Naruto: The Clanless Prince

Uchiha Madara asked Sora why he hadn't reported to Konoha when he discovered Madara was still alive.

Sora chuckled and replied, "Why should I report to Konoha? In my view, Konoha provides me with a place to stay, and I work for them. It's simply an employment relationship—there's no need to report everything to them."

Uchiha Madara snorted, "It seems your loyalty to Konoha is more superficial than I thought."

"I'm not Konoha's dog, and Konoha is not my master. Loyalty isn't even in question," Sora responded. "Besides, I'm curious about that Gedo Statue behind you. It appears Nagato summoned this statue. You saved Obito for a specific purpose, didn't you?"

Through his snake, Sora examined the imposing statue looming behind Uchiha Madara.

Madara spoke in a deep voice, "Do you think I would reveal such information to you? Now that you know about my existence and that Obito still lives, what do you intend to do?"

Sora smiled and said, "I'm very interested in what you mentioned about breaking the chain of cause and effect—creating a world with only winners, only peace, only love, only these things."

Madara's tone carried a hint of curiosity. "Oh? Do you also yearn for such a world?"

"I think you know perfectly well what kind of world the current shinobi system has created," Sora replied matter-of-factly. "Doesn't everyone yearn for the world you describe?"

Madara gave a short "Hmph" before saying, "Then it seems we may have some common ground."

Sora asked, "Uchiha Madara, can you tell me about your plan? I'm quite curious. If it's feasible, perhaps I'll join your cause."

Madara didn't plan to answer Sora directly. Instead, he said, "I don't trust someone who only lurks in shadows and spies from afar."

Sora responded sarcastically, "That's ironic, considering your current situation. The great Uchiha Madara, who once looked down on everything, now hiding in this sunless cave, and...

"It's fine if I don't know the details now, but I suspect you intend to use Uchiha Obito as your pawn to do your bidding."

Madara asked indifferently, "So what do you want?"

Sora made a proposal: "We could cooperate. I can help conceal Uchiha Obito's activities, even assist him directly."

Madara narrowed his eyes. "And what's your price?"

Sora stated his request bluntly: "I want to kill you with my own hands."

A cold light flashed in Madara's eyes.

Sora smiled faintly and continued, "Don't give me such a frightening look. 

"I believe that after Uchiha Obito commits to your cause, you plan to die anyway. Am I right? Since you're going to die regardless, what difference does it make whether you take your own life or die by my hand?"

Madara asked, puzzled, "If there's no difference, why make this request?"

Sora replied casually, "Consider it my peculiar taste. The idea of the mighty warrior who once stood at the pinnacle of the shinobi world dying by my hand—isn't that an exhilarating thought?"

Madara remained silent for a moment before asking, "Since you've deduced that I plan to die after setting everything in motion, and that I won't be able to interfere with your actions afterward, how can you expect me to trust you?"

Sora smiled knowingly. "Uchiha Madara, you plan to be resurrected, don't you?"

Madara's aged body suddenly emanated a powerful aura.

Even though Sora was communicating through a snake from far away, he could feel a chill run down his spine.

Madara stared at the snake with murderous intent. "What exactly do you know?!"

Sora replied calmly, "It's not difficult to deduce. You've relied on this Gedo Statue to survive this long, and you want Uchiha Obito to help you accomplish certain tasks. But with your personality, you're not the type to entrust the future to descendants.

"Your desire for control would certainly lead you to place the future firmly in your own hands.

"It's obvious that your body has reached its limit. I suspect your plan involves using Uchiha Obito to resurrect you. This shinobi world has all manner of strange techniques, so methods to resurrect the dead likely exist. After all, the Second Hokage developed the Reanimation Jutsu, a forbidden technique that summons souls from the pure land.

"And... Uchiha Madara, I hope you do get resurrected."

Madara looked at Sora's snake with surprise.

Sora's smile turned wild as he said, "I want you to be resurrected so I can face you in open combat, to see who is stronger—you from the old era or me from the present!"

Madara was momentarily stunned, then laughed heartily. "Sora...

"I suddenly feel we might be kindred spirits.

"It seems you and I are similar after all.

"Your desire for battle runs deep.

"You seek to test yourself against the strongest.

"Of all the shinobi I've encountered, you most resemble me."

Sora responded disdainfully, "I'm not from the Uchiha clan. Your Uchiha doesn't recognize me, and I couldn't care less about being recognized by Uchiha."

Madara declared proudly, "After I chose to leave the Uchiha, those who remained in Konoha ceased to be the true Uchiha. Wherever I am, there is the Uchiha clan! Sora, I like your spirit, but I don't trust you enough yet."

Sora asked, "What more do you want?"

Madara shook his head. "Precisely because we are similar, I can never fully trust you. However, I believe you won't interfere with Obito's mission.

"You clearly don't abide by conventional rules. As for cooperation, I'll consider it after Obito returns and I've arranged matters for him. You may come see me at the Mountain Graveyard then."

Sora agreed, "Very well. I look forward to our meeting."

The snake before Uchiha Madara disappeared in a puff of smoke.

In his position at Konoha's outpost in the Land of Rain, Sora's expression grew solemn.

He hadn't expected to be discovered by Uchiha Madara.

Now that he had appeared on Madara's radar earlier than planned, Sora needed to find a way to turn this unexpected development to his advantage.

His temporary solution was to align himself with Madara's plan.

The benefit would be that all of Uchiha Obito's and Black Zetsu's activities would be exposed to him.

The drawback, however, was that he would also be exposed to Uchiha Obito and Black Zetsu.

Upon careful consideration, Sora concluded that the advantages outweighed the disadvantages. With his knowledge of future events, the initiative remained in his hands.

Therefore, Sora decided that cooperating with Uchiha Madara was indeed a viable strategy.

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