Chapter 41 He is not Indra (Two chapters combined...)
Inside the room, the little Shukaku's devastating screams and incoherent cries continued. It was completely immersed in what it considered the ultimate nightmare: "Indra has died and risen again and is standing in front of it." The tiny sandy body trembled with terror, and grains of sand at its edges fell off as if it might fall apart at any moment.
Madara Uchiha: "..."
The initial surprise in his deep, dark eyes faded, replaced by a cold, sharp scrutiny and a profound contemplation.
The little creature seemed very afraid of the person it called "Indra," but there were only two people present: him and Yan Sheng.
It's clearly not Yan Sheng, so it can only be him.
—He looks a lot like that guy named Indra?
Ban's deep, slightly impatient voice cut through Shukaku's sharp noise: "Who is Indra?"
However, Shukaku was still lost in his own world and didn't hear Madara's question at all. He was still wailing with his head in his hands: "Waaaaah... I'm dying, I'm dying, I'm dying... Indra's eyes are still so scary... Just one look and I feel like my chakra is going to freeze... Old man of the Six Paths, help me!"
Madara Uchiha frowned, feeling ignored. Never before had anyone/beast dared to disregard him like this when he asked a question.
He reached out, pinched the back of Shukaku's neck with two fingers, and lifted Shukaku off the unfolded scroll.
"Whoa?!" The sudden feeling of weightlessness and being restrained forcibly pulled Shukaku out of her self-destructive world.
Its cries abruptly ceased, its limbs and tail instinctively stiffening, then reflexively kicking and wagging a few times. Realizing what was happening, it frantically raised its head, its gaze frantically focusing—
The next second, it froze completely, forgetting to struggle.
What came into its view was a pair of eyes that were both incredibly familiar and incredibly terrifying.
It was deep, pitch black, like a bottomless icy pool, containing a powerful pressure, a cold scrutiny, and a sharpness that seemed to pierce the soul.
The shape of those eyes, the innate arrogance and indifference in their gaze... all perfectly match the figure from a thousand years ago that made it (and other tailed beasts) want to avoid it at a mere glimpse.
"Hiccup." Shukaku hiccuped in fright, its little tail curling up in terror, taut like a stretched string, then snapping straight back up, frozen in mid-air, too scared to move.
It was truly afraid of Indra.
It wasn't because Indra had beaten it up. In fact, it didn't have much interaction with Indra. These tailed beasts were more like bystanders, essentially "watching" Indra and his brother Ashura grow up.
In its distant memory, Indra was born incredibly powerful, as if he were born standing at the pinnacle of power.
He believed in the supremacy of strength, valued rules and order, and had a cold and hard personality, like a block of ice that would never melt, always exuding a chilling aura that kept strangers at bay.
Only when facing his silly younger brother Ashura would a rare hint of helpless tenderness appear in his cold eyes.
Ashura, however, was quite different from his brother. The child was born with mediocre talent, far less dazzling than Indra, but he inherited their father—the Sage of Six Paths—his capacity for love, tolerance, and understanding of others.
Through tireless effort and sincerity, Asura eventually gained powerful strength, a strength different from Indra's, full of vitality and "connection".
This is precisely why the Sage of Six Paths ultimately chose Ashura as the successor of the Ninja Clan.
Indra could not accept this. His pride, his beliefs, and his sense of entitlement as the eldest son and the strongest were shattered by his father's decision. Jealousy and resentment festered wildly in his cold and powerful heart.
Shukaku did not want to recall what happened afterward.
It was a heartbreaking tragedy that swept through the entire Ninja Clan: brothers turned against each other, a devastating battle ensued, and in the end, the exceptionally talented and powerful Indra was defeated by his younger brother Ashura, who had risen to prominence and gained the strength of the masses. Heartbroken, Indra left the Ninja Clan and disappeared from their sight forever...
These memories, sealed away for a thousand years, were uncontrollably awakened the moment it met the eyes that resembled Indra's.
Shukaku wailed inwardly.
Although something seems a little different... those eyes, that shivering feeling brought by chakra, are definitely not wrong.
Madara Uchiha, seeing the almost overflowing terror in the One-Tailed Beast's eyes, calmly maintained the posture of holding it in front of him, and spoke again, his voice deeper than before, in a commanding tone: "Tell me, who is Indra?"
This time, Shukaku heard it.
It trembled and answered in a weak, mosquito-like voice, "Indra... isn't that you?"
Upon hearing this, a distinct look of speechlessness flashed in Madara's eyes: "I am not Indra."
"ah?"
