Even though the person lying on the ground had their eyes closed the entire time, Oda Sakunosuke felt as if he were being stared at intently.
A moment later, that handsome face, which exuded an incredible sense of intimidation, uttered a single word: "No."
Author's Note:
----------------------
Chapter 6
"Are you sure you don't want to tell him about your business?" Oda Sakunosuke turned his head to ask the man sitting beside him before making the call.
"No need." The man shook his head, a trace of imperceptible trepidation appearing on his handsome face.
Oda Sakunosuke began dialing, "Beep, beep.."
With a series of dialing tones, the call went through.
"Hello? Izuna, it's me, Oda!" Oda Sakunosuke stood up and paced around a bit; he hadn't called since Uchiha Izuna gave him the number.
“Oda?” A clear voice came through the phone. “Why are you calling me all of a sudden?”
The man beside him listened quietly to the voice on the phone, which sounded both strange and familiar, as if from another lifetime. It was familiar because he had heard this voice since he was a child, but it was strange because he had not heard it in decades.
He even felt that time passed too quickly; before he could listen for long, the person on the other end of the line hung up, that voice, which had left him feeling so unsettled, vanished along with it.
"Ahem, you heard all that, right?" Oda Sakunosuke cleared his throat with a cough and said, "Izuna's filming this scene in another location for a month, so you might not see him for another month." As he spoke, he paced around somewhat uncomfortably; he couldn't help it, the presence of this newly rescued person was just too overwhelming.
This man's current appearance was practically a carbon copy of when Uchiha Izuna lived here; both possessed an extraordinary aura and wore bandages over their eyes. However, while Uchiha Izuna's aura tended toward softness—even if it was mostly a facade—this man's presence was incredibly intense, to the point where staying near him for too long gave one the illusion of being sliced by a sharp blade.
It was only when he spoke the name Uchiha Izuna last night that the killing intent that had been enveloping him finally dissipated. He carefully helped the man up. The man's injuries were not as severe as Uchiha Izuna's, fortunately, due to his profession, Oda Sakunosuke kept plenty of medicine at home, so the two of them didn't have to spend the whole night knocking on a clinic's door.
As Oda Sakunosuke busied himself tending to the man's wounds, the man initially remained silent, allowing him to work. However, once the treatment was nearly finished, he suddenly blurted out, "Who are you? How do you know Izuna?!"
Oda Sakunosuke?? So you weren't the one who dumped Uchiha Izuna at my doorstep? Both brothers collapsed at the same door at the same time? This is way too much of a coincidence!
After being speechless for a while, Oda Sakunosuke had to exert quite a bit of effort to explain the situation, talking until his mouth went dry. He then told him that since it was so late, Uchiha Izuna should be asleep by now, he could call Uchiha Izuna tomorrow instead.
Then, the man finally spat out a few words as if they were precious as gold, "I am Uchiha Izuna's older brother, Uchiha Madara."
Uchiha Madara, the Asura of the Ninja World
Having never heard this name before, Oda Sakunosuke naturally did not know the significance represented by the name Uchiha Madara.
"But why didn't you let me tell Izuna that you were here?" Oda Sakunosuke noticed that after the call ended, the faint chill that had been lingering around him had vanished. He couldn't help but ask with some curiosity why Uchiha Madara wouldn't let him contact Uchiha Izuna.
I am not a good older brother," Uchiha Madara said after a moment of silence, "I couldn't protect my younger brother, I even made him worry about me.
This referred to Uchiha Izuna giving his eyes to him. Upon hearing Senju Tobirama blurt out that the wound was not fatal, he understood in an instant that Izuna had intentionally said his life was nearing its end, all just to give his eyes to his older brother.
Hearing my brother's voice again is already a miracle to me," Uchiha Madara said indifferently. "So, don't let this minor injury cause him any more worry.
Ever since Izuna's death, Uchiha Madara had always felt that when it came to protecting his brother, he could not compare to Senju Hashirama. The two of them had made a vow together to protect their brothers, yet his brother had died, while Senju Hashirama's brother remained full of life.
If anyone who knew him before saw him speaking so peacefully with a stranger he had only recently met, their eyes would surely have fallen out in shock.
That's not right," Oda Sakunosuke refuted. "I looked after Izuna for a period of time; although it wasn't very long, I still heard a few things about you from his mouth.
In Izuna's mouth, his older brother was omnipotent, gentle, powerful," Oda Sakunosuke said in a low voice. Although after meeting the real person, he had begun to doubt whether the word "gentle" was simply a result of Izuna's heavy bias. "I think that to Izuna, you are the best older brother in the world!
Thank you for taking care of Izuna.
After a long time, Uchiha Madara thanked Oda Sakunosuke.
"Don't mention it. Get some good rest; I have to head to work." Oda Sakunosuke realized that, without him noticing, it was already past his usual time to leave.
