The next day, inside Kirigakure's meeting hall, the atmosphere was heavy.
All the Kirigakure's Jonin had heard about last night's events. It seemed quite a few Jonin had launched a rebellion.
But when they looked at the protagonist of last night's incident, they found the Third Mizukage's eyes calm as water. He seemed to have no intention of using last night's events to intimidate them. It was as if the assassination attempt against him was just an insignificant little interlude.
Or perhaps, in the Mizukage's eyes, only Setsuna alone was worth paying attention to.
"Everyone, welcome to this meeting." The Third Mizukage sat upright in the main seat, hands clasped, his voice low.
"However, what we will discuss today is not peace talks, but rather... the Eye of the Moon Plan."
Setsuna slightly raised his head, inwardly chuckling, 'Uchiha Madara really didn't want to waste any time on irrelevant matters, getting straight to the point.'
"Eye of the Moon Plan?" The Kirigakure's Jonin looked at each other, clearly having never heard this term before.
"Mizukage-sama, what do you mean?" A Jonin cautiously asked.
"A plan that can bring true peace to the world. A world... where everyone can obtain happiness." The Mizukage's voice gradually grew fanatical, as if lost in some fantasy. "In an eternal dream, there is no war, no hatred, not even death. Everyone will live in the reality they most desire."
Many Kirigakure's Jonin showed worried expressions, 'It's over. It seems the Mizukage-sama's brain was damaged in last night's assassination attempt.'
The Mizukage looked fervently at Setsuna: "Chiaki Setsuna, you are the only person of this era worthy of my regard. Therefore, I have decided to invite you to join this plan."
Setsuna sighed: "As expected, failures always like to seek comfort in dreams. Do you think someone as successful as me needs to fantasize in a dream? Uchiha Madara!"
"Uchiha Madara?" Upon hearing Setsuna's last words, the Kirigakure crowd instantly erupted.
"Uchiha Madara died long ago. Your Konoha should know that best."
"The battle at the Valley of the End, Senju Hashirama personally killed Uchiha Madara."
"You slander Mizukage-sama as Uchiha Madara. What exactly is your purpose?"
Setsuna ignored their shock, his gaze still fixed on the Mizukage: "Well? Still going to play mysterious?"
The Mizukage was silent for a moment, then chuckled lowly: "Interesting. How did you discover it?"
'-The Mizukage admitted it?!!'
Instantly, the entire meeting hall fell dead silent.
The Kirigakure's Jonin practically retreated in a swarm behind Setsuna, as if only that broad, solid back could give them some sense of security.
Setsuna naturally couldn't explain this issue, but he couldn't be bothered to explain. He just chuckled and retorted: "Guess?"
"Heh..." Madara's voice transmitted through the Mizukage's body carried a hint of displeasure.
"You knew it was me, yet still dared to come alone? You are even more arrogant than I imagined."
Setsuna spread his hands: "If you were Uchiha Madara at your peak, I might have considered temporarily avoiding your edge. But you now? A decrepit old man barely clinging to life… what is there to fear?"
Hearing Setsuna say Madara was barely clinging to life, the Kirigakure's Jonin inwardly settled somewhat. But thinking their Mizukage was controlled made their hair stand on end.
"An aged Uchiha Madara could silently control Mizukage-sama?"
"What terrifying power. Truly worthy of being a legendary existence."
Madara sneered: "Heh, you and my younger self are quite alike. Both so arrogantly annoying. Since you've refused my goodwill, I have no choice but to... control you!"
Instantly, the temperature in the entire meeting hall plummeted.
Frost spread. Countless ice mirrors rose from the ground, sealing the entire space.
"Ice Release?" Setsuna wasn't alarmed, even having the mind to muse. 'The future Haku, could he be a clan member of the Third Mizukage? Because Obito took power, he heavily persecuted the Third Mizukage's descendants?'
'So Haku's mother clearly had a Kekkei Genkai but chose to hide her strength and marry an ordinary person, even when killed she dared not use her Kekkei Genkai? Afraid of bringing mortal danger to Haku?'
In each ice mirror, a Mangekyo Sharingan slowly rotated.
Setsuna's mind was instantly swallowed by the Genjutsu, his pupils losing focus.
"Ahahahaha." The Mizukage laughed wildly. "The Sharingan is the strongest power in the world..."
Before the laughter faded, the ice mirrors shattered, and Setsuna's figure abruptly vanished.
The next second, the meeting hall's floor was shattered by a stomp.
From the hidden underground tunnel below, an aged figure was forcibly dragged out… It's Madara's true body.
"What?" Madara's pupils contracted, but his reaction was extremely fast. "Susanoo!"
Terrifying chakra instantly erupted. Even with a newly awakened Mangekyo, in Madara's hands, it still unleashed astonishing power.
A purple giant's body rose from the ground, armor-covered, wings spread, forcefully blocking Setsuna's surprise attack.
"Complete Body Susanoo?" Setsuna slightly raised an eyebrow, but wasn't too surprised. After all, Madara could use Susanoo even without eyes.
"You are a Perfect Jinchuriki? Impossible. Even a Perfect Jinchuriki shouldn't be able to resist my Genjutsu." Madara's expression grew grave. "What exactly are you?"
The corners of Setsuna's mouth lifted slightly: "Guess?"
The next instant, a terrifying shockwave exploded.
The two transformed into two afterimages, directly crashing through the roof, soaring into the high sky.
Only then did the people in the hall finally erupt.
"What on earth is going on? My head hurts so much!"
"Mizukage-sama has fainted. Could it be that all these years ruling Kirigakure was actually Uchiha Madara's will?"
"I have an ominous premonition. Chiaki Setsuna alone could destroy Sunagakure. Now these two monsters are fighting... they won't destroy Kirigakure, will they?"
"Who cares about all that? Being able to witness a battle of this level, even dying would be worth it."
In the sky, the figures of Setsuna and the giant continuously intersected and collided.
However, after just a few exchanges, Setsuna seized Madara's opening, punching the purple giant's chest.
Crack-
The Susanoo's armor cracked with spiderweb-like fissures. Blood trickled from Madara's mouth, his aged body trembling uncontrollably.
"Damn it, this body..." Madara looked up, staring fixedly at Setsuna.
"What, can't hold on anymore?" Setsuna hovered mid-air, his white haori fluttering in the wind, a trace of disappointment in his eyes. "Truly boring. I really wanted to see you at your peak."
Madara snorted coldly. The Susanoo's longsword slashed down fiercely: "If you truly had seen it, you wouldn't think this way."
The sword light arced like a rainbow, splitting the clouds, descending directly.
Setsuna didn't dodge or evade. His right fist condensed energy, meeting the sword's edge with a punch.
Light shattered, shockwaves exploded.
The Susanoo's right arm fragmented inch by inch, and Madara's body was shaken back once again.