This unexpected denial startled the little Shukaku, who was nearly scared out of its wits. A hint of blankness and confusion could even be seen on its small, sandy face.
Not...Indra?
But those eyes... that chakra feeling... it's clearly...
Its little head was completely confused, and for a moment it forgot to be afraid. It just stood there dumbly and blankly being held in mid-air by the spotted man, its little mouth unconsciously open.
Yan Sheng, who had been standing silently to the side and had watched the whole farce unfold, suddenly spoke up.
His voice was as calm and detached as ever, revealing little emotion: "Tell me in detail about the Indra you mentioned."
Yan Sheng's sudden voice startled Shukaku from its daze. It instinctively turned its head to look at the human who had beaten it into its current state, equally terrifying but not in the same way as "Indra."
Not Indra? Then who is it? Why does it look so much like Indra? Even that look of looking down at ants is exactly the same! Could it be that Indra lost his memory? Or... is it a reincarnation? It's not uncommon to hear similar legends throughout the long lives of the tailed beasts...
Just as Shouhe was caught up in a new brainstorming session, wildly imagining all sorts of melodramatic scenarios, Yan Sheng, seeing that it didn't answer, patiently asked again.
The tone remained unchanged, but the surrounding air temperature dropped slightly.
“Tell me more, Indra.”
Shukaku snapped out of its reverie. It hadn't forgotten who had extinguished its flames, and its fear of that human was no less than its fear of Indra.
It dared not linger any longer, and secretly glanced at "Indra," who was still holding it with a cold expression. After struggling internally for a moment, it finally succumbed to reality.
It began to recount in a hesitant, low voice: "Indra is... is the eldest son of the Sage of Six Paths, long, long ago..."
It pieced together fragments of its memory about Indra, bit by bit.
"He was born incredibly powerful, possessing immense ocular power and chakra... Cold and aloof, he rarely speaks, and looks at everyone as if they owe him money... He believes in power, that strength is everything, and that rules are paramount..."
As it spoke, Little Shukaku secretly observed Madara Uchiha's expression. Seeing that although the other party was expressionless, he was listening with extreme focus, and the oppressive feeling was increasing, it was frightened and quickly continued speaking.
"He also has a younger brother named Ashura... completely opposite to him, initially incredibly weak and silly... but because he's a nice person, like a little sun, many people like him and are willing to help him... and later... um..."
At this crucial point, Shukaku hesitated, unsure how to continue, fearing it might touch upon some taboo and displease Indra. Its little paws nervously fidgeted, as it carefully considered its words:
"Later, the old man, the Sage of Six Paths, chose Ashura as his successor..." It quickly mumbled a sentence, then immediately skipped over the details, "Indra and Ashura fought, Indra lost, and left the Ninja Sect. I never saw him again."
While describing the outcome of the battle between the brothers as briefly and vaguely as possible, it secretly observed Madara's reaction, acting like a coward who thought, "That's all I know, don't ask me anymore."
Yan Sheng listened quietly, his eyes filled with thoughtful reflection.
He knew very little about the past of the ninja world, mainly because there were very few records about it. Therefore, Shukaku's words were like a distant and unfamiliar myth to him. He didn't care who was right or wrong between Indra and Ashura, nor did he care about the issue of succession in the ninja sect. He only found it interesting—it turned out that tailed beasts had lived for so long.
And how could Madara bear such a resemblance to a figure from mythology?
Compared to Yan Sheng's nonchalant attitude, Uchiha Madara's inner world was far less calm than it appeared.
Shukaku's words exploded in his mind like a thunderclap.
The Sage of Six Paths?
Was it the Sage of Six Paths that he knew?
Madara slowly released his grip on Shukaku.
The little Shukaku fell back onto the cold table with a "plop," a little dazed from the fall, but it dared not complain. It scrambled away a short distance on its hands and feet, curled up into a ball, and looked at the two terrifying humans in front of it with vigilance and fear, especially the one that looked like Indra.
Madara's gaze shifted from Shukaku to Michikatsu, his eyes gleaming as if flames were burning deep within them.
The two brothers' eyes met in the air.
Yan Sheng was the first to withdraw his probing gaze from Ban and turn his attention back to the small clump of sand on the table that was trying to minimize its presence: "Why do you think he is the Indra you mentioned?"
It goes without saying who this "he" refers to.
One-Tail furtively raised its eyelids, quickly glanced at Madara, then lowered its head and exclaimed in a confident tone, "Cha-chakra!"
It explained, "Everyone's chakra is different, just like no two leaves in the world are the same. That's basic common sense." Then it muttered a complaint under its breath.
