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Sand Shinobi Village
"Impure World Reincarnation—"
Ninjas once dead and familiar to the villagers of Sand Shinobi Village reappeared, stepping back into the realm of the living.
"Why..."
"I remember... I was definitely dead..."
"At least I don't have to stay in that tiny, leaking room anymore..."
The Pure Land wasn't some idyllic reunion ground where you met your ancestors and comrades. Quite the opposite. Many described it as being locked in a small, isolated space—dark, empty, silent. Terrifying.
But now—
"Big brother!"
"Hey... isn't this Changming? You little brat..."
"Wait, what's my current state?"
"I saw Lord Ye Cang earlier—"
"Oh, you've been brought back through Impure World Reincarnation."
"You can stay in Kirigakure now."
"Oh, so I've been resurrected. That's the Forbidden Technique of Konoha's Second Hokage, right?"
"Good guy."
"So... how's my wife doing? She's had a hard life alone."
"..."
"Why are you hesitating?"
"She... she married me."
"..."
It was nice having the dead returned, but there was something oddly off about it all.
Still, for the Sand Shinobi Village, having usable combat power—even from the dead—was valuable. Training ninja took time, and resources were limited. If strength could be borrowed like this, it would be.
This round of Impure World Reincarnation added 235 Jōnin and 400 Chūnin to the Sand Shinobi forces. That might not sound like much, but for ninja villages depleted by three wars, it was an impressive force.
"Kitahara-kun—"
Temari announced the current state of the village to the reincarnated ninja.
Kitahara Hitoshi didn't waste time. He made it clear—refuse allegiance, and you'll be released from Impure World Reincarnation.
Only then did they understand. They hadn't been revived to reclaim their lives or make amends. They were summoned as tools.
And nobody liked being a tool.
Still, going back to the Pure Land, where there was nothing but solitude, wasn't appealing either.
So without resistance, the Sand Village's dead ninja quietly submitted.
"The Akatsuki organization is here," Temari reported.
As the acting Fifth Kazekage, Temari still had considerable authority in the village.
She informed Kitahara Hitoshi immediately.
"How many?" Kitahara asked.
"Just one," Temari replied, her expression unreadable. "But this Akatsuki is... strange."
Kitahara followed her to the Kazekage's reception room.
There, a man with dark skin and green eyes was waiting, suitcase in hand. He looked hesitant.
Then he seemed to make up his mind and placed the suitcase on the table—only to fumble, reach for it again, and pull his hand back.
That odd display said it all.
Kitahara Hitoshi instantly recognized the man—Kakuzu.
The Akatsuki's most money-obsessed member.
Meanwhile, in the Chat Group
Hashirama: Huh?
Tobirama: What's the matter, brother?
Tobirama: You think he doesn't have enough money?
Hashirama: That's not it... I feel like I've seen him before.
Tobirama: Are you sure?
Tobirama: He's not been reincarnated.
Tobirama: And if you have seen him before... he'd be older than Chiyo.
Chiyo: Senju Tobirama, I heard that.
Tobirama: Aren't you the youngest among us now?
Chiyo: I take pride in it. Means I've lived long, doesn't it?
Tobirama and Hashirama's biggest flaw—dying too soon.
If Hashirama had lived, the three ninja wars wouldn't have even started.
And Tobirama—if he'd survived, Hiruzen wouldn't have become Hokage. The Uchiha might never have fallen.
Naruto's life wouldn't have been so tragic. Even Minato's death could've been avoided.
Chiyo's offhand comment hit Tobirama hard.
Hashirama: Still... it's strange.
Hashirama: I swear I've met this guy before.
Kakashi: I've archived tons of intel in Anbu, but I've never encountered this guy.
So everyone stared at the video in the group chat.
Kitahara Hitoshi and Temari entered the room.
"Welcome to Sand Shinobi Village, Konohagakure's honored guest," Kitahara said. "Kakuzu."
Hashirama: Kakuzu?
Hashirama: Kakuzu?
Hashirama: This name... I know it.
Tobirama: Hm?
Onoki: Is it a case of shared names, like Raikage the Third and Fourth both being named A?
