"Magma Fruit: Dog-Bite Crimson Lotus!"
After a bout of intense exertion, Chiba seized his chance. His lava-arm morphed into the shape of Akainu's canine head and tore savagely into the Mizukage's torso.
BOOM!
With his chakra severely depleted, the Third Mizukage could no longer liquefy his body to evade. Half of his form was charred to a crisp under the assault.
Thud.
The Mizukage stumbled and crashed to the ground. Chiba looked down at him from above, a playful smile on his lips. "So, Senior Madara… do I still have a chance?"
"Hmph!"
Uchiha Madara snorted coldly. He gave Chiba a long, deep look, then relinquished his control over the Mizukage's body.
Serves you right for showing off in front of me earlier. The so-called Asura of the Shinobi World? Nothing but a stepping stone for Lord Chiba. Chiba thought, thoroughly pleased with himself.
"Hmm. What to do with this guy, though? Just kill him?"
Chiba glanced at the unconscious, critically injured Mizukage sprawled on the ground and pondered.
"The leader of a village. Probably brimming with pride. No way he'd submit. Might as well squeeze some value out of the waste."
His mind was made up quickly.
The Third Mizukage wasn't weak. His potential was excellent. Letting this wool go un-sheared? Unacceptable.
"Ope Ope no Mi: Mystical Palm Technique!"
Chiba crouched down and employed the most direct, brute-force healing method, stimulating cell regeneration at the site of the Mizukage's wounds.
Sigh. Would be more interesting if this was a lady. This healing process is so dull. Chiba grumbled internally.
After the utterly mundane treatment, the Mizukage was stabilized, out of mortal danger. The system prompt chimed.
[Ding! Treatment successful. Congratulations, Host, for obtaining [Water Release: Oil Transformation]!]
[[Water Release: Oil Transformation]: A secret technique of the Hōzuki clan, never taught to outsiders. Allows the user to transform their entire body into oil.]
"Hold on. Is this 'oil transformation'… the decent kind?"
Seeing the reward, a strange expression crossed Chiba's face. Instantly, a dozen novel combat applications flashed through his mind.
Super Light-Weight Rock Technique + Earth Grudge Fear + Oil Transformation… Hmm…
"Not a bad reward. Potential for further development. Fitting for a Mizukage's prestige." Chiba nodded, satisfied.
This [Water Release: Oil Transformation] was the unique skill of the Second Mizukage, Hōzuki Gengetsu. Develop it to its limit, and he might just master the man's ultimate move—the infinite explosive technique: Steaming Danger Tyranny!
"Ugh…"
At that moment, the Mizukage beneath Chiba stirred, groaning as consciousness returned.
"Shit! Chakra Scalpel!"
Startled, fearing a sudden counterattack, Chiba's hand transformed into a blade of pure chakra and pierced the man's heart in a flash.
"You… kill me? Then… why save me?"
After years under Madara's control, the Mizukage's mind struggled to process the situation. His once-clear eyes grew hazy again.
"To kill you, of course." Chiba answered matter-of-factly.
Third Mizukage: "???"
In a state of profound shock and incomprehension, the poor soul manipulated by Uchiha Madara for half his life finally breathed his last.
Uchiha are all insane. Their thought processes are impossible to fathom.
Just then, a dark, humanoid figure silently emerged from the earth behind Chiba, watching his back and thinking.
"Super • Wind Release: Rasengan Shuriken!"
While the dark creature was lost in thought, Chiba spun around. In his hand was a parting gift, which he hurled at it with vicious force.
"Wha—?!"
The black creature panicked, plunging into the ground with a look of terror. Its unique physiology allowed it to evade Chiba's sudden, unexpected attack.
BOOOOM!
After the terrifying storm of wind chakra dissipated, the creature resurfaced. It hurriedly waved its hands at Chiba, whose expression had turned unfriendly.
"Don't attack! I am the will of Lord Uchiha Madara made manifest! You may call me Black Zetsu!"
"Oh, is that so? I thought you were just some… thing."
