Naruto: The Hyuga Mastermind

Chapter 166: Tobirama Suffers a Mental Blow

After Kitsuchi left the office, Ōnoki slumped into his chair with a quiet sigh.

Kumogakure had clearly found a way to resolve their crisis.

But what about Iwagakure and the Land of Earth? Where was their path forward?

The Land of Fire's model didn't suit them.

The Land of Water seemed prepared for change, having completed their reforms shortly after the Land of Fire's upheaval, but that system wouldn't work for them either.

The Land of Wind had already failed because its daimyō lacked military expertise.

That left only the Land of Lightning. Perhaps they could provide Ōnoki with the answer he sought—one that would reconcile Iwagakure and the Land of Earth.

---

"Obito has captured the One-Tail."

In the damp and shadowy cave, Madara listened to Zetsu's report, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"He's finally making his move. It's time for me to temporarily leave this world."

If it hadn't been to buy time for Obito, Madara would have had Black and White Zetsu take action immediately after Minato's death—by retaliating against Nagato and summoning the Gedo Statue.

But dragging things out until now had been the limit. It was finally time for the next step.

Madara's gaze shifted to the dim corner of the cave, where an elderly, unconscious ninja lay. His eyes narrowed slightly.

It was unfortunate, but even after all his research, he still hadn't found the perfect vessel for Edo Tensei.

He'd have to make do with this one.

To heal the old man's injuries, Madara had infused him with both the Gedo Statue's power and White Zetsu cells. This should slightly enhance his "durability."

With this decided, Madara addressed the Zetsu surrounding him, both those above ground and those half-submerged in the earth:

"Hide my body well and make sure Obito sees it. When the time is right, bring me back..."

"Yes, Lord Madara!"

After finalizing his arrangements, Madara rose from his stone chair and began walking forward.

Crack!

Behind him, the tubes connecting him to the Gedo Statue snapped all at once. His frail body collapsed back onto the chair, his labored breaths echoing through the chamber.

"From here on... it's up to... you all..."

White Zetsu silently observed Madara until his life finally ebbed away.

Once it was clear that Madara had truly passed, more White Zetsu emerged from the ground, their blank stares fixed on the corpse.

The oppressive atmosphere hung in the air for several minutes. When no further movements came from the body, one Zetsu finally spoke up in a low voice:

"Lord Madara is dead."

Another Zetsu nodded.

"Alright, once we've gathered the necessary data, we'll deliver him to 'that place.'"

Madara had even given them an excuse for why his body might go missing. Truly thoughtful.

In the future, if Madara's corpse couldn't be found, that would be Obito's problem, not theirs.

Not that it would matter—by then, Madara likely wouldn't need this body anymore...

The Zetsu exchanged glances. One of them stepped forward to collect Madara's remains, departing the cave shortly afterward.

The remaining Zetsu turned their attention to the unconscious ninja in the corner.

Until Madara's revival, they'd be tasked with guarding this man.

Though Madara's genjutsu and seals were in place, the individual in question was a renowned figure in the ninja world. Caution was necessary.

Using a "demigod" as a sacrifice... Madara truly didn't hold back.

One of the Zetsu sighed quietly.

---

In a hidden laboratory, dim light illuminated a grotesque sight on the operating table.

What had once been a living being was now reduced to a horrifying remnant.

Most of its body had been stripped away, leaving behind only a network of crimson nerve fibers. These fibers wove together in an intricate, macabre pattern, resembling a nightmarish piece of abstract art.

Under the faint glow of the lights, the red fibers seemed almost alive, twitching faintly as if silently recounting untold agony.

Bloodstains marked the edges of the operating table, evidence of the gruesome procedures that had taken place. The room reeked of chemicals and preservatives, a sickening reminder of the experiments conducted here.

Elsewhere in the lab, the shadows concealed scattered instruments, their faint electronic hums contrasting sharply with the morbid tableau.

The lab door opened, and Hyuga Fuji entered. His gaze swept over the scene before he spoke:

"Your research is as unsettling as ever, Tobirama-senpai."

"It's not a living person. Just a mindless clone," Tobirama replied without looking up.

Standing at the operating table, the Second Hokage glanced briefly at Fuji.

"And you're in no position to criticize me. Your research methods aren't any better. This project was your idea in the first place."

Fuji didn't deny it. Observing the humanoid mass of red nerve fibers, he gave a small nod of approval.

"Progress looks good."

"You're not here to check on this, are you?"

Fuji shifted his attention to Tobirama. "I've acquired a particularly interesting research subject. You were regretting missing the chance to study Black Zetsu, weren't you? Want to take a look?"

Tobirama paused mid-motion.

---

"So your replacement for Black Zetsu... is Uchiha Madara's corpse?"

"Not interested."

"I've already done extensive research on the Uchiha," Tobirama said indifferently.

"For eternal Mangekyō data, I once considered using Madara's body. But my brother stopped me while he was alive."

After Hashirama's death, Tobirama had been too preoccupied with the increasingly unstable ninja world. His eventual demise alongside Kinkaku and Ginkaku had left him no time to investigate Madara's fate.

Looking back, it felt like a missed opportunity.

If he had realized Madara was still alive, he could've issued more warnings and preparations—or even summoned his brother with Edo Tensei. He might not have died in that final battle.

Caught in his thoughts for a brief moment, Tobirama quickly snapped back to the present, focusing on Fuji's words.

"Madara has changed a lot. You'll find it worthwhile," Fuji said.

Tobirama scrutinized Madara's aged face, noting the stark difference from the man he remembered. Slowly, he nodded.

Madara had indeed undergone significant changes. The arrogance and dominance that once defined him were absent from this frail, elderly visage.

Curious, Tobirama unbuttoned the corpse's shirt, only to freeze in place.

A familiar face stared back at him—from Madara's chest.

A face he could never mistake—Hashirama's.

Madara, that lunatic... had grafted Hashirama's face onto his own body?!

Was this the result of integrating Hashirama's cells? A side effect of Wood Release chakra?

No matter the reason, the fact remained: Hashirama's face was now a part of Madara.

Staring at the chest-mounted face, Tobirama felt a complex swirl of emotions. It was as if his very soul had taken a blow.

For some inexplicable reason, he couldn't shake the thought:

"Even in death, Madara just couldn't let go of my brother..."

(End of Chapter)

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