Senju Tobirama's sharp mind quickly pieced together the crucial bits of information from Uchiha Madara's frustrated words. His frown deepened.
"Five chances? What does that mean?"
There was a limit to how many times this so-called "summoning" could be performed. And from what Madara had let slip, it was not an exact science. The summoner had no control over who emerged.
Madara had clearly been hoping to summon his brother, Uchiha Izuna. Yet instead, it was Tobirama who had been called back from the dead.
A cold weight settled in Tobirama's chest. His mind raced through the implications.
If this boy—this Shouta Kazuki—had truly summoned them through some strange contract, then what were the exact conditions? How much control did Shouta have over them? And most importantly—why had he been chosen?
Tobirama's sharp eyes shifted toward the young summoner. His body might have been fully restored, but his instincts warned him that he was stepping into dangerous, unknown territory.
"I need more information."
Taking a deep breath, he pushed his skepticism aside and began his questioning.
"Shouta Kazuki, right? To be honest, I still don't fully understand… You said you spent 100 million silver taels to summon me. Are you saying that reviving someone like me is merely a matter of money?"
He was about to refer to Madara as that evil Uchiha, but he held his tongue at the last moment. His instincts warned him against provoking Madara needlessly. After all, he had already witnessed the devastating power the man still wielded.
Instead, he focused on another detail that caught his attention.
"And about what Madara just said—what exactly do you mean by 'five chances'? The remaining four—does that mean I was only one of the summons?"
Shouta nodded, his expression unreadable.
"Sharp, as expected of Tobirama-sensei."
He decided not to hide the truth. Tobirama was not someone easily fooled.
"That's right. I signed a contract with the world of the dead, but summoning requires a price—money. And because I'm currently in Konoha, I can only summon those who were once part of this village. Theoretically, I could summon people from other places too, but that requires unifying the entire ninja world first."
Tobirama narrowed his eyes. "Unifying the ninja world…?"
Shouta continued without hesitation.
"Summoning strong individuals like you and Madara requires 100 million taels each. Elite Jonin cost 10 million, normal Jonin cost 1 million, Chunin cost 100,000, and Genin cost only 10,000. But honestly, I don't care about weaker ninjas right now. At this stage, only Kage-level individuals are useful to me."
Tobirama processed this information quickly, his mind immediately calculating the vast sum of money required for such a feat.
"500 million taels… That is an immense amount, even for the wealthiest clans."
His gaze hardened as he scrutinized Shouta.
"Five hundred million? That's no small sum. Even the Senju clan at its peak wouldn't be able to produce such an amount so easily. Where did you get this money?"
Tobirama's suspicion grew. He was certain that a boy from a lesser clan like the Kazuki wouldn't have access to such funds.
"You didn't betray Konoha for this, did you?"
Shouta internally groaned. Before he could respond, he felt Madara's cold aura intensify.
"Hmph! Senju Tobirama, don't taint others with your own scheming thoughts. The boy borrowed the money!"
Tobirama's eyebrows twitched. He didn't believe that for a second.
"Borrowed? From whom?"
His voice carried heavy skepticism. "Which family in Konoha has that much wealth readily available? That's a ridiculous claim, even from you, Madara."
Madara let out a cold chuckle.
"Just because the Senju couldn't afford it doesn't mean Uchiha couldn't."
Tobirama's body tensed at those words.
"The Uchiha clan had that much wealth?!"
Madara crossed his arms, his smirk tinged with bitterness. "The boy borrowed it from the Uchiha."
Tobirama's expression darkened.
"The Uchiha… How convenient. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Who knows what kind of shady dealings your clan has been involved in to amass such a fortune?"
Madara's expression immediately turned deadly.
"Watch your words, Tobirama. You're already treading on thin ice."
Shouta internally cursed.
"Damn it, Tobirama! Do you really have to poke at Madara's wounds?!"
The tension between the two former enemies was thick, and it seemed like another battle could erupt at any moment.
Not wanting to waste his hard-earned money by having one of them kill the other, Shouta quickly intervened.
He reached out and tugged at Tobirama's sleeve. "Second Hokage, there's something you don't know."
Tobirama's attention snapped back to him.
"This money… It was nearly the entire wealth of the Uchiha clan. Because… the Uchiha have been exterminated."
The words rang through the psychic space like a death knell.
Tobirama's entire body stiffened. His breath hitched, and for the first time since his resurrection, genuine shock flashed across his face.
"What…?"
Shouta's voice was calm, but heavy. "There is only one surviving Uchiha in Konoha now. The rest… are gone."
Silence.
Tobirama felt the weight of those words settle in his chest. His mind reeled at the implications.
"The Uchiha… exterminated? Completely?"
He had always believed the Uchiha to be a powerful, enduring clan—too strong to be wiped out entirely. And yet, Shouta's words carried a certainty that could not be ignored.
His gaze flickered toward Madara.
Madara's eyes were shadowed, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His usually sharp tongue remained silent.
That silence said more than any words could.
The great Uchiha Madara—prideful, arrogant—stood there, defeated.
For the first time in his life, Tobirama felt an emotion he never thought he'd associate with Madara Uchiha.
Pity.
The legendary warrior who had once been his greatest enemy… now stood alone, the last of his kind.
Shouta exhaled slowly, watching Tobirama's reaction carefully. He knew this was a heavy truth to accept.
At last, Tobirama closed his eyes and let out a long breath. When he reopened them, his gaze was sharper than before.
"Tell me everything."
Shouta nodded. "I will. But first… we still have four summons left. Madara wants me to use them now."
Tobirama glanced at Madara, who remained eerily silent.
Finally, the Uchiha spoke, his voice low and filled with barely restrained fury.
"Try summoning my brother."
Shouta hesitated. He had no way of controlling who would appear. But he understood why Madara wanted this.
"Alright," he said, summoning his system. "Let's see who fate brings us next."