That child had been in that cave for nearly half a month.
Half his body had been crushed by a boulder. Under normal circumstances, there was no chance of surviving such an injury.
Madara had saved him with Hashirama Cells.
The transplant had been completed while Obito was unconscious.
He had been unconscious for so long that Madara had once thought he might never wake up.
Only two days ago had he barely managed to open his eyes. His mind was still muddled, and he mumbled several names indistinctly.
Kakashi Hatake. Rin Nohara. Minato-sensei.
Madara heard those names but said nothing.
His recovery was faster than expected.
The Hashirama Cells had fused astonishingly well. Obito's body had shown almost no rejection response.
For a ninja without Senju Clan blood, such compatibility was exceedingly rare.
Perhaps Madara's research over the years had paid off. Perhaps it was because he was young enough that his cells still retained sufficient plasticity.
Perhaps it was because his body had no other way out. If it did not accept them, death was the only outcome.
Or perhaps there was another reason.
While Obito was unconscious, Madara had examined his chakra. It was standard Uchiha Clan chakra, and its quality was normal among those his age, nowhere near remarkable.
But...
The Two-Tomoe Sharingan must have awakened during some recent, intense emotional upheaval.
In terms of aptitude, he was simple-minded, emotionally rich, and prone to forming dependence and trust in others.
An ideal pawn.
But also an unpolished jade that needed carving. During the two days since Obito had awakened, Madara had spoken with him several times.
They were not long conversations. Obito's body could not endure prolonged talks yet.
Each time, Madara sat in a stone chair while Obito rested against a crude bed on the