Madara Uchiha: Can the Rinnegan Really Revive the Dead?
"That's different." Natsu tilted her head slightly, correcting him politely and earnestly, her tone so sincere that no one could refute her.
"Tobirama was deliberately being sarcastic and cutting. I was just stating the facts."
Upon hearing this, Yaoyu could no longer hold back, and a soft laugh escaped from the corner of her mouth.
He quickly raised his hand to cover his mouth, feigning a cough to hide his lapse in composure, but his constantly shaking shoulders had already completely betrayed him.
Yakumi maintained his usual aloof and expressionless demeanor, staring straight ahead with a calm demeanor, though the slight upward curve at the corner of his lips was impossible to suppress.
Natsu withdrew her joking thoughts, turned to look at the two of them, and her tone returned to its usual calm and composed manner.
"Promoting and paving the way for him and forcing him to submit are not mutually exclusive."
"If he can break through his limitations with this Gene Serum, truly uphold the Uchiha lineage of Flame Ninja Village, protect the safety of his clan, and completely avert the fate of Konoha's destruction, then the next time we meet, he will be qualified to stand before me and negotiate with me as an equal."
He paused briefly, a cold glint flashing in his Sharingan, the murderous aura vanishing in an instant.
"But if he can't uphold this foundation and protect the clan's future, then this Flame Ninja Village itself will become a hidden danger for the Uchiha's future. Rather than being devoured and wiped out by Konoha in the future, leaving only regrets, it's better for me to take over personally and eliminate all variables."
After speaking, he withdrew the sharpness from his eyes and strode steadily toward the city gate once more.
"Besides, I have never disliked ambitious people."
"Jin's obsession was never about personal desire, but about the survival and prosperity of the entire Uchiha clan. In this respect, you are remarkably similar to him." He glanced sideways at Madara beside him and slowly added,
"The only difference is that he understands forbearance and knows how to maneuver strategically, and he has an excellent grasp of the nuances of assessing situations. For the Uchiha, having such a person alive is ultimately more beneficial than harmful."
Ban remained silent for a long time, all his doubts dissipating. Finally, he gave a cold snort, barely accepting the explanation.
"I'll trust you this once." His tone remained firm, with undiminished arrogance. "But if he dares to betray me or act cleverly in the future, you won't need to lift a finger; I'll deal with this junior myself."
"Don't worry." Natsu smiled calmly and continued the conversation smoothly, "If that day ever comes, I will definitely have Senior Ban take the lead and settle things personally."
As soon as he finished speaking, he seemed to suddenly remember something, a mischievous glint flashing in his eyes. He added softly, hitting Ban's sore spot precisely.
"But before that, Madara-senpai should think carefully about how to explain your whereabouts to Hashirama."
After all, last night, someone solemnly swore to Hashirama that they would never leave Konoha.
In Setsuna, Ban's face turned completely dark at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the air pressure around him suddenly dropped, a mixture of embarrassment and awkwardness.
The Yaoyu and Yakumi of medicine behind them could no longer be contained, and they burst into low, muffled laughter, the cheerful sounds echoing through the streets and alleys.
Ban suddenly turned his head and glared at them. The two of them instantly composed themselves, switching to solemn, expressionless faces in a second. They kept their eyes straight ahead and walked in an orderly manner, as if the laughter from before had never happened.
Natsu walked at the front, bathed in the warm afternoon sunlight, a pleasant smile on her lips, faint yet genuine, lingering for a long time.
Night fell completely.
The lights in Flame Ninja Village went out one by one, sinking into the quiet night. The entire village shed its daytime hustle and bustle and returned to peace.
Only a few windows on the top floor of the Flame Shadow Building still shone with a warm yellow light, standing out starkly in the deep Dark Night of the night.
A cool evening breeze wafted through the corridor, carrying with it the unique tranquility of the deep night.
Natsu sat cross-legged under the eaves, holding a half-cup of cold tea in her hands. The tea had long since lost its temperature, leaving only a faint wisp of tea aroma.
He closed his eyes and focused his mind, letting the evening breeze brush against the hem of his clothes, his surroundings so quiet that only the soft sound of the wind could be heard.
The sound of steady footsteps slowly drifted from the end of the corridor, breaking the silence.
Madara Uchiha walked slowly closer and stopped beside Natsu.
He did not sit down, but stood quietly like that, the cool Gecko spreading out and elongating his tall figure, which was heavily covered on the bluestone ground.
A long silence stretched between the two; neither spoke, yet there was no awkwardness.
After a long while, Ban's deep voice slowly rang out, carrying the lingering melancholy of the night.
"Can those Rinnegan truly summon the dead?"
Natsu paused slightly with the fingertips holding the teacup.
He didn't rush to answer, but gently placed the slightly cool teacup on the bluestone slab at his feet, and then looked up to meet Ban's gaze.
The bright Gecko fell between the two of them, open and clear, illuminating the deep-seated obsessions and regrets in their eyes, leaving nothing to hide.
"Able."
Natsu's answer was concise and firm, without the slightest ambiguity.
"The Rinne Rebirth Technique can draw the souls of the dead from the Pure Land back to the mortal world, truly resurrecting the deceased. However, this art comes at an inescapable price—the caster will exhaust their own life force, exchanging one life for another."
Ban stood silently upon hearing this, his eyes swirling with a deep, turbulent light.
He nodded very slightly, as if repeatedly confirming in his heart an answer that he had long understood but had never been able to fully accept.
"In other words, if I want to revive Izuna Uchiha, I have to give up my own life."
It wasn't a question, but a confirmation made with utmost conviction.
Natsu did not avoid the question, but nodded slightly.
"Theoretically, that's correct."
Ban then fell silent, no longer pressing for details about the technique.
He looked up at the vast, empty night sky, his gaze piercing through the heavy darkness and landing on some distant past unknown to anyone.
The Gecko flowed slowly along the patterns on the stone slabs, gentle yet chilly, much like those bygone days that can never be returned to.
Natsu looked at him quietly, her heart completely at ease.
Madara never questioned the strength of the Rinnegan or the authenticity of the techniques.
He simply couldn't let go of Izuna Uchiha, his younger brother who fell under Tobirama Senju's Flying Thunder God and remained forever in his childhood.
That was the softest and most painful weakness of Madara Uchiha, who had dominated the Ninja World and spent half his life in battle.
Natsu understood this regret and obsession.
A gentle evening breeze brushed against the eaves, bringing with it a soft, rustling sound.
Natsu's voice was extremely soft, gentle yet melancholic, almost melting into the night.
My parents died in the Third Shinobi World War.
"I was young then, and my memories are hazy. The only thing I clearly remember is that day when the elders of my clan who had fought in the war returned, bringing back two broken and tattered Kunai, and a mission report soaked in blood and with the writing blurred."
"They told me that my parents were on a top-secret mission, and no one except the clan leader and the Hokage knew the entire route. But on their return journey, they were ambushed with pinpoint accuracy. The enemy had been waiting patiently and had tracked down their every move."