To be honest, Daniel was speechless at Madara's thought process. Setting aside the issue of the White Zetsu, the simple fact that humanity couldn't continue to reproduce in the Infinite Tsukuyomi meant it was effectively a plan for extinction. How could Madara, a genius, not understand something so basic? It made sense that Obito, consumed by his grief over Rin, would fall into such an extreme path, but Madara wasn't driven by such emotions.
"Uh..." Madara was momentarily stunned by Daniel's words, clearly never having considered the possibility.
"As long as the world is at peace, there will be a way to solve such problems," Madara finally responded after a pause, though his tone was more defensive than confident.
While this answer sounded like an excuse, it was a rare admission for someone like Madara, who was famously stubborn and almost never admitted to being wrong.
"Sure, you could figure something out later to ensure humanity's continuation. But what if enemies invade while everyone is trapped in the Infinite Tsukuyomi? Will you be able to handle them on your own?" Daniel pressed, his voice calm but insistent.
"Hmph. If peace is achieved, where would enemies come from?" Madara scoffed.
"Maybe not from the Shinobi world, but what about beyond it? You know where Kaguya came from, right? If she could appear, what's stopping others like her from coming?" Daniel pointed out.
"What are you getting at?" Madara asked, his tone colder, as he began to realize the cracks in his grand plan. While he still refused to fully admit it, he started to see the flaws in the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
"I'm saying you were deceived, Madara. Black Zetsu lied to you."
"Impossible. He wouldn't lie to me!" Madara cut Daniel off before he could even finish his sentence. He trusted Black Zetsu implicitly, just as Daniel might trust one of his Shadow Clones. No one doubts their own creation, after all.
"Are you so sure? Black Zetsu isn't your creation, Madara. He's the will of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, her puppet. The information in the Uchiha Stone Tablet wasn't left by the Sage of Six Paths; it was altered by Black Zetsu. The Infinite Tsukuyomi isn't a tool for peace—it's a trap. If the Sage truly believed it could bring peace, why didn't he use it himself? Why leave the world in chaos instead of casting it?" Daniel paused, watching the dawning realization on Madara's face.
Madara was quiet, his face darkening as he considered the implications of what Daniel was saying. The plan he had placed so much faith in, the plan to surpass Hashirama and bring everlasting peace, was nothing but a cruel trick.
"Did you not question why the Sage, the most powerful being in the world, never used the Infinite Tsukuyomi? You saw that Tablet—did none of it seem suspicious to you?" Daniel's words hit hard, and for the first time in his life, Madara felt a true sense of doubt.
"What did you say?" Madara's voice was now laced with anger, his calm, collected demeanor faltering. Everything he had worked for, all of his efforts—was it really just a lie?
"I said the Infinite Tsukuyomi is a lie. It won't bring peace; it will turn everyone into White Zetsu. Every human trapped in the genjutsu will be drained of their life force and transformed. Is that the 'peace' you want for the Shinobi world?" Daniel smirked, his mocking tone a deliberate provocation.
Fury flared in Madara's eyes. How dare someone mock him like this? Not even Hashirama had ever dared to ridicule him in this way. His Mangekyō Sharingan flared to life as he glared at Daniel, ready to cast his devastating genjutsu.
"You've been misled, Madara. I'm doing you a favor, saving you from becoming the very thing that would destroy the world. Imagine facing Hashirama again, knowing you were responsible for such a catastrophe," Daniel continued, unfazed by the killing intent radiating from Madara.
Madara took a deep breath, pulling his emotions back under control. His pride wouldn't allow him to admit his mistake so easily, but he couldn't deny that Daniel had a point.
"You're strong, I'll give you that. And you know a lot. So, what's your game?" Madara asked, dropping his earlier pretense. He was a pragmatist, after all. If Daniel had summoned him with Edo Tensei, it meant the man had power, but also that he needed something from Madara.
"My game is simple: I want your help to reshape this world into one where true peace can be achieved—not through illusions, but through strength and unity," Daniel answered.
