Itachi no unmei -イタチの運命-
(The Destiny of Itachi)
Part 5 : The Two Madara
It was still pitch dark. I was crossing a long, steep stone path. We had finished our conversation with Madara some time earlier, and then returned to Konoha.
The sight I'd seen had made me realize who Madara really was. He had totally annihilated all the Konoha ninjas who had faced us, without the slightest hint of mercy. On the one hand, we had to go through with it: if he didn't eliminate those who saw him, the whole village would learn that he was back. But no one in the village was capable of defeating him... So it was best to avoid any fears that might lead to unnecessary losses.
Madara had asked us a lot of questions, but not the ones I'd imagined. In fact, he had died not so long ago... Well, it had been a good ten years.
When I announced that I'd eliminated the Uchiha Clan, he smiled, then said: "I deserved it... I expected it." I didn't know exactly what his link with our Clan was, but it was probably very complex and can be enjoyable. In the end, he seemed to rather dislike me, which was for the best; I didn't particularly want to alienate him.
Now we were on our way to the other Madara. Usually, when I found him, it was in the village of Kiri, his place of residence. I was one of the only people who knew where he was, having discovered it while investigating him.
— This place is pretty gloomy... So this is where he's taken up residence? I taught him well...»
Madara seemed relaxed. He was back from the dead like... naturally. It was almost unsettling. It wasn't for nothing that he was known as one of the two greatest legends of the ninja world after the hermit rikudo himself.
We had finally arrived at our destination. Madara Uchiha's lair. In reality, this was the residence of the 4th Mizukage, Yagura, who had since died. Madara had stayed in this place, now considered cursed after the mizukage's deeds, which was in fact under Madara's control. On a few occasions, he had had other residences, notably during a period of hiding within the Uchiha clan itself, which is where we first really spoke.
— Madara!» Madara shouted.
The atmosphere was chilly. In the darkness, I could feel Orochimaru's breathing, always that interested look. I was rather worried, but as always, I didn't show it.
Suddenly, my Sharingan sensed something in the darkness.
Fwooo...
Madara's space-time ninjutsu. He had just teleported right in front of us.
At last, a light sprang up in the darkness. He had just lit a torch. I could see his face covered in an orange spiral mask. He'd changed masks again...
— Itachi... Orochimaru... And...»
The other Madara's scarlet pupil glowed in the dark. I could clearly see his astonishment. Unbelievable... I'd never seen him in such a state. I guess it wasn't just anyone standing in front of him...
— Hello, Madara.» said the real Madara, a slight smile on his lips.
The other Madara looked at him, puzzled. Not knowing what to say. He then turned to Orochimaru.
— Did you bring him back?»
Orochimaru looked at him with a broad smile.
— Of course...»
— So... Tell me... Madara... What are your plans?» asked the real Madara.
The other Madara then turned to his interlocutor. He seemed somewhat embarrassed. As I understood it, he didn't want this new, resurrected Madara around at all.
— Well... Actually, I'd prefer it if we talked about this alone. The two of us.»
— Oh... Are my dear merry men bothering you? I'm sorry to hear that. Messieurs... Take your bows.» ironized the real Madara.
I knew I had to leave... But I absolutely had to know more about all this... Above all, I had to judge whether this new Madara was a danger or not. Although, honestly, at the moment, it seemed almost obvious that he was a real danger.
— I... I'd rather stay.» Orochimaru suddenly exclaimed.
He wasn't afraid of anything. After all, he was almost an importer. And... Come to think of it... If he had wished, he could have dismissed Madara.
— Oh... He's got some nerve, that one.» laughs Madara «I like that... He can stay. I like the other one too.»
The other Madara saw red, furious. He knew I was dangerous to his plans, and Orochimaru was totally unpredictable. But the real Madara wasn't worried... He knew his superiority over us. At the slightest betrayal, he could easily eliminate us... This implied that he had a way of countering Orochimaru should the latter attempt to dismiss him.
— They will leave. Or we won't do business.» concluded the masked Madara.
— Tsss... You're too timid. My plans will come true no matter what... Believe me.»;Madara sighed «But so be it, if you wish... You can go.»
It didn't suit me... How could I let two such dangerous beings plot together without knowing the details of their schemes? I had to find something, some excuse... I don't know.
I could very well arrange to spy on them, but I doubted Madara wouldn't detect my presence... Alternatively, I could try to position a raven nearby and see the scene through my eyes... But the other Madara knew about my crows, and that's what he'd try to detect first. The best solution would be for this raven to stay far away, out of his sharingan's field of vision. It seemed feasible... But the probability of it succeeding was very low.
The alternative was to find an excuse to stay. The problem was not to be suspicious or incur the wrath of Madara. I was already in a delicate situation, so it was better not to try anything. This was the first and most practical solution...
— See you later... Itachi, right?» said the new Madara.
— I'll be near the village. You shouldn't have any trouble detecting me.» I agreed, seizing the opportunity.
He nodded, smiling.
— Tsss... I'm sorry... I was curious about you...» Orochimaru grumbled.
— Now we can finish our mission.» I replied.
— If you like... At least I'd have Sasuke...»
It had been a long journey... And tormented. We'd crossed from the Nakano Temple in the village of Konoha to Madara's house in the former residence of the 4th Mizukage in Kiri, and then back again to Konoha. But I hadn't seen the time go by...
- The village has probably already fully detected us. They may be waiting for us. In my opinion, a ninja orde should already be on site to secure the perimeter.» Orochimaru remarked.
— In any case, given the time, Sasuke must be back. I don't want to risk him seeing us... If the ninjas spot us and make a noise... You see where I'm going with this? »
— Mh... All right, then. We'll meet again in the morning to get everything ready.»