“I am too familiar with Indra’s chakra. It’s cold, powerful, and oppressive… I would never mistake that feeling! Your chakra is exactly the same as his!” He mustered up his courage to say the last sentence to Madara, and then immediately shrank back.
Upon hearing this, Yan Sheng looked at Ban, his eyes once again filled with a probing expression.
Ban snapped out of his chaotic thoughts, met Yan Sheng's gaze, and then looked coldly at Shukaku: "I cannot be the Indra you speak of." He paused, each word crystal clear, "If you are not lying, the Indra you know is a figure from a thousand years ago. And I have only been born for twenty-four years."
Upon hearing this denial, Shukaku showed no doubt, but instead revealed a sense of vicissitude that was completely inconsistent with its current youthful appearance.
It sighed, shook its little head made of sand, and said in a tone that said, "You're still too young," with an air of maturity:
"So you really are his reincarnation. Then it's not wrong to say you are Indra."
The moment the word "reincarnation" was uttered, Madara's brows furrowed instantly, a clear hint of displeasure flashing across his face. He, Uchiha Madara, was unique; how could he be a continuation of some thousand-year-old ghost?
He snorted coldly and said arrogantly, "Reincarnation? Nonsense. Moreover, I, Uchiha Madara, will not lose to anyone." His words were filled with absolute confidence and arrogance, stemming from his confidence in his own formidable strength.
Upon hearing these arrogant words, One-Tail's little face revealed a complex expression of "I knew it would be like this" and "No wonder you haven't changed": "Yeah, nobody expected you to... uh." Madara's death stare made it realize its slip of the tongue, and it quickly stopped, frantically waving its little paws, trying to cover up its mistake:
"Ahem! I mean, nobody expected Indra to lose. Even the old man of the Six Paths had prepared a backup plan in case Ashura lost..."
Its voice grew softer and softer; clearly, it realized it had said the wrong thing again.
—Shut up, can't you say something nice?!
Yan Sheng spoke, his cold voice breaking the tense atmosphere: "I wanted to say this before." He looked at Shukaku, his gaze calm yet sharp, "The Sage of Six Paths you mentioned seems... to dislike his eldest son very much."
Yan Sheng's perspective is so 'unique' that he incisively points out the inconsistency hidden in the narrative.
A father who prepared a backup plan for his second son who might lose, but showed little regret or attempt to make amends for his eldest son's failure? This doesn't sound like he has equal love for his two sons at all.
When asked this pointed question, One-Tail hesitated, unsure how to answer. It glanced furtively at Madara's cold, almost indistinguishable face, which bore a striking resemblance to Indra's, scratched its head, and whispered:
"Well, I can't say I dislike him... As for that old man, the Six Paths, how should I put it?" It tried to organize its thoughts and be objective so as not to offend the "reincarnation of Indra" in front of it.
"Indra... he was too arrogant. He was born with everything—power, wisdom... so he believed that power was everything, and that only the strong were worthy of setting rules and controlling everything. He didn't understand, like his brother Asura, how to understand the feelings of the weak, how to 'love' others, how to 'connect' with others..."
Shukaku's tone carried a complex emotion about that kind of "aloofness" that it itself might not have realized.
“The old man of the Six Paths, he kept shouting that ‘love’ is the true power, the fundamental force guiding the world… Naturally, he felt that Indra’s path was wrong, a path leading to loneliness and destruction. So…” Shukaku’s voice trailed off, “So in the end, he chose Ashura, who understood ‘love’ and ‘understanding’…”
It didn't say anything more, but the meaning was already clear.
In the Sage of Six Paths' value system, Indra, who does not understand "love" and only believes in absolute power, has fundamentally embarked on a path contrary to his expectations.
Therefore, that "dislike" did not stem from aversion, but rather from a deep-seated disappointment stemming from a clash of ideologies.
Madara Uchiha's displeasure was gradually replaced by deep contemplation.
After hearing Ichiyo's explanation that the Sage of Six Paths chose Ashura because Ashura understood "love" and "understanding," Yan Sheng's cold face revealed a clear disapproval and a hint of contempt.
Is love the only power?
Yan Sheng coldly repeated these six words in his mind, feeling that their absurdity was beyond measure.
His ideas were so naive as to be almost foolish, so weak as to be self-destructive—he simply could not understand them, let alone agree with them.
In his view, such thoughts might be a harmless personal choice for ordinary people; but if a ruler, a creator of order and rules, takes them as gospel... it would undoubtedly be a complete disaster, the beginning of all chaos and collapse.
"Hmph." A cold snort escaped from his lips, carrying an undisguised, icy mockery.
