This is the legendary ninja, Uchiha Madara!
Though his body is frail and weakened, liable to be knocked down by the slightest breeze, and even a novice genin could easily take his life, the depths of his murky eyes reveal a hidden disdain for the ninja world, and an aura of invincibility that still radiates fear.
Uchiha Sogetsu's gaze was calm, like a deep, frozen pool. A hint of sarcasm crossed his lips as he turned to face Black Zetsu, who had just entered the cave.
"This is the Legendary Uchiha Madara you were talking about? Haha, an old man who's barely hanging on? It seems I'm truly mad for believing you!"
As he spoke, a chilling wave of murderous intent swept through the entire cave, cold and ruthless.
"Are you kidding me?"
Uchiha Sogetsu's eyes were icy, a scarlet light flickering within them as his anger grew: "Is this the man you said would help me awaken my Mangekyo Sharingan?!"
"Hold on, calm down!" Black Zetsu became flustered and quickly explained, "We didn't lie to you; he really is Uchiha Madara. You know he fought at the Valley of the End, right? Madara survived but was severely injured, and it's been years since then. Aging is normal!"
Black Zetsu knew how fast Uchiha Sogetsu was—his Body Flicker technique was almost on par with Namikaze Minato's. If he truly lost his temper, given Madara's current condition, his head might hit the ground in a blink, and there'd be no room for pleading.
Hearing this explanation, Uchiha Sogetsu remained angry but held back a bit. He scowled and said, "Fine, I'll give you another chance. If you can't prove that this man is Uchiha Madara, and that he can help me awaken my Mangekyo, then don't blame me for what comes next."
His pure killing intent was as sharp as a blade, sending shivers down Black Zetsu's spine. He knew Sogetsu wasn't bluffing. If Uchiha Sogetsu didn't believe him, Madara's head could end up hanging from his belt.
With this in mind, Black Zetsu turned his gaze to Madara, who remained calm. "Lord Madara, given the current situation, would you like to prove yourself?"
"Do you have proof? Yes."
Uchiha Madara looked at the young man before him and said in a raspy voice, "In that case, this should confirm my identity, right?"
His eyes lit up with a blood-red glow, revealing the three tomoe of the Sharingan.
However, as if some force was overpowering him, the three tomoe in Uchiha Sogetsu's eyes gradually vanished.
"Is this Uchiha Madara's Sharingan?" Sogetsu gazed into those eyes, his expression becoming increasingly enthralled, his whole demeanor awestruck by the intensity of the pupil power.
A look of pure ecstasy spread across his face. "The strength of these eyes... I can feel the immense power in them!"
Is this guy going to try to snatch it? Black Zetsu glanced at Uchiha Sogetsu, noticing his eager expression, as if he'd just discovered a gold mine. It made his lip twitch with apprehension.
Fortunately, the situation he feared didn't unfold.
At least, so far, Uchiha Sogetsu had shown some restraint, merely staring intently at Madara.
"Ahem." This was perhaps the first time even Uchiha Madara had experienced being gazed at with such fervent eyes.
To be honest, it was unsettling. His instincts warned him that this young man was up to something shady, so he reverted his eyes to their normal state, coughed twice, leaned on his crutch, and swiftly changed the subject.
"What you saw just now was just a remnant of my power, not the complete Mangekyō Sharingan."
"Okay, that's enough."
Uchiha Sogetsu slowly suppressed his greedy, fanatical gaze, regaining his composure. "Are you saying that this wasn't the full Mangekyō?"
"Haha, that's exactly what I'm saying."
Uchiha Madara sat back on his stone chair, his tone carrying a hint of deeper meaning. "I bet my eyes on the future."
"..." Uchiha Sogetsu was momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond to that.
"The legend says you died in the battle with the First Hokage at the Valley of the End," he maintained his demeanor despite the shock of seeing the Sharingan. However, a hint of skepticism lingered, leading him to ask, "How do you explain your survival?"
"Because at the last moment, I used the forbidden eye technique: Izanagi."
Uchiha Madara seemed to have anticipated the question and slowly explained, "Izanagi is the ultimate forbidden ocular technique exclusive to the Uchiha clan. It allows the user, at the cost of blindness, to make illusions become reality for a short period of time. Using this ability, I was able to avoid detection by Senju Hashirama and survive from the Valley of the End to this day."
At this point, Black Zetsu interjected, saying, "Lord Sogetsu, you can confirm the details of Izanagi in the Uchiha clan's secret scrolls."
"Forget it, it doesn't matter," Uchiha Sogetsu replied, waving his hand dismissively. His tousled hair and intense expression suggested a hint of fanaticism, "Whether you're Uchiha Madara or not, it doesn't matter to me."
"Good eyes," Uchiha Madara commented, a faint hint of approval in his voice. As he observed Sogetsu's demeanor, he saw a glimpse of his younger self.
"As you said, my identity doesn't matter. The important thing is whether I can give you power, right?"
Uchiha Sogetsu smirked slightly, "Correct."
"The path to awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan requires experiencing profound grief," Uchiha Madara explained, leaning on his cane.
"If you witness the death of someone close to you, like a family member or friend, the intense emotional turmoil can awaken the Mangekyō. But can you handle it? Are you ready to face that kind of despair and pain?"
"Pain?" Uchiha Sogetsu tilted his head, appearing contemplative, "I see. Sounds like a straightforward method. Are there any other requirements?"
"Straightforward?" Uchiha Madara's eyelid twitched slightly, almost incredulously. "Did you hear what I said? You must witness the death of someone you care about—someone who means something to you—and endure the emotional torment that comes with it. You can't just kill anyone!"
"Yes, I heard you," Uchiha Sogetsu replied nonchalantly, adjusting his glasses. He repeated calmly, "You have to kill someone you value with your own hands, experience extreme mental pain, and that's how you awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan. So, do you have any other conditions?"
". . ." The silence stretched for a while.
Eventually, Uchiha Madara spoke again, a complex expression on his face, "No, that's the only condition."
"Okay, that's fine," Uchiha Sogetsu said, pushing up his glasses with a slight smile, "Give me a moment, and I'll wake up my Mangekyō."
********
Support me on my patreon and read upto 15 early chapters.
https://www.patreon.com/Unique_Writer