Uchiha Madara

"Who are you? It is time you showed yourself."

For the past few days, Shisui Uchiha had keenly sensed a gaze watching him from the shadows.

Yet, despite his repeated attempts to probe the area—even after activating his Three-Tomoe Sharingan—he could not detect anything unusual.

It was not until Shisui returned to his own home that the feeling of being watched became even more intense.

"Hehehe, so you finally noticed me."

In the courtyard of Shisui's home, a white, humanoid creature began to emerge from the soil.

"White Zetsu?" Shisui recognized the white entity instantly as a product of the first Infinite Tsukuyomi.

And at this point in time, there was only one person capable of commanding a White Zetsu: Uchiha Madara.

Thinking of this, Shisui raised his guard to the highest level.

"What kind of thing are you, daring to tail me here?"

Although Shisui knew the other party's origin, he still had to feign complete ignorance.

"Me? I am your Lord White Zetsu! Kid, I don't want to waste my breath on you; someone wants to see you."

As soon as the White Zetsu finished speaking, its eyes shifted into the appearance of a Sharingan.

"Are you Shisui Uchiha?"

Although the voice remained that of the White Zetsu, the tone had clearly changed.

"Who are you? What is your purpose in controlling this white monster to follow me?"

"And how do you possess a Sharingan? Are you also a member of our Uchiha clan?"

Although Uchiha Madara had long since transplanted his Rinnegan to Nagato, no one knew what other trump cards this old monster, who had lived since the Warring States period, might still possess. Shisui dared not be the least bit careless.

"The Uchiha clan, huh? Heh, what a distant term. I detached myself from that rotting clan long ago. My name is Uchiha Madara."

For Madara, ever since the Uchiha clan betrayed him many years ago, he had ceased to view them as his family.

"You are Uchiha Madara? Then I must be your father. Lord Madara died during the battle at the Valley of the End." Despite his words, Shisui prepared himself for the possibility of a fight. With only a White Zetsu body to contend with, even if the Sage of Six Paths himself were on the other side, Shisui was confident he could hold his own.

Unexpectedly, faced with Shisui's mockery, Uchiha Madara did not get angry. Having lived for nearly a hundred years and experienced so much, there was little left that could cause his emotions to fluctuate significantly.

"The world believes that Hashirama Senju defeated me at the Valley of the End, but they do not know that I was actually the one who played the better hand."

"But that is unimportant now; those are merely the limitations of mortals."

Perhaps it was just Shisui's imagination, but he felt he could perceive the emotions of the real Madara through the eyes of the White Zetsu.

"To tear away the mask of this hypocritical world and create a new, perfect one, I have devised a feasible plan, which I have named the Eye of the Moon Plan."

"My purpose in contacting you is to invite you to join this plan."

With that, the pair of Sharingan in the White Zetsu's eye sockets stared at Shisui, as if trying to see through his very soul.

Yet, Shisui gave a highly unexpected response.

"What benefits would I receive?" Shisui asked curiously.

Uchiha Madara: "..."

Seeing that the other party remained silent for a long time, Shisui tentatively asked, "Was my request too much?"

After a long pause, a mechanical, emotionless voice emanated from the White Zetsu: "No, your request is quite reasonable."

"Then, state your chips and conditions. If they are suitable, I am willing to lend you a hand."

In making this decision, Shisui had his own considerations.

Even if he rejected Uchiha Madara outright, there was no guarantee that Madara wouldn't simply seek a second or third successor. Rather than severing their connection, it was better to join in and keep the situation within his own control.

"My plan requires the collection of all nine Tailed Beasts. If you agree to join, the task of capturing them will fall to you." Uchiha Madara only revealed limited information; he could not, and would not, fully trust anyone.

"As for your reward, I can teach you how to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan and help you resolve the issue of blindness caused by its overuse. You must have read the clan's records; without evolving to the Mangekyō Sharingan, your potential in this life has reached its limit."

Uchiha Madara was correct. The Sharingan, a bloodline limit, was both a gift and a shackle on the Uchiha clan's development. The Uchiha relied on the power of the Sharingan to stand above the ninja world, yet their strength was largely restricted by these very eyes.

If Shisui Uchiha could not awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, his strength would never see a qualitative leap.

This version of Shisui Uchiha was different in two ways.

First, he placed the clan above the village. Second, having endured the tragic experiences of his previous life, he now possessed something called ambition.

"These benefits are not enough. I refuse."

With the assistance of his system, Shisui was confident he could awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan and solve the problem of blindness from overuse.

What Uchiha Madara could offer was nothing more than the cells of Hashirama Senju—and didn't the White Zetsu body before him already contain them?

"You actually refuse me? Could it be that you already know the secret of the Sharingan?" Madara did not grow angry at the rejection, but instead scrutinized Shisui with suspicion through the White Zetsu.

"Your chips are insufficient. You need to pay more," Shisui Uchiha said calmly.

Uchiha Madara: "..."

After a long silence, Madara finally let out a long sigh: "You truly are an unconventional Uchiha. Speak, what is it that you want?"

"If you are truly Uchiha Madara, then you must have taken many of the clan's secret techniques with you when you left, along with our clan's treasure, the Gunbai. I want all of it. In exchange, I will assist you in capturing the One-Tail through the Seven-Tails." Shisui Uchiha laid out his conditions.

"I can agree to your conditions, and at the same time, I will also give you my personal insights on using the Sharingan. I have only one additional request: you must become my representative in the ninja world."

This was what Uchiha Madara truly wanted.

"Are you dying?" Shisui continued to ask.

Uchiha Madara: "..."

"Fine, I agree to your terms, but you must let me see the benefits first." Shisui worried that if he continued to tease the other party, Uchiha Madara might lose his temper.

"You will. I will first give you the method to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan. Once you have awakened the Mangekyō, remember to come to Kirigakure to find me."

After saying this, a scroll appeared in the hands of the White Zetsu, which he tossed to Shisui.

"Do not disappoint me." With that, Uchiha Madara withdrew his control over the White Zetsu.

Shisui caught the scroll and discovered that it recorded the catalysts that had allowed previous Uchiha predecessors to awaken their Mangekyō Sharingan.

Although Shisui had no use for it, he could still keep it for others, couldn't he?