Faced with Kiyosuke's probing question, Madara fell into a rare silence. At last, he asked:
"You brought me back just to tell me this?"
"Pretty much. Besides, how can you be sure that the stone tablet in the Uchiha clan's Naka Shrine is accurate?" Kiyosuke chuckled.
Back then, the Sage of Six Paths left behind a tablet that only his descendants could decipher.
The Sharingan, Mangekyō Sharingan, and Rinnegan revealed the tablet at different levels. With the Mangekyō, one could read most of it and even glimpse the so-called truth of the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
But because so much time had passed, and with the Sage existing only as a soul after his death, he chose not to interfere with the future. That gave Black Zetsu, who had lived for countless years, the chance to secretly alter the tablet's contents, misleading Indra's reincarnations.
To awaken the Rinnegan and cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi, one first needed the Rinnegan.
And the Rinnegan could only be born from the combined powers of Indra and Asura. That's why Black Zetsu tirelessly misled Indra's reincarnations—Uchiha Madara included.
As for why he never targeted Asura's reincarnations? Perhaps because they were all stubborn to the core...
Indra's reincarnations, however, were far easier to manipulate. Pride was always the easiest flaw to exploit.
Generation after generation, Black Zetsu came to know Indra's reincarnations even better than the Sage himself. Deceiving them had become second nature.
Thus Madara was utterly ensnared, convinced that the Infinite Tsukuyomi was the key to saving humanity. In reality, it only trapped people in an endless dream, slowly turning them into creatures like White Zetsu.
The Infinite Tsukuyomi was nothing more than Kaguya's tool for creating expendable soldiers. But Madara, unaware of this, devoted decades of his life to the scheme, believing he was planning salvation—when in truth, he was only preparing the way for another's plan.
"The tablet was left by the Sage of Six Paths. How could it be wrong? Don't tell me you doubt its authenticity. Only the Sharingan can decipher it, and outside the Uchiha, no one else possesses such eyes. Besides, those writings—no one in the Uchiha clan could even reproduce them."
Reading them was one thing, but writing them was another. Those characters did not belong to this world and were nearly impossible to interpret.
Kiyosuke suspected the script originated with the Ōtsutsuki. The Sage had likely learned it from Kaguya when he and his brother were young.
No one from this world could have invented such writing.
But the Ōtsutsuki, with their ocular powers, certainly could.
"Just because you can't doesn't mean no one else can."
Black Zetsu, after all, was born from Kaguya's will and carried fragments of her memory. Naturally, he could use and even alter that writing. The Sage was long dead; unless something earth-shattering occurred, he would not intervene in mortal affairs.
All he ever did was watch, waiting to give his sons' reincarnations a push when the time came.
"What are you implying? That someone else in this world has mastered the Sage's script?" Madara sneered. "Foolish child. You're still too young. The Sage's status is far beyond anything like a Hokage."
"Then what about Kaguya?"
"What?" Madara froze.
Kiyosuke continued, "The Sage's mother. The Rabbit Goddess. The progenitor of chakra. Ōtsutsuki Kaguya. She would absolutely know it."
"But she's been sealed away!"
"Sealed doesn't mean dead."
"As the progenitor of chakra, wouldn't it be natural for her to leave behind contingencies before being sealed? What if the tablet the Sage left behind isn't what you think it is—what if it's already been altered?"
But Madara, stubborn as ever, refused to believe him.
"This is all just your claim. I don't know where you learned such things, but remember this: the Infinite Tsukuyomi is the only path to true salvation!"
Only by ending war in one stroke could the world find lasting peace.
So... let everyone dream together!
Kiyosuke could only shake his head at Madara's twisted reasoning. Clearly, Black Zetsu's poison ran deep. Without a brutal lesson, Madara would never turn back.
This kind of man... needed to be taught.
"No. The Infinite Tsukuyomi is definitely not the answer. Forget it... wait a moment."
Kiyosuke dug out his own eye and replaced it with another Sharingan. Madara blinked, stunned.
"That's Shisui's eye?"
He recognized the Mangekyō pattern instantly—after all, he had once used it himself to control Obito.
A flicker of shock crossed his face, but he forced calm, saying,
"Do you think Kotoamatsukami can control me? I'm not Obito."
"I never intended to use Kotoamatsukami on you. That would be far too crude. Controlling you would only ruin my plans. Besides, in your current state, using that technique on you would be a waste."
Kotoamatsukami could not target souls. Otherwise, Kiyosuke would have gladly used it to bind Madara's spirit and make him follow his plans.
Madara's face stiffened. To be dismissed so easily made him feel underestimated. Ever since his revival, Kiyosuke had been in complete control. The humiliation was unbearable.
"What exactly are you trying to do?"
"I'll show you something interesting. The Sharingan!"
Their gazes clashed. Madara's eyes glinted with killing intent as he growled,
"This is still nothing but your words."
"Maybe. But time will prove me right." Kiyosuke smiled faintly. "I've already achieved what I wanted by reviving you. Let's talk again later, Madara."
"Hmph! Arrogant brat." Madara snorted.
Kiyosuke then began forming seals, his voice sharp:
"Edo Tensei—Release!"
Madara's body began to crumble, glowing faintly. He did not resist.
"Tell me, boy... where did you learn all this?"
"I have my sources. Think of it as a gamble. Care to place a bet with me?" Kiyosuke asked with a smile.
"Hahaha! A bet? Do you think I'm Hashirama? I, Uchiha Madara, seldom gamble. But... I'll wager with you this once!"
With that, his aged soul slipped free of its vessel and returned to the Pure Land.
Kiyosuke looked down at the lifeless body, letting out a sigh. His goal had been achieved—at the very least, Madara would be a little more cautious now. The rest... depended on careful maneuvering.
For the moment, it was time to resume training in Ryūchi Cave's senjutsu. The White Snake Sage had granted him two chances to practice sage arts. He couldn't afford to waste them.