Chapter 62: My Neighbor, Madara Uchiha
"What a nuisance..."
Madara Uchiha drew a slow breath, catching Ryoichi repeatedly glancing in his direction from the corner of his eye.
Had he known things would turn out like this, he should have rejected Asuka's invitation on the spot.
At the time, however, he had assumed the boy was plotting something.
Perhaps it was a trap.
Perhaps Asuka had already seen through his disguise and intended to make a move against him.
He had never feared such petty schemes.
In fact, he had even been curious to see the look on Asuka's face when he revealed his true identity.
Who would have thought...
It really was nothing more than dinner.
His chopsticks paused over the mountain of meat and vegetables piled into his bowl. Looking at Asuka, who was still enthusiastically adding more food to his plate, Madara said in his aged voice,
"This is excessive."
Without missing a beat, Asuka slapped a digestive tablet onto the table.
"There."
He tossed half a grilled fish beneath the table before discreetly nudging a few kittens he'd borrowed from Granny Neko's cat house.
Hurry up and eat.
Feeling a kitten continuously rubbing against his leg beneath the table, Ryoichi quietly withdrew the chopsticks that had been reaching for the fish and silently picked food from another dish instead.
"..."
After taking a bite of meat and vegetables, he raised his sake cup and hesitated before looking at Madara.
"Would you care for a drink?"
For some reason, the old man before him felt... unusual.
There was something different about him.
Look at how calm he was.
This was no ordinary gathering.
Everyone seated here was an elite Uchiha jōnin who had survived countless battlefields.
Although none of them harbored any hostility toward the elderly guest, years of war had left traces upon them. Their killing intent leaked unconsciously, enough to make an ordinary chūnin uneasy.
Yet the old man remained perfectly composed.
As though such company was completely ordinary to him.
Combined with that striking white, waist-length, spiky hair—a hairstyle almost unheard of in the ninja world...
The more Ryoichi observed him, the more convinced he became that this old man wasn't ordinary.
Madara glanced at the raised sake cup before calmly refusing.
"This old man doesn't drink."
The moment he spoke, several nearby jōnin gave him curious looks.
Blunt old fellow.
Fortunately, after watching Ryoichi awkwardly lower his cup again, everyone's attention shifted toward the head table.
The clan head had arrived, carrying his young son.
"Old man, stop looking."
Asuka nudged Madara.
"Hurry up and eat."
Madara withdrew his gaze from the current Uchiha Clan Head before looking back at the overflowing bowl in front of him.
Taking a deep breath, he declared,
"This old man is full."
Before Asuka could stop him, he immediately stood and walked away.
He had no intention of remaining here.
Otherwise...
The boy might force another mysterious digestive pill down his throat.
---
After circling Fugaku's residence, Madara arrived at an abandoned corner of the compound.
He lightly tapped the ground with his foot.
A White Zetsu silently emerged from beneath the earth.
"B... Madara-sama."
"We searched Asuka Uchiha's house."
"We found nothing."
"And Shukaku?"
"He's lying on the rooftop."
"Praising resignation."
"Praising freedom."
"...Freedom?"
Madara followed White Zetsu's finger toward Asuka's house.
The One-Tail was...
Simply wandering around freely?
After a long silence, he lowered his eyes toward White Zetsu.
"Observe him for three days."
"On the third night—"
"Hm?"
A familiar elderly voice suddenly came from behind.
White Zetsu instantly sank back underground.
Madara's face darkened with annoyance.
How troublesome.
"So this is where you were."
"I've been looking for you everywhere."
Ryoichi walked over while looking around.
Seeing how secluded the area was and noticing Madara's loosened belt, realization dawned on his face.
Ah...
So he came here to relieve himself after being overwhelmed by all the attention.
"Sigh..."
"The old man still can't remember where we've met."
"Perhaps I'm simply getting old."
"My memory isn't what it used to be."
"..."
Madara closed his eyes.
He had absolutely no desire to converse with this fool.
A few moments later—
Ryoichi shivered involuntarily before glancing at the familiar spiky white hair.
While fastening his belt, he muttered,
"It still feels familiar..."
"Don't stand behind this old man."
"I'm somewhat sensitive."
Ryoichi looked at him strangely.
Only then did he notice that the grass beneath Madara's feet was perfectly dry.
...Is he so nervous that he can't even pee if someone is standing behind him?
What an odd habit.
