Zombie Sage in Naruto

Chapter 100 Puzzle, Hashirama Copy
Senju Momoka stood up with a complicated expression, sensing the changes within herself.

Every moment, she felt two uncontrollable forces fighting within her body, like countless insects crawling around.

"This is the power of the First Hokage..."

Senju Momoka tried to use Wood Release, and a sapling immediately grew on her arm.

Snapped!
Immediately afterwards, Senju Momoka broke it in half with her own hands.

"The Senju clan must have retained many of the First Hokage's Wood Release ninjutsu. You can try to learn them, but don't have too high expectations."

Kaede Tsukasa said, "The balance within your body is too fragile. A high-intensity battle might cause your body to collapse. Wood Release Technique can only be used as a trump card, such as when the enemy is a Tailed Beast."

"That's enough. I was prepared to die. Since I am powerless to stop the decline of the Senju clan, I will use this aging body to leave something for my clan to learn from."

To my surprise, it actually succeeded.

Senju Momoka knew a little about the tragic fate of the previous test subjects, so she didn't have high expectations. It was already a miracle that she succeeded.

Kaedeji watched Senju Momoka gradually adapt to his body, his heart remaining completely unmoved.

Excited? No, not at all, because Senju Momoka was a defective product that survived.

Although it's impolite to describe it this way, that's the reality. Senju Momoka is not even as good as the future Yamato.

Because the technology used to create Yamato was no longer a simple cell transplant, but involved gene editing, which is equivalent to grafting a small segment of Hashirama Senju's gene onto Yamato!
Orochi and Kabuto both needed to capture Yamato to enhance the power of White Zetsu, while Tobi could unleash a watered-down version of the True Several Thousand Hands while piloting Yamato.

Regardless of Yamato's strength and potential, at the very least, he is an absolute biological miracle, and the best creation made by Orochimaru after sacrificing most of the Senju clan in the original timeline.

Senju Momoka was unaware of these complexities. She was very satisfied with her condition. Her body, which had begun to age, was now faintly radiating new vitality, although she could not control it very well.

Orochimaru's eyes lit up: "We succeeded! Kaede-kun, you've given me another surprise. We've successfully helped the Senju clan reclaim their rightful Wood Release bloodline limit."

Kaede Tsukasa said calmly, "It's just an incomplete bloodline limit. Lady Momoka must have felt it most clearly. Not to mention the legendary Wood Man Technique and Wood Dragon Technique, it's probably even difficult to use the Tree World Descent. Creating a forest would be too much of a burden on the body. Using it would be certain death."

"For me, for the Senju clan, this is enough. As long as a group of people can obtain Wood Release, it will be enough to revive the clan's former glory..."

"A batch?"

Kaede interrupted, "Forgive my bluntness, Lady Momoka, but right now you are only living by relying on my power. If you want more people to become the next you, then the Senju clan will gradually become my vassal clan. No one wants to lose what they have gained. Once they regain their mastery of Wood Release, they will not be able to tolerate losing this power. Are you sure you really want this?"

Senju Momoka silently looked at Kaedeji.

In this secluded laboratory, no one spoke; the atmosphere was unusually tense.

"You really don't hold back, but it's probably best for you not to bring this up..."

“That’s true, and it’s also because the Senju clan doesn’t have the power I’d use any means to scheme for.” Kaede Tsukasa said calmly, “What we’re doing now is something that can’t be done in the light of day, and we’re all wary of each other. I think it’s better for me to be honest.”

Actually, if Kaede Tsukasa really wanted the Senju clan to regain Wood Release, there were indeed ways.

That's right, it's White Zetsu.

Hashirama cells are probably the closest to the power of the Divine Tree besides the Rinnegan, as their corrosiveness is exaggerated. White Zetsu cells, on the other hand, are much weaker.

In the original timeline, during the Third Shinobi World War, Madara was able to use his mastery of biotechnology to give Obito half of a White Zetsu body, allowing Obito not only to survive but also to use Wood Release, greatly enhancing his strength and potential.

