In a secluded area of Seireitei, a zone completely enclosed by millions of fluttering cherry blossom petals suddenly burst open.
BOOM!
The sea of cherry blossoms scattered in all directions, revealing two figures standing inside—Minato Namikaze and Byakuya Kuchiki.
At long last, their fierce duel had reached its conclusion.
Byakuya's entire body was covered in severe lacerations. His pristine white captain's haori was dyed crimson with blood, and he lay collapsed on the ground, having lost consciousness.
Minato's condition was hardly any better. Deep cuts covered his body as well.
Reflecting on the battle, Minato could not help but sigh with lingering emotion.
After Byakuya unleashed his Bankai, the sheer volume of cherry blossom blades he could manipulate increased exponentially, making his attacks infinitely more agile and treacherous. Furthermore, in the final moments of the fight, Byakuya had achieved a sudden burst of insight, causing his combat prowess to spike dramatically.
Though Minato was a master of the Flying Raijin Jutsu, fighting within a confined domain completely enclosed by lethal petals put him at a distinct disadvantage. Many of his injuries were sustained when he simply couldn't dodge in time.
Although he ultimately secured victory, Minato had paid a considerable price.
"That guy was insanely tough. I almost lost just now," Minato muttered, looking down at the unconscious Byakuya. He smiled softly. "Naruto, your old man didn't embarrass you after all!"
Minato walked a short distance away and sat down to rest. Though victorious, his body was in no condition to continue fighting.
Taking advantage of the breather, he finally had time to check the live stream projection in his vision to see how Lin Xuan was faring.
However, the moment his eyes fell upon the figure in the broadcast, Minato gasped in surprise. "I didn't expect Guild Leader to actually summon *him* out in the end!"
***
Back on the main battlefield of Seireitei, Uchiha Madara looked around with a bewildered expression.
To be completely honest, he was thoroughly confused.
Just a moment ago, he had been gearing up to massacre that space pirate army in the Dragon Ball World, intending to wipe out all tens of thousands of them in a single move.
Yet before he could even launch his attack, his vision went black, and he suddenly materialized here.
However, Madara quickly put two and two together.
He turned his head, and sure enough, he spotted that familiar face standing nearby. Casting a less-than-friendly glare at Lin Xuan, Madara snapped, "Lin Xuan, you brat! Dragging me over here out of nowhere—couldn't you at least give me a heads-up?!"
Lin Xuan didn't mind Madara's abrasive tone at all. He grinned and replied, "I had no choice. I bumped into a rather troublesome opponent, and I figured only someone of your caliber could handle him!"
Hearing this, Madara narrowed his eyes slightly, his harsh expression softening noticeably.
He crossed his arms over his chest and snorted, "Hmph. You brat are always like this—you can't get anything done without me! Speak up then, who's the enemy? I hope he doesn't disappoint me!"
As he spoke, his gaze swept across the surrounding area before finally locking onto Aizen Sosuke standing directly ahead.
Madara stared at Aizen, his eyebrows knitting together in disappointment. "The enemy you're talking about... couldn't possibly be this weak-looking fellow, could it?"
Lin Xuan nodded. "That's right. His name is Aizen. Don't underestimate him; his strength is terrifying. He might not be inferior to you at all!"
"Hmph, impossible! A guy like him? I'll make him dance in no time!" Madara sneered with utter disdain.
He then turned his fierce, battle-hungry gaze back onto Lin Xuan. "Honestly, I'd much rather fight you again. My power has broken through recently, and I might actually be able to defeat you now. Want to give it a shot?"
Madara stared at Lin Xuan, itching for a fight as if he might attack Lin Xuan at any second.
Lin Xuan rolled his eyes, feeling a headache coming on.
He was suddenly beginning to regret summoning this battle maniac. He should have summoned Senju Hashirama instead. Though to be fair, Hashirama and Madara were two of a kind—always looking to pick a fight with him.
Helpless, Lin Xuan waved his hand. "Go deal with him first!"
Madara snorted cold. "Fine! I'll let you witness my current strength first!"
He turned his gaze back to Aizen and sneered, "Lin Xuan says you're strong? Personally, I think this fight will be over very soon!"
At the same time, Aizen was sizing up Madara.
Hearing Madara's arrogant declaration, Aizen narrowed his eyes, a cold sneer playing on his lips. "Do not spout arrogant words so lightly. It brings no benefit and will only cause you to humiliate yourself."
Lin Xuan watched the exchange with a grin.
Watching these two absolute masters of trash-talk clash was truly a sight to behold!
In an instant, the battle exploded into action!
Aizen struck first. The Zanpakuto in his hand emitted a soft hum, radiating a faint blue glow as Kyoka Suigetsu's power enveloped the surroundings.
Without a single trace of movement, Aizen materialized directly in front of Madara.
As his hand reached out to crush Madara's throat, golden arc lightning burst forth from his palm.
"Hado #63: Raikōhō!"
Aizen intended to end Madara's life in a single strike before turning his full attention back to Lin Xuan.
BOOM!
His lethal attack connected squarely with Madara's body—only for Madara to instantly explode into a cloud of white smoke.
It was merely a Shadow Clone!
"Fire Style: Majestic Fire Annihilation!"
A vast, ocean-like wave of roaring flames erupted from behind, crashing directly into Aizen's attack!
BOOM!
The collision between scorching fire and crackling lightning blasted another giant crater into the already shattered terrain.
Aizen leaped backward, retreating smoothly to his original position.
Meanwhile, the Three-Tomoe Sharingan in Madara's eyes spun rapidly as he looked at Aizen with genuine amusement. "Illusion techniques, huh? Not bad. It seems you really do have some skill!"
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T/N:
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