Meeting Lord Madara

"It really was no wonder Lord Madara had hidden so deep underground. Elderly people who went without sunlight for too long were prone to osteoporosis!" Jing Hang looked over the underground city known as the Mountain Graveyard, unable to keep himself from feeling impressed.

This place was not far from the Hidden Leaf Village, yet it was exceptionally remote. Though it was located on a peninsula, it was utterly desolate. There was not a trace of green across a vast stretch of land, and there was no human habitation within dozens of miles. It had taken the idea of hiding in plain sight to the extreme.

"It's such a barren place. It can't have been easy for the old man to live here for so long. How does he eat? Even the nearest village is dozens of miles away."

Black Zetsu turned back to glance at Jing Hang.

"I remember you not being such a talkative person."

Jing Hang shrugged.

"I'm about to meet my idol. I'm a little excited."

"Lord Madara is your idol?" Black Zetsu seemed rather surprised.

"Of course. He was the man who once stood at the pinnacle of the ninja world." Jing Hang looked like a fan about to meet a major celebrity.

"Oh? Then why isn't Senju Hashirama your idol? He was even slightly stronger than Lord Madara."

Jing Hang grinned.

"Compared to dead men, I admire living heroes more."

The two slowly made their way underground, and the light grew dimmer and dimmer. No one knew how long they walked. Gradually, the path widened and their vision improved. Then, the space ahead suddenly opened up. Jing Hang looked up and saw a skylight directly facing the sun, making the cave as brightly lit as the outside world.

Walking farther ahead, he saw an enormous humanoid monster towering before them. Its hands and feet were bound in shackles. Nine tightly shut eyes were set in its face, and its color was as withered as dead wood. Ten pillar-like protrusions rose from its back.

There was a human-shaped bulge on its chest, which should have been the Hashirama Cells cultivation chamber Madara had set up. The entire Gedo Statue looked both magnificent and savage. Three dangling tubes extended from its abdomen, their ends connected to a hunched old man.

The old man wore a tattered black cloak, his white hair having grown all the way to his waist. With his head lowered, his face could not be seen clearly. Only upon hearing the two men's footsteps did he slowly raise his head.

"Young man, are you the one who wished to see me?" His voice was aged and deep, yet full of a magnetic charm.

Jing Hang widened his eyes and carefully studied this absolute powerhouse from the previous era.

His first impression was that he was thin. His entire body was little more than a skeleton, as though a gust of wind could knock him over. It seemed that the only fat on his body was the two small lumps beneath his eyes.

His second impression was that he was old. Jing Hang could hardly imagine a living person growing this old. The man looked like an oversized dried shrimp, his waist completely unable to straighten. If not for his moving eyes and rising chest, one might have suspected he was a specimen.

His sunken cheeks were pale with a bluish tint. A large age spot sat on his forehead, where the veins were nearly visible. His loose white hair covered one eye, while the other was unmistakably a Sharingan! A Mangekyo Sharingan! (Madara's Rinnegan had already been transplanted into Nagato at this point. I specifically went back to check the anime and manga. At this moment, Madara had one Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan exposed, while the other was always hidden by his hair. I have no idea whether it was blind or normal. As for why he could still turn it into a Mangekyo Sharingan after his eyes had been transplanted instead of being left with two empty sockets, I cannot explain it, so I'll just follow the original work.)

"I truly can't believe you're actually alive. Could I trouble you with something?"

"Hmm?" Madara looked somewhat puzzled.

"Could you give me an autograph?" Jing Hang eagerly pulled out a pen and notebook and held them out before Madara.

Madara looked at Jing Hang in surprise, then at Black Zetsu. Black Zetsu said, "He says you are his idol."

"An idol? What is there to worship in a failed man barely clinging to life?"

"Barely clinging to life is still better than becoming a pile of dirt. The one who lives to the end is the winner."

