Chapter 394: The Second Apostle
The once proud Rain Village was now a desolate wasteland, marked by deep trenches and massive craters. The ground, scarred and torn, bore no resemblance to the flourishing village it once was.
Madara lay sprawled on the ground in complete defeat, his once invincible aura shattered. The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, drained of chakra and severed from Madara's control, now stood lifeless in the background. The skies, which had cleared momentarily during their battle, were once again heavy with rainclouds a permanent mark left on the land since the fabled battle between the Rabbit Goddess and the Sage of the Six Paths.
As the drizzle fell, Madara had no will left to rise. The pride of the Shinobi World, a man who once believed himself invincible, was now crushed beneath the weight of absolute power. Why resist when the gap is so vast? Madara thought bitterly, realizing he was as powerless as a lowly genin trying to take on a Kage level opponent. Fighting back would be meaningless. If the man before him truly wished to kill him, Madara now knew that his own so called Six Paths power was a pale shadow of true strength.
Staring at the rain soaked sky, he muttered in defeat, "What kind of monster are you…?"
His opponent stepped forward with slow, measured steps, observing Madara with a discerning gaze. Despite Madara's animosity, Ye Wen couldn't help but appreciate his tenacity, the willingness to sacrifice everything for his dream. Madara's raw combat ability was nothing short of exceptional he could rival even some lower tier gods in sheer skill. What he lacked, however, was true divine power. Six Paths chakra alone could not bridge that gap.
Ye Wen paused to consider this, thinking, The Six Paths bloodline is formidable, but ultimately flawed Kaguya herself never fully understood her own lineage, and neither did her descendants. He had wondered about this world's hidden potential since his encounter with Isshiki. One day, Kinshiki, Urashiki… all of them will come.
His thoughts broke as Madara glanced up at him, displeased by the man's pensive, almost distracted demeanor. "You… you're not Kakashi. Who are you really?"
Madara's words pulled Ye Wen from his thoughts, and he chuckled softly. "I never said I planned to kill you."
Madara's eyes narrowed in surprise. He couldn't believe someone would spare him after all he'd done, yet he felt no joy at the thought of survival. If he could not complete his Eye of the Moon Plan and bring eternal peace to the Shinobi World, life held little value.
"Do as you please," Madara replied, his voice hollow. "I'm ready to die. But before that, I would like to know how did you render my Six Paths powers useless against you?"
Ye Wen, amused by Madara's persistent curiosity, thought for a moment before he answered. "It's simple think of water and oil. My energy is like water, while your Six Paths power is the oil floating on top of it. It can't reach my core."
Madara immediately grasped the explanation, though he muttered bitterly, "So that's it…"
Seeing his quiet desolation, Ye Wen chuckled and asked, "Madara Uchiha, I see great potential in you. Would you become my apostle and spread my light across this world?"
Madara's brow furrowed in suspicion, Ye Wen's words reminding him of the zealots from the Land of Hot Water's Jashin cult. "Who are you, truly?" he demanded once more.
Ye Wen smiled faintly, and a solemn, otherworldly aura began to emanate from him. Madara sensed a vast, divine presence enveloping the man before him, a force unlike anything he had encountered in his seventy years. There were no words to describe it, only feelings of grandeur, sanctity, and compassion beyond the human scope.
"I am the God of Peace, come to end this era of conflict and bring true harmony to this world," Ye Wen declared, his voice resonating with a holy tone. "Call me Hanhai Shen, the God of the Boundless Sea."
Madara's eyes widened as he wrestled with his disbelief. "God?" he repeated, incredulous. Although "gods" existed in name the God of Shinobi, the Evil God, even self proclaimed demigods he had never encountered a being who could back up such a claim. Yet as he looked at the man before him, the overwhelming power he had witnessed left him speechless.
Without further explanation, Ye Wen gently raised a hand, and a single point of golden light drifted into Madara's chest. Instantly, his fatigue vanished, his chakra reserves replenished, and even his injuries faded as if they had never existed. Madara had felt this level of healing only once, when he used the forbidden Izanagi, yet he could sense that this power was not illusion it was real.
In awe, he glanced down at his hands, then at Ye Wen. Could it be true? Could this man be a god…? A flicker of hope reignited within him, and he leapt to his feet with newfound vigor. Driven by this mysterious power, his ambition reignited.
"God of Peace," he said urgently, looking up at Ye Wen. "I have a plan to bring eternal peace to this world."
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