“A leader, as the one who makes and upholds the rules, must first and foremost abide by the rules and ensure their implementation with absolute power. In this respect, the actions and ideas of the Indra you mentioned are not wrong.”
His gaze swept over the bewildered Yiwei and the pensive Ban on the table: "Human nature is mostly selfish, and seeking advantage and avoiding harm is the norm. There may be saints in the world who are completely selfless and dedicated to the benefit of others, but they are rare among millions. To place the foundation of rule on such scarce and unpredictable 'love' and 'understanding' is no different from building a tower on sand."
He paused, a sharp sarcasm in his voice: "Moreover, isn't the premise of the Sage of Six Paths' so-called 'rule by love' based on his own unparalleled absolute power? If he didn't have the strength to establish the Ninja Sect and suppress the chaos of the world, who would have calmed down to listen to his empty preaching of 'love'? They would probably have been torn to pieces long ago, and his theory would have become a laughing stock."
Yan Sheng's words were like a sharp blade drawn from its sheath, peeling away the tender facade to get straight to the heart of the matter—"love" and "power" are not equal wings; the latter is the fundamental guarantee of the former. "Love" without the support of power is utterly vulnerable in the face of harsh reality.
"In my opinion, neither the Sage of Six Paths nor his second son, Ashura, were qualified rulers. They were too idealistic and confused private morality with public power. A qualified ruler needs a calm mind like Indra's, a reverence for the rules, and the ruthless power necessary to uphold them."
His gaze finally settled on Madara, as if he were examining Indra from a thousand years ago through him: "Not understanding 'love' is not a flaw, but rather the rejection of unnecessary weakness and bias. Indra is the one truly suited to wield power and establish order. The Sage of Six Paths' choice was not based on considerations of rule, but on his personal preferences and unrealistic fantasies, which can only be described as foolish."
Yan Sheng's words were utterly disrespectful to the progenitor of ninjas.
But the logic was rigorous, cold and realistic, stemming from the perspective of a pure ruler. Little Shukaku was stunned, even forgetting his fear, only feeling that this human's thoughts... were even colder and more terrifying than Indra's!
After listening to this shocking yet surprisingly insightful argument, Madara Uchiha gave Yan Sheng a deep look.
Looking at his younger brother's pale face but still straight back, the thought involuntarily resurfaced in his mind: his younger brother, apart from being born with a weak physique and needing careful care, was an all-rounder in swordsmanship, strategy, temperament, and even the understanding of power.
No wonder he's Madara Uchiha's younger brother.
As for Ichiyo's earlier statement about "Indra's reincarnation"...
Ban's gaze swept over the little sand on the table, whose brain was sluggish from receiving too much information, and he scoffed inwardly.
Regardless of what happened a thousand years ago, and no matter how similar he was to that so-called Indra, he is now Uchiha Madara, and only Uchiha Madara. He is neither a shadow nor a continuation of anyone else.
Suppressing his chaotic thoughts, Ban looked at Yan Sheng and asked, "Have you made a contract with it?"
Yan Sheng shook his head and said succinctly, "Not yet."
"We can make a contract to prevent any accidents," Madara said with his usual decisive tone. Tailed beasts are not docile livestock after all. Even though they have been reverted to their "original forms" at this moment, their nature remains dangerous. An uncontrolled tailed beast left in the clan's territory is ultimately a hidden danger.
As he spoke, without asking Shukaku's wishes, intricate and eerie patterns suddenly appeared and spun in his eyes. His enormous, cold, and terrifying pupil power, like an invisible tide, instantly enveloped the trembling little Shukaku on the table.
Forcibly establishing a contract using the Sharingan is an extremely simple, brutal, and dangerous method. Unless the user's strength absolutely overwhelms the summoning beast and their mental power is unparalleled, this approach is highly likely to backfire: at best, it will cause mental damage, and at worst, it may lead to being corrupted by the summoning beast's will.
But this is not a problem for Madara Uchiha.
"Wait, wait! Lord Shukaku doesn't want a contract! Especially not with this terrifying brat! Let me go! Indra! You can't do this—!" One-Tail was terrified and cried out in sharp protest, its small body struggling wildly, trying to escape the restraint of the eye power.
However, its protests and desires appear so pale and powerless in the face of absolute power, like a flying insect caught in a spider's web, any struggle is futile.
The eerie power of its gaze forcefully invaded its consciousness, imprinting Yan Sheng's chakra mark and the contractual terms of absolute obedience as deeply as a branding iron.
A moment later, the kaleidoscope pattern in Madara's eyes slowly faded. The contract was complete.
