Deep beneath the heart of Kirigakure, within a hidden underground base, Uchiha Madara sat upon a stone chair.
He wore nothing more than a simple gray robe. His body had withered until it seemed as though only a thin layer of wrinkled skin remained stretched over his bones. Leaning back against the chair, he looked so frail that he might draw his final breath at any moment.
Madara despised his current body.
He despised this weakness even more.
Had the preparations for his plan already been completed, he would have willingly cast aside this decaying shell long ago.
For three years, he had endured.
For three long years, he had continued living with a single purpose.
To eliminate Kizaru.
Kizaru's existence posed an overwhelming threat to everything Madara had prepared. At present, there was no one in the shinobi world capable of defeating him in a direct confrontation.
To remove that thorn from his side, Madara had concealed himself within the darkness of Kirigakure and spent three years weaving an enormous net across the shinobi world.
A net meant to ensnare both Kizaru and Konoha.
"How is Nagato progressing?"
Madara's closed eyes opened halfway.
He lowered his gaze toward Black Zetsu, who slowly emerged from the ground before him.
"The boy has found someone precious to him," Black Zetsu replied with a faint smile. "He seems quite happy."
A thin smile appeared on Madara's aged face.
Only after experiencing happiness—and then having that happiness torn away—could someone truly understand the cruelty and pain of this world.
"Good. Continue watching him."
Madara's voice remained calm, though his thoughts had already turned toward the war that would soon begin.
Perhaps that conflict could be used to teach Nagato the meaning of pain.
"What about the Uchiha?" Madara continued. "Have you found a suitable fool?"
The smile vanished from Black Zetsu's face.
After a brief hesitation, he answered carefully.
"The militant faction within the Uchiha clan is close to disappearing."
Madara's half-open eyes sharpened.
"Disappearing? Has Konoha already begun moving against them?"
Over the past two years, most of Madara's attention had been focused on controlling Kirigakure, reshaping the village from within, and bringing Karatachi Yagura completely under his influence.
Because of that, he had paid far less attention to the situation in Konoha.
Even so, he could not understand how the Uchiha clan's militant faction could have nearly vanished in only two years.
The only explanation he could imagine was that his foolish clansmen had finally pushed too far and been dealt with by Kizaru and Konoha.
"No," Black Zetsu answered. "Over the past two years, Konoha has abandoned its former policy of suppressing the Uchiha clan. Under Kizaru's leadership, the village has instead granted them considerable benefits."
He paused briefly.
"At present, most members of the Uchiha clan have become Kizaru's supporters."
What Black Zetsu truly wanted to say was that Kizaru had given them so many benefits that the Uchiha had practically become his loyal hounds.
However, considering Madara's identity, he decided against saying that aloud and explained the situation as tactfully as possible.
"A pack of spineless fools blinded by profit."
Madara frowned in open disgust.
"The Uchiha have lost the pride carried in their blood. That clan is beyond saving."
"Yes, Madara-sama," Black Zetsu agreed.
Madara closed his eyes again.
The information Black Zetsu had brought forced him to reconsider a large part of his original plan.
Madara had intended to use Kirigakure as the external spearhead, drawing Kumogakure and Iwagakure into an alliance between the three great shinobi villages and surrounding Konoha from multiple directions.
Within Konoha itself, he planned to exploit the long-standing conflict between the village and the Uchiha clan.
If everything proceeded as intended, those tensions would ignite into civil unrest. Ideally, the Uchiha would openly rebel while Konoha was occupied with the war.
Attacked from both within and without, Konoha would inevitably descend into chaos.
Madara could then take advantage of that confusion.
The organization of rogue shinobi he had created, together with the powerful shinobi of the three great villages, would force Kizaru to race from one battlefield to another, extinguishing one crisis after the next.
Then, while Kizaru was exhausted and surrounded, they would strike together and kill him.
In Madara's estimation, the plan had a strong chance of succeeding so long as every stage unfolded properly.
Even if they failed to kill Kizaru, they should at least be able to inflict severe injuries and halt his continued growth.