Today was delayed for a long time, he would likely be late for work. Oda Sakunosuke quickly grabbed his clothes and headed out. Before leaving, he glanced back into the room and saw those long, spiky black hairs, which reminded him of the Siberian forest cats he had once seen on television.
Unfortunately, you can't even pet that cat.
"Oda, what have you been up to lately?" Dazai Osamu, covered in bandages, appeared out of nowhere and blocked Oda Sakunosuke's path.
"Have you seen Ango? I have something to discuss with him." Oda Sakunosuke did not answer, but instead asked about another of their two friends.
"What's the matter?" Dazai Osamu asked casually.
I need a new identity.
Is there a problem with Uchiha Izuna's identity?" Dazai Osamu asked nonchalantly. "Being a celebrity is such a hassle; so many things have to be scrutinized over and over again, there's absolutely no privacy.
No, it's his brother.
"Huh?" The unexpected answer caused the鸢色 eyes on Dazai Osamu's handsome face to widen. With his baby fat not yet having faded, he even looked somewhat cute; at this moment, he looked even more like a teenager.
"Spill it, spill it! What happened?" In the next second, Dazai Osamu's tone was filled with the joyful excitement of someone looking for trouble.
"When I was walking home after drinking a few days ago, I picked up his brother at the entrance," Oda Sakunosuke said calmly.
..
Is that all?" Dazai Osamu asked disappointedly. "Did nothing else happen? For example, why did he appear at your door, how did you know he was Uchiha Izuna's brother?
"I don't know," Oda Sakunosuke answered sincerely.
"Forget it, forget it. I already knew you were boring to death, Oda Sakunosuke, but this isn't bad either. Before, you were always out taking care of some brats, but now, you can just wait at your doorstep and Uchiha members will keep falling from the sky." Dazai Osamu said teasingly, unaware that his words were a prophecy.
"What does that older brother look like?" Dazai Osamu's eyes sparkled with gossip-hungry light.
He should be quite handsome.
Should be?
"I didn't notice his appearance; his presence was just too overwhelming," Oda Sakunosuke replied lazily. This was true; anyone who saw Uchiha Madara would be struck by his presence immediately. That sharp, blade-like aura made it truly difficult for anyone to notice his looks.
"A beauty's brother must be very handsome as well," Dazai Osamu said as if it were common sense. "No, no, I must go with you to take a look. Now I'm curious about everything you said!" He grabbed Oda Sakunosuke's arm and started heading toward his home.
"What's there to be curious about?" Oda Sakunosuke completely failed to grasp Dazai Osamu's point.
Sometimes, Oda Sakunosuke, you are so dull it's frustrating!
Don't you find it strange?" Dazai Osamu's smile deepened. "I have met Uchiha Izuna; he is no simple person, when it comes to disguise, I am no match for him. Based on what you're saying, his older brother can only be even more formidable than he is.
"The fact that a single clan can produce these two individuals means it is certainly not an obscure clan," Dazai Osamu analyzed one by one. "Yet I have never heard of the Uchiha Clan's reputation, even the intelligence reports can't uncover his identity! Isn't that strange enough, Oda Sakunosuke?" Having come from a prestigious family himself, Dazai Osamu naturally knew a great deal about such families, among the prestigious families he knew, there had never been one called Uchiha, especially since this matter involved his friend.
"Watch out!" Oda Sakunosuke reached out and quickly pulled Dazai aside. A black object flew past Dazai Osamu's body and embedded itself in the wall opposite them; if Oda Sakunosuke hadn't been so fast, it might have slashed Dazai Osamu's clothes.
"Ah, Dazai Osamu, you bastard, I finally found you! Get over here right now!" The orange-haired boy wearing a black hat stormed over in a rage; it was Nakahara Chuuya, who was currently filled with fury as he grabbed Dazai Osamu by the collar and yanked him down, forcing Dazai Osamu to bend over to his level.
You actually ran off when the mission was only halfway done!" Nakahara Chuuya roared at Dazai Osamu. "If the mission fails, it will be all your fault!
Arara, it's not like the mission failed, after all!" Dazai Osamu said nonchalantly. "Do you have any idea how short you are? This position is quite uncomfortable! Besides, I am an executive; by acting like this, are you trying to insubordinate me!
"You think you're so tall!" Nakahara Chuuya gritted his teeth and released his grip, wishing he could beat Dazai Osamu senseless right then and there.
At least I'm taller than you, you little shrimp!
"I told you, I'm still in my growth spurt! I'll grow more later!" Being called short again, Nakahara Chuuya completely lost his temper, ignoring any sense of hierarchy, grabbed Dazai Osamu by the collar, dragging him along and leaving a long trail in the dirt.
