Chapter 146: Long Time No See
By the time everything calmed down... Well, how could it calm down?
Masahiko's actions this time had wiped a quarter of the Land of Rain off the map.
After Masahiko finished sealing Black Zetsu, Hanzo, who lived on the other side of the Land of Rain, finally arrived, followed by many of the Hidden Rain's elites.
"Your Excellency... should be Senior Masahiko of the Uzumaki clan. May I ask why you have come to my Land of Rain and caused such a huge disturbance?"
Hanzo was a cautious man. Even though Masahiko looked to be in poor condition, Hanzo didn't attack immediately. After all, if the rumors were true, Masahiko's strength was not something a so-called "Demigod" like him could compare to. Besides, he had just witnessed with his own eyes the massive rock blocking out the sky that Masahiko had created.
Masahiko didn't respond. His current condition was indeed poor, but facing the group from the Land of Rain, he wasn't particularly panicked. "Poor condition" was relative; even now, facing the Hidden Rain Village posed no danger to him.
"Grandpa Masahiko, are you okay?" Yuna-kun and her family of three had arrived in front of Masahiko, and Yuna-kun asked with concern.
"I'm fine..." Masahiko, who had been sitting cross-legged on the ground, slowly stood up. Even though he had used the Sixty-Four Trigrams Combination Seal, Black Zetsu was still somewhat restless. It was, after all, something related to Kaguya.
Masahiko glanced around, then looked at Hanzo, who was still watching him warily. He shook his head and smiled. "I came to the Land of Rain to find a lost junior. Now that I've found her, I should go."
Masahiko pointed at Yuna-kun, offering an explanation he hadn't put much thought into.
"Lord Hanzo!"
Before Hanzo could speak, a ninja beside him couldn't hold back, but Hanzo stopped him.
"You destroyed my Land of Rain to this extent, and you give me that as a reason?" Even Hanzo, as cautious as he was, couldn't back down at a time like this.
Masahiko sighed. "I'd like to give you a reason, but if I told you I just eliminated an enemy who would bring devastating disaster to the ninja world, would you believe me?"
Hanzo looked deeply at Masahiko for a long time before finally saying, "The battle a year and a half ago... you were the one meddling from the sidelines then too, weren't you?" Hanzo was referring to the Battle of the Sannin.
Masahiko smiled and didn't respond. "Yuna, let's go."
In the end, Hanzo didn't attack. He couldn't be sure how much strength Masahiko had left, and that battle a year and a half ago could be interpreted as Masahiko sparing his life.
Masahiko flew Yuna-kun and her family back toward the Uzumaki clan from high altitude. Because he was carrying two ordinary people, their speed wasn't fast.
"Yuna, can you tell me what exactly happened today?" Yuna-kun's husband finally asked.
Yuna-kun shook her head, hugged Nagato tighter, and pointed at Masahiko. "Hirakawa, I told you I am from the Uzumaki clan. This is the Great Elder of our family and also my mother's teacher. As for what happened, I'm still confused myself. Grandpa Masahiko, what was that black shadow?"
Masahiko glared at her. "You have the nerve to ask!"
Yuna-kun wasn't afraid and glared back. "If it weren't for you, old man, trying to send me to that white-haired guy..."
Masahiko was stunned, then let out a long sigh. "This is good too. This is good."
"That black shadow is called Black Zetsu. It was targeting your son, Nagato."
Little Nagato poked his head out slightly from Yuna-kun's arms and looked at Masahiko curiously.
Yuna-kun hugged him even tighter. "Why? If it's because of the Uzumaki clan, then it should have been me."
Masahiko pursed his lips. "You really think only your talent is high? Indeed, before this, you and your mother had the highest talent. But compared to your son, you two are far behind!"
Yuna-kun was startled, then overjoyed.
Masahiko continued, "Little Nagato has a natural Sage Body. This is the first time it has appeared in the Uzumaki clan. As for what a Sage Body is... the most famous example is Hashirama."
"Are you saying Nagato has the potential to become a ninja like the legendary First Hokage?"
Masahiko hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
Although Nagato didn't possess Asura's chakra, Masahiko felt that if nurtured from a young age, he might truly grow to a level close to Hashirama's.
Yuna-kun lowered her head and kissed Nagato on the forehead, then asked, "You still haven't said what that black shadow actually was?"
Masahiko shook her head and offered no further explanation. He slowly descended with the three of them; they had arrived at the Land of Whirlpools.
"Yuna, you should think about how to explain things to your mother first. Don't worry about anything else. I still have some matters to attend to... Don't run away again. Nagato's talent cannot be wasted. When I return, I will guide him personally."
Yuna-kun looked at her husband. Having listened to their conversation along the way, he had begun to understand the situation.
"Yuna, take me to meet your mother."
His composure made Masahiko look at him in a new light. Yuna-kun hadn't married a timid man after all.
Masahiko waved his hand and flew back in the direction he came from. This time, his destination wasn't far from the Land of Rain, but within the borders of the Land of Fire—a place known as the Valley of the End.
On the way, Masahiko took out a box from his robes. It was the only spoil of war he had obtained before sealing Black Zetsu. Inside lay a pair of Rinnegan!
"Truly a great temptation..." Masahiko sighed. "No wonder Black Zetsu surfaced. It turns out he was planning to transplant the eyes into Nagato. I went at just the right time..."
Masahiko didn't plan to swap his eyes. For the current him, the boost from these eyes wouldn't be significant, and they would likely burden him. He estimated his current constitution couldn't fully withstand the power of the Rinnegan yet.
About half an hour later, Masahiko arrived at the Valley of the End. The sculpture he had left behind still stood there.
Masahiko had known for a long time that Madara should be underground here, but for the sake of the plot, he had never come to see him. However, since he no longer cared about the final plot of the Fourth War and had sealed Black Zetsu, it didn't matter anymore. Without the Rinnegan and without Black Zetsu's assistance, Madara's resurrection plan was basically finished. Masahiko didn't want him to die silently underground, so he decided to see him one last time.
Masahiko used the Hiding in Rock Technique to dive deep underground. After about two hundred meters, Masahiko entered a massive underground palace.
"Surprisingly big."
Masahiko fully activated his perception and finally detected Madara's familiar chakra over ten kilometers away.
"Is it still that far?"
Unable to wait, Masahiko rushed forward at full speed.
"Zetsu, you're back. Why did you bring my Rinnegan back? Did something happen to Nagato?" Madara kept his eyes closed tightly. Although he lacked sensory abilities, he could still sense his own Rinnegan.
Masahiko's expression shifted, and he mimicked Black Zetsu's raspy voice. "Madara-sama, the plan failed. Uzumaki Masahiko appeared there."
Madara froze, stood up, and opened his right eye to reveal a Sharingan he had picked up from somewhere spinning within. He spoke slowly, "So it's you, old man. It seems my laughable will incarnate has been dealt with."
Masahiko paused, then smiled and spoke in his own voice. "It's me, Madara. Long time no see. You've gotten old..."
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