C699 Spider-Man (Patreon)

As the tiny Kurama fired his bijudama, Madara’s eyes widened as he felt his death approaching. But he knew he couldn’t die. At least not yet.

After all, he had so many plans that needed preparation, not to mention his biggest pawn, Obito, was currently captured and being held somewhere in the Leaf village.

But sadly, he couldn’t move. His old body had been beaten and battered thoroughly by Peter, leaving him helpless as the ominous chakra attack closed in.

Just as Madara was about to accept his fate as a failure and meet his old friend Hashirama in the afterlife, a figure appeared before him. It bent down, reaching out with two fingers, and casually plucked the bijudama out of the air.

“?” Madara looked up to see Peter holding the powerful and potent bijudama between his fingers as if it were a child’s toy ball.

The surrounding ninja reacted in shock and surprise. They knew Peter was strong, but they never expected him to be able to do that…

“Impossible…” Onoki muttered, his eyes wide with disbelief. “He caught a bijudama… with his bare hands…”

Hiruzen, despite his injuries, managed to stand, his gaze fixed on Peter. “Just how strong is he…?”

Peter, who had just caught the most deadly attack that all tailed beasts could muster, an attack that all humans have feared for hundreds and hundreds of years, casually tossed the ball of chakra aside.

The bijudama flew into the nearby forest, and seconds later, it exploded in a huge bright flash followed by a shockwave that rustled the nearby trees as well as everyone’s clothing and hair.

The explosion's light illuminated the stunned faces of the ninja from Konoha and the allied forces. The sheer power of the explosion was a stark reminder of the danger that had just been neutralized with such ease.

Peter turned to Madara, who lay on the ground, battered and beaten. "You should be more careful," he said, his tone light but carrying a hint of warning. “You almost got killed.”

Madara, still in shock from his near-death experience, managed to find his voice. “You… why did you save me?”

Peter smirked. “Because, I invited you to lunch. You can’t die. At least not until we’ve eaten...”

Kurama, still in his small puppy form, growled in frustration. "Why didn’t you let me finish him?!"

Peter glanced down at Kurama, his expression softening slightly. "Because I wasn't done with him yet," he said, his eyes narrowing to convey his displeasure with the little foxes actions.

Gritting his teeth, Kurama's fur bristled, though he refrained from attacking, knowing Peter would just stop him. "When will you be done with him?" he asked in frustration.

Peter scratched his chin and shrugged. "I'm not sure. I have to talk to him first."

"And after that talk?" Kurama pressed.

"I'll decide whether he lives or dies," Peter stated plainly.

Madara's eyes narrowed as he realized the situation. He was at Peter's mercy, and for the first time in a long while, he felt a glimmer of uncertainty. This man was unlike anyone he had ever faced before.

Kurama fell silent for a moment before asking, "If you do decide to kill him, can I do it?"

'This mangy fox...' Madara couldn't help but silently curse Kurama.

"Sure," Peter answered quickly, as he didn't care either way.

The surrounding ninja, both from Konoha and the allied forces, watched in a mix of awe and apprehension. They had come expecting a battle to the death, but what they witnessed was something far beyond their understanding.

Minato stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Peter. "What do you plan to do with him?" he asked, his voice carrying the weight of the village's concern.

Peter looked back at Minato, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I haven’t decided yet."

Minato appeared apprehensive, remaining silent.

Noticing Minato's unease, Peter patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry so much. He won't be causing any trouble with me around."

"R-Right..." Minato seemed to calm down, though still a bit nervous.

"Anyway, while I’m dealing with him, why don’t you finish things up here?" Peter gestured to the surrounding ninja. "Send them home immediately if you want. But if you want some advice from me, hold a meeting with the other village leaders and try to use this as an opportunity for lasting peace. Who knows, maybe you'll be able to turn this crisis into a chance for growth and change."

“…” Minato turned quiet, his mind racing with Peter’s advice.

"Oh," Peter muttered, realizing he had forgotten something. "And have villagers return now that it's safe. I need Ichiraku to make our lunch..."

With a wave of his hand, Peter summoned a series of magical chains that wrapped around Madara, binding him tightly. The chains glowed with a mystical energy, ensuring that even Madara’s formidable strength and abilities wouldn’t be enough to break free.

“Now,” Peter said, turning back to Madara. “We have a lot to discuss.”

With that, he effortlessly lifted Madara, carrying the bound Uchiha as if he weighed nothing. "Hey! Where are you taking me?" Madara demanded.

"I already told you," Peter replied, rolling his eyes. "We're getting some ramen."

As they entered the village, Minato flared his chakra, summoning a team of masked Anbu who kneeled before him. "Follow them at a safe distance and report back to me," he ordered, his worry getting the best of him.

The masked ninja vanished in swirls of leaves, departing to fulfill their Hokage's orders.

Turning around, Minato eyed the allied army and the Kages who had led them there, Peter's words replaying in his mind. The battle he had expected had turned into something entirely different.

"What are you looking at?!" Onoki exclaimed gruffly.

Sighing, Minato gestured toward the village. "Would you and the other Kages like to talk inside the village?"

“?!” All four enemy Kages' eyes widened, wondering if this was some sort of trap.

————

Peter walked the empty streets of Konoha, carrying the bound Uchiha as if he were a duffle bag. The Anbu ninja followed at a distance, their minds racing with questions and possibilities.