Kizaru was already far too powerful.
He could not be allowed to grow any stronger.
That was the purpose behind the plan Madara had spent three years creating.
It was also the most honest thought within his heart.
Yet he had never imagined that Kizaru would quietly dismantle the Uchiha clan's militant faction in only two years.
Where was their pride?
Where was the violence carried in their blood?
Where was their famous stupidity and recklessness?
Now that Madara finally intended to make use of them, they had simply vanished.
What a useless clan.
"Have you at least found a suitable candidate among the Uchiha?"
Although Madara had successfully brought Karatachi Yagura into his plan, Yagura's potential was too limited in his eyes.
He could never be entrusted with the responsibility of carrying out the Eye of the Moon Plan after Madara's death.
Only a member of the Uchiha clan possessed the potential to reach a level of strength that Madara could barely consider acceptable.
"I found one child."
Knowing that Madara was already in a foul mood, Black Zetsu chose his words carefully.
"He is innocent, kindhearted, and somewhat foolish. He hardly resembles an Uchiha at all. In fact, he sounds more like the members of the Senju clan you once described."
"Oh?"
Madara's interest was immediately aroused.
"What is his name? How old is he?"
"Uchiha Obito. He will turn three this year."
Not even three years old?
"Far too young," Madara said with dissatisfaction. "Continue observing him."
"Yes."
Black Zetsu lowered his head respectfully.
"Return to the mainland and prepare yourself," Madara ordered. "The war will begin in one month."
"Yes, Madara-sama."
After answering respectfully, Black Zetsu sank into the ground and disappeared.
He would leave the Land of Water and return to the continent.
The organization of rogue shinobi established by Madara was currently under Black Zetsu's management.
Madara silently watched the place where he had disappeared.
After a moment, the corner of his mouth slowly rose.
Kizaru.
Are you prepared?
Are you ready to receive the gift I have prepared for you?
Merely thinking about the surprise awaiting Kizaru and Konoha improved Madara's mood, washing away much of the irritation caused by the Uchiha clan.
Far above the underground base, inside the private training chamber reserved for the Fourth Mizukage, the short and youthful-looking Karatachi Yagura pressed both hands against the ground.
Countless sharpened tree trunks erupted from the floor before him, filling the chamber with a dense forest of twisted wood.
Standing in one corner of the training room was a spiral-faced White Zetsu.
It was an unusually talkative creature that constantly asked others what it felt like to defecate.
Madara had given it to Yagura as a living suit capable of amplifying Wood Release.
Yagura stared at the dense growth of trees before him.
A satisfied smile spread across his face.
"I succeeded."
"I did it!"
Elsewhere, Minato Namikaze suddenly appeared ten meters away, a uniquely shaped kunai held in his hand.
His body had crossed the distance so quickly that it seemed as though he had teleported.
A bright laugh escaped him.
"Minato!"
Kushina Uzumaki, who had been training beside her boyfriend, rushed toward him in excitement and threw her arms around him.
"That was amazing!"
The smile on Minato's face grew brighter as Kushina embraced him.
He lifted his arms and held her tightly.
"Kushina, thank you for always staying beside me."
After her initial excitement faded, Kushina became aware of how closely they were holding one another.
A faint blush spread across her face.
She shyly stepped back and slipped free from Minato's arms.
Reaching up, she tucked several loose strands of long red hair behind her ear.
"When I was training to control the Nine-Tails' chakra, you stayed with me the entire time too," she said with a warm smile. "Of course I'd stay with you, Minato."
They looked at one another, gentle smiles resting on their faces.
Their eyes were filled with affection.
Kushina did not turn away beneath Minato's heated gaze.
She met his eyes directly, the same love reflected within her own.
Because of the changes brought about by Kizaru's existence, Minato and Kushina had never experienced the same winding path of a hero rescuing a girl, followed by a confession beneath the moonlight.
Instead, they had grown up beside one another.
Their relationship had developed quietly and naturally, the bond between childhood companions gradually deepening until it became love.
No one could say which path was better.
