Chapter 60: No Wonder He Inherited My Old Friend's Talent—He's My Old Friend's Son
The Third Shinobi World War was, for all practical purposes, over.
Only scattered skirmishes remained along a few border regions, and even those were firmly under the control of the higher command.
Everyone understood the truth now.
The war had ended.
Unless something unforeseen occurred, the shinobi world was entering an era of peace and reconstruction.
As the strongest hidden village in existence, Konoha had become more than a dream destination for shinobi.
It had also become a paradise for merchants.
Situated at the heart of the Land of Fire, the country served as the continent's primary transportation hub. Trade routes linking north and south all converged here, drawing an endless stream of wealth and talent.
Standing atop a distant hill, Madara Uchiha silently gazed at the village below.
His eyes showed a rare trace of surprise.
"Konoha... has grown this much?"
His clouded gaze slowly drifted into the past.
When they were children...
He and Hashirama had stood in these very forests, speaking excitedly about the future.
Later...
The two of them had stood atop a mountain as a leaf with a hole through its center drifted past. Through that tiny opening, they could see the entire village.
Back then...
Konoha had been small enough to fit inside a single leaf.
He remembered walking its streets beside Hashirama.
Remembered listening to him enthusiastically describe that naïve, idealistic future.
Even now...
The memory unconsciously drew the faintest smile to Madara's lips.
Those had truly been extraordinary days.
"Madara-sama! Madara-sama!"
The familiar voice pulled him from his memories.
Madara blinked.
For a brief moment, he thought he saw Hashirama standing before him, grinning like an idiot.
"Hash—"
When the face finally came into focus...
He swallowed the rest of the name.
"...You fool."
"Don't suddenly appear in front of an old man."
White Zetsu flashed his usual carefree smile.
"Madara-sama, we've confirmed Uchiha Asuka's location."
"Should we move immediately?"
"No."
Madara slowly shook his head.
His eyes remained fixed on Konoha.
"He isn't going anywhere."
"So..."
"What should we do now?"
"We'll visit Hashirama's grave first."
With that, Madara slowly descended the hillside.
The Third Shinobi World War had already proven one thing.
Hashirama's path...
...had failed.
Yet Hashirama himself had never lived long enough to know that.
Madara intended to tell him.
"Madara-sama!"
"I heard Uchiha Fried Chicken is running a promotion."
"Would you like a bucket?"
"...Fool."
"Don't ruin an old man's mood."
"But it's buy one, get one free—"
"Silence."
"Buy one for yourself."
"And place the second bucket inside Hashirama's coffin."
---
Asuka lounged lazily in a chair, watching white clouds drift across the sky.
He let out a satisfied yawn.
No missions.
No war.
Life was wonderfully peaceful.
Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced toward Shukaku.
The little tanuki had sunglasses perched on his face, a lollipop dangling from his mouth, and all the swagger of a seasoned delinquent.
He was enthusiastically sprinkling chili powder over every customer's fried chicken.
Asuka's mouth twitched.
Lately...
Shukaku seemed far too obsessed with chili powder.
At that moment, the tanuki scooped up another handful.
He dramatically raised his fist over his head before slowly opening his palm, allowing the chili powder to cascade elegantly into the bucket.
"Observe!"
"This is the signature move of Uchiha Fried Chicken's mascot!"
"So cool!"
"He's adorable!"
"I wish Lord Asuka would let us pet him..."
Hearing the constant stream of praise, Shukaku sneered inwardly.
For the sake of freedom...
I'll tolerate a few compliments from these hypocritical humans.
Still...
He had realized something recently.
A tailed beast without overwhelming power...
Without posing any threat...
...could coexist peacefully with humans.
Only powerful tailed beasts attracted greed.
The scars left by shinobi over countless years were etched deeply into his memory.
Had he never met the monk Bunpuku...
Had his hatred for humanity never softened...
...he would have happily spat into every single bucket of fried chicken.
"Heh..."
Thinking about the Nine-Tails being imprisoned twenty-four hours a day with no freedom whatsoever...
Shukaku's grin widened.
He unconsciously grabbed another fistful of chili powder.
Just then...
He spotted Kushina walking past.
Immediately waving both arms, he shouted,
"Redhead!"
"Come over here!"
The moment Kushina heard that foul-mouthed tanuki calling for her again, her expression darkened.
She pushed through the crowd until she reached the stall.
"What do you want?"
