AN: Hey guys, firstly I'd like to apologise for the long hiatus... life just gets in the way. But I am back! (I hope) This should mean consistent chapters once more... how consistent? Only time shall tell, but I'll do my very best. Currently writing both Naruto and HP, and plan to start writing MCU again so it can finally start being uploaded. Thank you so much to everyone who has continued to support me! Also, to get access to the public chapters earlier and faster, when they are uploaded, check my P@TR30n where we are more active!
As always, if you would like to view up to 20 more bonus chapters on all my fics so far including this one, and would also like to support me, please visit my P@TR30N, at pa tr eon.com / GhidorahWriter (remove the spaces). Enjoy the chapter!
Katsuro crossed the sea once again, returning to where blood had just been spilt. He knew the direction from the information his clone had gathered, and he could sense his chakra marker faintly some distance away. He disappeared from where he stood in a body flicker, crossing the terrain with practised ease mainly using the tree branches.
While he could have teleported to the marker he had directly left on the white humanoid it would frankly be stupid. The area seemed to be underground even if in some sort of clearing, it would have been so easy for a trap to be formed around him. His latest experience with Onoki, the Third Raikage and the Jinchuuriki made him less arrogant and more wary. His absolute confidence in his abilities and especially the Flying Raijin had been broken, and he knew very much that with his abilities being so widely known forming a trap around him while improbable was indeed possible. There was simply no need to take such a risk currently when he could scout it the old fashioned way, and with the marker being still for so long suspecting they knew of it was reasonable.
"This seems to be it," Katsuro murmured, raising his guard. He was now looking at a yawning cave entrance that had been extremely concealed behind layers of foliage and even usage of Fuinjutsu. Fortunately, Katsuro's sharp senses and knowledge of a hidden hideout made him aware of the hidden entrance quickly. For someone in tune with Wood Style, hiding among foliage was not going to work. The signal from the tracking seal was showing itself quite deep underground further along, but context clues made him conclude that the entrance was here.
Instantly as he stood outside the entrance he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise, his instincts telling him he was being watched even if it was hidden from his senses. But despite this Katsuro didn't even turn, his eyes kept forward as he walked slowly but firmly down the cave. Despite him walking quite ordinarily, the Zetsu watching him shivered. Even as artificial clones they felt the fear that would come to any living being - the fear of death.
The path quickly sloped downwards, but his pace remained steady and even, his chakra naturally coating his feet to secure his footing. Normally as a Shinobi his footsteps would have also been completely silent, but this time they were not. It was clear that whoever these people were, they knew of his presence. But intentionally or not, the sound of his footsteps echoing through the tunnel made for a foreboding tone.
He didn't know what he was facing, he just knew that they had a hand in the Kiri attack and were even involved in the war. He wasn't sure just how powerful they were, or if their reach truly allowed them to manipulate everything. But it didn't matter.
Soon the tunnel and path came to an end as he got closer and closer to where his marker was. The darkness receded for light as a clearing clearly formed.
Katsuro's eyes widened slightly seeing the scene before him. There stood the white humanoid "thing" he had encountered before, seeming to be the someone which his clone had tagged before. It was kneeling on the ground in front of a figure slumped on a cold, stone throne, which extended to the roof of the cavern.
The figure seated drew Katsuro's attention, however. He seemed to radiate a cold, dark aura which filled the entire room. He stepped forward, into a small crack of light that seemed to emerge from no particular crevice or crack in the roof. The white being turned to look at Katsuro as the seated individual looked up at him.
"Senju Katsuro, I have been waiting," the figure spoke in a hoarse but powerful voice that did not reflect his age. Seeing his face, Katsuro's eyes widened and was completely astonished. A swirling two Tomoe Sharingan stared at him, the second hidden behind a tuft of aged white hair, and while they weren't Mangekyou, Katsuro could tell the man's pupil power seemed even beyond Fugaku who he suspected of having it.
Who is he? His presence alone tells me he's strong, or was. He's an Uchiha, but who? Katsuro quickly raised all of his defenses, mental and physical. There was no doubt this person was someone to be treated seriously, based on what his senses told him alone. Only a few shinobi could have such a presence to put Katsuro under such high pressure.
"Who are you?" Katsuro demanded.
"So you don't know who I am," the Uchiha mused, "you seem to possess great strength and wisdom too. The new God of Shinobi. Fitting, it seems. Your power is nearly that of Hashirama's, especially since you're able to use Wood Style. But you also have the genius of that detestable Tobirama. Seems like the Hidden Leaf Village is well-protected…"
"How would I know who you are? You've attacked my people, my disciple, and for that you will pay."
"Such an ambitious young man," the man smiled, "I am Uchiha Madara."
For a second, there was dead silence, as if the mention of Madara's name alone commanded the entire atmosphere of the cavern. Katsuro stood there, stunned.
"Uchiha…Madara?" He murmured, and it made sense. The age, the Sharingan and the presence all attributed to the man they called the Ghost of the Uchiha. But at the same time it didn't, that was just a namesake. "you should be dead…" But Katsuro had a feeling that the man in front of him was truly who he claimed to be.
"Where's your Mangekyou that's feared throughout history? Where's your presence that makes most shinobi crumble to their knees? And how are you not dead yet? What are your goals interfering in as you have?" Katsuro had many questions, but the Uchiha didn't seem to answer them.
"Ah so many questions, but such little time. You needn't worry about that, Senju Katsuro. I suspect you will find the answers to those yourself. It was quick-thinking from you to mark my White Zetsu clone as well, I must say."
White Zetsu clone? So that's what that thing's called.
"What do you mean such little time? What do you want with the Leaf Village now? Your era was over long ago, why are you interfering-"
Before Katsuro could continue his questioning, Madara abruptly rose, his chakra quickly rising with his movements, and even though he was old and weak, Katsuro could feel the immense chakra the old Uchiha possessed, his momentum greater than that of the average Kage despite the age.
"Senju Katsuro, God of Shinobi. In some ways you are exactly like Hashirama, even better than him. A culmination of both those brothers… But I can tell, you are also worse than Hashirama. Just having the Wood Style does not make one the God of Shinobi. You can't do it yet can you? His Sage Mode, that power made him stand at the top of this world, and you lack it."
"Old man, you are from an era long gone. Perhaps you're right… in your prime I wouldn't have been able to defeat you as I am now. But you wouldn't have been able to defeat me either. What makes you think you can now? The dead should stay dead. You are in my era now and you will not live to see the end of it."
The old man's eyes brightened as energy seemed to return to his bones. "Hahahahaha, this certainly does take me back! Let's verify how just true your words are!"