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[Konoha] Chapter 296: Uchiha Madara's Dreamscape!
🕑 Added 2024-12-28 06:30:00 +0000 UTC"Shukaku prefers the desert environment, so it's decided to return to the Land of Wind. It also wants to continue nurturing its previous jinchūriki," Minato explained.
Shūichi was not surprised upon hearing this.
Having invested so much effort, how could Shukaku give up so easily?
Minato continued, "The Two-Tails has chosen to become Yugito Nii's summoning beast, and the Three-Tails decided to follow Rin.
"The Four-Tails has returned to Iwagakure and seems keen to train Kurotsuchi, even agreeing to compete with Shukaku.
"The Five-Tails has decided to stay in Konoha.
"The Six-Tails opted to remain with its jinchūriki, Utakata.
"The Seven-Tails and Eight-Tails both decided to stay in Konoha as well but didn’t choose to become summoning beasts."
The Seven-Tails lacked much attachment to its previous jinchūriki, and as for the Eight-Tails—if Killer Bee were still around, it would have undoubtedly chosen to stay with him.
Shūichi smiled thoughtfully. "Sensei, why not offer them roles as Allied Shinobi Force operatives or even ninja beasts? If they’re interested in missions, they can always take some on."
Minato and Kushina were momentarily taken aback, but then Kushina gave Shūichi a thumbs-up. "You really are brilliant, Shūichi!"
Minato nodded in agreement. "That’s indeed a great idea to help the tailed beasts integrate further with shinobi society."
The Nine-Tails, listening nearby, huffed, "Ordinary missions hold no interest for us."
Shūichi chuckled, "Even mundane missions can sometimes be quite entertaining. By the way, Kurama, make sure you train Naruto well. You wouldn’t want Shukaku mocking you, would you?"
The Nine-Tails sneered, "I won’t fall for that trick of yours!"
Despite its sharp words, deep down, the Nine-Tails had already resolved to train Naruto.
After all, it couldn't afford to lose face to that obnoxious raccoon!
---
With the matter of the tailed beasts settled, Minato turned to another topic. "Shūichi, I’ve decided that the first Chūnin Championship will be hosted by the Allied Shinobi Forces. It’ll be a great opportunity to further unite the villages."
Shūichi smiled. "That decision is entirely up to you, Sensei. From now on, I’ll only focus on my role as the head of the Root Special Training Division."
With that, he vanished.
Minato sighed, somewhat helplessly. "I was hoping to assign Shūichi a role within the Alliance."
Kushina, however, saw through him immediately. "Shūichi’s influence is simply too great. He’s likely stepping back to avoid overshadowing your authority as the first Leader.
"Besides, with all the women in his life now, where would he find the time to help you?"
The mention of women made Minato hastily change the subject. "Kushina, who do you think is suitable for the training slots?"
Kushina pondered this but then turned her gaze toward the Nine-Tails. Smiling, she asked, "Kurama, who do you think?"
Without hesitation, the Nine-Tails replied, "Of course, that brat Naruto."
Minato laughed awkwardly. "Uh, Naruto is still too young for that."
The Nine-Tails, jokingly, said, "Then pick someone either loyal to you or someone with immense potential."
Minato nodded thoughtfully. "In that case, Kakashi."
A loyal subordinate and someone with unparalleled potential—it was the perfect choice.
---
Leaving the Hokage’s office, Shūichi opened a spatial gate and arrived directly at the medical camp.
Although the main Allied Forces had mostly withdrawn to their respective villages, the medical unit remained active.
Most of the lightly injured had been transferred, but there were still severely injured shinobi in need of care.
When Shūichi arrived, even Tsunade was hard at work.
He quickly created a clone to relieve her and then led her for a stroll in the nearby woods.
"Are you sure sealing both Kaguya Ōtsutsuki and Uchiha Madara in the Memory Palace poses no risks?" Tsunade asked, her tone laced with concern.
To her, the situation seemed inherently dangerous.
Shūichi wrapped an arm around her waist and smiled. "Relax. They couldn’t beat me at their peak, let alone now that their souls are sealed."
"Besides, I’ve grown even stronger since then.