Hashirama: No, I'm sure. I really met this guy.
Tobirama: When?
Hashirama: Before the first Five Kage Summit. I was attacked on my way back to Konoha.
Tobirama: There was an assassination attempt?
Hashirama: Yeah. The guy failed, so I didn't bring it up.
Tobirama: How'd it happen?
Hashirama: He was confident. Tried to kill me with a kunai. I used Deep Forest Emergence.
Hashirama: He ran immediately. He's the first deserter I ever encountered. Left a strong impression.
Tobirama: ...
Onoki: Respect, Lord Hashirama.
Onoki: That guy must have a trauma now.
Tobirama: Understandable. If you come at someone with a kunai and they drop a whole forest on you, you run.
Tobirama: But that means Kakuzu's a relic of the ninja world?
Minato: A living fossil?
Tobirama: Yes. He was around during the First Hokage's time.
Tobirama: So by now, he's at least ninety.
Tobirama: But he doesn't look it.
Tobirama: There's something odd about his body.
Hashirama: Huh?
Tobirama: He's using a forbidden method. He extends his life by taking others' hearts and chakras.
Tobirama: It's similar to Orochimaru's Living Corpse Reincarnation.
Onoki: So this Kakuzu really is around ninety.
Onoki: It's rare for someone that old to still be alive.
Tobirama: What do you mean?
Having died young, Tobirama couldn't relate to the pains of long life. But he understood the motive behind it—like Orochimaru's pursuit of immortality.
Onoki: The longer you live, the more you outlive those you love. You watch them all pass, one by one.
Onoki: That kind of loneliness drags you into despair.
Kurama: That's easy to solve.
Hashirama: Huh?
Tobirama: Nine Tails has lived for centuries. He'd know best.
Kurama: As long as there is something firm in your heart—whether it's the desire to live or a detachment from gain or loss—it's enough.
Namikaze Minato: Then what is the core belief within your heart, Nine Tails?
Kurama: A mission entrusted to us by the Sage of Six Paths.
Kurama: But… no tailed beast expected it would take over a thousand years, and even now, there's no sign of it being completed.
Hashirama: This…
Hashirama: Let me ask—what exactly is this mission?
Kurama: To wait for an era where ninjas and tailed beasts can coexist in true peace.
Senju Tobirama: …
Onoki: …
Hashirama: …
Hashirama was speechless.
Because it turned out that the tailed beasts had longed for peace with humans, but he and Madara forcefully divided and distributed them among the Five Great Ninja Villages as tools of balance.
So from the tailed beasts' perspective… they must deeply resent them.
Onoki: But this also shows the depth of the Sage of Six Paths' wisdom.
Onoki: His vision was one of true peace.
The ever-dutiful Black Zetsu appears online
Black Zetsu: The Sage of Six Paths sought peace? What a joke.
Black Zetsu: If he hadn't shared chakra with humanity, would there be so much conflict?
Black Zetsu: Just look at each village—more dead in cemeteries than living shinobi.
Hashirama: This…
Black Zetsu's tone was particularly intense today, but the assembled Kage and figures… couldn't refute him.
Even Onoki, who had once pushed Iwagakure to its limits, had to admit: if Kitahara Hitoshi, the small group, and the ninja rabbit hadn't intervened, Iwagakure might have been reduced to ruin.
He also couldn't deny that ten thousand of his own ninjas died during the Great Ninja World War fighting against the Third Raikage.
From that angle, perhaps a world without chakra would've spared many lives.
Senju Tobirama: I disagree with your view.
Senju Tobirama: It's like blaming a kunai for murder. Is the weapon at fault? Or the wielder?
Senju Tobirama: Chakra, like any weapon, is neither good nor bad by nature.
Black Zetsu: Then what do you say about the current trajectory of the Ninja World Wars?
Black Zetsu: How do you explain that?
Senju Tobirama: …
Tobirama was silenced.
Because there was no answer.
Hashirama: Mr. Black Zetsu's ideology really mirrors Madara's.
Black Zetsu: Madara?
Hashirama: Uchiha Madara.
Tobirama's Record: My older brother.