As they moved, the few villagers, who had been unwilling to evacuate and leave their homes behind, began to peek out from their shelters, curiosity and apprehension evident on their faces.

Soon enough, Peter arrived at Ichiraku Ramen, the famous ramen stall that had always been a haven for Naruto in the show. He unceremoniously dropped Madara onto the street and waved his hand, the magical chains disappearing.

“Ugh…” The old Uchiha grunted, glaring up at Peter.

But before Madara could react, Peter placed a hand on his shoulder, healing him with a soft glow of magic.

Madara's eyes widened in awe, dumbfounded by how good his body felt. “?!”

Years of old injuries, experimentation, and the wear and tear of age had plagued him, but now he felt rejuvenated. Though still very old, the aches and pains that had been his constant companions were significantly reduced.

Breaking from his blissful shock, Madara watched as Peter took a seat at the Ichiraku stall and patted the seat beside him. "Have a seat," Peter said, his tone friendly.

A silent war raged inside Madara's head as he stared at Peter’s unguarded back. The urge to attack, to regain his honor and power, was incredibly strong!

But after a moment's thought, he realized the futility of it. Peter had healed him with a wave of his hand and caught a bijudama as if it were a toy ball…

Madara didn’t stand a chance, as much as he hated to admit it.

Reluctantly, Madara took a seat beside Peter. "What do you want from me?" he asked, his voice wary.

Peter smiled. "Nothing at the moment. But I may have an offer for you later, depending on how everything goes, of course. For now, why don’t we just have a meal together? I'd like to get to know you."

Madara watched Peter suspiciously for a moment, then looked around at the empty stall. "I don’t think we’ll be getting any food here."

Peter's smile widened. "Just give it a minute. They’ll be here soon."

As if on cue, the citizens of Konoha began to return to the village, their initial fear giving way to cautious curiosity. Among them was Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku Ramen, accompanied by his daughter Ayame. They approached the stall, their expressions a mix of surprise and confusion at seeing Peter and Madara sitting there.

“Peter?” Teuchi asked, his voice tentative. “Is everything alright?”

Peter nodded, his smile reassuring. "Everything’s fine, Teuchi. We’re just waiting for some ramen."

As a visiting tourist in this universe, Peter has eaten at Ichiraku twice already and is even on a first-name basis with the owner.

Teuchi glanced at Madara, not recognizing him. "Alright then," he said, more than willing to cook for some hungry customers. "What will it be?"

Peter turned to Madara. "What do you want?"

Madara, still trying to process the surreal situation, managed to reply. "I haven’t had ramen in decades. You choose."

Peter nodded. "Two bowls of your best, Teuchi."

As Teuchi and Ayame began to prepare the ramen, some of the ninja from earlier slowly gathered around, their curiosity overcoming their fear. They watched in awe as Peter and Madara sat together, the atmosphere surprisingly calm despite the tension.

Madara remained silent, his mind racing with thoughts and questions. He glanced at Peter, still trying to understand this enigmatic figure who had so effortlessly defeated him and now wanted to share a meal.

As the aroma of freshly cooked ramen filled the air, the tension in the village began to dissipate. The sight of Peter and Madara, two powerful figures, sitting together at Ichiraku Ramen, brought a strange sense of normalcy back to the surrounding ninja, who had thought they’d be fighting a bloody and vicious war today.

…

As two steaming bowls of ramen were placed in front of them, Peter and Madara began to eat. Madara took his first taste, and his eyes widened slightly. The flavors danced on his tongue, a small, almost unnoticeable smile forming on his lips.

Peter noticed the reaction and grinned. "Good, isn’t it?"

Madara nodded, savoring another bite. "It’s been a long time since I’ve had something this good."

Peter was about to ask Madara something when suddenly, the sound of running footsteps caught his attention. Two young boys, who had just returned from the evacuation, came rushing over, calling out to Peter.

“Teacher!” Itachi called out, his face expressionless despite his quick pace.

“Sensei!” Shisui echoed, his enthusiasm on full display, unlike Itachi.

The surrounding ninjas' eyes widened, fearing what might happen should the two kids interrupt a meeting between these two powerful beings.

But to their surprise, Peter simply smiled at the kids, turning in his chair to greet them. "Hey, you two. What’s up?"

"Are we still training today?" Shisui asked, his eyes shining with eagerness.

Peter nodded, his smile widening. "Yeah, but we’ll have to do it later. I’m a bit busy right now."

Madara watched the interaction with intrigue, realizing that the two boys before him who called Peter their teacher were from his clan. Watching them interact, he felt a surprising pang of jealousy…

These boys had the chance to learn from a monster like Peter. No doubt, they would grow up to be very powerful, perhaps even surpassing him.

But his thoughts were interrupted when Itachi, his curiosity piqued, pointed at Madara and asked innocently, "Who’s this?"

Peter smirked, glancing at Madara. "Oh, you mean this old man?”

“…” Madara’s brow twitched in irritation.

“This is my new friend, Madara Uchiha."

The words sent a shockwave through the immediate area. Itachi and Shisui’s eyes widened in awe and disbelief. Teuchi and Ayame, who were working in the stall, froze as they heard that name. The same reaction rippled through some of the nearby citizens who were simply walking by, unaware of the situation.

“”“?!”””

A/N: 2007 words :)