Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

The same nine-tomoe Rinne Sharingan on her forehead, like a god overlooking an anthill, indifferently swept over this world that she was "reclaiming".

Kaguya Otsutsuki.

Even though she was just a phantom manifested through the power of Infinite Tsukuyomi and the Divine Tree, her pure and extreme presence had already caused all things to wither.

It wasn't murderous intent, nor hatred, but something far more despairing—utter, object-like contempt.

In her eyes, the ninja world, ninjas, struggles, ideals, love and hate... everything is an ant, a termite that steals her power, and an impurity that needs to be cleaned up.

Madara from another world caught his breath for a moment. He had seen Kaguya from other worlds and felt that terrifying power.

But facing it again, especially in this form, the unforgettable feeling, mixed with the anger of being used and the fear of being powerless in the face of a natural disaster, still instantly gripped his heart.

He instinctively gripped the handle of the Flame Fan, his knuckles turning white from the force. He leaned forward slightly, adopting a highly vigilant posture, and turned his head to look at you beside him.

You stand there, motionless, the light of the blood moon casting interplay of light and shadow on your pale face. You gaze up at the phantom of Kaguya, and deep within your pupils, it seems as if a storm is silently gathering, shattering, and then reforming.

It wasn't just fear or shock, but a deeper sense of profound sadness, understanding, and... a resolute sense of destiny.

You saw the icy emptiness in Kaguya's eyes, and you also saw the hollowness in Madara's eyes after he became a god.

"This is..." Your voice was as soft as a sigh, almost drowned out by the deathly silence, "...the answer you've been seeking?"

You're asking about Madara in the present world, or perhaps Kaguya, or more likely, about this absurd fate itself, which, in trying to prevent one tragedy, seems to have accelerated another, even greater one.

You may want to awaken the Creator, but you may first have to witness the world's slumber.

There was no response from the current Madara; he had become part of the rules.

And in another world, Madara heard the subtle, almost imperceptible tremor in your voice.

He suddenly looked at you and saw a tear silently slide down his cheek, pause for a moment on his chin, and then fall and disappear into the soil at his feet, which was being slowly covered by a white substance.

That tear, heavier than Kaguya's oppressive aura, more radiant than the Infinite Tsukuyomi, and more silent than the entire world, struck Madara's heart in the Otherworld.

The meaning of your very existence seems to become blurred at this moment. To save? To stop? When the ending is already predetermined, what does the struggle in the process matter?

Kaguya's phantom swayed slightly in the air, and more wisps of light, like her tentacles, were scattered more densely across the earth.

The white cocoon covered an ever-expanding area, and the Valley of the End was losing its original shape, turning into a strange, writhing white hill.

Despair, like an icy tide, submerged the last foothold in the valley.

Looking at your slender back and your slightly trembling shoulders, the emotion that had crossed worlds and was buried deep in my heart suddenly broke through all the shackles of reason.

He stepped forward, no longer in a guarded posture, but with an undeniable firmness, and reached out to firmly grasp your cold fingers.

You shuddered and turned to look at him in astonishment.

Madara from another world didn't look at Kaguya, nor at his past self who had become the Six Paths. His Rinnegan only reflected your tearful face. His voice was low and hoarse, yet it pierced through the desolate silence of the world's destruction.

Even if it's all in vain...

His fingers tightened, with such force that he almost crushed your finger bones, as if he wanted to transfer his power to the sleeping Nagi in this way.

"...I will not let go a second time."

A blood moon hangs in the sky, the divine tree stands tall, the radiant night descends, and the world falls into slumber.

In this final scene, your fingers are clasped tightly together, as if trying to brand each other into the very fabric of your being, defying this predetermined, sorrowful fate.

That faint warmth, in this boundless, cold despair, was as fragile as a candle flickering in the wind, yet dazzlingly painful.

"Pathetic creation." Kaguya's voice echoed directly in my mind, like a thousand needles piercing my nerves.

Blood trickled from the corner of Ban's mouth, but he still kept his back straight. "Is this power?"

Madara's Sharingan from another world spun wildly, trying to analyze this power, but all he got was chaos.

Ban suddenly grabbed your wrist, "It's not too late to back out now."

Almost simultaneously, Yi Shi Ban grabbed your other wrist, saying, "Don't do anything foolish."

You look at them, and suddenly you laugh. The raccoon mask shatters completely, revealing a face that outshines the sun and moon.