Hashirama: Madara believed that only absolute strength could enforce peace. He dreamed of eliminating chakra entirely, to stop war at its source.
Hashirama: He called chakra…
Black Zetsu: The unknown curse.
Hashirama: Exactly. So you're familiar with him too, Mr. Black Zetsu.
Of course it knew.
Because right now, Uchiha Madara was by his side.
Deep within Ryūchi Cave.
"Black Zetsu, let me ask you something…"
"What happened during all these years? And how old is Konoha now?"
With a tone both nostalgic and sharp, Uchiha Madara spoke.
His reappearance was dramatic. Although wearing black tights underneath, he had donned the signature red armor again.
Apparently, after offering White Zetsu as a sacrifice, the Madara that had emerged was his younger self—Uchiha Madara in his prime.
If the old, gray-haired version had come out with dog-like prosthetic arms, what would be the point?
Black Zetsu might be cunning, but it didn't bully the elderly.
After all, Madara inherited Indra's chakra. In a sense, Black Zetsu was his elder relative.
"Hold on."
"I'll process this with a clearer head."
"You also know I'm only a fragment of your will, not your complete self," Black Zetsu admitted.
Uchiha Madara nodded—he could accept that.
In his understanding, White Zetsu was born from his Rinnegan's summonings via the Ten Tails, while Black Zetsu was formed from his will when he had mastered the Rinnegan.
So Black Zetsu was a part of him—but due to the limitations of age and time, it wasn't complete. He had allowed it autonomy.
Though it should've been replying to Madara, Black Zetsu always thought in angles—how to manipulate instead.
And now, while its spirit body lingered in the group chat, it noticed Kitahara Hitoshi was still in Sunagakure.
Without hesitation, it logged off.
Big Dutiful Son Black Zetsu has gone offline for business
Hashirama: Mr. Black Zetsu is really busy.
Senju Tobirama: But his thinking is far too extreme. Just like the corrupted Uchiha.
Tobirama's Record: Hey, Tobirama. I've tolerated you long enough.
Tobirama's Record: All you ever do is paint the Uchiha as evil.
Tobirama's Record: But every time I've looked in this group, I've only seen naive, hopeful Uchiha.
Tobirama's Record: After we formed Konoha, we wanted peace. My brother let go—but we, the Uchiha, were thrown into isolation with the police force.
Tobirama's Record: We were pushed out and repressed for decades before being forced into rebellion.
Tobirama's Record: And even in rebellion, those with great love—like Uchiha Itachi—kept searching for a solution.
Tobirama's Record: In the end, he slaughtered his own clan for the village's sake.
Tobirama's Record: After the Impure World Reincarnation trials in Sunagakure, what do you do? You dig up the corpses of our clan from Konoha.
Tobirama's Record: Sacrifice a Mitokado Homura or a long-dead Danzo—yet you want the Uchiha to keep serving you loyally?
Tobirama's Record: Do you even have a conscience?
Uchiha Izuna exploded.
Hashirama: Hmm… Tobirama, this…
Senju Tobirama: …
Tobirama refused to argue with Izuna.
They were once mortal enemies, after all. If he didn't kill Izuna back then, he might've lost his brother.
And Madara was too cunning for anyone to handle easily.
Right now, all Tobirama could reflect on was whether his conscience had been fed to dogs.
But then again… if one truly lacked conscience, wouldn't that lead to greater personal gain?
Perhaps the Uchiha were domesticated just to be used.
On the other side—
The cunning Uchiha Madara was still listening to Black Zetsu's report.
And now… he was close to exploding.
"So what you're saying is—the situation has actually regressed, not progressed?"
"Obito… this guy. I thought after enduring so much darkness, he'd have come out stronger, more resolute."
"And yet, he failed."
Black Zetsu: That doesn't matter anymore. The critical thing now is to ascend.
Uchiha Madara blinked.
"What?"
He had designed his plan for Obito to guide Nagato's growth and for Nagato to eventually use Rinne Tensei to resurrect him.
But Obito was delaying. Nagato was distracted. Nothing was moving forward.
And now Black Zetsu said—none of that mattered?
And wanted to go to heaven?
