"Was I... tricked?"
Madara raised an eyebrow, looking at Mirai Uchiha in confusion. "I learned about awakening the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, obtaining the power of Shinra Banshō, awakening the Rinnegan, and initiating the Infinite Tsukuyomi Plan from stone tablets left behind by the Sage of Six Paths."
"Are you seriously suggesting the Sage of Six Paths was wrong? Do you truly believe the Infinite Tsukuyomi cannot be realized?"
As one who has always manipulated others, how could Madara possibly be deceived?
According to the information he had gathered, the Infinite Tsukuyomi absolutely had the potential to succeed.
Mirai's words were simply the result of his limited understanding.
If not for the absolute strength Mirai had just displayed, Madara wouldn't even have bothered arguing with him.
Noticing Madara's expression, Mirai Uchiha let out a scoff. "Madara, you're still as arrogant as ever."
"Do you actually think you control everything and can treat everyone else merely as pawns to be used?"
Crossing his arms, Madara replied calmly, "That is exactly what transpired."
"Hahahaha..." Mirai couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Madara, you're too naive."
"In truth, you're no different from Obito Uchiha and Nagato—you're all just chess pieces."
"You are not the player!"
Hearing the obvious mockery in Mirai's tone, Madara's face darkened slightly.
He was extremely curious about why Mirai would say such things, but seeing that disdainful expression, he found himself unable to voice his questions.
Eventually, he merely shot Hashirama Senju an icy glare.
Hashirama hesitated briefly before immediately turning toward Mirai and asking, "Mirai, I know Madara well—he wouldn't place so much confidence in his plan without solid grounds."
"You claim he was being manipulated—do you mean you know something we don't?"
"Precisely," Mirai acknowledged, knowing Madara's personality well enough not to dwell on it too much.
"Madara, the truth about the ninja world goes far beyond what you've read on those stone tablets."
"Now, let me tell you everything!"
After Mirai spoke, both Madara and Hashirama grew visibly serious.
As former rulers of the ninja world, they practically knew everything there was to know.
Now, they were eager to hear what this young newcomer considered the real 'truth.'
Under the piercing gazes of Madara and Hashirama, Mirai finally began speaking.
"In ancient times, a man and woman arrived in the ninja world from deep within the cosmos. Their names were Kaguya Ōtsutsuki and Isshiki Ōtsutsuki."
"They belonged to the Ōtsutsuki Clan, gaining power by stealing the energy of various planets."
"The God Tree and the Ten-Tails were both offspring of their race."
"However, after witnessing the vitality of the Ninja World, Kaguya Otsutsuki began to harbor different intentions..."
"After attacking Isshiki Otsutsuki, Kaguya Otsutsuki secretly consumed the Chakra Fruit. Due to her immense power, she was called the Moon Goddess by people at that time."
"With blessings from humans, Kaguya Otsutsuki gave birth to two sons—one elder named Hagoromo Otsutsuki, and one younger named Hamura Otsutsuki."
"To prevent pursuit and hunting from the Otsutsuki Clan, Kaguya launched the Infinite Tsukuyomi and created White Zetsu..."
"To stop Kaguya Otsutsuki, Hagoromo Otsutsuki and Hamura Otsutsuki joined forces and sealed her away."
"At the moment of being sealed, Kaguya Otsutsuki gave birth to her third child—Black Zetsu, who inherited her will!"
Mirai Uchiha briefly explained the story of Kaguya Otsutsuki and Isshiki Otsutsuki to Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju. After hearing it, both of them wore expressions full of shock.
They never imagined that beyond the Ninja World, there actually existed a powerful clan like the Otsutsuki Clan in the universe.
Back then, the two of them had fought fiercely for three days and nights straight on an open field outside Konoha, even physically reshaping the local terrain.
To commemorate this battle, people later named the place where they fought—
The Valley of the End!
Originally, they thought such intensity of combat was unparalleled within the Ninja World. But now, thousands of years ago, Kaguya Otsutsuki and her two sons, Hagoromo Otsutsuki and Hamura Otsutsuki, had fought nonstop for three entire months!
And the damage left the Ninja World shattered...
Just hearing about such power was enough to leave anyone gasping for breath.
Compared to Hashirama, Madara Uchiha felt even more shocked.
Because he had heard a very familiar name from Mirai's mouth.
Black Zetsu!
Wasn't that a manifestation of his own will?
How come, according to Mirai, he had become a manifestation of Kaguya's will?
Noticing Madara's confusion, Hashirama quickly asked, "Mirai, then what happened afterward?"
"If all of them were so powerful, why have we never heard of them before?"
"What happened after Kaguya was sealed?"
"And what became of her third child, Black Zetsu?"
As Hashirama asked these questions, Madara shot him a look of approval.
A hint of pride surfaced on Hashirama's face.
The two exchanged glances, their mouths curling upward involuntarily.
Witnessing this scene, Mirai couldn't help but take a deep breath.
Could these two just stop doing those things that so easily lead to awkward misunderstandings?!
Taking a deep breath, Mirai Uchiha continued, "After Kaguya Otsutsuki was sealed away, Hamura Otsutsuki went to the moon together with her."
"Hagoromo, on the other hand, remained in the Ninja World to repair the landscapes they had destroyed."
"During the process of restoring the Ninja World, Hagoromo established the ninja path and taught people how to harness chakra."
"As more and more humans obtained this power, Hagoromo eventually earned an honored title—"
"The Sage of Six Paths."
"What?!" Hashirama Senju couldn't help but exclaim. "So the Sage of Six Paths is actually the child of Kaguya Otsutsuki."
"I never would've imagined..."
Madara Uchiha's eyes flickered slightly.
Even these were secrets that Madara had never heard before.
If everything Mirai Uchiha said was true, it meant he might actually know things unknown to ordinary people.
Was I actually deceived all along?
Unable to contain his curiosity, Hashirama asked, "Mirai, what about Black Zetsu? You haven't explained its story yet."
"Surely it's doing everything it can to free Kaguya Otsutsuki from the seal?"
Mirai nodded. "Exactly. Black Zetsu did many things, and because of this, countless conflicts arose between the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan over thousands of years."
Hearing this, Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha were stunned.
How did this involve the Senju and Uchiha Clans?
Could it mean both clans already existed back in those ancient times?
But weren't their rivalries caused by fighting each other during assigned missions?
How could this possibly relate to Black Zetsu?
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