At this moment, the system notification echoed in Shouta Kazuki's mind.
[Congratulations to the host for successfully channeling the undead and obtaining the psychic beast—Namikaze Minato!]
[A random ability of the other party is being extracted for the host...]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the Myoboku Mountain Senjutsu!]
[The host has completely learned and mastered the Sage Mode of Myoboku Mountain!]
Shouta clenched his fists. Sage Mode!
This was a significant upgrade to his strength. With Flying Thunder God and now Sage Mode, he was becoming more and more like Namikaze Minato himself. If he added Rasengan to the mix, his fighting style would mirror the legendary Yellow Flash.
Flying Thunder God—Rasengan!
Flying Thunder God Level Two—Rasengan!
And if that didn't work?
An Immortal Super Big Ball Rasengan would handle it.
He took a deep breath. The system was really giving him all the best abilities. But right now, he had no time to celebrate. The situation in front of him had just taken a serious turn.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Uchiha Madara was having a massive headache.
He had never planned on revealing his secrets so early. But plans never kept up with reality, and this brat, Shouta Kazuki, seemed to know everything about him.
And now, Namikaze Minato was here as well.
If he didn't explain things clearly, that fool "Hasi Hot Mom"—no, Hashirama—might actually feel sad.
After all, that guy valued Konoha more than anything.
Not to mention, Obito was still running around using his name. If they pieced things together, it wouldn't take long before Hashirama realized Madara had some involvement in the village's destruction.
Madara thought for a while, then looked up at everyone present.
"The Fourth Hokage… I am indeed not responsible for that night's events, because I was already dead at that time. However…"
He paused, his crimson Sharingan gleaming in the dim light.
"This matter still has something to do with me."
"Ha!!! I knew it! It's the damn Uchiha again!!!"
Senju Tobirama cut in coldly, his voice laced with disdain.
Madara's forehead twitched.
"Tobirama, you bastard! Do you want to hear the truth or not?! If not, I won't bother explaining!"
"Ahem… I want to hear it, I want to hear it…"
Tobirama coughed awkwardly, crossing his arms. In truth, even he was curious about Madara's so-called "truth."
Madara narrowed his eyes at him.
"Then shut up. Otherwise, I'll smash you to death with a meteor!"
Finally, without further interruptions, he continued.
"Actually… I didn't die after my battle with Hashirama."
"What?!"
"That's impossible!!!"
Hashirama, Tobirama, and Minato were shocked.
Shouta, of course, wasn't surprised at all. He already knew this.
Tobirama muttered under his breath, his expression darkening.
"No wonder your body disappeared back then… You damn Uchiha. You've been planning this all along, haven't you?"
Hashirama, however, looked hurt rather than angry.
"Madara!!! You mean… you weren't dead?! You hateful guy! If you weren't dead, why didn't you come find me?!"
His voice trembled.
"I thought I had lost you forever! I searched for your body, but I couldn't find it! I—I even… cried for a long time…"
Madara's veins popped in frustration.
"What the hell would I come find you for?!
"So you could beat me up again?!"
Hashirama scratched his head awkwardly. Because, well…
He really did beat Madara up pretty badly back then.
Konoha was their shared dream. He never wanted things to end that way. But he had no choice.
Madara waved a hand dismissively.
"Anyway, I didn't die back then, and I lived for a long time. I even survived until the Third Great Ninja War…"
Minato's heart stopped.
His mind connected the pieces together.
If Madara was alive during the Third War… then that meant…
His student.
Obito.
The realization settled over him like a cold wave. His hands trembled. His breathing became uneven.
Madara confirmed his thoughts.
"Later, Uchiha Obito nearly died in the war. I saved him."
Minato clenched his fists so tightly his nails dug into his palm.
Madara's voice remained steady.
"I planned for him to move under my name, to ensure my resurrection, and to carry out the Moon's Eye Plan. That's all. I never ordered him to attack Konoha."
Minato's voice cracked as he demanded:
"Then why?!
"Why did he do it?! Why did he kill me?! Why did he take Kushina?! Why did he destroy our family?!"
His breath hitched. His whole body felt cold.
"I treated him like my own child! I trained him! I guided him! He… looked up to me!"
"Why… would he do this…?"
His voice grew hollow.
Madara remained silent.
"I don't know," he finally said.
Minato let out a bitter, broken laugh.
A sound that barely resembled laughter.
His tears fell, something impossible for an Edo Tensei body—yet somehow, they did.
He staggered, holding his face with one trembling hand.
"Hahahahaha… So that's how it is… That's how it is...!"
The truth was too cruel.
The one who had destroyed everything… wasn't some great enemy.
It was his own disciple.
His own family.
Minato's golden hair fell over his eyes as he muttered:
"This world… is fake.
"This world is just an illusion."
He chuckled darkly.
"Uchiha Madara… maybe you were right all along."
His words sent a chill through the air.
Hashirama clenched his fists.
Tobirama scowled.
Shouta Kazuki?
He sighed.
This was Minato Namikaze—the real one.
The kind of man who sacrificed everything for Konoha.
And yet, when faced with betrayal from family—
Even the Yellow Flash could collapse.