We parted ways. I stood there, calmly observing the village of Konoha. Then I opened my right eye wide. It had turned black again, its natural color without the use of the Sharingan. Through this eye, I could see from the eye of the Korbo I'd posted near Madara's territory.
I was completely connected to some of my Korbos, which I obtained by invocation contract. Many of my techniques were linked to Korbos, including the permutation I'd modified to evaporate as a Korbos. Summoning, on the other hand, I used less often. It was an espionage technique that I preferred to keep secret to avoid being spotted one day.
I saw through the eye of the raven. He was posted on a roof, camouflaged in the dark. The building he was on was close to Madara's, just a few meters away. The conversation between the two Madara's could therefore be faintly heard. Having good hearing, I think this would do the trick.
I could hear the few snatches of their conversation, in which I detected a rather heavy atmosphere.
— I see... So... All this time... You're still at this stage?»
The real Madara seemed to be taking over the conversation. It was quite impressive... The Madara I knew, who seemed unattainable, was totally dominated. History had underestimated the elders.
— It's not that easy... You have to put everything in place...»
— Hiruzen Sarutobi is old enough, and the Uchiha are no longer of this world. With the organization you've just created, you have what it takes to dominate Konoha, the most powerful of the 5 major villages. Do you expect me to believe that you haven't even begun to attack Suna?»
— It's more complicated than that... I have to handle Nagato with care. He doesn't have the same ideals, so I have to steer things towards his vision, make it look like his ideal prevails.»
Nagato? Who was it? Another interesting element...
— I alone would have been able to dominate the entirety of these pathetic villages... Ninjas aren't as powerful as they used to be. You've been weakened by certain periods of peace... You'd have me believe that all by yourself... You're not even capable of dominating the village of Suna? This village has always been weak, and has the weakest Biju... It's child's play. You wanted to have the Bijus one by one in order of number of tails, didn't you? Get Shukaku... I don't see how this requires Pain's intervention. Who is his current owner?»
— His name is Gaara...»
— Explicit. Is it powerful?»
— He's a feared kid in his village, he...»
— A kid?! You can't dominate a kid?!»
— It's more complicated than that...»
— I'm the one who taught you everything. Everything you know, I know. And I have much more experience than you. I'm telling you it's possible... What don't you understand?!»
The atmosphere was palpable. Madara had every reason to be annoyed. Come to think of it, I couldn't understand why the other Madara had never put his plan into action... At the moment, even I could dominate most of the Bijus receptacles, with the possible exception of Hachibi. Then there was the whole village to contend with... But still...
The problem now was that if the real Madara was back... He was likely to go on the hunt for the Bijus, in accordance with the plan he and his sidekick had supposedly hatched. And he, even weakened... He wouldn't have so much trouble succeeding.
— There's another point that's been nagging at me...» said the real Madara, perplexed.
He paused.
— The power of your chakra... It seems very low to me. Where's your second pupil?»
— Huh? I still have my two eyes...»
— Don't play innocent, you morons... Your second Mangekyou.»
— I've only ever had one.»
— Pffft... Stop fucking with me. The eye you entrusted to your old friend there... The one that killed your "girlfriend".»
There was a blank space. I could see Madara now, turning red. But it wasn't like me to be satisfied with that sort of thing. What was currently capturing my attention... was the evocation of another man... Possessing one of Madara's eyes... I had a hunch that...
— With this eye... You could finally awaken the Susano. It's the lack of half your power that hinders your evolution.»
The other Madara still didn't answer, clearly in a critical situation. But I... I had already tuned out their conversation. Something had piqued my interest... I was beginning to realize that...
A man... With a Sharingan... A man who... Not so long ago, at the start of my mission with Orochimaru... I found Kakashi Hatake. He... He had a Sharingan.
In those days, it was common practice to steal Sharingan from Uchiha corpses during wartime. But today, this practice is forbidden in our village. And in general, Uchiha eyes were gouged out to prevent an enemy from monopolizing them. As a result, apart from the elders, there were very few people with our Sharingan.
The man to whom Madara had entrusted his Sharingan was still alive today. Otherwise, Madara would have retorted that he couldn't have because the man was dead.
And then... Another detail... It was rare for someone with a Sharingan to be able to master it. To do so required strong emotions, and in general, very few people were able to contain the surging chakra of a Sharingan.
Some time ago, when I was still living in Konoha, before my clan was massacred, I was a member of the Root, Danzô Shimura's organization. This organization ran parallel to the Anbu, under the direct leadership of the 3rd Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Kakashi was a member of Anbu... One day, during a mission, I asked him where he got his Sharingan...
«It was the last gift from a dear friend, for my birthday...» he explained vaguely, without saying more.
I didn't dare ask him any more questions, knowing that it must be a rather painful subject that was none of my business. And in any case, he didn't seem inclined to say much more.
This pupil... What if she came... Madara?
I'd had a hunch the last time I'd seen Kakashi Hatake. I began to think... But I hadn't had the time. As I gathered the pieces, I'd come to suspect a few things...
There was one detail... I'd found something. It was a crucial clue, or maybe it was just a total coincidence. Still, given the magnitude of the thing... It had to be one hell of a coincidence...
Kakashi Hatake had said "Obito" in his dream. I'd never heard the name, but it must have been dear to Kakashi. And usually, the ones who come to mind first in a dream are the ones we can't see today... And whom we'd like to see again.
And Obito... I'd never heard the name, yet it titillated me. It was as if... I'd heard something similar before. O...B...I...T...O... : T...O...O...B...I... Rearranging the letters made sense.
Tobi. This was the new name Madara wanted to give himself. Presumably, he wasn't quite Madara. It was...
I had to pay a little visit. A visit to Kakashi Hatake.
📖To be Continued...📖