But at this moment, they were undoubtedly a happy and deeply affectionate couple.
Their gazes remained locked.
Driven by the natural impulses of two people caught in the passion of their first love, they slowly leaned closer.
Their lips were only moments from meeting.
"Ooh… how passionate."
A lazy, thoroughly inappropriate voice interrupted them.
"You two should be a little more careful in a public training ground."
Minato and Kushina sprang apart like startled deer.
At the edge of the training ground stood Kizaru.
His hands rested casually inside his pockets, and a pair of sunglasses covered his eyes. A teasing smile stretched across his face as he watched them.
"That idiot…"
Kushina lowered her head, her face burning with both embarrassment and anger.
Minato's smile became helpless.
He turned toward Kizaru, who had appeared without warning.
" Kizaru, did something happen?"
"Ooh…"
Kizaru slowly walked onto the training ground.
"So you've finally mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique."
He tilted his head slightly.
"How frightening."
Minato nodded.
"I've grasped the basics, but I still need much more practice before I can use it properly in battle."
"You really are a terrifying genius, Minato."
Kizaru stopped in front of them and looked down at the pair.
Minato was the same age as him, yet he had already mastered an S-rank space–time ninjutsu at only thirteen years old.
Even Kizaru had to acknowledge Minato's extraordinary talent for space–time ninjutsu.
Because he had devoted himself to senjutsu training, Kizaru had not learned any new ninjutsu over the past three years.
However, he had read the secret training scroll for the Flying Thunder God Technique and understood exactly how difficult it was to master.
"I'm still nowhere near your level," Minato replied sincerely.
Within all of Konoha, there was no one who could confidently call themselves a genius while standing before Kizaru.
"Well, Jiraiya is back," Kizaru said. "We're all having dinner together tonight."
His relaxed smile remained unchanged.
"We'll also be celebrating Nawaki's research results. I came to let you know."
At the mention of Nawaki's research, even Kizaru had to admit that Tsunade's younger brother was well on his way to becoming a figure worshipped throughout the world.
In July of the previous year, Nawaki had successfully cultivated the Improved Wheat Seed No. 1 with Orochimaru's assistance.
A standard plot of farmland planted with the new wheat had produced an astonishing 1,058 kilograms.
That number was almost impossible to comprehend.
It was the kind of seed that farmers might one day worship as a divine blessing.
Because Konoha possessed a developed economy and could employ shinobi to assist in agricultural work, the village's farmland was already cultivated far more efficiently than the fields in most other regions.
Even so, an equivalent plot of Konoha farmland normally produced only slightly more than four hundred kilograms of wheat.
That yield alone was already considered exceptionally high compared to most areas of the Land of Fire.
According to the information Nawaki had personally gathered, an equivalent plot of farmland in an ordinary region of the Land of Fire usually produced only around three hundred kilograms.
In poorer areas, or in fields where the soil lacked sufficient nutrients, the yield might fall to only one or two hundred kilograms.
Yet in Nawaki's experimental field, Improved Wheat Seed No. 1 had produced more than one thousand kilograms from the same amount of land.
Several times the ordinary harvest.
If farmers, wealthy landowners, or nobles from other regions were told that Nawaki's wheat could achieve such a yield, they would undoubtedly believe they were hearing either a myth or an absurd joke.
At Kizaru's request, Konoha issued an administrative order that year.
Every field within the village used to grow wheat was required to plant Improved Wheat Seed No. 1.
After personally witnessing the miracle produced in Nawaki's experimental field, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, gave the order his full support.
The farmers responsible for cultivating the village's fields still harbored doubts.
However, they obeyed the order after Kizaru personally promised that the village would provide full compensation if the new wheat produced a smaller harvest than their usual crops.
During the latter half of the year, every field planted with Improved Wheat Seed No. 1 experienced an unprecedented harvest.
When the wheat was gathered and weighed, many of the farmers burst into tears.
The size of the harvest surpassed anything they had ever witnessed.
The farmers of Konoha wept with joy, while the shinobi and ninja clans throughout the village were equally stunned.
