Naruto: IHCS Ch. 137

Deep within the cavern, damp air hung heavy and still. Droplets of water slowly gathered at the tips of stalactites and fell with faint echoes. At the deepest part of the cave, which resembled an underground labyrinth, an old man sat upright upon a massive natural stone seat.

Though aged, Madara's figure remained unyielding and proud. The marks of time had been deeply engraved upon his body.

Wrinkles covered his face, and the eyes that once terrified the shinobi world were now tightly shut. From the stone wall, a shadow seeped forth, condensing like ink spreading in water.

Black Zetsu moved in silence.

With his appearance, Madara's fingers upon the stone seat twitched slightly.

"Madara-sama."

Black Zetsu's raspy voice stirred faint echoes within the cave.

"Everything has been arranged."

"Shiratori has accepted Aoki, just as expected."

The corners of Black Zetsu's mouth curled faintly.

Such a naive person!

Madara's eyes remained closed, but the edge of his lips lifted slightly.

"How did Shiratori perform?"

"Exactly as you predicted," Black Zetsu replied with a trace of admiration in his tone.

"He showed deep sympathy for Aoki's plight and, without the slightest hesitation, invited him into the organization. Aoki gained his trust with almost no effort."

Madara let out a low chuckle.

"Kindness is always the easiest tool to exploit."

He sighed softly.

Black Zetsu moved closer, curiosity flickering in his gaze. Fixing his eyes on Madara seated upon the stone, he asked, "Why choose Shiratori? Compared to him, the shinobi world surely holds many with greater potential. He is by no means irreplaceable."

At this question, Madara finally opened his eyes.

Though in his twilight years, they were still sharp as an eagle's. In his eyes, the black tomoe of the Sharingan slowly revolved.

"Indeed, he is not the strongest shinobi, nor is he clever, nor even cautious."

"But it is precisely these 'flaws' that make him the most suitable candidate."

Madara spoke slowly and deliberately.

Black Zetsu fell silent.

"Those who are too clever cannot be controlled. Those who are too strong will never serve us."

Madara rose from his stone seat and walked toward a smooth rock wall, brushing his fingertips lightly across its cold surface.

"This world is full of ambitious men and self-proclaimed idealists."

"Ambitious men are difficult to control, they always scheme for themselves."

"But idealists..."

A mocking curve lifted Madara's lips.

"Idealists are the easiest to use, for they willingly wear shackles in pursuit of their so-called noble goals."

He turned, and in the dim light, his Sharingan seemed darker and deeper than ever.

Black Zetsu stared at him, the corners of his mouth slowly curling upward.

"You're absolutely right."

He nodded in agreement.

Madara continued without acknowledging Black Zetsu's response:

"Shiratori is precisely that kind of idealist."

"He clings to naive fantasies of peace, dreams of saving everyone, and believes that human nature is fundamentally good. This way of thinking makes him extremely easy to guide, and to manipulate."

Black Zetsu nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the moving Madara.

"He'll believe in us more easily?"

"Exactly."

Madara lowered his head, gazing at his reflection in the water.

He was already old.

He could not resist the natural laws of aging, sickness, and death.

The Eye of the Moon Plan had to be entrusted to someone reliable.

And in recent years, the rising name of Shiratori across the shinobi world had made him Madara's chosen successor.

His age and character made him the best candidate to carry on the Eye of the Moon Plan.

"Shiratori has seen the cruelty of war with his own eyes. He knows how fragile life truly is. This experience drives him to long for peace so intensely that he is willing to believe in any promise that claims to end war."

Madara raised his hand, palm upward, as if cradling something unseen.

"Give him a reason, and he will willingly walk down the path we have laid out for him."

"He will not question, he will not betray, because he truly believes he is doing the right thing."

Black Zetsu let out a laugh tinged with admiration.

"Marvelous!"

A cold glint flickered in Madara's eyes.

"The best puppet is the one who doesn't even know he's being controlled. He will never doubt that he is the chosen piece, because everything he does aligns with his own morals and ideals."

Droplets fell from the cave ceiling, their sound echoing clearly in the silence.

Madara slowly returned to his stone seat, letting out a faint sigh as he sat.

"Nagato has already begun to show signs of independent thought. He needs someone by his side, someone he trusts, to subtly reinforce his belief in the Eye of the Moon Plan. Shiratori is perfectly suited for this role."

Black Zetsu considered this.

"Indeed, Nagato would suspect anyone... anyone but him."

A red gleam passed through Madara's eyes.

"He won't even need to persuade him deliberately. As long as he himself believes in the Eye of the Moon Plan, then Nagato will believe as well."

Black Zetsu let out a low laugh.

"And with Aoki joining Akatsuki, he'll stay close to him, constantly repeating the Plan to him, slowly making him believe that only the Eye of the Moon can fulfill Akatsuki's dream."

Madara closed his eyes once more, sinking into deep thought.

"If Aoki fails, then we will simply let that overly naive boy experience the world's cruelty sooner. Let him realize that if he tries to achieve peace his way, he will lose one comrade after another."

Nagato was not the only one to be moved. Madara remembered that two other children, Yahiko and Konan, remained by his side.

Awakening always came hand-in-hand with blood and sacrifice.

He hoped the boy would not have to reach that step.

Black Zetsu nodded.

"As you wish. I'll ensure everything goes according to plan."

Madara waved his hand lightly.

Black Zetsu disappeared into the depths of the cave.

Alone on the stone seat, Madara murmured to himself:

"Naive idealists... they are always the easiest to use, and the easiest to destroy."

His gaze grew distant, as though recalling something from a long-lost past.

