"Kid, are you really not planning to leave with me?"
Inside the cave, Uchiha Madara once again extended his invitation to Renya.
Today, he was going to leave the Land of Fire, and before departing, he wanted to invite Renya to come with him.
With this kid around, not only could he cook for them, but he could also help take care of the ailing Hashirama and even become an assistant in carrying out the "Eye of the Moon" plan.
It was practically killing three birds with one stone!
Madara had already made up his mind. As long as Renya was willing to follow him, he would find a way to help him awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Only a Uchiha with the Mangekyō had the qualifications to walk alongside him in realizing the "Eye of the Moon" plan.
"Sorry, Madara-sama." Renya shook his head and gave the same answer as before. "I can't leave with you."
He knew very well that Infinite Tsukuyomi was nothing but Black Zetsu's scheme to resurrect Ōtsutsuki Kaguya. There was no way he'd foolishly follow Madara and become someone else's pawn.
He had considered telling Madara the truth, but he knew all too well that Madara wouldn't believe his explanation.
Madara only believed what he could see with his own eyes; he would never adopt someone else's perspective.
After all, his current goal was to bring peace to the shinobi world, and there was no way he would give up on Infinite Tsukuyomi.
For Madara, this was the only path to true peace.
Unless there was a better way than Infinite Tsukuyomi, nothing would convince him to abandon it.
And even if Renya told him the truth, Madara might not believe it anyway.
It would only cause unnecessary trouble…
Renya wasn't Madara's match right now, so he couldn't use force to make him abandon the "Eye of the Moon" plan.
And the only person who could possibly stop him — Hashirama — was far too weakened to stand in his way.
For now, Renya could only let the story unfold as it was meant to. He couldn't change anything.
Besides, there was still a long time before Madara would awaken the Rinnegan.
This matter barely affected him at all. By the time the Fourth Shinobi World War began, he might already be dead.
Better leave the future to the protagonist group.
"Since that's the case, you can leave." Uchiha Madara, seeing Renya's firm stance, dismissed him without hesitation.
—When paths differ, you cannot walk together.
This kid had no idea what a grand ideal Madara was trying to achieve.
As long as the "Eye of the Moon" plan succeeded, the shinobi world would finally achieve true peace!
This was the dream he and Hashirama had shared for so long.
Born during the Warring States Period, the two of them understood better than anyone the value of peace.
Hashirama's plan was a mistaken path — only Madara's plan could fulfill that dream.
Now, in his prime, Uchiha Madara possessed strength and pride far beyond ordinary men.
He was supremely confident — confident enough to believe he could realize his ideals alone.
He didn't need anyone's assistance.
The only reason he invited Renya was simply because he admired him.
Madara saw potential in Renya and thought it was a waste for someone like him to remain under Senju Tobirama.
He couldn't bear to see such talent buried within Konoha. That was why he wanted to invite Renya to follow him.
But Renya had rejected him time and again, which left Madara more than a little displeased.
It wasn't often that he set his sights on someone, only to be repeatedly turned down.
To Madara, it was frustrating… even saddening. His own clansmen were a bunch of fools content with mediocrity.
This complacency would lead them to ruin one day…
Still, if Renya didn't want to follow him now, Madara wouldn't force him, nor would he fly into a rage and kill him.
He genuinely admired this kid.
Besides, refusing him now didn't mean he'd refuse him forever.
People often had to lose something before realizing what they truly desired.
Madara firmly believed that one day this boy would willingly choose to follow him and help bring true peace to the shinobi world.
"Hashirama-san, Madara-sama… goodbye." Renya glanced at the two, then turned and walked out of the cave.
Madara didn't know the truth, and Renya couldn't join him in his delusion.
All of this was Black Zetsu's scheme.
If an opportunity arose in the future, once he became strong enough, perhaps he could tell Madara the truth.
But honestly, even if he managed to defeat Madara, he doubted Madara would believe him.
The "Eye of the Moon" plan wasn't just Madara's dream — it was his hope, his reason for living.
Until he saw it through to the end, he would never turn back.
Not even if he knew the truth.
Perhaps… this was what made him a true antagonist.
Someone who wouldn't abandon his ideals because of someone else's words.
Someone who always pursued his own goal.
Renya had no intention of becoming another Uchiha Obito.
If Madara truly went after the people close to him, then the two of them would inevitably become mortal enemies.
Madara wouldn't spare him just because he'd cooked for him.
A stubborn Uchiha was capable of abandoning anything and anyone.
For the sake of his dream, anyone could become one of Madara's pawns.
Renya knew he wouldn't be seeing Hashirama and Madara again for a long while.
He only hoped Hashirama-san's condition wouldn't worsen further.
...
Uchiha Madara folded his arms, watching Renya's back as it disappeared into the distance.
This kid had been completely brainwashed by that Tobirama.
In Renya, Madara could already see the future of the Uchiha clan…
As long as Tobirama lived, Renya would never follow him.
If the opportunity arose, Madara intended to kill Senju Tobirama — not only to avenge Izuna but also to open Renya's eyes to reality.
Truth be told, he had wanted to do it long ago.
After all, it was Tobirama who had killed Izuna. The hatred of a slain brother could never be forgiven.
If Hashirama hadn't stopped him, Tobirama would have been buried alongside Izuna already.
Madara's gaze shifted to the pale-faced Hashirama, and he pushed the thought aside for now.
It wasn't the right time to kill Tobirama…
"Kh… cough… Madara, where are we going now?" Hashirama asked softly.
Though his body was deteriorating, he still insisted on staying by Madara's side.
He wanted to use whatever time he had left to persuade his closest friend to abandon this obsessive plan.
Putting everyone under a genjutsu… Madara's plan was simply too extreme.
No matter what, he would do everything in his power to stop it.
Peace built on illusion was not true peace!
"We're leaving the Land of Fire," Uchiha Madara replied. "We're heading to the Land of Iron. Can you still manage the journey?"
"Hahaha, of course. No problem at all." Hashirama forced a laugh.
Madara looked at his pale face but ultimately gave a slight nod.
...
Not long after Renya's departure, the two left the cave together.
Senju Hashirama took one last look at the cavern, his eyes glinting with faint nostalgia.
If nothing unexpected happened, he would never taste Renya's cooking again.
The time they had spent together in the cave over the past two years had been the happiest days of his life.
"Madara… will we ever come back here?" Hashirama suddenly asked.
Uchiha Madara paused mid-step, silent for a moment before finally speaking.
"We will."
Walking behind him, Hashirama couldn't see the complicated expression on Madara's face.
If possible, Madara wanted Hashirama to live long enough to see the day the shinobi world finally achieved peace.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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