Madara Uchiha, Mobilize

The New Year is a good day, and everyone hopes to have a comfortable and happy New Year on this day.

The world seemed to have heard everyone's wishes, and the smoke of war that permeated the entire Ninja World was put on hold on this day.

The Five Great Ninja Villages tacitly ceased their operations on this day, giving the ninjas who had been fighting on the front lines for another year a chance to catch their breath.

While the open war has ended, some elderly people living alone do not appreciate this celebratory day.

"Jue, what's the situation outside?"

In the dimly lit stone hall, Madara Uchiha, who had been asleep for a long time, woke up today. Feeling his increasingly poor physical condition, his words carried a hint of urgency.

"Lord Madara, today is New Year's Day, and the war throughout the entire Ninja World has ceased."

White Zetsu's reply was like a merciless mockery, slapping Madara across the face. While the entire Ninja World was celebrating the New Year, he was still thinking about war.

Madara Uchiha remained silent for a long time, while only White Zetsu chattered incessantly in the hall.

One moment they were talking about how Iwagakure celebrated the New Year, and the next they were saying that Cloud Village had retreated 30 miles.

Even Obito and Nagato, whom they were closely watching, had a good day of rest with their companions and Konan.

Madara Uchiha's temples were becoming increasingly bulging with veins, which made his wrinkled skin appear somewhat shiny.

Until, Black Zetsu arrived late, leading two other self-destructive individuals.

Madara Uchiha opened his eyes again and glanced indifferently at the White Zetsu who was still rambling on and on.

"Make it back into the drawing board."

Black Zetsu looked at the bewildered White Zetsu, and without saying a word, waved to the two White Zetsu behind him.

After a period of chaos, the hall finally returned to quiet.

"Do the Five Great Ninja Villages not want to fight anymore? They certainly weren't in the mood for the New Year last year."

Ban's words were filled with resentment, reflecting both his dissatisfaction with being alone and, more importantly, his disappointment at the slow progress of the plan.

"Lord Madara, only Iwagakure and Cloud Village are still fighting Konoha. Sunagakure has already signed a peace treaty with Konoha, and Mist Village has lost the courage to fight Konoha again."

Black Zetsu briefly explained the current situation in the Ninja World to Madara, who frowned deeply upon hearing it.

This was completely different from what he had expected. Konoha seemed exhausted, but their high-level combat power showed no signs of decreasing.

The current losses are nothing more than weeds on the ground, which can be quickly recovered over time, and do not achieve the goal of weakening Konoha.

"How are Obito and Nagato?"

"Obito is still the same as before, his Sharingan is still in the single- Tomoe stage. Nagato, on the other hand, has stabilized Amegakure and now considers himself a god."

Black Zetsu's words were clearly tinged with mockery, a mockery of the mortal's ignorance.

However, Madara Uchiha was clearly not satisfied with his report; the plan was progressing too slowly.

Sunagakure, they have indeed reached a dead end, and there's no way to squeeze any more profit out of them.

But what the hell is Mist Village? Instead of fighting Konoha to the death, they're fighting Sunagakure again. It's simply outrageous.

As for Obito, since letting him develop on his own is no longer enough, we have no choice but to actively accelerate his growth.

Madara Uchiha slowly stood up. As he moved, a large amount of green-glowing liquid was pumped into his body through the tubes connected to the giant Demonic Statue behind him.

Black Zetsu's face showed surprise, and he couldn't help but take two steps forward, "My lord, what's wrong?"

"Time is running out. At this rate, the war will be over soon. We can't afford to delay any longer. I need to take personal charge and speed up the plan."

Words were uttered one by one from Ban's mouth, and his expression gradually changed.

From dry, wrinkled skin to gradually regaining its luster, from looking seventy or eighty years old to appearing only in the early thirties, it all happens in just a few breaths.

"My lord, you are overdrawing your life force; you are prematurely entering the Pure Land— "

Black Zetsu continued to offer advice, appearing utterly loyal and concerned for Madara's well-being.

"No need to say anything!"

Madara Uchiha waved his hand, interrupting Black Zetsu's persuasion without hesitation.

"I am still alive, not because I am afraid of death, but simply to ensure that the plan can proceed smoothly."

Now that the plan is not going well, rather than just living like this, I'd rather use the rest of my life to get the plan back on track.

Rejuvenated, Madara Uchiha displays his true colors as a tyrant, exuding domineering presence in both his speech and actions.

Black Zetsu also lowered his head deeply, "subdued" by Madara's imposing presence.

