Chapter 5

Your senses have deceived you, yet you dare not even resist the hallucination.

You fear the truth even more than you fear the false.

Before your eyes, there is nothing but darkness and void.

You know not the direction, the path, or whether the next step leads to death or the hope of escape.

The only thing you can do is take one aimless step after another.

You want to cry out, yet you fear the response—or the lack thereof.

Perhaps you know full well there will be no response.

You are terrified of something, yet you yearn for something.

Darkness, deathly silence, bottomless depths.

This is a fear carved into the nature of humanity, an existence from which humans cannot escape.

Loneliness and the unknown.

Standing in the heights, in the shadows, in the void, at the threshold of life and death, looking down upon humanity, toying with the secrets hidden deep within the human heart—this is the messenger of the Underworld, arrogant and deeply disdainful.

Matatabi, what a massive surprise you have brought me!

Wandering for a long time in the pitch-black darkness, Uchiha Madara felt not a shred of panic; instead, he revealed a delighted smile: if he had only been curious at the start, now, he was determined to have it!

Outside the illusion, alarm bells rang in Matatabi's heart. It slowed its breathing and continued to pump chakra into the illusion. An ordinary person trapped in this illusion—devoid of light, sound, scent, and even the sense of self—would collapse in less than half a day. This human had actually stayed there peacefully for three whole days! Damn it, you freak! Are you even human? Matatabi licked its paw, feeling somewhat depressed.

However, it had been a long time since it encountered someone this interesting. Matatabi cheered itself up; with its boundless lifespan, it had seen plenty of strange things, and this minor setback was nothing. It narrowed its cat eyes with keen interest and flicked its tail: Meow~ Let This Seat see just how long you can hold on!

Who knows how much more time passed—perhaps ten minutes, perhaps several months. A person trapped in darkness for so long cannot accurately perceive the passage of time. In this deathly silence, memories of the past would occasionally surface like stirred-up mud, chaotic and muddled, like the final flash of a dying mind; at other times, they were like a finished film, fading into a void of darkness.

Memories of a past life faintly surfaced in his mind, only to be suppressed by some unseen force. The feeling of being watched in the darkness slowly vanished, but the sensation of his soul being torn apart became increasingly distinct.

Finally, the illusion shifted. Madara endured the discomfort and released his spiritual energy to scout the path. His footsteps paused, and he subtly turned to the left—even though he knew there were no obstacles in the surroundings.

Light pierced his pupils violently. Madara squinted and blinked in discomfort, taking a moment to realize there was an exit ahead.

A very realistic exit: black rock walls, slightly flowing air, and patches of moss clinging to the stone. His mood couldn't help but brighten, and he walked out with brisk steps.

Reunited with the sun.

Everything seemed to return to calm. Madara let out a soft breath; he was finally out!

His wooden sandals crunched on the soft grass. All around, birds chirped, and a gentle breeze occasionally carried the scent of grass and trees. In the small pouch hanging at his waist, only three of the original twelve military rations remained—one was enough for a day. Madara picked a peach-flavored one to eat as a snack.

A golden-flowered squirrel poked its head out from the grass, its pitch-black eyes darting around, before it scurried behind a tree and began to climb. Huh? Hey? Why am I flying?

Slender fingers pinched the little creature's back and tucked it into his robes. The squirrel felt itself sink into a dark but warm place. Its tiny paws clawed at the soft fabric, trying to climb out, only to fall back down. After three attempts, it finally nestled in obediently, eyes brimming with tears.

Madara scratched the little thing's fur in satisfaction as a reward.

...Lord Madara, just how high-quality is your clothing!

Feeling a bit more relaxed, Uchiha Madara began to carefully observe his surroundings. The familiar woods, the familiar path, and the familiar shape of the windmill in the distance... He remembered this place; it was the outskirts of Muyun City in the Land of Lightning.

I wasn't... where am I? The Land of Lightning? Why am I in the Land of Lightning? Right, the Uchiha main house is here, so I... should be here.

Muyun City was originally just a low-level town, formerly known as Guyuan. Ever since he expanded the clan's influence, Guyuan had become a natural gathering place for merchants, developing into one of the top cities in the Land of Lightning in just seven years. Naturally, the Uchiha clan had its own commercial hubs, reception centers, and intelligence outposts here.

