Shirou's words... really hit a soft spot. The idea of not just surpassing Hashirama, but also a legendary figure like Emiya Shirou, was undeniably appealing.
This was a man once as famous as the Sage of Six Paths himself; his recognition was a profound honor. Madara didn't need the honor, of course, but being entrusted with the future by Shirou?
It was... delightful.
"Is this your past will?" Madara's heart swelled with a smug satisfaction. He scrutinized the strange, inky legacy Shirou had left him. "Its appearance is a bit... odd." He glanced from Black Zetsu to Shirou and shook his head. "I can't see any resemblance between you and... it."
The difference was staggering. Every time Madara saw Shirou, he felt like he was basking in a spring breeze. Maybe it was Shirou's reputation, or maybe it was because their encounters were always brief, leaving Madara with a perpetually pleasant, filtered impression of the man.
"It is a creation of Yin-Yang Release," Shirou said softly, looking at Black Zetsu. "In a sense, it is also a living being with intelligence. When you master Yin-Yang Release, you will understand how precious its existence is."
"Madara..." Black Zetsu's voice was a hoarse rasp. It squeezed out what it hoped was a kind, yet somehow still sinister, smile. "In the future... please take care of me."
Madara frowned. He didn't care much for appearances, but this thing's style was just too different from Shirou's. He just couldn't get used to it.
Oh, well. Perhaps creations of Yin-Yang Release were just like this.
And besides, based on Shirou's sterling reputation, he certainly wouldn't lie.
This... thing must hold a great deal of secret knowledge.
"Madara, the path you are about to walk is not easy," Shirou sighed, looking at Black Zetsu. "I once took many detours. I am leaving it behind, hoping it can help you walk more smoothly."
The feeling was unmistakable; it was a senior entrusting everything to his successor. "Let me see it," Shirou said, turning his gaze to Hashirama's tombstone. "And let Hashirama see that you can do all this."
"Naturally," Madara's expression softened into a rare, solemn look. "I will not disappoint you."
He knew what this moment meant, and he would not fail. As a sign of respect, he decided to repay the favor. "Then let me also do something for you. At the very least, let's calm the wars of this era, so you will not be too disappointed with our generation before you leave."
His gaze turned arrogant again. "Although it might benefit that insidious villain Tobirama, I'll let him have this one. I will help you quell this war. After all, war isn't something you can stop with words. Some people's wills are more stubborn than rock. If you want them to listen, you have to shatter their will completely."
He clenched his fist, confidence returning. "On this point, unrivaled power is more reliable than words. Don't refuse me. Just consider it a return gift." Once Madara decided on something, he wouldn't listen to anyone. He insisted on traveling with Shirou.
Shirou frowned.
Speaking of which... who was the Tsuchikage of Stone Village now?
-----
In the Land of Grass, the Stone Village army was stationed. The Second Tsuchikage, Mu, personally oversaw the situation. He knew the opposing forces were led by their Kage, and while his student, Onoki, was outstanding, he was still too naive to face a figure like Tobirama. Even Mu himself had little confidence.
"Lord Mu, when can we launch the attack?" Onoki, looking even smaller in his chair, asked anxiously.
"Be patient, Onoki," Mu, a man covered in bandages, said calmly, his red pen dotting the map. "We are facing not only Konoha, but also Cloud. Even if our military strength is the strongest on paper, we cannot act rashly. The situation is favorable to us. As long as Kannabi Bridge is in our hands, our supply line is secure, and we are in an invincible position."
"But," Onoki's face grew more anxious, "I heard Cloud Village and Konoha are about to form an alliance."
"What's the point of that?" Mu shook his head. "Even if they unite, it will be of no use. As long as we hold our defensive line and the battle reaches a stalemate, their alliance will surely change. Alliances between ninjas are never strong. Konoha has lost Madara and the First Hokage. They're fragile now."
"Cloud will inevitably realize that being an enemy of Konoha will yield greater benefits than being an ally. To ally with Konoha is to fend off blades for them, and the current Konoha doesn't have the strength to support its allies. Sooner or later, those muscle-bound fools from Cloud will realize it's a one-sided deal."
"As for promises... it's nothing more than Konoha not invading them. They really can't see clearly. Konoha already has the most fertile lands. Why would they covet territories they can't control?"
"Then are we to constantly attack Konoha?" Onoki asked.