Chiba replied nonchalantly, but inwardly, he was cursing.
What the hell? The crown prince's ultimate move is supposed to one-shot everything. How did it lose its edge against this Black Zetsu trash?
Chiba figured the crown prince's move probably needed an upgrade. With the plot entering the next phase, he needed to master the Six Paths: Planetary Devastation technique sooner rather than later.
Wouldn't want Kaguya Ōtsutsuki popping out one day without him having the means to throw down properly.
"Little Chiba, follow me. You've proven your strength. Lord Madara wishes to see you in person."
Black Zetsu had no idea Chiba was scheming how to defeat its mother. It dared not get too close, maintaining a safe distance as it forced a sliver of a smile.
"Alright. But I need to report back to Konoha. You can lead my clone."
After a moment's thought, Chiba created a Paper Clone that followed Black Zetsu. It wasn't cowardice—just smart tactics. A wise man doesn't stand beneath a crumbling wall.
Call him 'Uncle' if I'm feeling respectful. Don't give him face, and I'll plant him six feet under. Chiba thought arrogantly.
Prime Uchiha Madara? Yeah, he'd need to steer clear. But this old, withered Madara…
Chiba was determined. If Madara's condition was poor, he'd just Flying Thunder God over there and unleash a full combo on the old geezer. Now that would be a pro gamer move.
…
A grand underground palace. After leading Chiba's clone to the entrance, Black Zetsu silently vanished.
Chiba gazed toward the far end of the hall. Upon a stone throne beneath a massive, grotesque demonic statue sat an elderly man with stark white hair.
His cheeks were hollow, his frame gaunt. Yet the arrogance in his eyes, the gaze that looked down upon the entire world, remained undiminished.
The Asura of the Shinobi World—Uchiha Madara.
Their eyes met across the vast space, locking onto each other. Each was sizing the other up, probing for intent and strength. Between the two of them, they had eight hundred schemes running.
"Chiba. You don't hold it against me, I hope? For testing you earlier."
After a long silence, a playful smile touched Madara's lips as he broke the quiet.
"I know you just wanted to gauge my skills. I don't mind. No skills, no right to be your retirement plan."
After a moment's consideration, Chiba abandoned his initial thought of attacking Madara. Something felt off—the risk of a backfire was too high.
First, because the timeline was so far ahead, Madara's condition was significantly better than when he'd met Obito in the original story.
Second, if Madara dared expose his true body like this, who would believe he didn't have a hidden trump card?
The terror of Director Madara? Those who knew, knew.
"I'm just curious, though… what kind of help can you offer me?" Having stated his position, Chiba cut straight to the point.
"Heh. Patience."
Madara chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. He'd already prepared his spiel for Chiba on the way over.
"What I'm about to tell you concerns the secret origins of our world. Initially, there were no nine Tailed Beasts. Only a single entity—the Ten-Tails."
"It was the Sage of Six Paths who extracted the Ten-Tails' chakra and divided it into nine, creating the beasts we know today."
After delivering this brief exposition, Madara slowly rose from his throne. Time to sell the dream.
"This demonic statue behind me is the empty shell of the Ten-Tails. If we gather the chakra of the nine Tailed Beasts and resurrect the Ten-Tails, we will obtain power to dominate all."
"At that point, controlling Konoha will be trivial. The entire shinobi world will prostrate itself at our feet. We… will become immortal gods."
One had to admit—Madara knew how to sell a vision.
Facing an ambitious, bond-indifferent youth like Chiba, he didn't bother with the 'savior of the world' spiel he'd used on Obito. He went straight for the ultimate lure: pure, overwhelming power.
If Chiba hadn't seen Shippūden, he might have been genuinely tempted.
"Senior Madara, let's put a pin in that for now."
Watching Madara on his high platform, sounding more like a cult leader brainwashing a recruit, Chiba finally couldn't resist. He decided to reverse the pitch.
"See, the thing is… I'm a medical ninja. And your physical condition… it doesn't look so great. How about I give you a check-up? On the house."
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