Naruto: Born Gifted in Konoha

Making their way through a pitch-black corridor, Saitama and White Zetsu talked casually.

Saitama had expected to arrive quickly. But surprisingly, it took them almost five minutes to reach the path's end. Naturally, this had something to do with his slow pace.

A faint cold breeze drifted through the air. Standing at the tunnel's exit, Saitama immediately spotted an enormous shadow within the open space ahead.

Beneath that shadow sat a thin figure in a black robe, motionless, as if merged completely with the surrounding rock.

Tap, tap, tap! Saitama and White Zetsu gradually stepped into this massive chamber, approaching the figure seated on the chair.

Uchiha Madara had already sensed their approach. Only when Saitama reached about five meters from him did he slowly open his eyes.

On his emaciated face, layers of wrinkles were dotted with scattered age spots.

His white shoulder-length hair was continuously blown by the cool wind in the vast emptiness.

"You're here?" Madara opened his eyes, looking at Saitama beside White Zetsu.

"I'm here." Saitama stood firm, body straightened, staring at the elderly man sitting on the stone chair.

Though Madara had arrived at the final stage of life, even now, he still exuded an overwhelming aura all around.

In Saitama's mind, it felt like an abyssal pressure.

"I am Uchiha Madara."

"Hmm."

Saitama nodded without doubt, remaining unusually calm.

Madara rarely frowned, but he did now, gazing at this descendant who showed no surprise at seeing an ancestor long thought dead.

"What a strange descendant!" A smile appeared on Madara's terrifying face, and he stood up, walking toward Saitama.

"After the battle at the Valley of the End, I've been barely clinging to life here ever since. Without this, I wouldn't have survived until today."

Madara said, pointing with his finger to the tube inserted in his back.

"What must I do?" Straightforwardly, Saitama stared at the old man before him—though aged, still standing upright.

Madara glanced at Saitama and moved even closer, stopping just one step away.

"Do you wish to change the way the Shinobi World stands now, Saitama Uchiha?"

Instead of answering directly, Madara posed a question.

"What do I need to do?" Saitama understood Madara's intent, yet he still acted as though knowing nothing.

"Collect the Tailed Beasts, and revive me!" Madara spoke in a low tone, locking eyes with Saitama.

"Revive you?" Saitama looked at Madara, showing confusion in his expression.

"I should've died long ago. Without the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, you wouldn't have seen me even once."

Madara turned around and walked forward, gesturing for Saitama to follow.

Back at the original spot, Saitama could only see a huge shadow. As Madara approached, he finally saw the complete form of the [Demonic Statue of the Outer Path].

The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path was the body of the Ten-Tails. What Saitama saw now was in humanoid form.

Currently, it had nine tightly closed eyes, legs crossed, and hands suspended in front forming a lotus position.

Its entire body was the color of dead wood, which made sense since this was the physical form of the God Tree.

Looking closely, Saitama could see nearly ten jagged pillar-like protrusions behind the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, resembling roots left behind after a tree trunk had been chopped down.

The statue, or rather, the physical shell of the Ten-Tails, sat atop a rocky platform. Around it were deep pools of water.

The lighting was dim, so Saitama couldn't see what lay beneath the water, but judging from what he knew, it was probably White Zetsu clones created by Madara using the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.

"This is the body of the Ten-Tails. I want you to gather the Tailed Beasts because your task will be to awaken it."

Madara's back faced Saitama as he leaned on his scythe, staring at the massive shell nearby.

"No problem," Saitama nodded, his eyes shining with an unusual light.

Madara never once considered Saitama's personal thoughts; he believed Saitama would firmly complete every task he assigned.

"Although I've awakened the Rinnegan, I only figured out how to use it shortly before my death, managing to summon this shell in time. For years now, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path has kept me alive."

"Gather the Tailed Beasts, resurrect me, and I shall bring true peace to this world!"

"And as for you, you will also get what you desire—leading the Uchiha Clan toward glory and light."

As Madara spoke these words, he became visibly emotional. His facial skin, like ancient tree bark, twisted uncontrollably, making him even more grotesque.

"What should I do?" Saitama signaled for the White Zetsu to release his shoulder, stepping forward independently toward Madara.

"The specific details I'll explain later. For now, you must first learn to control this new body. Then, I shall teach you the Yin-Yang Release jutsu and Six Paths Technique!"

"Only when you master these techniques can you confront and control the Tailed Beasts, and then fulfill the mission I have given you."

Madara gave Saitama a blank stare, then strode toward the stone seat.

Leaning his scythe aside, he sat down silently.

Saitama understood that his current mission was to adapt to his new body as soon as possible, so he asked no further questions. He raised a hand, motioning the White Zetsu to assist him, and then exited the cave with its support.

...

This lack of coordination felt like a thorn in Saitama's side. Though he said nothing aloud, the discomfort gnawed constantly at his mind.

After speaking with Madara, Saitama began various forms of recovery training.

First came walking independently.

Wrapped in the same black cloak worn by Madara, Saitama held both arms slightly away from his body to maintain balance.

"That's right! Exactly like that!" The White Zetsu cheered. It was sitting on the stone bed where Saitama rested, its short legs dangling in midair and swinging aimlessly.

A giant # mark had appeared on his forehead. Saitama struggled to suppress rising irritation.

"Shut up!" Finally unable to hold back, Saitama shouted at the White Zetsu.

At the sound of Saitama's voice, the White Zetsu's swinging legs paused momentarily before resuming their motion—but now without any verbal encouragement.

Tsk!

White Zetsu bared his teeth in a creepy grin, letting out an eerie sound.

Without White Zetsu's annoying childlike tone that always seemed to be coddling a toddler, Saitama continued his rehabilitation training.

This was already the third day of his walking practice. Although his legs weren't as flexible as before, he could now walk independently.

The training to restore hand movements was also underway, and progress came surprisingly fast. Except for lacking his original strength, other aspects had already returned to normal levels.

In this dark underground space, regaining bodily control became one of Saitama's two daily routines—the other being verbal sparring with the never-shutting-up White Zetsu.

Saitama hadn't yet encountered Black Zetsu, the mysterious shadow behind the entire Shinobi World, in this place. Therefore, only White Zetsu and Madara were present.

Madara wasn't about to make small talk with Saitama, obviously. Other than giving him some lessons on Yin-Yang Release every day, Madara would simply sit motionless on that chair like a fossil, not even shifting slightly.

Time flew. Saitama's rehab got tougher, and bit by bit, he took back control of his own body.

The power of Hashirama's cells left a deep impression in his past-life memories. Saitama could feel his cells' exceptional vitality.

For reasons unknown, Saitama's body didn't reject Hashirama's cells at all. It could be said they were a perfect match.

That day, while Saitama was performing various physical activities to restore his mobility, White Zetsu emerged from the darkness and approached him.

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