novelraw Chapter 382 382 Uchiha Madara is Here!
Chapter 382 382 Uchiha Madara is Here!
North of Amegakure, the once-busy port now had only the shattered skeleton of the docks soaking in the murky seawater.
Menma stood on the slightly rippling sea surface. The golden Tenseigan Chakra Mode had been released, and he was back in his usual black outfit.
His gaze swept over the sea surface floating with wood chips and debris, precisely locking onto one spot.
Menma bent down and reached into the cold seawater, retrieving two severed arms.
The skin of the arms was an unnatural pale white, muscle textures clear but completely bloodless. The severed ends showed charred marks from being instantly melted by high heat. They were precisely the hands of Isshiki he had severed earlier with [Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion].
These were the only physical remains of that proud upper-class Otsutsuki left in this world.
Menma carefully examined the severed hands. His fingertips could still feel a lingering trace of Chakra Fluctuation, different from ordinary people's.
He clicked his tongue, a hint of regret in his tone: "A pity, only this little bit of physical tissue remains. To deeply study the physical mysteries of the Otsutsuki Clan, we'll have to use these samples very sparingly."
Menma skillfully unfurled a specially made storage scroll, casually placed the severed hands on it, and formed hand seals.
As Chakra was infused, the sealing formulas on the scroll glowed faintly, enveloping and contracting the hands, finally completely sealing them within the scroll's internal space.
Having secured this important trophy, Menma's thoughts did not stop.
'Speaking of which, Isshiki should still have the [Otsutsuki God] Otsutsuki Shibai's mortal shell/remains in his possession.'
This thought crossed Menma's mind.
Such an important thing must be hidden by Isshiki in some extremely secretive dimensional space.
Menma still had that glass tube sealing the Kokugan. He needed to study this eye properly later, to see if he could use its Dojutsu to locate and open that space containing the remains.
Temporarily setting aside these thoughts, Menma raised his head and looked towards Amegakure, still enveloped in an atmosphere of sorrow and busyness in the distance.
He took a step, walking on air, slowly heading back towards the village.
Inside Amegakure, after the initial chaos, rescue work was proceeding smoothly, and reconstruction had begun.
Thanks to Ninja's strength far exceeding ordinary people and various Earth and Water Release Ninjutsu, progress in clearing rubble, leveling land, and building temporary shelters was quite rapid.
Yahiko, Nagato, Konan, and Kanon were almost tirelessly running around coordinating. Akatsuki's members and many Amegakure's Ninjas won over by Yahiko's ideals and actions united, becoming the core force of the reconstruction effort.
Yahiko's innate leader charisma, and his unyielding actions in the face of disaster, always putting villagers' safety first, acted like sunlight gradually dispersing the gloom in people's hearts, and made more and more Amegakure's Ninjas genuinely recognize his leadership.
Just then, Menma's figure slowly approached from the north. Walking through the air with steady steps, he finally landed lightly near the temporary command post where Yahiko, Nagato, and the others were.
His appearance immediately caused a stir among the surrounding crowd.
Many busy Amegakure's Ninjas and civilians recognized this youth as the one who had fought that terrifying enemy a few days ago and ultimately caused the celestial phenomenon anomaly. They stopped their work, looking up at this youth walking through the air with gazes of awe, fear, and a hint of curiosity.
Some timid ones even instinctively shrank back, not daring to meet his eyes.
Coincidentally, due to the earth-shattering explosion high in the sky earlier having dispersed the perennial clouds over the Land of Rain, rare sunlight was now penetrating the thin clouds, spilling onto this trauma-ridden land.
The long-absent sunlight was somewhat dazzling, making rain-village residents accustomed to the gloomy environment feel slightly uncomfortable. They squinted, shielding their eyes, which also accentuated Menma, who was approaching against the light, making him appear even more mysterious and unfathomable.
"Menma-sama!" Kanon was the first to react. She immediately put down the medical supplies she was organizing and ran up to Menma, looking up with red eyes filled with unconcealed concern. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
Menma looked at the girl's anxious expression, the cold, hard lines of his face softening somewhat.
He reached out and gently ruffled Kanon's red hair, his movements carrying a rare reassuring quality.
"I'm fine." His voice was calm, yet carrying a convincing strength.
