Having experienced Daniel's overwhelming strength firsthand, Madara Uchiha understood that there was currently no one in the Shinobi world capable of opposing him. It reminded him of the era when he and the First Hokage, Hashirama, had been at the pinnacle of power. Madara knew that if he had had Daniel's plan during his time, the Shinobi world would have already been unified under his rule. In a world where strength reigned supreme, achieving unity was merely a matter of time.
Under such circumstances, there was no need to resurrect Madara Uchiha. Madara himself knew that if he were in Daniel's position, he wouldn't risk allowing such an unpredictable element like himself to exist.
"You brought me back just to see my old rival, didn't you?" Madara questioned.
"Hashirama," Daniel confirmed with a smile.
"Not just him. I'm bringing back all four of the Hokage. Wouldn't it be interesting to see their reactions when they witness the fall of Konoha?" Daniel added, his face lighting up with excitement.
"Summoning them just to get in your way—don't you find that boring?" Madara questioned. He couldn't help but feel that Daniel's actions were those of a classic villain, the kind that makes reckless decisions and risks everything. Normally, the best course of action would be to avoid reviving people like the Hokage altogether.
"Don't you want them to witness such a scene too?" Daniel's grin widened.
"Of course," Madara responded. He couldn't pass up the rare opportunity to mock Hashirama and Tobirama.
With a chuckle, Madara began to imagine the expressions of his old foes. He couldn't resist the thought of finally gaining the upper hand over them.
After the conversation, Daniel took Madara to meet Nagato. He had no intention of hiding Madara's resurrection from Nagato. Besides, with their shared vision and Nagato's hope for Yahiko's possible revival, any animosity between them was insignificant.
"This is Madara Uchiha. And this is Nagato," Daniel introduced them after arriving. He had decided it was time to reveal everything he had previously withheld from Nagato. Daniel went on to explain the truth about the Ōtsutsuki clan, and the origins of the powerful bloodlines of the Uchiha, Senju, Uzumaki, and Hyūga clans.
"Nagato, what I didn't tell you before is that the Uchiha, Senju, Uzumaki, and Hyūga are all descendants of the Ōtsutsuki clan. The reason Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju were so powerful is because they were reincarnations of the Sage of Six Paths' sons, Indra and Asura," Daniel explained calmly.
Nagato, Konan, and Madara listened intently, their expressions unreadable.
"Indra and Asura have been reincarnating through their descendants, continually clashing through the ages. After Madara and Hashirama's deaths, the current reincarnations of Indra and Asura are Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto," Daniel continued.
"You're saying Asura didn't reincarnate into a Senju this time?" Madara asked, his brow furrowing. He seemed less concerned about being Indra's reincarnation and more intrigued by Asura's absence from the Senju clan.
"I don't know why, but the Senju clan no longer exists in Konoha. From what I've uncovered, the clan suffered heavy losses during the First Shinobi World War, leaving only two survivors. One died in the Second Shinobi World War, and now the only remaining descendant is the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade," Daniel explained.
Daniel had personally investigated the Senju clan's fate, and the results were as expected—Tsunade was the last of her line. Contrary to the rumors that the Senju had dispersed among the common folk, the truth was much simpler: the clan had been systematically erased. It wasn't a matter of disbanding, as some theorized. Given the pride Shinobi clans held, no clan would willingly dissolve, especially one with the prestige of the Senju.
The reasons for the Senju clan's disappearance were obvious to Daniel. Much like what happened to the Uchiha, the Senju clan had grown too powerful and influential, threatening the authority of Konoha's leadership. The Third Hokage likely couldn't tolerate the Senju clan's dominance and had taken measures to weaken and eventually eliminate them.
Madara chuckled darkly. "So, the monkey had his hands all over this too. I must admit, he was quite thorough."
"Now that you all know the truth, it's time to discuss the future of the Shinobi world," Daniel said, standing up. "I'll leave you three to figure out how we move forward with peace."
Leaving the room, Daniel felt his phone vibrate. Checking the message, he saw three familiar faces—Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Shikamaru had arrived in Amegakure.
"Interesting. Konoha's delegation arrived first. Not a bad lineup," Daniel murmured, amused.
In Amegakure, many of the leaders of the Akatsuki and the top officials of the nation had access to smartphones and other forms of communication. A special system had been set up to keep the leadership informed, streamlining communication across the organization.
As Daniel scrolled through the information on his phone, he marveled at the efficiency of the setup. While modern technology had yet to be fully embraced by the general populace, for now, it served the elite few, making Daniel's operations much smoother.
"Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Shikamaru—what a combination," he mused, smiling.
At the Amegakure reception center, Shikamaru glanced around curiously at the equipment being used to register them. "What's the purpose of all this?" he asked.
"It's called a computer. Don't tell me Konoha doesn't have one," the young receptionist replied with a smirk, as if looking at someone from the countryside.