Kaede Tsukasa also suspected that giving Obito, who had a two-tomoe Sharingan at the time, White Zetsu cells was a kind of castrated version of the power of all things in the world. Theoretically, it would have helped Obito jump from a two-tomoe Sharingan to a Mangekyou Sharingan in one go, greatly reducing the difficulty of awakening the Mangekyou Sharingan.

But Kaede Tsukasa would never hand over the White Zetsu cells to the Senju clan.

At that moment, Orochimaru chuckled softly.

"What's wrong? We've been cooperating perfectly, so why are we suddenly so tense... Do you two want to fight, or are you going to attack me? Even if you two combine your strength, you can't kill me."

Senju Momoka shook her head: "No, I would never harm my own comrades. Whatever your purpose was in carrying out the first-generation cell transplantation experiment, you were indeed helping the Senju clan."

"So, Senior Tao Hua, shall we continue the experiment? Would you be willing to involve more members of the Senju clan?"

Orochimaru first looked at Kaede Tsukasa.

Kaedeji hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I have no problem with what you have to say. It all depends on what Lady Momoka thinks."

Although Kaede no Tsukasa had no intention of wasting time on this, if the Senju clan offered themselves up, he wouldn't mind accepting it.

If he were to truly gain control of the Senju clan, he could even apply for the position of Fourth Hokage.

"I see... So, we're back to square one. Should we continue with the cell transplantation experiment? And should we use the corpse escape technique...?"

Orochimaru glanced at Kaede Tsukasa, then at Senju Momoka, and found things becoming increasingly interesting. No matter what, it would be extremely advantageous for him…

Everyone has their own little thoughts, Orochimaru thought.

However, what truly concerned Orochimaru was Kaedeji. He vaguely sensed that some of Kaedeji's thoughts seemed to have undergone a subtle change, but he hadn't yet figured out the specific reason.

Orochimaru's vertical pupils were filled with the image of Kaede Tsukasa. He had already prepared some methods; things that were once unattainable could now be obtained through certain means.

"Continue the human experiments, and I will secretly organize a group of my people to join."

Senju Momoka managed to utter these words with great difficulty.

Kaede Tsukasa and Orochimaru had already understood the clan leader's meaning.

It's really difficult. They want the power of Wood Release to strengthen the clan, but they don't want too many of the core clan members to become Kaedeji's vassals and live off his secret techniques. Yet, they can't do nothing at all.

From then on, the deaths and injuries in the experiment were no longer Kaede Tsukasa's concern.

Human experiments continued, and because of the successful case of Senju Momoka, the Third Hokage secretly increased his attention to the experiments, and even specially arranged for several researchers to come and assist him.

As time went on, more and more ninjas in the village learned about this by chance through various means, and developed an unrealistic desire to inherit the Wood Release bloodline limit of the First Hokage, joining the experiment one after another.

But none of them survived. One after another, they died tragically on the operating table. If they were barely preserved in human form, it was considered a good result.

"Twelve more people have died this month, including two members of the Senju clan."

Kaede Tsukasa came to the laboratory once again, picked up the top-secret report, and quickly flipped through its contents. Each page symbolized the loss of a life, from the time of surgery to the time of death, everything was included.

Orochimaru didn't even look up, focusing on the experimental subject in his hands. His cold face showed no emotion, and he didn't treat the person in his hands as a human being at all.

Or rather, when Kaede Tsukasa decided to stop using Corpse Escape to intervene in the experimental process, the fate of these people was already sealed.

"...He's dead again, Morino Isuke. I'll have to do the autopsy now."

Orochimaru wiped the blood splattered on his face and spoke to one of the researchers beside him.

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru, what about the body after the dissection..." Morino Isuke's gaze shifted between Kaede Tsukasa and Orochimaru, revealing a questioning look.

