On February 10th, Year 30 of Konoha, two major events took place across the shinobi world.
The first was the formal alliance between the Land of Fire with the Hot Water Country and the Grass Country.
The second event marked the birth of Kakashi's eternal best friend — the strongest chess piece in the ninja world, Obito Uchiha.
Shen had originally planned to just stop by for fun, thinking he'd play with the baby a bit.
However, the moment he held Obito, his face got completely soaked.
"Obito Uchiha! Your fate is sealed!" After leaving, Shen already had numerous plans brewing about how to torment him during his upbringing.
Whips and candles? That's merely child's play!
A real man needs something much more intense!
Therefore, whenever Shen wasn't researching sealing techniques, he would sneak little Obito away to ride the roller coaster, which was now over a thousand meters high.
"Waaah!" Baby Obito sobbed helplessly within his very first month.
"Young Obito, I'm only doing this for your own good," said Shen solemnly, showing absolutely no guilt.
"In the future, you'll meet a pale-haired, mask-wearing guy with lifeless eyes. You must become stronger than ever to protect yourself."
"That guy's an elite technician from Konoha. If you're not careful even once, your fate will be sealed forever!"
Little Obito cried helplessly, unable to understand anything this person was saying.
After going around the roller coaster dozens of times, Shen suddenly recalled that the young Hatake guy had probably just gotten married recently.
"Kakashi entered the academy at four years old, meaning..." The bizarre sibling—no, scratch that—the weirdly close friendship between them made Shen grimace unpleasantly.
"This year, Third's other sons and their spouses, along with Mizuki, Shizune, and Rin, should all be born too, right?" Thinking of these familiar figures, he looked up at the moon hanging in the night sky.
Moments later, he picked up baby Obito and leaped down from the roller coaster.
"The war must end soon!"
In the conference room of Raikage Tower, the furious Third Raikage nearly came to blows with the village elders.
The issue began when the Third Raikage learned that their operatives sent to Konoha had been eliminated, enraging him enough to declare war.
Yet, one dying man staggered back into Kumogakure, bringing unexpectedly exciting news.
"I've cracked Konoha's chakra conduction formula!" declared Ji after spending several months returning to Kumogakure, before immediately collapsing unconscious.
Looking upon Ji's helpless state—both hands destroyed, his body covered in wounds—the Third Raikage became even angrier. "Everything from Konoha should belong to Kumogakure!"
Given such heavy losses, everyone in Kumogakure wholeheartedly agreed to launch a war against Konoha.
However, last month's announcement of the five-nation alliance consisting of Fire, Wind, Hot Water, River, and Grass countries had quietly triggered some internal opposition.
The Third Raikage slammed the conference table furiously and directly announced the decision, "We attack the Hot Water Country first! I'll deal with the Daimyo personally!"
The elders exchanged glances and then voiced their agreement.
As long as they weren't striking first at Konoha or Sunagakure, subduing a small nation like the Hot Water Country would still be well within Kumogakure's capability.
The Hot Water Country serves as the crossroads between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning. Once this country is seized, a large army can directly march to attack Konoha.
"But Lord Raikage, they are allied nations. Wouldn't they definitely send aid to the Hot Water Country?" An elder suddenly stood up and raised this question.
However, the Third Raikage had already prepared an answer: "If they do send help, then draw them into the Rain Village territory. The Demigod of the shinobi world (Pain) won't want the battlefield anywhere near his doorstep."
"How will he respond then?"
"Who knows? But given how much pride he carries, he certainly won't just stand aside and watch."
"I see! What a clever move, Lord Raikage!" The elder finally caught on to the Third Raikage's intention.
At Iwagakure, the Third Tsuchikage put down the intelligence report in his hand, a slight smile forming on his lips.
On the top-left corner of the file was a photo—a picture taken two years ago during a televised press conference featuring Shen Uchiha dressed in a black shirt and jeans.
"Shen Uchiha—master of numerous powerful ninjutsu techniques that he also created himself. The youngest son of the current Uchiha clan head, promoted to chunin at age six, and advanced to jonin status half a year ago."
The Third Tsuchikage recited it aloud, a growing smile spreading across his face.
"So what if he's part of the Uchiha Clan? This old man is no longer the inexperienced young man from back then." He murmured wistfully before stepping toward a simple, ordinary-looking pebble.
"Just having this kind of talent doesn't guarantee you'll become someone like Madara Uchiha!"
As Onoki made his decision, a pale figure deep underground quietly left the place.
In an underground chamber transformed into a large-scale dance stage, a strong-looking elderly man with white hair was adjusting sound equipment.
"Lord Madara, I have urgent news to report!" Before White Zetsu even fully emerged, his voice could already be heard.
"Hold on for a second."
Two minutes later, Madara turned his gaze toward White Zetsu. "What is it?"
"Tsuchikage is planning to go after Shen Uchiha. He also said that we mustn't let him become someone comparable to you—Madara Uchiha."
"Oh? So that brat from years ago has grown quite a bit."
White Zetsu, clearly anxious, immediately suggested, "Then what about Shen? There's no way I could warn him using my old identity."
Madara glanced back at the various devices occupying nearly half of the vast underground space before turning again toward the uchiwa fan hanging on the wall.
"I, Madara Uchiha, am a man who repays his debts. I've enjoyed these pleasures freely for several years now." As he spoke, a smile spread across his face. "So I'll help him awaken his Mangekyō then."
"M-Mangekyō..." Stammering nervously, White Zetsu hadn't expected such a response.
Earlier experiments conducted by Shen had already proven that the death of an AI construct couldn't evolve the Sharingan into a Mangekyō.
Madara had known this from White Zetsu long ago. At the time, he'd realized that method wouldn't work.
After all, virtual people only existed briefly—they lacked the lasting presence of living beings.
Madara was confident. No one in the entire shinobi world could possibly form a real emotional bond with a synthetic being.
(Except perhaps certain individuals.)
Especially not among the Uchiha Clan—a group whose members tended to possess rather problematic personalities.
"A friend… or a family member?"
Muttering under his breath, he couldn't decide who to pick.
White Zetsu's expression turned awkward: "Lord Madara, those were all gifts that Shen gave me as repayment. According to him, you're basically getting my good stuff for free."
Madara's expression flickered with brief embarrassment before he regained his usual composure. "What kind of talk is that? When the Creator God wants something of yours, how can that be called 'taking advantage'?"
"Then what should we call it?" White Zetsu put on his most innocent curious face.
Madara's facial muscles twitched slightly. "Contribution! Got it?"
Suppressing a smirk internally, White Zetsu felt his earlier anxiety instantly vanish.
With Madara's promise in mind, White Zetsu believed that now with the Mangekyō and Shen's endless bag of tricks, taking him down wouldn't be easy.
By the way, Lord Madara—" White Zetsu suddenly asked, "What do you think his ability will be after awakening his eyes?"
"Who knows? The Mangekyō abilities manifest based on what is realized at the moment of awakening."
"What if he wants to go up to the moon?"
White Zetsu, you ask too many questions." After answering several inquiries, Madara started showing signs of impatience.
"Just one more question, Lord Madara," White Zetsu suddenly turned serious. "What should we call the gift for Shen?"
A sinister smirk curled across Madara's face. "Since he's my successor, consider these eyes an initiation gift from me." [Mangekyō Sharingan]
"I see!" Understanding suddenly dawned on White Zetsu, who gave Madara a thumbs-up.
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