"Lord Madara, do you need me to recount the process of implementing the Moon Eye Plan again?"
"After so many years, perhaps you don't remember some parts clearly!"
Kuro Zetsu leaned against Madara's leg, tilting his head up and looking at Madara with a fawning expression as he asked.
Uchiha Madara shook his head slightly, smiled confidently, and slowly rose to his feet.
"No need!"
"How could I forget such important information?"
He strolled to the widest part of a cave, and Uchiha Madara examined the height of the cavern, nodding with satisfaction.
He stretched his somewhat stiff fingers, casually cut his palm with his scythe, smeared blood on his palm, and his fingers danced as he formed hand signs for a summoning jutsu.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A giant summoning array spread out like a spiderweb, and a coordinate marked with his own summoning contract appeared in Madara's soul perception.
"Kurama?"
"It sensed my summoning jutsu, but didn't appear immediately..."
"The Uzumaki clan's sealing jutsu really has some tricks..."
Uchiha Madara frowned and muttered, then let out a dismissive cold laugh.
"A mere sand grain, I no longer need the power of a beast!"
The surging chakra in his body continued to pour into the summoning array. The amount of chakra injected was so great that even Uchiha Madara was a little startled.
"It requires so much chakra. It truly lives up to its name as a divine object that houses the power of the Outer Path!"
As he continued to increase the output, finally, when Uchiha Madara felt a bit weak, the surge of power he had been longing for responded to the summon's call.
"Summoning Jutsu: Gedo Mazo!"
Uchiha Madara's heart leaped with joy. He pressed his palm on the ground with all his might, a surge of immense chakra flowed into the array, and then he withdrew his hand.
The emptiness that spread through his body caused Uchiha Madara to stagger back two steps, but it didn't matter.
Looking at the smoke that suddenly exploded from the summoning array, Madara's eyes were filled with anticipation and joy.
"Rumble!"
An earth-shattering tremor spread through the vast cave, and the ferocious Gedo Mazo rose from the summoning array!
It had a humanoid outline, and its immense size was such that even with half its body still buried underground, its head was almost touching the cave ceiling. Its ferocious head was evenly distributed with patterns resembling closed eyes. There were nine such patterns, corresponding to the nine Tailed Beasts that had been separated from it a thousand years ago.
Its body was like withered wood, its color dim and dark; it had ten tail-like appendages on its back, but they seemed to have been cut off at the root, leaving only a column-like protrusion.
The protrusion had numerous entangled branches, and hanging between the forks were hundreds of white, silkworm cocoon-like objects, which swayed back and forth with the Gedo Mazo's sudden summoning.
Its lower body was buried deep underground, and two arms covered in withered, wood-like muscles pressed against the ground, supporting the Gedo Mazo's sky-high, colossal body.
After a moment of light panting, Uchiha Madara carefully examined the Gedo Mazo, his brow furrowed as he looked at the white cocoons hanging from the branches.
"What is this thing?"
Kuro Zetsu's eyeballs rolled, and he answered at the opportune moment:
"Lord Madara, I have a guess!"
"Perhaps these are beings created by the Sage of Six Paths using Yin-Yang Release?"
"After all, it's something you summoned, so it shouldn't be dangerous!"
Uchiha Madara pondered for a moment and nodded in agreement.
"That makes sense!"
Glancing at the dark Kuro Zetsu, Uchiha Madara suddenly developed a strong interest in the contents of these white cocoons.
"If it's as you guessed, then I want to see what the difference is between me and the Sage of Six Paths when it comes to creating life."
"Kuro Zetsu's eyes flashed with a hint of mockery, and he nodded in agreement.
"Indeed!"
"Perhaps what's inside won't be as good-looking as me, Lord Madara, what do you think?"
Uchiha Madara let out a long laugh, and a powerful ocular power suddenly erupted from his Rinnegan. The cocoons swaying on the branches were struck by the repulsive force, and they fell to the ground like dumplings.
Casually using his scythe to cut through the layer of bandages wrapped around the cocoons, Uchiha Madara finally saw what was inside.
"It really is a white person..."
Comparing the difference between Kuro Zetsu and these humanoid unknown creatures, a look of smugness appeared in Uchiha Madara's eyes.
"Except for the better completeness of their bodies, there doesn't seem to be much difference!"
"The Sage of Six Paths, nothing more!"
Kuro Zetsu's expression was one of agreement, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, as if he had thought of a good idea.
"These white beings..."
"They are also creations of Yin-Yang Release, so can they be controlled by Lord Madara?"
"Why not awaken these things? Perhaps there will be unexpected gains!"
Uchiha Madara was slightly stunned by this suggestion, then nodded.
"It's worth a try!"
"I just don't know if Yin-Yang Release can awaken these things..."
Madara's palm was covered with a faint Yin-Yang Release chakra, and he slowly pressed it onto the body of the white creature. Yin-Yang Release lived up to its name of creation. In just a moment, the white creature grunted and opened its eyes, which were full of 'wisdom'.
