Chapter 353

And, on the other side.

While Kakashi and Madara chatted, Black Zetsu, though not eavesdropping, still inadvertently overheard this information.

At this moment, he looked utterly bewildered.

What the hell?

Has Uchiha Jin already learned the truth of Infinite Tsukuyomi? Has he long known his connection to Kaguya? Even knows that Hagoromo and Hamura were fully aware?

How is that possible?

He was certain that no trace of the historical records from a thousand years ago had survived!

On one hand.

Ninja simply didn’t care about history; though they occasionally recorded bits about their predecessors, such records were never systematic, and by now most had become myths and legends—almost no one believed them to be true.

On the other hand.

Did he really think Black Zetsu was just a useless lump?

He had hidden within the ninja world for over a thousand years and had systematically erased every record—so he was utterly certain that any documentation regarding his mother, the Sage of Six Paths, or the Shinobi Religion could not possibly have survived to this era.

Then the question arises!

How the hell did Uchiha Jin find out about all this?

Could it be the power of his Mangekyo Sharingan?

But that doesn’t make sense!

Though Uchiha Jin had fought few times, over this long period, Black Zetsu had already fully understood the nature of his Mangekyo Sharingan.

One technique disintegrates all matter into molecules; the other rewinds his Mangekyo power.

This thing…

Could never have let him uncover information from a thousand years ago!

And before Black Zetsu could make sense of this, he then heard that Hagoromo was still alive, and that Jōdo was flawed, and other such things.

Fuck!

Hearing this, Black Zetsu was completely stunned.

How is that possible?

How could that ungrateful son Hagoromo still be alive?

If he’d been alive all these years, then everything Black Zetsu had done in the ninja world had been watched by Hagoromo’s eyes the whole time?

The thought of this terrifying possibility made Black Zetsu’s heart plummet instantly.

Then,

He heard further that Uchiha Jin’s new Konoha had already clashed with Hagoromo across dimensions—and worse, that Hagoromo knew details about the Ōtsutsuki clan even Black Zetsu didn’t know. At this moment, Black Zetsu truly couldn’t hold back anymore.

Damn it!

This—how is this possible?

If all this were true, then his plan to revive his mother—was it truly nothing more than a joke in the eyes of Hagoromo and Uchiha Jin?

Thinking of this, Black Zetsu nearly fainted from rage.

“Impossible!”

“Absolutely impossible!”

“Hashirama Senju, Itachi’re lying, aren’t Itachi?”

“How could Uchiha Jin know these things? How could that ungrateful son Hagoromo still be alive?”

“I don’t believe it!”

“I refuse to believe it!”

At this moment, Black Zetsu’s composure shattered—he couldn’t help but roar aloud.

And in response,

Uchiha Madara merely sneered, looking at Black Zetsu with the same disdain one reserves for a fool—and deep inside, he felt a faint, almost irresistible joy.

There was no help for it!

He’d been betrayed by Black Zetsu far too badly, and even now he couldn’t kill him.

But now?

Seeing this bastard break down, realizing he was nothing but a pawn—it was hard not to feel a little happy!

On the other side,

Hashirama Senju didn’t think as deeply as Madara did; he simply looked at the shattered Black Zetsu and gave a simple, earnest smile.

“Uh, sorry about that!”

“I don’t actually know the details.”

“Jin will come by soon—just ask him directly.”

Though Black Zetsu had been an enemy moments ago, now that he was captured, Hashirama had lost all hostility toward him.

So,

His answer was genuinely sincere.

Black Zetsu: “...”

Though he’d long known Hashirama’s nature, facing it now still made him seethe with frustration.

There was no help for it!

Facing a man like this, even angering him was nearly impossible!

As the three chatted, a flicker in the icy space revealed Uchiha Jin’s arrival.

“Hashirama, how’s the chat going?”

Arriving beside Hashirama, Uchiha Jin asked casually.

And in response,

After Hashirama briefly explained everything, Uchiha Jin immediately turned to Uchiha Madara.

“Madara!”

“Itachi know the full situation now—can Itachi finally let go of your grudge?”

“If Itachi’re willing to join the new Konoha, I welcome Itachi on behalf of the new Konoha.”

“If not, that’s fine too!”

“But I still advise Itachi not to return to Jōdo—it’s Hagoromo’s domain, and he’s now an enemy of Konoha.”

“So, what’s your decision?”

Uchiha Jin didn’t waste time—he asked outright.

Yes!

He didn’t want to waste time; he’d already clashed with Hagoromo, and in the coming days, he had far too many things to handle.

Uchiha Madara fell silent.

Had this been the old Konoha, he would never have joined.

Though he was no match for Tobirama Senju in schemes and tricks, he and Hashirama Senju were alike: both saw through appearances to the essence.

Why had he left Konoha before?

Because he saw its true nature—he knew that unless the Uchiha seized power once, they could never truly integrate into Konoha.

But unfortunately,

Other clans feared the Uchiha and refused to let them rise; Hashirama, the fool, couldn’t see it; Tobirama, the bastard, constantly provoked them. At that time, Uchiha Madara realized fully: the Uchiha had no future in Konoha.

Even he, the strongest Uchiha, couldn’t become Hokage in the village’s early days.

As Konoha’s system grew more solid, and since the Uchiha had never held the Hokage position, they would never integrate—and later, they’d lose all chance of rising. The other Uchiha fools could never ascend.

Even worse…

Out of fear, the other clans would make the Uchiha’s fate utterly miserable!

That was why he chose to leave Konoha and was willing to take the entire Uchiha clan with him—after all, his brother Izuna truly cared for the clan.

But unfortunately,

The entire Uchiha clan were fools—no one wanted to follow him.

Out of respect for Izuna, he gave the clan one chance; since they refused to seize it, he, Uchiha Madara, no longer cared—and he left alone.

History proved him right.

Later, Tobirama Senju rose to power and began restricting the Uchiha at every turn.

Later still, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn’t even pretend—he openly oppressed them. Had Uchiha Jin never appeared, the Uchiha would have been wiped out by now.

But now, things are different!

The old Konoha is dead—this new Konoha was founded by the Uchiha.

After a moment of silence, Madara slowly nodded.

“Fine. I’ll join.”