Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 489 The Six Immortals' "Secret"

The meeting room was eerily silent; you could hear a pin drop. After exchanging glances, everyone wore a knowing look, as if a tacit understanding had been reached—to temporarily set aside their doubts and suspicions, and listen attentively to what this man claiming to be Uchiha Madara truly intended. After all, any hasty judgment or decision before fully understanding his true intentions could lead to unpredictable consequences.

At that moment, the mysterious masked man slowly swept his gaze across everyone present. His eyes, hidden behind the mask, seemed to see through everything, easily catching the subtle changes in everyone's expressions. When he realized that everyone was basically listening silently to his words, the corners of his mouth subtly turned up, forming a faint smile. This subtle change in expression, though fleeting, did not escape the eyes of some perceptive individuals.

For the masked man, this was merely the first step in realizing his grand plan. Though seemingly insignificant, this step was a crucial foundation. His next challenge was to successfully persuade these people, each with their own agendas, to accept and endorse his meticulously crafted plan, thereby minimizing the numerous obstacles he might encounter during implementation. Only in this way could he steadily move towards that distant yet alluring ultimate goal.

The masked man's eyes were sharp, and without any hesitation, he spoke directly: "Now, please listen carefully to my explanation! After you've heard it, we'll make a final decision based on your answers. You should know that the Uchiha clan possesses a mysterious stone tablet passed down through generations, still buried deep beneath the Uchiha clan's territory in Konoha. This tablet was inscribed with many secrets by the Sage of Six Paths himself, but without the powerful eye power of the Sharingan, even at close range, one cannot decipher its mysteries in the slightest. Moreover, the information on this tablet is not static; it changes with the level of the Sharingan—from ordinary..." From the Sharingan to the Mangekyou Sharingan, and then to the supreme Rinnegan, the content that can be deciphered increases with each level. And within this content lies a detailed record of the true reasons why the Sage of Six Paths became a legendary figure, revered and worshipped as a god by countless ninjas throughout history. "At this point," the masked man paused slightly, seemingly giving everyone some time to digest the information, before continuing slowly, "However, I suppose you are all unaware that my meticulously planned grand scheme and ultimate goal are actually inextricably linked to this legendary figure!"

The Mizukage stared sharply at the masked man, interrupting him without hesitation. Her beautiful and resolute face was now filled with doubt and dissatisfaction as she retorted, "Uchiha Madara, stop playing games! Everyone knows you possess the incredibly powerful Mangekyou Sharingan, and as far as I know, your Akatsuki even has beings with the Rinnegan. If that's the case, you should know everything, right? So stop hiding your true intentions and tell us all the important information that's been concealed!"

Just then, the Tsuchikage Onoki chimed in, "That's right, Uchiha Madara, give us an explanation! We are all leaders of the five great ninja villages, and we have the right to know the truth. If you continue to cover it up, it will only make us more suspicious and wary of you and the entire Akatsuki organization!" As he spoke, his short but imposing figure exuded a powerful aura, as if he were putting pressure on the masked man.

At this moment, everyone present nodded in agreement, acknowledging and supporting the Mizukage's suggestion. They all understood that with the limited information they currently possessed, it was difficult to accurately determine the truth of what was being said. Therefore, further, more extensive and in-depth intelligence gathering was of paramount importance and urgency.

By gathering more comprehensive and detailed intelligence, we can conduct a more nuanced analysis of the current situation, thereby uncovering the truth hidden beneath the surface. Moreover, this valuable intelligence will become an indispensable key basis for subsequent decision-making. Only by fully understanding all aspects of the situation can we make wise and correct choices in a complex and ever-changing landscape.

Moreover, everyone agreed that to obtain enough valuable intelligence, it was necessary to get the other party to willingly share more previously unknown information. This was undoubtedly a daunting task, but also an essential step in solving the problem.

