Masashi had often heard that when two very simir people were put together, it could be difficult.

  He didn't really believe it back then, but after meeting Kakuzu this time, he realized it might be true.

  That guy exuded an aura of "I'm very valuable" from head to toe.

  It genuinely made him itch to take a.

  When it came to defeating Kakuzu, he was fairly fident.

  To be fair, Kakuzu was indeed very strong—a solid, cssic Kage-level ninja.

  Though in the manga, he was just a stepping stoo highlight Naruto's growth... But holy, not just anyone qualifies to be Naruto's stepping stone.

  As a stepping stone for the reination of Asura and Indra, most would be reduced to nothing.

  The only one who remained alive after serving as a stepping stone was Orochimaru.

  And Kakuzu, well, he was in the same league as Orochimaru—a top-tier powerhouse.

  His secret teique, Earth Grudge Fear, granted him infinite lifespan, recovery abilities akin to those of Hashirama Cells, exceptional healing power, and a five-heart system with indepe scioushat resisted illusions and provided a pseudo "soft body modification" ability, giving him jaw-dropping physical defenses.

  The Earth Grudge Fear itself was a Yang Release secret teique. Its length and shape could be altered at will, enabling it to expand and tract. bined with the Iron Skin, it became a low-tier version of True Several Thousand Hands.

  It could also morph into wings for flight or create precise physical restraints to bind an oppo's hands, preventing hand seals or summoning—far exceeding the effectiveness of Jiraiya's Wild Lion's Maeique.

  It was only because Masashi had amassed the strength of three timelines, reag almost cheat-level proficy, that he could handle Kakuzu with ease. For at least 90% of the shinobi world, fag Kakuzu would mean insta.

  Still, it wasn't the right time yet. Better to wait a bit longer.

  Another day, he'd use a Transformation Jutsu to visit the exge office for some cash.

  For a jonin from a ninja vilge to take on freence jobs under a false identity? It wasn't unon.

  The ninja vilges turned a blio such activities, as long as a few rules were followed: private jobs shouldn't interfere with vilge-assigned missions, nor should they involve tasks that flicted with the vilge's is.

  After leaving the armory, Masashi didn't immediately accelerate but maintained a retively normal speed. He wao see if Kakuzu would follow him.

  If Kakuzu did, there'd be no more talk—he'd use every trick up his sleeve and theo the exge office for a payday.

  Unfortunately, after dawdling for quite a while, there wasn't even a trace of Kakuzu's chakra, let alone his shadow.

  It seemed he had truly left.

  Was money really that important to him?

  Well, money retty important. But some things were even more important than money.

  Once he firmed Kakuzu wouldn't follow him, Masashi stopped wasting time and moved at full speed.

  The Kannabi Bridge was where, during the Third Great Ninja War, two heroes with Sharingan were born.

  This pce also marked the turning point of the war between Konoha and Iwa.

  Iwa ninjas, who loved to use mass waves of troops, often deploying thousands at a time, exposed a major weakness in this battle: they had an overwhelming number of genin but very few higher-level ones, and their overall quality was extremely poor.

  The Iwa ninjas statio the Kannabi Bridge included three jonin, but these three were practically a joke.

  Otherwise, what was the point of just blowing up the bridge?

  The issue y in the severe ck of in and jonin among the Iwa ninjas. Hoping these ninjas could walk on water to cross a river was less realistic than hoping they could build a dam by themselves.

  Creating a bridge with Earth Release and maintaining it with chakra input? It wasn't that the Iwa ninjas didn't want to, but their weak skills just couldn't cut it.

  Even a group of 50 elite jonin, Iwa's supposed trump card, was wiped out in a siack by Minato on the frontlines, revealing the general petence of Iwa's higher-level ninjas.

  The battle was a plete disaster.

  But to Masashi, this pce had only one significe: Madara's secret underground hideout.

  The Kannabi Bridge was located within the borders of Kusa.

  He first returo the Land of Fire from the Land of Hot Water and then headed westward.

  By the time the sun rose for the sed time, he had ehe territory of Kusa.

  Kusa, known for its opportunistidencies, initially sided with the Land of Earth during the Third Great Ninja War. But after the Kannabi Bridge battle, it quickly switched allegiao the Land of Fire.

  While the Kusa ninjas weren't great at fighting, they excelled at intelligehering, always staying alert to the slightest ges in the shinobi world.

  Their surveilnce of fn ninjas entering their territory was especially impressive.

  Masashi hadn't been in Kusa for long before entering Kusa ninjas.

