingyu's habit of holding something back in every situation showed that he had a natural filter in his mind. Before being moved, he first weighed the benefits and risks.
People like that weren't easy to fool.
But that also made Madara Uchiha feel that Qingyu was even more like Izuna.
Another half month passed in the blink of an eye.
The Ninja Academy held its first monthly exam.
The morning session was a written test. It covered basic theory, questions about the Will of Fire, and knowledge of ninja tools.
Qingyu answered everything well. For the section on the Will of Fire, one question focused on writing how the Third Hokage was as mighty as the newborn sun, helping Konoha, the great tree, flourish. Qingyu had wanted to throw both hands in the air and shout out his heartfelt loyalty.
The afternoon session was practical.
Umino Shika stood before the students with a class roster in hand. Behind him, several sparring areas had been marked out on the training ground with white lines.
"This afternoon, you'll take part in sparring tests. When I call your name, step forward. You'll be paired up."
As soon as he finished speaking, Obito Uchiha eagerly jumped forward.
"Kakashi!"
Obito pointed to the shock of silver hair in the crowd.
"I challenge you, Kakashi!"
Kakashi barely lifted his eyelids. He simply shook his head.
"Idiot."
With Obito's three basic moves, Kakashi could beat him with his eyes closed.
"What did you say?"
With Rin Nohara watching, Obito was too embarrassed to let that slide.
"Even if you're challenging someone, you're not good enough to challenge me, Obito."
Kakashi shook his head.
He glanced at Qingyu.
If he could, he'd rather fight Qingyu.
When he saw Kakashi looking his way, Qingyu gave a slight nod.
At this point, Kakashi and Obito hadn't formed a strong bond. At most, they were classmates who bickered.
Their relationship wouldn't grow dramatically closer until the Shinobi World War began.
He had gained the most miraculous power in the Shinobi World... "bonds."
"Obito, follow the rules."
Umino Shika tapped the class roster in his hand, his tone stern.
"Wait until I call your name before stepping forward. Unscheduled challenges won't count toward your score."
Obito could only sulk back into line.
Getting a zero would be disastrous.
Umino Shika lowered his eyes to the class roster and called out the names of the first pair to spar.
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