It was precisely because of Fumori masaki's appearance that Madara began to reflect. Was his despair for the future too premature? Had he made a decision without truly understanding this world?
However, he truly couldn't wait any longer. Back then, he was already nearing forty. If he had waited until now, he would be an old man close to seventy, completely powerless to achieve his ideals.
Madara had planned to handle everything while he was still in his prime. If that wasn't possible, he would even seek methods to prolong his life to achieve his ideals—at that point, it might have already become an obsession.
"Even so, the world that person is building is too slow, and it might not even reach the goal I envision," Madara said quietly. "But no matter what, his actions have indeed given me some hope for this world, even if I'm unwilling to admit it."
"Perfection, to be honest, is too abstract. I don't believe true perfection can exist in this world," Uchiha Kagami said.
"Perhaps you are right. This expectation is just the path I chose out of despair." Madara fell silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. Because he was certain he couldn't come back to life, his obsession from his lifetime wasn't as strong. After this conversation with Uchiha Kagami, he planned to ascend to the Pure Land to be with his younger brother, Izuna, who was already there.
He hoped Izuna hadn't reincarnated by then, and that he could still see him in the Pure Land, to tell him all the stories of what had happened to him over the years.
"We are both dead. We can no longer see what the future world will be like," Uchiha Kagami said with a smile. "Thinking about these things seems meaningless now."
"But I still hope to see if the world built by Fumori masaki can satisfy me, even if it's not perfect, it can infinitely approach the perfection I anticipate," Madara said.
At this point, the two stopped discussing these topics. Uchiha Kagami already understood why Madara had acted as he did back then. He could comprehend Madara's thoughts, even though he himself couldn't accept them. Just as he said, as two people who had already died, there was no need to worry about anything anymore; the world of the living was something they could no longer pursue.
At this time, Uchiha Kagami began to talk about his domestic trivialities, about his daughter, about his wife who was already pregnant before he left for the battlefield, and how his family would soon welcome another young child. Madara, having let go of his obsession, listened like an old father to his son's family life.
Madara, who had always been unrestrained, had never established his own family. He poured all his love for family into Uchiha Kagami. At this moment, his mood was exceptionally calm, listening to the life of someone he regarded as his own child.
"Alright, it's time for us to go," Madara said, supporting himself on his knees to stand up, addressing Uchiha Kagami.
"Mm," Uchiha Kagami also stood up. Just as he was about to follow Madara to the Pure Land, a pillar of light suddenly descended from the sky. He felt a pulling force emanating from it.
"It seems you still have a chance to return alive," Madara said, looking at the pillar of light. "You haven't truly died; your soul just came here first."
"I can still go back?" Uchiha Kagami stared blankly at the pillar of light. He had already accepted his death, but upon learning he could still live, the longing in his heart reawakened. He still wanted to see his wife, his daughter, and the child who should have been born by now.
"Yes, if you wish," Madara said expressionlessly, glancing at the pillar of light. He fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.
"I'm sorry, Uncle Madara, it seems I can't accompany you," Uchiha Kagami was very excited, and at the same time, very apologetic to Madara. They had agreed to go together, but he was abandoning that now. However, he truly didn't want to give up the possibility of living.
"It's alright, it's only human nature. Everyone wants to return to the human world," Madara smiled slightly.
"Thank you," Uchiha Kagami bowed respectfully to Madara.
"I hope you find happiness in the Pure Land and that when you are reborn into the world, you live in a beautiful new world."
"That sounds nice, but I probably won't know by then. Reincarnation doesn't carry memories of a past life," Madara chuckled, a glint flashing in his eyes. "I'd rather see it with my own eyes."
Uchiha Kagami was slightly startled. He seemed to hear something unexpected in Madara's tone and couldn't help but say, "Uncle Madara, are you…?"
"I should be the one apologizing, Kagami. I will return to the human world in your place," Madara's words truly shocked Uchiha Kagami. He was speechless for a moment, then finally said, "That's impossible, isn't it? Uncle Madara, how could you return to the human world?"