"Wow! What an ugly thing!"
The white creature stared at Uchiha Madara blankly for a moment, then let out a startled cry when it shifted its gaze to Kuro Zetsu. It then quickly burrowed into the ground, leaving only its head exposed, its face full of terror.
Uchiha Madara's pupils contracted, and he couldn't help but look at the white creature again.
"What a peculiar ability!"
"Without the slightest chakra fluctuation, it instantly burrowed into the ground like the Earth Submersion Jutsu!"
"The Sage of Six Paths' methods... truly extraordinary!"
It was impossible to tell if Kuro Zetsu's black body was also turning black, but judging from its gritted teeth, its mood was probably not pleasant.
"Idiot!"
"Facing the one who created you, you act like this, you brainless thing!"
The white creature, rather than getting angry, touched its head and looked at Kuro Zetsu with confusion.
"How do you know I don't have a brain?"
"Look, look, it's empty!"
Saying that, the white creature actually tore its own head in half, revealing its empty interior to Uchiha Madara.
"This..."
Uchiha Madara and Kuro Zetsu exchanged glances, both showing a speechless expression.
In just a few words, Uchiha Madara clearly felt the gap between this white creature and Kuro Zetsu.
Its body was smooth, without any external organs to distinguish its gender. Oh, Kuro Zetsu didn't have them either, so that aspect was irrelevant...
Its personality was flighty, its intelligence was low, and coupled with its empty body, it perfectly embodied what it meant to be 'truly brainless'!
"I retract my earlier praise for the Sage of Six Paths' power!"
"When it comes to creating life, I am clearly superior!"
Uchiha Madara waved his hand wearily, looking uninterested, and turned to walk towards his own cave.
Kuro Zetsu glanced at Madara's aging back, pondered for a moment, and then, with no sign of annoyance, ran to the scattered white creatures and awakened them all with Yin-Yang Release.
Madara frowned as he watched Kuro Zetsu return with a large group of strangely shaped white creatures.
"Kuro Zetsu, what use can these brainless fools serve?"
Kuro Zetsu abandoned his previous fawning expression and looked at Uchiha Madara with a solemn demeanor.
"Lord Madara, the Moon Eye Plan requires a lot of time and manpower to implement!"
"Whether it's capturing the Tailed Beasts or gathering information about the ninja world, with your current body, I'm afraid..."
Uchiha Madara froze, his panting stopping. He picked up his scythe with a slight tremor and, using the reflection on the blade, finally saw the wrinkles on his face.
"No wonder..."
"I've already awakened the Rinnegan, and yet I feel a bit weak when performing a mere summoning jutsu with my strength..."
"Have I become so old?"
Looking at his hands, which now trembled slightly even when holding the scythe, Uchiha Madara sighed in dejection and gently released his grip, letting the scythe that had accompanied him for many years fall to the ground.
"Clang..."
The familiar sound of metal clashing did not attract Uchiha Madara's attention. He stared blankly at his wrinkled hand, the light in his Rinnegan slowly dimming.
"I could already see the hope of achieving peace in the ninja world, but due to my physical condition, I could only end in regret?"
"I, Uchiha Madara, who dominated the world for a lifetime, never expected..."
Kuro Zetsu looked at the dispirited Madara, a hint of contempt flashing in his eyes. However, the Moon Eye Plan still required a Rinnegan wielder to execute it, so he had to do something to keep Uchiha Madara following his will.
Even in death, he would contribute his last bit of value to Kuro Zetsu.
This opportunity, which had taken a thousand years to arrive, how could Kuro Zetsu watch it slip through his fingers?
"Lord Madara, that's why some things still need me to remind you!"
"Have you forgotten? Death may be the end for others, but you are Uchiha Madara!"
"The Outer Path power of the Rinnegan is enough to allow you to break the boundary between life and death!"
A look of excitement instantly surged into Uchiha Madara's eyes. He clenched his fists, his body trembling slightly, and muttered:
"That's right!"
"Outer Path - Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique!"
"How could I have almost forgotten this jutsu?"
Uchiha Madara looked at Kuro Zetsu with blazing eyes and said firmly:
"Kuro Zetsu, well done!"
"Since there is a feasible method, then these white things can be put to use!"
"Activate all... hmm..."
"Let's call them White Zetsu!"
Uchiha Madara waved his hand casually, naming the white creatures, and continued with a solemn expression:
"Activate all White Zetsu, go to the ninja world and find a suitable host for the Rinnegan!"
"After this body of mine dies, fully train him to become a qualified executor."
"When the time is right, control him to use the Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique to resurrect me!"
"Go!"
Kuro Zetsu bowed respectfully, his eyes gleaming.
"Your will!"
Looking at the White Zetsu leaving under Kuro Zetsu's command, Uchiha Madara showed a confident smile.
"Hashirama, in the end, you were wrong!"