Madara looked down at his withered, bony hand.
It was all too familiar—this was the state of his body just before he died. Yet the chakra within him hadn't weakened; instead, it circulated endlessly in some strange, unnatural cycle.
"Edo Tensei…"
Realizing the situation, Madara spoke with the single Sharingan left in his socket.
"Young man, there's a reason forbidden jutsu are called forbidden. They're not meant to be abused."
He was about to dispel the Edo Tensei himself when he noticed—his hands wouldn't move. They were stiff, unresponsive.
He couldn't resist this jutsu at all.
Impossible!
This was the technique Tobirama had developed… and yet he couldn't break free?!
Kiyosuke smiled faintly.
"I know Madara-sama is unlike anyone else. A true demon of the shinobi world, a rose born of the battlefield. How could I possibly take you lightly? That's why I inscribed layers of binding seals on your body. I don't need you to fight—I only need to restrict your movements."
"You're a cautious one, aren't you."
After his initial shock, Madara quickly regained his composure.
"I see. So that's it. You've brought me back with some ulterior motive. What is it you want, boy? To bring back Obito?"
"No."
Kiyosuke shook his head and released the bindings on Madara's legs.
"I already have my own way of bringing Obito back. What I want… is to avoid that future. Tell me, Uchiha Madara—do you know who your father really was?"
…?
Wasn't it Uchiha Tajima?
"Are you mocking me?"
Madara's expression darkened. His old man had been dead for nearly ninety years. What point was there in asking such a ridiculous question?!
"In truth," Kiyosuke continued, "aside from Izuna, you had another brother."
"What?!"
How could I not know of this?
"I said don't toy with me!"
Even Madara could lose his temper. And when an old man got angry, there was no pacifying him easily.
"No, no, I'm not joking. Let me put it this way—Konohagakure's First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, was actually your half-brother."
"…"
Seeing the storm gathering on Madara's face, Kiyosuke spoke slowly.
"'Opposing forces—when united, they can create all things.' If I recall, that's written on the stone tablet in Naka Shrine, isn't it?"
"Did someone from the Uchiha tell you that?"
"No. But I know about the Infinite Tsukuyomi. The question is—can Infinite Tsukuyomi really bring everlasting peace?"
"Of course it can!"
Even in his decrepit Edo Tensei body, Madara's spirit flared to life at the mention of his dream. His face lit with fanatic resolve.
"Human beings are fools. Ever since they gained power, they've never stopped fighting. Always hurting each other. They prattle about peace, yet all they bring is war. They claim to protect, but all they cause is slaughter. Humanity is full of lies. As long as people have desires and ambitions, wars will never end."
He clenched his fist.
"Hashirama and I founded Konoha for peace—to give children a safe place to live. And what happened? After Hashirama died, that false peace crumbled. The First Great Ninja War erupted. Not long after, over profit, the Second Great War broke out. The Third—the one you fought in—was nothing more than a continuation of the same cycle. How old were you when you first set foot on the battlefield?"
"Twelve… maybe thirteen," Kiyosuke thought aloud.
"See? Children were still sent to fight. Isn't that the exact opposite of what we dreamed of? Behind the illusion of peace lurks nothing but war. You survived by luck—but how many others died for nothing, sacrificed to these foolish conflicts?"
"Shinobi villages are just bigger clans. Wars between clans became wars between villages. And shinobi? Nothing but tools for nations to expand their territory. This… is nothing like the peace Hashirama and I envisioned!"
"That is the fate of shinobi."
Kiyosuke's voice was calm.
"From the moment we become ninja, we lose the right to choose. Peace doesn't need illusions."
"This is the best choice."
Madara's voice shook with conviction.
"Only through Infinite Tsukuyomi can the world taste true peace. Living in a dream woven without pain or sorrow—that is the answer."
"Is that so?"
Kiyosuke stroked his chin.
"Then tell me this—do you know who created Infinite Tsukuyomi?"
"Obviously the Sage of Six Paths."
Madara frowned, irritated at the condescension in Kiyosuke's tone.
And sure enough, the boy was looking at him like he was a fool.
"What's with that look?"
"Nothing much. But think about it, Uchiha Madara. If the Sage really created Infinite Tsukuyomi… why didn't he use it on the people of his era?"
"How should I know? Maybe the people back then were simpler. Not like now."
The era was so far removed—how could he possibly know?
"No. If Infinite Tsukuyomi was truly a gift to the world, answer me this: if it had been you back then, would you have used it?"
Madara was silent for a long time before answering.
"Yes. Even if peace comes with pain, it's better to let people live in dreams. No pain. No sorrow. That kind of life is good enough."
Kiyosuke leaned forward slightly.
"Exactly. So why didn't the Sage of Six Paths use it?"
"…You're saying Infinite Tsukuyomi has a flaw?"
"More or less. Let me put it another way. Humans live limited lives. Even with chakra from the God Tree, death is inevitable. If people are trapped in illusions, they lose the ability to reproduce. Without that, the species can't continue. Humanity would eventually vanish. And then… the world would finally fall silent."
"At least…"
Madara frowned, then after a moment, his expression eased.
"At least they'd die in happiness."
"Oh?"
Kiyosuke tilted his head.
"Then let me ask you a second question. You've died once already—you should know the Pure Land exists, right?"
"Yes."
Madara answered honestly.
"Good. Now think about this—when people die, their souls enter the Pure Land. But if they've lived their entire lives inside an illusion, unable to distinguish between reality and dream… then what happens when they meet others there?"
"Their experiences won't match. What they remember will clash. That gap will cause confusion. So when countless souls arrive like that… the Pure Land itself would be thrown into chaos. A complete mess."
"…"
Madara fell silent.
With just a few words, Kiyosuke had exposed a weakness in the Infinite Tsukuyomi he had never once considered.
For so long, he had believed—no, he had known—that Infinite Tsukuyomi would bring the world true peace. He had never questioned it.
Could he really have been wrong all this time?
No.
No—I'm not wrong!
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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