The terrifying ice thorn crosses covered the battlefield.
In the muddy ground at the distant edge, a strange white figure suddenly emerged from the earth.
"Yuki Sora…"
"Such a fearsome power!"
"Ice Release?"
"Really hard to understand… Anyway, I'll report what happened here to Madara-sama first…"
After sweeping its horrified gaze across the battlefield, the white figure swiftly burrowed back into the ground. Its speed was so fast, as if afraid that any delay would cause it to be caught and killed by some terrifying monster.
…
A long time later, several thousand meters underground.
A subterranean cavern filled with endless darkness.
On a large stone chair sat a withered figure. Under the dim candlelight, a face was revealed, aged like tree bark and covered in cracks.
It was an old man, looking ancient and frail. Yet, merely sitting there motionless, an inexplicably heart-palpitating aura spread from the old man, making one's breath unconsciously feel stifled.
He is Uchiha Madara!
The man who truly stood at the pinnacle of the entire Ninja World!
One man looking down upon the world.
One man suppressing all creation!
"It seems…"
"That brat Yuki Sora does have some redeeming qualities. In this weak and feeble Ninja World, he can be considered a rare young genius."
Madara spoke slowly, his voice hoarse and weak. Yet, his words still carried an astonishing aura of looking down upon the Ninja world, despising everything.
"Yes, Madara-sama…"
"An Ice Release Ninjutsu that kills over a thousand people at once… This Yuki Sora is indeed an extraordinary figure!"
"Young and powerful, coupled with that heaven-defying talent, perhaps one day he might even become a God of Ninja-like powerhouse!"
A White Zetsu silently emerged from the ground nearby, standing obediently before Madara, head bowed, speaking in a muffled voice.
"God of Ninja? Hmph!"
Upon hearing this, Madara let out a disdainful laugh, his tone flat, "This Yuki Sora is merely a young genius. To be mentioned in the same breath as Hashirama, he is still far from it!"
"Back then…"
"Hashirama's opponent was me, Uchiha Madara! And who is Yuki Sora's opponent? Jiraiya, Namikaze Minato, and a pitiful Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki… all just immature children. These people, before Hashirama, are utterly insignificant, laughable like clowns!"
"Hashirama was the strongest man in this world. Only he was qualified to be my opponent, Uchiha Madara. Other Ninja are simply not fit to be compared to Hashirama; the gap is far too great…"
A trace of mockery flashed in Uchiha Madara's eyes.
In his view, the so-called Great Ninja War was just a children's game of house… meaningless, worthless, and not worth watching.
'Killing over a thousand people in one battle is terrifying?'
'Heh…'
'If not for Hashirama's existence back then, I, Uchiha Madara, would have long since slaughtered my way across the Ninja Continent and unified the entire world!!!'
'Ninja?'
'Don't make me laugh. Before me, Uchiha Madara, even Kage-level Ninja weren't worthy of having their names remembered.'
"Madara-sama, you may not care about that Yuki Sora, but can Obito or Nagato afford to be indifferent in the future?"
The White Zetsu standing with its head bowed suddenly spoke up to remind him.
Hearing this, Madara suddenly fell silent. He raised his eyes, staring into the dark void before him. The light in his eyes suddenly turned sharp.
"Perhaps…"
"It's time to eliminate this troublesome little brat."
…
"Hey, Obito…"
"Obito…"
"Wake up, wake up! I have good news and bad news. Do you want to hear it?"
"Obito, Obito…"
In a dimly lit room, Tobi suddenly leaned out from the wall by the bed. Hanging upside down, it pressed its mouth close to the sleeping Obito's ear, calling his name in a ghost-like voice.
"Tobi, I told you…"
"Don't disturb me when I'm sleeping!"
As he spoke, the sleeping Obito suddenly opened his eyes. His cold, crimson Three-Tomoe Sharingan stared fixedly at Tobi before him.
"Alright, alright, I got it. Obito, tell me quickly, which do you want to hear first, the good news or the bad news?"
Tobi waved its arms excitedly, its tone carrying a hint of schadenfreude.
"Tell me the bad news first!"
Obito said calmly.
"The bad news, huh?"
Tobi said with a giggle, "The bad news is I asked that guy Black Zetsu, and it turns out he doesn't know what excretion feels like either, so he can't tell me…"
"Tobi…"
"Do you want to die?"
Obito's face suddenly darkened. His gaze also became extremely gloomy, an astonishing killing intent suddenly erupting from his body.
"No, no…"
Swept by Obito's killing intent, Tobi quickly waved its hands and shrieked, "Wah wah wah, ever since you got the Mangekyo Sharingan, your killing intent is really scary, Obito! Okay, no more jokes. I just received the latest intel: Konoha was routed. The Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina you care about teamed up but were beaten down by Kirigakure's Yuki Sora, almost both getting killed!"
"They lost?"
Obito sat up, his expressionless face asking, "How did Yuki Sora win? He actually didn't get killed by the Flying Thunder God Technique?"
"Hmm…"
"The specific details of the battle aren't clear. There were too many Sensory Ninjas there during the fight, so I couldn't get close. Anyway, the result is Yuki Sora killed over a thousand Konoha's Ninjas, then single-handedly suppressed Konoha's Namikaze Minato, Uzumaki Kushina, and Jiraiya."
"In short, the scale of the battle was quite terrifying. The Ninjutsu exchanges seemed to be able to destroy the world. They're all incredible Kage-level Ninjas!"
Tobi recounted the battle situation slowly. As it described it, its tone held a trace of awe.
After all…
It had also fought Sora before and knew just how terrifying that little monster from Kirigakure's strength was!
This time, when he heard his enemy's name again, Obito was unexpectedly calm.
No anger, no roar, no rampage… only an ice-like calmness.
'With just the power of the Mangekyo Sharingan, I can't avenge Rin. To kill that Yuki Sora, I need even greater power!'
'Such as…'
'Uchiha Madara!!!'
When hatred truly fills one's soul, humans become as cold as ice. Just like Obito now, no trace of his former gentleness could be seen on his face, only cold killing intent and an indifferent expression.
"I must become stronger!"
"I will create a world where Rin exists!!!"