Cremation

Tobirama relaxed after that single shout, for the people who appeared before him were Kazemori Masaki and Kagami Uchiha. Then he frowned and asked, "What are you two doing here? Why didn't you stay in the village?"

"I'm sorry, Teacher Tobirama," Kazemori Masaki began with an apology. After all, they had disobeyed Tobirama's orders and left Konoha Ninja Village without permission. Kagami Uchiha apologized as well.

Seeing Tobirama's expression soften somewhat, Kazemori Masaki continued, "I saw the signal you sent, Teacher Tobirama, but I was worried about Lord Hashirama. I couldn't help coming out to check on him. Please forgive me."

Kagami Uchiha followed with, "Teacher Tobirama, I came to see how Lord Madara was doing."

Tobirama knew that, because of Sage Art, Hashirama and Kazemori Masaki had a relationship closer to that of master and student than most. Masaki had always shown respect for his teachers, so it was understandable that concern for Hashirama had driven him to come out here. As for Kagami Uchiha, Madara had raised him since childhood and held an extraordinary place in his heart. His actions were understandable too.

But to Tobirama, disobeying orders was still unacceptable. It was manageable this time, but if they disobeyed orders on future missions, they could bring trouble upon themselves and even the village.

"That's enough, Tobirama. Zhenghui's concern is what matters. There's no need to blame him," Hashirama said with a smile, knowing his younger brother's temperament well.

Tobirama gave Hashirama a helpless look and let him take over. Hashirama looked at the two of them and said, "Masaki, Kagami, I understand why you came. Thank you, Masaki. And... Kagami, go see Madara one last time."

Kagami Uchiha immediately understood that Madara was truly dead. Otherwise, Hashirama would never have said that. He began searching for Madara's body at once, and despite the darkness, he soon spotted the figure lying in the water.

Kagami Uchiha hurried over and turned the body faceup. Looking at that familiar face, whose eyes would never open again, he felt a bitter ache well up from the depths of his heart. He could not help clutching Madara's body tightly to him.

Watching Kagami Uchiha's back, Hashirama felt sorrow stir within him as well. He turned and asked Tobirama to check on his wife, then slowly straightened up. His legs gave way, and he nearly fell again. Kazemori Masaki quickly caught him. Hashirama thanked him and asked Masaki to help him over to Kagami.

Once they reached Kagami Uchiha's side, Hashirama looked at Madara's lifeless face and sighed. "Kagami, take charge of Madara's remains. Bury him in the Uchiha Clan's ancestral cemetery."

Kagami Uchiha shook his head slightly. "No, Lord Hashirama. Lord Madara's crime this time was too grave. The clan won't accept him. If we bury his remains in the ancestral cemetery, I fear everyone will object."

"Then find somewhere else to bury him. At least don't leave his body out in the wilderness," Hashirama said after a moment's thought, finding some sense in his words.

"No." Kagami Uchiha still refused. "If we bury Lord Madara, I'm afraid someone will still try to exploit him. That's why I want to cremate his remains, so he can rest in peace."

"What!" Not only Hashirama but Tobirama was startled as well. Tobirama hastily turned his head. He had never expected Kagami Uchiha to suggest such a thing.

Kazemori Masaki noticed Tobirama's expression and thought, Just as I suspected.

On their way here, they had encountered Sasuke Sarutobi and the others. There was nothing unusual about that in itself, but to Kazemori Masaki, who knew the future, something about it seemed suspicious.

Tobirama's explanation made sense, but it had also served to send Sasuke Sarutobi and the others away. Kazemori Masaki had been wondering when Tobirama had switched Madara's body. The journey from the Valley of the End to Konoha Ninja Village was the likeliest opportunity. Once they returned to the village, the Uchiha Clan would immediately reclaim Madara's remains, and stealing the body from them would be no easy task.

Seen in that light, Tobirama's insistence that everyone else return had another purpose. Even he could not secretly replace Madara's body in full view of everyone—especially when those watching were all skilled ninja from Konoha Shinobi Village. But if only Tobirama, Hashirama, and Mito remained, his chances would be much higher. Hashirama was badly wounded, and Sealing the Nine-Tails would distract Mito. That would give Tobirama the best chance of successfully switching Madara's body.

