The sun gradually sank until the last trace of light disappeared. The streetlights on Leaf's roads had long since been turned on, especially along the bustling commercial streets, where the lights shone so brightly that it looked like daytime.
"It really is as lively as ever. There seem to be even more people than before."
Madara walked down the street with a smile on his face.
It had been a long time since he last came here. Recently, he had been working night shifts and often worked until midnight.
A new batch of parts had arrived at the factory for processing. Apparently, they were needed for some kind of electric tricycle, and the higher-ups were in a hurry.
Found him!
That kid Ito Sosuke was indeed here selling roasted sweet potatoes.
Madara's eyes lit up, and he walked straight toward Ito Sosuke.
"Kid, give this old man two roasted sweet potatoes!"
Ito Sosuke was lowering his head and doing his homework. When he heard that familiar voice, he instinctively raised his head, and his face immediately filled with surprise.
"Old man!"
"I haven't seen you in so long!"
Ever since Madara's regretful defeat in the card draw last time, Ito Sosuke had not seen Madara again.
Ito Sosuke quickly and skillfully took two roasted sweet potatoes out of the stove and handed them to Madara. He also found a stool for Madara.
Madara sat down naturally. He planned to eat one roasted sweet potato first. He had gone to the shop to draw cards right after work today, and he had not even eaten dinner. He really was a little hungry.
Besides, he had grown somewhat tired of the factory meals. Every day, it was the same few things in rotation. At first, Madara thought the taste was not bad, but after a while, it stopped working. It was time to eat something different to adjust his appetite.
However, the workers around him still had not gotten tired of it.
After all, Madara had been born into one of the ninja world's great clans. Since childhood, he had never lacked food, clothing, or daily necessities. The factory workers were different. Some of them had never eaten a full meal before coming to Leaf. Having something to eat at all was already good enough. Those who were picky had long since starved to death.
Madara sat on the stool, eating roasted sweet potatoes while chatting with Ito Sosuke.
At first, Ito Sosuke told Madara about interesting things at school, gossip between classmates, and how another couple had appeared in class. Well, there did not seem to be a concept of "puppy love" in this world. Students generally matured early.
Then, inevitably, the topic shifted to becoming a ninja.
Once that happened, it entered Madara's main field. Madara skillfully began telling Ito Sosuke about the past, changing the names and removing key details. Ito Sosuke listened with longing.
"Old man, you must have been a powerful ninja when you were young. I really hope I can become a ninja too and carry out missions."
Ito Sosuke looked envious. Becoming a powerful ninja and carrying out secret combat missions sounded so cool and impressive.
"Don't show that kind of envy. Carrying out that sort of mission is not a good thing. Your hands will inevitably be stained with a stranger's blood. Two strangers who do not know each other, drawing blades against one another and fighting to the death."
"With your talent, at most you would become cannon fodder among genin. On the battlefield, you would only waste one enemy shuriken."
Although Madara enjoyed Ito Sosuke's admiring gaze, he directly discouraged Ito Sosuke's unrealistic thoughts.
Weak genin should obediently go work in factories or on construction sites. Haru's ninja classification system was quite good. It gave weak ninja a new path to survive.
"Old man, you really know how to ruin the mood."
Ito Sosuke curled his lips. People had to have dreams. What if they came true?
"Kid, I am saving your life."
Madara still liked this kid Ito Sosuke quite a bit. Although he was weak, he had a decent heart.
Madara did not want Ito Sosuke to get carried away, become a genin, and then die in some unknown corner of the ninja world.
Being a ninja still depended too much on one's background. Madara understood this very clearly.
"By the way, old man, why did you have time to come find me today?"
Hmph. You finally asked that question!
The corners of Madara's mouth could no longer hold back from rising. He took out a delicate box from his pocket. Inside was a full set of cards.
"Kid, last time, this old man promised that I would give you the full set of cards."
"Old man, you still remember that? Oh, right. I almost forgot. I already sold all those rare cards from last time. I still haven't returned the money to you."
Ito Sosuke suddenly remembered that matter. Just as he was about to return the money from the cards to Madara, he saw the box in Madara's hand.
"Is this the full set of cards?"
"Old man, you really collected them all?"
"No way!"
Ito Sosuke's joy was visible to the naked eye, and even his voice was trembling.
