"This world does not have true peace; all is but a superficial illusion. Only absolute power, suppressing the entire world and eliminating all obstacles and resistance, can achieve true peace!"
These were words spoken by Uchiha Madara.
Although he did not act on them, opting instead for the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Of course, if Madara had not been deceived by Black Zetsu back then and had understood the Uchiha clan's stone tablet differently, he might have truly adopted such a method.
However, it was undeniable that perhaps only such a method could achieve genuine peace.
The current shinobi world is a separate matter for now.
Before the Shinobi Wars, each ninja village and country fought independently. Now, at best, they only unite against a common enemy.
After all, the first three Great Ninja Wars were merely about the ninja villages vying for resources.
Therefore, let's put aside the past; there's nothing worth discussing.
Just as Lin Nan only favored Konoha after the Fifth Hokage, so too it was with other villages. Their bright exteriors hid filth and darkness.
And what of the world after the Shinobi Wars?
Although a so-called "peace" was achieved!
Yet, in places where sunlight could not reach, bacteria and viruses still festered.
Perhaps the world at that time merely submitted to the overwhelming power of Naruto and Sasuke, a brief, deceptive peace.
Looking at the unburnable objects, is there peace?
Some say that shinobi are the origin of all evil.
As long as there are no shinobi in this world, there will be no more wars.
However, in reality, where there are people, there are disputes; where there are disputes, there is war. Without shinobi, there would still be samurai, there would still be soldiers!
Even if the era of Naruto and Sasuke presented a scene of peace, aside from the minor issues, who can be certain that in a few years, the same mistakes won't be repeated?
In such a world, does true peace truly exist?
Perhaps only Madara's method could achieve it.
The Infinite Tsukuyomi was also a deception.
Control from on high was the answer to peace!
Not even through terrifying rule or violent suppression, but simply by eradicating those who instigate war, the entire world would be deterred.
Absolute justice, absolute peace.
This idea even mirrored Pain's philosophy.
Whether Nagato knew of the Ten-Tails' existence from the start, Lin Nan did not know.
But the Akatsuki's initial philosophy was to use the Tailed Beasts to create an unparalleled, supremely powerful weapon to deter the Five Great Nations, thereby achieving peace.
That is, "I have the strongest fist, and I'll kill anyone who dares to cause trouble."
But unfortunately, the Akatsuki organization ultimately served others.
And now, the four members of the Akatsuki, and even more, are in Lin Nan's hands.
However, Lin Nan now has a different idea; he even disdains becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki.
Although the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki is hailed as the Sage of Six Paths, there is ultimately a limit.
The true Sage of Six Paths was so powerful, yet he still died, didn't he?
He was destined to become an immortal, eternal guardian of this world.
At that time, Lin Nan would personally show Ziyanghua the world she wished to see.
Living happily and contentedly forever.
Glancing at the battlefield, Lin Nan noticed his perspective had changed.
Unlike when he possessed the Rinnegan, he could now feel everything on the battlefield.
He clenched his palm, and a black light appeared. It wasn't a staff, but a single black Truth-Seeking Ball. Yes, only one meager ball.
He looked up at the sky, where a white figure was also watching him. Clad in white robes with white hair, it was Uchiha Madara.
Madara now held a staff and had Truth-Seeking Balls on his back.
But he had seven, plus the staff, making eight.
And on the entire battlefield, there was nothing but the sound of the wind.
Remembering that even a single Ten-Tails Jinchuriki like Obito was incredibly difficult to handle, only subdued through Naruto's talk-no-jutsu, they now faced two Ten-Tails Jinchuriki.
Although Lin Nan was on their side, who knew what would happen once he became a Ten-Tails Jinchuriki?
After all, wasn't this akin to becoming a god?
Lin Nan had spent so long in what he didn't know was the Pure Land or somewhere else, but in reality, it was merely an instant.
Uchiha Madara was also observing Lin Nan. He was largely the same as in the original story, with perhaps the only difference being that his robes were less pronounced and he had one fewer Tailed Beast Ball on his back.
After all, he and Lin Nan had split the Ten-Tails' chakra nine-to-one.
This meant Uchiha Madara possessed the vast majority of the Ten-Tails' chakra, while Lin Nan only had a meager portion.
Therefore, Uchiha Madara, having become a Sage of Six Paths, was extremely confident. After all, he was only one step away from his ideal.
However, even so, Uchiha Madara was still Uchiha Madara.
He did not blindly boast about becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, but still remained wary of Lin Nan.
Rather than being wary of Lin Nan himself, he was wary of Lin Nan's unfathomably strange abilities.
Meanwhile, Lin Nan, upon awakening, was also observing the entire battlefield.
Uchiha Madara was one thing, but the person who had fought alongside him moments ago was now looking at him with suspicion and apprehension.
This caused a slight flicker in Lin Nan's eyes, but his expression remained unchanged.
Humans were truly full of mistrust for one another.
That was why conflict, disputes, and even wars arose.
The essence of humanity was self-interest; greed, jealousy, desire were endless.
For some reason, Lin Nan now viewed the shinobi army, the so-called humanity, from a high-dimensional,俯瞰 perspective.
It was as if he were no longer a life form called "human."
This was something Lin Nan himself had not noticed.
He was no longer the person he once was.
He had been completely sublimated, from the inside out.
Just as humans complete a full cellular metabolism approximately every seven years, meaning the you of seven years ago and the you of seven years later have entirely different cells, the question arises:
Was that you still you?
Lin Nan continued to observe. Sasuke was still present. Naruto had died after his Nine-Tails chakra was extracted. Gaara and Sakura were performing CPR on him.
It was worth noting that the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Killer Bee, was unharmed. This was because the Eight-Tails had a technique for detaching its tail. It had implanted the chakra of its tail into Killer Bee's body, allowing him to narrowly escape death.
After a brief assessment of the battlefield, Lin Nan stopped paying attention to the Allied Shinobi Forces and instead focused on Uchiha Madara.
Seeing this, Uchiha Madara let out a cold laugh, "What, still want to dance? You've only absorbed a mere fraction of the Ten-Tails, while I am the true Ten-Tails Jinchuriki!"
With that, the Truth-Seeking Balls behind Uchiha Madara floated out, as if to say, "I have eight Truth-Seeking Balls, and you only have one. What will you use to fight me?"
Lin Nan remained expressionless. The next moment, the Truth-Seeking Ball floated before him.
Then, to Uchiha Madara's stunned gaze, it split into two, then into ten...