White Zetsu nodded and said, "Understood! I'll assign White Zetsu to watch them and record their every move, every step of their growth. There won't be a single slipup!"
Black Zetsu raised his head and gazed at the cold, clear moon hanging high in the sky. Deep-buried obsession and tenderness flared in his eyes as he murmured softly.
"Mother, wait for me a little longer."
"This time, I'll succeed."
"I'll bring you back from the moon."
Outside the Sky Screen, the entire Shinobi World erupted. Everyone stared dumbfounded, their heads tilted back and their minds blank, hearing nothing but the uproar of astonished cries all around them.
Everyone had believed that Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha were born enemies, born mortal foes, born to bring an end to the age of chaos.
Everyone knew that, at the end of the warring states era, the two clans had fought a decisive battle. Madara's defeat at Hashirama's hands had laid the foundation for Konoha.
But no one had imagined that these two lifelong rivals, who had towered over an entire era and fought each other all their lives, had been best friends as children!
"Did I hear that right?! Those two kids skipping stones just now were Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha?!"
"The God of Shinobi and the Rose of the Battlefield! The two titans of the warring states era?!"
"My God! Everything I thought I knew just shattered!"
"Look how happily they were laughing! How innocent they were! They were as close as brothers! There wasn't a trace of their future hostility!"
"They were so close as kids, yet they ended up fighting to the death! Something was definitely wrong!"
"There's no way that happened naturally! How could two people who were like brothers from childhood become sworn enemies bent