Orochimaru chuckled in a low voice, "You used to be Kaede-kun's partner and even his superior, so you should know Kaede-kun's style. Of course, these failed attempts are handed over to Kaede-kun to handle. Of course, on the surface, they're burned to make it easier to report to the village... You agree, right, Kaede-kun?"

The other researchers dared not speak, keeping their heads down and doing their own work. Admittedly, to participate in such experiments, one not only needed outstanding personal abilities, but also a high degree of loyalty to the village, and one's hands were more or less dirty, so that one could assist Orochimaru in conducting cruel experiments and dissections on his companions without any psychological burden.

But no matter how unclean their hands are, compared to someone like Kaede Tsukasa, they're practically innocent little white rabbits, each one capable of warming your heart.

Kaede carefully placed the report back on the bookshelf piled high with countless documents. Looking at the rows of labels on the shelf, he said, "Give it to me. This way, the body can still be kept almost intact. It's a rare treasure with great value. Even if the Hokage finds out, I doubt he'll blame me."

Everyone present knew very well that anything that happened here would soon be known to the Third Hokage. For example, the Third Hokage asked these researchers if they were all keeping their mouths shut.
Impossible. None of those present were moral exemplars; they all knew what they should do.

Neither Orochimaru nor Kaede Tsukasa cared that what happened here would reach the ears of the Third Hokage. As for this act of embezzling corpses... as long as it wasn't too outrageous, the Third Hokage would turn a blind eye.

Sometimes Kaede Tsukasa would sigh, no wonder the Third Hokage was so popular in the village. His tolerance for his subordinates and his lack of political fastidiousness were enough to make many people more accepting of him.

Of course, this still cannot escape the prevailing trend of the times: the task is paramount; once the task is completed, the process is not so important; if the task is not completed, no matter how beautiful the process is, it is useless.

"Let's go, you guys continue."

As if it were a routine matter, Kaedeji pressed down on the corpse of the ordinary ninja who had died tragically, then sealed it into a summoning scroll before turning to leave.

Morino Isuke hesitated for a moment: "Lord Kaedeji, would you consider using the power of Corpse Release to increase the success rate of human experiments?"

“You’ve crossed the line. This isn’t something you should be thinking about. I don’t think even the Hokage would ask me to do something so biased… If you bring this up again, my patience is running out, and I’ll just pin you to the operating table.”

Morino Isuke immediately shut his mouth and watched Kaede Tsukasa leave.

Orochimaru sneered, "You're too impatient, and Danzo is too impatient. The experiment has only been going on for a short time, and you're already eager for more results? The fact that Senju Momoka is a successful example has already far exceeded my expectations."

"I'm sorry, Lord Orochimaru, I was just following orders."

"As expected of Danzo, completely disregarding the lives of his subordinates. He'd rather sacrifice you than compromise his principles in trying to steer human experimentation in the wrong direction... The Sand Village has sacrificed countless lives for research into human puppetry, and we've only killed a few now—"

"57 people, Lord Orochimaru."

"Thank you. You have a good memory. If you hadn't been working for Danzo, you might have lived a long time."

Orochimaru calmly removed his gloves: "In the next few years, there shouldn't be any large-scale wars in the ninja world. Every village is desperately expanding its military strength and researching various forbidden techniques. We still have several years to make use of, which is enough."

However, if this continues, more and more people will die.

The death of ordinary ninjas is nothing special—ninjas who knew about the experiment and participated in it would die without anyone making a big fuss about searching for them; they would simply die quietly.

The Senju clan is the only one that cannot be bypassed; the death of even one person adds to the risk of human experimentation.

"Hehehe, we still need to wait a bit longer. This clan still has research value, the genes of the Senju clan..."

Orochimaru's expression was somewhat sinister. He wasn't simply conducting transplant experiments; he was also carrying out more in-depth research, at least secretly developing gene technology.

Why is it that members of the Senju clan are naturally more resilient than ordinary ninjas? They can often endure a lot more suffering before finally dying in agony.

"Come on, come on..."

Orochimaru thought for a moment and said to Morino Isuke, "There's something I need your help with."

