Chapter 144: Ocular Jutsu: Toyoakitsushihime
The truth actually wasn't complicated. Moreover, Uchiha Tatsuhata honestly didn't care much about these distant past events. Anyway, what Uchiha Madara this old man said sounded no different from mythological stories to him. He only needed to know the Moon's Eye Plan had concrete, implementable foundations. That was sufficient.
What he truly cared about was the Moon's Eye Plan's full picture. He wanted to know how to establish an eternally beautiful, peaceful new world within genjutsu!
"...This is the Gedo Statue, the Ten-Tails' shell. I'm currently surviving entirely by relying on it to sustain my life."
"Collect the nine tailed beasts, retrieve the chakra separated from the Ten-Tails..."
"...Win over a youth in the Land of Rain named Nagato. He's been transplanted with my Rinnegan. You'll need him to help you recover the tailed beasts from the Five Great Shinobi Villages' hands. Simultaneously, when necessary, I also need him to use the Rinnegan to awaken me from death. At that time, we'll join forces to execute the Moon's Eye Plan."
Uchiha Madara described in great detail the Moon's Eye Plan he'd formulated.
After finishing, he caught his breath slightly. His body on death's doorstep relied entirely on the Gedo Statue to sustain life. Even speaking more brought tremendous burden. If unnecessary, he'd remain in a half-sleeping state for long periods, thereby reducing his body's various consumptions.
He recovered for approximately ten-odd seconds, feeling his body lighten somewhat. Looking at Uchiha Tatsuhata who seemed to be contemplating something, he asked, "You've finished hearing the Moon's Eye Plan. Do you think there are any problems? If so, speak now. If there are no problems, then next I need to teach you many things. You must master them all as quickly as possible."
"No need for such trouble!"
"Hmm?"
Uchiha Madara furrowed his brow in confusion. "Tatsuhata, be more specific. What do you mean 'no need for such trouble'?"
Uchiha Tatsuhata met that scrutinizing gaze and answered, "Because I can rely on these eyes of mine to obtain from you all the techniques you've mastered. Of course, the prerequisite is you don't resist my doing so."
"Your eyes..."
Uchiha Madara carefully examined the youth's eyes. Different from his own Mangekyō, different from Izuna's eyes as well. Before him, this youth's crimson eyes contained pitch-black elongated, curved blade patterns—possessing a somewhat indescribable bewitching beauty.
He asked, "Can you explain? Your ocular jutsu."
He didn't demand forcefully but rather probed inquiringly about Uchiha Tatsuhata's Mangekyō Sharingan ocular jutsu's true nature. He needed to consider accommodating Uchiha Tatsuhata's thoughts. He couldn't let Uchiha Tatsuhata develop dissatisfaction or resistance toward him.
Uchiha Tatsuhata didn't think that much. He'd already devoted himself wholeheartedly to the Moon's Eye Plan. He didn't feel any necessity to conceal his Mangekyō Sharingan ocular jutsu. Hearing Uchiha Madara inquire, he immediately answered, "My Mangekyō Sharingan's ocular jutsu is Toyoakitsushihime."
The pitcher plant quietly appeared in the corner. Hearing the name Uchiha Tatsuhata spoke, it rapidly flipped through its mental records. Finding no corresponding information indicated this was yet another new ocular jutsu it hadn't witnessed—these Uchiha always brought both pleasant and unpleasant surprises.
Uchiha Madara couldn't help internally complaining. That name's a bit too long, isn't it? However, this thought vanished instantly. What the name was didn't matter. The name's length mattered even less. What mattered was this ocular jutsu's specific capabilities. He asked, "Only this one type?"
Uchiha Tatsuhata was startled. "Eh? There can be more than one ocular jutsu?"
"Different people awaken under different circumstances. Some who awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan only have one ocular jutsu type. But others master two ocular jutsu types. Of course, Tatsuhata, this doesn't mean mastering two ocular jutsu types makes one more formidable. The truth is it still depends on the ocular jutsu's specific functions. Moreover, according to my research, in cases possessing only one ocular jutsu type, the held ocular jutsu ability is actually even more formidable!"