A faint scent of peach blossoms drifted on the breeze from somewhere in the city corner. Uchiha Madara disliked cherry blossoms, which had short blooming periods and were troublesome and prone to shedding, so he had ordered a large peach blossom forest to be planted in the newly built Muyun City, which had become a unique landscape.

The flowers are light crimson, like a spring dream; wine-intoxicated songs rise over Muyun City.

Something seemed to flash through his mind, and Madara frowned imperceptibly: What is this? A haiku?

...No.

What is it then?

—Brother, why not cherry blossoms?

—Does Izuna not like peach blossoms?

—No... it's just a bit strange. Usually, people plant cherry blossoms, right?

—Cherry blossoms have too short a blooming period and low utility; how can they compare to peach blossoms? When spring comes, the grass is lush and the petals fall like rain. A forest grows along the stream, just as the saying goes, "Peach blossoms and flowing water drift away, a world apart from the human realm." We can build a simple villa on the outskirts of Muyun City, by the mountains and water. Doesn't Izuna like the peaceful life of ordinary people? When you're free, you can come here to stay for a while. Flowers in spring, fruit in summer—the scenery is quite good.

—Ah, hearing Brother say that, I can't wait!

Something feels wrong. What is it?...

His fingertips felt a warmth, followed by a slight stinging sensation. Madara pulled his thoughts back and looked down. The little thing in his arms was looking up at him, its round eyes pleading. It was hungry! It wanted to be fed!

He was currently just outside the city in the peach blossom forest. The warm breeze intoxicated the travelers. Walking along the cobblestone path, groups of people passed by, carrying clear sake and food boxes for spring outings—a scene of peace and harmony. The peach blossoms stretched as far as the eye could see, and they were still some distance from the main city. For the first time, Madara regretted having so many peach trees planted.

By the way, do squirrels eat hazelnuts or something? Where am I supposed to find that for it? He stroked the little thing's back to soothe it, but the creature persisted in making a fuss.

Madara curled his lips and fished a chestnut-flavored military ration from his pouch for it. Uchiha-brand military rations—they tasted better than candy!

Finally, it settled down.

The journey was silent until they reached the gates of Muyun City, where six guards were checking travel permits. Madara produced his Uchiha clan medallion. The guards' expressions changed abruptly; they exchanged glances for a moment before one said hesitantly, "Uchiha... My Lord, please enter."

Madara's expression remained unchanged, but his heart slowly sank. It seemed something had happened to the clan...

The main street was much wider than those in other towns, lined with shops and neatly arranged stalls on both sides, bustling with a dense crowd of travelers.

"Fresh flowers! Beautiful flowers! One hundred yen a stem!"

"Dango! Sweet dango! Salty dango! Takoyaki! Fresh out of the pot!"

"Customer, would you like to try our Muyun City wontons?"

Wontons...?

A sense of dissonance welled up in his mind once more. Madara paused, then turned and stepped into a dessert shop marked with the Uchiha fan crest.

As soon as he revealed his identification plate, the shop manager became even more respectful, personally arranging a top-tier private room and serving a full meal.

"My lord, please enjoy your meal. Lord Uchiha Yan will be here shortly."

"Uchiha Yan?"

"Yes."

"You may leave."

The manager bowed and retreated from the room. Madara looked at the table full of delicious-looking food and poked at it with his chopsticks. He didn't seem to want to eat... Military ration pills could provide nutrition, but they couldn't alleviate the sensation of hunger; yet, facing this spread, he felt nothing but rejection from the bottom of his heart.

The squirrel in his robes chirped, scrambled onto the table, and scurried about, turning the meal into a mess. It was ruined, and he couldn't eat it even if he wanted to.

"...My lord?" the waiter who rushed in at the sound asked in surprise.

"This little thing caused a stir." Madara tapped the squirrel's paw, and the creature curled its fluffy tail up in grievance. Madara's lips curled upward. "You don't need to prepare anything else."

"Yes." The waiter cleared away the mess, but left a small plate of desserts before departing. Madara seemed to sense something, but he only glanced at it once before ignoring it entirely.