Silence filled the psychic space, suffocating and thick, as the weight of the revelations settled upon them all. Minato Namikaze stood motionless, his expression unreadable, but the turmoil in his heart was undeniable. His own disciple, Uchiha Obito, had been behind the attack on Konoha—the very one responsible for the death of his wife and his own demise. The truth was far heavier than any burden he had ever carried in life.
Shouta Kazuki watched him carefully. He had known this moment would come, but even he had not expected Minato's reaction to be so intense. The Fourth Hokage had always been known as the "Yellow Flash," a beacon of hope and strength for Konoha, but now, faced with the reality that his own student had betrayed him, his entire being seemed to tremble. His lips parted slightly, and in a voice barely above a whisper, he muttered, "Why...?"
"Why would he do this?" Minato's voice cracked as his fists clenched. His entire body shook, and tears welled in his eyes, flowing freely as he stood there, lost in the pain of his emotions. "Kushina and I... we never treated him badly. He was family. He was like a son to us… So why?" His golden hair, slightly disheveled, swayed as he shook his head in disbelief.
Watching this, Hashirama Senju's gaze softened. Though he had never known Minato personally, he could see the pain in his eyes. The loss of a disciple, the betrayal of someone you loved as family—it was something that even he, the God of Shinobi, could understand.
"Minato..." Hashirama began, but before he could say more, Tobirama scoffed. "Hmph. It's just like an Uchiha to let their emotions lead them astray. They are too weak-willed, too easily corrupted by grief. This is exactly why I always distrusted them."
Madara Uchiha's red eyes flared dangerously. "Tobirama... do you want me to crush you where you stand?" His voice was sharp, his killing intent suffocating. "Your prejudices are as ignorant as ever. Do not compare that foolish boy to the entirety of the Uchiha Clan."
Tobirama folded his arms but said nothing more. Even he knew when to hold his tongue.
Shouta finally sighed, stepping forward. "Minato-sensei," he said, his voice firm. "There's no changing the past. No matter how painful the truth is, you need to accept it. What matters now is what you do moving forward." His dark eyes met Minato's, unyielding. "You are alive again. You have the power to change things. So don't waste time grieving over things that cannot be undone."
Minato let out a shaky breath and finally nodded. "You're right..." He straightened, wiping away his tears. "I won't let the past define me."
Seeing that the atmosphere was settling, Shouta took a deep breath and pressed his hands together in a familiar seal. "Alright, enough dwelling on the past. I still have golden summons left to use. System, use another one now!"
A bright golden glow enveloped the space, and another figure began to take shape. As the light faded, a man with sharp features, dark spiky hair, and piercing eyes appeared. He wore the traditional Uchiha battle armor, and the moment his gaze landed on the people around him, his expression turned into one of shock.
"Fugaku Uchiha," Shouta muttered under his breath, confirming his suspicion.
"Fugaku!!!"
A sharp voice cut through the void, startling Uchiha Fugaku as he spun around. His keen eyes, honed by years of experience, widened in shock as he took in his surroundings. Standing before him was Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage, but that wasn't the only alarming sight. His gaze swept across the eerie space, and his heart clenched at the figures that stood alongside Minato.
The First Hokage, Senju Hashirama. The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama. And the most terrifying of them all—Uchiha Madara.
Fugaku's breath hitched. His mind reeled at the implications of their presence, and his muscles tensed involuntarily. How was this possible? Why were these legendary figures here? His confusion was quickly overshadowed by fear when his eyes landed on Madara's form. The progenitor of the Uchiha clan, the man whose name was spoken with both reverence and dread, was standing mere feet away from him.
A cold sweat formed on Fugaku's forehead. He instinctively clenched his fists, fighting the urge to step back. But the truth clawed at his mind—he, Uchiha Fugaku, had failed the Uchiha clan. He had stood by as they were annihilated. If Madara knew what had transpired… would he kill him on the spot for his incompetence?
Madara's crimson Sharingan locked onto Fugaku's own, and for a fleeting second, the air felt suffocating. A knowing smirk played on Madara's lips, but his eyes flashed with something between disdain and irritation.