“How dare you treat me like this! You little shrimp, you're dead!" Dazai Osamu, his collar still gripped in the other man's hand, continued to threaten him relentlessly. At this moment, he revealed his truest emotions, showing none of the calculating, deep-thinking side of Dazai Osamu that he usually displayed.
Completely ignored, Oda Sakunosuke silently watched the two walk away. For some reason, whenever these two started talking, no one else could get a word in edgewise.
I should go home and see the big cat; although I can only look at it, I can't pet it.
Author's Note:
----------------------
Thank you for the nutrition solutions! Here is a little side story.
Uchiha Izuna (Beaming): Once I finish filming and become a famous actor, I'll be able to show myself to my brother.
Returning to Yokohama after finishing filming
Uchiha Madara: Izuna, do you see this? This is the empire I have conquered for you!
Izuna (proudly, yet with a hint of confusion): As expected of you, Madara-ge!
Chapter 7
Looking at his pale friend, Oda Sakunosuke, lying in the hospital bed, Dazai Osamu's gaze turned slightly cold.
Everything happened too suddenly. First was Ango's disappearance, followed by the overseas organization Mimic beginning to provoke the Port Mafia. Oda Sakunosuke, a low-level mafia member, was authorized by Mori Ougai to take the Silver Oracle—who carries orders representing the boss—to investigate Ango's disappearance, now, his close friend Oda Sakunosuke could only lie in bed because of an explosion encountered during that investigation.
His mind raced at high speed. To Mori Ougai, an Oda Sakunosuke with such strength who could not be utilized was destined to be nothing more than a sacrifice; so, was his current course of action an indication that the time had come to sacrifice Oda Sakunosuke?
How could he prevent all of this from happening? Dazai Osamu crossed his arms, suddenly thinking of his conversation with Oda Sakunosuke.
By the way, does that Uchiha Madara have any special supernatural abilities?
"I don't know," Oda Sakunosuke replied with a calm expression.
I'm not surprised by that answer at all," Dazai Osamu said, rolling his eyes heavily. "Even though you say you don't know, analyzing your attitude so far, you are very wary of him; otherwise, you wouldn't keep him at home all this time. You place all those orphans left behind by the Dragon Head War into ordinary families; if he were an ordinary person, you would have sent him away long ago.
“Yeah. Dazai!”
What do you want?!
"Promise me, don't go meeting Uchiha Madara casually," Oda Sakunosuke said with a serious expression. "If you happen to run into him, you must not oppose him!" He knew that smart people sometimes liked to invite trouble, but that man, Uchiha Madara, clearly looked like someone who was not to be trifled with. Thinking of the scene he had seen when the Seamless Trigger was activated—that unavoidable premonition of death where every strike was a clean, lethal blow—even an ex-assassin like himself, who specialized in Taijutsu, had no power to resist, let alone someone like Dazai, whose talents were entirely focused on his intellect and whose Taijutsu was far inferior to his own.
Tsk, I got it!
Withdrawing his memories, Dazai Osamu took out his phone and began dialing. "This time it's no joke. To make a guy like Oda Sakunosuke so wary, don't let me down, Uchiha Madara."
Hello?" Dazai Osamu said with a smile as he dialed the number and began explaining the situation. "Is this Mr. Uchiha Madara? I am a friend of Oda Sakunosuke. Oda Sakunosuke has been hospitalized and might need your help. Could you come by?
"The address." A powerful male voice came through the receiver.
Dazai Osamu gave the hospital's address, the other party hung up immediately after hearing it.
A rhythmic "knock, knock, knock" sounded at the door.
Five minutes. Seeing the time recorded on the clock, Dazai Osamu's brow twitched. The distance from Oda Sakunosuke's place to the hospital—for a normal person, it would take at least half an hour by car.
“He's here!” Dazai Osamu opened the door and saw the man, letting out a sharp, silent gasp of breath in his heart. The young man outside was dressed in dark clothing, possessed a lean, powerful build, had a profound aura. Most importantly, his eyes were actually wrapped in bandages!
"My apologies, I didn't realize your eyes were still injured, Mr. Uchiha Madara." Dazai Osamu felt a bit awkward. Oda Sakunosuke rarely spoke of Uchiha Madara. Although he knew the man was injured, he hadn't known the injury was to his eyes. At the same time, he was very pleased; being able to arrive at such a speed despite the eye injury was enough to prove the man's strength. The stronger the man was, the more likely Mori Ougai's plans were to fail.
Even with his eyes bandaged, Uchiha Madara bypassed Dazai Osamu with precision and headed straight for Oda Sakunosuke lying on the bed. His series of movements was sharp and decisive, showing no sign at all that his eyes were actually blind.
Uchiha Madara stood by Oda Sakunosuke's bedside, placing his fingers on Oda Sakunosuke's wrist. After standing there for a moment, he suddenly spoke, "With this level of toxin, he will wake up once the sun sets."