"All I need to do is return to your body. So, I am the one who should apologize." Madara's gaze was complex, yet held a hint of determination. "Indeed, I still refuse to give up just like this."
"But how could such a thing be possible—," Uchiha Kagami said urgently.
"It is possible. Our Uchiha clan members are inherently freer in this spirit world than others. Moreover, I possess the Mangekyo Sharingan, which no Uchiha before me has ever had," Madara said. As he spoke, his eyes transformed into the peerless Mangekyo Sharingan.
The Mangekyo Sharingan was already a legendary realm for the Uchiha clan of today. Madara's Mangekyo Sharingan, furthermore, was born from combining with another Mangekyo Sharingan, a Mangekyo Sharingan that would never lose its light, containing even more terrifying power.
Uchiha Kagami felt immense pressure at that instant. The power of those Mangekyo Sharingan was extraordinary; he could feel his soul trembling. At this moment, he believed Madara's words. He didn't have the Mangekyo Sharingan, nor had he been in this world for as long as Madara. If Madara could accomplish something incredible, he believed it was entirely possible.
"No, Uncle Madara, absolutely not," Uchiha Kagami shook his head vigorously. He couldn't accept this.
"That's why I'm sorry. I can tell you some methods, and through this passage, you might also be able to see the human world," Madara said. "However, I must go back. Since I have this opportunity, I have no reason to let it go."
"I also have no reason to give up!" Uchiha Kagami shouted loudly, his Sharingan involuntarily activating, resisting the pressure from those Mangekyo Sharingan.
"In that case, you only have one choice." Madara's hands suddenly manifested a Gunbai and a kama-chain. "Defeat me here, and you can leave."
Uchiha Kagami hesitated at these words. The person before him was a legend of the Uchiha clan, perhaps the strongest Sharingan user since their ancestor Indra. He only possessed a regular Sharingan. Could he truly defeat this legendary figure of his clan?
"What's wrong? If you're scared, then give up. At least you might still be able to see how the human world is," Madara said.
"No, I've already said it. I have no reason to give up." After only a moment of hesitation, Uchiha Kagami's resolve hardened. He had loved ones in the real world. Since he could return, he had to try, even if his opponent was his uncle, the strong ninja who stood alongside the God of Shinobi.
"Good, that's how a successor of Uchiha Madara should be," Madara said approvingly. "In this spirit world, what sustains existence is the power of the mindscape. Therefore, those of us with the Sharingan are freer here than others, and we can also materialize things that don't exist."
Uchiha Kagami heard this, and a Gunbai and a kama-chain also appeared in his hands. He thoughtfully looked at the familiar weapons that appeared in his hands, then heard Madara continue, "If it weren't for the inability to interfere with the human world, our current state is actually quite good, even freer than when we were alive."
Uchiha Kagami indeed felt that his current body state was much lighter than when he was alive. This might be some advantage of being a spirit. But just as Madara said, spirits couldn't enter the human world unless sustained by chakra from the human world—not from the spirit world—but after it was depleted, the spirit would still have to return here.
"Alright. Let the battle begin." With that, Madara performed a 'Confrontation Seal,' the traditional dueling hand seal of Konoha Village. Uchiha Kagami was momentarily stunned, then responded to him.
Madara immediately charged forward. All the power a spirit could exert came from their mindscape. What one hadn't personally experienced, even imagined, couldn't be manifested. But conversely, anything one had experienced could be fully manifested. The power Madara could unleash now was no different from when he was alive.
Uchiha Kagami barely managed to block Madara's scythe attack. After narrowly dodging the chain's constriction, he was sent flying by the Gunbai. Before he could even land, a barrage of dense fireballs followed.
Uchiha Kagami raised his Gunbai, but he immediately realized that he couldn't use the Gunbai's special ability. The powers a spirit could use were all sustained by their mindscape. In a sense, these were merely illusory creations. If they were just ordinary weapons, that would be one thing, but the Gunbai was a sacred tool with unique power. The illusory Gunbai here could only reproduce its sturdy exterior.
