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Kagaya was not surprised by Madara's appearance. In fact, he had sensed Madara's presence long before as well.
"This time... it truly is the last time we'll meet."
Madara narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Dressing up like that... is there some meaning behind it?"
Kagaya was silent for a moment. In the end, he chose to tell the truth.
"It's to erase the memories concerning me."
Madara clicked his tongue.
"Erasing memories... how formidable. This shouldn't be your own ability, right?"
Kagaya shook his head. "It's not mine."
"Fine. Something like erasing memories—no matter who's doing it—is certainly something beneficial to you. I won't pry further. Speaking of which, I'm also preparing to leave the Leaf Village. Perhaps we could even leave together."
"Eh? You're leaving the Leaf Village too?"
"Yes. You, of all people, should be able to understand why."
As he spoke, Madara turned his head and gazed into the distance. Although the place they were standing was a deserted corner, if one looked far off, one could still faintly see the bustling scene of the Leaf Village streets.
Kagaya also followed his gaze. A trace of bitterness welled up in his heart. How could he not understand? As things stood now, Madara had already lost all ability to contend for the position of Hokage. The seat of Hokage would sooner or later fall into Tobirama's hands. And Tobirama would, sooner or later, raise the blade in his hand and ruthlessly suppress the Uchiha.
On the other hand, ten months of peace had completely shattered the backbone of the Uchiha. When facing others, perhaps they could still raise their proud spines. But when facing the prospect of war, their knees had already grown too weak to stand. At this moment, they willingly knelt before peace, reverent and devout, like believers.
"Perhaps... Hashirama might have a way. Who knows." Kagaya said this half-jokingly.
If Hashirama helped Madara secure the position of the next Hokage, then everything would be fine. As long as Madara sat in the Hokage's seat, he could cultivate his own power base and leave behind contingencies. Even if Tobirama still became Hokage in the future, he wouldn't be able to do anything to the Uchiha.
Madara smiled.
"Hashirama, huh? With Hashirama around, I'm not worried in the slightest about the Uchiha's safety. Hashirama is a man who keeps his promises. No matter what others think, at the very least, in my eyes, Hashirama right now genuinely treats the Uchiha as his own family. As long as Hashirama still draws breath, throughout the entire Leaf Village, there certainly won't be a single person who dares to move against the Uchiha.
But... I know Hashirama far too well. He loves this village deeply. He cannot tolerate anyone harming the people within it. That's one of the reasons he will protect the Uchiha. Yet on the other hand, Hashirama will not forcibly go against the collective will and expectations of the village's people. Do you understand what I mean? In truth, with Hashirama's prestige, he could very well stubbornly appoint me as the next Hokage. But he didn't. He was always unwilling to defy the expectations of the villagers. In the end, the Hokage still has to be chosen through popular vote. Tell me... under such an election method, do I have any chance of winning?"
Kagaya pressed his lips together. He was beginning to understand, to some degree, the depths of Madara's despair. Back then, Madara had forcibly suppressed the hatred born from his brother's murder and, together with Hashirama, built the Leaf Village. All of it had been for the sake of protecting the Uchiha. Yet what was the result? Not long after the village was established, Madara was already seeing the future annihilation of the Uchiha. And what's more... it was something he was powerless to stop.
"Things will get better." That was all Kagaya could offer as consolation.
Madara shook his head and changed the subject.
"Do you still remember what I told you back then?"
"You've said many things. How am I supposed to know which one you're referring to?"
"A single deity, in pursuit of stability, divided yin and yang into two opposing poles. These two forces, opposite in nature yet mutually interacting, gave rise to all of creation."
"That's the content from the stone tablet, isn't it?"
"Mm, correct. So then... do you still remember what I said afterward?"
"Let me think. Back then, you said that this passage could be interpreted from another angle. That it speaks of two forces mutually interacting to create all creation, rather than specifically referring to two people. In other words... perhaps if a single person were to obtain both forces, they could then create everything they desire."
Madara nodded.
"Although the wording is completely different, the meaning is the same. But back then, there was one topic I didn't discuss with you. I'd like to bring it up now. In your opinion... what are those 'two forces' mentioned in that sentence?"
"Yin and Yang, the two poles. Then perhaps... it refers to Yin Release and Yang Release?"
Kagaya answered somewhat uncertainly. Among the chakra natures in the world of Naruto, besides Wind, Lightning, Earth, Fire, and Water, there were also two other natures: Yang Release chakra and Yin Release chakra.
