Kannabi Bridge, underground base.
"Lord Madara, do you remember the organizational plan I proposed long ago?"
At noon, Kamihane and Madara sat drinking tea together in the stone chamber, chatting while Uchiha Hikaru washed dishes.
"I recall it. Have you begun implementing it already?" Madara nodded.
Several years had passed, and Madara was now past the age of fifty. Time had left undeniable wrinkles on his face, and his physique was no longer as robust as before. Fortunately, his back remained straight as ever, and the occasional glint in his eyes still proved he was one of those who once stood at the pinnacle of the shinobi world.
Kamihane still had his eyes wrapped in black cloth as he sipped tea quietly. In his perception, the once towering Lord Madara whom he could only look up to now seemed inexplicably smaller and frailer.
"Ah, I recently recruited a subordinate who masters the secret technique of the Hidden Waterfall Village from back then—Jiongu. He's an immortal shinobi with five hearts."
"Jiongu..." Madara pondered briefly before smiling faintly. "A ninjutsu that steals others' hearts to sustain one's own life? Merely a petty trick. But as a means to cling to survival, it suffices."
"Indeed. That's precisely why I chose him—he lives long." Kamihane seemed to recall something. "What's amusing is that this guy actually attempted to assassinate Hashirama Senju back in the day."
"Hmm, not exactly a coward either." Madara nodded.
"Lord Madara, what requirements do you have for organization members?" Kamihane tentatively asked.
"Such matters, you decide for yourself. I trust you have good judgment." Madara rested his head on his hands, his gaze somewhat approving. "You've already become a capable young man who can stand on your own."
He gazed at Kamihane, the tall figure reflected in his eyes. For a fleeting moment, it seemed to overlap with another silhouette, becoming indistinguishable from each other.
"Come to think of it, Izuna was about this age back then..." Madara's eyes held a faint warmth.
At that moment, Uchiha Hikari pushed the door open, instantly shattering the peculiar atmosphere.
She casually knelt beside Kamihane and began sipping tea in small, delicate gulps.
"What's going on? What were you two talking about just now?" she asked belatedly.
Kamihane shook his head, "It's nothing. We were just discussing establishing an organization and recruiting members. I'll explain the details to you later."
"Mm." She nodded slightly, her long and fair neck resembling that of a proud swan.
Six years had passed, adding a touch of mature charm to her. Her skin was translucent like jade, her features as delicate as a painting, exuding an innate sense of cool elegance. Her petite oval face had grown even more graceful, with limpid eyes that shone clear and bright.
Most strikingly, a faint purple diamond-shaped mark now adorned her fair forehead.
Back then, before Kamihane rescued Uchiha Kagami from the execution ground in Konoha, he had casually visited Tobirama's research institute and secret chambers, collecting three trophies. One of them was the "Yin Seal," which he gifted to Hikari as a present.
This secret technique allows the user to spontaneously accumulate chakra during daily life for storage purposes. Skilled practitioners can further utilize the low output and fine-tuning of chakra within the Yin Seal to enhance physical functions, maintaining peak condition and achieving the effect of preserving youthfulness.
This is a sealing technique primarily used for storing chakra, but for Uchiha Hikari, it was more or less optional. However, the youth-preserving effect of this technique delighted her immensely.
After all, what girl wouldn't love to maintain a forever youthful face?
Compared to the other two gains, this "Yin Seal" was merely a bonus.
One was Tobirama's long-standing experimental records regarding Hashirama's fusion;
The other was two vials of solution: half a bottle of refrigerated golden genetic fluid and a sealed container of Ghost Limb Reagent.
After awakening the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Kamihane carefully studied Tobirama's experimental records and secluded himself for several months, solely to research the experimental equipment and related knowledge.
Finally, following the experimental procedure, he extracted the genetic fluid from the light blood cells and, with the assistance of the Oni-Garou reagent, attempted to fuse it with Hashirama's genetic fluid. Yet the experimental results proved utterly disappointing.
The fusion failed completely. Despite this being Tobirama's painstakingly crafted masterpiece—with every step perfectly replicated and despite the successful precedent of Uchiha Kagami—Kamihane's experiment still ended in failure.
The experimental phenomenon showed no violent reaction; instead, it remained eerily quiet. The two solutions separated as distinctly as oil and water, refusing to blend.
Kamihane agonized over this for a long time. The stubborn old man Madara refused to accept defeat and joined the discussion. After extensive analysis, the two concluded that this might also be due to individual differences.
The difference in genes between light and mirror is what led to this outcome.
To achieve the perfect ratio, it still requires gradually adjusting the solution proportions—a lengthy process that must be entrusted to professionals to be reliable.
This was precisely why Kamihane set his sights on Orochimaru.
At this time, Orochimaru was still young, his ideologies not yet fully formed, and his extraordinary scientific talents had yet to emerge. But Kamihane wasn't in a hurry. A superior seed only needs slight nurturing to take root, sprout, and grow vigorously. With just a little guidance at the crucial moment, it would grow into a towering tree exactly as desired.
Everything Kamihane has done so far has been for Uchiha Hikari—to ensure her eyes remain forever bright. Fortunately, life these past few years has been peaceful enough that she hasn't needed to use her ocular abilities, sparing her body from additional strain.
According to Kamihane's theory, Hashirama's cells could not only counteract the physical deterioration caused by the Mangekyō Sharingan but also grant the user Yang Release chakra—a manifestation of vigorous vitality that could even slow aging.
There was proof of this in the original timeline. Compared to the aged and feeble Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzō, who had transplanted Hashirama's cells, still maintained the appearance of a middle-aged man.
After tea and a full meal, Kamihane wanted to invite Madara out for some fresh air, but the old man waved him off. Instead, Madara lounged comfortably on the bed, looking every bit the picture of leisurely retirement.
There was no other way. Kamihane and Hikari had no choice but to stand up, bid farewell, and leave the clan's territory.
They had something important to attend to.
Not too big, not too small.
When the two found Kakuzu, the guy was indeed hunting, dragging along the corpse of some unknown ninja as he miserably headed to the bounty exchange.
"So this is..." Kakuzu examined Hikari standing behind Kamihane, his masked face full of caution.
"My name is Uchiha Hikari," Hikari's vermilion lips parted slightly, her voice as cool and detached as ever.
Compared to his initial aloofness when first meeting Kamihane, Kakuzu now appeared much more polite. "I'm Kakuzu, currently serving under Lord Kamihane."
"Hey, how many times have I told you to drop those two 'sama' at the end? I don't like being too formal."
"Understood, Kamihane-sama."
Kamihane tilted his head, sensing the corpse slung over Kakuzu's shoulder, and teased, "Kakuzu, you really do love what you do, don't you?"
"In this world, no relationship lasts forever. Only cold, hard cash will never betray you," Kakuzu said solemnly.
"Alright, still haven't achieved financial freedom at your age."
Kamihane waved his hand, "Go collect your bounty, then come with us when you're done."
"A mission?"
"Mhm, it's one you'll absolutely love." Kamihane revealed a mysterious smile.
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