Naruto: Tenseigan Eye

"If I'm correct, the Caged Bird curse mark on your forehead disappeared because of the Tenseigan, didn't it?"

Madara Uchiha's voice was calm but sharp, his curiosity evident. Though the concept of a "Tenseigan" distinct from the Rinnegan was new to him, Shinki's mental prowess and the smooth forehead without a seal made Madara's guess logical.

According to intelligence gathered by White Zetsu, Shinki had once borne the Caged Bird seal. The curse was gone now, replaced by unique, seemingly powerful eyes. The conclusion was straightforward: the Tenseigan had caused this transformation.

What really intrigued Madara, however, was Shinki's claim that these eyes could decipher the Uchiha Shrine's stone tablet. That alone spoke volumes about their power.

"Yes," Shinki confirmed with a faint smile, not denying Madara's deduction.

Madara examined the young man's Tenseigan with great interest. "There must be a connection between the Tenseigan and the Byakugan, right?"

As the owner of the Sharingan, Madara knew firsthand how his eyes had evolved—from the Sharingan to the Mangekyō and, eventually, the Eternal Mangekyō. It wasn't hard to imagine the Byakugan undergoing a similar transformation.

"The Sharingan is connected to the Rinnegan. Why couldn't the Byakugan be related to the Tenseigan?"

Onoki, who had been silently fuming as Madara ignored him and focused solely on Shinki, couldn't hold back anymore.

Five of them had come here as representatives of the Five Great Ninja Villages, yet Madara had eyes only for Shinki.

"Are we invisible to you?" Onoki demanded, his temper flaring.

Madara didn't respond to Onoki directly, but the Tsuchikage's words seemed to spark an idea.

"The relationship between the Sharingan and the Rinnegan... and the relationship between the Byakugan and the Tenseigan..." Madara mused aloud, his sharp mind quickly piecing together the implications.

Having reached a conclusion, Madara turned his gaze back to Shinki, his expression serious.

"So, where are my eyes?"

At this, the atmosphere shifted. Tension crackled in the air as Onoki, the Third Raikage, the Third Kazekage, and Yagura immediately assumed defensive stances. They were ready to act the moment Madara made a move.

Shinki, however, remained calm. "They're with me," he said, meeting Madara's gaze. "But given the nature of the Rinnegan, I won't take them out to show you."

The risk was too great. If he presented the Rinnegan in front of Madara, the legendary shinobi might snatch them away in an instant.

"It seems a battle is inevitable," Madara said, his tone neutral. While he appreciated Shinki's honesty, it was clear that peaceful negotiations would go nowhere. The good news was that the Rinnegan were intact—they hadn't been destroyed or sealed away.

Onoki, who had been brimming with conflicting emotions, stepped forward. His fear of Madara warred with his desire to prove himself.

"Come on, Madara! Let's see how much you've weakened. I won't lose to you this time!" Onoki declared.

Madara didn't even bother suppressing a chuckle. "Do you really think I'd waste my time comparing myself to a child?"

The dismissive remark nearly sent Onoki into a fit of rage.

A child?

Technically, Madara wasn't wrong—he was far older than Onoki. But calling the eldest of the Five Kage a child was a blatant insult.

The other Kage couldn't help but exchange amused glances.

"No," Madara continued, as if correcting himself. "You're old too. But I have no interest in defeating you, Tsuchikage. This is merely a warm-up for me."

Onoki clenched his fists but held back his fury. He wanted to prove himself not for Madara's sake, but to wash away the humiliation of his past defeat.

Madara, seemingly uninterested in Onoki's turmoil, folded his arms across his chest. "You want me to start a war with the Five Great Ninja Villages?"

It was a rhetorical question, but the way Madara asked it made the intent clear. He wasn't afraid of declaring war; in fact, he relished the idea.

"Yes," Madara continued, his tone almost bored. "Before reclaiming my eyes, I'll play with the Five Great Ninja Villages first. Let's say… one month from now. The location..."

He paused, letting his gaze sweep over the group before settling on Onoki.

"...the Land of Earth."

The declaration stunned the group into silence.

There was no doubt that Madara had chosen the Land of Earth intentionally. Though he had ignored Onoki repeatedly, this decision felt like a deliberate act of revenge.

Onoki's face turned red with anger, but before he could respond, Madara added, "Hyuga Shinki, protect my eyes. If anything happens to them, I'll personally destroy the entire ninja world."

The words were cold, spoken without any hint of exaggeration. For Madara, a world without Hashirama Senju was already dull. If his ambitions were thwarted, obliterating the world wouldn't even faze him.