A New Snake In The Shinobi World

"Somewhere halfway between life and death?"

Obito froze for a moment. His gaze landed on the old man before him, his single visible eye narrowing in confusion. Noticing the exposed Sharingan in the man's left eye, Obito couldn't help but ask, "Your eyes… Could it be, Grandpa, are you also a member of the Uchiha clan?"

"Hmm. That's for you to figure out," Madara replied in a low, indifferent tone.

Obito's scarlet Sharingan with two tomoe spun faintly as he tried to process the situation. Memories of being crushed under the boulder and his body failing him flashed in his mind. Was it this old man who saved him?

But something didn't add up.

"You said this place is somewhere halfway between life and death? Where exactly is this? It's so dark I can barely see anything!" Obito grumbled, his voice laced with nervousness. Trying to mask his fear, he forced a grin. "Hey, Grandpa, who are you anyway? Don't tell me… you're the Grim Reaper? The one who decides if people go to heaven or hell?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, his Sharingan caught a glint of light. His eyes darted to the scythe in Madara's hand, its cold metal reflecting the dim light ominously.

"No… no, no, no! I don't want to die yet! Please, I'm begging you, help me! I saw it just now—that's definitely a scythe! You're the Grim Reaper, aren't you? The Grim Reaper of the Uchiha clan, here to take me to hell! I don't want to die, please!" Obito yelled in panic, clutching at his injuries. "I've always helped old people in need! Sure, I've broken rules and done a few bad things, but I help old ladies cross the street all the time! You can't send me to hell, please!"

Madara watched Obito's exaggerated antics without a flicker of emotion. "You're in pain, aren't you? That's proof you're still alive," he said flatly. "It's a miracle you survived, not because of luck, but because of your eye power."

"Yes," Madara said. "Your Sharingan. It's what allowed you to survive."

"Wait, what? My Sharingan did that?" Obito mumbled, still trying to piece it all together. "By the way, where exactly did you find me? I remember there was some weird white guy too!"

"Are you talking about me?" A voice chimed in.

A white figure stepped into view, lighting a candle. The dim room was finally illuminated, revealing the cavernous chamber.

Obito's eyes widened as he recognized the strange figure. "Oh! Yeah, that's right! Did you save me? Thank you!"

"It wasn't me," White Zetsu replied with a grin. "I only acted on his orders. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have bothered saving you."

"Is that so…" Obito turned his gaze back to Madara. "Thank you, Grandpa!"

Madara's expression remained calm. "Don't thank me yet. You'll repay this kindness… thoroughly," he said. His tone carried an ominous weight. "You said you like helping the elderly, didn't you?"

"Well, yeah, I guess I did say that," Obito replied, scratching the back of his head. "So… what do you want me to do? Stay here and take care of you?"

"That's one way to put it," Madara said, his lips curving into a faint smile.

Obito stiffened. "Wait, hold on, Grandpa! I can't stay here for too long! It's wartime right now, and I need to get back to the battlefield to fight for Konoha and bring glory to our Uchiha clan! So, uh… can we negotiate the terms?"

Madara's tone shifted slightly, carrying a hint of amusement. "Bring glory to the Uchiha, you say?"

"Of course!" Obito said matter-of-factly. "I'm the Uchiha clan's genius! Once I awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan, I'll be unstoppable on the battlefield. I'll achieve great things, become the leader of the Uchiha, and eventually… Hokage! Everyone will respect me!"

"Mangekyo Sharingan? Hokage?" Madara murmured, his weak voice a mix of curiosity and something akin to mockery.

"Yeah, that's right! Grandpa, you're an Uchiha too, so you must know about the Mangekyo Sharingan, right?" Obito said excitedly, his youthful arrogance shining through.

"I didn't think even a brat like you would know about the Mangekyo Sharingan," Madara replied, narrowing his eyes.

"Of course I know about it!" Obito said proudly. "Not only have I heard of it, I've even seen it!"

"You've seen it?" Madara's eyes flickered with surprise.

In his era, the Mangekyo Sharingan was a rare and revered ability, possessed only by the most gifted members of the Uchiha clan. That this boy had seen it firsthand piqued his interest.

"Yeah, but enough about that! My teammates are still out there fighting. I need to get back to them!" Obito said impatiently.

"Wake up to reality," Madara interrupted sharply.

Obito froze.

"Nothing ever goes as planned in this accursed world," Madara said, his voice heavy with conviction. "The longer you live, the more you realize that the only things that truly exist in this reality are merely pain, suffering and futility."

Obito blinked, caught off guard by the sudden change in tone.

"Listen carefully," Madara continued, undeterred by Obito's confusion. "In this world, wherever there is light, there will always be shadows to be found as well. As long as there is a concept of victors, the vanquished will also exist. The selfish intent of wanting to preserve peace, initiates war and hatred is born in order to protect love. There are nexuses causal relationships that cannot be separated."

Obito stared blankly, utterly lost. "What's this old man even talking about?" he muttered to himself.

Madara ignored his bewilderment, speaking as if delivering a grand proclamation. "Someone saved you from that battlefield, didn't they? Am I wrong?"

Obito frowned. "Yeah… but why did you only save me? What about my teammates? Why didn't you save them too?"

Madara leaned on his scythe for support as he stood and walked toward a stone bed behind him. "The lives of others mean nothing to me," he said coldly. "I saved you because you bear the name Uchiha."

"Uchiha?" Obito repeated, his expression shifting. Something about this man's words and demeanor unsettled him.

Why was an old Uchiha living in a place like this?

Thinking back, Obito realized he had never seen or heard of this man in Konoha. Not even the clan elders or villagers had ever mentioned him.

"Wait a second," Obito said, his voice growing colder. "You're not a Konoha ninja anymore, are you? That means… you're a rogue ninja! Who are you, really?"

Madara turned to face him fully, his presence suddenly overwhelming.

"I am Uchiha Madara—the Ghost of the Uchiha."

Obito's breath caught in his throat.

"U-Uchiha Madara?" he stammered, disbelief and awe mixing in his voice.

***

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