Chapter 349: Did I Say Something Wrong, Meow?

"Madara Uchiha, are you alright?"

Inside a cave deep in the Ninja World's mountains, Senju Hashirama wore a worried expression as he looked at his dear friend.

Madara Uchiha sat cross‑legged on the ground, his right hand tightly covering his left eye.

Between his fingers, a faint, unusually misty purple aura seeped out.

Hmph— a suppressed hum echoed through the cave.

In recent days, his eyes constantly emitted an indescribable throbbing soreness and heat. It wasn't sharp pain, but a deeper, blood‑line‑rooted pulsation, as if something were gestating, eager to break through.

This inexplicably appearing energy felt unfamiliar to him, even a barely perceptible discomfort.

Powerful as he was, he had long been accustomed to controlling every part of his body, yet this sudden energy eluded his grasp, bearing a supreme, icy divinity that continuously washed over his nerves.

Madara Uchiha tried to suppress the feeling with sheer willpower, but achieved little.

The energy was not destructive; it resembled a… pre‑metamorphosis omen.

Occasionally, amid the extreme throbbing, the light leaking from the gap of his covered eye was no longer the crimson glow of the Sharingan, but a transcendent purple radiance.

The purple light vanished in an instant, yet left an intense sense of pressure.

Senju Hashirama was startled, completely shaken by that overwhelming energy.

"Madara Uchiha..." he murmured softly, trying to rouse his friend.

They lived together in the mountains like primitives, working at sunrise and resting at sunset each day.

How did the perfectly fine Madara Uchiha undergo a mutation?

They ate the same food every day; why did he become stronger without taking himself?

Hashirama felt an incomparable power from that violet glow, making the already mighty Madara Uchiha even stronger.

"Indra and Asura's powers combined… have they finally borne fruit?" Madara Uchiha murmured to himself.

His voice echoed in the cave, tinged with an unmistakable anticipation.

He recalled the inscription on the family Stone Tablet and the flesh he had taken from Hashirama.

In an instant, he knew what it was.

It is a ticket to the pinnacle of true power, the ultimate eye indispensable for the Moon's Eye project—the Rinnegan.

Even knowing its origin, the strange sensations of the awakening process still left him with a restless feeling beyond his control.

He didn't know when he could fully awaken the Rinnegan; he despised this uncontrollable factor.

"Madara Uchiha, what are you talking about?" Senju Hashirama, as if hearing the words "Asura and Indra," scratched his head in confusion.

He felt those two names were very familiar, as if he recognized someone his dear friend mentioned.

Unfortunately, Madara Uchiha silently closed his eyes, ignoring the question.

Hashirama, seeing this, could only silently guard his friend, praying no trouble would arise.

After an unknown amount of time, Madara Uchiha opened his eyes; the purple light fading, revealing a pair of crimson Three Tomoe Sharingan.

"Still not successful?"

He still hadn't awakened the Rinnegan, only feeling that overwhelming energy.

But he knew it wouldn't be long before the eye fully opened.

When that time comes, the Moon's Eye project can commence, bringing true peace to the chaotic Ninja World!

"Madara Uchiha, what was that just now?" Senju Hashirama asked curiously as his friend returned to normal.

"Rinnegan," Madara Uchiha explained softly.

"Rinnegan? Isn't that the Sage of Six Paths' eye in legend?!" Hashirama exclaimed, eyes wide with shock. "I never expected you to possess the legendary eye!"

Madara Uchiha gave a strange look toward the enviously staring Hashirama.

Since he could awaken the Rinnegan, perhaps this guy could too?

With Indra and Asura's chakra fused, theoretically Hashirama could also awaken the Rinnegan.

But he kept quiet; awakening the Rinnegan would take at least several decades.

Having had Hashirama's cells transplanted long ago, he still hadn't fully awakened; even if Hashirama could awaken the Rinnegan like him, they'd have to wait until the year of the monkey or the month of the horse.

And whether the frail Hashirama could live until the eye opened was another matter.

Better not give Hashirama any hope by saying it.

"Madara Uchiha, can you tell me how you awakened the Rinnegan?" Hashirama asked enviously, looking at his friend.

All these years they'd lived, eaten, and slept together in the cave; how did Madara Uchiha manage to awaken the Rinnegan silently?

He must have done something unknown behind his back, secretly pulling off such deeds without his knowledge!

What a sneaky bastard!

Facing Hashirama's question, Madara Uchiha shook his head, unwilling to explain.

"I don't know."

Hashirama: "……"

He no longer wished to speak the envious words.

You all have lived together all this time; why did you suddenly become stronger?

"Hashirama, go make the meal," Madara Uchiha said softly.

"Huh? You want me to cook again!" Hashirama complained disgruntled.

If Lian Ye were here, they wouldn't have to cook themselves.

Having lived in the deep mountains for so many years, even if they didn't know how to cook, they'd have learned by now.

"You cook this week, and I'll take over next week," Madara Uchiha said.

"Alright, I'll go out and see if there's any game," Hashirama turned and left the cave.

Madara Uchiha watched Hashirama's departing silhouette, closed his eyes again, and felt the strange energy emanating from his eye.

Living in the mountains for a long time, hunting has long become their daily routine.

They normally rely on hunting wild boars, deer, pheasants, and rabbits to sustain their lives…

The two live in the mountains and have forgotten what heaven and earth are.

Perhaps Hashirama's luck is bad, and no trace of game was found around the camp, so they had to go farther.

On the other side.

"Lian Ye, does Hashirama usually live in an environment like this?" Xuanwo Mizuto looked at the dense vegetation and the desolate, uninhabited mountains around, feeling very sorry.

Her husband lives so miserably, leading a life like that of a primitive man.

Lian Ye didn't know how to explain; if his guess is correct, Uncle Hashirama and Lord Ban must be cramped in some mountain cave…

Living as a Mountain Top Cave Man.

If Mizuto Ayi found out, she would feel even more sorry.

"I guess so."

He doesn't want to explain further; they'll know when the time comes.

Some things can only be understood in detail by seeing them with one's own eyes…

Seeing this, Xuanwo Mizuto realized that Hashirama's living conditions are even more miserable than she imagined.

"Lord Mizuto need not worry; Lord Hashirama and Lord Ban are living together happily, meow," Dao Ba said with a smile, comforting.

Lian Ye: "……"

Can such words be said so casually?

Lian Ye cautiously looked at the Mizuto Ayi beside him.

He saw that the sorrow on Xuanwo Mizuto's face had vanished, replaced by endless fury.

Uncle Hashirama is doomed.

Dao Ba sensed the atmosphere was off, tilting his head to look at Lian Ye.

"Kid, did I say something wrong, meow?"

Lian Ye: "……"