At that moment, Mitsuki was tailing White Zetsu like some kind of creepy stalker.But inside, his mind was running through analysis after analysis—calculating what kind of cards Madara could still play at this point.
Susanoo — Madara could definitely manifest it.
It probably wouldn't be a complete form, but at least the humanoid half-body stage was basically guaranteed.
Other potentially dangerous techniques included the Truth-Seeking Ball, created through Yin–Yang Release, and the Wood Release stolen from the First Hokage.Oh, and the most important trump card of all — the Uchiha clan's secret technique, Izanagi.
Even though his memories from a past life told him that Madara currently only possessed a single Three-Tomoe Sharingan, logically speaking, that didn't necessarily mean the other eye socket was empty.
Calculating it all out, Mitsuki realized that this old Madara still had quite a few tricks up his sleeve.Still, even so, Mitsuki was confident he could take him down.
At this stage, Madara hadn't yet given Black Zetsu an "identity", and with how deep his delusions ran from that corrupted Uchiha tablet, there was no way words alone could sway him.
So Mitsuki had no plans to attempt any kind of Talk-no-Jutsu.
Right now, the situation favored him — the enemy was in the light, while he remained in the shadows.
Madara believed Mitsuki was unaware of his existence.
That meant there would only be one shot at this — if he failed, Madara would go completely underground, never exposing himself again.
So this time, Mitsuki would have to strike with lightning speed and overwhelming force — not giving Madara even a single breath to recover.
Once this malignant tumor of the shinobi world was removed, Mitsuki would have a long period to grow stronger in peace.
Land of Water — a dark underground chamber.
Madara suddenly opened his eyes from the stone chair he sat upon.
A powerful wave of chakra rippled outward, startling the nearby White Zetsu into a jump.
The creature quickly asked, "What happened, Lord Madara?"
Madara frowned, visibly displeased.
"That fool, Tobi, led the enemy straight here."
He suddenly wondered if he hadn't been a bit too lenient with that particular White Zetsu.
"Should I just… dispose of him?"
"No—better not. It was made from Hashirama's cells, after all. If it weren't a bit stupid, that would be the strange part."
Suppressing his urge to clean up his own creations, Madara began analyzing countermeasures.
The chakra he sensed was strong — not quite Hashirama-level, but certainly not to be underestimated.
By all logic, no shinobi in the Land of Water should possess chakra of that magnitude.
He shared the chakra signature with the White Zetsu, who instantly recognized it, eyes widening in shock.
"It's Shimizu Mitsuki from Konoha!"
Madara burst into loud laughter.
"Ha ha ha ha—cough… cough…"
Black Zetsu gave him a sympathetic "elderly" look.
Madara clapped his hands together in a seal.
Behind him, the Gedo Statue began to twitch.It extended a branch-like appendage, from which hung a bandage-wrapped White Zetsu.
Black Zetsu immediately understood his master's plan.
That special White Zetsu was a custom-made sacrificial body, allowing Madara to channel one of the abilities granted to him long ago by the Rinnegan—
Shapeshifting Technique
This jutsu would let Madara project most of his own power into the sacrifice.But there were limits.Even a highly specialized body like this one could only contain roughly 50% of Madara's chakra — and it couldn't replicate the Rinnegan's abilities.
After having the Gedo Statue set the body on the ground, Madara's hands flew through seals.
"Shapeshifting Technique!"
Dust rose from the floor, clinging to the White Zetsu's body.
Moments later, the form solidified into that of a long-haired man clad in old-style Warring States armor — the very image of a young Uchiha Madara.
Black Zetsu hesitated.
"Lord Madara, that Mitsuki can use space–time ninjutsu. If he refuses to engage directly, this clone's chakra will be exhausted very quickly."
Madara cast him a brief glance but said nothing.
Instead, he turned to the projected body, formed several black rods through Yin–Yang Release, and embedded them into its torso.
Then, turning back, he hurled the remaining rods into the Gedo Statue's body.
"A lion uses its full strength even against a rabbit."
Madara had now linked the Gedo Statue's chakra flow to his clone — ensuring that within a certain range, the statue could continuously supply it with chakra.
The poor Gedo Statue, already depleted, groaned as its energy was drained even further by its master's greed.
Still, Madara wasn't satisfied.
"Send a few White Zetsu to the Land of Fire" he commanded.
"Have them disguise themselves as Konoha shinobi and spread false intel to lure Uchiha Ruri here."
Black Zetsu bowed and sank into the ground, using Mayfly to travel swiftly toward the Kirigakure front lines.
With everything in motion, Madara sat back onto his stone chair.
Judging by Ruri's speed, he'd need to put on a little "show" with Mitsuki first.
Outside Madara's hideout.
Closer… closer…
Mitsuki's vision had already pierced the outer wall — he could now see inside Madara's den.
That spiral-faced White Zetsu had been wandering in circles for so long that Mitsuki had begun to doubt whether it even knew where it was going.
But now, he no longer needed it as a guide.
Lightning flared across his body as he activated Chidori, and in a burst of speed, he shot past Tobi—heading straight toward Madara's stronghold.
Land of Fire – Kirigakure Frontline
"Aa~"
With one last Chidori Spear, Ruri finished off the final enemy in her path, expression cold and unreadable as she began cleaning the battlefield.
Today, Ruri hadn't gone to see Mitsuki off.Instead, she'd accepted an interception mission and left early with three other Uchiha shinobi.
Not far away, Shisui noticed she seemed to be in an unusually bad mood today.And he was right — Ruri was frustrated, but not because Mitsuki had left her behind.
No, what angered her was how slowly her own strength was growing. If she were stronger than Mitsuki, maybe he'd be the one sulking right now.
Then again… knowing him, he'd probably just laugh that carefree laugh of his, happy to have someone strong enough to take his place on the battlefield.
At that thought, Ruri's tense expression relaxed ever so slightly.
That guy, Mitsuki — he was such a strange person. He didn't seem to have the ambition of a true warrior… And yet, somehow, he possessed power that far surpassed nearly anyone else.