"Lord Madara, shall we now—"

He spoke cautiously, inquiring about Ban's next plan.

"Go to the Mist Village, and first bring this corner that has strayed from the plan back to where it belongs."

As he spoke, Ban strode out, reaching out to grab the Chain Scythe and Gunbai leaning against the wall.

Seeing this, Black Zetsu said no more and quickly followed Madara's footsteps.

Seeing Madara Uchiha so determined, he felt quite gratified. After all, the more successful Madara's operation was, the closer he would be to rescuing his mother.

Konoha, Taiichi.

"I wonder how Nonō is doing. She can't come back even though it's New Year's."

Grandma Keiko looked at the children playing in the yard, and her smiling face suddenly turned worried.

"Grandma, don't worry, the Western Front is going very smoothly. Sister Nonō is just Medical Ninja, staying in the rear Camp; she's not in much danger."

Taiichi's hands glowed with a faint green light as he held Grandma Keiko's aged hands and gently comforted her.

The old woman nodded, a relieved smile on her face. She knew she didn't have much time left to live, and all she wanted now was to see all the children safe and sound, which would put her at ease.

"Jiangtai and Yami are six years old this year. They've always admired you and want to be a ninja like you."

Taiichi turned to look at the two children in the arena, who were leading a boy and a girl in a fight. They were already six years old. "Then let them enroll in the Ninja Academy. The Orphanage can easily afford their education and training now."

Not all children from Orphanage go to the Ninja Academy; that requires not only talent but also financial support.

Orphans who rely solely on the meager subsidies from the village to attend school, without any other special circumstances, are destined to become cannon fodder.

After thinking about it, I figured I was going to herd one sheep or two sheep anyway.

"Grandma, have them come to my place in three days. I'll give them some training before school starts, so their future will be easier."

Grandma Keiko's face lit up with a bright smile. She had no children of her own and gave all her love to the children in the Orphanage. Seeing them grow up safely and even become successful was her greatest comfort.

"Good boy, good boy--"

Grandma Keiko took Taiichi's hand in her own and gently stroked it. Taiichi could feel the trembling in his grandmother's hand and couldn't help but sigh.

As Medical Ninja, he could sense that his grandmother's lifespan was coming to an end; it was the end of her natural lifespan, something beyond human control.

A sumptuous dinner was held that evening. Although there were many people in the family now, Taiichi still cooked several of his signature dishes himself.

As for the rest, everyone had to work together and use their own ingenuity to put together a dinner for more than forty people amidst laughter and chatter.

As the hustle and bustle subsided and the guests returned home, a busy and joyful day came to an end.

After finishing his evening prayers and lying in bed, Taiichi finally had time to look at his status panel. With the new year upon him, he had grown another year older, and his status panel had also changed.

Not to mention that it's less than 100 fire attribute experience points away from L14.

The biggest change is in his Chakra.

[Chakra: 97600 (112400)]

The daily maximum self-extraction limit increased by nearly 20,000 points, which is equivalent to the total Chakra Quantity an ordinary Jonin.

Taiichi's Chakra is considerable, even in the entire Hidden Konoha, and it's comparable to Jiraiya's.

Keep in mind that Taiichi is only 12 years old this year, and has just entered a period of rapid development. His growth still has a very high ceiling.

Looking at his increasingly luxurious interface, Taiichi slowly drifted into a dream with a relieved smile.

Time flies like an arrow; three days pass in the blink of an eye.

Today is the day I promised Fugaku that I would officially teach Itachi.

Early in the morning, Fugaku personally led Itachi to Taiichi.

This is the first day, Taiichi can see Fugaku values it.

After handing Itachi over to Taiichi, Fugaku bowed deeply to Taiichi without saying a word.

Everything was handed over in silence, Taiichi could see the deepest love an old father has for his child.

Watching Fugaku turn and leave silently, Taiichi patted Itachi's head and led him into the house.

Upon entering his study, the little guy was visibly nervous; even his gait showed signs of restraint.

Taiichi smiled inwardly. No matter what he would become in the future, he was still just a child now, and there was a limit to how mature he could be.

After placing the little guy on a stool, Taiichi pulled up another stool and sat facing Itachi.

"Let's chat for a bit first. Two more kids are coming later, so we can study together and have company."

"Yes, teacher."

The little guy was very serious and gave a rather formal answer.

Taiichi chuckled at the sight, reached out and ruffled his head, making his neatly combed black hair messy.

"Relax, Itachi, just like you're at home, don't be so tense."