As if all its strength had been drained, the little Shukaku collapsed onto the scroll, even the grains of sand seemed a little duller, leaving only a despair that made it feel like it had no will to live.
It, the esteemed Lord Shukaku, was not only slapped to the size of a palm, but also forced to sign a contract of servitude... Its beastly life is hopeless...
Ban acted as if he had only done something insignificant, and then asked about something else: "What you said you were going to do for a while was to go find it?"
Yan Sheng grunted in agreement.
He glanced at the newly created, lifeless, miniature summoning beast and stated one of his purposes for capturing the tailed beasts: "Tailed beasts can serve as a living 'defense mechanism'."
He explained calmly and clearly, “A large settlement cannot always rely on top-tier combat power to defend it. There will always be times when you, me, or other strong individuals are away. In the event of a powerful enemy invading at that time, the existence of the Tailed Beasts can serve as a powerful means of counterattack and delay. Their massive chakra and destructive power are also an excellent deterrent, enough to make some covetous individuals hesitate.”
His idea is to view the Tailed Beasts as a living, powerful strategic defensive weapon to fill the defensive gaps when there is a lack of high-end combat power, and to exist as a strategic deterrent force.
Madara Uchiha listened and showed an expression of agreement.
He didn't see anything wrong with it; powerful forces should be used effectively to serve a greater purpose. It's just...
He reached out and ruffled his younger brother's hair: "The idea is good, but it's too dangerous. You should have told me, and I would have gone to catch him."
In his view, Yan Sheng's body was ultimately a weakness, and the risk of facing the tailed beast alone was too high. This dangerous, dirty, and tiring work should be done by him.
The younger brother only needs to offer his ideas and stay safely in the rear.
Yan Sheng neither agreed nor disagreed with Ban's overprotective attitude. He calmly looked away, neither agreeing nor refuting.
Ban could clearly see Yan Sheng's thoughts.
His younger brother was a deep thinker with clear goals; once he made up his mind about something, there was little he could change it or wait for. After a moment of contemplation, Ban chose a compromise over Yan Sheng's decision to take the risk alone.
He softened his tone and said, "I'm going to find Hashirama to discuss the Tailed Beasts. After that, I'll go with you to capture them."
He paused, thinking of the mountain of scrolls on his desk concerning the village's preparations and the urgent ethnic disputes that needed to be resolved. He rubbed his temples and said, "But I still have a lot of urgent work to do, which will take two days. You stay in the tribal area for these two days and rest well. Once I've finished, we'll set off."
This is the biggest concession that Madara could make, based on practical considerations and concerns for his younger brother's health.
However, Yan Sheng was clearly dissatisfied with this arrangement. It was too inefficient. Two days, plus the potential delays caused by Ban's companionship and differences in discussion or combat methods, were, in his view, an unnecessary waste.
He looked up at Madara and offered what he considered a better solution: "We can split up. You handle the tasks, and I'll continue searching for the next tailed beast. That's more efficient."
"Ha." Upon hearing this, Ban almost laughed in anger.
He knew Yan Sheng was independent, but he hadn't expected him to be so independent as to disregard his own safety. Were the Tailed Beasts something he could search for "more efficiently" on his own? He was lucky this time, but what about next time?
He reached out, with a hint of helplessness and an irresistible force, and ruffled Yan Sheng's black hair, making the smooth strands a little messy: "What's the rush?"
Yan Sheng's head was turned slightly as he was being rubbed, his long, dark eyelashes drooping down and casting a faint shadow on his lower eyelids, concealing the fleeting anxiety deep in his eyes.
Why isn't he in a hurry?
How could he not be anxious?
That name, that figure, were like a flame branded deep within his soul, burning day and night, urging him to keep moving forward, to become stronger, faster—
Yoriichi was waiting for him.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Indra's life is tragic; she's a beautiful, strong, and tragic character with a proud, aloof, and obsessive personality—a super-amplified version of Madara, which is why she's often misunderstood.
Ashura clearly loves his brother, but he's a fool who easily trusts others. Driven by someone with ulterior motives, so...
Madara thought that Kokushiro was lucky to catch the One-Tailed Beast, which stemmed from his lack of understanding of Kokushiro.
In his view, his younger brother was not strong, and if he could be captured by his not-so-strong younger brother, then One-Tail must be even weaker.
However, given Madara's strength, it's true that he said the One-Tailed Beast was weak; he could easily defeat the Nine-Tailed Beast. All the tailed beasts were mere minions compared to him (and Hashirama).
As the top student put it, it's simple [smiley face].
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