"And lastly... Kaguya has agreed to cooperate with me."
Tsunade froze mid-step, her gaze turning sharp and dangerous. "Anyone but her!"
Shūichi felt wronged. "Hey, Tsunade, do I look like that kind of person?"
Tsunade’s expression was skeptical, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You’re even worse than Jiraiya!"
Before she could say more, Shūichi silenced her with a kiss, making her breathless. Pulling back, he grinned wickedly. "That’s your punishment for doubting your husband!"
Blushing furiously, Tsunade glared at him.
Shūichi smiled and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "It’s true. Our cooperation is strictly professional."
"Kaguya, with her Rinne Sharingan and multiple Kekkei Mōra, was a formidable opponent. Her combat experience was her only real weakness. I learned a lot from facing her."
"I intend to learn these Kekkei Mōra myself using my Rinne Sharingan."
Tsunade finally eased up, realizing the practicality of his plan. Her initial concerns stemmed from Kaguya being an extremely dangerous individual, completely different from allies like Pakura or Konan.
Understanding her unease, Shūichi revealed information about the Ōtsutsuki Clan, particularly about Isshiki and the main family.
Hearing this, Tsunade frowned. "So this war is far from over."
Shūichi nodded grimly. "Exactly. Unless the Ōtsutsuki Clan is eradicated, it will never end.
"The clan scours the stars, seeking planets like ours to plant Divine Trees and harvest Chakra Fruits. They’ll never ignore this world, especially now that there are two Ten-Tails here."
Tsunade instinctively placed a protective hand over her abdomen.
Shūichi covered her hand with his own, his voice firm. "Don’t worry. With me here, nothing will harm our child."
"Mm."
Tsunade nodded, leaning her head on his shoulder.
---
By nightfall, the medical camp’s work was nearly complete. By dawn, the remaining patients would be ready for transfer.
After making arrangements and leaving a clone behind just in case, Shūichi returned to Konoha with Tsunade, Yakushi Nono, Asuka, and Shizune.
He also made a trip to the Land of Rain to bring Konan back, reuniting his entire household.
Yakushi Nono, Tsunade, Shizune, Asuka, Pakura, Tenka, Terumi Mei, and Konan—his wives surrounded him.
With just a single sip of sake, Shūichi felt utterly intoxicated by happiness.
Could life get better than this?
Yes.
Later that night, with Asuka, Pakura, and Tenka, he reached a new pinnacle of bliss.
...
After dinner*, Shūichi headed to Orochimaru’s research base.
The base, previously sealed, had now been reactivated, and Shisui was already waiting at the entrance.
The two entered the facility together and soon found Orochimaru, who was engrossed in studying Uchiha Madara’s corpse.
Without looking up, Orochimaru spoke with a sly smile, “Shūichi-kun, you’re always so unfathomable. Honestly, you give off the impression that everything is under your control. Could it be that you’ve long known the secrets of the Eye of the Moon Plan and even about Ōtsutsuki Kaguya?”
Shūichi didn’t respond to the question, instead asking, “Do you think it’s possible to clone Madara’s body using his cells combined with those of the First Hokage?”
“Cloning?” Orochimaru raised an eyebrow. “Surely not for the Rinnegan?”
Since returning to Konoha, Orochimaru had met Nagato and learned that Madara’s Rinnegan had been transplanted into him, ruling out that possibility.
Shūichi smiled. “Cloning the Rinnegan is nearly impossible. However, both Madara and the First Hokage were reincarnations of the Sage of Six Paths’ sons—Indra and Asura. The fusion of their inherited powers awakened the Sage of Six Paths’ abilities, enabling Madara to unlock the Rinnegan.”
Orochimaru lifted his head, intrigued. “Ah, so you’re after the Sage’s power—or more specifically, his unique constitution. Are you planning to resurrect him?”
Shisui flinched at the idea, looking nervously at Shūichi.
Shūichi shook his head. “Resurrecting the Sage isn’t something we can simply decide to do.”
The Sage of Six Paths existed in a spiritual state, and even Shūichi wasn’t certain of his strength. From what he knew, the Sage, despite his death, had transcended the limitations of a physical body.
