Soul Shackles

Uchiha Madara very unhappy.

Extremely annoyed.

This displeasure, from the moment he stood there, was like a thorn stuck in his throat, impossible to swallow or spit out. He stood at the edge of the crowd, arms crossed, his cold face etched with the words "Keep Out."

He glanced at the others present— Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, the Second Mizukage, the Second Tsuchikage, the Third Raikage, and his younger brother Izuna.

These people were all "hired," but he was the only one being "forced to atone for his sins."

What's the difference? The difference is that others have a choice; after finishing their work, they can be reincarnated and start anew. But he—is forever trapped here, forever a henchman for that blond kid, never to be reborn.

Now, an even more infuriating problem lies before him.

The selection of the team leader.

This hastily assembled team was shockingly diverse—from Konoha, Iwagakure, Kumogakure, Kirigakure, all of whom were mortal enemies who had fought each other for decades in life. Without a clear leader, such a team would be more than capable of doing anything; they could easily turn on each other internally.

Therefore, a captain is needed, a captain who can shut everyone up and keep the situation under control.

There is no doubt about this.

There was no other choice but Hashirama Senju.

The man stood there, needing neither to speak nor to deliberately project an aura, and everyone naturally turned to look at him. Not because of his strength... although he was indeed the strongest, but because... because that man simply possessed this ability to see ghosts.

Therefore, the conclusion is that Uchiha Madara must obey Hashirama Senju's orders.

Even if Hashirama doesn't force him, even if Hashirama uses that creepy, gentle tone to say, "Madara, you can do whatever you want," an order is an order, and obedience is obedience.

This made Uchiha Madara feel as if he had an invisible collar around his neck, and the other end of the collar was held in Hashirama Senju's hand.

"..."

He turned his head away, refusing to look Hashirama Hashirama's bright, sparkling eyes.

"..." Hashirama Senju's mood visibly dropped.

A clear sense of disappointment appeared on that face that had been filled with anticipation and a desire to fight alongside her best friend.

"Big brother!" Tobirama Senju spoke up, his tone laced with undisguised urging, "Why are you wasting your breath talking to this piece of trash? If this guy dares to disobey—just teach him a lesson!"

His gaze flickered in Ban's direction, his eyes filled with a kind of eager anticipation, as if he had been wanting to teach him a lesson for a long time.

Uchiha Izuna instantly bristled. He stepped forward, blocking Madara's path, his black eyes fixed on Tobirama, his aura sharpening.

"Use that," Tobirama continued, completely ignoring Izuna's hostility, "that thing is locked to his soul, so even if this guy wants to throw a tantrum—"

Tobirama!

Hashirama abruptly raised his head, interrupting his younger brother. His voice turned stern, and a serious expression appeared on his usually gentle face. "Don't mention that!"

"Ban is my friend, I won't use that."

"..."

Tobirama stared at his older brother for a few seconds, then silently turned his head and looked in Rasa's direction, his eyes filled with undisguised disappointment.

I didn't see what I was looking for.

He thought to himself.

This is the "restriction" that Uzumaki Naruto prepared for Uchiha Madara.

A Six Paths Treasure Tool created on the spot. As for its name— Naruto said he hadn't decided yet, as long as its function was clear.

That thing was like an invisible shackle, locked deep within Madara's soul. It was unseen and intangible, but Madara could clearly sense its presence—like a cold thread extending from the depths of his soul, the other end connected to... Hashirama Senju.

Its function is simple: if Uchiha Madara dares to have any "other thoughts"—such as trying to rebel, trying to escape, or trying to attack others.

Then, his soul will suffer all sorts of "self-defined" pain.

At best, it feels like ants gnawing at your skin; at worst, it tears your soul apart.

The power to decide the "importance" of a matter rested with Hashirama Senju.

This is the root cause of Ban's annoyance.

Hashirama Senju held the power of life and death over him.

Even if Hashirama said, "I won't use that," even if Hashirama looked at him with that nauseatingly sincere gaze—the right to use it was still there.

The collar is right there.

Uchiha Madara's life was in Hashirama Senju's hands.

"That..."

Hashirama cleared his Hashirama, trying to choose his words carefully, thinking about how to persuade Madara to stop being so resistant and to make him understand that he really didn't know how to use that thing.

Then.

"Whoosh--!"

A figure swept past him.

Uchiha Madara jumped out immediately.

"Who is that person?!"

Rasa reacted quickly.

He saw the figure rapidly approaching him—black hair, red armor, a wild aura, and those... those eyes that made his soul tremble.

But he didn't recognize the person.

In that brief moment, he had no time to connect the concepts of "strange eyes" and "the legendary Asura of the Ninja World." He only knew that the visitor was hostile.

Rasa suddenly spread his arms wide, and the chakra within his body surged wildly. The Gold Dust on the ground instantly floated into the air and condensed into a huge cube several meters square in front of him!

"Whoosh--!!!"

The cube, carrying enough power to level a small mountain, shot fiercely towards the oncoming figure!

"--!"

The next second.

The Gold Dust cube vanished into thin air.

One moment it was hurtling through the air, the next it vanished completely into thin air, as if it had never existed.

Rasa's pupils suddenly contracted.

He saw that those purple eyes were gleaming with a dark light.

Sealing Technique Absorption, a power belonging to the Preta Path within the Rinnegan.

Then.

Blue light condensed in Madara's hand, Susanoo Blade!

"Pfft--!!!"

The blade pierced through Rasa's body in an instant. Rasa opened his mouth wide, but could not make a sound. He could only convulse violently in the excruciating pain that pierced his soul.

"This is... Susanoo..."

He lowered his head with difficulty, looking at the blue blade that pierced his soul, then raised his head again to look at the cold, impatient face before him.

"Who are you..."

He guessed it.

That name, that legend, that forbidden name from a previous era that has circulated in the Ninja World for decades. "Uchiha... Madara...?"

He didn't understand.

He couldn't understand why this legendary being would appear here.

He didn't understand what he had done to warrant such a powerful monster personally taking action against him.

"Bang."

Madara sheathed his Susanoo Blade and, as if throwing away a piece of trash, casually tossed the defenseless Rasa into the nearby Velociraptor herd.

The Velociraptor immediately surrounded him, pinning down Rasa's limbs with their sharp claws to prevent him from struggling again.

"Alright."

Uchiha Madara turned around to face Hashirama, his cold face filled with impatience.

"Is that all? What's next?" His tone carried a hint of annoyance at having to do such a boring thing.

How to deal with a Fourth Kazekage?

What did Hashirama just say? "Come at me all at once?" He sneered.

Are we overestimating this guy, or underestimating me Uchiha Madara?

"Thank you very much."

A voice rang out.

The one who spoke was the Velociraptor that was holding down Rasa. It raised its head, its vertical pupils looking at Ban, and spoke in a deep, steady, ancient-sounding human language.

"Please come back with us."

It paused, its sharp claws tightening slightly, causing Rasa beneath it to let out a muffled groan of pain.

"From now on, our job will be to throw those who refuse to cooperate into the Animal Path or the Asura Path."

Happy Lunar New Year's Eve!!

The author wishes all readers a Happy New Year with soaring Shadow Points, overflowing wallets, and incredible luck! May you get a high-level S-rank ninja in just 100 pulls! May you make money non-stop! May good news come your way every day!... And... May the Year of the Horse bring you instant wealth and prosperity! May your luck be unparalleled!