"God?" Madara was confused.
"To the moon. Specifically."
"…What?"
"After your death, I uncovered crucial information."
"There's something important on the moon."
"I need to verify it," said Black Zetsu.
"…Uchiha Madara."
"…"
The claim sounded absurd—go to the moon to confirm some vital secret?
But Madara was a proud, confident man. Once moved by Hashirama's ideals, he tried to bring peace through the formation of a village.
Later, he realized Hashirama's methods were flawed and chose to walk his own path.
After Hashirama died, the fragile peace of the ninja world shattered instantly, and the First Great Ninja War broke out.
This was the truth.
A truth that struck Hashirama in the face.
It only strengthened his belief in himself alone.
He believed Black Zetsu was his creation, born of his will.
That made it his avatar in his eyes.
Naturally, he saw no reason to doubt his own avatar.
So he began seriously considering Black Zetsu's ideas.
Yes.
After awakening the Eternal Mangekyō, he read the tablet in the Uchiha clan shrine inscribed with what claimed to be the final words of the Sage of Six Paths.
The tablet stated that the Sage regretted bestowing chakra upon humanity.
This regret, it claimed, led to endless conflict.
Time marched on.
Thousands of years passed. Even with Madara and Hashirama joining forces, peace remained elusive.
Thus, Madara placed his faith in what the stone tablet taught.
To cast Infinite Tsukuyomi and gather all chakra once scattered by the Sage into one—ending conflict by removing chakra from the world.
Then, true peace would be achieved.
To Madara, this was an immense and divine undertaking.
Unfortunately, he perished of old age while cultivating the Rinnegan.
Hence, Obito was needed, and Nagato's Rinnegan was required to bring Madara back.
But now, unexpectedly, he had been resurrected through Tobirama Senju's Forbidden Technique—Impure World Reincarnation.
His strength in this state was only a shadow of his prime, just a fraction—about seventy percent.
Black Zetsu's purpose was direct.
It wanted to go to the moon and needed Madara's help.
Because Obito was unreliable.
Madara was silent.
Yes.
From Madara's perspective, Black Zetsu was his own will. But as it had not inherited his power, it was incapable of achieving much on its own.
Therefore, it had to rely on him.
Madara accepted Black Zetsu's plan.
Because he had seen the method to cast Infinite Tsukuyomi inscribed on the Uchiha clan's stone tablet. It required Rinnegan, the full moon, and the Sharingan as catalysts.
Then the Infinite Tsukuyomi could be activated.
Thus, the moon became crucial.
Black Zetsu had acquired important intelligence from the moon and needed to verify it.
But Madara was now bound to an Impure World Reincarnation body, with only seventy percent of his full strength.
"What do you want me to do?"
Madara doubted his current strength, but still offered his support.
Because, in his mind, helping Black Zetsu meant helping himself.
"Cast Infinite Tsukuyomi," said Black Zetsu.
"Rinnegan can levitate people using repulsive force."
"When the moon is pulled closer by casting Infinite Tsukuyomi, you can use Rinnegan's power to launch me onto it."
Madara was silent.
So it was only one step away from activating his plan.
"I needed to be resurrected first by Rinne Tensei, then become the Ten Tails' Jinchūriki."
"But the chakra within the Ten Tails is incomplete. We need to capture the remaining tailed beasts."
"But my current body is an Impure World Reincarnation body…"
"That's contradictory," Madara said.
"Then use someone else," Black Zetsu replied.
"Let Nagato become the Ten Tails' Jinchūriki."
Madara was silent again.
He stared at Black Zetsu, wondering if the flaw lay in himself or in Black Zetsu.
How could something like becoming the Ten Tails' Jinchūriki be left to Nagato?
What if he failed?
"There are risks," said Black Zetsu.
Indeed.
Madara thought quietly.
"Then take your Rinnegan back," Black Zetsu continued.
Madara was silent.
"I may be an Impure World Reincarnation body…"
Even so, Black Zetsu said, "It can still sustain the Rinnegan—at least once or twice."
"Don't worry," he added.
Madara remained silent.
Then finally he spoke. "The moon?"
