Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 490 "Eye of the Moon" Project

The masked man stood there silently, without uttering a word, but the invisible pressure emanating from him was like a heavy mountain, making it almost impossible for everyone to breathe. As time passed, the shock in people's hearts grew stronger, and they were filled with endless confusion and unease about the future.

Just then, the man who had been wearing the mysterious mask keenly noticed that the expressions of the people present had gradually eased, and the tense atmosphere had eased slightly. So, he took a deep breath and decided to formally begin to introduce his meticulously planned scheme to everyone.

His gaze slowly swept over everyone present, and he thought to himself: These are all core leaders from the five great ninja villages of the ninja world! They bear the weight of their villages' rise and fall, and must possess extraordinary wisdom and talent. If he could persuade them to support his plan, success would be within reach. Thinking this, the masked man narrowed his eyes slightly, a barely perceptible smile appearing on his lips.

The masked man slightly raised his head, and through the mysterious mask, his voice flowed slowly: "Back then, when Hashirama Senju and I founded the ninja village, we harbored a great and noble dream—to completely end this endless war and let the world bathe in the light of true peace. At that time, we were full of passion and firmly believed that with our strength and wisdom, we could change the entire world's格局 (geju, a concept encompassing both state and overall situation). However..."

He paused for a moment, seemingly lost in deep memories of bygone days.

"After embarking on a long journey and traveling through the vast ninja world, what I saw and heard greatly disappointed me. My former lofty ambitions were gradually worn down by the cruelty of reality. I sadly discovered that the beautiful ideal that I had woven with Hashirama Senju back then was so naive and so childish! Time has ruthlessly proven that our decision back then was nothing more than an unrealistic fantasy."

At this point, the masked man's tone became heavy, as if he were carrying a thousand-pound burden.

"Look at the situation now! Fierce conflicts have broken out one after another between the major ninja villages. The three devastating wars are the best examples! Countless lives have been lost in the flames of war, families have been torn apart, and people have been displaced... All of this clearly shows that the ninja village era has gone astray. It has brought not peace, but even deeper disasters and suffering!"

The masked man's tone suddenly changed, becoming passionate and fervent: "At this very moment, I have discerned the true path to light and justice! This is not mere rhetoric, but a definitive conclusion reached after careful consideration and countless explorations. If you all wholeheartedly support my grand plan, then this vast world will surely usher in a truly lasting and prosperous era of peace! From then on, there will be no more heart-wrenching flames of war, no more horrific slaughter and strife; instead, there will be only beautiful scenes overflowing with happiness and joy. People will live in an environment full of love and warmth, enjoying peaceful and tranquil days, no longer having to endure any suffering or torment. Whether it be mountains and rivers or lakes and seas, they will all be enveloped in harmony and tranquility, presenting a magnificent picture of vibrant life and prosperity everywhere."

At this moment, everyone present underwent a subtle change in their gaze. Some had eyes that shone with eager anticipation, as if filled with boundless longing for what they were about to hear; while others' eyes revealed obvious disdain and doubt, as if they did not hold much hope for anything.

The Fifth Kazekage, Gaara, stood there quietly, a fleeting, almost imperceptible longing flashing across his deep eyes. However, it vanished in an instant, and he quickly suppressed the emotion, returning to his usual calm and clear-headed state. Without hesitation, he spoke directly: "Tell me your plan!"

Meanwhile, the masked man slowly scanned the crowd with his eyes hidden in the shadows. By observing each person's expression, movements, and subtle reactions, he had gained a general understanding of their thoughts. Nevertheless, he remained convinced that as long as those who truly yearned for peace existed deep within their hearts, they would seriously consider the plan he had proposed.

Then, the mysterious masked man opened his mouth without hesitation and said directly, "The content is actually very simple and clear. First, you need to hand over the hidden Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails so that I can collect all the Tailed Beasts. Next, you need to successfully revive the legendary Ten-Tails, and then I will personally become the Jinchūriki of this incomparably powerful Ten-Tails. After that, I will use this earth-shattering power to further enhance my eye power. Finally, I will use a special and mysterious ninjutsu."

The moment the words left his mouth, a deep look of doubt instantly appeared on the face of the Tsuchikage, Onoki. He made no attempt to hide his question, directly asking the masked man, "Some kind of ninjutsu? What kind of ninjutsu is it?" Clearly, he had absolutely no trust in this man who called himself Uchiha Madara. Especially after hearing that the man not only needed to revive the Ten-Tails but also required such immense power to unleash that ninjutsu, his heart was filled with suspicion and unease. After all, everyone knew that the power contained within the Ten-Tails was the chakra of all nine tailed beasts combined; once successfully controlled and released, it could very well bring about a cataclysmic upheaval to the existing order of the entire ninja world.

At this moment, everyone else present also stared intently at the masked man with grave expressions, their eyes revealing an eager desire to know the answer. They knew that only by obtaining more detailed information could they accurately analyze and judge the devastating power of the ninjutsu he spoke of and what ulterior motives lay behind it.

Facing the puzzled and confused expressions of everyone present, the masked man made no attempt to conceal anything. He knew perfectly well that to successfully implement his meticulously planned grand scheme, he needed the approval and support of these people from various powerful ninja villages. Otherwise, they would not only fail to help but would also become stumbling blocks in his path, bringing him endless trouble.

The masked man took a deep breath and then spoke without hesitation: "The core of my plan lies in using the unparalleled power of the Ten-Tails to further enhance my own eye abilities. Based on this, I will unleash a massive genjutsu—Infinite Tsukuyomi—that projects my own eye power onto the moon high in the sky! Once successfully activated, this genjutsu will cover the entire earth, inevitably trapping everyone living on it. I, in turn, can control this powerful genjutsu, manipulating the thoughts and actions of everyone within the illusion at will. In this way, the entire world will truly become one. In this new world, there will be no more barriers between people, conflicts between races, or disputes between nations. All things in the world will be closely united, living in harmony according to my will, ultimately achieving complete unification."

As everyone stared in disbelief and shock, the mysterious masked man continued to speak with increasing fervor: "That's right, everyone! This is my long-planned grand scheme—Project Eye of the Moon!" Although his face was hidden by the mask, making it impossible to see his true expression, his fervent and confident tone revealed the extraordinary significance of this plan to him.

However, faced with such a shocking declaration, the ever-fiery and impatient Raikage could no longer contain his anger. He abruptly stood up, his hair standing on end, and roared at the masked man, "This is utterly delusional! You're hiding your true face, and you actually dare to make us place all our hopes and trust in you? How is that possible!" As Raikage's roar rang out, the entire conference room instantly fell into a tense and solemn atmosphere.

An intense rage spread across the faces of the others, a fury that seemed capable of burning anything. Their eyes widened, fixed on the other side, their hearts filled with disbelief and resentment at being deceived. Who could have imagined that the plan for lasting peace they so swore about would be so utterly insane and absurd!

It turns out that this so-called plan was to use a powerful and terrifying illusion to control the thoughts and actions of everyone in the world. This was undoubtedly a delusional fantasy, treating everyone present as monkeys to be manipulated and toyed with at will. Such behavior was utterly despicable and shameless, and intolerable.

These people knew all too well that if such a plan succeeded, their village and the people who had lived there for generations would utterly lose their freedom and autonomy. They would become mindless puppets, living numbly like mere puppets, completely devoid of self-awareness and dignity. The thought fueled their burning anger; they absolutely could not accept such a tragic fate befalling them.