"Hmph." Madara scoffed, crossing his arms.
That single sound carried a weight that crushed Fugaku's composure. He swallowed hard, feeling his pride shatter under the realization that, in Madara's eyes, he was nothing but a disappointment.
Minato, sensing Fugaku's turmoil, quickly stepped forward. "Fugaku, listen to me. I'll explain everything." His voice was firm but calm, trying to ease the tension.
Still rattled, Fugaku turned to him, his mind struggling to keep up with this impossible reality. He listened intently as Minato relayed everything he had learned—from the summoning to the mysterious Shouta Kazuki, who had apparently brought them all here. But something about that name didn't sit right with him.
Shouta Kazuki? Who was that?
And then, Minato continued, casually mentioning a connection that made Fugaku's blood freeze.
"Your son, Sasuke, is in the same class as him."
Fugaku's world tilted. His son? Sasuke?
He had so many questions. Was Sasuke safe? How had he been doing all this time? He had failed his clan, but he couldn't bear the thought of failing his son. He wanted to ask, needed to ask, but one glance at the towering figures around him forced him to swallow his anxiety. Now wasn't the time.
A sudden, metallic voice rang out, breaking through his spiraling thoughts.
[Congratulations to the host for successfully summoning the dead and obtaining the summoned beast: Uchiha Fugaku.]
A chilling silence followed.
Fugaku's expression darkened. Summoned… beast?
The voice, detached and mechanical, continued.
[A random ability of the summoned being is being extracted for the host.]
Shouta felt his breath hitch as the notification popped up in front of him. His heart pounded in his chest, fingers trembling in anticipation. What ability would he gain from this?
[Congratulations! The host has obtained the Mangekyō Sharingan.]
Shouta's eyes widened. He had actually acquired the most prized possession of the Uchiha bloodline! The sheer power of the Mangekyō was legendary, granting abilities beyond ordinary comprehension. Excitement coursed through his veins as he imagined the possibilities.
But before he could even begin to test it, another notification shattered his joy.
[Ability of the Mangekyō Sharingan: None.]
Shouta's excitement screeched to a halt. His expression twisted in disbelief.
"What?!" He nearly shouted. "No ability? How is that even possible?!"
He clenched his fists, frustration welling up inside him. The Mangekyō Sharingan was legendary for its unique and powerful abilities. Kamui, Tsukuyomi, Amaterasu—every wielder had their own distinct technique. Yet, here he was, holding a hollow power.
It didn't make sense.
Grinding his teeth, he tried to rationalize it. Maybe the system had made a mistake. Maybe he needed to awaken the ability himself. But that didn't make the situation any less infuriating.
"System," he demanded, "is there a way to unlock its ability?"
[Insufficient data.]
Shouta groaned. The system wasn't going to make this easy for him. But if there was one thing he had learned in this world, it was that nothing came without effort. If the system wouldn't hand him an ability, he would find a way to awaken it himself.
Meanwhile, back in the strange void where Fugaku and the others stood, a storm of emotions brewed within each individual. Hashirama looked curiously at Fugaku, intrigued by the Uchiha before him. Tobirama, on the other hand, regarded him with his usual distrustful glare.
Fugaku himself was still grappling with what he had just heard. Summoned beast? A system? What was this absurdity? And what did this mean for him?
Madara let out a low chuckle, his gaze filled with contempt. "You lost everything, and now you've become someone else's pawn. How pathetic."
Fugaku stiffened, his fists clenching. He didn't need Madara to remind him of his failures. He had lived with the guilt of his clan's destruction for far too long.
Minato, however, placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I don't think this is over, Fugaku. There's more to this than we understand."
Fugaku exhaled slowly, nodding. If there was even a chance that his son was caught up in this, he needed to understand everything. He needed to know what came next.
And somewhere far away, Shouta Kazuki stared into his reflection, his Sharingan glowing ominously in the dim light. His journey was just beginning.
P.S. Please check out the author's note for this chapter!