After explaining, Uchiha Madara stared at the youth, awaiting further explanation.
Uchiha Tatsuhata nodded, expressing understanding. "I see."
Then he voluntarily elaborated. "My ocular jutsu's ability, simply put, is copying. You can consider it a higher-level evolution of the ordinary Sharingan's copying ability."
The Sharingan also bore the alias "Copy Eye" because Uchiha clan experts would use the Sharingan in battle to see through and copy enemy jutsu, transforming them into their own.
Uchiha Tatsuhata extended his right hand. From his palm emerged pure white, fine threads drifting like seaweed. "These are Life Threads—creations produced by my ocular jutsu Toyoakitsushihime. I can use them to invade a target's body. Through contact with the chakra within the target's body, I can thereby copy all abilities stored within their chakra."
He pressed further. "This 'all abilities' you mention—how extensive is the scope?"
This was a crucial question. So-called "all" often meant "all within various limiting conditions"—all within a specified range. This range's size determined this "all's" degree of formidability and strength.
Uchiha Tatsuhata thought for two seconds. He didn't directly explain this "all's" scope but rather gave an example. "When I awakened this ocular jutsu, Abu was wrapped around my body. So the Life Threads invaded Abu's body at that time. Then from Abu I copied and obtained the Spore Technique, Mayfly Technique, transformation abilities, and all Wood Release techniques he'd mastered."
Even though the decrepit old man sitting here was the genuine Uchiha Madara himself, even though he considered himself well-informed and experienced, hearing these words in that instant still brought some shock.
Uchiha Madara's pupils trembled.
Even bloodline limits could be copied?
No, he couldn't confirm one hundred percent that bloodline limits could be copied. Because Uchiha Tatsuhata had transplanted White Zetsu's limbs. His body possessed Hashirama's cells. Being able to master these techniques, though shocking, could barely be explained.
Only by finding experimental subjects possessing other bloodline limits to test could he confirm whether Uchiha Tatsuhata's Toyoakitsushihime could likewise copy bloodline limits.
However, what made Uchiha Madara feel shocked wasn't the entirety. Uchiha Tatsuhata's explanation hadn't finished.
"There's more."
Uchiha Tatsuhata uttered this simple phrase. In an instant, he completely captured Uchiha Madara's attention. He continued, "After copying a target's chakra, I can manufacture their replica. Of course, these replicas don't possess souls—no thoughts or emotions. Only combat instincts engraved within the chakra."
The instant he finished speaking, he released pure white Life Threads dense as a tide. Before Uchiha Madara's face, he sketched eight Cloud ninja with vacant expressions lacking spirituality but brimming with killing intent. At the head was unmistakably Thunder Beast Sawai.
Snap!
Uchiha Tatsuhata snapped his fingers.
The replica Sawai's entire body burst with brilliant lightning. Deploying the Lightning Release taijutsu Heavy Flow Violent, he viciously struck his elbow against a distant rock wall. A thunderous boom. Dust scattered. Shattered stones sprayed forth. A massive deep crater was carved into the solid rock wall.
The next second, lightning flickered.
The replica Sawai silently returned behind Uchiha Tatsuhata, motionless as a wooden post.
Witnessing all this, Uchiha Madara fell into silence. With his vision, he naturally could discern how tremendous the value contained within Uchiha Tatsuhata's ocular jutsu was.
He asked, "Can you manufacture multiple identical replicas?"
"That won't work. Manufacturing replicas requires chakra information recorded in the Life Threads. This recorded information possesses uniqueness. One portion of information can only manufacture one replica. Repeatedly copying chakra from the same target has no meaning. Chakra information obtained from the same person will mutually fuse. No matter how many copies are made, ultimately only one portion of chakra information will remain."
"What if the replica is destroyed?"
"Even if the replica is destroyed, it doesn't matter. Unless the replica is completely annihilated without even residual traces remaining, as long as some Life Threads survive and are successfully recovered, a new replica can be manufactured."
Uchiha Madara nodded. That's more like it. At least it wasn't so perverted as to make even him feel jealous. Otherwise, one would only need to have Uchiha Tatsuhata copy his chakra. Under sufficient chakra supply, manufacturing over a dozen replicas of himself in one breath could sweep the entire shinobi world in an instant.
