Naruto: Starting with Snatching the Mangekyō Sharingan

"Have there been any updates on Madara, Zetsu?" Nagato asked.

It had been a month since they discovered Obito's disappearance, yet he remained utterly untraceable, as if he had vanished from the face of the earth. By now, Nagato had all but confirmed that Madara was missing. Having Zetsu continue the search was little more than a faint hope.

Zetsu shook his head and said, "No… it appears Madara has indeed met with misfortune."

Nagato fell silent for a long time. Finally, he sighed and said, "It's hard to believe that someone of Madara's strength could die without a trace. It feels… unreal."

"Life is unpredictable," Zetsu replied calmly. "One can never know which will come first: tomorrow, or an unexpected turn of fate."

Nagato nodded, contemplating. "I suspect Madara was ambushed while recovering from injuries. With his strength and his time-space ninjutsu, no one in the Shinobi World should have been able to take him down otherwise."

"Zetsu," he continued, "you're well-versed in the world's jutsu. Are you aware of any techniques that could kill someone as powerful as Madara without leaving a trace?"

Zetsu paused, then replied, "Techniques like that are rare. However, Konoha does possess one jutsu that could do the job."

"Oh? Which jutsu?" Nagato pressed.

"Spirit Transformation Jutsu," Zetsu explained. "It's a formidable S-rank technique. This jutsu allows a user to transform their spirit into an ethereal form that can latch onto an enemy, completely erasing their mind.

"Although it's not a time-space jutsu, the speed of a spirit form is truly blinding—light-speed, even. And the spirit can not only kill, it also has incredible sensory capabilities. No matter the distance, it can detect previously marked targets and even relay information."

Nagato frowned, his expression darkening. "Could it be… Madara was killed by a Konoha shinobi with the Spirit Transformation Technique, and his body was taken back to Konoha by an infiltrator in the Land of Rain?"

Zetsu nodded. "It's possible."

Since they couldn't always be with Obito, Nagato knew the scenario he described wasn't out of the question.

"This Spirit Transformation Jutsu sounds terrifying—perhaps even more so than the Flying Thunder God Technique," Nagato said gravely.

"It is terrifying. If someone marked with chakra by a Spirit Transformation user doesn't prepare in advance, they're practically defenseless. But it's not without its weaknesses, after all, no jutsu is perfect," Zetsu noted.

"Oh? Enlighten me!" Nagato's eyes lit up with curiosity. If Madara had indeed been killed by the Spirit Transformation Jutsu, then the technique posed a significant danger.

If Madara could be ambushed, then so could he.

"Your Rinnegan and certain unique barriers," Zetsu replied. With Nagato playing such a crucial role in his plans, Zetsu couldn't afford to lose him without warning. So, he held back nothing.

"My Rinnegan?" Nagato looked thoughtful, then turned to Zetsu. "Is it the ability of the Naraka Path?"

"Exactly," Zetsu confirmed. "The Naraka Path's abilities directly counter the Spirit Transformation Jutsu. As long as you have the Rinnegan, there's no need to worry about that technique."

Nagato breathed a sigh of relief.

Zetsu added, "As for a barrier jutsu to guard against Spirit Transformation, I'll teach you one."

"Thank you," Nagato said earnestly. Though he felt secure, he knew his allies might still be at risk. The speed of a spirit form could allow an enemy to strike without warning if no countermeasures were in place.

"Think nothing of it. I am the inheritor of Uchiha Madara's will. Helping you is only natural," Zetsu replied solemnly.

"Madara…" Nagato was silent for a long moment before finally muttering, "I will avenge him someday."

"Madara…," Zetsu murmured with a tone of satisfaction. "Madara placed his faith in you, and it seems he was not wrong. He even told me, should anything happen to him, to entrust everything to you."

"…" Nagato was visibly moved. Aside from Yahiko, Konan, and his former master Jiraiya, Madara was the first person who had trusted him this much.

"What did Madara want to entrust to me?" Nagato asked seriously.

"He left you his legacy," Zetsu replied gravely, "the true method for wielding the Gedo Statue and Madara's ultimate dream: the Infinite Tsukuyomi."

"The correct way to use the Gedo Statue? And… Madara's dream—the Infinite Tsukuyomi? What is that?" Nagato asked.

Zetsu chuckled softly. "I'll explain, one step at a time."

Nagato nodded, listening intently.

"Let's start with the Gedo Statue," Zetsu began, his tone deep and ominous. "You already know its origin: the husk of the Ten-Tails. Only when all nine tailed beasts' chakra is united will it revive fully, transforming into the Ten-Tails.

"But the true way to wield the Ten-Tails isn't simply by unleashing tailed beast bombs in a reckless assault. It's through the Six Paths: Ten Tails Coffin Seal. By becoming the Ten-Tails' jinchuriki, one achieves full sage transformation, wielding the power of the Sage of Six Paths."

(T/N: The Six Paths Ten-Tails Coffin Seal is a sealing technique used by Obito and Madara Uchiha to seal the Ten-Tails into themselves, thus becoming the beast's jinchūriki.)

"Ten-Tails jinchuriki… sage transformation… The Sage of Six Paths was the Ten-Tails jinchuriki!?" Nagato murmured, astonished.

"Exactly. The Sage of Six Paths was the first jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails. Thanks to it, he became as powerful as a god!" Zetsu's confirmation was as much truth as it was a manipulation.

"Imagine it, Nagato: with the power of the Sage of Six Paths, making the world feel pain would be as easy as turning your hand."

Nagato nodded. "Indeed… with the Sage of Six Paths' power, one could make the world understand pain and, through that pain, nurture true peace."

"And what about Madara's ultimate dream, the Infinite Tsukuyomi?" Nagato inquired.

"It's the ultimate genjutsu," Zetsu explained, "capable of casting every person in the world into an illusion. In this illusory world, each individual is shown a reality that perfectly caters to their deepest desires. This way, everyone can experience true happiness. It's the only way to achieve lasting peace."

Nagato's gaze drifted as he imagined this future. He had to admit, it was a path to true peace. Ensnaring the world in a genjutsu that crafted personalized realms would allow everyone to find happiness.

Sensing Nagato's interest, Zetsu continued, "Surely you've realized it by now: this world is beyond redemption. Everyone lives in their own personal hell. The Infinite Tsukuyomi will transform that hell into paradise!"

Nagato sighed suddenly and said, "But a genjutsu is still just an illusion. Madara's vision is beautiful, yes, but it remains a dream. And dreams… eventually come to an end."

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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