These two chakra natures were not without use. In certain powerful jutsu, both were required to execute them. For instance, the Impure World Reincarnation jutsu required the caster to possess Yin Release chakra.
Madara shook his head once again.
"No. Initially, my thoughts aligned with yours. But later, I discovered that although those who possess all chakra natures in the shinobi world are very rare, they do exist. Yet, the strength of those who possess all chakra natures is only just that—mediocre. In my eyes... they are utterly and completely vulnerable. Not even worthy of my hand."
Kagaya scratched his head somewhat painfully. What he detested the most were these kinds of abstruse, esoteric matters. A broken stone tablet—they'd already gone to the trouble of making it readable only through ocular power, so why make it so obscure and cryptic? Couldn't they just explain it in plain, straightforward language?
"Then what do you think those so-called 'two forces' refer to?"
Madara lowered his head, looking at his own hand.
"If these two forces can create all things, then they must be mighty. They cannot possibly be weak. In that case, in the entire shinobi world right now, the ones who possess the greatest power... are you, me, and Hashirama. You are not a person of this era, so you don't count. That leaves only me and Hashirama. Hashirama and I represent the most powerful forces currently existing in this shinobi world."
"You mean..."
"That's right. Perhaps... those two forces refer precisely to Hashirama and myself!"
"Then... you're planning to..."
A wicked, bewitching smile spread across Madara's face as he spoke. "The rest... I probably don't need to say it anymore, do I? You should understand. After all, you just said it yourself: the one who obtains both forces can create all things."
Kagaya furrowed his brow.
"Words are all well and good, but... how do you plan to obtain Hashirama's power?"
Madara pointed to his own eyes.
"The Uchiha clan's power, for the most part, originates from our eyes. Take myself, for example. The Senju clan is different. The Senju clan's power originates from their bodies. Therefore... all I need to do is seize Hashirama's bodily cells."
The moment those words fell, a flash of brilliant inspiration detonated within Kagaya's mind!
Obtaining bodily cells... obtaining bodily cells...
Two forces combining...
Madara is the reincarnation of Indra... Hashirama is the reincarnation of Asura...
Wait!
In the original story, Madara awakened the Rinnegan. Then... could this be the method for awakening the Rinnegan?
In an instant, Kagaya's mind became crystal clear. The things that had always troubled him, shrouded in mist, were completely unveiled in this very moment.
"Madara! I want to ask a favor of you!"
Kagaya suddenly grabbed Madara's arm, speaking with intense excitement.
If everything he had just hypothesized was true, then Kagaya already possessed Hashirama's chakra at this moment. That meant he only lacked Indra's chakra—which was the chakra of the man standing right before him: Madara!
Madara was startled by Kagaya's sudden excitement and asked,
"What's the matter? If you have something to say, just say it directly."
A flash of crimson light flickered in Kagaya's eyes.
"Could you... give me some of your chakra?"
"My chakra?"
"Yes."
"You're asking for my chakra at a time like this... Could it be... you already possess Hashirama's chakra?"
"Yes!"
"How did you obtain it?"
"I acquired it in the future. It's not convenient to explain."
"I see... Very well. I'll give you a portion of my chakra."
The process of transferring chakra occurred without any unforeseen incidents. Of course, there couldn't possibly have been any incidents.
Madara fixed his gaze intently on Kagaya.
"Well? Do you feel anything?"
Kagaya carefully examined his entire body's condition, then furrowed his brow and spoke.
"No... I don't seem to feel anything."
At this, both of them were stunned. If that were the case... could this path be wrong?
Madara spoke with some uncertainty.
"Perhaps... the transformation requires a certain amount of time?"
"Perhaps. But I don't know either. It's also possible that this path is..."
"No."
Madara suddenly cut off Kagaya's words.
"I will not give up. This is the only path I've found right now. Whether it's right or wrong... I must walk it myself, at least once."
Kagaya gave a bitter smile. "I hope it is the right path."
Madara smiled along with him, then changed the subject once again.
"Come to think of it... didn't we also make an agreement back then? That when the time came for you to leave, you would tell me your name."
Since the memories were going to be erased anyway, Kagaya saw no reason to hesitate and immediately answered.
"My name is Uchiha..."
However, before he could finish, Madara cut him off once more.
"Forget it. No need to tell me. We'll never see each other again anyway. Saying it... holds no meaning."
Kagaya paused, then spoke with a deeper implication.
"Perhaps... we may yet meet again. Who can say for certain?"
Madara was momentarily stunned. He knew that Kagaya was a person from the future. So, if Kagaya said something like this...
"I hope... that at that time, you can still stand by my side."
