Shouta Kazuki couldn't help but swallow hard. His entire body trembled under the overwhelming pressure radiating from the legendary figure before him—Uchiha Madara.
The sheer force of Madara's presence felt like a storm crashing down upon him, making it difficult to breathe. His instincts screamed at him to run, but his body refused to move. The weight of history, of power, of absolute dominance, pressed down on him like an iron grip.
He had been ecstatic when the summoning ritual succeeded, but that excitement was now rapidly being replaced by a much darker realization.
Why would someone like Uchiha Madara willingly become my summoned beast?
A bead of cold sweat ran down Shouta's forehead.
If Madara finds out the truth, won't he just crush me in an instant? Won't he obliterate me with a flick of his wrist?!
Just as sheer panic threatened to overwhelm him, the system's voice echoed in his mind:
[The summoned undead maintains the same bond as a normal summoned creature.]
[The system guarantees that the summoned beast cannot harm the host, but it does not control their thoughts or actions.]
[Due to the unique nature of the undead, a psychic space has been formed within the host's body.]
[The summoned undead will reside in this space temporarily, and upon the host's death, they will return to the Pure world.]
Shouta inhaled sharply.
So Madara can't actually kill me.
That realization brought him only a small measure of relief. Even if Madara couldn't attack him directly, it didn't mean he wouldn't make Shouta's life a living hell.
And yet, despite everything, a thought crossed his mind that sent a shiver down his spine.
Madara's entire life was about achieving resurrection… and now, in a way, he has it.
If nothing else, this would keep Madara from wanting him dead. Because if he died, then so would the system—and Madara would return to being a mere soul in the realm of the dead.
A voice, low and powerful, snapped him from his thoughts.
"Oi, brat. I'm talking to you."
Shouta looked up, locking eyes with the Uchiha Madara. Those crimson Sharingan eyes pierced through him like a blade.
Madara had remained silent up until now, but his mind was already working furiously. He could feel it—his body was back. His flesh, his bones, his pulse.
He clenched his fists, feeling the strength coursing through his limbs.
He was at his peak.
No Edo Tensei drawbacks. No rotting body. No limitations.
And yet… something was wrong. His chakra—while overflowing with power—felt oddly linked to the boy in front of him.
Madara narrowed his eyes.
"Who are you?"
Shouta took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm.
"My name is Shouta Kazuki from Konoha."
Madara's expression barely changed, but his gaze sharpened.
"Kazuki? Not Uchiha?"
The realization made his frown deepen.
This brat—this insignificant, chakra-starved child—was not of his clan. He wasn't even remotely impressive.
And yet, the moment he heard "Konoha", Madara's expression flickered—rage, nostalgia, and something unspoken crossed his face.
"Konoha?!"
The name of the village he once helped create now tasted bitter on his tongue.
"You are a brat from Konoha, and yet you stand before me, summoning me into this world?!"
The sheer hatred in Madara's voice made Shouta's heart pound violently in his chest.
Madara stepped forward, eyes locked onto the boy with a glare sharp enough to cut steel.
"Explain. Now."
Shouta knew he had to be careful.
Telling Madara about the system was out of the question.
So, he exhaled slowly and spoke the first half-truth that came to mind.
"I was… reverse-summoned by the realm of the dead."
Madara's brows furrowed.
"Reverse-summoned?"
For the first time, his expression showed genuine confusion. He had never heard of such a thing.
Shouta nodded quickly, forcing himself to look confident.
"Yes. I signed a contract with the underworld. By paying a certain price, I was able to summon a being from the realm of the dead. And you, Uchiha Madara—you were the first I signed."
Silence.
Madara's fingers twitched slightly.
His mind was sharp enough to pick apart any deception. But what disturbed him the most was the truth in the brat's words.
He could feel it—the remnants of something otherworldly. His return was not due to the Edo Tensei. There were no foreign chakra influences forcing his soul to bind with a vessel.
He was alive.
But then—
"Summoned beast?"
Madara's expression darkened.
"You mean to tell me…"
A terrifying chakra exploded from his body, bursting into the air like a pillar of raw energy.
The ground trembled beneath their feet. The very air felt like it was cracking under the sheer force of his power.
"I have been reduced to nothing more than a summoned beast?!"
The words rang through the clearing like a thunderclap. The sheer fury in his voice sent shivers down Shouta's spine.
Oh, crap.
Madara's rage was unlike anything he had ever witnessed before. It was pure, it was primal, and it was utterly terrifying.
"Unforgivable."
He stepped forward, hand raising toward Shouta's neck.
"Brat… do you have any idea what you've just done?"
Shouta flinched, bracing himself for the worst—but then, something strange happened.
Madara's fingers stopped.
Mid-air.
His hand hovered mere inches from Shouta's throat, but no matter how hard he willed it—his body refused to obey.
Madara's eyes widened, flickering with shock for the first time.
"What…?"
He gritted his teeth, trying to force his arm forward—but it was as if an invisible chain was holding him back.
"What is this?! What have you done to me, brat?!"
Shouta, still shaken, exhaled in relief.
It's true.
The system won't let him kill me.
Madara, however, was far from finished. His chakra flared violently, his Sharingan spinning faster than ever. His fury was reaching its peak.
He refused to accept this.
Uchiha Madara—a mere summon?
This was unacceptable.
Shouta knew he had to act fast.
If he wanted to survive, if he wanted to keep Madara from making his life hell, he had to do something now.
So, summoning all the courage he had left, he spoke the one thing he knew would stop Madara in his tracks:
"You wanted resurrection, didn't you?"
Madara froze.
Shouta took a shaky step forward, staring straight into those deadly eyes.
"Well, congratulations."
"Because I just gave it to you."