---

The nights in Suna were especially cold.

The desert winds howled, sharp and piercing.

Akasuna walked alone along the village's main street, each step lifting faint swirls of dust.

His stride was steady, his demeanor calm, and there was a flicker of an almost imperceptible smile in his eyes.

The war between Suna and Konoha had dragged on for a year.

As one of Suna's top puppet masters, Akasuna was supposed to be commanding on the front lines. Yet tonight, he had returned to the village alone.

"There's urgent military intelligence I must report directly to the Kazekage," he said calmly to the ANBU stationed in front of the Kazekage's tower, his tone utterly even, without the faintest ripple.

The ANBU recognized him. Indeed, in the entire village, there were few who did not know Akasuna. He was not only one of the foremost puppet masters in Suna but also a trusted subordinate of the Third Kazekage.

The ANBU on duty nodded and stepped aside to let him pass.

But just as Akasuna moved forward, the ninja's pupils widened in shock.

Three minutes later.

Akasuna entered the Kazekage's tower.

The corners of his lips curved upward.

Stitch-like marks, like centipedes, crawled across his forehead.

The corridor was empty.

The torches along the walls cast swaying, restless shadows.

His footsteps echoed off the floorboards.

In the oppressive silence, Akasuna could hear his own heartbeat, steady and calm.

He stopped before the Kazekage's office and knocked lightly.

"Come in."

The stern voice of the Kazekage came from inside.

Akasuna opened the door.

The Kazekage sat behind a wide desk, maps of the border and scattered battle reports spread before him. Even at this late hour, he wore his Kazekage robes neatly, the conical hat upon his head.

"Akasuna?"

The Kazekage looked up, staring in shock at the figure before him.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at the front lines? Without my orders, how could you abandon the battlefield!"

Akasuna bowed slightly. "Kazekage-sama. The situation on the front is complicated. I have crucial information that must be reported to you in person."

Hearing this, the Kazekage's expression grew grave.

"What happened?"

Akasuna approached the desk, his eyes flicking briefly across the scattered papers. His posture remained respectful, but an unseen tension began to fill the room.

The Kazekage narrowed his eyes at him.

Akasuna's voice sank low. "It concerns an internal problem."

The Kazekage frowned. "Internal problem? Speak clearly."

Could there have been betrayal within Suna's own ranks?

At that moment, Akasuna's right hand twitched ever so slightly. The movement was nearly imperceptible, but the Kazekage caught it instantly.

He shot to his feet.

From Akasuna's sleeve, three poisoned senbon whistled out, aimed straight for the Kazekage's throat and heart.

At the same time, two humanoid puppets materialized behind the Kazekage, blades in hand, sealing off his retreat.

He reacted with incredible speed.

Almost before the senbon left Akasuna's sleeve, black iron sand surged around his body, forming a barrier that blocked the deadly attack.

The senbon clattered harmlessly against the iron sand and fell to the ground.

"Have you lost your mind?"

The Kazekage's voice was filled with fury as the iron sand spun around him.

Akasuna, Chiyo's son, someone he trusted deeply. He was the last person anyone would expect to betray the village.

But Akasuna gave no answer. His fingers had already spread, each bound to near-invisible chakra threads, manipulating the two attacking puppets.

His lips curved in a smile, but his assault held neither hesitation nor doubt.

"Why?"

The Kazekage defended against the assault, demanding an answer.

His iron sand scattered into countless needles, launching them toward Akasuna and his puppets.

Akasuna leaped back with agility, sending one puppet forward to shield him.

The sand needles pierced the puppet's body, but it pressed on undeterred, blade raised for another strike.

"Why?"

At last, Akasuna spoke, "Because too many ninjas have already died on the battlefield, Kazekage-sama. We don't want to fight anymore. We want to go home!"

The words stunned the Kazekage, his iron sand faltering for the briefest moment.

The puppets closed in, their blades nearly grazing his throat.

"For Suna to grow stronger, to secure more resources, we must fight Konoha to the very end!"

The Kazekage deflected the blow, his iron sand forming a massive shuriken that slashed one puppet in half.

A flicker of pain crossed Akasuna's face.

"Resources? To seize these cold, lifeless resources, our children, my comrades, all of them have died on the battlefield!"

The Kazekage's brows knitted, a shadow of grief passing through his eyes. "War always brings sacrifice, Akasuna. More than anyone, you should understand this!"

"Kazekage-sama, you sit here in your office and speak of sacrifice so lightly. You have no right! They died because of you! My wife, my comrades, they all died because of you!"

His attacks intensified. In an instant, countless scrolls unfurled in the air.

Dozens of puppets appeared, filling the Kazekage's sight.

The Kazekage's expression darkened.

"I understand your pain, Akasuna. But betraying the village is not the solution. Stop this, we can still talk."

Akasuna's gaze grew hollow. "It's too late."

With a sudden motion, he spread his arms wide.

The puppets filled the office, releasing a dense web of steel threads that spread to cover every corner of the space.

At the same moment, Akasuna himself leaped back, retreating outside the trap's range.

The Kazekage instantly condensed his iron sand into a protective sphere around him.

The steel web tightened, but it could not penetrate the iron defense.

Akasuna's fingers danced, tightening the threads further, trying to crush the barrier.

The iron sphere suddenly burst outward, a powerful shockwave shattering the steel threads.

The Kazekage floated in midair, black iron sand swirling around him, his eyes cold and sharp.

"Akasuna. If this is truly your resolve, then I will show no mercy!"

Akasuna let out a cold laugh. "It seems you still haven't realized the situation!"