“You know,” your voice was soft, yet it pierced through Kaguya’s oppressive aura, “I never go back on my word.”

Kaguya descended completely, her tangible pressure distorting the entire space. The rubble of the Valley of the End floated in the air, and time seemed to sink into a quagmire.

Her long hair stretched out towards you like tentacles, swallowing up even the light in its wake.

“Ants.” Kaguya raised her hand, and a gray Truth-Seeking Ball appeared in her palm.

The present-day Madara charged forward first, the Six Paths Staff colliding with the Truth-Seeking Balls with a piercing shriek. The alternate-world Madara followed closely behind, his Perfect Susanoo rising from the ground, his twin blades slashing towards Kaguya's hair.

You stand still, your hands forming a mudra, your body begins to glow, your long black hair moves without wind, and a mark appearing on your forehead as the final form of the vessel.

"Stop!" Both Madaras turned around and roared, but were distracted and were knocked away by Kaguya.

Blood trickled from the corner of your mouth, but your smile grew even brighter. "This is my destiny..."

Kaguya finally looked at you properly, a hint of surprise flashing in her white eyes, "So it was you."

The blood moon's light reached its peak, and two spots rushed towards you madly, yet you could not reach them as if in slow motion.

Finally, what catches your eye is their unprecedentedly panicked expressions.

It's really... worth it.

Tsukuyomi enveloped the entire ninja world, plunging everyone into a dreamlike illusion.

[The Tsukuyomi World of Madara in the Present World] —

The moment the threads of Tsukuyomi gently wrapped around Madara Uchiha, he did not feel pain, but rather a kind of languidness as if sinking into warm water.

When I opened my eyes again, the sound of the flowing water in the Nanga River was as clear as ever, and the sunlight pierced through the leaves, scattering golden spots of light on the water's surface.

A pebble flew out from behind him, tracing a cheerful arc, and landed with a "plop" on the opposite bank.

He turned around and saw the boy with the watermelon-shaped haircut, wearing a green kimono, his eyes shining like tempered obsidian, extending his hand to him with a smile so open it could dispel all gloom. "My name is Hashirama! I can't reveal my full name for certain reasons."

Ban was stunned. Something that had been dormant in his chest for decades suddenly revived at this moment.

Almost instinctively, he flashed a bright, carefree smile—a smile even he himself didn't recognize—"I'm Ban, want to come with me?"

Two small, tender hands clapping in the air, the crisp sound startling the birds in the forest.

The gears of fate seemed to have broken free from their bloody tracks at this moment, sliding towards a bright and incredible direction.

There was no family feud, no father's reprimand, and no burden of the Uchiha name.

They were just Madara and Hashirama, boys chasing and playing in the Naga Forest, building ridiculous clay sculptures with ninjutsu. They lay on the edge of the battlefield, in a wasteland piled with corpses, gazing up at the same starry sky, talking about a dream called "Konoha".

Madara could even clearly describe what the Hokage Rock should look like, while Hashirama enthusiastically planned how high the swings at the Ninja Academy should be.

The dream became a reality. Under their leadership, the Uchiha and Senju clansmen truly laid down their blood-stained ninja tools.

The ice of hatred melted under the burning ideals of the young people.

Together they founded Konoha Village, and Madara, because of his burning will and powerful Fire Release techniques, became the First Hokage as expected.

Hashirama willingly served by his side, even though Madara would often drag his best friend back from skipping work to go to the gambling den with a dark face, scolding him for losing the Hokage's office budget again.

With their combined efforts, Konoha rose to prominence at an astonishing speed.

When the blue Susanoo donned the armor of the Wood Release: Great Buddha and stood atop the ninja world, the war became nothing more than dust in the past.

All nations bowed their heads, and peace descended.

The children's laughter replaced their cries, the ninjas found something more worthy of protection than hatred, and the common people no longer looked at the ninjas who had once brought disaster with fear.

Everything was as perfect as the most magnificent painting.

Madara stood on the Hokage Rock, overlooking the thriving village, enjoying the gentle breeze on his face.

Hashirama rambled on about what new technique he was going to develop, his voice filled with undisguised satisfaction.

Yet there was always a faint unease, like a very fine thread, wrapped around Ban's heart, occasionally tightening and bringing a strange, throbbing pain.