Frankly, Shūichi didn’t have complete confidence in defeating him.
Orochimaru’s eyes gleamed as his mind churned.
Shūichi’s seemingly casual statement had revealed a trove of information.
Was the Sage of Six Paths truly dead?
“Body and spirit…” Orochimaru murmured, recalling past discussions with Shūichi.
The inspiration for his Living Corpse Reincarnation technique had come partly from those conversations.
“Fascinating…” Orochimaru extended his tongue, licking his lips. “I’d like to try. Experimenting on a Six Paths-level body is certainly an intriguing prospect.”
Having seen the overwhelming power of the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki and Madara’s might, his current body no longer satisfied him.
Shūichi added, “There are some research materials in the lab Tsunade and I operate. They might prove useful to you.”
Orochimaru nodded. “I’d be very interested in reviewing them. Of course, if Shūichi-kun could provide a sample of your cells, that would be even better.”
Shūichi flatly rejected the suggestion. “I’m not fond of the idea of my clones running around everywhere.”
Orochimaru chuckled, unsurprised but still somewhat disappointed. “What a pity.”
To him, Shūichi was a far more intriguing research subject than Madara.
With a seemingly ordinary lineage, Shūichi had accomplished incredible feats, hinting at hidden secrets within him.
---
After leaving the lab, Shūichi turned to Shisui. “What’s your plan for your training going forward?”
Shisui pondered for a moment before asking, “Shūichi, do you think I can awaken the Rinnegan?”
Shūichi laughed at the question. “The Rinnegan is formed by fusing two chakra natures. Theoretically, yes, it’s possible—just as I did.”
“I learned to use the Sharingan through you, didn’t I? Using a similar approach, you could attempt to learn the Rinnegan from me. But I’ll warn you—it’s exceedingly, incredibly difficult.”
“Sharingan, Rinnegan, and Rinne Sharingan—they’re essentially three tiers of ocular powers. The Sharingan’s pinnacle is the Mangekyō. For the Rinne Sharingan, it’s the Nine Tomoe Rinne Sharingan. The Rinnegan, however, appears to have no further evolution aside from merging into the Rinne Sharingan.”
"As for the Byakugan, the strongest we’ve seen belongs to Ōtsutsuki Kaguya. Its capabilities are far beyond those of ordinary Byakugan, comparable to the Mangekyō. "
Then there’s the Tenseigan—Ōtsutsuki Toneri’s Tenseigan Chakra Mode rivals Madara’s Rinnegan in power.
“To awaken the Rinnegan, you’ll also need an enormous amount of chakra. The Sage’s power is indispensable.”
Shūichi advised, “Set the Rinnegan as a long-term goal. For now, focus on mastering other chakra nature transformations or integrating other Kekkei Genkai. That will also enhance the power of your Susano’o.”
Shisui nodded, inspired. Enhancing Susano’o’s strength was a tangible and immediate objective, and Shūichi had already set an example for him to follow.
Shūichi continued, “Kekkei Genkai, Kekkei Tōta, Kekkei Mōra—all of these are potential avenues. But few can tread this path. Reaching the summit has always been reserved for the exceptional.”
“Talent, willpower, perseverance, and even luck… but we’re still young.”
Shūichi clapped Shisui on the shoulder. “Oh, and Shisui, you should consider finding a girlfriend, getting married, and passing on your bloodline and will.”
Shisui smiled awkwardly. “I’ve been thinking about it.”
Shūichi burst into laughter. “Good luck, Shisui! Our kids can join the Academy together and grow up as comrades!”
....
Back at home, Shūichi found that Shizune and the others were not around. He went straight to his study.
Lowering his gaze thoughtfully, he chose not to engage in training with Ōtsutsuki Kaguya for the time being. Instead, he entered the illusionary replica of Konoha Village, where Uchiha Madara’s soul was sealed.
On the Hokage Rock, Uchiha Madara stared blankly at the peaceful village below. When Shūichi suddenly appeared, Madara turned to him.
“Do you also want me to be a pawn in your hands?” Madara asked, his tone cold.
Shūichi chuckled lightly. “Not at all. It’s more like mutual benefit and fulfillment.”
