This base, hidden beneath the earth in the Land of Grass, had been selected precisely because the nation was politically irrelevant.
So what was with all this commotion lately? That persistent banging, bang, bang, bang, it had continued for days.
Just than, a familiar voice from the side of the chamber interrupted. "Lord Madara! Time to get up and pee?"
Madara's eye twitched. He turned his head slowly, glaring at the red-haired fool grinning at him, an Uzumaki. The man's expression was carefree, as if his only concern was how to annoy him.
Madara's voice was like stone. "What is this noise? Explain. Don't you know I require peace to survive in this state?"
The Uzumaki scratched his head, sheepish. "Ah, that? I've been working on my ink art, didn't notice the sound. Maybe I should go check it out? But before that, Lord Madara, maybe you should, you know… relieve yourself?"
"Silence." Madara's tone dropped several degrees.
His brow darkened as frustration rose. Were it not for the fragile balance of his current condition, he would have crushed the fool on the spot. 'Hashirama… your cells truly bring nothing but stupidity.'
Just then, a second White Zetsu phased up through the ground, grinning like a child with a secret.
"Don't mind him, Lord Madara," Zetsu said, waving dismissively. "That flying idiot's clueless as always. But I know what's going on."
Madara's eyes narrowed. "Speak."
Zetsu leaned in, voice lowering. "A couple of years ago, someone managed to restore order in the Land of Grass. They unified the factions, rebuilt the shinobi infrastructure, and now they're rebuilding it, which is why it's so noisy."
Madara fell silent upon hearing this, his eyes fixed on a pillar that looked like it had been almost completely drilled through. This base was pretty deep, what exactly were they building down there? Tunnels, perhaps?
The White Zetsu continued, "Apparently, it's because the Land of Grass is finally peaceful! So those folks are really motivated to rebuild."
Noticing Madara's doubtful expression, the White Zetsu chuckled nervously. "Oh, and that guy even brought your eyes to the Land of Grass! I was just about to tell you."
"My eyes... you mean that kid from the Uzumaki clan back then?" Madara's expression shifted as he seemed to recall something.
"But why would he bring that kid to the Land of Grass?" a cold sneer appeared on Madara's lips. "Is he after my eyes too? That brat must be grown up by now, living under the watchful eyes of greedy people, probably struggling."
White Zetsu shrugged. "Actually, after coming to the Land of Grass, he's doing pretty well! Well-fed, well-dressed, no war, and his mother is with him."
He scratched his head. "Besides, the current leader of the Land of Grass took him as an apprentice and treats him well. Doesn't seem like they're after your Rinnegan."
Madara paused, then frowned deeply. "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! The Rinnegan is legendary, the eye only the Sage of Six Paths possessed! That Land of Grass leader... if he's keeping that kid around without wanting my eyes, then what is he after?"
"Maybe... his mother," the White Zetsu suggested.
Madara froze, his sneer wiped away as if he'd been struck dumb. He stared blankly at the White Zetsu, utterly stunned.
Madara opened his mouth, then quickly shut it again, as if he was at a loss for words. After a brief pause, he finally regained his composure and sneered with contempt. "So… just like that fool Hashirama? Chasing after women, losing himself completely, a total idiot!"
That was a bit harsh. It seemed Madara still held a grudge against Hashirama after all these years. Of course, White Zetsu wisely kept quiet on the matter, Hashirama was a sensitive subject. Only Madara can speak of him like that; anyone else would risk his wrath.
Seeing Madara's continued sneer, White Zetsu quickly tried to change the topic. "Are we bothering you, Lord Madara? Maybe we should think about stirring up chaos in the Land of Grass again. It's just a small country, after all. I'm sure we can mess things up there pretty quickly!"
No matter what, Madara was their leader, the key to rescuing Lady Kaguya, and nothing could be allowed to happen to him. But Madara shook his head lightly after a moment's thought. "No need," he said calmly. "Now's not the time to reveal ourselves."
He still wasn't ready. For the sake of peace in the shinobi world, to prove he was right, and for Hashirama's sake, every move had to be made cautiously and kept hidden. That guy alone had pacified the Land of Grass.
Even though it was a small country, it wasn't to be underestimated. Those foolish White Zetsu clones couldn't stand up to him.
"Since we haven't been discovered and they're just causing some trouble, we'll let them be. What you need to do is keep following my plan. Watch closely for the right person."
Madara lifted his head to glance at the massive pillar driven into the ground, then fell silent again. "Fill up that hole. Don't expose us. Let them finish on their own. They can't keep building forever, can they?"
"Lord Madara is wise," White Zetsu said, nodding and flattering him quickly. "I checked just now; it should be done in about a month."
"A month, huh?" Madara murmured thoughtfully.
***
"I'll go back into it after a month," Charlie muttered to himself.
Unaware that the academy was built right above Madara's tomb, or rather, a deep cave carved out by White Zetsu, Charlie glanced at the thick stack of papers spread across his table.
These were the teaching materials he had carefully prepared for the upcoming school year. Written entirely by his own hand, they reflected his belief that education was something not to be taken lightly. After all, what if something went wrong?
"Mornings are perfect for reading aloud," he mused. "Clear and loud reading, it sounds so pleasant." He knew the morning was the best time for memory retention; the brain is fresh, making it easier to learn and remember. Starting the day with reading would help the kids focus and energize them for the lessons ahead.
"And we can't forget morning exercises," he added with a nod. "A strong body is just as important as strong ninjutsu or genjutsu. Every shinobi in Kusagakure needs to stay in shape."
Then there were after-school activities to think about. "Maybe a shinobi sports day? Or basketball with a shinobi twist?" Charlie smiled at the thought.
In these times, when entertainment was rare, sports were a great way to bring joy. And the school even had a playground! The more he thought about it, the more ideas came to mind.
But then, a shadow crossed his face. "Too bad there aren't many jonin or chunin qualified to teach in the Land of Grass," he sighed. "Most of them are out on missions. We just don't have enough people."
His reflection was interrupted by a soft knock at the door.
"Come in!" Charlie called.
Kana burst in, her excitement barely contained. But when she saw the pile of documents on the table, she quickly calmed down, hesitating. "Charlie, am I interrupting?"
"No, not at all. I'm done for now. Go ahead," Charlie replied, shaking his head. "Looks like you've got good news?"
"Mujie just stopped by with a message," Kana said breathlessly. "They've found some members of the Uzumaki clan!"
Charlie's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?!"