Chapter 331: The Curtain Rises, The Strategy is Set!
After planting the curse mark on the Third Mizukage, Uchiha Ci decisively turned and left.
If he wanted to rewrite the fate of the world, to change the tragedies that befell his comrades, to forge a future molded by his will, then he would inevitably have to face off against the most oppressive final boss—Uchiha Madara.
But now, was not yet the time for a direct confrontation with Uchiha Madara.
There was still quite a gap between Uchiha Ci and his opponent.
Even in the best-case scenario—having Nagato summon the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path to forcefully pull the plug on old Madara, and having Uchiha Ci launch an assassination during the brief window before Madara could summon the statue back—the odds of success were still vanishingly slim.
Even without his eyes, Uchiha Madara could summon a Complete Body Susanoo, and even perform Six Paths techniques using the Rinnegan!
Forget the Six Paths powers for a moment—just the Complete Body Susanoo alone was already on a whole different level.
And Uchiha Ci's strongest attack to date—Sage Art: Brilliant Great Sword—The Oppression of Eight Million Deities—was barely strong enough to crack its defense.
If anything went wrong and Uchiha Madara managed to reconnect with the Demonic Statue, he could unleash endless chakra, summoning dozens of long-legged Susanoo to chase him down—at that point, Uchiha Ci wouldn't even have the strength to complain.
To truly go toe-to-toe with a Madara who no longer possessed the Rinnegan, he would have to turn an attack like Sage Art: Brilliant Great Sword—The Oppression of Eight Million Deities into something he could throw out like a casual punch—and bolster his defense until it surpassed even Susanoo itself!
And Uchiha Ci already possessed the path to make that happen:
[Further Advancement of Sage Form] + [Nine Tails Chakra-enhanced Physique] + [Tailed Beast-level Chakra Reserves].
Even without awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, Uchiha Ci could become stronger—and tougher—than Susanoo itself!
That was the source of his confidence, forged by the "Heartsteel"!
He already had the Nine Tails chakra properties that strengthened the body—he just needed to master it.
As for tailed beast-level chakra reserves, those could be acquired through Orochimaru's channels.
Which meant that the next step was clear—
Head to Turtle Island and explore the limits of Sage Form.
Very soon, Uchiha Ci returned to the remains of the Lightning Boat—now a heap of scrap floating on the sea, its parts scattered and bobbing across the waves.
Activating his Sharingan and carefully scanning the debris, he quickly located the navigation instrument used for orienting the vessel.
After confirming the direction, he stepped onto the water and marched northward with long, deliberate strides.
Turtle Island lay ahead,
And he had to reach it—and steer it away—before Uchiha Madara caught up.
An hour later, the surface of the sea was suddenly blanketed by a massive shadow.
Drifting in from afar was a colossal humanoid figure—its color and body texture resembling withered wood. Even while seated cross-legged on the sea, it towered over a hundred meters high.
Nine tightly shut eyes adorned its face. Its arms were bound by heavy iron chains.
At that moment, on top of the head of this massive being—known as the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path—sat an old man with one knee raised and a scythe resting beside him.
His hair was white, his body withered and frail, but his gleaming scarlet eyes radiated a cold contempt for all living things.
After a moment of stillness, a White Zetsu lugged two unconscious figures up from below and dropped them at his feet.
"Only Tobi Zetsu and the Third Mizukage are still alive, Lord Madara."
"Oh? Still alive?" Uchiha Madara furrowed his brows slightly and glanced down at the unconscious Bailan at his feet, an irritated flicker flashing through his eyes.
Swish—
A massive blue Susanoo hand reached down and lifted the Third Mizukage, tightening its grip.
"Urgh!!"
Though still unconscious, Bailan's eyes bulged like a chick being strangled.
Just then, Madara cast him an indifferent glance.
The tomoe in his scarlet Sharingan spun slightly, and in an instant, his ocular power seeped into Bailan's vacant gaze, beginning to extract his memories.
After a long pause, Madara flung the Third Mizukage aside like trash.
But a smile slowly crept onto his face.
"Hmph."
"So you discovered someone was remotely controlling the puppet, erased traces of your own presence, and slipped away to avoid alerting the enemy?"
"Not only that—you even tried to implant false memories, setting up this fake trap to lure out whoever's behind the scenes."
Madara shook his head, chuckling in amusement.
"Well then,"
"Just as you wish."
"This next trip to the Land of Water…"
"I'll let you witness the truth of this world!"
"Until you willingly inherit this—"
Madara suddenly rose to his feet, gripping the scythe, and declared coldly:
"The Eye of the Moon Plan!"
At the same time,
In the Land of Lightning—Yunming City.
In a remote, desolate part of the city, stood a Baroque-style building.
Inside, an argument was echoing through the halls.
Yahiko, with his orange hair, slammed his hand on the table and glared across the map at Terumi Mei.
Nagato and Konan stood off to the side, exchanging uneasy glances as the two's quarrel escalated.
On the other side of the room, the other wanted criminals sat staring into space, as if the argument had nothing to do with them.
"Why does it have to be the Land of Water!?"
Yahiko pointed furiously at the Land of Water on the map and demanded.
Terumi Mei, the target of his accusation, replied firmly:
"I've already explained—yes, the Land of Rain is situated between three great nations. As you said, it has no daimyo, and the process of reform would face no interference from feudal powers!"
"But have you considered—"
"If war breaks out, that place will be the first to fall!"
"War is no child's play. Recruiting members to form some organization that floats between the Five Great Nations to 'deter' war?"
"If those new recruits die in a war they were dragged into because of your naïve idealism—"
"Who's deterring who, exactly?"
Yahiko instinctively glanced at Nagato, his face flushing red.
"That's not it! We—"
"What, you want to say you're strong? Stronger than Uchiha Ci?"
Terumi Mei snorted coldly, completely unbothered, and slapped her hand on the map in rebuttal:
"You still don't understand why that guy rejected your offer? It's because you're too damn naïve."
"Your ideals, both past and present, are naïve to the core!"
"That guy—he's the kind of madman who vowed to flatten the Five Great Nations on his own when he had absolutely nothing to his name. Whether you're involved or not doesn't matter one bit to him!"
"Trying to drag him into your dangerous dream will only slow him down. You'll become a liability—something he'd have to worry about, got it!?"
Terumi Mei took a deep breath, clenched her fists, and roared:
"He's a hopeless fool!"
"A fool who'd rather sacrifice himself than let a single person close to him get hurt!"
Yahiko's face turned bright red with fury. He swiped the papers off the table and glared at her, gritting his teeth:
"And what about you?"
"Spouting all this high and mighty crap—aren't you just after Uchiha Ci's power to take control of the Land of Water?"
"In the end, we're all selfish bastards—what makes you any different!?"
Faced with such direct and cutting words,
Terumi Mei remained silent for a moment, then slowly lifted her head.
A fierce light burned in her clear emerald eyes.
"No."
"I'm not like you."
"Uchiha Ci won't accept your invitation, and he won't join Akatsuki."
"That's why I'm here—to convince you!"
"Because I have a way—"
"To make Uchiha Ci… join Akatsuki!"