MTLNOVEL Chapter 162: Chapter 172
[Senju Tobirama]: A ninja's value isn't based on how they die, nor on how exceptional they become.
[Senju Tobirama]: If everyone could be exceptional, then there would be no need to divide ranks into jonin, chunin, and genin—or classify mission difficulties.
[Senju Tobirama]: Some people are indeed powerful, but does that mean those who aren't, or who never become the strongest, are worthless?
[Senju Tobirama]: No.
[Senju Tobirama]: Today's Konoha is a place of inclusion.
[Senju Tobirama]: So, Jiraiya, come back to Konoha.
[Loyal Dog of Mount Myōboku]: …
[Loyal Dog of Mount Myōboku]: I'll think about it.
[Senju Tobirama]: Still avoiding it, Jiraiya? Or should I go find Hiruzen and have him invite you back?
[Senju Tobirama]: I don't mind. Hiruzen made a lot of mistakes, so for someone his age to still be out doing missions is what he deserves.
[Senju Tobirama]: I asked him to protect the village, to protect those who trusted him, and to train the next generation.
[Senju Tobirama]: But instead, he preserved himself and sacrificed the next generation.
[Loyal Dog of Mount Myōboku]: …
[Loyal Dog of Mount Myōboku]: …
[Loyal Dog of Mount Myōboku]: I understand. I'll return to Konoha now.
[Senju Tobirama]: Good.
[Beep!]
[Jiraiya has gone offline]
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: …
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: …
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: Tobirama, will Jiraiya come back?
[Senju Tobirama]: I don't know.
[Senju Tobirama]: If what Black Zetsu said is true, and the Great Toad Sage is a fraud… then Jiraiya really was deceived for decades.
[Senju Tobirama]: How many fifty-year spans does a person get in life? And in fifty years, to miss so much… the Great Toad Sage truly went too far.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: …
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: So that means… Tsunade is old now, too?
[Senju Tobirama]: …
[Senju Tobirama]: Big brother, don't say things like that out of nowhere. Are you saying just because Tsunade is old now, she's no longer our granddaughter?
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: …
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: Actually, if Tsunade has aged, I'm satisfied. At least she lived past her youth and skipped the tragedy of middle age…
[Senju Tobirama]: …Eh…
Tobirama knew his big brother was getting emotional again.
[Tobirama Achievement - Izuna]: So that means my big brother now has the Sage Art Talisman from Mount Myōboku?
[Senju Tobirama]: That's right.
[Tobirama Achievement - Izuna]: Can't you say it with a little more enthusiasm?
[Senju Tobirama]: …Your big brother getting his hands on that thing is probably not for anything good.
[Tobirama Achievement - Izuna]: …
[Beep!]
[Filial Son - Black Zetsu has gone offline]
Black Zetsu also chose to go offline.
········
"Black Zetsu, what were you spacing out about just now?"
"I'm asking you a question!"
Black Zetsu, upon disconnecting, saw Uchiha Madara staring at him.
"It's nothing," Black Zetsu replied. "I was just thinking… that the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku is a fraud."
"Oh?"
"Mount Myōboku has a treasure like the Sage Art Talisman, and that old toad dares claim to be a peer of the Sage of Six Paths? Yet the Sage's body was cremated, and the Great Toad Sage never brought this talisman out for him."
"Heh…" Uchiha Madara chuckled. "You don't get it."
"In the shinobi world, the only one you can trust is yourself," said Uchiha Madara. "That toad probably used the talisman for himself."
"…" Black Zetsu.
Is that so?
Aren't you the one who trusts Hashirama the most?
Even though Black Zetsu had thoroughly deceived Madara, he still worried—if Senju Hashirama were revived and started spouting nonsense, this fool Madara might fall for it again.
"But why did you make me unleash my full power in Mount Myōboku?"
"Even Susanoo—you made me use its complete form right away," Madara said with a hint of confusion.
Originally, he had only summoned a partial, 50-meter Susanoo while in Mount Myōboku.
But Black Zetsu told him to crank it up to full power and skip all the talk—just rob the Great Toad Sage of the talisman.
"I was worried the Great Toad Sage would con you. If a mere toad could befriend the Sage of Six Paths, what if it tricked you too?" said Black Zetsu. "I'm just part of your will—I have no power."
"…" Madara. "Don't worry. I won't be deceived."
"…" Black Zetsu.
He said nothing.
And Madara, unaware, continued,
"Besides…"
"I've already taken the Sage Art Talisman," Madara said. "So how do I use it?"
"Just stick it on your body and try it," said Black Zetsu.
So Madara pressed the faded talisman onto his body.
And then—
A transformation occurred.
Green patterns burst forth from the talisman and completely enveloped his body.
The cracks and decay caused by Edo Tensei vanished—his body returned to that of a living human.
"Sage Art Talisman…"
"It really can bring someone back to life…"
Even Black Zetsu had never seen anything like it before.
But now… he finally relaxed.
It really was a huge gain.
And—
"Oh…"
"Incredible!" Black Zetsu stared at Madara's face.
"Hm?"
Madara didn't understand, but he quickly noticed something was off with his perception.
With the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, he could already perceive his surroundings in great detail. But now… not only were his senses sharper, he felt like the world around him had slowed down.
His physical abilities had also been greatly enhanced.
This was—
This was… his peak?
No.
Even more than that…
"This is…"
Madara realized something.
"The Rinnegan?"
"A young body… and Rinnegan?!"
Madara was stunned.
"Congratulations," said Black Zetsu. "Looks like you don't need to groom Nagato to use Rinne Rebirth anymore. You've revived on your own."
"Hmph… Hahahaha!" Madara burst out laughing.
"Now I can go another round with that Edo Hashirama from before!"
"Hahahahaha…"
Madara laughed loudly.
"Quit the fighting—we're going to the moon!" Black Zetsu said. "Crack it open and seize the power of Ōtsutsuki Hamura!"
"…" Madara.
"Right," Madara nodded, remembering the information Black Zetsu had brought from the moon: that the descendants of the Sage's younger brother resided there.
And also—there was a massive Tenseigan.
"But…" Madara, admiring his youthful new body, was deeply satisfied. "Now I feel even stronger than before… maybe I really can defeat Hashirama…"
"With this body, I can freely wield the Rinnegan's power. Maybe I can suppress his Wood Release!" Madara declared, full of fighting spirit.
"…" Black Zetsu.
Black Zetsu was speechless.
Just a few moments ago, Madara was claiming he couldn't be fooled—then immediately went all-out on the Great Toad Sage without even trying to negotiate.
And now? He was happily admiring the talisman's effects.
Who was Madara fighting earlier again?
That wasn't Senju Hashirama.
It was Kitahara Kaede's Wood Clone!
Black Zetsu was going to lose his mind!
Meanwhile, just a few hundred miles from Mount Myōboku—at Ryūchi Cave.
"Damn you, Orochimaru!"
"He's always running to avoid his enemies, fine—but this time, to escape from Uchiha Madara, he actually took our ancestor and fled!?"
Tanokami Hime was venting to her sisters.
This time, Orochimaru didn't just flee—he took the White Snake Sage with him!
Unbelievable!
But just as she began complaining…
The ground began to shake.
"An earthquake?"
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