All of this... seems too perfect, so perfect that it cannot tolerate the slightest flaw, so perfect... like a layer of exquisite glass, beautiful yet fragile.

He returned to the Nanhe River as if by some strange twist of fate, back to where it all began.

The stream murmured, still singing a cheerful song. He looked down at the clear water.

In his reflection, he was still the dignified Hokage.

But the next second, the reflection distorted, and he saw blood gushing from his eyes, his gaze ferocious and desperate!

A familiar longsword, cold and sharp, pierced his chest. The hand gripping the sword, with its distinct knuckles, was brimming with boundless vitality... It was Hashirama's hand!

Chapter 204 Redemption in Tsukuyomi (2)

Ban suddenly looked up, his heart pounding, his gaze sharply fixed on the opposite bank.

Hashirama was still standing there, his smile still warm, as if the terrifying scene in the water just now was just an illusion caused by the dazzling sunlight.

The sense of absurdity overwhelmed him instantly, like a cold tide.

Is this world... truly so beautiful? So beautiful that it leaves not even a trace of pain or regret? So beautiful...?

It seems like a crucial piece of the puzzle is missing from his life?

Has he... forgotten something?

Very important...extremely important...

A sudden, sharp pain shot through his head, as if a red-hot iron rod were piercing his skull! Ban clutched his head, let out a muffled groan, and his vision blurred.

The fragmented images forced their way into my mind!

It wasn't the sunlight of Konoha, but the cold, damp cave.

It wasn't Hashirama's hearty laughter, but a woman's suppressed, painful gasps.

It was not a hymn of peace, but the shrill sound of clashing weapons, the explosive sound of chakra burning violently!

Blood...so much blood...not from the enemy, but...it was a warm liquid flowing from the corner of a woman's mouth, staining her face red, obscuring her original appearance.

"Nagi!" The name struck him like a thunderclap, exploding deep within his closed-off memories! All the fog was instantly torn apart!

It's his Nagi! She's the only source of warmth in his cold life, the last salvation on his path of obsession! How could he... how could he forget you?!

In this false, sweet dream, he actually lost you!

"Ugh—!" Ban roared in pain, suddenly kneeling down and digging his fingers deep into the mud by the river.

The whole world began to shake violently and crack! Sunlight shattered into powder, forests faded and collapsed, and the cheerful sound of flowing water turned into a piercing scream!

That perfect Konoha Village, those peaceful and prosperous people, including the smiling Hashirama before me, are like a shattered mirror, breaking into countless fragments!

The illusion is peeling away, and real, cold, and desperate memories are surging back!

The world of Tsukuyomi has been completely shattered.

He remained kneeling by the Nanga River, but the sky was a suffocating blood red, and the moonlight was a thread binding his soul.

On the opposite bank, the phantom of "Hashirama" did not completely disappear. His figure became transparent, and his face no longer wore a carefree smile, but instead carried a deep, sorrowful understanding.

"Finally found her, Madara." The voice of the Phantom Hashirama was as ethereal as the wind. "Although it was all an illusion..." His figure began to dissipate, but his last words were clearly imprinted in Madara's ears, "...But I will remember you. Go and save her!"

"Pfft—!" The intense mental backlash and the overwhelming flood of real memories caused Ban to vomit a mouthful of blood, the crimson liquid splashing into the murky river water and quickly spreading.

My heart felt like it was being gripped tightly by an icy hand, the pain almost making it explode.

He remembered.

All remembered.

The coldness of reality, the cruelty of war, the knife that truly pierced his chest from his best friend, the destruction of the Uchiha clan, the obsession with the Eye of the Moon, the despair of countless failures... and you.

Your appearance, radiating warmth, your initial clumsy yet steadfast companionship, and the deep affection in your eyes that could melt away all the ice when you looked at him.

All the illusory beauty becomes the cruelest irony and torment in the face of this heavy reality and loss.

“Nagi…” Madara reached out his hand tremblingly, as if trying to grasp the shattered, blood-red reflection in the water, but his fingertips only touched a cold void.

He lost that perfect dream and was burdened once again with all the sins and pain.

But this time, he was no longer alone in his descent into darkness.

Go back to that real world where you are, even if it's full of pain and despair—

【The Otherworldly World of Madara's Tsukuyomi】

In this alternate world, Madara finds himself standing deep within the Uchiha clan's territory, in that familiar, dark corridor leading to the Hawk Faction's secret chamber.