A ghost?
Watching Jiraiya run off crying and making a fuss, the Anbu ninja were bewildered.
But before they could react, Jiraiya ran back again and spoke quickly.
"Go back, tell Sensei that Tsunade was captured by Lucian. Orochimaru and I are going deep into enemy territory to investigate, even if it means death!"
"To put it simply, I've defected!"
"Mhm, just like that. Bye-bye!"
"..."
The Anbu ninja were all dumbfounded.
What the hell?
Just as they were about to leave, Jiraiya returned again, his expression grave.
"Hanzō was killed by Lucian's subordinates. The Konoha forces, along with Rōshi from Iwagakure leading over two thousand ninja, and many Amegakure ninja, were all killed by Lucian."
"Tell Sensei to be extremely careful of Lucian. He's getting stronger too fast."
"Remember, unless absolutely necessary, do not enter the Land of Rain. That is Lucian's territory."
"Also, tell Sensei... Orochimaru is a hero!"
"I won't be coming back. Bye-bye."
"..."
The entire squad was completely baffled!
Who am I? Where am I? What am I supposed to do?
One ninja asked, "Captain, is Lord Jiraiya... defecting?"
The squad leader, an experienced elite Jonin in his thirties, could only cough in the face of the questioning gazes from his team:
"You bunch of idiots, can't you see Jiraiya isn't in his right mind?"
Another ninja asked, still confused, "So what does that mean?"
"Get lost! How the hell should I know what he means!"
The Anbu elite was utterly speechless. What a mess.
But if Lucian had really conquered the Land of Rain, then this was a major incident.
Compared to pursuing Orochimaru, reporting this matter to Lord Hokage was more important.
...
At the same time!
Somewhere in the ninja world!
In a dark, vast, and silent underground space.
There, in a bizarre scene, sat an old man in the twilight of his life, looking as if he could pass away at any moment.
But from his body, an aura of looking down on everything, of absolute dominance over all creation, flowed from him.
His half-open eyes stared ahead, as calm as still water. If anyone were to meet his gaze, they would see an abyss of profound and terrifying depth.
The Asura of the Ninja World, Uchiha Madara!
Even now, his name was a taboo existence that struck fear into the hearts of all who heard it, a name no one dared to discuss.
"So, that child, Nagato... we've lost control of him?"
A slightly hoarse, deep voice sounded as Uchiha Madara looked at Black Zetsu and White Zetsu before him.
He was so calm, as if nothing could fluster him.
Black Zetsu did not speak. Although he had escaped in time, he was injured!
Indeed, Black Zetsu could feel the lingering effects of that attack, which made his very soul ache. He didn't know how long it would take to recover.
It made him understand that Lucian was an unprecedented enemy!
White Zetsu, however, was trembling with fear, "Lord Madara, it's not my fault! Black Zetsu insisted on looking for Lucian. I didn't want to go, but he dragged me along..."
"As a result, we were gone for a little while, and Nagato was taken away by that monster, Lucian."
Black Zetsu sneered. He's quite good at spinning tales.
But Black Zetsu wasn't worried in the slightest. After all, in Madara's eyes, he was a product of his will.
Would a person not even trust himself?
"Lucian..."
As if hearing this name for the first time, Uchiha Madara's eyes narrowed slightly.
From White Zetsu's tone, he knew that Lucian must be a rather troublesome powerhouse.
But any powerhouse should have an astonishing track record and a remarkable path of growth.
Yet he had never heard of him.
Something... wasn't right?
"That's right, Lucian is a complete and utter monster!"
To absolve himself of responsibility, White Zetsu began to exaggerate wildly:
"They say that when he was born in Konoha..."
White Zetsu took a deep breath and shouted!
"Purple qi came from the east for thirty thousand li, and a thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers all cheered."
"He became a Genin in one day, a Chunin in two, and reached the level of the Sage of Six Paths in three!"
"He crippled Danzo on a whim, killed tens of thousands of Konoha ninja, snatched the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and swaggered off."
"Then, wielding a watermelon knife, he slaughtered his way from Konoha to the Land of Rain. With every swing of his blade, he stained three thousand li with blood and killed a million enemies."
"He cut off Hanzō's head with one slash, annihilated the Four-Tails Jinchuriki with another, and then with a third slash, he carved out an abyss that stretched for tens of thousands of li. The entire ninja world is about to collapse."
At this, White Zetsu sighed with emotion.
"Alas, he was born in the wrong era!"
"If he had been born a few thousand years earlier, the Sage of Six Paths would have been irrelevant!"
Uchiha Madara was stunned, and Black Zetsu was also dumbfounded.
What the hell!
Black Zetsu wanted to kick this bastard to death.
Aren't you laying it on a bit thick!
Uchiha Madara was silent for a long moment before spitting out a single word: "Scram!"
"You got it! Lord Madara, you carry on. I'll be scrambling!"
White Zetsu flashed a sycophantic grin and, like a pug, literally rolled on the ground once before melting into the floor, fleeing underground as fast as he could.
Meeting Madara's gaze, Black Zetsu said gravely, "Lucian is indeed miraculous..."
He then relayed everything he knew.
Uchiha Madara listened to every word.
Even with all his experience, a flicker of surprise appeared in his eyes.
If Black Zetsu was not mistaken, the current Lucian...
Was still an infant?
Indeed, in the eyes of the Konoha ninja, Lucian's actual age was only six months. If that wasn't a monster, what was?
"Creating an abyss with a single slash, killing the Four-Tails Jinchuriki with a glance, and even making you feel a sense of mortal danger... Interesting..."
Uchiha Madara suddenly felt that his boring life had found a new source of amusement.
If Hashirama knew about this, he'd surely make a big fuss.
Hey, wait, why am I thinking of that idiot Hashirama again?
Damn it, get out of my head! Come back a little later... maybe!
Uchiha Madara said faintly, "Nagato falling into his hands... might not be a bad thing."