Conflict (sequel)

Chapter 2 | Favor

Thank you so much for all the nice comments on the last chapter!! I hope you'll enjoy this one as well :)

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''So this is the power of the Sage of Six Paths..'' Kabuto spoke, staring at the landscape in front of him in awe. ''Magnificent!"

Madara smirked as their bodies were being restored after the collision of the two massive meteorites he drew from the upper atmosphere. He looked at the destroyed terrain in front of him, the view not unfamiliar to the Uchiha. ''This landscape brings back memories.'' He murmured, certainly not displeased with the sight. Then Madara turned back to his ally. ''It's Kabuto, right?'' He asked, his tone suddenly a lot colder, almost suspicious. ''How much do you really know? About me?''

''I venture to guess...'' Kabuto started. ''In that battle against the First Hokage Hashirama, you did not die at the Final Valley.'' Madara's eyes narrowed into a glare, but that didn't seem to faze Kabuto. ''On that day,'' He continued. ''Though you lost to the First Hokage Hashirama, you gained a portion of his power in return. Am I wrong?''

Madara moved his gaze away from him and brought his hand to his collar, pulling at it before looking down. ''No wonder..'' He muttered, looking back at the other reincarnation. ''You're well prepared.'' And he let go of his collar. 

Kabuto smiled from his hiding place, ready to surprise the Uchiha once again. He knew far more about him than Madara would expect after all

''Uzumaki Mito..'' Kabuto spoke, watching Madara closely, but that name didn't seem to interest Madara in the slightest, as he found the scenery much more fascinating than whatever his confederate was saying. That didn't matter though, since Kabuto knew that the following question would get a least some sort of reaction out of him. 

''She had a younger sister, didn't she?''

Not even a second after those words had left his mouth, Kabuto had to endure the fierce and intimidating glare from the infamous Uchiha, who felt suddenly incredibly bothered by his too extensive knowledge.

Kabuto smirked. ''So I am right.'' He concluded, amused. ''Uzumaki Asami was not as popular as her sister, so it was pretty hard to find accurate information on her.'' He spoke, not withering under Madara's vicious stare. ''There are a lot of stories about her disappearance around the time you fought against First Hokage Hashirama, although these stories aren't well known.''

Madara clenched his jaw. Why Kabuto decided to start talking about Asami, he didn't know, but he suspected that this self-proclaimed ally was up to no good. Was he even on his side? Then why was he trying to provoke him? ''And what story do you assume is true?'' Madara grunted, hoping that this would be the limit of his knowledge about the Uzumaki.

''The most favored rumor is that you killed her before you left and hid her body somewhere.'' Kabuto spoke, holding one finger up, counting the different stories he had memorized. Then he held up two fingers. ''Another is that she committed suicide, but that one seemed unrealistic to me. It's funny how people make up things just to explain the unexplainable, isn't it?''

Madara's eyes narrowed even more. ''I asked you a question.'' 

Kabuto eyed the Uchiha quickly, noticing that he was growing impatient, so he decided to do as Madara asked, which was answering his question. Annoying him more might only cause trouble after all. ''I always assumed that you had forcibly taken her away from the village for an unknown reason.'' He continued, now a lot more serious than before. Messing around with Madara in a bad mood wasn't an option anymore. ''It wasn't until I found her body buried near a collapsed house after weeks of searching that I found out the truth.'' 

Madara clenched his fists, digging his nails into his palms. Had he actually dug up her grave??

Kabuto's eyes glistened. Madara hadn't responded to his supposition verbally, but the look in his eyes already told him enough. Kabuto knew his theory wouldn't be a theory for much longer, which excited him, and caused him to get bold again. ''I was surprised, actually, when I found another body next to her. I only verified their identities after performing Edo Tensei on them.''

Kabuto noticed that he should have chosen his words more carefully. In his short moment of fearlessness, he pushed his luck and actually said that he brought Madara's lover and son back to life with a jutsu as revolting as Edo Tensei. But even though he did that, Kabuto knew Madara wouldn't attack him. He currently possessed Asami and the boy's bodies after all, and he'd control them if he wanted to later on.

''I made sure they weren't conscious.'' Kabuto spoke, hoping that would calm him down, even if it was just a little. Kabuto sighed when his supposed to be calming words had no effect, but decided to continue with his story. ''So, the truth is that Asami wasn't abducted or killed, but she went with you on her free will because she loved you, and the boy was the result of that love.'' He deduced, glancing at Madara, hoping that he'd confirm it. ''Am I wrong?''

''What are you trying to achieve?'' Madara questioned, the scowl on his face only growing. ''Why are you telling me this?''

''Why and how she died remains a mystery to me.'' Kabuto said, not answering Madara's questions. ''But I can always ask her personally since I don't think you are going to tell me.''

Madara's eyes widened in realization. The reason for everything Kabuto told him finally made sense.

Kabuto smirked when he noticed that Madara was now very well aware of the situation. ''That's right.'' He chuckled. ''You should be able to sense her chakra now.''

Madara released a trembling breath, glowering at the reincarnation which that sly rat had taken control of one more time before he started to focus. Since he was an adept sensor, it took him less than a second to detect the Uzumaki's chakra which definitely wasn't there before.

Madara grunted. Not being able to sense it before meant that Kabuto summoned her just now. ''What is the meaning of this?" He demanded answers. ''Why is she here?''

Kabuto smirked, amused at how the calm and collected Uchiha Madara turned into someone so livid simply because of a single girl. ''You don't have to be angry. I'm merely wanted to do you a favor.'' He spoke, the arrogant smile on his face not ceasing.

''Don't you want to see her?"