Chapter 126: Winter is Coming
A biting wind howled like a savage beast, carrying with it a torrential flurry of heavy snowfall.
The rarely visited Forest of Death was blanketed entirely in pristine white snow—a silvery landscape stretching endlessly when viewed from afar.
After carefully confirming he wasn't being followed or observed, Uchiha Kazuki ventured alone directly into the Forest of Death.
Following a familiar, well-memorized route, he arrived deep within the Uchiha clan's hidden forbidden territory. Black Zetsu was already waiting there as arranged. Upon spotting Kazuki's approach, a servile smile immediately appeared across his features as he spoke respectfully: "Kazuki-sama, welcome back. Madara-sama has been waiting for you inside for quite some time."
"Hmm."
Uchiha Kazuki nodded with cool indifference before simply walking past Black Zetsu without further acknowledgment.
"Kazuki-sama, I won't accompany you inside. I'll remain out here keeping watch so I can notify you immediately if any foolish intruders dare wander into this area." Black Zetsu showed no offense at the dismissive treatment, clearly unconcerned with such minor slights. His body slowly merged seamlessly into the surrounding snow, as if he'd never existed at all.
Nearly two months had passed since their last encounter when Kazuki finally saw Uchiha Madara again.
However, this time Madara appeared noticeably older—his failing life sustained only by the grotesque network of tubes connected behind him. His existence seemed to flicker precariously like a candle flame in harsh wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment.
"Cough cough... You've come?"
Uchiha Madara lifted his heavy eyelids with visible effort, appearing utterly exhausted and weak.
"You suddenly summoned me here? Is there something urgent you require?" Uchiha Kazuki frowned deliberately, adopting an impatient expression as he stated coldly: "You specifically instructed that unless absolutely necessary, we should minimize our meetings. After all, this is Konohagakure—the Third Hokage might eventually discover our connection."
"I know that."
Uchiha Madara leaned back heavily in his chair, a glint of determination flashing deep within his sunken pupils. "This time, I have critical matters to discuss with you personally."
With each labored sentence, his gaunt, skeletal chest heaved painfully multiple times—making observers genuinely concerned the ancient shinobi might suddenly expire mid-conversation.
"What is it?" Uchiha Kazuki inquired curtly.
"You performed admirably this time, cough cough. It seems I can confidently entrust the 'Eye of the Moon' project entirely to your capable hands."
Uchiha Madara drew a deep, rattling breath before pausing momentarily to recover. He then continued with grave finality: "I've summoned you here today to formally entrust you, Kazuki, with the three most crucial 'techniques' required for successfully implementing the 'Eye of the Moon' project."
"Entrust them to me?"
Kazuki feigned genuine surprise initially, then seemed to realize the implications suddenly: "You're already at your absolute limit?!"
"It's not quite that I've reached my limit yet." Uchiha Madara shook his head slowly, his expression remarkably calm despite the circumstances. "I simply feel there's no meaningful purpose in prolonging this any further. Besides, Black Zetsu has already informed me that your performance has been exemplary. What you lack now is merely sufficient time and the proper opportunity."
"And what about you personally?" Kazuki pressed.
"It's time for me to depart this world."
Uchiha Madara displayed no fear whatsoever regarding death, his expression remaining perfectly composed. "You don't require any additional instruction from me. Remaining here alive serves no purpose—it's merely a meaningless waste of precious time. You should utilize this final period to lay proper groundwork for our future plans."
"I understand completely."
Kazuki nodded slightly with apparent indifference. "I will continue operating covertly, patiently waiting for the ideal opportunity."
"Black Zetsu will accompany me when I go." Uchiha Madara coughed violently several more times, fresh blood trickling from the corner of his cracked lips. His complexion grew increasingly pale and fragile as he gasped for adequate breath. "However, I will leave White Zetsu here with you. After my death, Black Zetsu will eventually return to you and assist in completing the 'Eye of the Moon' plan!"
"Understood. Anything else?"
Kazuki inquired with clinical detachment.
After a prolonged moment of contemplative silence, Uchiha Madara seemed to recall something critical. Dark tomoe manifested within his blood-red Sharingan eyes.
He stared intently at Uchiha Kazuki as the magatama pattern began rotating slowly. His tone carried subtle but unmistakable emphasis: "Remember this—never allow yourself to pursue extremes. The Eye of the Moon exists for the happiness and peace of the entire shinobi world, not as a tool to eliminate shinobi entirely. Don't allow our combined efforts to be wasted, Kazuki!"
Uchiha Kazuki's expression froze momentarily. His pupils lost focus as he subconsciously repeated the instruction: "Yes... don't pursue extremes. I will remember."
"Excellent. Then I can depart with peace of mind."
Uchiha Madara—having subtly implanted the Kotoamatsukami suggestion—finally felt a tremendous weight lift from his shoulders.