……

After leaving the laboratory, Kaede Tsukasa did not go home, but instead went to visit Tsunade and Kato Dan.

"teacher!"

The same opening move was made. Shizune first gave a 90-degree bow, and then respectfully led Kaedeji into the house.

"Practice diligently and don't slack off because of this period of peace. I will check your studies regularly," Kaedeji casually instructed. "War between ninja villages is bound to break out in the future, but I don't know when."

"Yes, Master, I have been training diligently without the slightest slackening, so as not to embarrass you and Hidan." Shizune said somewhat reservedly.

Kaede Tsukasa is actually alright; it's only right for subordinates to show respect to their superiors.

The main issue is Hidan. Over the past few months, Shizune has found herself unsure how to face Hidan, a guy capable of killing a Kage-level ninja. Hinata Takashi doesn't have this kind of mental burden, but Shizune's mind is relatively heavier, and she's always trying to find a comfortable position for herself.

"Hey, Tsukasa, it's been a while since I've seen you. I thought you were on some top-secret mission." Kato Dan smiled as soon as he saw Kaede Tsukasa. "I'm ready to hear which tailed beast you've taken down this time."

"Haha, senior is really joking. I don't have that kind of ability. Hidan's situation is quite special. To be honest, even if it were me, I might not have a good ending if I were hit by his technique."

Kaede Tsukasa sees himself as an elite Jonin, not a Hokage-level powerhouse.

In Konoha Village, very few people would openly mention the term "Hokage level," but the reason it's mentioned so little is simply because tens of thousands of Konoha ninjas have no opportunity to come into contact with Kage-level powerhouses, not because it's completely unmentioned.

Those who know about powerful barrier techniques like the Four Red Sun Formation understand that it requires four Hokage-level powerhouses to activate.

"You're too modest. Hidan's killing of the Four-Tails has greatly shocked all the villages. As Hidan's teacher, your strength must be even more terrifying in the eyes of outsiders. The fact that the village is so peaceful is largely due to the great deterrent effect of you and your teacher, which prevents the enemy from making any rash moves."

Shizune poured the tea, and Kato Dan pushed one of the cups to Kaede Tsukasa.

Kaede Tsukasa took a sip: "Hidan can kill the Four-Tails, but I can't kill the Five-Tails. I let the Five-Tails escape back then."

If we had to be precise, Kaede Tsukasa actually possessed the ability to fight a Kage-level powerhouse head-on. He had Roshi under his command, as well as three elite Jonin. Moreover, after careful training, the overall strength of these three elite Jonin had surpassed their peak strength in life.

Sandstorm Araki, who was one of the earliest followers of Kaedeji, has visibly become stronger. If a large number of corpses are consumed and Sandstorm Araki is carefully nurtured for a few more years, it might be possible to help this Magnet Release ninja reach the threshold of Kage level.

Even a weak Kage, like Mei Terumi who is ridiculed by many as a Kage-level weakling, is still a Kage-level powerhouse.

In addition, with Kaede Tsukasa's own Reincarnation Technique and Reaper Death Seal Technique, he is fully capable of inflicting heavy damage on Kage-level enemies.

But Kaede still felt it was lacking something.

Once he had achieved his goal of changing bodies, Kaede Tsukasa was convinced that he would become a Kage-level shinobi, and definitely one of the strongest among Kage-level shinobi. As for whether he could reach the level of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, he would have to wait and see.

"Where is Tsunade-senpai?"

Kaede Tsukasa took out a peculiar necklace with strange magical patterns scattered on its surface: "I heard you're getting married, so I took the liberty of paying a visit and preparing a wedding gift in advance. Congratulations."

"Hahaha, so that's what it was about. It spread so quickly!"

Kato Dan scratched his head, curiously took the necklace, examined it closely, and then exclaimed in astonishment, "This necklace is engraved with a spell, this is..."

"Ah, I remember during the Battle of the Land of Hot Springs, the necklace you were wearing around your neck broke, didn't it? So I had a new one made based on that design," Kaedeji said casually.

