Full Chapter Title: He Stepped from Light into Darkness, Then from Darkness Back into Light, and in That Light, He Found the Meaning of His Existence, Which Is... Kakashi, Get Lost! I'm Running Off with Rin! Hahaha!
—Main Story—
The dimly lit room had only a small window facing outside. Moonlight streamed through it, casting a bright patch on the wooden floor. The rest of the room was swallowed by darkness.
A masked figure stood in the moonlight, letting the cold glow wash over him. His head was tilted up as he gazed at the crescent moon outside. He stood still like a statue, rooted in the corner of the room.
On the other side, deep in the shadows, a thin figure sat on a massive chair. Black tubes stretched from the back of the chair, piercing into his body. His skin clung tightly to his bones, making him look almost lifeless.
His hair was short and red, and his eyes held eerie rings. He stared blankly at the masked man in the moonlight, his voice hoarse and emotionless.
"Madara, why did you suddenly stop collecting funds?"
The masked man, called 'Madara,' seemed to snap out of his trance. His stiff posture shifted slightly, as if a machine had just started moving.
He turned to look at the red-haired man.
"Because those two threats have returned."
His voice was even colder than the other man's, carrying an almost bone-chilling indifference to the world.
"Threats?" The red-haired man let out a dry chuckle. "In front of these eyes, what in this world could still be a threat?"
As he spoke, his Rinnegan slowly rotated in the darkness.
"Don't overestimate yourself, Nagato." Madara's tone remained cold. "Even with those eyes, you wouldn't be able to defeat them. If they wanted to, they could wipe out the Land of Rain, and the Akatsuki wouldn't be able to stop them."
Of course, they wouldn't actually do that.
Nagato's expression darkened. "Even me?"
"Even you," Madara replied flatly.
The cold moonlight cast a sharp contrast against the deep blackness of Madara's shadow.
The two men stared at each other in silence as the wind slipped through the window, making their cloaks ripple like demons lurking in the night.
After a long pause, Nagato's face returned to its usual calm. He glared at Madara.
"Why didn't you take care of them sooner?"
"Because I couldn't." Madara's voice remained as emotionless as ever. "Those two are protected by the power of the Sage of Six Paths. Fifteen years ago, I tried to stop them from being born, but you know how that turned out. So, you should understand what I'm saying."
Even when he unleashed the Nine-Tails, hoping to end them before they had a chance to grow, the damned Fourth Hokage stopped him.
Even when he wiped out the Uchiha clan, hoping the village would take care of the last loose end, that one person still survived.
No matter what happened back then, the result was always the same—until they fully matured, the Sage's power shielded them. And back then, he simply didn't have the strength to fight a fully unleashed Tailed Beast.
He had originally planned to use Orochimaru to lure one of them out of the village, the easier one to deal with. But something went wrong. Instead of drawing him out, it only pushed him to grow even stronger.
Three years ago, if Jiraiya hadn't been with them, he would've finished them off already.
It was as if some strange force was guiding their growth—forcing them through every disaster, yet making sure they survived every single one.
Nagato's aura grew even colder as he listened to Madara's words.
"How strong are they now?"
"Stronger than you can imagine. Even if you were at your peak, your chances of beating them would be slim," Madara said, giving his honest assessment.
There was no way around it. The two who had gained the power of the Six Paths had completely reached another level. Their very essence of life was different. Even if Nagato could ensure he wouldn't be killed, there was absolutely no chance he could defeat them.
No… that's not right…
"Madara" suddenly looked at Nagato, his eyes showing a hint of thought. "No, there's one guy who hasn't reached that level yet. He's strong, but you should be able to kill him."
"Who?" Nagato asked.
"Uchiha Sasuke," "Madara" replied.
Nagato narrowed his eyes, and an image of another member of the Akatsuki appeared in his mind. "Itachi Uchiha's younger brother?"
"That's right," "Madara" nodded.
Nagato closed his eyes as if deep in thought.
"Madara" didn't disturb him. He turned his head and continued gazing at the moon outside the window, his body once again turning into a motionless statue.
After a long moment, Nagato lifted his head and looked at "Madara." "Itachi seems very interested in getting Sasuke's eyes. We can use that to lure Sasuke out."
"The problem is, if Sasuke shows up, that Uzumaki Naruto will come with him," "Madara" said calmly. "Those two never seem to be apart."
"If Itachi and Sasuke fight, then knowing the Uchiha, Sasuke won't let Naruto interfere," Nagato said. "If Itachi kills Sasuke, then the problem is solved."
In theory, that was true.
"Madara" nodded. "That's what I was thinking too. But there's still one issue."
"Is Itachi, in his current state, a match for Sasuke?" Nagato voiced the question that was already on "Madara's" mind. "So, in your opinion, which of the two is stronger?"
"Itachi," "Madara" answered without hesitation. But the next second, he suddenly added, "If his body were in perfect condition, then he would definitely win. He's one of the two most naturally gifted shinobi I've ever seen."
The other… was Hatake Kakashi.
"Not even you?" Nagato suddenly asked.
"Heh." "Madara" let out a disdainful chuckle. He turned his head to look at Nagato, his blood-red Mangekyou Sharingan visible through the single hole in his mask, filling the room with an eerie aura. "Do you even know who you're standing in front of?"
Uchiha Madara. The strongest shinobi—no need for the words "one of."
If not for Senju Hashirama.
So… are you really him?
Nagato looked at the man in front of him, the one claiming to be Uchiha Madara. He said nothing, but his eyes held that very question.
"Madara" let out a cold snort, his Sharingan slowly closing. "Does it matter?"
No, it didn't.
Nagato turned away without asking further.
The next moment, as if suddenly remembering something, he turned back toward "Madara"—only to realize that the figure bathed in moonlight had already disappeared.
He had stepped out of the light and into the darkness.
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