Caught off guard, Uchiha Kagami was engulfed by the dense explosions. He barely managed to hold on with the Gunbai. Even so, Uchiha Kagami could feel a portion of his mindscape power being depleted. In this world, mindscape power was like chakra that sustained life and exerted power in the human world. Their natures also had similarities, or perhaps it was the difference between the human world and the spirit world.
As Uchiha Kagami landed, a massive fire dragon, astonishingly large, charged towards him. He quickly formed hand signs to counterattack, not hoping to overwhelm it, but just to block it for a short time. He then immediately rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the scorching fire wave.
Aside from his Mangekyo Sharingan, Madara's taijutsu and ninjutsu were top-tier in the ninja world. Even Uchiha Kagami found it difficult to reach that level in these aspects. Ultimately, all his fundamentals were taught by Madara. Facing Madara was like facing a more seasoned version of himself in every way.
—He's truly too strong.
Uchiha Kagami barely managed to parry Madara's fierce attacks. In close combat, he gained almost no advantage. Once he was knocked away, terrifying fire release techniques would surge towards him.
Uchiha Kagami felt like a lone boat in a raging storm, liable to capsize at any moment, plunging into the sea, leaving no trace or remains.
After a while, Uchiha Kagami breathed heavily. His body, sustained by his mindscape, was almost identical to a living person, with the same physical reactions. At this moment, Madara unleashed a Fire Release: Hiding in Ash and Dust technique. The high-temperature smoke filled every corner of the surroundings. He felt an unusual pain, yet even so, he still used his Sharingan to pinpoint Madara's possible location.
"What's wrong? Is this all you've got? If so, you can't return to the human world," Madara's voice came from an unknown location. As an experienced ninja, Madara wouldn't expose his position through sound.
"Uncle Madara, I have a question to ask," Uchiha Kagami watched silently for a moment, then suddenly asked.
"What?" Madara said.
"Why aren't you using the power of your Mangekyo Sharingan? If you're eager to return to the human world, there's no reason to slowly wear me down here. Using the Mangekyo Sharingan's power should be enough to completely suppress me, shouldn't it?" Uchiha Kagami asked.
Madara did not answer.
"If you won't speak, then I'll share my guess," Uchiha Kagami said, seeing this. "You said that all the power that can be exerted in this world is sustained by the mindscape. And even if the mindscape can create things from reality, it can only use the power of things that are known. For example, I can materialize the Gunbai, but I can't use its special ability to deflect all ninjutsu, because I don't understand the divine principles of the Gunbai. So—"
His gaze suddenly sharpened, with a decisive tone: "I'm wondering, is your Mangekyo Sharingan no longer with you? Does the Mangekyo Sharingan you're displaying now truly possess the power of the Mangekyo Sharingan?"
At this, Madara's laughter echoed around, as if mocking Uchiha Kagami, yet also acknowledging something.
"You really tricked me. I forgot that ninjas are professionals at deceiving with words," Uchiha Kagami said. "The Sharingan is our bloodline limit, a power that can only be used through the body's bloodline. In a sense, we are indirectly using a weapon called 'Sharingan.' If we came here with the dōjutsu power of the Sharingan, that would be one thing, but we didn't. Therefore, without a body, and with only a soul, it's impossible for us to use the dōjutsu power of the Sharingan."
"Don't forget, you can use the Sharingan," Madara said. Uchiha Kagami had used Sharingan genjutsu attacks multiple times just now. These were genuine genjutsu unleashed through dōjutsu power, and Madara had countered them all.
"That's because I haven't truly died yet. I still maintain a connection with my body. With the Sharingan's control over the mental world, borrowing the dōjutsu power of the Sharingan is incredibly simple. It was because of this that you tricked me," Uchiha Kagami chuckled. He was now certain his guess was correct. "Even if you can materialize the appearance of the Mangekyo Sharingan and simulate its pressure based on your experience, without the support of the actual Mangekyo Sharingan's power, you cannot truly use its dōjutsu. That is a special power dependent on the Mangekyo Sharingan itself. Without the corresponding dōjutsu power, it cannot be used. Even if you simulated an outer shell, never mind its power, how long can your mindscape power last?"