"But Kazuyama, who did you just turn into? And what was that thing you wanted me to replicate with Genjutsu?"
"I feel like I've seen it before, but I can't remember where."
"If I'm not wrong, wasn't it someone from the Uchiha Clan?"
Ichikishimahime asked curiously.
The person she saw just now felt familiar, but she couldn't quite place who it was. Chōmei was just as intrigued. He had seen the Sharingan, and that tone of voice—it reminded him of someone from decades ago.
Kazuyama Gekkō chuckled.
"You should both know who it is. After all, he's largely responsible for the state the ninja world is in now."
That only made Ichikishimahime and Chōmei more curious.
"The most brilliant genius of the Uchiha Clan—Madara Uchiha!"
"If it hadn't been for the conflict between him and the First Hokage, the Battle at the Valley of the End wouldn't have happened."
"With the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, in charge of Konoha, the other villages had no choice but to behave."
The name Madara Uchiha hit Ichikishimahime and Chōmei like a hammer.
Both were stunned, their faces full of disbelief.
The former leader of the Uchiha Clan...
Ichikishimahime instantly realized what the blue skeleton Kazuyama had asked her to simulate was—Susanoo, the ultimate manifestation of the Sharingan's power!
Chōmei was even more shaken. He knew who Madara Uchiha was—a man like Hashirama who could overwhelm Tailed Beasts with sheer power alone.
Even the Nine-Tails wasn't his match.
"My god, you actually dared to impersonate him. Aren't you afraid of being recognized? That's someone from decades ago!"
"Even if he's somehow still alive, he'd be an old geezer by now, wouldn't he?"
"This is way too risky."
Ichikishimahime found Kazuyama pretty amusing—he actually had the guts to mimic someone from so long ago.
Sure, Madara had once been a legend, but if people found out his name was being used by some kid to scam others, he'd probably come bursting out of his grave.
Little did they know, deep inside a hidden cave, an elderly, white-haired Madara suddenly sneezed hard.
He muttered to himself, "Hashirama must be thinking about me again. Don't worry, Hashirama, I'll be joining you soon. Though not for long—I still have plans to finish!"
"Tch, whatever. Maybe I've scared those Iwa ninja enough to keep them quiet for a while."
After all, there was still unfinished business between Ōnoki and Madara Uchiha.
[Ding! Detected that the host used Ryūchi Cave Genjutsu and Crystal Release to impersonate Madara Uchiha, causing devastating damage to the Iwa ninja: 22 killed, 3 escaped, and a lasting fear imprinted on the survivors. Special reward: +3 Genjutsu.]
The reward came a bit slow, but Kazuyama didn't care. He wasn't after that.
What he really wanted was for the three survivors to return to Iwagakure and report what happened to Ōnoki—because that would lead to a reward from the old man.
And he was certain he'd get it. After all, this was Madara Uchiha they were talking about. Hahaha...
"Come on, Ichikishimahime, let's go. I'll send you the snakeberries I promised in a few days. But I've gotta run now."
"I can't stay in the Land of Earth anymore. I need to leave fast."
Kazuyama released the Transformation Technique, spread his wings, and flew toward the Land of Grass.
He didn't want to stick around and risk Ōnoki showing up.
But he was clearly overthinking it.
Kitsuchi and the two Jōnin who had just escaped were several kilometers away, panting heavily.
"Kitsuchi, thank you. If not for you, we'd be dead."
One of the Jōnin was still shaken, his mind full of flames and that towering blue skeleton.
Kitsuchi's face was pale, and the overwhelming fear still hadn't left him.
He thought he might have figured out who that person was—someone considered taboo in Iwagakure.
But why would that person be in the Land of Earth? And wasn't he supposed to be dead?
That man was even older than his own father. Time-wise, he shouldn't still be alive.
"Get back to the village, fast! We have to report this to Lord Tsuchikage immediately!"
"That guy came at us hard. This is a major threat to Iwagakure!"
"Move! We'll collect ourselves on the way!"
With his strong arms, Kitsuchi grabbed a comrade on each side and started dragging them toward the village.
But then a shout came from the distance, making him stop.
"Lord Kitsuchi! It really is you!"
"The mission failed..."
That opening line made Kitsuchi's brow twitch.
The sudden appearance of such a powerful enemy had made him forget—there was another squad with them. But when the others got close, he froze.
Out of the original 25, only 14 remained—and all were wounded, looking like a mess.
"What happened to you? Weren't you just dealing with some snakes?"
"You even had realgar! How did it turn into this?"
Everyone looked terrified as Kitsuchi questioned them.
"Snakes... giant snakes... dozens of them..."
"Lord Kitsuchi, those snakes weren't afraid of realgar at all, and there were way too many for us to handle."
A Chūnin trembled as he recalled the horror. It was fear from deep within.
Snakes? Giant snakes? What's going on here?
"What nonsense are you spouting? Giant snakes?"
"You! Tell me what actually happened!"
Kitsuchi, angered by the Chūnin's terrified look, turned to a Jōnin beside him, waiting for an explanation.
"He's not lying. There were dozens of massive anacondas."
"I've been on the front lines—I know Orochimaru's summoned snakes. These were the same."
"And they really weren't afraid of realgar. The stuff we brought was useless. On top of that, they seemed to use Genjutsu. Every time I attacked, snake eyes filled my vision. I couldn't fight properly."
"If we hadn't pulled back when we did, none of us would've made it."
Even the Jōnin looked disturbed. Facing so many giant snakes was beyond terrifying.
If the Chūnin was just spouting nonsense from fear, there was no way the Jōnin would be doing the same.
Now, even Kitsuchi had no choice but to believe it.
But his focus wasn't on the snakes—it was what the Jōnin said about Genjutsu.
"Genjutsu..."
"Looks like all the chaos in the Land of Earth is the work of one person... Genjutsu... an Uchiha?"
"That's enough. Let's go. Bring the wounded—return to the village immediately!"