"Reshape the world through strength, huh? That sounds more like the Madara of old," Madara said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "But you've still summoned me with Edo Tensei. Do you think you can control me?"
"I don't need to control you. I know you're strong enough to break free of the Edo Tensei whenever you want. But that's why I summoned you. Because I want an ally, not a puppet."
Madara's gaze narrowed as he sized up Daniel. The man before him wasn't like the others. He had knowledge, power, and confidence. More importantly, Madara respected strength above all else.
"Fine. Show me your strength, and we'll see if you're worth my time," Madara said, his voice filled with anticipation.
As he spoke, a massive blue figure began to materialize around him—Susano'o, towering over the landscape.
"You're not the only one with power," Daniel said, stepping back as the earth beneath him trembled. In response to Susano'o, a massive wooden figure began to rise from the ground, equal in size to Madara's avatar.
"You think you're Hashirama?" Madara sneered, his eyes flashing with anger. The sight of Daniel's Wood Release techniques—so reminiscent of his old rival—only fueled his rage.
"I'm not Hashirama," Daniel said, his voice calm as his wooden avatar continued to grow, sprouting countless arms. "I'm stronger."
The wood golem surged forward, its thousand fists raining down on Madara's Susano'o. The two titanic figures clashed, sending shockwaves across the island. The ground cracked and crumbled beneath their feet as they exchanged blows, each punch reverberating through the battlefield.
Madara gritted his teeth as Susano'o struggled to withstand the onslaught. The sheer force behind Daniel's attacks was overwhelming, even greater than Hashirama's had been during their final battle.
"How can he be this strong?" Madara thought, his mind racing as Susano'o's defenses began to crack under the relentless barrage. He couldn't believe he was being pushed to the limit so quickly.
"Is this all you've got, Madara? I expected more!" Daniel taunted, his voice echoing through the battlefield as his wood golem pressed the attack.
"Enough!" Madara roared, activating the power of his Rinnegan. In an instant, the air around them shifted as a powerful gravitational force erupted between the two combatants.
"Shinra Tensei!" Madara bellowed, sending a massive repulsive force that blasted both his Susano'o and Daniel's wood golem backward, carving deep fissures into the ground as the shockwave spread.
The island trembled under the sheer magnitude of the attack, splitting in half as the force of the impact rippled outward. Birds and animals fled in terror, racing toward the edges of the island to escape the destruction.
Daniel staggered as his wood golem was pushed back, but he smiled as he felt the power of Madara's Rinnegan. It was no wonder Hashirama had struggled against him. The Rinnegan's abilities were formidable.
"You think a little push is going to stop me?" Daniel smirked as he steadied himself, his wood golem recovering its balance.
"I see now why you're confident," Madara admitted, his eyes narrowing as he studied Daniel more closely. "But you made a mistake by summoning me with Edo Tensei."
Madara began weaving hand signs with Susano'o's massive hands. "Let's see how you handle this."
As Madara completed the jutsu, the sky above them began to darken. Daniel looked up to see a massive meteor descending toward the island.
"Chibaku Tensei?" Daniel muttered, recognizing the jutsu.
But Madara wasn't done. With a second set of hand signs, he summoned a second meteor, even larger than the first, sending both hurtling toward the battlefield.
Daniel glanced at the massive rocks crashing toward him, his mind calculating the best way to counter the attack.
"Two meteors, huh? Impressive," he muttered, his right hand glowing with energy. He raised it toward the sky.
"Room. Amputate."
With a single sweeping motion, Daniel's energy blade sliced through the descending meteors, cutting them into countless smaller fragments that rained harmlessly down around the island.
Madara stared in disbelief. "What kind of jutsu is that?"
"Something beyond bloodlines. Something you can't stop," Daniel replied, his voice steady. "You're strong, Madara. But I'm stronger."
Madara's eyes blazed with anger, but he quickly composed himself. Despite everything,
he was impressed. This man had not only withstood his assault but had done so with ease.
"Alright," Madara said slowly, his lips curling into a smile. "I'll join you, for now. Let's see if your plan is any better than mine."
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