NOVEL NEXT Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Eye of the Moon
"Senju Tobirama?"
"I never expected that you, the conniving schemer always hiding behind Hashirama, would achieve such monumental feats after your resurrection."
After hearing Orochimaru explain what Tobirama had done after being revived—especially the news of Nagato's death—Madara Uchiha's face darkened. He turned to glare at Tobirama, who stood prepared for battle.
"Madara! Don't take your anger out on Tobirama! He's already acknowledged your vision of uniting the shinobi world and has acted upon it!"
"Stop clinging to that illusion plan—it's all part of a puppet master's conspiracy!"
With a sweeping motion, Hashirama Senju stepped in front of Madara, shielding Tobirama behind him.
"You know of my plan?"
Madara's expression shifted. The Eye of the Moon plan was a closely guarded secret, known only to Obito and Zetsu. Not even Nagato had been privy to its full details.
Obito, the lovesick fool, was obsessed with resurrecting a woman and would never betray the plan.
As for Zetsu, who was an extension of Madara's will, betrayal was out of the question.
"If you already know, then you have even less reason to stop me!"
"And as for his acknowledgment? I don't need anyone's approval!"
"The shinobi world has decayed beyond salvation! Instead of wasting time uniting it and then spending an eternity erasing grudges between shinobi, I will create a perfect world of illusion!"
"Hashirama, in the world of Infinite Tsukuyomi, everyone will live in harmony, and war will never erupt again!"
"Even the most ordinary civilian can have everything they desire. All their wants will be fulfilled in Infinite Tsukuyomi!"
"This is the revelation granted to me by the Sage of Six Paths! It is the ultimate salvation for the shinobi world!"
"Hashirama, join me! Just like we once built Konoha together, let us now create a perfect world!"
Madara's thoughts drifted back to that distant afternoon decades ago.
A naive boy with a watermelon-like haircut and a mischievous spiky-haired companion, boldly proclaiming to a forest that they would one day build a village.
Now, like that boy from long ago, Madara extended his hand toward the stunned Hashirama, inviting him to join in his dream once more.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze.
Orochimaru stood dumbfounded. He hadn't expected that resurrecting Madara would lead him to uncover such a shocking secret.
Infinite Tsukuyomi—a genjutsu capable of enveloping the entire shinobi world?
Madara intended to create a world of illusion?!
Even Orochimaru, with his insatiable curiosity, found himself startled by the audacity of this plan.
As a scholar, he scoffed at such a hollow concept of peace.
It was nothing more than an escape from reality.
What's more, Orochimaru had already identified the fatal flaw in this genjutsu based on Madara's few words.
If everyone in the shinobi world was trapped in genjutsu, who would ensure the continuation of humanity? How would bodies sustain themselves while trapped in illusion?
If Madara executed his plan, the current generation might very well be the last.
Regret flickered in Orochimaru's eyes. He had revived a madman.
With a flick of his serpentine tail, Orochimaru slithered away without hesitation.
The three remaining figures paid no attention to his departure.
Madara's outstretched hand remained before Hashirama, waiting for his response.
Black markings crept across Hashirama's forehead—his time was running out.
The God of Shinobi found himself torn between his brother and his lifelong friend.
Finally, Hashirama made his choice.
He glanced at Madara's outstretched hand and slowly extended his own.
Seeing this, Madara's lips curled into a faint smile, pleased that his friend had chosen to help him.
Tobirama, however, remained unfazed. He trusted his elder brother to make the right decision.
Hashirama's hand moved forward but gently pushed Madara's hand aside, leaving Madara momentarily stunned.
"Madara, you're wrong."
"Do you still remember why we built Konoha in the first place?"
Facing Madara's piercing gaze, Hashirama began to speak slowly.
"Our initial dream was to protect our loved ones, our clansmen."
"That dream grew, and we wanted to ensure that the entire shinobi world would know peace. We wished for every child to enjoy a happy childhood and for every adult to live free from the horrors of war."
"Then you should join my Eye of the Moon plan!" Madara interrupted, his voice full of passion.
"Madara, no matter how beautiful an illusion is, it's still a lie—a fleeting dream." Hashirama countered.
"What's wrong with an illusion world?! This broken and cruel reality has no reason to exist!" Madara roared.
"No, Madara. Reality is harsh, but we can change it!"
"Believe in the generations to come. Let us create a unified shinobi world for them and let them build their own future…"
"We are already dead, Madara. There's no need for us to interfere with the future of the living."
As black markings spread across his body, Hashirama's soul began to drift away from his reanimated form. Bits of his body crumbled into fragments.
"Madara… Tobirama… use your hands to unite this fractured world for the sake of those who come after us!"
With these final words, Hashirama's soul vanished completely.
In his last moments, he had come to understand the error of his previous ideals. The system of one village per nation, while seemingly equitable, only perpetuated endless conflicts between nations and villages. A divided world could never truly know peace.
"Hashirama…"
Madara's voice faltered as he gazed at the pile of fragments left behind.
Moments later, he lifted his head, turning to Tobirama with a manic grin.
"Do you think I'll follow Hashirama's words and join you in uniting the world?"
"You're wrong! Impossible!"
"I've spent decades preparing for the Eye of the Moon plan. How could I waver because of a few words from Hashirama?"
"Infinite Tsukuyomi is the only true salvation!"
Tobirama tightened his grip on his Flying Thunder God kunai and responded with a calm smile.
"Of course, I don't think you'd change your mind."
"After all, you'd never listen until you've been beaten down."
At that moment, a mechanical voice echoed in Tobirama's mind.
[System activated.]
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