With his superb stealth techniques, using the Hiding with Camouflage Technique, Kei maneuvered his way past the numerous White Zetsu scattered around the mountainous graveyard and arrived at the edge of a deep pit.
Looking down into the pit, he saw the skeletal remains of a massive creature laid out at the center of the hole. It seemed to serve as a warning to any who mistakenly wandered into this place, a grim reminder of the dangers and horrors lurking here.
The rock walls surrounding the pit had several man-made openings, resembling the remnants of an ancient civilization. However, they were covered in thick snow and decayed vegetation, showing no signs of recent human habitation. If someone had truly stumbled upon this place by accident, would they perhaps marvel at the wisdom and power of the ancients?
Demonic Statue of the Outer Path...
Kei's gaze locked onto a cave entrance beyond the skeletal tailbone of the beast. Even though he had already suppressed his sensory abilities to the smallest possible range, his body instinctively and unmistakably told him what kind of terrifying existence lay hidden within.
That oppressive aura made his entire body stiffen, his hairs standing on end. It felt like being stared at by the abyss, like being trapped in the dark currents of a vast ocean. There was no doubt that this presence belonged to the Gedo Statue.
Steadying his mind and restraining his presence to the lowest possible level, he buried a Flying Thunder God kunai in the snow and, maintaining the camouflage of his concealment jutsu, silently infiltrated the depths of the pit.
---
A few torches flickered dimly in the dark underground cavern. Hunched over a stone table carved from blue rock, Madara carefully inscribed the final strokes onto a scroll under the dim lighting.
This scroll, which rightfully should have been in the Mizukage's office, was casually tossed to the White Zetsu standing nearby.
Exhaling a tired breath, he looked visibly weary. His aged body, like a candle flickering in the wind, no longer possessed the boundless vitality of his youth.
Even with the Gedo Statue sustaining him, he was merely clinging to life. But in this state, for a man who once stood at the pinnacle of the ninja world, it felt more like an insult and mockery than a gift. It led him to ponder again and again, to recall the past repeatedly...
White Zetsu, catching the scroll Madara tossed to it, curled its lips into an eerie grin.
Just as it was about to speak, the scarlet glow of three-tomoe Sharingan in the dim cavern silenced it. Without another word, it silently sank into the earth, carrying the scroll back to the Land of Water.
"Madara-sama, as per your instructions, the higher-ups of Kiri have already sent inquiries to Suna, demanding an explanation for the death of Fuguki. However, some within the village still advocate for an immediate attack on Konoha..."
Half-black, half-white, Black Zetsu, who was merged with White Zetsu, spoke in an obsequious yet fanatical tone.
Although he inwardly resented Madara's repeated efforts to delay the war, the long years had honed his ability to act flawlessly. Even someone as powerful as Madara detected no trace of deceit. However, at this moment, Madara had no patience to listen to Black Zetsu's prattle.
His aged face curled into a subtle smirk of mockery. His Sharingan, glowing with a blood-red hue, fixed directly on the entrance of the cave.
"Human curiosity is always so insatiable. It leads them to explore the unknown... and to march toward their own deaths." His voice, though aged, carried a deep confidence and composure.
Even though he was now nothing but a frail old man, his skin as wrinkled as dried branches, his hair completely white...
Even though the tubes of the Gedo Statue protruded from his back, making him appear weak and powerless... His overwhelming presence and dominance still sent chills down the spine.
---
[Name: Uchiha Madara]
[Career: Ninja]
[Traits: Yin-Yang Primordial Fusion {Residual} (Red), Power of Indra (Red), Chosen Uchiha (Red), Sage Body (Red), Indomitable Will (Red), Battlefield Rose (Red), Twin Heroes of the Warring States (Purple), Song of Blood and War (Purple), Born Conqueror (Purple), Lone Soul (Blue), Versatile Genius (Blue), Strategist of Chaos (Blue), Outer Path Longevity (Blue), Brother Complex (Green), Fated Entanglement (Gray), Obsession (Gray), Burned-Out Oil Lamp (Black)]
---
What the actual hell... This is insane! Completely insane! The moment Kei saw these traits, he felt his vision go dark, his heart nearly stopping.
He had originally believed that with his two Trait Removal and two Trait Downgrade, he could at least weaken Madara significantly—even if Madara was strong, he should still be manageable!
He had even entertained the idea that, given how old and frail Madara appeared in the original story, maybe he wouldn't even need to use his system powers—he could just straight-up fight Madara on equal footing.
And yet...
Damn, Madara, you really are something else!
Six red-tier traits, three purple, four blue, one green, two gray, and one black.
Was this the true gold standard for the strongest boss, aside from the Ōtsutsuki clan?
Yin-Yang Primordial Fusion was the initial form of the Six Paths power. The moment Madara obtained it, he awakened the Rinnegan!
Though he hadn't fully mastered the essence of Yin-Yang Release like the Sage of Six Paths, and even had a "Residual" status attached to the trait due to extracting his own Rinnegan, this thing was still top-tier.
Even though Kei knew that even if he copied this trait, his limited chakra reserves and lack of Six Paths lineage would prevent him from fully utilizing its power...
Who wouldn't go crazy wanting this?
Then there were [Power of Indra], [Chosen Uchiha], [Sage Body], [Indomitable Will], [Battlefield Rose]—every single one of these traits enhanced Madara's abilities in ways that Kei could only admire.
Even the purple and blue traits alone were enough to crush 99% of the shinobi world's strongest fighters!
No wonder Ōnoki nearly pissed himself just hearing Madara's name. The guy probably broke out in cold sweat faster than a thunderstorm.
If this was Madara at his peak... Kei felt that even looking at him for a second longer was an insult to his own survival instincts!
Luckily, the black-tier trait at the end of Madara's panel, [Burned-Out Oil Lamp], was doing its job.
Not only did it drastically weaken his overall combat strength, but the moment he disconnected from the Gedo Statue, his life would start counting down. And if he engaged in intense battle, his strength, stamina, mental state, and overall life force would drain even faster.
Fortunately... Kei still had his system.
Give me—Wait, wait!
System, duplicate [Sage Body] for me!
In the end, Kei stuck to his original plan: Sage Body.
By comparison, [Power of Indra], while strong, would gradually erode the wielder's will over time.
[Chosen Uchiha] would force him into a direct confrontation with the Uchiha clan just to explain how he got the Sharingan.
[Indomitable Will] was more suited for battle maniacs, which he was not.
[Battlefield Rose], while powerful, mainly amplified combat techniques like jutsu and weapon mastery, but it wasn't what he needed most right now.
Only [Sage Body] would give him an immediate, game-changing power boost!
---
[Obtained:
- Sage Body (Red)]
[Sage Body (Red):
Grants extreme Yang Release chakra, enhancing vitality and talent. Dramatically increases cell strength, cell activity, regeneration speed, life force, chakra reserves, Yang Release affinity, and natural energy affinity. Also significantly boosts water, earth, fire, wind, and lightning affinities.]
---
Hearing the system's notification, Kei finally relaxed a little.
Under Madara's gradually impatient gaze, he deactivated his Hiding with Camouflage Technique, revealing himself.
His silver-white hair stood out sharply against the dimly lit corridor. Beneath the iron forehead protector, his chiseled face held an air of seriousness. Cold red eyes met Madara's stunned expression.
Kei spoke in a deep voice, "Evil-born Uchiha... long time no see."
"TOBIRAMA!!"