In a dim underground cavern, droplets condensed on the damp rock walls and fell with crisp plinks. Nine Uchiha ninja wearing Root masks lay sprawled across the ground. Amid the flickering firelight, a hunched figure silently watched them.
"Awake."
A low, raspy voice echoed through the cave. Uchiha Shanhuo abruptly opened his eyes, activating his Three-Tomoe Sharingan in an instant. He flipped to his feet, one hand already pressed against the ninja tool pouch at his waist.
"Where is this? Who are you?" Shanhuo's voice was taut as a bowstring, his Sharingan scanning the surroundings warily beneath his mask.
The figure in the shadows slowly raised his head, revealing a pair of equally scarlet Sharingan in the firelight. "Take a look at who I am."
"Three Tomoe... You're from the Uchiha Clan too? Why haven't I ever seen you?" Shanhuo suddenly froze. His pupils contracted violently beneath his mask. "No... that's not right... I've seen this face before..." His voice began to tremble. "You're Madara Uchiha!"
"You're actually still alive?" Uchiha Shanhuo cried out as he stared at the aged Madara Uchiha.
"Who's still alive?" The other Uchiha woke groggily and asked.
"Madara Uchiha!" Seeing that all eight of his companions were there, Uchiha Shanhuo immediately said in a deep voice.
"Who? Madara Uchiha? What Uchiha... Wait, Captain Shanhuo, are you saying Madara Uchiha is still alive?" In an instant, all the Uchiha Root ninja snapped awake, their masked faces filled with astonishment.
"Are you that surprised that I'm still alive?" Madara Uchiha said indifferently.
"You're Madara Uchiha? You've gotten this old?" Everyone looked at Madara Uchiha in surprise, then said in disappointment.
"Hmph. I'm this old, yet I still captured all of you. You can't even compare to an old man like me. What a bunch of useless trash."