Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its character belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I make.
Chapter 177: Visit
"Madara, before I forget," said Raiken, his voice becoming serious. "That stone tablet you read beneath the Naka Shrine?"
Madara narrowed his eyes.
"How do you know about that tablet? It was an Uchiha secret," said Madara.
"Do you think only the Sharingan can read the tablet left behind?" mocked Raiken.
Madara calmed himself and opened his eyes, asking Raiken directly what he meant.
"What about it?"
"Someone rewrote it; it wasn't the original writing from our great-grandfather," said Raiken.
For a moment, Raiken could hear Madara's heavy breath.
Raiken pointed casually towards Black Zetsu. "By him."
For perhaps the first time in decades, Madara Uchiha looked genuinely stunned.
"…What?"
"Black Zetsu altered the tablet," Raiken continued. "He manipulated the words left behind by the Sage of Six Paths and convinced you that the Infinite Tsukuyomi was the path to everlasting peace."
Madara's chakra exploded, and the cavern trembled under the sheer pressure he released. Cracks spread beneath his feet as his killing intent surged.
"WHAT?!"
Black Zetsu immediately sank half his body into the ground; Madara took one step forward, ready to kill him.
Raiken quickly raised a hand. "Relax. Don't kill him yet."
Madara slowly turned his head towards him. The look in his eyes made it abundantly clear that the word "relax" hadn't helped.
"Give me one reason," Madara said dangerously, "why I should not tear him apart right now."
"Because his mother is useful," answered Raiken.
Madara stopped.
Black Zetsu stopped sinking.
"…His mother?" Madara tilted, confused.
"Otsutsuki Kaguya," Raiken replied. "She knows far more about the Otsutsuki Clan than either of us. Their origins, their abilities, perhaps even where the others are. If we want to understand what kind of enemies may eventually come to this world, we need her."
Madara stared at him, trying to find a trace of a lie through his eyes.
"And unfortunately," Raiken added, glancing at Black Zetsu, "our little puddle of darkness over there is currently the easiest way of reaching her."
Black Zetsu twitched.
"I am not a puddle."
Raiken ignored him.
"So for now, he stays alive."
Madara crossed his arms.
"You said we." Raiken blinked innocently.
"Yes," nodded Raiken
"There is no we," replied Madara.
"Oh?" Raiken tapped his chin knowingly.
"I will protect this world in my own way," Madara said. "I have no need for teammates."
Raiken stared at him for several seconds.
Then he smirked. "That explains why your back is always exposed."
Madara's eyebrow twitched.
"…What did you say?"
Raiken wisely took half a step backward.
"Nothing," said Raiken while putting his hand up, like someone surrendering himself.
"Say it again," ordered Madara.
"I said perhaps there is a reason people keep stabbing you from behind," mocked Raiken
"KISAMA!" Madara's roar filled the cave.
Even Black Zetsu quietly moved farther away.
Raiken raised both hands.
"See? This is exactly what I mean."
Madara's Sharingan spun dangerously.
"You mock me at your own peril."
"Then answer me this," Raiken said, his expression becoming slightly more serious. "Did you learn nothing from Hashirama?"
Madara's anger faltered after hearing the familiar name.
"Hashirama possessed enough strength to crush entire clans by himself," Raiken continued. "But he rarely stood alone; his brother fought beside him, and His clan also stood behind him. Eventually, even people outside the Senju trusted him."
Madara remained silent; Raiken tilted his head, and his smile widened.
"You, on the other hand…"
He looked around the empty Madara hideout.
"…appear to have assembled a magnificent army of absolutely nobody."
White Zetsu made a strange choking sound.
Madara's eyes snapped towards him. Feeling danger, White Zetsu immediately became silent.
Raiken continued before Madara decided to commit murder.
"You once had someone watching your back too, didn't you?" said Raiken.
Madara's expression darkened.
"Izuna," said Raiken.
The atmosphere changed instantly; Madara's chakra became colder.
"Do not speak his name carelessly," warned Madara.
"I'm not," answered Raiken. He met his eyes. "But Izuna has been dead for nearly fifty years, Madara."
Madara's fingers curled into fists.
"You need to stop living as though everything ended the day he died."
"WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME?!" shouted Madara. "You know nothing of what I lost! Nothing of the wars I fought! Nothing of watching brothers die in front of you."
Raiken shut his mouth, and for several moments, neither man spoke.
Then Raiken exhaled.
"All right."
His voice was quieter now.
"That was too far."
Madara said nothing.
"I won't interfere with your personal life," Raiken continued. "But there is something you need to understand, whether you like hearing it or not."
Madara's eyes hardened.
"The Eye of the Moon Plan is a fraud," said Raiken.
Madara's expression changed.
"The Infinite Tsukuyomi will not create the peaceful world you imagined," Raiken said. "The technique is part of a larger mechanism designed to release Kaguya."
Black Zetsu slowly turned towards him.
Raiken noticed.
"And yes," he said, "I know exactly what you were planning."
For once, Black Zetsu had nothing to say.
Raiken looked back towards Madara.
"When the Infinite Tsukuyomi is activated, the Chakra Tree will bind everyone trapped beneath it. Their chakra will be drained, and their bodies will gradually change."
Madara's eyes narrowed.
"Into what?"
Raiken pointed towards Black Zetsu.
"White Zetsu."
Madara froze.
"The very army you believed had been created long ago?" Raiken continued. "They were once human beings caught within the Infinite Tsukuyomi."
Madara's face slowly lost its anger; his gaze dropped towards the stone floor.
Everything he had sacrificed and everything he had planned… Years spent hiding beneath the earth, waiting for the day his vision would finally become reality. All of it had been built upon someone else's lie.
For the first time since Raiken had met him, Madara did not resemble the legendary Uchiha who once challenged Hashirama Senju.
He looked tired of all the bullshit he had faced in his life.
"Then…" Madara said quietly.
His voice sounded strangely old.
"What am I supposed to do?"
Raiken remained silent.
Madara slowly raised his head.
"Is there truly no way to stop war?"
His voice held no arrogance this time.
Raiken studied him for several seconds before turning towards the exit.
"Come with me."
Madara frowned. "Where?"
"I want to show you something," replied Raiken
Madara didn't move; he wanted to know where Raiken would take him. "Be specific."
Raiken glanced over his shoulder.
"We're going to meet another Otsutsuki."
Madara's eyes snapped open. Even Black Zetsu jerked upright.
"What?" The word came out.
Raiken smiled.
"Oh, good. So there are things capable of surprising both of you."
Madara ignored the remark.
"Another Otsutsuki exists on this world other than Isshiki?"
"I never said they were on this world."
Once again, everyone became silent.
Madara stared at him, and Black Zetsu stared back.
Raiken continued walking; eventually Madara followed behind him.
"…Where exactly are we going?" asked Madara
Raiken's smile widened.
"Now you're interested."
AUTHOR NOTES: THERE ARE 2 MORE CHAPTERS BEFORE AN ENDING. I WILL TRY TO UPDATE IT TONIGHT.
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