This wasn't their first time facing off.
Aside from Hashirama, no one else had ever left Madara feeling so utterly at a loss.
Deep down, Madara had already acknowledged Naruto—the most troublesome and unique opponent he'd ever encountered.
So, when Naruto once again blended hard and soft tactics, balancing force with persuasion, Madara found himself, yet again, shelving his warlike ambitions.
He set down his sickle and sat cross-legged.
Beneath the moonlight on the barren plain, Naruto and Madara spoke with rare tranquility.
Naruto said, "Madara, I was honestly pretty pissed at you before, but now… I'm actually kind of grateful."
Madara arched an eyebrow. "Grateful? For what?"
Naruto smiled. "For helping Sasuke awaken his Rinnegan."
Madara's eyes widened. "What did you just say!?"
"Easy, easy…" Naruto soothed him. "The Great Toad Sage already told you the truth about the Infinite Tsukuyomi and Black Zetsu's plot, right? You've given up on the Eye of the Moon Plan, haven't you?"
Madara nodded silently.
Naruto pressed on, "You also know Kaguya's clan is still a threat to the shinobi world. So why won't you join forces with us?"
Madara pressed his hands to his knees, voice low. "Because I can't accept it. I can't stand the idea of you calling the shots. You're just parading around with my eyes…"
Naruto shook his head, a gentle smile on his lips. "So that's it. No matter how many times I beat you, or how I win, as long as your Rinnegan is in my hands, you'll never truly accept it…"
Madara fell silent for a long moment, then finally spoke. "And what good does it do you if I do accept it? The world won't stop spinning without me, will it?"
A rare moment of honesty. It seemed the blows of reality had finally softened a little of Madara's pride.
Naruto replied quietly, "The world would keep turning, but it would lose something—lose some of its color."
He looked down at his palm. "When the time is right, I'll return your Rinnegan to you."
Madara clenched his pants, his voice low. "You think I'll just accept your charity and feel at peace?"
"You can call it charity if you want." Naruto met his eyes, serious now. "But that's the treasure your brother left you, isn't it?"
Madara's gaze dimmed, and he looked away.
Naruto continued, "Honestly, it's not even charity. Let's call it a fair trade. Sasuke's eyes are also a gift from his brother."
"Whether it's for the sake of your brother Izuna, or out of empathy for another Indra reincarnate, I hope you'll return that left eye to Sasuke. Of course, there's no rush—just wait until I give your eyes back."
Madara's expression shifted. He looked up, fixing Naruto with a deep stare. "You… don't tell me you're planning to awaken your own Rinnegan?"
Before Naruto could answer, Madara was already deducing aloud, "It's true—the pure-blooded Uzumaki can handle the Sharingan, even matching the original's power."
"And like Hashirama, you're an Ashura reincarnation. If Indra's reincarnation can awaken the Rinnegan through Ashura, then the opposite should be possible too. You really do have the potential."
Naruto admitted openly, "That's right. I have a way to awaken the Rinnegan, but I'll need some time. About a month from now, when I awaken it, I'll return your eyes."
"And then, we'll fight—fair and square, with our own eyes. The loser has to let the winner lead, no complaints. Deal?"
At this point, what more could Madara say?
"Hmph… Now you're talking like a real powerhouse." He gave a rare smile, then eyed Naruto up and down. "But let me make this clear—returning the eyes was your idea. Don't expect me to be grateful. When it's time to go for the kill, I won't hold back."
Naruto grinned. "That's exactly what I want~!"
"Then it's settled. We'll call a truce for now. I'll spare the Daimyo's mansion in the Land of Water." Madara's tone shifted. "But there's one person I have to take out. That's my only condition for backing down—no room for negotiation."
"Who?" Naruto asked.
He knew full well it wouldn't be the Daimyo, Uesugi Kenshin. No matter how rotten a Daimyo might be, he'd never stoop to consorting with common bandits.
So, Madara's real target had always been someone else inside the mansion—a certain retainer. In this whole affair, the Daimyo himself was innocent, at worst guilty of poor judgment.
Madara said coldly, "A bastard named Chimoku Ōtsubaki. He's the cousin of Chimoku-gawa, the one who attacked Ari's village. He was the one backing that scum, giving him the nerve to do what he did."
Naruto nodded, understanding. "So that's how it is…"
Madara hefted his sickle and stood up. "Then I'll go deal with him now—"
"Wait!" Naruto stood and blocked his path.
Madara frowned deeply. "What? I've already compromised, and you're still stopping me?"
Naruto said, "I'm not stopping you. But I was hired by the Land of Water's Daimyo to handle this. If you just storm in and kill someone, I'll lose my leverage to claim the reward."
Madara forced himself to be patient. "So what do you suggest?!"
"Let me negotiate with the Daimyo. As part of the deal, I'll have Chimoku Ōtsubaki handed over to me legally, then I'll turn him over to you. How about that?"
A sly grin crept onto Naruto's face. "Of course, how you deal with him is your business. I won't interfere. Sound good~?"
Madara's frown slowly eased. "Now that's more like it, Uzumaki Naruto. If you really pull this off, I'll believe you're sincere. Until you awaken your eyes, I'll hold my hand and wait."
Naruto replied boldly, "Then it's a deal, Madara."
"Hm?" Madara's face shifted. "What did you just call me?"
"Ah, just kidding, don't mind me…" Naruto chuckled, then turned serious. "Really though, let Ari and the other survivors go to the Hidden Rain Village. That's the best way to protect them. And you know, if I wanted to use them as hostages, I wouldn't be asking your permission."
Madara's gaze flickered, voice low. "Ari, those people, and I… we're just passing acquaintances. They helped me once when I was down, and I'm just repaying that debt. That's all. From now on, we go our separate ways; fate will decide the rest…"
He paused, looking off into the distance.
"So… if you want to take them in and protect them, that's your business. I won't be grateful, and don't think about using them against me. That's it… do as you please."
The night breeze brushed his face. Naruto looked at Madara's profile, a silent understanding passing between them. "Alright, I'll handle it."
Negotiations complete, consensus reached, Naruto headed past the mountain—toward the Land of Water's Daimyo's mansion.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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