He genuinely feared that after his inevitable death, no one would possess sufficient influence to control Uchiha Kazuki's actions. That this dangerous individual might drive the Eye of the Moon plan toward unpredictable catastrophe according to his own extreme ideologies.
Now completely reassured, Uchiha Madara proceeded to teach him the three absolutely crucial techniques required for the Eye of the Moon plan:
Summoning Technique: Demonic Statue of the Outer Path!
Forbidden Technique: Impure World Reincarnation!
Forbidden Technique: Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life!
Mastering these three forbidden jutsu would guarantee that even under worst-case scenarios, Uchiha Kazuki could resurrect Madara from death itself.
Uchiha Madara felt supremely confident that even in his Edo Tensei resurrected state, absolutely no one throughout the entire shinobi world could rival his power.
Without Hashirama still living—who could possibly contend with him?
"Cough, cough..."
Uchiha Madara waved one skeletal hand weakly after completing the technique instruction. "You may leave now. I sincerely hope that when we next meet, I will be resurrected in another form entirely."
"Perhaps by the time you are successfully resurrected, the Eye of the Moon Plan will be merely one step away from completion."
Uchiha Kazuki carefully stored away the three technique scrolls, making this subtly ominous statement with an enigmatic expression before turning and departing.
Watching Kazuki's retreating figure, Uchiha Madara's eyes filled with strange, inexplicable unease. He experienced profound discomfort but couldn't precisely identify what troubled him.
Those controlled by Kotoamatsukami would never consciously perceive such manipulated thoughts. Forcibly suppressing his lingering anxiety, Madara leaned back heavily in his chair, pinched the bridge of his nose wearily, and slowly closed his eyes while muttering to himself: "Uchiha Kazuki... my choice wasn't incorrect, was it?"
Returning home from the Forest of Death—
Kazuki sat down slowly with a satisfied smile, withdrawing a leather-bound parchment notebook from within his robes.
It was the extraordinary item rewarded by the system after completing his previous mission: 'Leymano's Spellbook'!
The artifact allowed its user to record any extraordinary ability or technique they personally witnessed, permanently fixing it to the mystical pages. It could be deployed when needed—though only once per recorded ability.
Opening the notebook carefully, a line of text slowly materialized across the blank page:
Recorded: Dojutsu Technique - Kotoamatsukami
Effect: Can directly invade the opponent's brain and forcibly modify their consciousness permanently.
"What a pity for you, Madara. If I weren't a 'Spectator' pathway Beyonder, I might have genuinely been controlled by your technique~"
Uchiha Kazuki rested his chin thoughtfully on one hand, examining the notebook's contents with obvious amusement. His left index finger casually turned to the next page.
Leymano's Spellbook was now filled with pages of recorded ninjutsu techniques.
Recorded: Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique
Recorded: Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave
Recorded: Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique
Recorded: Water Release: Water Severing Wave
Recorded: Water Release: Water Dragon Biting Explosion
Recorded: Tailed Beast Ball (Three-Tails Version)
The infiltration mission to Kirigakure had proven extraordinarily fruitful indeed.
Speaking of which, one absolutely must thank the late Third Mizukage for his generous "contributions"—without him, where would all these advanced Water Release techniques have come from?
White Zetsu slowly emerged from the wall beside him, observing Kazuki before reporting: "Kazuki-sama, I've completed everything you instructed me to do. No one has discovered the manipulation. Very soon, Minato's team will run directly into the Kumogakure brothers—hehehehe."
"Well done, White Zetsu."
Uchiha Kazuki offered genuine praise while continuing to browse through his spellbook.
After advancing to Dream Walker, he had already completely transformed this particular White Zetsu—inside and out—into a shape that belonged exclusively to him.
In other words, from a certain perspective, after eventually advancing to demigod rank in the future, he could potentially create an entirely false personality and implant it directly into White Zetsu's mental world—effectively transforming it into his own perfect 'clone.'
"Kazuki-sama, there's something I don't quite understand."
White Zetsu inquired with genuine curiosity: "Why did you specifically arrange for the Kumogakure brothers, A and B, to receive the exact same mission assignment as Minato Namikaze's team?"
"War always requires a proper catalyst, doesn't it?"
The open pages snapped closed decisively. Uchiha Kazuki smiled faintly with profound meaning: "In that case, why shouldn't I personally ignite this particular fuse?"
And Minato Namikaze was absolutely perfect to serve as this so-called 'spark'!
A Jōnin operating directly under the Hokage's personal command—the most favored successor candidate for the position of Fourth Hokage—ambushed and nearly killed during a routine mission assignment. This single incident would prove sufficient to provoke the already extremely fragile diplomatic relationships throughout the shinobi world. Tensions had reached a critical breaking point—this would instantly trigger devastating chain reactions!
Just like the historical assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife during the Sarajevo incident that sparked the First World War.
[End of Chapter 126]
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