The necklace he made himself was created using the Corpse Demon Sealing Technique, showing his utmost sincerity.

Kato Dan didn't recognize the Reaper Death Seal technique, so he didn't ask any further questions. The two chatted for a while longer, but Kaede Tsukasa still hadn't seen Tsunade return.

"Tsunade is probably a bit nervous with her wedding approaching, because she's been frequently returning to the Senju clan's territory lately," Kato Dan said.

Kaede understood and felt that Tsunade must have noticed what was happening within the Senju clan, but she couldn't be sure yet.

However, this has nothing to do with Kaede Tsukasa anymore.

After chatting for a while longer, Kaede Tsukasa got up to say goodbye.

Walking onto the streets of Konoha, brushing past numerous pedestrians, Kaede Tsukasa couldn't help but look up, feeling the clarity of the blue sky. "What a wonderful world. If I fail, I probably will never have the chance to appreciate this beautiful scenery again."

Kaede Tsukasa chuckled softly; the closer the moment got, the calmer he became.

Turning around, he walked into a small alley, formed a hand seal, and Kaede Tsukasa's figure disappeared from the spot. After the zombie that replaced him appeared, it made two gurgling noises and dug a hole to bury itself.

"...Hey, was that thing a zombie?"

"It must be him! So that person was Lord Kaedeji? Damn it, I should have asked for his autograph!"

"Let's stay away from that place. That's one of Lord Kaedeji's spatial coordinates. He might use it someday."

The villagers of Konoha whispered among themselves, their voices gradually growing louder as they enthusiastically discussed the matter. Some outsiders also gathered around with great interest.

The crowd dispersed when the Konoha Police Force arrived, citing traffic obstruction as the reason.

"Let's mark this location, lest some reckless fool, especially some fearless children, dig up the body."

After thinking for a moment, the Eighth Hokage of Uchiha gave the order: they couldn't afford to mess with Kaede Tsukasa.

Two years ago, Yashiro could still remind Kaedeji from a superior position, but now he can't. He doesn't even have the right to make Kaedeji take the initiative to find and question him.

The changes were too rapid. Kaede Tsukasa quickly improved his strength, and his Corpse Escape Technique was like a bottomless pit, always able to unleash terrifying power every now and then.

Look, even Hidan has become a top figure in Konoha Village. He carries a big scythe, walks casually, and is a star wherever he goes, receiving praise from countless people.

Hidan would always show an impatient expression, angrily waving his scythe to disperse the surging crowd, and casually handing out a few pre-prepared autographed copies.

As for why Yashiro knew so much, it was because he had led his team to observe the situation on-site many times—the Konoha Police Force also served as city management officers, so Yashiro had to do it even if he didn't want to.

Sometimes he felt like a bodyguard next to a big star, which was very uncomfortable, but there was nothing he could do. Even if he were to talk to Hidan, he would probably have to start by saying "Lord Hidan".

"But, Lord Yashiro, we've been recording more and more coordinates, now there are over thirty, and that's just what we've found. Who knows how many corpses Lord Kaedeji has buried in the village? Besides, burying corpses is clearly against the rules!"

"Violation of regulations? What regulations?"

"Damaging the village environment."

"No, this is for beautifying the environment. The village hasn't said anything, so what are we complaining about?"

It was rare for the Eighth Generation to show the magnanimity of a scion of a powerful family in Konoha—if an ordinary villager dared to act like this, he would have already given them a good scolding and taught them a lesson. But not now; sometimes you have to be flexible with your bottom line.

Soon, a group of Uchiha clan members recorded the coordinates and continued patrolling other areas.

Soon after, a few teenagers sneaked over here.

"Hehehe, that's right, it must be here! There must be that person's corpse here!"

"Obito, are you serious?"

"Shh, stop talking nonsense! Of course it's true, I'm a super genius, I just haven't had the chance yet. Once I dig up this corpse and get the power of Corpse Release, I'll definitely be able to defeat that arrogant Kakashi! Pah, what genius? I'm a genius too!"