The masked man remained remarkably calm about the leak of this information, as if everything was under his control. In fact, he not only didn't mind, but even believed that appropriate information sharing would help persuade everyone to accept and endorse his meticulously planned scheme, thereby propelling the entire plan forward as quickly as possible. The masked man tilted his head slightly, took a deep breath, and without hesitation, opened his mouth and began to speak: "Do you know? He once single-handedly saved this world from the clutches of a terrifying monster! That monster possessed unimaginable strength and terrifying abilities; its appearance filled everyone with despair and helplessness. However, just when people were plunged into their deepest fear, he stepped forward, like a lightning bolt piercing the darkness, engaging that monster in a breathtaking life-or-death struggle..."

"Monster?" Gaara frowned slightly, muttering to himself. The word struck him like a lightning bolt, hitting the most sensitive nerve deep within his heart. He couldn't help but recall those painful past experiences, wondering to himself whether everything that happened back then was truly as simple as it seemed on the surface.

At this moment, the Fifth Kazekage cast a questioning glance, clearly filled with curiosity and worry about this topic. The masked man standing opposite him made no attempt to conceal his true intentions, answering directly: "Gaara, in fact, you were merely a small part of that monster sealed away before. That monster is no ordinary being; it is the aggregate of all the tailed beasts—the incomparably powerful Ten-Tails! This legendary behemoth possesses the most immense and terrifying chakra power, practically invincible in the world!"

A deathly silence fell over the scene. Every figure present wore an expression of unspeakable shock, as if time had frozen. Their eyes were wide, fixed on the mysterious masked man, their hearts filled with disbelief and terror.

These Kage were all seasoned warriors who had experienced countless battles and witnessed all sorts of terrifying power. Even so, they were utterly shocked when they heard the masked man reveal this horrifying news. They had personally experienced the chilling aura of the Tailed Beasts and knew firsthand the immense and violent chakra energy contained within them. Yet now, the masked man was telling them that those Tailed Beasts they feared were merely a part of the Ten-Tails! This fact struck them like a bolt from the blue.

If the chakra of a single tailed beast is already powerful and terrifying enough, then one can imagine what a world-destroying existence its chakra would be when all the tailed beasts come together to form the complete Ten-Tails! Such a vast and terrifying power would probably be enough to easily destroy the entire world... Thinking of this, the Kage couldn't help but feel a chill rise from their spines, and large beads of sweat appeared on their foreheads.

The masked man seemed oblivious to the fluctuating expressions of the crowd before him, as if it all had nothing to do with him. His face remained calm, and his tone was as serene as he continued recounting the ancient and mysterious tale: "Back then, the Sage of Six Paths appeared out of nowhere, using his earth-shattering power to wage an epic battle against the terrifying Ten-Tails! Ultimately, with his unparalleled strength and unfathomable sage techniques, the Sage of Six Paths successfully defeated the invincible Ten-Tails, thus saving the world from utter chaos. However, time is like the cruelest blade in the world; even someone as powerful as the Sage of Six Paths..." Even its existence couldn't withstand the erosion of time. When he realized his end was near, a deep worry welled up within him—if, after his death, no one in the world would be able to contend with the incomparably powerful Ten-Tails, the consequences would be unimaginable. At this critical moment, the Sage of Six Paths resolutely made a crucial decision: to completely divide the Ten-Tails into nine parts! And these nine parts are the nine tailed beasts you are familiar with today!

In that instant, the mysterious, masked man suddenly stopped his rambling. The entire scene fell into a deathly silence, as if time itself had frozen.

Everyone present stared wide-eyed at the masked man in utter astonishment. Their minds were still racing, trying to comprehend and process the shocking information they had just heard. This information was like a series of thunderbolts, striking their hearts with unprecedented force.

At this moment, they began to realize that their understanding of the world might have been wrong all along. The five great ninja villages, which they once thought were invincible and awe-inspiring in the ninja world, had now been ruthlessly shattered. This upheaval of their understanding filled them with immense fear and bewilderment.