Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

As the first person to awaken the Rinnegan and having been guided by Black Zetsu, Madara had learned many secrets long buried in the ninja world.

For instance, the Sage of the Six Paths had a mother known as the Goddess of the Chakra, and perhaps even a brother—someone lost to history.

According to ancient records, the Uchiha clan descended from Indra, the son of the Sage of the Six Paths. It was Indra's bloodline that gave rise to the Sharingan. On the other hand, their eternal rivals, the Senju Clan, descended from Indra's brother, Asura, inheriting a powerful physical vitality. Both clans carried the Sage's legacy.

Yet, the origins of the Hyuga Clan—who possessed the Byakugan, a dojutsu comparable to the Sharingan—remained a mystery.

The Byakugan's divergence from the Sharingan made it unlikely to have come from Indra. Instead, it might have originated from the Sage's enigmatic brother, whose existence is rarely mentioned but whose power could rival that of the Sage himself.

Madara's thoughts churned. He had combined the power of Hashirama and successfully awakened the Rinnegan. Now he speculated: Could the boy in front of him have awakened the power of the Sage's brother? Was the concept of "reverting to one's origins" not about the Sage of the Six Paths, but about this forgotten sibling—a being capable of matching the Sage?

Watching Kirito perform abilities identical to those of the Rinnegan without possessing it, Madara's suspicions solidified. His Rinnegan allowed him to feel Kirito's chakra coursing through the black staff that pierced him—power rooted in "all creation."

Madara's eyes narrowed. "Is this also fate's design…"

It was a bitter irony. Just as he was on the verge of completing his plan—merging with the Ten Tails to become the second Sage of the Six Paths—he was thwarted by a mere junior who had awakened the power of the Sage's forgotten brother.

As Kirito's chakra continued to suppress his, Madara's control over his Edo Tensei body weakened. Gazing at Kirito, who stood triumphantly before him, Madara spoke:

"This time, you've won. But the plan will not stop."

Madara's voice was steady. The Uchiha's stone tablet, passed down through generations, spoke of the inevitability of Infinite Tsukuyomi. Just as fate had brought him the Rinnegan, fate would ensure the Moon's Eye Plan succeeded—whether through him or someone else.

Madara trusted that Obito, with his unwavering attachment to Rin, would stop at nothing to achieve the Eye of the Moon plan. All it required now was time.

Thud! Kirito released his grip on the black staff, and Madara's body collapsed powerlessly onto the ground. He made no attempt to resist. Lying there, he gazed wordlessly at the blue sky, lost in thought.

Kirito approached curiously, looking at Madara's subdued figure. "I'm going to dispel the Edo Tensei shortly. Do you have any last words?"

His hands moved methodically, driving additional black rods into Madara's limbs to pin him to the ground, ensuring there was no chance of escape.

Madara's gaze didn't waver as he replied, "In an era where people can never truly understand one another, the day of Infinite Tsukuyomi will come. It's inevitable."

[Well, you're not wrong. That day will indeed come.]

Seeing that Madara had no more to say, Kirito activated his Byakugan, scanning for signs of Kabuto, who was surely observing the battle nearby. Kirito intended to force Kabuto to undo the Edo Tensei and accelerate Obito's plan by pushing him toward merging with the Ten Tails.

But as Kirito expected, Kabuto had already fled. Using the evasive techniques inherited from Orochimaru, Kabuto had kept himself far away from the battlefield.

Kirito closed his eyes and allowed his consciousness to extend infinitely, searching for the contingency plan he had planted on Kabuto.

Elsewhere, far from the battlefield, a massive white snake slithered rapidly across the rugged terrain, its scaled body twisting over rocks and through trees.

With most of the ninja forces preoccupied by the war, the roads were empty of patrols. Even if he were seen, Kabuto didn't care. His mind was focused on a single priority: escape.

The clash between Madara and Kirito was beyond anything he could hope to handle. Whoever emerged victorious, Kabuto knew his fate wouldn't end well. His only option was to hide until the chaos subsided.

"I'll abandon Anko for now." Kabuto muttered to himself. "She's likely been sent to Konoha by now. If I pursue her, I'll only run into the Alliance forces. If Kirito returns to the village to recover after the battle, it'll be impossible to escape."

His decision made, Kabuto resolved to seek refuge at one of Orochimaru's former bases—or, for better security, at Ryuchi Cave. The White Snake Sage, however, wouldn't be pleased to see him again.

In moments, Kabuto reached a dense forest on the far side of the mountains. The towering peaks now shielded him from the immense chakra surges of the battle. Feeling that he had finally escaped, he slowed his pace, already considering his next steps.

Suddenly, an inexplicable chill ran down Kabuto's spine. His body froze as a sense of dread washed over him.

"What… What's going on? Did they find me?"

He glanced nervously over his shoulder, as though expecting to see Kirito or Madara's silhouette looming beyond the mountains. But nothing appeared.

"No. It's not safe here. I need to go to Ryuchi Cave immediately."

Kabuto began forming seals to summon a serpent that would reverse-summon him to safety. As he completed the final "Boar" seal, a large hand clamped around his arm.

Kabuto's eyes widened in shock. Thick vines had wrapped around him, snaking up his body. 

"When did he…" Kabuto's mind raced. He had checked himself thoroughly for tracking techniques earlier.

"It must have been the pollen…"

Kabuto's heart sank. He realized too late that the golden pollen from Madara's jutsu had concealed Kirito's seeds, which had now taken root.

Kabuto struggled to summon chakra, but the vines drained his energy at an alarming rate. Anchored to the ground, they rendered him immobile.

"This is bad…"

If given time, Kabuto could counter the vines, but that time didn't exist. He knew that Kirito wouldn't be far behind—and if the seeds had germinated, it could mean only one thing: Kirito had defeated Madara and won the battle.

(End of Chapter)