"Kakashi is the son of Konoha's White Fang, so it's normal for him to be talented. Obito didn't even have the Sharingan..."

"Hey, what are you whispering about? Let's get this straight: if I succeed in this, it proves I'm the bravest person, and you'll all have to play with me from now on!"

Obito was actually trembling with nervousness, but he forced himself to remain calm when he looked at the people in front of him.

……

The land of iron, a mountain cemetery.

Kaede Tsukasa hasn't been here for quite some time.

It was still a dimly lit underground cave, and the demon statue of the heretic was still missing a finger.

"What a rare guest! Look who's here, Konoha Hero Kaede Tsukasa!" Tobi shouted sarcastically.

Black Zetsu and White Zetsu looked at Kaede Tsukasa, whom they hadn't seen for a long time.

"Your fame and strength have increased a lot, and you even defeated the Four-Tails. That really startled me. Aren't you afraid of affecting your plans with Lord Madara?" White Zetsu said.

"Project Eye of the Moon will not be hindered by the mere Four-Tailed Fox, nor is it a project that can be launched in just a few years."

Kaede Tsukasa said, "By the time we officially start capturing the tailed beasts, I'm afraid the Four-Tails will have already been resurrected, don't you think... Madara?"

He looked at the aged figure sitting beneath the statue of the Outer Path Demon.

“That’s right, the death of the Four-Tails won’t affect anything. For you, taking the corpse of the Four-Tails Jinchuriki is the biggest gain, isn’t it?” Madara said slowly.

Kaede Tsukasa said calmly, "It's alright. Without the power of the Four-Tails, Rōshi's strength is far inferior to what he was in life. Let's just consider him an elite Jonin for now."

What do you want to do now that you've come back?

“I have a plan that requires a copy of Hashirama Senju. Give me that.” Kaede Tsukasa pointed to the figure on the Gedo Mazo.

Ah Fei panicked first: "Huh? How could you do this? You took him away, what am I supposed to do now?"

“Even if you use it, you can’t control it for too long, otherwise its body will break down. It would be a waste to leave it to you. It’s better for me to take it and make better use of it,” Kaede Tsukasa said. “I’m not discussing this with you.”

"Really? It seems you've made up your mind..."

Ban, leaning on his scythe, slowly stood up: "What do you plan to do if I refuse your request? It took me many years to cultivate such a clone."

"Then I can only apologize. I will have to use force to take it away." Kaede Tsukasa said slowly. "This thing is not my only option, but it is certainly one of the best options."

Madara stared at Kaede Tsukasa with his three-tomoe Sharingan, and Kaede Tsukasa also stared back at Madara with his only remaining three-tomoe Sharingan.

Three tomoe against three tomoe, but considering that Madara's eye power far surpasses that of Kaede Tsukasa, Kaede Tsukasa is no match if it comes down to the Sharingan alone, although Kaede Tsukasa never expected that the Sharingan could play any crucial role.

Black Zetsu, White Zetsu, and Tobi remained silent, watching the two facing off.

They hadn't expected that the two, who hadn't seen each other for so long, would be so tense right from the start, looking like they were about to fight to the death at any moment.

"Has Kaedeji gone mad? The Eye of the Moon Project hasn't even started yet, and Nagato has only just grown up. What good will it do him to tear off the mask now?"

Black Zetsu was completely baffled, unable to understand what Kaede Tsukasa was planning that required a copy of Hashirama.

He's different from White Zetsu and Tobi. Those two don't need to do anything; they just need to wait for the final victor to appear, unless Madara forcibly orders them to attack Kaede Tsukasa.

Black Zetsu had too many considerations. He had to find a way to obtain the Reincarnation Technique in order to sit idly by and watch Kaede Tsukasa die; otherwise, he had to ensure that Kaede Tsukasa lived.

