Madara: You Are Qualified to Be My Successor

A pale, bizarre figure stood there, his head topped with something resembling a giant Venus flytrap; it was White Zetsu.

White Zetsu emerged from the ground and said, "It's Obito. I don't know how he found this place."

"How he found this place is irrelevant. I am interested in him. Bring him in," Uchiha Madara said in an aged voice.

"Understood." White Zetsu's figure sank back into the earth.

Obito had been wandering outside for ages, unable to find a way in. This place must have been protected by a barrier, a subject he knew absolutely nothing about... yet another area of knowledge he needed to brush up on.

"Uchiha Obito, Lord Madara invites you inside." White Zetsu popped out of nowhere.

Obito looked at White Zetsu, once again marveling at the creature's miraculous ability to manifest in this world.

"Lead the way," Obito said, keeping his expression neutral.

White Zetsu performed a hand seal, and a translucent film of light appeared. It closed again as soon as they stepped through.

The underground base was vast, the empty environment amplifying the sound of their footsteps infinitely.

After several turns, they reached a grand hall. The first thing that caught the eye was the colossal Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.

Hideous, and filled with agony! That was Obito's first impression of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.

Several tubes connected the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path to Uchiha Madara, who sat upon a stone chair.

Aged and frail.

"I am curious. You seem entirely unsurprised by what you see before you, or perhaps I should say, not at all unfamiliar. Why is that?"

Madara opened his eyes and spoke. Though the lion was old, his majesty remained; Madara's gaze carried immense pressure. He truly lived up to the name of Lord Madara.

"Don't you also know of my existence? Do you trust this one beside you so implicitly?" Obito retorted, refusing to be intimidated.

"He is a creation of mine, though they are all inferior products. Uchiha Obito, you are a true genius. You awakened your eyes even earlier than Izuna and I did. It is only a pity you were born in the wrong era. Otherwise, you would have grown to be as powerful as Hashirama and me!"

"To receive recognition from Uchiha Madara, I am truly flattered, but you are only half right," Obito said.

"Oh? Do tell."

"I am indeed a genius, and I am a man destined to be even stronger than you."

"Ambitious. I like ambitious people. Uchiha Obito, I have been watching you since you were four years old. You have given me more and more surprises. You are simply the perfect successor sent to me by the heavens! The one to replace me in changing this world and bringing eternal peace to it!" Uchiha Madara declared passionately.

"Become my successor, and you shall know the truth of this world! And you shall obtain all of my power!"

Obito watched Madara's performance. He had to admit, Madara had truly been crippled by Black Zetsu's deception. Madara was a man too confident in himself, otherwise, he would never have become a pawn for Black Zetsu.

Yet, it was precisely this self-confidence that gave Madara such explosive charisma. In his past life, Obito had always admired Madara's presence in the anime, along with that arrogance of "who else but me."

"I had originally intended to use several small schemes to make you stronger, both physically and mentally, but your growth has exceeded my expectations. Uchiha Obito, come, let us join forces and create a brand new world!"

"Are you so certain that once I obtain everything, I will follow your plan?" Obito asked.

Of course, he didn't believe it.

"However, I am old, and my life is coming to an end. I can only seek someone to continue my path. No one is more suitable than you. I will transmit all my secret techniques into Zetsu through my own consciousness; he will be the continuation of my will. Only by acting according to my plan can you obtain my power! A fair trade, is it not?"

Was Black Zetsu finally going to show himself?

Old man Madara had been fooled for so long; it wouldn't hurt for me to fool him one more time, right?

"I have no interest in your plan. I am living quite well right now; why would I want to create a new world?" Obito asked, feigning confusion.

"Heh, childish thoughts. Humans are subject to birth, aging, sickness, and death. I know you are with Hashirama's granddaughter. She will die one day, and when that day comes, you will understand how magnificent my plan is! A world where everyone can live in eternal happiness, a world without conflict or slaughter, a world that can satisfy everyone's ideals!"

Madara scoffed at Obito's naive notions.

"What do I need to sacrifice?" Obito asked.

"You only need to revive the statue behind me, and at the appropriate time, use the Rinnegan to resurrect me. It will not be difficult for you," Madara said, panting slightly. He had spoken too much today, and combined with his emotional agitation, he felt his strength failing him.

This made him realize his time was truly running out!

"Obito, an opportunity to change the world lies before you. If you do not cherish it, you will surely regret it for the rest of your life."

"...Honestly, I don't believe you," Obito said, shaking his head.

"If you agree, I can allow you to enter my mental world. I will tell you the entire truth."

Obito felt the act was sufficient, so he nodded and said, "Fine, I agree, but I decide how it is done!"

"No problem. I truly did not misjudge you; you and I are the same kind of person."

Obito activated his Mangekyo Sharingan and entered Madara's mental world. Madara recounted the history as tampered with by Black Zetsu, the relationship between the Ten-Tails and the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and the details of the Eye of the Moon Plan. He also mentioned Nagato's Rinnegan, informing Obito that Nagato's Rinnegan was the key to the Eye of the Moon Plan and that he must keep Nagato under control.

Breaking the genjutsu, Madara lifted his withered hand with some effort and placed it on White Zetsu. A pitch-black substance, like ink, covered half of White Zetsu; it was the mastermind behind everything, Black Zetsu.

After acting for so long, Black Zetsu had finally emerged!

"This is the manifestation of my consciousness. I have stored the forbidden techniques of the Uchiha clan and the Yin-Yang Release techniques here. You may treat him as me. As for those inferior products, you may use them as cannon fodder."

"My life is coming to an end, and you shall be reborn!" Having said this, Madara rose from the stone chair.

Click, click, click. The tubes connecting him to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path snapped in succession.

Uchiha Madara slumped back onto the stone chair, gasping for air.

Before long, he breathed his last. A legendary powerhouse, Uchiha Madara, was dead. And he was destined to never have a chance at resurrection...

"Obito, you can call me Black Zetsu. I believe we can have a very pleasant cooperation," the black-and-white Zetsu said.

I believe you will be very pleased indeed!

Kamui! He focused his left eye on Zetsu.

Obito's purpose in coming here was precisely to deal with Black Zetsu. He had no interest in Uchiha Madara's secret techniques; killing this mastermind would give him much more peace of mind!

"What are you doing!!!"

"Doing you in, of course!" As space twisted, Zetsu was pulled into the Kamui dimension by Obito!