"What should I do?"
White Zetsu clung to the damp, rocky walls of the underground cave, his tone laced with uncertainty. In all the time he had been alive, he had never seen Madara Uchiha like this.
Madara's gaze was dark and piercing, his crimson Sharingan gleaming ominously.
"We can't reveal too much of our hand just yet," he muttered. "That means we won't attack Konoha's forces in the Land of Grass or the Land of Rivers. I am not completely certain that I can wipe them out."
He knew that, as of now, his strength was still insufficient. The enemy forces in those regions included some of Konoha's strongest shinobi—Tsunade, Orochimaru, the Third Hokage, Jiraiya, and others. Engaging them directly would be unwise.
Thus, if he was to strike at Konoha, it would have to be at the border of the Land of Fire.
Unlike the other battlefields, this one lacked Konoha's top-tier fighters, but it was still home to some of their strongest clans. The Uchiha and Hyūga elite were stationed there, along with key figures like Hyūga Tenki and Senju Nawaki.
If he could crush them, it would inflict a severe wound on Konoha.
Madara's expression sharpened.
"I will link myself to the Gedo Statue," he said. "I'll sign a spiritual contract with you, and then you will reverse the summoning jutsu to send me directly to the battlefield."
He narrowed his eyes.
"With its power, no one there should be able to survive."
This attack wouldn't be enough to completely eliminate Konoha's dominance, but it would buy him time—and right now, time was what he needed most.
"If necessary, reveal Kakashi and Rin's identities to Mei Terumi."
His voice was calm, but the killing intent boiling within him had reached its peak.
It wasn't just that Minato Namikaze had repeatedly foiled his plans.
It was that Minato had grown too strong.
At this moment, there was no shinobi alive who could match him.
Not since the Warring States period had there been a ninja who could rise to such heights at such a young age.
In fact—
Even Madara himself, at Minato's current age, had not been this strong.
If Minato was allowed to continue growing...
He could become a true threat to everything Madara had worked toward.
But no matter how strong Minato became—
It wouldn't matter.
Because once Madara's plan succeeded, there wouldn't be a single shinobi in the world who could stop him.
White Zetsu's figure slowly disappeared into the cave walls, leaving Madara alone.
He turned his gaze to the nearby stone bed, where a young Uchiha Obito lay in deep slumber.
"Keep him asleep until I return."
His scarlet eye slowly closed.
The ground around Obito rippled like water—then fell still.
The Land of Fire's Border – Konoha's Coastal Front
Following the last surprise attack by Kirigakure, Konoha had doubled its defensive measures along the coast.
It had been quiet since then—no sudden assaults, no hidden assassins, not even a trace of movement from the distant sea.
Even so, the shinobi of Konoha remained on high alert.
At the center of the camp, two figures stood out from the rest.
They weren't clad in the standard Konoha uniform. Instead, both father and son were dressed in bright green tights, their unmistakable outfits drawing amused glances from those around them.
Yet they paid no mind to the stares.
Instead—
They were walking upside down.
Balanced only on two fingers of each hand, they moved in perfect synchronization, unfazed by the curious eyes watching them.
"Three thousand eight hundred and ninety-five..."
Might Duy muttered as they neared the camp's entrance.
Beside him, his son, Might Guy, looked increasingly uncomfortable.
"Dad, everyone is staring at us," Guy grumbled. His face was flushed, his embarrassment obvious.
Might Duy, however, simply turned to his son with a serious expression.
"Training is a difficult and serious endeavor, my son," he said. "The most important thing is self-discipline! If you allow yourself to be distracted by the opinions of others, you will never reach your full potential!"
Guy's expression twisted.
"Enough already!" He flipped upright, landing firmly on his feet. His patience was wearing thin.
"You always talk about self-discipline, but after twenty years, you're still just a Genin!"
His voice rose slightly in frustration.
Despite how much he respected his father, he couldn't deny the harsh reality.
To most people, a Genin was merely a stepping stone—a rank meant to be outgrown. Almost every ninja eventually advanced to Chunin.
Yet, for over twenty years, his father had remained a Genin.
And now, even Guy himself had surpassed him—he was a Chunin.
Hearing his son's words, Might Duy's expression shifted ever so slightly.
For a moment, a tense silence hung between them.
Then, slowly—
Duy smiled.
Raising his thumb, he gave his signature "nice guy" pose.
"Whether one is a Genin or a Jonin, it doesn't matter," he said gently. "As long as we are protecting Konoha, that is enough."
His voice was filled with sincerity—a sincerity that only made Guy's frustration worse.
"That's not the point!"
Guy clenched his fists.
"People laugh at you, Dad! How can you just ignore it?!"
His voice was angry—but beneath the anger, there was pain.
Then—he turned and ran toward the camp, unable to face his father any longer.
"Guy..."
Duy's smile faltered, his usual optimism dimming for just a moment.
Hidden behind one of the camp's tents, a figure silently stepped forward, blocking Guy's path.
Guy froze.
Looking up, he saw a familiar face.
It was Uchiha Shisui—one of Konoha's most promising young prodigies, and the same opponent he had faced during the Chunin Exams.
Shisui's gaze was calm, yet piercing.
"I think your father is a great ninja," he said simply.
Guy's eyes widened slightly.
Shisui continued.
"But does it really matter what I think?"
He leaned in slightly, his voice steady.
"You already know he's a great ninja, don't you?"
Guy's lips parted, but he found himself unable to answer.
Because deep down—
He knew that Shisui was right.
No matter how much people laughed at his father—
Might Duy never wavered.
And neither would he.
The coastline was still.
But beneath the surface, the earth rippled like water.
Slowly, a massive pitcher plant emerged from the ground.
It unfolded.
From within, White Zetsu stepped forward—his smile twisted and feral.
Forming a series of seals, he pressed his palm to the ground.
A chilling whisper echoed through the air.
"Reverse Summoning Jutsu."
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Marvel : The God Of Punishment System
I Am Raditz
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