Leaving the tranquil waters of the lake behind, Kai materialized instantly in Stone Village. Within the confines of a dimly lit room, Oonoki was in the midst of a heated discussion with his trusted generals, among whom were Kitsuchi and Kurotsuchi. They were, after all, bound by blood to the Tsuchikage, ensuring their positions of high importance within the village.

As the air grew tense with every word exchanged among the gathered, Kai's abrupt entry did not go unnoticed. Murmurs of displeasure rose among the village's elders present. Their eyes, filled with veiled annoyance, shifted towards him, silently questioning the audacity of such an intrusion.

Before any elder could voice their discontent, Oonoki's sharp voice cut through, "Shut up!" The authority in his tone was undeniable. After a brief moment that felt like an eternity, Oonoki continued, his eyes fixed on Kai, "Welcome, Kai. Take a seat. We're almost done here."

Kai nodded, taking an empty seat. His presence in the room was like a still storm, commanding and undeniable, yet he was unfazed by the atmosphere. Kitsuchi glanced at him, his brows slightly furrowed, but chose to remain silent. Kurotsuchi, on the other hand, smirked, "Making a grand entrance as always?"

Kai met her gaze, "Is there any other way?"

The room hummed with a mixture of tension and amusement. Oonoki sighed, "Alright, back to the matter at hand. The incoming war is not something we can ignore."

"Of course," Kai agreed, leaning forward. "What's the plan?"

Oonoki exhaled heavily, his voice threading the weighted silence like a fine needle, precise and somewhat fragile, "At this point, wait. We don't know when Akatsuki will strike." His gaze, reflecting years of battle-hardened wisdom, wandered about the room, tangentially bouncing off the walls, absorbing the sediment of myriad tactical discussions that lingered there.

Kai's acknowledgement, a simple "Soon," hung in the air, assertive and concise.

One of the elders, his face furrowed in frustration and annoyance, finally snapped, "How can you be so certain?" He pointed an accusatory finger at Kai, the audacity of the younger man's entrance still fresh in his mind.

Kai shifted his focus to the elder, the weight of his gaze as palpable as the heaviest rock. It was a gaze that seemed to penetrate the man's very soul, searching for weaknesses and finding them in abundance. In those fleeting moments under Kai's scrutiny, the elder felt every second of his life, every decision, every mistake, bear down upon him, making him feel insignificant and powerless.

Kai's disdain for the elder was masked only by the tiniest semblance of decorum, a veiled loathing hidden beneath a facade of neutrality. He hated his type – those who wielded age as a shield and contribution as a weapon, yet brought nothing else of substance to the table. The man before him, wrinkles deep and gaze shaky under the intense scrutiny of Kai’s eyes, was a prime example of such a stereotype, sweating profusely yet unable to look away from the young man’s penetrating stare.

The elder’s hand trembled as he wiped sweat from his brow, his other hand clutching his robes tightly as if to steady himself. He swallowed hard, attempting to form words, to respond to Kai's silent yet thunderous indictment. His mouth opened, yet no sound escaped, his throat rendered useless under the sheer weight of Kai’s unspoken yet undeniably clear judgement.

Oonoki, sensing the increasing tension, raised his hand, the gesture commanding immediate attention. "Out, all of you," he spoke, his voice unwavering, "Kitsuchi and Kurotsuchi stay." The elders, previously frozen in place, now scrambled to exit the room, nearly tripping over one another in their haste to escape the tangible tension that had enveloped them.

When the room was finally emptied, Kai's voice, cutting through the palpable tension, resonated with a gravity that rivaled the weight of the world itself. "Madara is back."

Kurotsuchi's eyes widened in shock, her mouth agape, momentarily lost for words. Kitsuchi, always the stoic and composed figure, felt a cold shiver trace down his spine, a testament to the legendary name uttered.

Oonoki's reaction was the most pronounced of all. His posture seemed to falter for a second, and a visible tremor ran through his aged frame. He took a moment, clearly gathering his thoughts. "How certain are you?" He finally managed to ask, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Completely," Kai responded, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

Oonoki was about to press further, hopeful that perhaps Kai was mistaken, but Kai’s next words obliterated that hope altogether. “We fought,” he stated simply, his voice clear and resolute in the quiet room.

The atmosphere thickened considerably with that admission, the shock among them palpable. If Kai fought Madara, and stood before them unscathed, didn't that signify a victory on his part? Their eyes, widened in disbelief, flitted to Kai, but he shook his head before they could voice their assumptions.

“I had the upper hand, but I wasn’t close to winning before he escaped.”

Their hearts collectively dropped. Kai - the warrior who never blinked in the face of the enemy, who could bring even the most formidable opponent to their knees with his undeniable prowess – had made Madara Uchiha, the legendary shinobi feared by all, flee. Their minds whirled in turmoil, trying to stitch together the implications of such a revelation.

Kurotsuchi’s voice, when it finally cut through the stunned silence, held a tremor that was not typically there, “You...made Madara retreat? Just...how?”

Oonoki's eyes remained firmly fixed on Kai, his seasoned mind treading through possible scenarios and strategies that could be deployed in light of this unprecedented revelation. Kitsuchi, his features embodying his stoic nature, internalized the shock, his mind instead working overtime to analyze the potential implications of Madara’s return on the forthcoming war.

Kai’s posture remained composed as he spoke, his voice level and assuring despite the gravity of the words tumbling from his lips. “Our encounter was brief, but enough to gauge his capabilities. Madara is not to be underestimated, but neither am I.”

The depth of Kai's voice carried a resonance of unspoken battles, of a wisdom garnered through myriad confrontations and a life steeped in conflict. His eyes, though, remained calm, accepting of the chaos yet unhindered by it, a testament to his seasoned warrior spirit.

Kitsuchi finally spoke, "Your presence here, unscathed after a confrontation with Madara, speaks volumes of your capabilities, Kai. But how did he return? The last anyone knew, Madara was dead."

Kai leaned back, as he simply said. "Edo Tensei.”