Madara closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then forced a smile onto his lips. He slowly accepted the pen and wrote his name with a flourish.

"Young man, let us have a talk." Madara naturally sat down, his shriveled body seeming to radiate boundless authority. The exposed Mangekyo Sharingan also gleamed with a bewitching light.

Jing Hang's heart jolted, and his vision suddenly blurred. Then a trace of coolness spread from his chest, reaching straight into his mind and clearing it. Jing Hang put away his previous obsequiousness, casually wiped the stone stool before him, crossed one leg over the other, and slowly sat down.

"Sure. Let's talk!"

"This will be your office from now on." Chiyo politely pointed to the executive chair in the Intelligence Department and spoke kindly.

"I wouldn't dare, Granny Chiyo. You should still..." Rasa wanted to say more, but Chiyo cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"Little Rasa, I know what you want to say, and I appreciate your kindness. I chose to vacate this position not because I'm putting on airs, but because I truly no longer have the energy. I cannot block the path of those who come after me, nor can I delay the village's affairs. Clinging to this position would only make me a laughingstock, and I do not wish to make such a fool of myself."

Chiyo helplessly shook her head and smiled. From Reto's era to Jing Hang's era, she had fought for the village all her life. Now that she was already over sixty, she had increasingly begun to feel her age.

Several times, while reviewing intelligence reports from various places late at night, she had fallen asleep outright. That had put Chiyo on alert. She realized that continuing to hold such a vital post would inevitably lead to mistakes, so she decisively submitted her resignation to Jing Hang.

Although Jing Hang repeatedly tried to persuade her otherwise, Chiyo remained firm. Jing Hang had no choice but to remove her from her positions as head of the Intelligence Department and person in charge of the ANBU. However, he retained her post as head of the Medical Department and her authority as a Hearing Committee member. He also gave her the title of senior village advisor. None of her related benefits were reduced, so it counted as an honorable retirement to the second line.

"Rasa, I watched both you and Jing Hang grow up. Your temperament is steady, and you are meticulous in your work. I can rest easy handing the Intelligence Department over to you. These are turbulent times, and life is difficult. Jing Hang expended tremendous effort to secure the hard-won situation we have today. The burden on his shoulders is heavy. You must help him bear some of it."

"Yes," Rasa replied sincerely.

"Intelligence work is complicated, but overall, it amounts to two areas: internal and external. For internal matters, you may consult Uekusa from the Personnel Department and Liangping from the Anti-Corruption Bureau. As for external matters, most of the covert channels and hidden agents are controlled by Ebizo and my foolish son, Akasuna Guimu.

"You can hold a meeting later. How the specific tasks should be arranged is up to you. If there is anything you do not understand, you may ask me at any time."

"Yes." Rasa's nose stung slightly. He, too, sincerely admired this elder who had devoted nearly her entire life to the village.

"What are you doing? I'm retiring, not dying. Can't an old woman rest when she's gotten this old?" Chiyo grumbled.

At that moment, a small figure pushed open the door and entered.

"Grandma!" The newcomer was none other than Sasori of the Red Sand. He ran into Chiyo's arms like a gust of wind, and Chiyo kindly stroked Sasori's little head.

"Sasori, don't come here anymore. From now on, Grandma can pick you up from school every day."

"Really? That's great!" Sasori looked at Chiyo in delighted surprise.

"Yes. Come on, let's go home." Chiyo took Sasori's small hand and turned to leave.

"All members of the Intelligence Department respectfully see off Director Chiyo!" Rasa called loudly, bowing deeply toward Chiyo's departing back.

Staff from every office of the Intelligence Department came out and lined up. As Chiyo passed, they bowed to her one after another. Chiyo calmly accepted their farewell, nodding to the crowd. Holding his grandmother's hand, Sasori stared wide-eyed at everything in curiosity. Upon reaching the doorway, Chiyo gave a carefree wave of her hand.

"Everyone, work hard. The future is promising!"