This put Black Zetsu in a difficult position. If the two of them started fighting, he would have to intervene, which would add more variables to the future Eye of the Moon plan.

With Kaede's current strength, he's not capable of completing the Eye of the Moon Plan, is he? He can't rely on Hidan to take on the other Jinchuriki, can he? He needs to gather a bunch of capable helpers and launch a powerful attack in a short time to capture all the Tailed Beasts before the other ninja villages can react.

Ban showed no anger whatsoever, displaying no emotional fluctuation, and coldly said, "I want to know your plan."

"It has nothing to do with you, nor with the Eye of the Moon. According to our cooperation agreement, I don't need to inform you, just as you haven't told me enough information."

Kaede Tsukasa pointed to his Sharingan: "Don't forget, Madara, I have the same eyes as you, and I can 'see' many things. You'd better not overstep your bounds in matters that are not your business."

"Such determination, willing to fight me... This is very unusual. You've already started the Hashirama cell experiment, so why do you still need Hashirama clones? If you want to transplant Hashirama cells, you should be able to do it anytime, or you could use White Zetsu cells," Madara said.

Intercolumnar cells are not uncommon in freckles; in fact, they are quite inexpensive. Leukocytes, which are more controllable than intercolumnar cells, often play a greater role.

Kaede Tsukasa shook his head: "Why do you have to research things yourself when you can use what's readily available? Madara, as long as you agree to this, we can still be partners. If you refuse, then I'm sorry, I might ruin your hard work."

"...Looking at it this way, it was a mistake for me to meet you in the Land of Fire."

"That can't be helped. Everyone has weaknesses, and you're no exception. Who told you to covet my Corpse Escape Technique? When you take action to obtain something, you're bound to reveal a corresponding flaw."

Kaedeji stretched out his hand to Madara: "Give him to me, Madara."

"Alright, the Hashirama clone is yours, but you must also keep your promise and bring my successor back first," Madara said slowly.

“Alright, I am indeed keeping an eye on the Uchiha clan. Uchiha Keisuke and Uchiha Daigo are both promising young men, considered geniuses at the Ninja Academy. They are around ten years old, which is perfect for you to bring back and nurture.” Kaede Tsukasa said.

Madara sneered: "These are all mediocre people with no talent. Their future achievements will be nothing more than that of a Jonin. What qualifications do these kinds of people have to inherit my will?"

Kaede Tsukasa spread his hands: "What are your thoughts? Find someone younger? But that makes sense, you can already tell what kind of personality someone is at three or five years old."

A person's personality is basically formed in the womb. Even though the ninja world has chakra, an energy that is a mixture of body and mind, it is normal for it to affect a person's mind. However, unless one is the reincarnation of Ashura or Indra, one's personality should not undergo a major change.

The chakra of Ashura and Indra was so ferocious that it gradually changed the personality of their reincarnated incarnations.

Naruto is a typical example. Despite the hardships he experienced growing up, a huge dark side was born deep within his mind, which was even perceived by Karin Uzumaki, causing her to feel immense fear.

However, this dark side was suppressed by Ashura's chakra and could not exert any influence on Naruto. In the end, Naruto discovered it in front of the Waterfall of Truth and dealt with it not long after.

"Go and bring back a child, Obito Uchiha."

"Hmph, so you already had someone in mind?"

"They're not really candidates. I'm closely monitoring any Uchiha descendant with even a little bit of character... I won't put all my hopes on you. Since you're so eager to take the Hashirama clone from me, there's no other way. Go and bring him back. He's the only one with a little potential, and maybe he can barely satisfy me."

To put it bluntly, the people Madara favors are those whose emotional capacity far exceeds that of ordinary people, and who harbor immense love for others. Only after losing all of this, under extreme stimulation, is it possible for them to awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan.

Aside from Obito, the other Uchiha were even more pathetic in Madara's eyes. They were all masters of showing off and being cool, and it was already incredibly lucky that such people could awaken the Sharingan—the Sharingan is a bloodline limit that only a very few people in the Uchiha clan can possess.