"We must go!" Black Zetsu answered with conviction.
Madara agreed. "Your will is my will. Then let's act with our own will."
"It cannot be wrong."
"That's how I've come this far," said Uchiha Madara.
So Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu returned to their old stronghold in the Land of Grass.
It was around 15:00 when Obito finally returned from Cloud Shinobi Village.
He had likely sprinted the entire way, for by the time he arrived at the base, he was completely out of breath.
But he said, "I got it."
"Black Zetsu!"
"You wanted a launcher to go to the moon."
Obito had just emerged from the cave and looked at the figure ahead.
"Obito."
But he froze as he approached.
The figure turned.
"Obito, who are you calling Black Zetsu?"
Obito paused.
Standing before him was Uchiha Madara—dressed in his signature early battle gear.
"An illusion?" Obito immediately shielded his Sharingan eye with his left hand.
Madara was calm. "Do you think Uchiha can be so easily deceived?"
"But Obito… you've matured," Madara said.
Obito didn't respond.
Subconsciously, he touched his neck.
"Madara, why are you here…?"
"Wasn't the plan to wait for Nagato to grow and use Rinne Tensei to resurrect you?"
Obito spoke quickly.
He felt like he'd stumbled into a nightmare.
Sending off the ever-troublesome Black Zetsu had been hard enough, and now—before Black Zetsu even left—another Uchiha Madara had appeared.
He was being played.
Madara said,
"I find it strange as well."
"At first, I thought our plan succeeded."
"I woke up, found myself in a coffin, and kicked the lid off."
"I saw Orochimaru."
"He used Tobirama Senju's Forbidden Technique—Impure World Reincarnation."
"Orochimaru said I'd been reanimated."
Obito was stunned. "Orochimaru?"
"The place was Ryūchi Cave."
"Then I returned here," said Uchiha Madara. "Report to me."
Obito was silent.
Obito.
Obito.
"Obito, why don't you speak? Obito, speak."
But Obito was speechless.
He now realized—after Madara's death, he had never paid attention to his corpse.
He had simply let Black Zetsu bury it without a second thought.
But now, seeing that Senju Tobirama from Konoha's filthy soil appeared, it should be Orochimaru who stole the body.
He participated in the Konohabeng Project, was beaten back, and Senju Tobirama was the only success, so Orochimaru fled to Ryūchi Cave.
Still—
The more Orochimaru thought about it, the angrier he became, so he used the Impure World Reincarnation on Uchiha Madara.
Orochimaru, you fool.
If you can't show your power in Konoha, then dirty Senju Hashirama all you want—but what are you doing resurrecting Uchiha Madara too?
Orochimaru, you ruined all my plans.
And on the other side—
White Snake Immortal—
Although Orochimaru had left the White Snake Immortal's cave, he hadn't left Ryūchi Cave.
He shed his body and was reborn through the curse mark.
Then he quickly went to Tian Xinshenji, the young descendant the White Snake Immortal had been planning to meet.
White Snake Immortal narrowed its eyes. You haven't left yet?
The White Snake Immortal found that not only had Orochimaru come out of its cave, he had barged in again.
Ancestor—
Help, Orochimaru said.
On the other side, Tian Xinshenji opened her eyes.
What's up with this human ninja?
Is he trying to rob her of the ancestor's favor?
Can ancestors be begged like that?
Let me hide, Orochimaru said.
I hate the old ninjas, Orochimaru added.
Is this a psychological scar...
The White Snake Immortal tapped its pipe. Fine, stay with me for now.
Thank you very much, ancestor.
Wait a moment.
Wait a minute! Tian Xinshenji protested. Orochimaru, you shameless bastard.
You do realize that the high-level snake spirits following the ancestor are all women, right?
Did I ever say I was a man? Orochimaru replied. Actually, in the pursuit of immortality, thinking in terms of gender is the real problem.
Eh?
Elsewhere, in the hidden base of the Land of Grass—
So that's how it is...
Nagato is growing—steadily.
But his mobility is still good.
So I plan to use him to catch the tailed beasts.
The Akatsuki organization he's now building has its core mission: gather all the tailed beasts and feed them to the Ten Tails so it can shake the ninja world.
