"You little brat!"
"Where the hell did you learn those techniques?"
"Oh? Getting worked up? They're just two B-rank ninjutsu. I learn whatever I want—what's it to you?"
The flames collided and gradually dissipated. When two equal forces meet head-on, the result is mutual destruction.
When the fire finally faded, the two stood staring at each other—one furious to the point of trembling, the other smiling with obvious delight.
"That's not all, Madara Uchiha."
"You've already spat out two Fire Releases. My turn now."
"Fire Release: Hiding in Ash and Dust Technique!"
This time, Kazuyama Gekkō struck first, unleashing a massive cloud of superheated smoke. Under his control, the smoke didn't just engulf Madara Uchiha—it swallowed the sky above as well.
With a single technique, he cut off the vision of both Muren Uchiha and Madara Uchiha.
"Madara Uchiha, leave him to me."
"The other one is yours. I'll use Crystal Release to knock him down."
"Obito, protect Gaara."
Kazuyama gave no time for discussion; he laid out the plan cleanly and decisively.
Muren Uchiha was strong, and his dōjutsu was troublesome, but compared to Madara—who had already activated the Rinnegan—he was still easier to handle.
So Kazuyama took Madara on himself and left the other target to the rest.
"No problem, Kazuyama. Taking on Uchiha Madara alone is already more than enough."
"Leave Muren Uchiha to us!"
Minato Namikaze immediately stepped forward to support his close friend. In a situation like this, everyone had to work together.
The other Kage said nothing more—Kazuyama Gekkō had already proven his strength.
Trading ninjutsu head-to-head with Uchiha Madara was not something ordinary shinobi could do.
"Hmph, you bastard Senzan, don't you dare die."
"And don't get yourself badly injured either—I'm not about to waste time saving you."
Rasa remained as sharp-tongued as ever. Seeing Kazuyama triggered the reflex—his mouth vented poison automatically.
Kazuyama was long used to it. Even if this man was worried about him, he'd never say it directly; he would only coat it in venom.
"You really do keep close watch over your son."
"Next…"
"Crystal Release: Sky Barrier!"
As the superheated smoke began thinning, Kazuyama immediately moved into formation.
A crystal barrier, invisible to the naked eye, shot up from the ground and wrapped around Muren Uchiha in the air. If his dōjutsu specialized in distance, then Kazuyama would simply define his limits.
"Kazuyama Gekkō, I'll admit your strength is impressive—but never underestimate Madara Uchiha."
"Raikage, get ready to move. I'll support you!"
Ōnoki had gone completely serious the moment he saw Madara. After all, a Kage's reputation was heavy enough, but he had once been crushed by Madara personally.
Facing such an opponent, even with Dust Release, he didn't dare be careless.
"Uchiha Madara, here I come!"
"Crystal Release: Crystal Wheel Dance!"
After setting up the Sky Barrier, Kazuyama charged straight toward Madara without hesitation. At the same time, several massive crystal formations shot ahead of him into the smoke.
The others turned their attention to Muren Uchiha.
"You little brat—die!"
Madara's furious roar erupted from within the scorching smoke. Though the Hiding in Ash and Dust Technique produced blistering heat, Madara's activated Rinnegan allowed him to absorb chakra and ninjutsu—rendering the smoke harmless.
What he couldn't understand was how Kazuyama Gekkō knew so many Uchiha techniques.
He had no intention of thinking about it any further. He just wanted this bastard dead.
"Limbo: Border Jail!"
This time, instead of one shadow, four shadows attacked simultaneously.
Kazuyama, still mid-run, suddenly stopped and let out a strange shout.
"Oh? Four this time, huh?"
"Too bad—you still can't get close to me!"
"Crystal Release: Jade Crystal Clone!"
In response to the Limbo shadows, Kazuyama immediately created four clones beside himself.
Shadow against clone—every strike the shadows launched was intercepted by a mirror clone.
"Just as I thought. I still don't know where you obtained it…"
"But you definitely possess a power on par with the Six Paths—something different from the Rinnegan."
"Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to perceive the Limbo shadows at all."
Ever since activating Limbo: Border Jail, Madara had been watching Kazuyama closely. No matter which angle his shadow attacked from, it was blocked every time.
As a Rinnegan ability, the Limbo shadows were not something ordinary means could stop.
This made Madara increasingly suspicious of Kazuyama.
To counter Six Paths-level Rinnegan power, one needed power of the same tier.
"Oh? You figured it out?"
"Too bad—no prize."
"Oh wait, there is a prize I can show you."
"Wonder if you'll break after seeing it."
Kazuyama chuckled lightly and raised his right hand. A pitch-black sphere suddenly materialized beside it, twisting into something unsettling.
Under his gaze, the sphere elongated into a tin staff.
"Looking at your face, I'd say you recognize this."
"How's that for a reward?"
"Does it shake your confidence?"
From Madara's expression, Kazuyama could tell he understood exactly what he was seeing.
Sure enough, the moment Madara saw the staff, he immediately withdrew his shadows.
Even though Limbo could unleash enormous offensive force, it required rest between uses. And beyond that—Madara had clearly identified the object now in Kazuyama's hand.
"The power of the Sage of the Six Paths…"
"A Truth-Seeking Ball from the ritual…"
"Impossible. Why? You're neither Uchiha nor Senju. You have no Sharingan, no Rinnegan…"
"How could you possibly wield that power?"
Having read the Stone Monument, Madara knew very well what it was—the legendary power that only the Sage of the Six Paths himself could control, the very power he had long been seeking.
It was for that power that he had set so many plans into motion.
"Heh. If I told you some old man forced this onto me, would that make you die of anger?"
"The very power you've been chasing… it's in my hand now. How angry does that make you?"
...
The moment the sphere appeared, Madara Uchiha's expression had already…