Upon hearing this, the little one's face tightened even more, and he tried his best to smooth his messy hair with both hands.

"But that's how I am at home."

Taiichi was stunned when he heard this, but then he thought about Fugaku's personality and realized that it was indeed possible.

Now, he looked at Itachi with even more pity. It's not easy being the young master of a large family, especially with a father like Fugaku who has lofty ambitions.

"Well—" Taiichi, but couldn't imagine what carefree moments Itachi could possibly have, "Does he have any playmates?"

Itachi shook his head.

Taiichi held his head up.

"Fugaku, how did you raise this child? There's no joy in him at all."

Taiichi inwardly cursed, wishing he could drag him over and give him a good beating.

However, since Itachi didn't have that experience, Taiichi couldn't force it; everything could only be left to nature.

Fortunately, two more kids will be coming over soon, and with similar children around to keep me company, things will eventually improve a bit.

What does Itachi usually do at home?

Taiichi had originally intended to ask Itachi about his studies, but now he decided to avoid discussing anything related to academics and simply have a casual chat.

"He studied books on his own, learned etiquette from the elders, and mastered the basics of ninja from his father—"

Itachi mentioned more than ten things, but to Taiichi, they were just things like learning knowledge, rules, and being taken out to broaden his horizons.

Can you imagine that Itachi, at the age of 4, had already been shown the battlefield by Fugaku? Taiichi couldn't figure out how Fugaku's thought process worked, and it's no wonder that his thoughts became so extreme later on.

The two chatted for an hour. Gradually, Itachi's hands naturally rested on his lap, and his little feet began to swing leisurely under the stool. Occasionally, he would even reveal a shy smile.

Just as the two were about to continue their conversation, Mizuki appeared at the study doorway.

"Lord Taiichi, Xiao Jiangtai and Yami have arrived."

"Oh, really? These two guys finally arrived."

Taiichi stood up and turned to look at Itachi, who had also stood up at the same time.

"Itachi, come on, let's go see your two future friends."

Itachi was no longer as stern-faced as when he first arrived. Although he still looked like a little adult, he had become more childlike.

The two adults and one child hurried towards the front yard, and before they even arrived, they heard two clear voices calling out, "Brother Taiichi, we're here!"

Immediately, the two little devils, a boy and a girl, with their short legs, turned the corner and rushed to Taiichi.

Upon seeing that Taiichi was accompanied by a younger brother, he quickly became more reserved.

"Two troublemakers, knowing they're here to learn today, yet still rushing around like this."

The two of them stuck out their little tongues, not afraid of Taiichi at all.

Taiichi ignored the two of them, grabbed Itachi, pointed at them, and said, "This is Jiangtai, and this is Yami. You two will be studying with me for a while from now on."

After saying that, he turned to the two troublemakers and said, "This is Uchiha Itachi, a year younger than you both. This morning, your task is to take care of your little brother and play at home. Studying will begin this afternoon."

The two little ones had no idea who the Uchiha were; they only knew that Taiichi had found them a younger brother to play with.

With a cheer, she grabbed Itachi's little hand and ran outside.

Itachi was being pulled along, staggering, but he couldn't help turning back to look at Taiichi.

But Taiichi smiled and waved at him, his eyes full of encouragement.

Watching Itachi being dragged away by the two little devils and disappear around the corner, Taiichi also revealed a slight smile on his face.

Itachi's ninja talent goes without saying; it's absolutely top-tier, so Taichi Taiichi n't need to spend too much effort teaching him.

His role is simply to guide him, help him build a solid foundation, and prevent him from ending up like in the original story, where opening a Mangekyo caused his body to break down.

What he really wanted to help him was to correct his extreme thinking.

What kind of person could be so capable of slaughtering their entire family for the sake of the village? Even if there were various external factors involved, their own thinking was definitely flawed.

Although the three were out of Taiichi's sight, a wisp of his senses kept a close watch on them.

Half an hour later, Taiichi could often hear Jiangtai and Yami's hearty laughter.

And this laughter is the most infectious.

No matter how mature Itachi is, he's still just a 5-year-old kid. Gradually, under the influence of the two, he finally let go of his reserve and let out a happy laugh.

When it was lunchtime, the three little ones, urged by Mizuki, came to Taiichi again.

Looking at the little guy standing in front of him, covered in sweat and looking like a muddy monkey.

Two were still grinning foolishly, while the other seemed a little uneasy.

Taiichi burst into laughter, waving his hand dismissively, "Go take a shower, everyone! Your clothes are all ready. Come and eat when you're done!"