"Impossible."
Madara's voice cut through the air like steel.
"If Infinite Tsukuyomi is truly a world-ending illusion, then why would the Sage of Six Paths—or the ancestors of the Uchiha—engrave it onto a sacred stone tablet meant for future generations?"
Smart as ever, Madara had locked onto the key contradiction instantly.
Kai gave him a knowing look. "Because the tablet was altered. Tampered with."
"By who?"
"Black Zetsu. A parasite born from the will of the Rabbit Goddess. A manipulator whose goal isn't just war—it's the resurrection of his mother. He rewrote history to bring about the end."
Madara was silent. His pupils shrank, absorbing the enormity of what he'd just heard.
So much of what he had believed—what he had fought for—was crumbling before his eyes.
And worst of all…
He had been a pawn.
A puppet dancing on the strings of some ancient will, believing he was forging peace, when he was actually steering the world toward annihilation.
"You're saying," he said slowly, voice hard and low, "that everything—the tablet, Infinite Tsukuyomi, the path I've dedicated my life to—was just a manipulation? That I've been used?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
The words echoed like a slap.
Madara's pride flared. He clenched his fists, grounding himself before the whirlwind of emotion could carry him away.
"Prove it," he said coldly. "I want evidence. Not talk."
Kai gave a faint smile. "I expected nothing less from you. That's why I'm offering you something better than words."
"I can take you to the future. You'll see the result of Infinite Tsukuyomi with your own eyes."
Madara's sharp eyes narrowed. "You can travel through time?"
"I can," Kai answered simply.
Now Madara's interest was truly piqued. As a warrior, as a leader—and more than anything, as a strategist—he craved knowledge of what was to come.
Especially if that knowledge could expose the truth behind the illusion he had spent years chasing.
But then Kai raised one finger.
"There's a price."
Madara relaxed slightly. "Now that's more like it. I'm not naïve enough to expect a god to work for free."
"A gift without a price," he said, "is always a trap."
Kai nodded approvingly. "Good. Then here's my condition."
"Destroy Iwagakure."
Madara blinked.
Then narrowed his eyes.
"You want me to level Hidden Rock Village?"
Kai's tone was calm, but firm. "That's right. Eliminate it. Once you do, I'll take you forward in time. You'll see the truth behind Infinite Tsukuyomi. And what Black Zetsu has done."
Madara stared at him, gauging every movement.
What kind of "god" demands the destruction of a shinobi village?
"What are you really after?" he asked.
Kai didn't hesitate. "I want peace. True peace. And that means unifying the ninja world—starting with Konohagakure."
Madara gave a dry laugh. "Unifying the world under Konoha? You sound just like me."
"Maybe I do," Kai replied. "But the difference is, I know how this ends. You don't."
Madara didn't buy it—not entirely. He'd heard men talk about peace before, always while sharpening their kunai.
But Kai wasn't asking him to trust blindly. He was offering a transaction.
And that, Madara understood.
"This is a deal," Kai said. "You wipe out Iwagakure, and I give you the truth. Think it's a lie? Then call my bluff."
Madara went quiet.
It wasn't the idea of razing a village that gave him pause. He had long accepted that peace might only be achievable through overwhelming force. He didn't fear the consequences of violence.
No, the real question was what this action meant.
Would it really bring him closer to the truth?
Would it really prove whether Infinite Tsukuyomi was salvation—or a trap?
Kai stayed silent, letting him think.
In truth, he knew words alone wouldn't sway Madara. Not this man. Not with his pride, his burden, and his legacy.
But actions? Power? That was how you earned Madara's attention.
This wasn't just manipulation. It was a mutually beneficial move.
And strategically, Kai needed this.
If Madara could push forward the unification of this version of the ninja world, then Kai's own power to travel across dimensions would expand. Destroying Iwagakure wouldn't just shift the balance of power—it would unlock access to other worlds.
The world had already formed two Hidden Villages: Konohagakure and Iwagakure. The others—Sunagakure, Kirigakure, Kumogakure—weren't officially established yet.
If Madara crushed Iwagakure now, it could raise the unification rate over 50%. That would let Kai bring him through time and space legally—according to the system's strict parameters.
All he needed… was one big push.
Madara exhaled slowly.
"…Fine."
Kai's expression didn't change, but inside, he marked it as a win.
Just as he thought, Madara didn't find the deal unreasonable. The actual destruction of the village wasn't the problem—dealing with Hashirama's reaction afterward was the tricky part.
But that was a tomorrow problem.
Hashirama would shout. Maybe even threaten him. But he wouldn't kill him. Not for wiping out a hostile village.
And if push came to shove?
Let Tobirama handle it.
That cold bastard lived for politics. Let him talk circles around the Land of Earth.
Besides, there was already a perfect opportunity coming up.
Madara smirked. "I heard Iwagakure is sending a delegation to Konoha soon. Seems like a convenient excuse to start a war."
Kai mirrored the smirk. "I like the way you think."
"Then it's settled," Madara said. "You'll get your destruction. And I'll get my truth."
Kai nodded once. "Deal."
With that, he vanished.
No seals. No flash of chakra. One instant he was there—the next, gone.
Madara's eyes widened slightly.
Not even Flying Thunder God is this smooth. That was pure space-time mastery.
"…What a strange god," Madara muttered.
He looked back at the Uchiha stone tablet. The very symbol of everything he'd believed in.
If Black Zetsu had really tampered with this—if he had really played Madara like a fool—
"Then I'll kill him," Madara growled.
The Sharingan faded from his eyes, but the fury remained. Cold and focused.
The Uchiha will not be used.
Not by gods, not by ancestors, not by ghosts from the past.
Elsewhere, on the silent cliffs above Konoha, Kai stood once more atop Hokage Rock, looking out over the sleeping village.
The stars glimmered overhead. A light breeze stirred the trees.
Night had settled in, and with it, his work for the day was complete.
Time to relax.
He opened his system menu and activated a Modern Physical Exchange Voucher. A soft hum echoed as a sleek, custom military-grade RV—complete with an intercontinental missile launcher—materialized behind him.
Naruto world or not, comfort was non-negotiable.
With a hot bath, a warm midnight snack, and silky velvet sheets waiting inside, Kai settled in. He lay back, arms behind his head, and reviewed the day's gains.
Hashirama had been nudged toward action.
Madara had agreed to raze Iwagakure.
The future was in motion.
And for the first time, the gears of true unification were beginning to turn.