After reassuring Kanon, Menma's gaze turned to Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan.
"It's been dealt with." He stated succinctly, as if he had just completed a trivial little task.
Although they had already guessed the outcome from that heaven-shaking, earth-shattering explosion, hearing confirmation directly from Menma's mouth made Yahiko and the others involuntarily let out a long sigh of relief. Their nerves, taut for two days, finally relaxed slightly.
…
Two days later.
The reconstruction in northern Amegakure had taken initial shape.
In a large rain shelter temporarily built with waterproof cloth, a meeting determining Amegakure's future direction was underway.
On both sides of a long table sat Nagato and Konan, faces tired but eyes firm… Akatsuki's backbone members like Kyusuke and Daibutsu, and several Amegakure's Jonin who had chosen to cooperate with Akatsuki and held prestige in the village.
All eyes were focused on the other end of the table, on the black-haired youth who sat casually, hands crossed behind his head, chin slightly raised.
"Me... become the leader of Amegakure?" Yahiko stood before the main seat, his face filled with surprise and astonishment. He looked around, as if seeking confirmation from his comrades' eyes.
Menma lowered his hands, leaned forward, elbows on the table, and looked calmly at Yahiko. "Why not?"
His tone carried a matter-of-fact quality. "The current Amegakure has internal troubles and external threats. Since Hanzo is dead, the village is leaderless. Who else has the strength, prestige, and truly willingness to care for this village and these civilians, capable of suppressing the various restless forces, apart from your Akatsuki?"
Menma paused, his voice slightly raised, carrying an almost cruel bluntness: "You have only two paths before you. Either, you step forward, shoulder this burden, lead Akatsuki and those willing to follow you, restore order, rebuild the homeland, and then step by step work to realize your so-called ideal of peace."
His gaze turned sharp, as if able to see through the deepest fears in Yahiko's heart. "Or, you watch as Amegakure completely sinks into internal strife. Various Ninja Organizations fight and kill each other for power and resources. The streets fill with blood again, commoners displaced, orphans everywhere, just like... what you experienced in the past."
"Stop!" Yahiko abruptly raised his hand, cutting off Menma's words. His voice carried a tremor, his fists tightly clenched.
The hellish scene Menma depicted was like the sharpest knife, piercing the softest, most unwanted-to-recall pain in his heart.
Memories of his childhood with Konan and Nagato, struggling to survive amidst war, hunger, and cold, surged up like a tide.
Yahiko took a deep breath, suddenly lifted his head. Although there was still a trace of confusion in his eyes, more of it was a burning-the-boats determination. He seemed to be declaring to himself and to everyone: "I'll do it! I'll take on the role of leader!"
As his words fell, smiles of relief and anticipation appeared on the faces of Nagato, Konan, Kyusuke, Daibutsu, and other core Akatsuki's members.
They had always believed in Yahiko's ideals. Now was the beginning of putting those ideals into practice.
As for the other Amegakure's Ninjas at the table, some were won over by Yahiko's sense of responsibility and ideals, their eyes becoming fervent, while others' eyes flickered, each with their own calculations. But under the presence of the formidable Menma and the cohesion currently shown by Akatsuki, they temporarily chose to acknowledge and unite.
Yahiko suppressed the agitation in his heart, quickly regaining his composure as a leader. He looked at Menma and raised a practical concern: "Menma, I understand. But... my strength probably isn't enough to command respect. If other villages, or some harboring ulterior motives Ninja within the village take the opportunity to make trouble..."
Menma took a cup of hot tea timely offered by Kanon beside him, blew on it, took a sip, and said casually but with great confidence: "As 'compensation', I will stay in Amegakure for a while."
He put down the teacup, his gaze sweeping over those present. "I can teach you how to govern a country more effectively, how to conduct systematic Ninja Training and selection, establish more reasonable mission systems and promotion mechanisms."
"Don't look at me like that," He added, seeing the surprise flash in Yahiko and the others' eyes. "I have practical experience governing a country of fifty million people."
His gaze finally landed on the silent Nagato, carrying a hint of probing and deeper meaning. "By the way... I will properly 'train' Nagato, so he can better master and use the true power of these eyes."
Nagato felt a chill run down his spine under that gaze.
Menma had his own plans.