"I know it's a computer," Shikamaru sighed. "I just want to know what it does here."
"It's nothing special. Just a way to log your arrival and report it to higher-ups. Give it a minute. Someone will be along to take you to your quarters," the receptionist answered, already receiving a message from higher up. He pressed a button, and another young man entered, ready to escort the Konoha group.
As they walked through the city, Shikamaru's sharp eyes took in the surroundings. "It's hard to believe this is the same Amegakure. It's so... prosperous," he commented.
"That's thanks to the Akatsuki's efforts," the young escort said proudly. He glanced disdainfully at the Konoha delegation. "Just don't think you can get any information from me. Remember, Konoha had its hand in the suffering of Amegakure in the past."
The escort's hostility was clear, and from that moment on, he remained silent, simply leading the group to their accommodations.
"I never thought Nagato could rebuild Amegakure like this," Jiraiya remarked as they reached their quarters. The drastic transformation from the war-torn Amegakure he once knew had left him in awe.
"Jiraiya-sensei, we're in for a tough time," Shikamaru said, sighing deeply. He had been observing the village carefully, and the advanced systems, like the computer they had seen earlier, were just the tip of the iceberg. The technological and societal advancements in Amegakure were miles ahead of Konoha.
Jiraiya nodded grimly. "I'll go meet Nagato and Konan," he said. "You two, stay here and gather what you can."
"Understood. Let's avoid unnecessary attention, Kakashi-sensei," Shikamaru suggested. "We should lose the headbands for now."
"Agreed," Kakashi responded.
As Jiraiya entered the Iron Tower, he was led to a nondescript meeting room. There, waiting for him, were Nagato and Konan.
"Jiraiya-sensei, it's been a long time," Nagato greeted him with a neutral tone, while Konan stood silently by his side.
"Nagato, Konan... It's been too long," Jiraiya replied. His eyes flickered with emotion, knowing full well that Yahiko was no longer with them.
"Yahiko..." Jiraiya trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
"Yahiko is dead. He died a long time ago, in a trap set by Hanzō and Danzō," Nagato said, his voice steady but cold.
"Danzō," Jiraiya muttered, his face grim. He opened his mouth to say more but couldn't find the words.
"Why are you here, Jiraiya-sensei?" Nagato asked, cutting to the chase.
"Why are you doing this, Nagato? Don't you realize you're provoking a war?" Jiraiya demanded, his tone growing more urgent.
"A war? We haven't provoked any war," Nagato said calmly. "If you're talking about Iron Country, Kusagakure, or Tori no Kuni, they attacked us first. We merely defended ourselves. As for Tori no Kuni, their Daimyō requested our assistance. If you need details, all the information is public. We have nothing to hide. The truth is, the Five Great Nations were the aggressors."
"You've changed, Nagato," Jiraiya said
, sighing heavily.
"No, Jiraiya-sensei. I haven't changed," Nagato replied firmly. "You once told me that, because of these Rinnegan, I am the child of prophecy. You couldn't find a way to bring peace to the world, but I've found it. The question is, will you help me achieve it?"
"By peace, you mean uniting the Shinobi world under your rule?" Jiraiya asked, frowning.
"Yes. Only through unity and increasing connections between people can we prevent future wars."
"Unity through war? Do you know how many people will die if you start another war? The Shinobi world has finally achieved peace. Why would you throw that away?" Jiraiya's voice grew louder, filled with frustration.
Nagato's expression remained calm. "Peace? That's a laugh, Jiraiya-sensei. The peace you speak of only exists for Konoha. As someone said, your vision is too narrow."
"Here, I have a list of incidents. In Konoha Year 52, Sugi no Kuni was attacked and its Shinobi village decimated—by Konoha's own Root, under Danzō's orders. In Year 56, an entire Shinobi clan in Umi no Kuni was wiped out—again, by Konoha's ANBU. And this is just a fraction of what the Great Nations have done," Nagato said, sliding a thick dossier toward Jiraiya.
"There's plenty more in here, Sensei. The so-called peace of the Shinobi world is a farce."
Nagato's eyes narrowed. "Do you know where most of the wars are fought, Jiraiya-sensei? In countries like Amegakure, stuck between the Great Nations. First, the Second Shinobi World War, then the Third—and if there's a Fourth, guess where it'll be fought? Right here again, on the blood-soaked soil of Amegakure. This is your peace?"
Nagato's voice sharpened. "You came here to tell me that Konoha's peace is worth preserving, but let me make it clear: this will be the last time I address you as 'Sensei.' The next time we meet, we will be enemies."
With that, Nagato stood and left the room, Konan following silently behind him.
Jiraiya remained seated, staring at the pile of documents, feeling the weight of Nagato's words settle over him like a storm.
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