Naruto: I Am The System

The scroll clearly documented the technique:

Infinite Tsukuyomi — an enormous, ultimate genjutsu. Once activated, it casts the entire world into an illusion, during which the God Tree absorbs everyone's chakra to produce a new God Tree Fruit.

Humans whose chakra is drained by the Infinite Tsukuyomi will fall into illusions, their bodies transformed into White Zetsu — mindless soldiers and immortal slaves destined to fight forever. This would ultimately lead to the world's destruction.

Many years ago, Kaguya lost herself and unleashed the Infinite Tsukuyomi upon the world, intending to reclaim the chakra she had spread out and even target her own children.

(Authors Note: This follows the manga version of the story; anime-only viewers, don't complain.)

The Sage of Six Paths and his brother Hamura worked together to defeat their mother and rescued many from the genjutsu. However, countless others had been trapped too long, irreversibly transformed into White Zetsu.

...

Wait a minute—this isn't right.

Madara furrowed his brows. What he read was completely different from what he'd believed.

On the Uchiha clan's hidden tablet, left behind by the Sage of Six Paths, there was a prophecy. Only those with powerful dōjutsu could decipher more of the text. After awakening his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Madara had read about 90% of it.

The tablet claimed that by uniting the powers of the Senju and Uchiha clans, one could obtain the power of the Sage of Six Paths and awaken the most supreme of the Three Great Dōjutsu: the Rinnegan.

Madara followed that path. He faked his death, harvested Hashirama's flesh, and after years of aging and decline, finally awakened the legendary Rinnegan.

Armed with these eyes, he returned to the clan shrine and unlocked the final portion of the tablet:

"With the Rinnegan, you can summon the Ten Tails' body, use a sealing jutsu to trap all Nine Tailed Beasts within it, and become its jinchūriki. Then, by wielding the full power of the Sage of Six Paths, you can cast the genjutsu Infinite Tsukuyomi and bring true, eternal peace to the world."

But now a serious problem arose.

If the scroll's content was true—

Why would the Sage of Six Paths, who personally ended the Infinite Tsukuyomi, leave instructions on how to perform it on the Uchiha tablet?

And why would he describe it so vaguely, practically encouraging future generations to perform it?

Madara's expression darkened as he unconsciously tightened his grip on the scroll—only to loosen it moments later.

"This… might not be real," he muttered, as if trying to comfort himself.

He had sacrificed everything for Infinite Tsukuyomi—his bond with Hashirama, decades of solitude, a life dedicated to planning, manipulating the entire shinobi world.

There was no way he could accept that the dream he pursued for decades… was just a lie.

Even as one of the world's strongest shinobi, Madara couldn't help but feel a moment of cowardice in the face of the truth, clinging to self-deception.

He closed his eyes and stood in silence for a long time.

Eventually, he regained his composure, pushed away the chaotic thoughts, and re-examined the scroll from the beginning—this time with focused suspicion.

A faint, ambiguous smile curled his lips. It could've been a sneer… or perhaps self-mockery.

Yes. If he doubted the scroll, then the best course of action was to verify it himself.

If the tablet's inscription was false, there had to be a reason behind it.

And that reason… was likely hidden within this very scroll.

Madara read more carefully.

"Before her death, Kaguya used Yin-Yang Release to separate part of her will, creating a third child."

"This child, unseen even by the Sage of Six Paths, lurked in the shadows, always plotting to resurrect their mother, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya…"

Resurrect Kaguya?

That line struck a nerve.

Madara himself had devised a plan to pass on his Rinnegan to Nagato, so he could be resurrected after death and regain his youth.

If Kaguya were to be resurrected, wouldn't she also require the Rinnegan? And perhaps the Rinne Rebirth technique?

Could Infinite Tsukuyomi serve as the chakra source for her revival?

So the person who altered—or forged—the Uchiha tablet did it all… to resurrect Kaguya?

That hit a nerve. Since Madara had also prepared for his own resurrection, he was especially sensitive to that word.

And he wasn't stupid either.

With just this limited information, he was already able to deduce the truth with near accuracy.

Although a few details were still off, he had already pinpointed the true culprit behind the scenes:

Kaguya's third child.

The Sage of Six Paths' younger brother.

Indra's uncle…

Black Zetsu.

"I practically handed him all the clues. If he still couldn't figure it out, I'd really have to question Madara's intelligence,"

Nawaki muttered to himself as he watched Madara's grim expression through the Mind's Eye, flapping his wings as he soared back toward the shinobi world.

He hadn't written out every single truth in the Shinobi World Secret History scroll.

If he had, it would've seemed far too suspicious.

Even this much already felt deliberate…

Maybe, once Madara calmed down, he'd begin questioning the motive behind the "Lord God" issuing this random bounty quest. But in his current rage, he wouldn't think that far ahead.

Right now, Madara would focus on confirming the truth.

And once he learned it really was true…

"Poor Black Zetsu. After getting beaten to a pulp by Madara and completely losing hope in resurrecting Kaguya, should I then invite him into the system?"

Nawaki smiled faintly.

When that time came, if the system dangled Kaguya's resurrection in front of Black Zetsu… he'd undoubtedly fight tooth and nail in the system for it.

---

Two days later.

The return trip had taken nearly two full days.

Maintaining his Perfect Susanoo form consumed tremendous chakra.

Even for Madara, he had to stop to rest and recover before resuming the journey.

Upon returning to the familiar soil of the shinobi world, Madara didn't dispel his Susanoo. Instead, a cold smile curled at his lips.

If someone truly was pulling the strings from the shadows, the best way to draw them out… was to go against their plan.

If awakening the Rinnegan required Senju and Uchiha blood…

Then he would erase both clans from existence!

Would they try to stop him?

Just as that thought surfaced—

The indifferent voice of the Lord God echoed in his ears:

"[Outside of official Reincarnator Missions, Reincarnators are strictly prohibited from mass hypnosis, slaughter, or causing harm to intelligent life. Violators will be erased.]"

"…Tch."

Madara's mouth twitched slightly.