Crack…
The coffin in the hidden underground chamber creaked open.
A strong-built man slowly emerged from inside.
His long hair hung loosely over his shoulders, and as soon as he climbed out, he spat out a chunk of flesh into his right palm.
For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Uchiha Madara savored the taste of life once more.
No one in the ninja world would have imagined it—
Uchiha Madara was still alive.
The entire world believed that Senju Hashirama had killed him with his own hands.
Madara tilted his head up, taking in his surroundings, a hidden chamber deep within Konoha's mountains.
With a sneer, he mocked the man he despised most.
"Tobirama… you sly bastard.
Even after I was defeated by Hashirama, that sneaky snake wouldn't dare get rid of my corpse immediately. Just as I expected."
Madara raised his left hand to his right eye socket.
One of his eyes was a dull gray, blinded.
This was the cost of his resurrection.
"I knew it would work," Madara murmured to himself, reaffirming his earlier gamble.
Before his final battle with Hashirama, Madara had carefully prepared a backup plan.
He had used Izanagi, the ultimate forbidden technique of the Uchiha, along with Rewrite Sealing, to delay the technique's activation.
Izanagi could turn death into a fleeting dream.
And Rewrite Sealing allowed an Uchiha to pre-program techniques into their Sharingan, setting them to activate at specific times or under certain conditions—
Even after death.
Madara ran his fingers over his blinded eye, a trace of regret flickering in his expression.
"It's a shame… I had to sacrifice the eye my brother Izuna gave me."
The eye he lost was a precious gift from his younger brother, Uchiha Izuna.
But Madara quickly pushed aside his regret.
He had achieved his true goal.
The battle with Hashirama had given him what he really sought:
A piece of Hashirama's flesh.
Madara clenched the chunk of bloodied flesh he had bitten from Hashirama during their fight.
"This…"
"This is far more important than the battle itself."
The outcome of the battle no longer mattered to him.
What mattered was this priceless trophy—Hashirama's cells.
"Hashirama…"
"This time… my plan succeeded."
Madara's eyes gleamed with ambition.
"If I graft this flesh into my wounds…
I'll gain Hashirama's cells.
And with that… I should be able to awaken his chakra."
His grip tightened around the flesh.
He could feel its pulsating life force.
Victory was within his grasp.
Madara whispered to himself, recalling ancient theories about chakra:
"The union of opposing forces creates all things.
Perhaps…
The fusion of the Senju and Uchiha chakras is the key to the power to save this world."
"I hope…"
"It doesn't disappoint me."
Before leaving the chamber, Madara formed a hand seal.
"Ninja Art: Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Poof!
A shadow clone appeared beside him.
Madara watched as the shadow clone climbed back into the coffin, taking his place as the corpse.
A cold smile crept across his face.
"Hmph…
I'll leave a clone behind."
"If something happens to my clone, all the information it gathers will return to me upon dispelling."
"This way, I'll know immediately when Tobirama realizes my body isn't real.
I can prepare accordingly."
Madara wasn't naive enough to think his feigned death would fool everyone forever.
But he hoped it would buy him enough time to fully harness the power of Hashirama's cells.
The Shadow Clone Jutsu was an invaluable tool for ninja like Madara.
Leaving behind a shadow clone would act as a safety mechanism.
Satisfied with his preparations, Madara slipped out of the hidden chamber.
His next task was to find a quiet place to graft Hashirama's cells into his body.
But before that…
Madara wanted one last look at Hashirama.
Their final battle had been the most intense and personal clash they'd ever had.
Madara knew he'd lost…
But he also knew that Hashirama had suffered grave injuries.
Perhaps…
Hashirama was on the brink of death.
Madara knew Hashirama's self-healing was unmatched, but he doubted his old friend would recover so quickly.
"One last visit."
"A farewell to my old self."
Madara had already resolved that the next time they met, he wouldn't hesitate.
"Hashirama…"
"I've learned from you."
Madara recalled the final moments of their battle—
When Hashirama stabbed him through the back with a blade.
"Hashirama…"
Madara clenched his fists, his teeth gritting as his resolve solidified.
"I will become like you."
"No matter who it is—my brother, my friend, my child—"
"I'll kill anyone who stands in the way of my dream."
"Hashirama…
This is what you've taught me."
"This dark resolve…
I accept it."
Madara's mood lightened.
Once he made up his mind, everything seemed easier.
His steps took him toward the darkness of Konoha.
Konoha's defenses were tight, but to Madara, they were nothing more than child's play.
In all of Konoha…
Only Hashirama posed a true threat to him.
But…
Madara had no idea.
As he walked away from the chamber, a shadowy figure followed silently beneath the ground.
Black Zetsu.
"Hehehe…
Madara's as cunning as ever."
Zetsu was impressed by Madara's plan.
Even it had almost been fooled.
A sinister smile spread across Zetsu's face.
"I didn't expect to see hope for my plan in Madara."
It felt like the tides had turned.
Zetsu's heart was brimming with glee.
"I'll help you, Madara."
Zetsu slithered beneath the ground, silently tracking Madara's movements.
"I'll make sure Tobirama is too busy to notice Madara's fake corpse."
"As long as no one notices Madara's deception…"
Zetsu grinned.
"Madara will have all the time he needs to awaken the Rinnegan."
"And when that happens…
It'll be my time to make my move."
But suddenly…
Madara halted.
"Huh?"
Zetsu noticed the shift, confused.
"Did he sense me?"
Zetsu frowned.
"Impossible.
I've been hiding like this since I watched over Indra.
Even the Sage of Six Paths couldn't detect me."
Then Zetsu saw what Madara was looking at.
Two figures walking down the streets of Konoha, discussing Hashirama's condition.
One was Tobirama.
The other…
At first, Zetsu thought it was just an ordinary Konoha ninja.
Until he took a closer look.
And in that instant—
Zetsu froze.
"Wait…"
"Is this still the same world?"
"Why… does that man look like… Emiya Shigen?!"