“I’m not like Black Zetsu.”
The mention of Black Zetsu made Madara’s expression darken.
It was a humiliation he could never erase—a betrayal that shattered his dreams.
The Eye of the Moon Plan? It was nothing but a farce.
His grand ideals had proven worthless. Compared to Hashirama, he had lost, and being sealed in this replica of Konoha, Madara lacked any will to break free. Instead, he spent his days staring at the idyllic village in silence.
Though he had played a part in founding Konoha, the achievement was not truly his but Hashirama’s.
Standing atop the Hokage Rock, Shūichi looked down at the village and remarked, “Madara, if I had been born in your era, I would have chosen to side with you.”
Madara snapped out of his daze. “What do you mean?”
Shūichi smiled. “It’s simple—unite all the shinobi villages by force!”
Madara snorted. “But you didn’t do it.”
Shūichi shook his head. “Because there’s no need for that now.”
“If there were, I wouldn’t hesitate to use force. While uniting the shinobi villages and nations wouldn’t achieve eternal peace, it could at least stabilize the shinobi world for a time.”
Madara frowned. “So even unifying all shinobi villages and nations wouldn’t lead to lasting peace? Are you suggesting that true peace can only come through mutual understanding?”
Shūichi shook his head. “Hashirama’s idea was too naive.”
“How can you understand the pain of losing parents or a loved one if you’ve never experienced it? How can people trapped in your illusionary peace understand your reasoning?”
“If you kill someone’s parents because their parents killed yours, can they understand your pain? Can you understand theirs?”
“Mutual understanding is an ideal state, but ideals often deviate from reality.”
Madara sighed. “So, this world can never achieve eternal peace?”
Shūichi sighed as well, reluctantly nodding. “As harsh as it sounds, that’s the truth. At least from my perspective, eternal peace is unattainable.”
“In your era, Hashirama’s approach temporarily brought peace to the shinobi world. But after his death, the balance was broken, and conflict over interests led to war.”
“Right now, I can gradually unify the shinobi villages and nations to create a peaceful world. But one day, if I die, will peace persist?”
“Will there be no more ambitious individuals seeking to dominate others? Will the unified nation not fracture under internal strife?”
“Anything is possible.”
Madara declared firmly, “If not for Black Zetsu and Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, the success of the Eye of the Moon Plan could have created eternal peace!”
Shūichi shook his head. “That’s an illusory peace—peace belonging only to you.
“Besides, beyond this planet, the Ōtsutsuki Clan still exists. Some members are beings even Kaguya feared. Against them, your power might be insignificant. How would you maintain your so-called peace in the face of such threats?”
Madara murmured, “So… is everything meaningless?”
Shūichi chuckled softly. “I only aim to maintain peace in my time.
“After I’m gone, it’s up to the next generation.
“Every generation has its responsibilities. Never expect to permanently fix anything, as everything changes—people, circumstances, and even you and me.”
“Madara, you’ve relied too much on your own strength and never trusted others.”
If anyone else had tried to lecture him, Madara would have shown them the power of his Sharingan and Rinnegan. But this time, he merely let out a cold snort. “And you’re not guilty of the same?”
Shūichi paused, then nodded thoughtfully. “You’re right, to some extent. Thanks for the reminder.”
He then added, “Madara, if given another chance, do you think you could realize your Eye of the Moon Plan?”
Madara answered decisively, “Of course! I would create eternal peace through a different method!”
Shūichi smiled. “Then let’s see you try.”
With that, the illusion shifted.
Madara found himself back in his aged body. Beside him, White Zetsu was reporting on another Uchiha—Obito Uchiha.
But this time, Madara noticed some changes in Obito’s circumstances.
“Where is Shūichi Hoshita?” Madara asked suddenly.
White Zetsu hesitated. “Madara-sama, is there such a powerful person in the shinobi world?”
Madara froze momentarily, then chuckled. “Interesting…”
A world without Shūichi Hoshita?
How arrogant! Did he think he had changed everything?
Madara scoffed internally and instructed White Zetsu, “Guide Obito a little. Let’s test his potential.”
White Zetsu grinned. “No problem, Madara-sama!”
(End of Chapter)
