Zhang Yu narrowed his eyes instinctively.
Even though he had already seen Madara Uchiha being summoned once, he still couldn't help feeling his heart race this time.
Because the person about to appear was Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi!
The man who had truly stood at the pinnacle of the Shinobi World, who could fight Madara Uchiha until heaven and earth shattered.
A ridiculously immense aura of life slowly spread from within the white light.
It felt completely different from Madara's.
When Madara had appeared, his aura had been like a black mountain pressing down overhead: cold, hard, dangerous, and overbearing, making it difficult to breathe.
This aura was more like a forest stretching beyond sight.
Steady.
Vast.
So brimming with life that it seemed as though a single step on barren ground could make towering trees spring up.
Madara Uchiha stood beside the bar with his arms crossed, the cool expression on his face finally giving way.
His eyes were fixed on the center of the white light.
His fingers tightened silently.
Zhang Yu saw this and nearly failed to suppress a smile.
Still pretending.
Didn't you just say you didn't want to see him?
Now your eyes are practically glued to him.
The white light contracted.
A tall figure appeared in the middle of the tavern.
He wore red Warring States armor and had long black hair and a resolute face. His features carried an innate warmth that put people at ease.
He slowly opened his eyes.
At first, he was bewildered.
Then he took in his surroundings.
Wooden tables.
Wine jars.
The bar.
And Madara Uchiha standing beside it.
Hashirama Senju froze on the spot.
Madara Uchiha froze too.
The two stared at each other for a full three seconds across the white light that had yet to dissipate from the center of the tavern.
The next moment, two voices rang out almost simultaneously.
"Madara!"
"Hashirama!"
There was a moment's pause.
Then the response that seemed etched into their bones came again.
"Madara!"
"Hashirama!"
When their voices faded, the tavern fell silent for a moment.
Zhang Yu, sitting nearby, nearly sprayed out a mouthful of water.
Here it comes.
It really came.
Hearing them call out to each other in that classic exchange, like a secret code, was completely different from seeing it in memories.
Especially since one of them was the Asura of the Ninja World and the other the God of Shinobi. Instead of fighting when they first met, they had called out each other's names with a peculiar understanding.
The sight was overwhelming.
The shock had yet to leave Hashirama's face.
He looked down at his hands, then at his body, the confusion in his eyes growing.
"But... wasn't I already dead?"
Then he abruptly looked up at Madara.
"Madara! What's going on?"
"Did you do this again?"
Madara Uchiha's face darkened.
"You wake up and immediately assume it was me?"
Hashirama frowned deeply, but there was no reproach in his voice. Instead, there was a familiar note of helplessness.
"Madara, I know you have your own ideas, and I know you've always been disappointed in the Shinobi World."
"But no matter what you've been planning this time, at least tell me first."
"We can talk."
"Don't go getting stuck on things all by yourself every time."
A vein twitched at Madara's temple.
Zhang Yu nearly laughed out loud.
That's Hashirama for you.
He had just been pulled out of the Pure Land, and his first response wasn't anger or violence, but an attempt to talk Madara Uchiha around.
The way these two interacted was truly etched into their souls.
Madara Uchiha cut him off coldly.
"Shut up, Hashirama."
Hashirama stared at him.
Madara fixed his eyes on him, his voice curt.
"It wasn't me this time."
Hashirama blinked.
"It wasn't you?"
Madara raised a hand and pointed at Zhang Yu.
"It was him."
Only then did Hashirama look at Zhang Yu.
All his attention had been on Madara just now, and he hadn't noticed there was a third person in the tavern at all.
Zhang Yu sat at the table in ordinary clothes, with no fluctuations of Chakra about him. He looked like an ordinary Konoha civilian.
Yet this ordinary man sat before two legendary powerhouses, looking more at ease than either of them.
Hashirama's gaze turned serious at once.
Anyone Madara would point out was definitely no ordinary person.
Hashirama hesitated. "And you are...?"
Zhang Yu smiled and waved a hand.
"Zhang Yu, owner of the Undead Tavern."
"The Undead Tavern?"
Hashirama was even more bewildered.
Madara Uchiha took a deep breath.
His expression made it look as though he were being forced to recount the experience from last night that he least wanted to remember.
"Sit down."
Hashirama looked at him, then at Zhang Yu.
"Oh."
He obediently sat down.
Madara stood beside the table and began explaining with a cold expression.
He started with the Undead Tavern.
Then how Zhang Yu could summon the dead from the Pure Land.
Then the system rules.
Then how the summoned undead had complete physical bodies and retained their memories and powers from when they were alive.
Then how they couldn't attack Zhang Yu, and how Zhang Yu could send them back to the Pure Land at any time.
Finally, he came to the fact that he, Madara Uchiha, was now the tavern's first employee.
His duties included minding the tavern, serving drinks, wiping tables, and keeping order when necessary.
At first, Hashirama looked utterly serious.
When he heard about summoning people from the Pure Land, he was shocked.
When he heard about the complete physical bodies, he lowered his head and clenched his fists, carefully sensing the Chakra inside him and the state of his body.
When he heard that they couldn't attack Zhang Yu, there was a little more awe in the way he looked at him.
But when he heard that Madara Uchiha had become a tavern employee responsible for serving drinks and wiping tables, he completely lost control of his expression.
"Pfft."
Hashirama quickly covered his mouth.
Madara Uchiha's face instantly fell.
"What are you laughing at?"
Hashirama waved a hand.
"Nothing. I didn't laugh."
"You laughed."
"I really didn't."
"Hashirama."
"All right, I just didn't expect..."
Looking at Madara's face, cold enough to freeze someone to death, Hashirama tried hard to hold back his laughter, but his shoulders still gave an involuntary shake.
"You can actually serve drinks."
Madara said coldly, "I can't."
Hashirama nodded.
"Then wipe tables?"
"I can't do that either."
"Greet customers?"
"Shut up."
Hashirama finally couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.
His laughter was so hearty that it swept away every trace of the oppressive atmosphere that had accompanied the reunion of the legendary powerhouses in the little tavern.
As Zhang Yu watched, only one thought came to mind.
Worth it.
So worth it.
He had spent one summon to bring out Hashirama Senju, giving the tavern another top-tier fighter and poking a hole in Madara Uchiha's cold, ruthless image at the same time.
The longer Hashirama laughed, the darker Madara's expression became.
"Are you going to listen or not?"
Hashirama immediately sat up straight.
"I am, of course I am."
Madara snorted coldly and continued.
He went on for half an hour.
Hashirama made no more jokes.
He listened intently.
When he heard that they were both undead now, summoned from the Pure Land to the world of the living by Zhang Yu, he fell silent for a long time.
When he heard that they both had to stay and work at the tavern for the time being, his expression turned peculiar.
When he heard that Zhang Yu could send them back at any time, there was no anger on his face. Instead, he looked relieved.
When Madara finished, the tavern fell quiet.
Hashirama slowly stood, turned to Zhang Yu, and bowed solemnly.
"Boss Zhang Yu, I'm sorry."
Zhang Yu was taken aback.
"What are you apologizing for?"
Hashirama raised his head, his face sincere.
"I misunderstood the situation just now and thought Madara was planning something dangerous again."
"Now it seems you're the one who brought us back to this world from the Pure Land."