Shukaku set a family-sized bucket of fried chicken in front of her with a loud thump.
"For you."
"...You're being this generous?"
Eyeing his suspicious grin, Kushina looked warily at the bucket.
He didn't spit in it... did he?
Adjusting the lollipop in his mouth, Shukaku glanced toward her stomach before muttering so quietly that only he could hear himself.
"Stupid fox..."
"As long as you're unhappy..."
"...this old man is happy."
Then he shoved the bucket into her arms.
"I work twelve hours."
"I get twelve hours of freedom."
"Joy should be shared."
"...Then I'll accept it."
"Mm."
Watching the naïve redhead happily carry away the bucket, Shukaku waved enthusiastically.
The moment Kushina bit into a piece of chicken...
A familiar heat surged from deep within her abdomen.
The Nine-Tails...
...was acting up again.
Without hesitation, her chakra surged through her body.
The sealing chains binding Kurama immediately tightened.
---
"Madara-sama."
"Did you see it clearly?"
"...Mm."
Standing across from the Uchiha Fried Chicken stall, Madara silently nodded.
His gaze rested on the lively little tanuki.
His expression gradually turned serious.
It really was Shukaku.
Although this chakra was far weaker than that of a true tailed beast...
It was undeniably Shukaku's.
Its chakra reserves had only dropped to around the level of a chūnin.
Troublesome.
"Hey!"
"No touching!"
"Admire the mascot from a distance!"
Madara's eyes shifted toward the man maintaining order.
The Uchiha crest emblazoned on the uniform immediately caught his attention.
Yet...
His heart remained calm.
The Uchiha had once been his greatest pride.
After Izuna's death...
Protecting the clan had become his life's obsession.
Even after reconciling with the Senju and founding Konoha...
He had continued striving to fulfill his duty as clan leader.
In the end...
He failed.
He had always known he could never become Hokage.
And when Tobirama Senju—
The man who viewed both Madara and the Uchiha with endless suspicion—
Inherited the position...
The clan's eventual decline...
Perhaps even its destruction...
...had already become inevitable.
He had once begged his clansmen to leave the village with him.
No one answered.
It was they who abandoned him.
Because of that...
He had failed to fulfill even his late brother's final wish.
---
"Sir!"
Asuka finally noticed the elderly man standing nearby, quietly staring toward the shop.
The old man looked hesitant.
Perhaps he wanted to buy something for his grandson but was worried about getting caught in the crowd.
After giving him a quick once-over, Asuka took a single piece of fried chicken from a family bucket, placed it into a small paper box, and walked over.
"Grandpa."
"Here."
"A free sample."
"Give it a try."
"If you like it, come back later."
"I'll save you a whole bucket once the crowd dies down."
Madara lowered his gaze to the chicken wing being offered.
Then he slowly looked up at the young Uchiha before him.
Seventeen...
Maybe eighteen years old.
Black hair.
Gray clothing.
A mysterious sword hung at his waist.
For some reason...
He reminded Madara of someone.
Fragments of old memories surfaced one after another.
«"Brother Madara, Hashirama's getting married. Let's eat their wedding feast for free before we beat them up."»
«"Brother Madara, I'm already married. When are you finally going to stop believing stronger women don't exist?"»
«"The clan's in danger now... but under your leadership, we'll definitely survive, right?"»
«"If not... why don't we find Izuna a wife first? At least your branch of the family can continue."»
«"Brother Madara! I have a son now! Come on, poke his cheek!"»
«"Brother Madara... my eyesight's getting blurry. I don't think I'll ever see the future you described... or even what my grandson will look like..."»
The memories slowly overlapped with the young man standing before him.
Madara stared blankly for a long time before finally straightening his back.
In a calm, aged voice, he asked,
"Tell this old man your name."
"Uchiha Asuka."
Asuka looked at him curiously.
Nowadays...
Do old people ask the owner's name before buying fried chicken?
Planning to demand compensation if something goes wrong?
"I see..."
Madara's gaze settled on Asuka's eyebrows.
They were almost identical to the man in his memories.
He silently took the chicken wing.
After chewing twice, Asuka smiled.
"So?"
"How's the taste?"
"Would you like to take some home for your grandson too?"
Grandson...
Madara slowly lifted his eyes toward Asuka.
The figure before him completely merged with the memories buried deep within his heart.
For an instant...
It felt as though he had returned to the old Uchiha compound.
"I saw it for you..."