Kagaya smiled and spoke in a low voice. "People change."
Right now, the relationship between Kagaya and Madara was indeed very good. But Kagaya could never assist Madara in carrying out the Infinite Tsukuyomi. It had already been proven in the original story that the so-called Infinite Tsukuyomi was an outright, complete and utter deception. Kagaya had no connection whatsoever to Kaguya. Why would he want to resurrect her?
Madara carefully contemplated Kagaya's words. A few seconds later, he seemed to have roughly figured something out. He inquired,
"You? Or me?"
What Madara was asking with this sentence was: The one who will change in the future—is it you? Or is it me?
Kagaya opened his mouth, wanting to answer "you." But he stopped himself. After returning to his own time, there was still a period remaining before Madara's resurrection. Who could say for sure that he himself wouldn't change?
Therefore, Kagaya smiled and said,
"Perhaps... both of us."
Madara nodded. "I see... If—and I'm just saying if—in the future, I end up walking down the wrong path... you must be sure to correct me."
Kagaya teased, "What's this? Even you think you might walk the wrong path?"
Madara sighed. "Why wouldn't I? Looking back now, perhaps agreeing to peace with Hashirama back then was a mistake, who knows. And now... this path I've chosen—it might be right, or it might be wrong."
"And you're still going to walk it?"
"Why wouldn't I? Should one stop moving forward simply because they're afraid of making a mistake? This is the only path I can see. Even if I die upon this road... I must walk it at least once to know."
This answer from Madara shook Kagaya to his core. The resolve revealed in his words was utterly unshakable.
Forget a mere mistake—even if he were to die upon this road, he still had to walk it!
Indeed... the man before him was named Uchiha Madara, not Uchiha Obito. This man's convictions came from the very depths of his soul. They could never be shaken.
This was a man whom not even Naruto could talk down. What right did he have to try and persuade him?
"Madara... if we end up opposing each other in the future, and both of us believe our own path is right... what should we do then?"
Madara tilted his head slightly. "What's the matter? Are you afraid of me?"
These words were provocation, a taunt, and also encouragement.
Kagaya took a deep breath, then answered.
"When that time comes... I will prove that these eyes of mine can see further than yours."
Upon hearing this, Madara immediately burst into loud laughter.
"Hahahahaha! Good! I look forward to it with great anticipation! Boy, in my eyes, the only people in this entire world who could possibly stop me... are you and Hashirama. If, in the future, our respective paths collide... then try to stop me. Try to stop Uchiha Madara!"
"I certainly will!"
With those words, the two of them fell silent.
A long while later, Madara was the first to speak.
"The Uchiha... in the end, what became of them?"
Kagaya averted his gaze slightly, not daring to look at Madara.
"A few remain."
The moment this answer left his lips, Kagaya noticed Madara's body tremble almost imperceptibly.
"A few, huh? That's enough."
The words, unavoidably, were tinged with a trace of desolation.
Having said that, Madara immediately turned his eyes toward the distant sky.
"It's about time I left the Leaf Village as well. I should go."
As he spoke, Madara stepped forward. But after only two steps, he stopped and looked back at Kagaya.
"Boy... do you know why I saved you and brought you back to the Uchiha back then? It wasn't only because I had guessed your origins. It was also because... you resemble Izuna very much. Did you know that?"
Kagaya paused briefly and shook his head.
"I didn't know."
Madara was silent for a moment, then spoke.
"At the very end... could you remove your mask and let me see your face one last time?"
This time, Kagaya said nothing.
According to the White Snake Sage's instructions, he absolutely could not remove his mask.
Madara stared fixedly at Kagaya's mask, completely motionless.
Kagaya wanted to refuse Madara through his silence. Yet Madara, as if he had suddenly become foolish at this moment, said not a word and simply stared at Kagaya in silence.
In the end, that face, concealed by the mask, shook slightly from side to side.
"I'm sorry."
Madara smiled. This time, he said nothing more. He turned around and slowly vanished from that place.
This time, his silhouette held not a trace of desolation.
Kagaya reached out and adjusted the mask that had exposed half his face, setting it straight once more.
Exposing half his face... had been the very limit of what he could do.
At the same time, countless memories began to vanish from Madara's mind at a furious speed. Until, at last, Madara could no longer recall anything at all related to Kagaya.
Yet, in a daze, a face seemed to surface in Madara's mind—a face he felt he had just seen mere moments ago. He turned around and looked behind him.
"Izuna?"
However, in the distance behind Madara, at that deserted corner, there was no longer anyone there.