Uchiha Madara

"The next talisman is the Pig; we must hurry."

In Konoha, Uncle had barely returned to the village before he began preparing the spells needed to track down the next talisman.

The Horse Talisman was a tremendous boon for Konoha; not only could it cure the difficult and miscellaneous illnesses of patients in the Konoha Hospital, but it also threatened to put the entire construction crew out of work.

However, after Sarutobi Hiruzen received an urgent letter from the Daimyo, the situation fell into a dilemma.

"Hiruzen, what did the Daimyo say in the letter?"

Having shared a consensus for so many years, Utatane Koharu had never seen Sarutobi Hiruzen wear such a distressed expression, so she asked immediately.

"Sigh... you two should just see for yourselves..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen spread the letter out on the table, and Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura read it word for word. The content of the letter was very simple: it began with a brief greeting, followed by a reprimand regarding Orochimaru's behavior as a rogue ninja. Although the Daimyo claimed he would not pursue the matter, he listed a pile of excuses as to why he had to slash Konoha's financial appropriations unless the talismans were delivered to him...

"The Daimyo also... demands that we hand over the 'Swindling Duo'..."

The so-called Swindling Duo naturally referred to Uncle and Chixing. Although Sarutobi Hiruzen did not believe they were lying, under the "coercive power" of the Daimyo, it seemed they had no choice but to submit...

"Hiruzen, why not just hand those two over?"

Mitokado Homura, who had been silent for a long time, spoke up; he had always prioritized the interests of the village.

"I agree as well," Utatane Koharu echoed. Although Uncle and Chixing had helped Konoha resolve the aftermath of the "Fog Demon" incident, one could not afford to offend the golden benefactor.

"Allow me to consider this..."

Unlike his old friends, Sarutobi Hiruzen was kind-hearted and benevolent. He could not bear to arrest Uncle and Chixing, these "heroes of Konoha." Moreover... the strength of these two was unfathomable; taking them down would likely not be so simple.

While Sarutobi Hiruzen pondered his countermeasures, Uncle and the talisman-tracking squads from various nations had all set out.

However, apart from Uncle, who could use Qi Magic to locate the talismans, the others were like headless flies, crashing about without finding a target.

At this moment, a little guidance was needed... since they couldn't find the talismans, let the talismans find them!

In the Graveyard of Mountains, inside a cave that was impossible to detect with any sensory ninjutsu, lay the lair of the man known as the "Leader of the Four Laughing Uchiha," the man who held the title of "Asura of the Ninja World" (Battlefield Rose)—Uchiha Madara.

Logically, since Nagato had already summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, Uchiha Madara should have been dead by now. Yet, looking at him now, despite his white-haired, aged appearance, his spirit was vibrant. He could walk without a cane and looked full of life; inside, he was no different from an eighteen-year-old youth.

The story began on an evening a few weeks ago...

"Zetsu..."

Having stayed in the cold, damp cave for too long, Uchiha Madara often lost track of the passage of time. Thus, every time he woke up, besides routinely asking Black Zetsu and White Zetsu what was happening in the outside world, he would also ask how long he had been asleep.

Through a crack in the giant boulder that completely blocked the cave entrance, a blob of soft, white biological matter squeezed in, slowly solidifying into a spiky White Zetsu. He spoke in his signature drawn-out tone: "Madara-sama~ there hasn't been anything particularly special happening in the nations of the Ninja World lately."

"Except for the fact that two new faces seem to have appeared in Konoha."

"Oh? New faces?"

If there was one village among the Five Great Ninja Nations that Uchiha Madara cared about most, it was definitely Konoha—the village he had founded with his dear friend, a place he both loved and hated.

"It's an old man who can perform strange abilities, something called 'Qi Magic,' and a humanoid creature that looks like a starfish but can use a non-chakra-based Lava Release."

"Hmm?" The elderly Uchiha Madara, with one foot in the grave, struggled to open his eyes and frowned. "Never mind what Qi Magic is, what do you mean by a humanoid creature that looks like a starfish and masters a non-chakra-based Lava Release?"

Could those words even form a coherent sentence?

But seeing the serious and loyal look on Zetsu's face, Uchiha Madara had to accept it, remarking, "I suppose it's just some kind of illusion..."

"And they seem to be searching for treasures with magical powers called 'talismans'!"

Zetsu's intelligence-gathering ability was unique in the entire Ninja World. When Chixing and Uncle first met Minato and fought the Shadowkhan, and when the Shadowkhan used the Snake Talisman to toy with Hanzo, they had all been hiding in the shadows, peeping with the "Mayfly Technique."

"Hmph! A trick to fool children!"

Uchiha Madara was dismissive. "A mere stone, and it possesses great divine power?"

Did the people of Konoha really believe in such an obvious swindle? It seemed the people of the Ninja World were only becoming more foolish as time went on.

"Has the 'suitable person' appeared yet?"

Although Uchiha Madara believed the talismans, Uncle, Chixing, and the Shadowkhan posed no threat to him, he was uncertain about the "candidate" for his post-mortem plans. He closed his eyes again and asked, his lips trembling slightly.

The "suitable person" in Uchiha Madara's mouth was naturally another way of saying "pawn." The spiky White Zetsu pondered for a moment and shook his head. Just then, the most special White Zetsu, "Spiral Zetsu," appeared and said—

"There is, there is~ Madara-sama."

"Tobi... you had better not ask me what a bowel movement feels like again...!"

Although there was no vitality left in his body and his throat was so aged that merely speaking exhausted all his strength, Uchiha Madara's tone remained as overbearing as ever.

Regarding this White Zetsu named "Tobi," Uchiha Madara found him utterly annoying. If he still had the strength to pick up the Uchiha Gunbai, he would have beaten him soundly long ago. Moreover, Tobi loved to spout filth about "bowel movements" and "feces" whenever he had nothing to do. If it weren't for the fact that he didn't need to eat and had no teeth to eat with, he probably would have vomited!

Fortunately, this time, Tobi did not make Uchiha Madara grind his teeth in anger, even though he had no teeth...

"I found a good boy named Uchiha Obito! He not only values friendship and family above all else, but he also often helps old ladies cross the street!"

"Is that so...!"

Madara smiled knowingly. A character with such a sunny personality who cared so deeply for those around him would have infinite potential if he were to fall into darkness. However... judging by his age, he was still a bit young... "Continue to monitor him. Report back as soon as there is any development..."

After giving his instructions to Tobi and the rest of the White Zetsu, Old Madara closed his eyes again, thinking that his sleep time seemed to be getting longer and longer. Just as his consciousness began to drift away—

"Madara-sama!"

Tobi's sudden outbursts nearly gave Old Madara a heart attack, and he sighed helplessly, Has my physical condition truly deteriorated to this point with age? To be startled by a sudden shout...

But as long as the plan succeeds...

"Madara-sama! Madara-sama!"

Tobi's voice rang out incessantly, finally causing Uchiha Madara, who had not felt a ripple of emotion in years, to lose his cool. He immediately snapped, his voice cold and strained, "What?!"

"I found this while I was out this time!"