Although he was instantly alarmed that Uchiha Madara had been revived, Obito quickly began damage control.
So you lied to Nagato, Uchiha Madara said.
That's pretty much it, Obito responded. In the Akatsuki built by Nagato, every member is at the Kage-level.
It makes many things easier to execute, Obito explained.
Ah—
And Uchiha Madara had no respect for so-called Kage-level strength.
Of course Obito knew. The man standing before him was the legendary Uchiha ancestor of myth.
Let me organize the information and think it through.
I need to put Black Zetsu on the moon, Madara said.
The current Uchiha Madara has been unearthed—is he really planning to go to the moon?
If it's the moon, I already retrieved their projection device from Cloud Shinobi Village, Obito said quickly.
The two I got yesterday were broken.
And this one is the third channel device from Cloud Shinobi, Obito said.
You idiot, Madara said. This one's broken too.
I broke it when they first created it.
When I realized it had long-range capacity and might even damage the moon, I destroyed it.
So every one you've seen is broken, Madara concluded.
Obito stood in stunned silence.
Everything's broken?
And it was Uchiha Madara who destroyed it all?
Obito was completely bewildered.
Because the projection device was finished, and the real Madara was here.
For Obito, it felt like being caught slacking off.
Uchiha Madara was his boss. When the boss wasn't around, who cared what he did?
But now that the boss was back, everything had to be on high alert—no more slacking off.
Also, what if the boss wanted to replace him?
That would be a huge issue.
Because Obito still wanted to become the Ten Tails Jinchūriki himself—not let Uchiha Madara do it. That would ruin everything.
But it wasn't all hopeless.
Because right now, the goal was getting Black Zetsu to the heavens.
So Uchiha Madara was going to offer full support.
And how?
This was the plan Madara laid out:
Recover Nagato's Rinnegan to summon the Ten Tails.
Then activate the Samsara Sharingan and cast a partial Infinite Tsukuyomi.
The exact effect didn't matter—just enough to pull the moon over.
Then use Rinnegan's repulsion to launch Black Zetsu into space.
So Madara wouldn't immediately become the Ten Tails Jinchūriki.
After all, he was still in an Impure World Reincarnation body. A Jinchūriki like that was no good.
And this wasn't his prime body either.
So that's how it is...
There's still a chance.
Obito sighed with relief.
It wasn't a dead end.
As for the Rinnegan, it just had to be taken from Nagato.
Then summon the Ten Tails.
But since the Ten Tails was an empty shell, it needed a bit of Chakra.
This time though, Black Zetsu advised against feeding it with tailed beasts.
Why?
Of course, because they couldn't confirm if Kaguya's body was really on the moon, and if the ninja rabbit or the little white rabbit beside Kitahara Hitoshi were her vessels, then once the tailed beasts were used to revive the Ten Tails, what would be left to nourish the rabbit?
So—
Black Zetsu was saving the rations for his mother.
So who do we use then? Madara asked.
Obito stayed quiet.
Don't look at me, Obito said. The Akatsuki members aren't fit for this.
Besides, if you take Nagato's Rinnegan, he'll lose control of Akatsuki anyway.
Use Raikage from Cloud Shinobi Village instead, Obito suggested.
Didn't he call himself a tailless beast?
And there's Killer Bee. He's the Eight Tails Jinchūriki, but he still has a lot of Chakra even without the Eight Tails.
This was payback.
Because if those idiots had guarded their weapons properly, none of this would've happened.
Madara had destroyed them randomly, and now there were consequences.
Black Zetsu had to go to the moon first.
Then send Madara up when the chance arose.
So the two could reunite.
But the situation had become very complicated.
Should they strike Cloud Shinobi Village? Attack or not?
Elsewhere, while Black Zetsu and the others were enacting their plan, Kitahara Hitoshi's mission to Sand Shinobi Village had ended.
He had begun the journey back to the village.
He'd been gone several days, which was normal for a ninja mission—any task might take a week.
So they were still on schedule.
But...
Truly...
After seeing two full moons, he couldn't help but miss his ninja little white rabbit.
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