However, even so, this Toyoakitsushihime remained among the most supreme ocular jutsu. Among all Mangekyō Sharingan ocular jutsu he knew, few could rival it.
Forget other considerations—if he'd awakened this ability back then, even Hashirama wouldn't have been his match.
Uchiha Madara slowly sighed. Too bad both he and Izuna awakened quite ordinary ocular jutsu abilities. Back then, he could only rely on Susanoo's power to contend with Hashirama's Wood Release. Those truly were difficult yet beautiful years!
Like an ordinary old man, he reminisced about bygone beautiful years. But his excellent self-control let him quickly break free from memories. Looking at the vigorous youth standing before him, he said, "Tatsuhata, I admit your ocular jutsu is excellent. But honestly, I don't believe you can rely on this power to easily sweep the shinobi world and complete tailed beast recovery work."
"Even with my replicas, it can't be done?"
"If it were my full-strength self, of course it's possible. But if it's only one of my replicas, I don't think so."
Uchiha Madara stared at the somewhat unconvinced youth before him. "You said the replicas you manufacture have no thoughts or emotions—only beast-like combat instincts. That's the greatest flaw. Beasts with strength but no wisdom can rampage temporarily but will ultimately fall before wisdom."
These words were insights he'd obtained after experiencing over a thousand battles in his lifetime.
However, young people always found elders' experiential wisdom unconvincing. They felt elders didn't understand what "changing times" meant. They felt elders' experience only applied to the past, fundamentally mismatched to current circumstances.
Even though the one speaking was the renowned Uchiha Madara, in Uchiha Tatsuhata's current view, sitting before him was merely a decrepit, dying old man.
Uchiha Tatsuhata brimmed with self-confidence.
He felt absolutely no need to act according to the cumbersome plan Uchiha Madara formulated. That was prepared for the weak with insufficient power. But his current self was no longer that weakling on the battlefield who couldn't even protect himself.
Though Uchiha Madara was quite old and his original eyes had been gouged out, these eyes dug from some young clan member weren't dim at all. Combined with his brain maintaining extremely high-standard sharpness, he perceived Uchiha Tatsuhata's dismissiveness.
Clearly the youth remained stubborn, unconvinced by his words.
Uchiha Madara contemplated briefly. "Tatsuhata, the Moon's Eye Plan's general outline is collecting tailed beasts, reviving the Ten-Tails, then deploying Infinite Tsukuyomi to create a beautiful world within genjutsu for everyone. Considering your ocular jutsu ability is extraordinary, if you insist on modifying the plan, that's also acceptable. You only need to ensure the plan's main line won't be affected or deviate."
He didn't insist on demanding Uchiha Tatsuhata obey his commands and act according to the plan he'd formulated.
First, because he also understood that during plan execution, various unexpected situations would definitely appear. Plan modifications were inevitably unavoidable.
Second, he had no method to force Uchiha Tatsuhata to meticulously execute his plan. The contingency he'd left on Uchiha Tatsuhata wasn't for forcing him into a puppet lacking independent thought and judgment. He needed Uchiha Tatsuhata to display initiative, to promote the Moon's Eye Plan from the heart.
Third, the ocular jutsu Toyoakitsushihime was indeed very strong. If Uchiha Tatsuhata had good luck copying chakra from a group of supreme powerhouses, he might well rapidly advance the Moon's Eye Plan's progress.
So after careful consideration, he decided not to restrict and force Uchiha Tatsuhata but rather grant him a certain degree of freedom to act independently. As long as the Moon's Eye Plan's core pathway didn't deviate, all changes were acceptable.
A flash of excitement crossed Uchiha Tatsuhata's gloomy face. He said solemnly, "Rest assured! For eternal peace, I'll realize the Moon's Eye Plan!"
Hearing this, Uchiha Madara nodded. A smile appeared on his aged face. "Come! Copy my chakra. Then try and see if you can directly obtain everything I'm prepared to teach you."
The next second, Uchiha Tatsuhata extended his hand. Without hesitation, he released fine, dense pure white threads from his palm, which entered Uchiha Madara's chest.