"No. Konoha is not important," Mu replied. "They are just spoils of war to be taken at will. The one we truly need to be wary of is Cloud Village. They will not sit by and watch us grow stronger. In any war, we must first concentrate our forces to deal with those brainless fools."
"As long as we defeat Cloud, we can press our army towards the Land of Fire and force Konoha to cede the most abundant fruits to us. Remember this, Onoki. Before we deal with Cloud, even if we gain benefits from Konoha, they won't truly belong to us."
"Yes, Lord Mu," Onoki nodded, still preferring to defeat Konoha but trusting his teacher's judgment.
"Speaking of which, is there any unusual movement from Mist Village?" Mu asked, his eyes on the map. The ninja world was a sphere, and Kiri's isolated location meant it could attack from various directions.
"No news," Onoki said. "They are probably also attacking Konoha. After all, our Land of Earth has numerous fortresses. The difficulty is the highest."
"We still need to be careful. The enemy often appears when least expected," Mu shook his head, about to order his ANBU to investigate the coastline.
Unfortunately, when you're unlucky, you get even unluckier.
Before he could send them, an urgent message arrived: the Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hozuki, had landed with a unit.
"That mustached man is a real madman," a flash of anger appeared in Mu's eyes. The sneak attack ruined his entire battle plan.
But unexpectedly, the Mizukage wasn't there for war. He sent messengers with an alliance proposal: join forces to fight Konoha.
"How can I believe such a thing?" Mu didn't trust him at all.
However, the messengers seemed to know his attitude. They brought a piece of news that forced him to agree to a meeting. "This is news we gathered from the Sand. Konoha has been using a great figure with superb medical skills to treat their wounded."
"Their recovery rate is high, and many can return to the battlefield. If you continue in a stalemate, even with your large army, you can't compete with Konoha in attrition forever. With that great figure's help, your probability of winning will be greatly reduced."
Mu frowned. Did he need Kiri to remind him of this?
He had long known of Shirou's existence.
"What you mean is..." Mu hesitated.
"We should join forces against Konoha!" the messenger pressed. "Lord Tsuchikage, do you really think Stone Village alone can defeat the combined forces of Cloud and Konoha?"
"Lord Mu!" a Stone Village ninja hastily delivered another piece of intelligence. "Our ninjas who infiltrated the Land of Fire have sent a message. They encountered Lord Emiya Shirou and had to retreat. It is said he is on his way to the front lines here!"
Generally, infiltrating behind enemy lines meant causing destruction. But if you ran into Emiya Shirou, there was really nothing you could do. Most of the elite jonin on that mission had seen him during the disaster relief. Most importantly, the Stone Village ninjas had another reason to retreat.
"The person accompanying him... is also Madara Uchiha."
The name made Mu frown.
What is he doing here?
The situation was becoming chaotic, slipping from his grasp. But he couldn't just call off his troops. What was Madara here for? A figure like that couldn't possibly be coming for a tea party.
"We can accept Mist Village's alliance," Mu suddenly decided. The strategist even went a step further. "But our alliance's objective is to destroy Konoha, because they used an evil forbidden jutsu to desecrate the ancient sage, Emiya Shirou!"
"We cannot tolerate anyone using evil forbidden jutsu to disturb the peace of the dead. Tell the Second Mizukage that if he doesn't want his own corpse to be used after his death, it's best not to have any friction in this alliance!"
It seemed this banner would be easy to raise. Everyone grew up on Shirou's stories.
"Even at the worst," Mu's intentions were not pure. "We hope Lord Emiya's soul can find peace, and we will publicize Konoha's evil, making us appear to be on the side of justice. It would also be best if he no longer helps any side. If Konoha loses his medical ninjutsu, we will have a greater advantage."
Shirou had once done a favor for Stone Village. From this perspective, if their war was for the peace of his soul, he would have no reason to help Konoha, right? Perhaps his relationship with Konoha would even sour.
"Speaking of which," Onoki was a bit curious, "was it really Konoha's evil forbidden jutsu that disturbed Lord Emiya's peace?"
"He never mentioned it, but the deathly aura on his body does not lie," Mu said, knowing a bit more. "Now it seems it must be the evil forbidden jutsu of the Second Hokage, because he has used a fighting style combining dead people and explosive tags in this war. In short, this is our opportunity to use them."