  There was no hostility, nano senseless showing off.

  They simply came to firm his identity.

  Yes, Kusa was very open to ninjas from the great nations.

  But if it were ninjas from a smaller nation? Sorry, that'd be sidered an invasion.

  Of course, the way they hahings varied depending oruder's background—after all, even smaller nations had their own hierarchies.

  For ninjas from the great nations, however, their attitude was sistent: "Just passing through? No problem. Kusa weles friends from all over the world!"

  When the Kusa ninjas saw the Konoha forehead protector on Masashi's head, their expressions lit up like children seeing their dad return home.

  And when they got a good look at his face, their smiles grew even more enthusiastic.

  "Masashi-sama, it's an honor to have you visit Kusa. Our try is most fortuhe leader of the Kusa ninjas ractically overflowing with excitement, bowing slightly. "We've heard so much about your work with the Police Force!"

  It almost made Masashi feel like he'd wandered into the Konoha shopping district.

  It made him unfortable. This excessive friendliness... always a sign they want something.

  "I'm just passing through," he said helplessly.

  "I uand, I uand. You don't want to reveal your mission," the Kusa ninja leader replied fidently, his smile knowing. "We haven't seen you, and you're free to do as you please. Just let us know if you need anything!"

  "Thanks?" Masashi said, at a loss for words.

  He had to admit, though, he was impressed by Kusa's monit system.

  Sure, the small size of Kusa pyed a role, but their domestic surveilnce was truly impressive.

  If only Konoha's ANBU could learn from this. In the inal timeline, Kakuzu and Hidan reduced the Fire Temple to rubble, and Konoha only found out whes survivors came to report it.

  A's not eveion the Konoha Crush pn—Suna's forces mao sneak right up to Konoha's walls.

  What kind of shoddy operational standards were those? Was it just because Konoha's territory was too big to manage? Or maybe due to Danzō?

  After their enter, the Kusa ninjas vanished ly from Masashi's sight.

  He tinued on his way.

  The Kannabi Bridge site was getting closer.

  At st, he saw the half-destroyed bridge hanging from the cliffside.

  Kusa hadn't even bothered to rebuild it.

  The ruins of the Kannabi Bridge, with only half of its structure remaining, still faintly revealed its former majesty and grandeur.

  A bridge that could serve as a lifeline for the Iwa army was naturally no ordinary bridge.

  The great river that inated from the high mountains of the Land of Earth flowed through the Land of Stone and was joined by hundreds of tributaries in the Land of Rain, greatly increasing its volume.

  It then curved into Taki, creating the most spectacur waterfall clusters on the ti. As it flowed into Kusa, the river wideo nearly 3,000 meters at its broadest, with an average depth of han 100 meters.

  Within Kusa, the rgest bridge across this river was the Kannabi Bridge, which was also at the river's narrowest point. Even so, the bridge spanned nearly a kilometer.

  The bridge was once desigo aodate six carts side by side, but now the structure was mottled and in ruins.

  Deep cracks had formed on the dipidated bridge surface—rge enough frown man to lie down in.

  He strolled toward the ruined bridge. The first thing he saw was a massive stone sb engraved with the words "Kannabi Bridge" in bold red characters.

  Red as blood.

  The bridge was burned aroyed in a tragiferno, leaving it in shambles. It had been just three years sihat day.

  The sky that day had glowed red uhe fmes, and the river below had turned a deep crimson.

  It was here that Madara watched Obito step into his meticulously id trap. Though they were both Uchiha, some knowledge was meant to stay hidden.

  Masashi stepped onto the bridge. The stoh that used to be smooth was now beaten up, full of holes and overrun with weeds. Below, the rushing river seemed to mock humanity's arrogance.

  People always reached for the impossible, only to end up empty-handed.

  A bridge spanni to west, turning an impassable divide into a thhfare?

  All it took was enough explosive tags to end that dream.

  It was wise to keep some self-awareness. The world would tihout you. Even peace couldn't be forced—you couldn't make everyone march to the same tune.

  Masashi figured the daimyō of Kusa had refused to rebuild the bridge out of sheer frustration. "Rebuild it? Whoever wants it do it themselves!"

  As for Madara's medical hideout, he didn't know its exact location. But he knew Obito's i had occurred somewhere above it.

  Also, though he wasn't ied in Hashirama's cells, he had a small bit of curiosity about Madara's remains.

  This wouldn't t as grave robbing—just a casual visit. Even as a pure-blood Uchiha, this behavior wasn't out of line.