They might not have worked the fields themselves, but they still possessed enough basic knowledge to understand what Nawaki's seeds represented.
From that day onward, Nawaki was no longer mocked as the disgrace of the Senju clan by the villagers and members of the ninja clans.
Instead, he began to be praised as a man who could change the world.
More than one thousand kilograms of wheat from a single standard plot.
If Nawaki's seeds were planted throughout the world, hunger itself might disappear.
Of course, that could happen only if the food was distributed fairly.
Otherwise, no matter how much wheat Nawaki's seeds produced, the exploited would continue to starve while those above them hoarded the harvest.
After realizing the immense value of Nawaki's research, Konoha's leadership began paying far greater attention to his work.
The village strengthened the protection surrounding him while also increasing the funding and resources provided for his experiments.
At the same time, Kizaru's uncle, Danzō Shimura, presented a proposal during a meeting of Konoha's leadership.
He suggested that the village expand the amount of farmland under cultivation.
According to Danzō's calculations, if every field used the seeds developed by Nawaki, Konoha would need to reclaim only one-third more farmland to become completely self-sufficient in food production.
The proposal was approved unanimously.
Everyone present understood the importance of Konoha becoming capable of feeding itself.
It would grant the village far greater influence and independence when negotiating with the officials and nobles of the Land of Fire.
During that same meeting, the two Hokage advisors raised another proposal.
Unlike Danzō's suggestion, theirs immediately caused a fierce dispute.
They wanted the seeds developed by Nawaki to be classified as a village secret.
The seeds would be forbidden from leaving Konoha and could be cultivated only within territory controlled by the village.
At the same time, Konoha would expand its farmland and cooperate with the nobles of the Land of Fire to sell grain at a profit.
Over the past three years, the two advisors had been placed in charge of selling nutritional supplements.
The longer they managed those operations, the more they began to resemble merchants rather than shinobi.
Their thoughts had become increasingly consumed by money.
The moment they learned of the astonishing yield produced by Improved Wheat Seed No. 1, their first instinct was to seize control of the grain market.
Nawaki, as the creator of the seeds, reacted with an anger rarely seen from him.
He had improved those seeds to feed the people of the world.
He had not created them to make money.
The journey Kizaru had taken him on, followed by Nawaki's own travels to collect different varieties of wheat, had shown him the suffering endured by impoverished farmers.
He had seen people labor for an entire year only to barely gather enough food to survive.
He had sworn to change that reality.
Not because he wanted to surpass anyone.
He simply wanted to prevent tragedies in which families were forced to drown newborn children or abandon their elderly relatives because there was not enough food to keep everyone alive.
Yet the two advisors, who were already beginning to resemble greedy merchants, wanted to monopolize his seeds and use them to profit from selling grain.
How could anyone be so greedy?
How could anyone be so cruel?
Had Tsunade and Kizaru not restrained him, Nawaki might have attacked both advisors in the middle of the meeting.
Kizaru held just as little respect for the pair after seeing how thoroughly money had corrupted them.
After calming Nawaki, he rejected their proposal without hesitation.
In Kizaru's view, their idea was not merely greedy.
It was also painfully shortsighted.
How much money could Konoha truly earn by selling grain?
How much land did the village possess?
How large was its population?
Monopolizing the seeds and selling a limited supply of grain might bring in a modest profit, but it would also destroy Konoha's reputation.
If they intended to sell something, they should sell the seeds themselves.
The improved seeds could be sold at a high price to wealthy landowners, nobles, and merchant associations whose fortunes depended upon agriculture.
The money earned from those groups could then be used to subsidize the seeds sold to ordinary farmers, allowing poorer families to purchase them at an affordable price.
That was the distribution plan Kizaru had devised for the seeds cultivated by Nawaki.
Kizaru was not concerned about the seeds being stolen or reproduced without Konoha's involvement.
Nawaki had already explained their most important limitation.
Improved Wheat Seed No. 1 would gradually lose its enhanced qualities.
After no more than two generations, its yield would deteriorate until it became no different from ordinary wheat.
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