"Lord Madara, it looks like he's already locked onto us. What an incredible sensory ability."
Black Zetsu was astonished to see Jiraiya glance in their direction. Despite being so far from the battlefield, Jiraiya had already detected them. That kind of terrifying sensory range was enough to make anyone uneasy.
"So what if he has? It's not like we planned to hide or ambush him," Uchiha Madara said indifferently.
He had no intention of launching a sneak attack on Jiraiya. Whether he was noticed or not made no difference to him.
"Is that really... Uchiha Madara?"
Jiraiya narrowed his eyes at the cloaked figure wielding a scythe. The moment he laid eyes on him, he recognized him instantly.
"What did you say?!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes widened in shock, his voice rising unconsciously.
"Madara is alive... and he's coming for me," Jiraiya said, his expression grave.
"That's impossible! Madara died at the Valley of the End. How could he still be alive?!"
Hiruzen was visibly shaken as he followed Jiraiya's gaze. The legendary battle between Madara and Hashirama Senju had shaken the entire shinobi world. Madara was believed to have perished there, and not long after, Hashirama succumbed to his own injuries.
Now, Jiraiya was claiming that Madara had survived and was preparing to attack them. How could Hiruzen not be stunned?
Jiraiya, however, didn't waste time explaining. In an instant, he activated the Body Flicker Technique and disappeared from his spot, reappearing directly in front of Madara.
"Who would have thought? The legendary Uchiha Madara didn't die at the Valley of the End."
Jiraiya smirked as he studied the man before him, cloaked in black and gripping a scythe.
Madara was momentarily surprised that Jiraiya recognized him so quickly.
"You know my name and still dare to approach? I have to admire your courage," Madara said with a slight smile.
Jiraiya's expression turned serious.
"Your Eye of the Moon Plan is a mistake. What you read on the tablet was altered. The one who changed it is standing right beside you—Black Zetsu. He isn't the embodiment of your will. He never intended to help you create your ideal world. His true goal is to release his mother—Ōtsutsuki Kaguya."
Madara firmly believed that Black Zetsu was his own creation, born from his will. Jiraiya knew that trying to convince him otherwise wouldn't be easy, but he had to try.
In a way, Madara was a tragic figure. He had devoted himself to creating a peaceful shinobi world, only to be manipulated into becoming a mere pawn in Black Zetsu's game.
Black Zetsu stiffened. Jiraiya's words struck a nerve.
"How does he know? How could he possibly be aware of something so well-hidden?!"
Thoughts raced through Black Zetsu's mind. Although shaken, he forced himself to remain composed. Any sign of distress could give him away, and Madara was no fool. On the contrary, he was exceptionally intelligent.
The only reason Black Zetsu had been able to deceive him was that he had carefully altered the tablet's message during Madara's darkest moment—when he was most desperate to believe in a path to peace. Without that moment of weakness, manipulating him would have been impossible.
Madara, too, was taken aback. Only he and Black Zetsu knew about the Eye of the Moon Plan. He had told no one else. So how did Jiraiya know?
However, while Jiraiya's knowledge of his plan was alarming, the latter half of his statement was incomprehensible to Madara.
"Do you really believe everything written on that stone tablet is absolute truth? Do you not think it could have been altered?"
Jiraiya pressed on.
"I've already devised a plan to achieve peace in the shinobi world. Abandon the Eye of the Moon Plan and work with me to make this a reality."
Jiraiya laid out his proposal.
Madara shook his head. "I don't know how you learned of my plan, but I will see it through. Your plan, while not entirely without merit, fails to eliminate the true source of this world's suffering. Only by placing everyone in their own ideal dream world can true peace be achieved."
Jiraiya sighed. He could see now that Madara's ideals had become too extreme, his mind completely warped by his vision of a perfect world.
Madara sought to create a shinobi world where everyone would be content. But the only way he saw that happening was through the illusion of an eternal dream. Because, in his eyes, human nature was inherently greedy, impossible to satisfy.
Jiraiya had worked tirelessly to shape a better shinobi world. And while his plan could reduce war and suffering, it couldn't make everyone happy. People would still experience loss. They would still grow old and die. They would still desire more. And as long as those desires existed, pain would never fully disappear.
But in the Infinite Tsukuyomi, all those desires would be satisfied. A perfect world without pain.
"An illusionary utopia... Do you really think such a world has any meaning?" Jiraiya asked.
"I do," Madara responded without hesitation.
On the sidelines, Black Zetsu exhaled quietly. For a moment, he had feared Madara might waver. If Madara abandoned the plan now, his efforts to revive Kaguya would be ruined.
"I was worried for nothing," Black Zetsu thought. "Madara is too arrogant. Once he sets his mind on something, he won't change course so easily."
Madara's conviction was absolute. Even if Jiraiya spoke the truth, admitting it would mean accepting that his entire life's work had been for nothing. That everything he had done was meaningless.
Even Hashirama, his closest friend and greatest rival, had been unable to sway him. There was no reason to believe Jiraiya could succeed where Hashirama had failed.
Jiraiya sighed once more. "Since you refuse to turn back... then we'll have to settle this with force."
Jiraiya had never expected to win this battle with words. After all, he wasn't Naruto, the Prince of Talk-no-Jutsu.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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