  Anyone who'd watched Naruto khe Uchiha revered filial piety.

  Masashi wandered around the bridge for a while, searg for the battlefield where Kakashi and his rades had fought Iwa jonin years ago.

  Konoha had doted this thhly, and as retives of a hero, the Uchiha received a report with detailed records of the battlefield and bat events.

  Masashi eventually located the spot.

  Back then, Konoha ninjas, guided by Kakashi, searched here for Obito's remains but found nothing.

  They cluded that a series of ndslides had buried his body deep underground along with falling rocks. They even used Earth Release teiques to search.

  Although three years had passed, traces of the past battle could still be dised.

  He diligently searched the area, his Sharingan sing for any residual chakra signatures that might have survived the years. Though time had eroded many traces, using the records and following the remaining signs, he finally pinpoihe spot where Obito was crushed by the rocks.

  Using Wind Release, he sliced the massive stoo ks. With a burst of raw strength, he heaved the fragmented rocks aside.

  One look at the pressure marks made it clear.

  No multiple ndslides—nothing had moved.

  It seemed that even before his Mangekyō awakened, Obito had dispyed some Kamui-like abilities in his life-or-death struggle.

  Though half his body was crushed, his Sharingan had remained intact. The way the rocks were positioned suggested a partial phase-through, not just a lucky escape.

  This ability allowed Zetsu t him into Madara's hideout. And that was where everything ged. One Uchiha's tragedy being another's opportunity.

  This should be the pce. The roation above matched perfectly with the historical records, though they'd missed the crucial details.

  He sidered his options. Wind Release won't help here—I need something that reaknowhs. Plus, when I find the bottom, I'll o mark it... Kagutsuchi's shape manipution should work perfectly. Time to train.

  Activating Sage Mode and his Sharingan simultaneously, he focused all his chakra into his hand.

  The teique required perfect trol—one slip and the chakra bde could destabilize.

  The white chakra bde turned red. With a tinuous infusion of chakra, the fiery bde extended like an expandable staff, pierg deep into the rock yers below.

  Though he couldn't yet ma Susanoo, his Fire Release-ieique and Kagutsuchi's enhas made his chakra bde highly versatile.

  The bes of having plenty of chakra became apparent here. He could feel the strain starting to build, but his reserves held steady.

  The lohe fme bde stretched, the more chakra it ed. Beyond a certain limit, the ption rate doubled. The bde's color shifted slightly with each pulse of chakra he pushed through it.

  But Masashi, who once fought Kurama all night, could ha. His chakra trol remained precise despite the increasing drain.

  The ground was unbelievably hard.

  This only reinforced his belief that he was standing on Madara's hideout's "roof." The old Uchiha's perfe showed even in his choice of hiding pces.

  With a roof like this, there was no fear of leaks.

  Someone as meticulous as Madara wouldn't o carry a mop and bucket during the rainy season, would he?

  That's absurd. Masashi preferred to think Madara would shoot fire indoors on rainy days.

  "Hmm?" He suddenly felt his fme bde pierto a hollow space. The resistance vanished abruptly, firming his suspis.

  He didn't jump to clusions ae further, carefully maintaining the teique's stability.

  When the bde touched something solid again, he gauged the distance. His Sharingan helped him visualize the space below based on the bde's feedback.

  The space below was vast. Large enough to house an army... or duct experiments away fr eyes.

  But he wasn't do. Years of training had taught him to be thh.

  trolling the fme bde, he bra into multiple extensions, expl in all dires.

  The branches reached their limit without entering more solid ground. The chakra drain increased expoially with eaew extension.

  There was no doubt—it was a massive chamber. Probably one of many, knowing Madara's tendency for eborate preparations.

  After marking the location with a Flying Thunder God seal at the bde's entry point, Masashi slowly retracted the fme bde.

  Worn out, he flopped onto the ground. His chakra reserves, while still substantial, had taken a signifit hit.

  Chakra ption aside, the mental strain was signifit. Maintaining that level of precise trol while managing multiple chakra extensions wasn't something he could do casually.

  After a lo, he activated Sage Mode again. The natural energy helped restore some of his spent chakra.

  Once prepared, he donned what looked like the first astronaut suit in the shinobi world. Each piece was reinforced with protective seals.

  To be cautious, he even crafted a chakra-powered "oxygen tank" with his teique. The seal work had taken hours to prepare properly.

  He only o retreat immediately if he sensed something was wrong.

  After making all the necessary preparations, Masashi activated the Flying Thunder God seal, telep himself into the hollow space.