Studying Nagato's Rinnegan, awakened by Madara, would undoubtedly deepen his understanding of this supreme Dojutsu.
At the same time, he was almost certain there must be White Zetsu monitoring Nagato's every move from the shadows.
His high-profile intervention like this… he wondered if it would provoke an intense reaction from the mastermind Black Zetsu and the true owner of those eyes, Uchiha Madara.
He was quite looking forward to it.
Hearing that a powerful Ninja like Menma was willing to stay and personally instruct, not just the Akatsuki's members but even the Amegakure's Jonin couldn't suppress looks of envy and excitement.
Receiving guidance from a Ninja of this level was undoubtedly a dream opportunity for improving their strength.
After the meeting ended, Yahiko immediately threw himself into intense work, directing reconstruction and beginning communication with the other remaining Ninja Organizations in Amegakure.
Upon learning that the mysterious powerhouse publicly supported Yahiko, and after personally understanding Yahiko's more inclusive and idealistic ideals compared to Hanzo's harsh rule, most Ninja Organizations, after consideration, chose to tacitly accept or directly support him.
A minority of factions maintained a silent, wait-and-see attitude. A very few die-hard loyalists of Hanzo's old faction or those with ulterior motives quietly packed up and chose to leave Amegakure, defecting to other villages or becoming Missing-Nin.
Yahiko did not send people to stop those who left. He publicly stated that he hoped they would adhere to the Ninja bottom line after leaving, not kill innocents indiscriminately, and that Amegakure's doors were always open to them. If they were willing to return one day, this would still be their home.
This statement further won the goodwill of many neutral factions and civilians.
Afternoon of the next day.
The sun still shone, a rare sight over the shattered village.
Konan and Nagato were sent by Yahiko to the relatively intact commercial district of the village, responsible for negotiating with merchants to purchase urgently needed food, medicine, and other supplies.
The two arrived at the small repair shop newly rented by temporarily settled Sanzu Amado.
Although crude, the shop had been tidied up neat and orderly by Amado. The display window once again held some repaired kunai and shuriken.
Konan directly stated their purpose: hoping to utilize Amado's experience and connections from often dealing with various merchants to contact some price-fair, reliable suppliers.
She placed a heavy money box on the counter. Opening it revealed neatly stacked paper currency. Her tone was candid: "Amado-san, this is all the funds Akatsuki can currently mobilize. But after Yahiko takes over the village, our people are urgently taking inventory of the village's assets. There should be more sufficient funds later."
Amado pushed up the orange sunglasses on his nose bridge, a cigarette still dangling from the corner of his mouth, smoke curling up.
He looked at the money box, then at Konan and Nagato, a sincere smile appearing on his face. "Konan, Nagato, you're too polite. Menma-sama saved Akebi. Akatsuki provided shelter when we were most in need. This kindness, I, Amado, will remember. This small favor, I must help."
Standing beside him, Akebi, looking much healthier with a healthy flush on her face, also smiled and added: "Yes, Konan, Nagato, I also want to do my part to help everyone! If there's anything that needs running around or helping to take inventory, please feel free to ask me!"
Konan looked at Akebi's recovered vitality, a gentle smile also appearing on her usually cool face. She began discussing the purchasing list and possible channels in detail with Amado and his daughter.
Meanwhile, Nagato, who was about to enter the shop, vaguely sensed a faint, heart-palpitating feeling of being watched.
He instinctively turned his head, looking out at the street where foot traffic was gradually recovering.
At that very moment, his gaze met that of a figure walking slowly towards them from across the street!
It was a tall, burly man wearing an ancient, ferocious-looking red layered armor. Long, black hair like a lion's mane cascaded over his shoulders, with one strand falling down, covering his right eye.
The lines of his face were as if carved by knives and axes, hard and angular. His exposed left eye was deep and sharp. Just standing there, an aura of looking down on the world, overbearing and peerless, terrifying presence spread, unconsciously quieting the surrounding hubbub.
The instant his eyes met those profound ones, Nagato felt an indescribable shudder, like an electric current, instantly coursing through his entire body!
His blood seemed to freeze at that moment. His body uncontrollably shook violently. Those Rinnegan clearly reflected the emotion named 'fear'!
Uchiha Madara is finally here!