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While praising Shisui, Tobirama also took the opportunity to learn more about his past. After a few brief descriptions, Tobirama sighed and said, "Like Kagami, you are kind-hearted and care deeply for the village. Not bad—very good."
Tobirama had always held a bias against the Uchiha clan. For him to speak such praise, it was clear that Shisui had genuinely won his respect.
Nearby, after Itachi finished recounting his story, Sasuke stood still, his entire body weighed down by emotion.
Seeing this, Hashirama stepped forward, looked directly at Sasuke, and said, "Let's call him Sasuke… It's not easy, what your brother went through.
As the First Hokage, I must apologize. It's true that your brother suffered greatly because of the village. Your brother is an outstanding shinobi—perhaps even greater than me. And I can feel it, Sasuke… your brother's love for you is unquestionable."
Hearing praise from the First Hokage, Itachi seemed humbled, almost ashamed to be acknowledged in such a way. "I am a sinner," he said quietly. "I'm not worthy of the Shodai Hokage's praise."
Tobirama's heart was conflicted as he looked at Itachi. Such an exceptional shinobi… yet he had been forced into a situation that made him slaughter his entire clan. For a moment, Tobirama even wanted to mutter, "Monkey… what the hell were you doing as the Third Hokage?"
But he swallowed those words. After all, Hiruzen had been his own chosen successor. He, too, bore some responsibility for the Uchiha massacre.
Sasuke took a deep breath and looked up at his brother. "Brother, I forgive you."
Itachi trembled, his eyes wide in disbelief. "Sasuke… you… really…"
Sasuke nodded solemnly. "You were protecting the village because you were a prisoner of the Will of Fire. Just like how Mother and Father were held captive by the Uchiha clan's will.
If there had been no village… if there had been no so-called clan… then you, me, Mother, and Father… none of us would've had so many burdens. This tragedy wouldn't have happened."
With those words, Sasuke turned his gaze to the four Hokage, his expression cold.
"To the Hokage, the village is everything. You speak of protecting the next generation, of avoiding war. Yes, to some extent, that's meaningful. But if there were no conflicts in this world—no division of resources, no hunger for power—then there would be no need for shinobi, and there wouldn't be such senseless massacres."
Tobirama scowled. "Foolish! Even without a village, there would still be nations. There would still be samurai. To protect one's homeland, there will always be war!
Wherever there are people, there will be conflict over interests. It's inevitable!"
Sasuke snorted coldly. His eyes—one a Mangekyō Sharingan, the other a Rinnegan—glimmered as if they could see the future itself. "You're too short-sighted, Second Hokage."
Tobirama frowned, eyes narrowing.
"Yes," Sasuke continued, "there will always be conflicts. That's human nature. But in the shinobi world, it's worse—it's a never-ending cycle of bloodshed, rooted in power and greed.
Land, food, money, power… all of it is gained by strength. And for that, people endlessly seek more power—fighting, killing, dying.
That cycle breeds hatred. And from that hatred, curses like the Curse of Hatred are born. Ninja are trapped in that fate from birth.
Later, they created villages and ideals like the Will of Fire… but it's just another layer of chains."
Sasuke glanced toward the Gedo Statue standing ominously in the distance. His eyes were icy.
"That thing," he said, "sealed within it is the power the world craves.
But why struggle? The shinobi world doesn't need shinobi. It doesn't need Chakra. All power should reside with me.
I will shoulder the hatred of the world. All life will exist under my rule. Anyone who defies that peace… I'll erase them.
That's the only real peace."
As Sasuke finished, his voice resolute and unshaken, Naruto—unlike in the previous timeline—didn't immediately argue or yell. This time, having experienced everything once already, he understood that what Sasuke proposed was a stepping stone toward his own dream: true unification of the ninja world.
However, Naruto didn't agree that shinobi were unnecessary. He knew that the battles beyond Earth, out among the stars and higher powers, couldn't be fought by one person alone. It would require the unity of all nations.
Madara, standing nearby, nodded in satisfaction. When Hashirama had once proposed unity among the Great Nations, Madara had scoffed at the idea.
In his eyes, with himself and Hashirama, and the Nine-Tails under their control, they could've crushed every other power. What village could stand against them?
But Hashirama insisted on dividing the tailed beasts among the Five Great Nations. A foolish idea, in Madara's opinion.
Sure, there was a temporary peace—but only until Hashirama died. After that came new leaders, new agendas, and renewed greed. The peace couldn't last.
And so the cycle resumed. There was never true peace. Just a lull between wars.
Disillusioned and misled by Black Zetsu, Madara believed the tablet in the Uchiha Naka Shrine contained the solution granted by the Sage of Six Paths. Thus, he embarked on the Eye of the Moon Plan.
Now, Sasuke—a fellow reincarnation—was expressing nearly identical thoughts.
"Not bad," Madara said approvingly. "Very good."
Madara raised his hand toward Sasuke and said, "But your plan won't work.
Like you, I once sought to unify the shinobi world. But there are too many obstacles—people like them," he gestured toward the Hokage and the Allied Shinobi Forces, "won't accept it.
Have you read the Uchiha Stone Tablet? The Eye of the Moon Plan is the only path to salvation for this false world."
He extended his hand. "Come, Sasuke. Those people behind you only want to maintain a broken system. Only we can forge a new one."
Itachi stepped forward, alarmed. "Sasuke, don't listen to him! Don't be deceived!"
But Sasuke remained calm. "Itachi, you don't need to worry. I'm not the same naïve child anymore. I have my own convictions now.
Madara," he said, looking the legendary Uchiha in the eye, "just because you couldn't do it doesn't mean I can't.
The Eye of the Moon Plan is nothing but a mass Genjutsu—an illusion. What meaning is there in dreaming forever? What sense of purpose or joy is there in a fake world?
No… with our combined strength, and the power of the tailed beasts in the Gedo Statue, we can crush those who oppose us. Then, we can unify the ninja world for real.
That is far more meaningful than the moon."
Sasuke raised his hand, eyes burning with determination.
"So what do you say, Madara?
Let's work together."
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