The Rinnegan.
A dōjutsu beyond the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Everyone in the shinobi world knew of it—because the Sage of Six Paths himself had possessed those eyes.
But in the thousand years since his passing, no one in the ninja world had awakened another pair.
Uchiha Madara had always believed that regaining the Rinnegan—returning to the Sage's bloodline—was an extraordinary achievement.
And yet…
The puppet behind Uchiha Kai… had it too?
[Elder Madara]: Why…? Impossible…
Madara felt personally insulted.
After his final battle with Senju Hashirama, he had survived in secrecy, clinging to life. Only decades later—after integrating Hashirama's cells and enduring years of research—had he finally awakened the Rinnegan.
It had taken more than twenty years to complete that qualitative leap from Mangekyō to Rinnegan.
And Uchiha Kai?
Less than ten seconds.
[Elder Madara]: Does Uchiha Kai possess Wood Release cells?
[Elder Madara]: But even then… it shouldn't be this fast…
[Elder Madara]: Am I… not a genius?
For the first time in his life, Uchiha Madara—the strongest, the proudest, the most gifted—felt doubt creep into his heart.
[Uchiha Fugaku]: Wood Release cells?
[Elder Madara]: You wouldn't know.
[Uchiha Fugaku]: …
[Uchiha Fugaku]: But that is the Rinnegan, correct?
[Elder Madara]: Fugaku. Since you have the Mangekyō, you've seen the Uchiha Stone Tablet left by the Sage, haven't you?
[Uchiha Fugaku]: Yes. After awakening the Mangekyō, the inscriptions change.
[Uchiha Fugaku]: It speaks of gathering the Tailed Beasts and casting the Infinite Tsukuyomi to achieve peace.
[Elder Madara]: Then Uchiha Kai must have read it as well?
Madara asked this for one reason.
He had seen the tablet.
That revelation had led him down the path of awakening the Rinnegan.
If Uchiha Kai had also undergone hardship, studied the tablet, struggled and labored to reach this state—
Then perhaps Madara could salvage some pride.
Because all this time, he had believed Hashirama was naïve, blind to reality.
He had been the chosen one.
A prodigy.
The one who awakened the Rinnegan and devised the grand design.
But Uchiha Kai?
Ten seconds.
Activated Rinnegan.
Then summoned peak-state Madara as a puppet.
…
Who exactly was the chosen one here?
His confidence had taken a hit.
[Uchiha Fugaku]: I don't know. In theory—
[Elder Madara]: …
So Uchiha Kai hadn't even needed the Stone Tablet?
[Uchiha Izuna]: Big brother, does that matter?
[Elder Madara]: You don't understand, Izuna. The Rinnegan can evolve even further. The Sage of Six Paths stood at the origin. Over generations, bloodlines diluted.
[Elder Madara]: To return to that level… do you know how difficult it is?
[Uchiha Izuna]: And you reached it, didn't you?
[Elder Madara]: I did.
[Uchiha Izuna]: Then that's enough. My big brother is amazing.
[Elder Madara]: …But Uchiha Kai reached it too.
[Uchiha Izuna]: …
That was true.
The youthful Madara behind Uchiha Kai looked terrifyingly powerful.
[Uchiha Izuna]: I still don't see the problem.
[Uchiha Fugaku]: How so?
[Uchiha Izuna]: Uchiha Kai being strong isn't bad. He clearly doesn't act like a typical Uchiha.
[Uchiha Izuna]: Maybe he's the Sage of Six Paths' illegitimate child.
[Uchiha Fugaku]: Oh?
[Elder Madara]: That explanation…
…actually made sense.
Madara felt his shattered pride slowly reassembling.
Yes.
If Uchiha Kai possessed some abnormal bloodline—
Then his outrageous "cheating" would be explained.
He was born different.
Unlike Madara, who had clawed his way upward through decades of effort.
Yes.
That must be it.
Madara straightened mentally.
[Elder Madara]: Thank you, Izuna. I've recovered.
[Uchiha Izuna]: Huh?
Izuna blinked, confused.
Meanwhile—
In the livestream, Uchiha Kai finished evolving Elder Madara into his youthful prime with the Rinnegan and then walked out.
[Uchiha Fugaku]: It seems Uchiha Kai is planning to do something.
[Uchiha Fugaku]: From what he muttered earlier, he intends to persuade someone.
[Uchiha Fugaku]: …Wait.
Fugaku suddenly understood.
When an Uchiha said "persuade"—
It usually meant genjutsu.
If he intended to use genjutsu—
Was Elder Madara's level insufficient?
[Elder Madara]: …
Madara understood at the same moment.
Earlier, when Uchiha Kai said "not enough" before upgrading—
He hadn't grasped the implication.
Now he did.
[Elder Madara]: Excellent, Uchiha Kai.
[Elder Madara]: I will remember this.
His Mangekyō had once been powerful enough to control the Nine-Tails—
And yet Uchiha Kai thought his genjutsu wasn't sufficient.
So he upgraded him to the Rinnegan instead?!
Young people truly had no martial virtue.
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