Chuckling softly, he moved two steps to the side.
"You remind me a little of..."
"...my older brother..."
His voice gradually trailed off.
Ryoichi rubbed his eyes.
He stared at the old man's long white hair.
Then—
His throat bobbed.
"Gulp."
Comparing the figure before him with the image buried deep within his memories...
Ryoichi turned around without hesitation.
"Oh, heavens..."
"They say people see deceased relatives before they die."
"But I'm perfectly healthy."
"So why am I seeing one now?"
"And even if I were..."
"I should be seeing my elder brother Ryota..."
"...not my cousin..."
"...Madara Uchiha."
"Damn it."
"That brat Asuka..."
"So this is your 'auspicious omen of the ninja world'?"
"This is the Ninja World's Asura!"
"Ryoichi Uchiha."
A cold voice suddenly echoed from behind.
His footsteps froze.
Lowering his head, Ryoichi squeezed his eyes shut.
"An illusion..."
"It's all an illusion."
"Someone actually dared cast genjutsu on this old man."
He immediately disrupted the flow of chakra within his body in an attempt to break the supposed illusion.
"Ryoichi Uchiha."
The icy voice sounded again.
Ryoichi gritted his teeth.
Drawing a kunai from his waist, he sliced open his palm.
"Hiss..."
Pain shot through his hand and into his brain.
Only then did he slowly open his eyes and look toward the night sky.
"...The genjutsu is finally broken."
A hand landed on his shoulder.
Ryoichi let out a helpless sigh.
"Cousin..."
"I know you hate this clan."
"But... could you please stop opposing it?"
Madara stepped beside him, expression indifferent.
The Uchiha Clan meant nothing to him anymore.
They were strangers.
Whether he intervened or not, they would inevitably perish within Konoha.
Once...
The clan had been everything to him.
Now...
The Infinite Tsukuyomi—the peace of the entire world—was everything.
The Uchiha?
Heh.
"If He left behind hadn't forced this old man here..."
"You would never have seen me."
Ryoichi's lips twitched.
That brat's eyesight really is incredible.
He recognized Madara from a single glance in a crowd.
You little menace...
"And then..."
Seeing Madara's indifferent gaze, Ryoichi's heart tightened.
Moments later, he laughed bitterly.
Izuna had entrusted the future of the clan to Madara.
Yet in the end...
The clan had abandoned him.
If that was the case...
What right did he have to believe he had fulfilled Izuna's dying wish?
Taking a deep breath, he composed himself before looking directly at the legendary Uchiha.
"Uchiha..."
"Uh..."
He stammered for a long while.
In the end, he still couldn't bring himself to say Madara's name aloud.
His shoulders slumped.
"Cousin..."
"Why have you returned this time?"
"None of your business."
"Then..."
"Is there anything you need me to do?"
"No."
Just as Ryoichi was about to continue probing for information—
"So both of you are here."
Asuka's cheerful voice drifted over.
Ryoichi's face immediately darkened.
This walking disaster...
One day he's going to get this old man killed.
The clan has enough bad luck already.
Why are you adding fuel to the fire?
"Get lost."
Hearing the scolding, Asuka rubbed his stuffed stomach and let out a satisfied burp before walking over.
"Old man."
"Did you drink too much fake sake?"
"Scram."
"This old man doesn't want to see you right now."
Watching Ryoichi desperately blink at him, Asuka thoughtfully scanned the surroundings before looking back and forth between the two men.
Neither carried the slightest hint of killing intent.
And Ryoichi had repeatedly mentioned that the old man looked strangely familiar.
Asuka nodded to himself.
So that's it.
These two really do know each other.
"Sigh..."
Patting his overfilled stomach, he said,
"I'll walk both of you home."
"It'll help with digestion."
Before Ryoichi could refuse, Asuka hooked one arm around him and the other around Madara.
The next instant, he leapt onto the rooftops, carrying both men toward Ryoichi's house.
---
Half an hour later.
Ryoichi sat across from Madara, his voice slightly hoarse.
"Cousin..."
"It's good to see you again."
Madara immediately heard the insincerity buried beneath those words.
Ignoring him, he turned his gaze toward Asuka's house across the street.
A faint nod escaped him.
This location...
Not bad.
From here, he could monitor Shukaku lounging on the rooftop.
He could also keep a constant watch over Asuka Uchiha.
Two or three days...
Would be more than enough to uncover the truth.