"Hmph. Would this old man lie to a kid like you?"
Madara tossed the card box in his hand to Ito Sosuke.
Ito Sosuke hurriedly caught the card box, quickly opened it, and began identifying them one by one.
"First Hokage."
"Second Hokage."
"One-Tail, Two-Tails, Three-Tails... Nine-Tails."
"And the latest cards too. The Stone Village's Tsuchikage, the Sand Village's Kazekage."
"It really is complete!"
Ito Sosuke shouted and danced excitedly.
He had always thought Madara was bragging. How could a powerful ninja have fallen so low that he had no money and had to sell roasted sweet potatoes with him?
As for the stories Madara told, Ito Sosuke had only half believed them. Maybe he had heard them somewhere and then slightly altered them.
Unexpectedly, it was true!
"This old man never lies to children!"
Madara raised his head rather proudly, very satisfied with Ito Sosuke's reaction.
Yes, that was it. The more excited, the better.
I, Madara, am worth a thousand gold when I make a promise!
"This whole set of cards is for me?"
Ito Sosuke felt his head grow light. He was probably too excited and breathing too quickly, causing his brain to lack oxygen. Still, the smile on his face would not stop.
"Of course!"
"Yes! Long live the old man!"
Ito Sosuke wanted to kneel and bow to Madara. This set of cards was enough to make him a famous figure in school. It was a perfect tool for showing off.
Ito Sosuke had been poor for too long and had always been a nobody at school. People who had been poor for too long liked showing off.
"Tch. Kids really are easy to satisfy."
Madara bit into a roasted sweet potato, looking calm and detached.
It was only a set of cards, yet he was already this happy. He really lacked composure.
"Old man, with this set of cards, I can meet Lord Hokage and get his personal signature!"
Ito Sosuke looked expectant.
Lord Hokage. That was Lord Hokage.
The strongest ninja in Leaf. The number one in the ninja world. His idol!
"Old man, let's go meet Lord Hokage together."
Ito Sosuke was so immersed in happiness that he could not pull himself out. His casual remark made Madara fall into thought.
That was right.
He seemed to be able to use this opportunity to meet Haru.
He had almost forgotten about that.
Madara had always wanted to meet Haru. He simply lacked a suitable opportunity.
That junior had broken through Tobirama's restrictions and become Leaf's Hokage. He possessed a complete and practical plan to transform the ninja world and was advancing toward that goal step by step. Madara saw his past self in Haru.
He really was curious.
Madara felt that he should indeed use this opportunity to meet Haru.
"Then tomorrow, we will go meet Haru."
"Tomorrow? All right. I'm really looking forward to it. Old man, what kind of clothes should I wear to meet Lord Hokage tomorrow?"
"Anything. He is only a Hokage."
"Whoa, old man, I've noticed you've been talking bigger and bigger lately. Also, lower your voice. That is Lord Hokage. Be careful. If others hear you, they'll surround you and beat you up!"
Ito Sosuke signaled for Madara to keep his bragging quieter.
He now believed that Madara had been a powerful ninja when he was young. But comparing himself to Lord Hokage?
Impossible. Absolutely impossible!
Besides, speaking so disrespectfully about Lord Hokage would really get him surrounded and beaten by the nearby vendors if they heard it.
Luckily, there were many people here, and the surroundings were noisy. The nearby vendors were busy doing business and had no time to listen to this side.
"Hmph. What is a Hokage? Back then, this old man..."
Naturally, Madara did not take Haru seriously.
His seniority alone was enough to make Haru kneel and greet him during New Year.
As for strength, there was even less need to say.
"All right, all right, old man, I believe you. Lower your voice. I think the boss of the next stall is already looking at you strangely."
Ito Sosuke signaled for Madara to stop. If he kept showing off like this, he really would get beaten up.
"Tch. Everything I said is true."
Madara did not continue. He had also noticed that the nearby vendors were looking at him strangely.
It was not that he feared these ordinary people. Madara simply disdained acting against ordinary people.
"I believe you, old man."
"Your eyes do not look like they believe me at all."
Madara curled his lips, then focused on eating his roasted sweet potato.
In the dark shadows, Black Zetsu was still spying on Madara, and endless disappointment appeared in his eyes.
If possible, Black Zetsu really wanted to slap Madara twice.