Kaedeji formed a hand seal with one hand, his figure vanished instantly, and he reappeared in Konoha Village.

Obito, who was in the middle of tomb raiding, was startled and stared in disbelief as the corpse turned into a living person.

"Whoa! That's so scary!!"

"It's Lord Kaedeji! He looks terrible, he's going to turn us into corpses!"

A group of children stared at Kaede Tsukasa, their faces ashen with fear, as various terrifying legends about the man before them flashed through their minds.

The corpse's hideous face had already terrified them, so they scrambled away, wailing all the way.

Only Obito stood there, stunned and trembling.

"your name?"

"Obito... Uchiha Obito."

"I was right. It's all fate. Since you chose to get close to me, you have to pay the price." Kaede Tsukasa nodded knowingly.

Actually, even if Obito hadn't come here, he would have found a way to capture this guy.

"What do you want to do?" Obito was on the verge of tears.

“You have extraordinary potential, which is special in the entire Uchiha clan. It’s just that you haven’t met someone who can tap into your potential.” Kaede Tsukasa picked up Obito.

Upon hearing this, Obito's attention was immediately diverted: "Are you planning to take me as your disciple? Like that Hidan?"

"No, your talents are not a good match for me. There are people who are more suitable for you and have recognized your talents."

At this time, Obito was only 4 years old, while Kakashi, whom he hated so much, would graduate from the Ninja Academy at the age of 5 the following year, breaking the historical record of Konoha Village.

Kaede Tsukasa examined the Uchiha clan with his own eyes. At present, the clan really didn't have any outstanding talents—he couldn't very well kidnap Fugaku, who was the clan leader, could he?

Below Fugaku are a group of people like Setsuna and Yatsushiro, whose values ​​are fixed and whose talents are limited.

Further down the list, after much deliberation, there's only Obito left. This guy isn't actually the reincarnation of Ashura, and theoretically, his cognition shouldn't have been altered by Ashura's chakra, but he happens to have a personality that's basically the same as Naruto's. Compared to the other Uchiha clan members, he's a complete anomaly.

Kaede no longer wanted to wait. Was he supposed to wait for Shisui, Itachi, and the others to be born before sending them to Madara? He might as well just bring Obito along.

Swish!
Kaede Tsukasa returned to the mountain cemetery with Obito.

Madara immediately looked over and stared intently at Obito.

"Wow, where is this place? It's so dark! What is that huge statue? Why is it built in such an enclosed place? And who is that old man...?"

Obito, oblivious to everything around him, looked around.

Kaede Tsukasa said, "That is the spirit of the Uchiha clan, who controls the fate of people like you. If you want, you can listen to his words. If you find them useful, do as he says. If they are not useful, listen to your own heart."

What is the voice of the heart?

"If you can't figure it out, just take it as my voice. Interpret it however you like, I don't care."

Kaede Tsukasa ignored him and looked at Madara across from him.

Madara slowly said, "Then, our deal is done. You can take the copy of Hashirama with you. From now on, it belongs to you."

"You have a good eye, Madara. This kid doesn't seem to have much talent in ninjutsu, but I can roughly understand your criteria for choosing people."

Kaede gave Obito a push.

He already understood why Madara wanted him to do this—White Zetsu could easily bring someone over, there was no need to deliberately ask Kaede Tsukasa to do it, it couldn't be just to save a little travel time.

Madara wants Obito to turn evil and hold a grudge against Kaede Tsukasa. The more Obito suffers in the future, the more he will search for the cause of his suffering. This world is the root cause, and Kaede Tsukasa is the key figure.

Because of hatred, there is an instinctive vigilance; even if cooperation is undertaken, complete trust will never be possible.

However, this has nothing to do with Kaede Tsukasa; that happened many years later.

He raised his head and his gaze fell on the Hashirama clone that was sleeping with its eyes closed.

With this, an important piece of the puzzle is complete; now all that's left is to wait for a crucial opportunity.

(End of this chapter)