The Land of Fire, Konoha!
After leaving Konoha Hospital,
Chen Yiban headed straight for the mountains behind Konoha.
The whole way, Sasuke Uchiha followed behind Chen Yiban like a little shadow.
"What level is your Sharingan at now?"
As they walked, Chen Yiban suddenly asked from up ahead.
At that, Sasuke Uchiha, following behind him, froze for a moment. But he quickly came to his senses and answered at once:
"Senior Madara, I've only awakened the Two-Tomoe Sharingan so far."
Uchiha Sasuke spoke without much confidence.
"Two Tomoe?" Chen Yiban murmured.
"Come find me again when you've reached the Three-Tomoe level."
At last, Chen Yiban glanced back at Uchiha Sasuke.
"Senior Madara, I..." Sasuke Uchiha sounded reluctant.
"Sever your bonds with your former companions. That should help your Sharingan evolve." Chen Yiban had already begun walking away, leaving only those words behind.
He was telling Sasuke Uchiha to break with Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and Kakashi!
Well, wasn't that how Uchiha Sasuke had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan in the original story? He'd evolved it during his fierce battle with Naruto Uzumaki when he left Konoha.
Why not recreate that in a different way?
Besides, Chen Yiban had already laid out the terms. Whether Uchiha Sasuke chose to act on them was his own business!
It wasn't as if Chen Yiban was forcing him!
It was all his own choice.
At that,
Sasuke Uchiha touched his eyes.
"Naruto..."
Uchiha Sasuke's gaze wavered slightly.
But in the end, only hatred remained!
"What I need now isn't a bond. It's power."
"The power to take revenge on that man!"
"So..."
At that moment, Sasuke Uchiha made up his mind.
A pair of [Two-Tomoe Sharingan] appeared in Uchiha Sasuke's eyes, the tomoe spinning rapidly.
It was as if he were about to reach a new level at any moment!
Yet it seemed the time still wasn't right. In the end, the tomoe stopped, and his eyes remained Two-Tomoe.
Still... he was close!
After that!
Uchiha Sasuke chose to leave and stopped following Chen Yiban.
Once he awakened the [Three-Tomoe Sharingan], he would seek Chen Yiban out again!
And so,
Chen Yiban was alone once more as he made his way toward the mountains behind Konoha.
Before long, he arrived in a hollow beside the enormous ravine that [Night Guy], unleashed by "Eight Gates Guy," had kicked into the ground.
"L-Lord Madara!" ×5
Five Anbu Ninjas stood guard at the edge of the hollow.
When Chen Yiban arrived, all five Anbu Ninjas immediately bowed to him, their faces full of awe.
Why were they here?
Because—
In the middle of the hollow...
A colossal beast with nine tails was lying there.
It was none other than the Nine-Tailed Fox, Kurama!!
On top of Kurama's head sat someone who looked exactly like Chen Yiban.
It was clearly Chen Yiban's Shadow Clone!
A few days ago,
After the battle had ended, Chen Yiban had sent a Shadow Clone to take Kurama to the mountains behind Konoha and wait there.
He hadn't expected several days to pass just like that.
"Roar...!!"
Suddenly, with Shadow Clone Chen Yiban controlling him, Kurama rose and roared at the tardy Chen Yiban.
"Original, you're too slow!"
Shadow Clone Chen Yiban looked a little annoyed.
Understandably so. He'd spent at least three days and nights waiting on Kurama's head with nothing to do!
Even a Shadow Clone had feelings!
"You're so noisy," Chen Yiban replied blandly.
"Hmph!" Shadow Clone Chen Yiban looked thoroughly smug.
→
"Now that you're here, original, then..."
Poof---
The Shadow Clone couldn't wait another second and immediately vanished.
Just like office workers in another world who'd worked overtime all night and couldn't bear to stay a second past the end of their shift...
Chen Yiban merely gave a faint smile.
Then:
"Did that woman, Tsunade, send you here?"
Chen Yiban's bright black eyes turned impassively toward the five Anbu Ninjas beside him.
"Yes, Lord Madara."
"The Fifth Hokage said... as a precaution, so..."
The five Anbu Ninjas looked at Chen Yiban, their voices edged with uncertainty.
They were afraid he'd be displeased and wipe them out with a single strike!
"All right, you can go." Chen Yiban wasn't that petty.
He casually waved them away.
"Yes, Lord Madara!" The five Anbu Ninjas immediately looked as if a great weight had been lifted from their shoulders and bowed deeply to Chen Yiban once more.
Then—
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh-----
Just like Shadow Clone Chen Yiban, they didn't want to stay another second. They fled as if for their lives, using the Body Flicker Technique to get away.
Damn, the legendary shinobi Uchiha Madara and the Nine-Tailed Fox...
They were both right here in this hollow!
Could anything be more terrifying?
"Kurama!"
At last alone again, Chen Yiban turned to face the enormous Kurama.
His pupils were still the Three-Tomoe pattern, controlled by Chen Yiban's ocular power.
Chen Yiban's thoughts stirred.
Clang---
The Mangekyō Sharingan appeared in his eyes.
He withdrew his ocular control over Kurama from a distance, and Kurama's mind instantly cleared.
"Roar...!!"
"Madara!!"
The moment he regained his senses, Kurama roared furiously at Chen Yiban.
At the same time, he lashed out at Chen Yiban with one claw!
His sharp claws seemed determined to pierce Chen Yiban's body before he'd be satisfied.
But—
Whoosh---
Clang!!
A four-armed Susanoo: Stage Two appeared in an instant and easily smacked Kurama's claw aside.
"Kurama, do you want to keep losing yourself to ocular power and become a mindless tool? Or will you submit obediently?"
Chen Yiban stared at Kurama with his "Mangekyō Sharingan" and spoke coldly.
At that,
"Submit to you?"
"Madara! Don't make me laugh!!"
"Roar...!!"
Kurama refused to yield to the death.
"Ha. You really are a stupid beast." The Mangekyō Sharingan in Chen Yiban's eyes brimmed with rude arrogance and prejudice.
"Madara!!" Kurama glared furiously at Chen Yiban.
In the next moment, he tried to unleash a Tailed Beast Ball!
Clang---
But a slight release of power from the Mangekyō Sharingan brought the Three-Tomoe pattern back to Kurama's pupils, leaving his entire body unable to move.
"Damn it...!" Kurama gritted his teeth.
How could the mightiest of all Tailed Beasts, with nine tails to his name, keep getting toyed with by that bastard Madara?
Damn it!
Damn it all!!
Meanwhile, Chen Yiban thought:
"System, even though I obtained Uchiha Madara's combat template, I don't have a Summoning Contract with Kurama. Is there a way for me to summon Kurama whenever and wherever I want?"
"Also, is there a better way to summon and control him?"
Chen Yiban looked at the Nine-Tailed Fox, unable to move, while secretly contacting the [Achievement Sign-in System].
Soon, it replied:
[Spend one Intermediate Achievement Draw to form a soul contract with the Nine-Tailed Fox, forcibly making him your Summoning Beast!]
[Spend three Intermediate Achievement Draws to create a separate space for imprisoning beast pets!]
Before you continue