Chapter 318: Hashirama's Revelation
After being crushed by the overwhelming might of the Fifth Hokage—Uchiha Yuta—and then discovering that his own subordinate was actually a hidden boss, Uchiha Madara truly looked like he was about to cry.
After all, Black Zetsu wasn't just some schemer in the shadows; he had lived since the era of the Sage of Six Paths. In Black Zetsu's eyes, everything Madara had done—his grand plans, his Infinite Tsukuyomi, his ambitions—was nothing more than a joke.
In the end, the ultimate clown… was Uchiha Madara himself.
For a moment, countless people across the ninja world couldn't help but feel sympathy for him.
He had believed himself to be the chosen one… only to be tricked by his own subordinate.
More importantly, Black Zetsu had hidden himself far too deeply.
If the Fifth Hokage—Uchiha Yuta—hadn't revealed his true identity, perhaps no one would ever have discovered his existence.
---
In Konohagakure, silence reigned after Yuta's revelation.
Both shinobi and civilians wore the same expression—shock mixed with fear. No one expected that, just when the Allied Shinobi Forces were about to lose, a new "final boss" like Black Zetsu would appear.
> "The third son of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya… and the younger brother of the Sage of Six Paths…"
"He's endured for thousands of years—this Black Zetsu must be terrifying…"
Whispers spread through the village streets.
> "I really didn't expect that Black Zetsu was hiding so deeply."
"Even Madara was manipulated by him!"
"Hahaha, Madara's face must be green right now!"
Soon, disbelief turned into gossip.
Many shinobi looked at the floating image of Black Zetsu like they were staring at a fool.
> You've hidden yourself for millennia… only to get exposed by the Fifth Hokage himself? What was the point?
For most civilians, however, it didn't matter.
As long as Uchiha Yuta remained invincible, they didn't care how many monsters appeared—Madara, Zetsu, even Kaguya herself were all just playthings in the Fifth Hokage's hands.
---
Meanwhile, at the Allied Shinobi Headquarters, tension flared once more.
"Uchiha Madara," said the First Hokage—Senju Hashirama, smiling faintly through his Reanimated form, "you really haven't changed at all. Still so proud after all these years."
"Humph."
Madara snorted coldly, his crimson eyes narrowing. "You don't need to concern yourself with my affairs."
"Don't need to?" Hashirama's grin widened. "Madara, I know you better than anyone. You just want to prove you're right again, don't you? Fine, fine—everything you've done is correct. Happy?"
Madara's eye twitched. "Your general has already lost. What do you know?"
Hashirama raised an eyebrow. "Lost? Didn't you lose to me at the Valley of the End? That's a fact known to the entire ninja world, isn't it?"
Madara let out a dry chuckle. "Maybe I seemed to lose… but I survived long after you died, didn't I? Up until the Third Great Ninja War, I was still alive. What about you?"
Hashirama smiled knowingly. "That's only because you used Izanagi—the forbidden Uchiha technique. You rewrote reality at the cost of your right eye, didn't you?"
The words hit Madara like a thunderclap.
"What… did you just say?"
Hashirama's calm smile didn't waver. "You think I didn't know? I just didn't expose you back then to save your pride. Otherwise, your body would've been destroyed before you even revived."
Madara's entire expression froze.
Could it be… that Hashirama had seen through everything even back then?
The memories clicked together.
The reason Hashirama didn't let Tobirama dissect Madara's corpse… was to protect it?
For a long moment, Madara didn't know what to say.
He had nothing to refute.
At that moment, Senju Tobirama—the Second Hokage, also reanimated—stepped forward and sneered.
"Madara, if it weren't for my brother's orders, do you think I'd have hidden your body deep in Konoha's mountains? You should understand by now how much he still cared for you."
Madara took a deep breath. His voice softened ever so slightly.
"...Enough. I understand. But no matter what, I will prove that I was right."
After that, he turned away from the two brothers, his gaze landing on Black Zetsu, who had been silent this entire time.
As the "third son of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya" and the "younger brother of the Sage of Six Paths," what exactly was his goal?
What was he really planning behind that emotionless face?
The battlefield seemed to hold its breath once more.
---
✨ To be continued…
--