Uchiha compound, Uchiha Retsufū's residence.
The news that Uchiha Madara had revived and returned to Konoha spread among the village's high-level officials in a small circle.
When Uchiha Retsufū learned the news, he was completely stunned.
The "Eye of the Moon" plan had been devised by Uchiha Madara, but now that Madara had returned from the dead, did he still need to carry out the plan?
Or should he cooperate with Uchiha Madara to execute it?
That fellow Black Zetsu used to come see him frequently, yet during this period he seemed to have never seen him even once.
Who knows what that guy is up to.
Madara's resurrection is such a huge matter, yet he didn't come to inform him!
Could it be that Uchiha Madara's resurrection has something to do with Black Zetsu?!
No matter what, he had to figure out what was going on!
"Bring Black Zetsu here."
Uchiha Retsufū knew that White Zetsu had always been secretly monitoring him.
White Zetsu appeared, tilting its head in confusion, then sank back into the ground and disappeared again.
It was unclear whether it had understood Retsufū's order.
Deep underground in the ninja world.
Black Zetsu wore a face full of sorrow, constantly sighing.
"Uchiha Madara, this chess piece, can no longer be used."
If the Cook hadn't interfered, things wouldn't have become so complicated.
Now that Madara had learned of his schemes ahead of time, it didn't even dare appear in front of him, afraid of being sealed by Chibaku Tensei just like Mother.
At this point, it could only go to other timelines and try its luck.
It would join forces with another version of itself from another timeline to plan Mother's resurrection, then bring Mother back to save Mother.
Going back and forth like that would certainly waste quite a bit of time.
It was uncertain whether the Cook could survive until the day Mother was resurrected.
Even if he died beforehand, it wouldn't matter much. At worst, it could summon him later with Edo Tensei.
Since it had taken the money, it definitely had to do the job!
Black Zetsu's money wasn't that easy to earn…
Just then, White Zetsu arrived to report.
After understanding the whole situation, Black Zetsu fell into deep thought.
For the moment, Uchiha Retsufū was indeed a good candidate. He could completely replace Uchiha Madara and become the most important chess piece for carrying out the plan!
With him around, the journey to other timelines would also be easier.
Thus Black Zetsu went to find Uchiha Retsufū and told him that Uchiha Madara had already betrayed his former ideals.
He no longer wished to continue executing the "Eye of the Moon" plan.
Now he had fallen into becoming a dreamless salted fish, spending every day sunbathing in the courtyard and doing nothing, completely useless.
After hearing this, Uchiha Retsufū frowned slightly and asked Black Zetsu about his next plan.
Black Zetsu proposed traveling through time and space to realize the "Eye of the Moon."
Although Uchiha Retsufū felt that Black Zetsu was using him, in order to realize the "Eye of the Moon" plan and resurrect his dead wife and younger brother, he was willing to give it a try.
Fugaku was still young and could not be without a mother!
Then one day, as usual, Uchiha Fugaku returned home from the Ninja Academy after school and discovered that his father was gone.
He left no note, disappearing silently just like that.
"Father!"
After searching without results, Fugaku shed sorrowful tears. His black eyes were replaced by crimson.
"To awaken the Sharingan at such a young age—his future is limitless!"
Uchiha Tanaka noticed his grandson had awakened the Sharingan, and a gratified smile appeared on his old face.
As for the reason his son disappeared, even he did not know.
It seemed he could only report the matter to the clan leader and hope he would send someone to find Retsufū.
...
Hokage's office.
"What did you call me here for?"
Renya pushed open the door and saw that Shimura Danzō and Uchiha Kagami were already waiting inside.
"Renya, Uchiha Retsufū has disappeared," Hiruzen said with a serious expression.
The sudden disappearance of an Uchiha jōnin in the village was an extremely serious matter…
After all, the Uchiha were famous for the Sharingan. Perhaps someone coveted those eyes and secretly harmed Uchiha Retsufū.
If Renya knew what Hiruzen was thinking, he would definitely burst out laughing on the spot.
Was the Sharingan really such a rare thing?
In Senju Tobirama's laboratory alone there was an entire wall of three-tomoe Sharingan.
"Do you have any clues?"
"No. Uchiha Tanaka said that when Fugaku went to school, Retsufū was still at home. But when he came back after school, Retsufū had disappeared."
Uchiha Kagami recounted everything he knew.
After hearing this, the few of them fell into silence.
The village's security was extremely strict, especially around the Uchiha clan.
To make a jōnin disappear without a sound was obviously unrealistic.
Unless he had secretly left on his own.
But what would Retsufū's purpose for doing that be?
The group pondered it endlessly but couldn't understand.
"Why would Retsufū leave the village?" Hiruzen asked in confusion.
Unfortunately, no one could give a clear answer.
Unable to find the reason for Uchiha Retsufū's departure, the village could only list him as a missing person and issue a search notice throughout the ninja world.
If they had known the real reason, that search notice would definitely have turned into a bounty for a rogue ninja.
"Renya, why do you think Retsufū left?"
Afterward, Uchiha Kagami found Renya and spoke somewhat gloomily.
The son of the former Uchiha clan leader had disappeared, and as the current clan leader he had heard quite a few rumors.
Some clan members even said that Retsufū's disappearance was related to him!
So he urgently wanted to find Retsufū in order to prove his innocence.
"I'm not Retsufū. If you ask me, who am I supposed to ask?"
Renya lay back in his chair and rolled his eyes irritably.
Maybe he awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and developed some mental issues, so he chose to leave the village.
A few years ago when he went to Retsufū's house for tea, he had already noticed something strange about his chakra.
He had clearly awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan!
It was just that Retsufū didn't say anything, and Renya didn't ask.
The Uchiha clan experienced countless life-and-death separations on the battlefield, so it was normal for some people to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Wait, Mangekyō Sharingan!
Renya suddenly sat up from the chair, his expression turning uncertain.
Could it be that fellow Black Zetsu?
Because Uchiha Retsufū awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, he might have been discovered by the mastermind Black Zetsu.
Then Black Zetsu could have tricked Uchiha Retsufū the same way it tricked Uchiha Madara, confusing him completely and making him carry out the Infinite Tsukuyomi…
It didn't seem impossible.
No, that wasn't right. Uchiha Retsufū didn't have the Rinnegan, so even if Black Zetsu deceived him it would be useless!
At present, only Madara-sama in the ninja world could perform the Infinite Tsukuyomi. No one else could.
So there was no need for Black Zetsu to trick Uchiha Retsufū.
"Renya, did you think of something?"
Uchiha Kagami observed Renya's expression carefully and asked curiously.
"No. I was just thinking about what to eat for lunch."
Renya lay back down in the chair again.
Uchiha Retsufū was already a grown man, and someone who possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan.
In the ninja world he would hardly encounter any danger.
Maybe one day he would just come back.
Besides, he wasn't the Uchiha clan leader. What did a missing clansman have to do with him?
Uchiha Kagami: "..."