"Indra?"
Uchiha Madara murmured softly. He seemed unaffected, still standing calmly with his gaze fixed on the enormous Crystal Ball atop the Doctoral Cap. His usually sharp instincts told him that this thing was extraordinary.
His gaze suddenly sharpened. He looked down at the Great Toad Sage, whom he was meeting for the first time. The old toad's loose face was etched with the marks of age, and his white eyes met Madara's across the room.
The atmosphere grew tense. Fukasaku, seated below the throne, anxiously shifted in place, his gaze moving back and forth between the two.
He knew all too well that this was one of the Great Toad Sage's usual tricks. Back when the Shinobi World could still travel directly to Mount Myoboku, he had used this routine on countless dignitaries who came seeking him out.
But this time, it had clearly backfired. The man who had brought an end to the chaos of the warring era wasn't falling for it.
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself."
Seated on the throne, the Great Toad Sage lowered his gaze to the face reflected in the water inside it. "Gamamaru, a fleeting traveler through the river of time."
"Great Lord, please explain the rest in simpler terms!" Fukasaku called loudly, holding a hand beside his mouth as he tilted his head up.
Gamamaru sighed, dropped his sage-like airs, and took a few gulps from his cup. "In other words, when a toad dreams, it can see the future."
"See the future." Uchiha Madara clenched his fist, his eyes narrowing as a fighting spirit flashed in them. "In the future, when Hashirama and I fight, who wins?"
Gamamaru looked at his empty cup, flicked the last drop of wine from his lips with his tongue, then set the cup aside