In truth, Kazemori Masaki had no objection to Tobirama studying Madara's remains. Destroying bodies was an established ninja practice precisely because a ninja's corpse held tremendous value, from Secret Techniques to kekkei genkai and more.

The remains of someone as powerful as Madara were even more staggeringly valuable. Not just Tobirama, but anyone else would find it impossible to simply pass up such an opportunity. After all, those were the only Mangekyō Sharingan in the world that would never lose their sight, not to mention the knowledge of the Uchiha Clan's Secret Techniques.

It was perfectly natural for Tobirama to entertain such thoughts. Had there been no other considerations, Kazemori Masaki would not have stopped him. Unfortunately, because of Yi's Izanagi, he had no choice but to thwart Tobirama's plans.

Nor had Kagami Uchiha reached this decision entirely on his own. On their way here, Kazemori Masaki had already asked him what he intended to do with Madara's remains. Kagami's initial idea had been the same as Hashirama's: find another plot of land to bury Madara, avoiding opposition from the rest of the clan.

Kazemori Masaki had then asked what would happen if someone coveted the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan and tried to steal Madara's eyes. Kagami Uchiha's character would never allow him to do such a thing, but there was no guarantee that the same held true for the other Uchiha. The clan's history contained plenty of examples of people taking the eyes of their own blood relatives for power.

Long ago, members of the Uchiha Clan had abused Yi's Izanagi power and repeatedly stolen the eyes of their fellow clan members. Fortunately, a female ninja had created an ocular technique that countered Izanagi, finally stopping such bloodshed among kin from spreading further.

After Kazemori Masaki's warning, Kagami Uchiha realized that simply burying Madara's body would not work. Someone was bound to seek the power of his Mangekyō Sharingan. Yet such people failed to consider that, although an Uchiha could adapt to another person's Sharingan, eyes that were not their own could never achieve true, complete unity with them. Nor was the power of Madara's Mangekyō Sharingan something an ordinary person could withstand.

At the very least, Kagami Uchiha himself had no confidence that he could withstand the power of Madara's Mangekyō Sharingan. He had no wish to use Madara's eyes either. To him, that would be an insult to Madara.

After discussing it, Kagami Uchiha and Kazemori Masaki had agreed on cremation. It was a traditional custom as well, and Kagami could accept it. Thus, when Hashirama asked what should be done with Madara's remains, Kagami proposed that course.

Hashirama recovered from his surprise and asked, "Kagami, do you really want to do this?"

"Yes, Lord Hashirama." Kagami Uchiha nodded and looked at Madara's body. "I don't want anyone disturbing Lord Madara's rest in the future. I imagine he wouldn't want that either."

Hashirama fell silent. He did not know what Madara would have wanted, but Kagami Uchiha was Madara's heir. Since Kagami had made this decision, there was no reason for him, as Hokage, to refuse. Besides, he thought it might be for the best.

"Very well," Hashirama said. "In that case, after the cremation, find a place for his ashes, so we can visit and pay our respects."

Kagami Uchiha nodded.

Seeing this, Tobirama understood that Madara's remains were destined for cremation, and deep regret filled his heart. The body was immensely valuable, and he truly did not want to give it up so easily. But with both Kagami Uchiha and Hashirama in agreement, he could hardly object. He could only accept it; there was no way for him to hide Madara's body now.

Ah, if only I'd known. I should have hidden Madara's body before sealing the Nine-Tails, instead of putting it off until now, Tobirama thought with an inward sigh.

Madara could not be given a formal cremation, nor would the Uchiha Clan agree to one. All ceremonies were kept simple. The five people present watched with their own eyes as Madara's body slowly vanished into the flames—

Firelight shone on Kazemori Masaki's face, and he breathed an inward sigh of relief. With the destruction of the Mangekyō Sharingan, Madara could never return to life, and Black Zetsu's plan would once again grind to a halt. According to Madara's original plan, he should have survived. Unfortunately for him, he had encountered Kazemori Masaki. Still, Masaki thought this might be a kind of mercy for Madara. After all, dying without ever knowing was far better than witnessing the shattering of the ideal he had upheld all his life.

(End of chapter)