Madara must truly be insane. What had he been doing all this time?
Every day, he worked in the factory, screwing parts and making no progress at all!
The Eye of the Moon Plan!
Madara, can you do something serious for once? Hurry back to the underground cave. Trying to awaken the Rinnegan is the most important thing!
Besides working and screwing parts, once he got off work, he went back to the dormitory with those ordinary people to play cards. He even secretly used the Sharingan to memorize the cards. Did he think I, Black Zetsu, did not know?
Disgraceful. Absolutely disgraceful!
Today, after work, he even went to that lousy shop to draw paper cards. The atmosphere was so heated that if someone did not know better, they might have thought Madara was fighting Hashirama.
Black Zetsu roared in his heart.
Really, he was tired.
Black Zetsu truly could not understand what was going on in Madara's head right now.
Perhaps this was just the Uchiha. A few more oddballs than usual.
Maybe he should change candidates.
Black Zetsu was almost in despair as he watched Madara lose his way, with no solution at all.
Right now, perhaps he could only give up on Madara with tears in his eyes and choose another Uchiha to carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan.
But this was far too difficult.
The Uchiha he chose would not only need to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan, but also the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. That meant the person's close relative would also have to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan and would also have to offer up their own eyes.
Those were only the conditions for being an Uchiha. Hashirama cells, representing Asura's chakra, were also necessary.
After gathering these harsh conditions, he would still have to guide that person toward the Eye of the Moon Plan.
To put all these conditions together, the right time, place, and people were all indispensable. Black Zetsu had waited bitterly for a thousand years before finally finding Madara as a candidate. If he had to choose another person now, who knew how long he would have to wait?
Another thousand years?
Black Zetsu could not help shuddering.
No!
Mother, I really only want to see Mother!
However, Madara was simply too disappointing. Black Zetsu felt that continuing to follow Madara would be useless. In any case, Madara's current life was extremely regular.
Dormitory, factory, cafeteria. Three points in a straight line.
It was also time to put Madara aside. He could not keep wasting time following Madara.
There were still plenty of Uchiha leeks waiting for him to discover. Maybe he would get lucky.
Black Zetsu made up his mind. From now on, he would no longer treat Madara as his precious treasure. He would no longer follow him.
He would follow a different Uchiha.
I, Black Zetsu, will become a loyal wolf again starting today!
Black Zetsu stared at Madara with longing one last time. Then he turned around without looking back and headed toward the Uchiha compound.
The next day.
Haru did not skip work this morning. He went to work normally, sitting in his office while drinking goji berry tea and listening to Shikato's report.
"Lord Hokage, yesterday, the Land of Iron envoy and the Rain Village envoy... everything has been settled. The Land of Iron agreed to Leaf's conditions, and after I frightened the Rain Village, they agreed to withdraw."
"However, the Rain Village is developing far too quickly. They are attacking everywhere and looting wealth from all sides to strengthen the Rain Village. We must guard against them. Given time, the Rain Village will inevitably become a major threat to Leaf."
Shikato spoke with deep concern. He had developed strong wariness toward the Rain Village.
The Rain Village's leader, Hanzo, was ambitious. He had only retreated because the Rain Village's strength was insufficient and Leaf had temporarily suppressed him.
In time, once the Rain Village had some space to develop, it would inevitably reveal its fangs to Leaf.
The Land of Iron and the Rain Village were so far apart, yet they still sent ninja to attack the Land of Iron.
The Land of Fire and the Land of Rain shared a border.
"What you said makes sense. We really cannot allow the Rain Village to expand so recklessly."
After listening to Shikato, Haru nodded.
In another four or five years, once the Rain Village truly grew stronger, it would begin stirring up trouble in the surrounding areas. Small frictions, incidents, and provocations against the surrounding ninja villages would eventually develop into the Second Ninja World War.
The Second Ninja World War did not suddenly break out. It developed from small-scale local friction bit by bit. After provoking the surrounding villages for several years, they finally enraged Leaf, which joined with the Sand Village and the Stone Village to carry out a joint encirclement against the Rain Village.
However, the situation later spiraled out of control, and Leaf ended up fighting the Sand Village and the Stone Village as well.
Haru thought it over.
Leaf could not personally enter the field right now.
A proxy war seemed like a decent method.
(End of Chapter)
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