In order to focus on the study of Ninjutsu and longevity, Mu has decided to pass on the Tsuchikage position to Ōnoki.
He has also played with power enough.
If he keeps clinging to power, it will only damage the relationship between him and Ōnoki.
It would turn a good master-disciple relationship into one with internal rifts.
Mu now dislikes mixing self-interest or political factors into a relationship.
Just like his relationship with Hōzuki Gengetsu.
He hopes that two people share a sincere friendship, not one based on self-interest.
Just like him and Ōnoki.
He hopes for a master-disciple bond, not a cutthroat struggle for power.
Like a blank sheet of paper, he won't allow it to be stained with any other colors.
Sometimes Mu himself isn't clear.
His left brain often contradicts his right brain.
He is inherently someone who won't get up early without profit, who is greedy, insidious, and understands that there are no eternal friends in the world, only eternal interests; he is a schemer.
(In the original work, Mu is very despicable. During the Ninja War, Mu advised Ōnoki to conserve his strength so that he could stab other Villages in the back later.)
But he also yearns for genuine emotion.
Perhaps it's precisely because he has seen the dark side of the world so much that he has come to yearn for genuine emotion.
When he fought Senju Hashirama before, he thought about it.
He thought about taking the opportunity to kill Hōzuki Gengetsu, Shamon, and Second Raikage all at once, then pinning the blame on Senju Hashirama.
...
Tsuchikage's office.
Mu slowly walked in.
As soon as he pushed the door open, he saw Ōnoki sitting on a small stool, handling Iwagakure's affairs.
"Teacher, you're here."
Ōnoki quickly got up and went to support his teacher.
"I'm not so old that I can't move yet. Have you become familiar with Iwagakure's affairs recently?"
Mu slowly walked to the Tsuchikage's seat and sat down.
Ōnoki nodded: "Yes, Teacher, I have grasped the basic procedures."
Mu raised an eyebrow: "Not bad, it seems you were born to be Tsuchikage."
"No, Teacher, you are the born Tsuchikage. I learned everything from you."
Ōnoki remained humble, smiling as he spoke to Mu.
Mu gazed at Ōnoki: "Have you learned Dust Release?"
"Teacher, I have learned it, but the condensation is still relatively slow, not as good as yours," Ōnoki replied.
"Hmm, the younger generation is formidable... If you have any questions, you can ask me now."
Mu said.
"Yes! Teacher, I have two questions."
"Our people have sent back intelligence many times."
"Konoha, Kumogakure, and Sunagakure are actively preparing for war. All three great Ninja Villages are preparing for war, and they have constant friction, showing signs that a great Ninja World War might break out. What do you think, should we..."
Ōnoki's meaning was for Iwagakure to prepare for the Second Ninja World War.
"There's no need. Those three might fight, but I don't recommend letting our Village participate in it."
Mu did not want to participate in the Second Ninja World War.
Ōnoki nodded.
But Mu's tone suddenly shifted.
"Although we won't participate, we can cultivate a puppet state to represent Iwagakure in the Ninja World's power struggles."
While Mu wouldn't fight, it didn't mean he wouldn't be involved.
Ōnoki's eyes lit up: "Teacher, the Land of Rain recently established a Village called Amegakure, and that Village's leader, Hanzou, is also an ambitious person..."
Mu nodded, thinking it was feasible, but that would be Ōnoki's business.
"One more thing, Teacher!"
"It's an Anbu project that has lasted for several years..."
"Searching for Uchiha Madara. But Uchiha Madara is already dead, so why do we keep sending people to search for him? So many Anbu are on this mission..."
Ōnoki felt this project consumed too much manpower and resources.
The Ninja World is so vast.
It requires dispatching a large number of Anbu personnel to search, and also to do so without being noticed by other Villages.
Mu slightly focused his gaze.
This mission was a "top priority" mission personally set by him.
Over the years, he had never given up searching for Uchiha Madara.
Firstly, he wanted Uchiha Madara dead.
Secondly, he wanted the Rinnegan.
Uchiha Madara being alive always gave Mu a sense of urgency.
He didn't want Madara to obtain the Rinnegan.
Once the Rinnegan appeared, his Dust Release would only be absorbed.
At that time, his effective combat methods would only be divine tools and ordinary Ninjutsu.
Ordinary Ninjutsu was almost ineffective against Madara.
Divine tools consumed Chakra.
"No, other projects can stop, but this one cannot!"
Mu immediately rejected Ōnoki's idea of stopping it.
"Teacher, I'm not young anymore. Just tell me, is Uchiha Madara really still alive?"
"Also, what exactly happened back then...? What did you do during those few days you disappeared?"
"Regarding your pursuit of the donkey cart before, could it be that Uchiha Madara really escaped from you in a donkey cart?"
Ōnoki asked the questions he had always wanted to ask but dared not.
Many things, he used to think nothing of them.
Now that he had grown up and supervised the Village, he found something was amiss.
For example, the death of Senju Tobirama.
Konoha claimed Senju Tobirama died.
But there was no corpse.
They claimed he was blasted to death by a Tailed Beast Ball, but Kumogakure claimed that Senju Tobirama left with his disciples at the time.
And it just so happened that Mu and Uchiha Madara's incident occurred at that time.
It remains an unsolved mystery to this day...
Perhaps there is only one person in the world who knows the truth of these matters!
That is Mu, standing before him, the one who knows everything!
"That matter..."
Mu's heart sank.
Although several years had passed, he had always been unwilling to mention that matter, and he still felt a bit unwilling to this day.
If only he had brought the Anbu with him back then, or kept the Anbu.
He wouldn't have let Black Zetsu escape with just a donkey cart.
"That matter isn't that exaggerated..."
"Uchiha Madara is indeed still alive."
Mu slowly nodded.
Ōnoki's pupils constricted and his heart trembled upon hearing the definite answer.
"It's actually true..."
Ōnoki suppressed his shock.
He had thought it was a rumor, but he didn't expect it to be true.
"Then how much power does he still have?"
Ōnoki asked nervously.
"Don't worry, I severely injured him. He won't pose a threat to us..."
Mu said, signaling Ōnoki to relax.
"Teacher, I will carry out this mission to the end!"
After Ōnoki heard the truth, he immediately decided to continue carrying out this mission.
He even decided to send more people!
"Prepare yourself. In three months, you will succeed as Tsuchikage!"
Mu took a deep breath and announced his decision.
Ōnoki was stunned, then a look of ecstasy appeared deep in his eyes.
But his expression remained stable, though the corners of his mouth were hard to suppress.
No, no, I must remain calm and unhurried...
Ōnoki took a deep breath and feigned difficulty: "Teacher, isn't this too soon? I'm too young. Although I've been supervising the Village, and my work has been good, but... but..."
Ōnoki made a difficult expression, indicating that he might not be up to the great responsibility, but in reality, he was already fantasizing about wearing the tsuchikage robe.
Mu's lips twitched. Ōnoki, you're putting on an act now.
"Hmm... it does seem a bit too early... Then let's forget about it."
Mu said, feigning deep thought.