"Susanoo."
A powerful surge of blue chakra erupted, expanding rapidly until it manifested into a samurai standing dozens of meters tall. This warrior was the Susanoo, the ultimate power of Madara Uchiha's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
The towering construct gripped twin swords, looking down at the young man before it. "Junior," Madara said, "come."
"As you wish."
Black chakra swirled around Tianyuan, enveloping him until an equally massive, pitch-black Susanoo materialized on the battlefield. Both constructs were in their Perfect Susanoo states, possessing power that could easily rival a Tailed Beast.
Boom!
The two giants charged, their long blades colliding with a deafening roar. Countless waves of Sword Qi slashed out in every direction, the resulting shockwaves reducing everything in the vicinity to rubble.
"Such raw power... the strength of this Susanoo is actually a step above my own," Madara murmured from within his construct.
"Madara, your Susanoo is truly impressive," Tianyuan said slowly. "It's easy to see how you were able to rival the First Hokage. I truly admire you. But you are old now. How much of the Mangekyo's power can you truly exert?"
He grinned. "More importantly, right now, you are nothing more than a Wood Clone."
The black Susanoo's strength surged, and Madara's blue construct began to buckle under the pressure.
"So, you saw through it," Madara said with a bitter smile.
When he had come to meet this junior, he hadn't intended to use Susanoo. His remaining lifespan was short, and he was currently relying entirely on the Gedo Mazo to keep himself tethered to this world. He hadn't finished his preparations yet; he was still missing his most vital pawn someone who would embrace his ideals and work for his cause.
But after his brief conversation with Tianyuan, Madara knew this was not a man who could be swayed or persuaded. Furthermore, Madara was plagued by questions. How did Tianyuan know about these hidden powers? How did he manage to form an Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan?
"If I were still at my peak, boy, I wouldn't fear you," Madara stated.
As soon as the words left his mouth, his Susanoo shattered into motes of light, and the Wood Clone inside vanished.
"At your peak, you say?" The pitch-black Susanoo stared toward a distant horizon as if glimpsing something hidden, before sheathing its blade. The black construct then dissolved into the air.
Tianyuan smiled faintly. "Madara Uchiha... I look forward to seeing you at your peak."
With that, Tianyuan departed the devastated battlefield. Anyone stumbling upon the site later would be frozen in horror; the scars left behind were the unmistakable marks of a clash between two monsters.
Upon returning to the Konoha encampment, Kushina let out a long sigh of relief when she saw Tianyuan arrive safely. At least nothing had happened to him.
"Did you really think I'd run into trouble?" Tianyuan teased.
"Don't get too arrogant," Kushina Uzumaki replied. "There are plenty of people out there stronger than you."
"Oh? Like who? I'd love to know," Tianyuan said.
"Well..." Kushina thought for a moment before speaking quickly. "The Third Hokage, for one. And the Third Raikage is said to be incredibly powerful as well..."
"Haha, I might not be able to do much against the old man, but as for the Third Raikage... maybe I'll find the time to deal with him eventually." Tianyuan rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"You aren't planning to take on the Hidden Cloud Village right now, are you?" Kushina jumped in surprise.
"Of course not. This battlefield is at its most critical moment. I can't exactly leave now," Tianyuan said, shaking his head.
"Good." Kushina relaxed. Having spent time with him, she knew his personality all too well he was the type who followed through on his words.
Meanwhile, in a cave far removed from the battlefield, sat a withered old man. If Tianyuan had seen him, he would have recognized him instantly. It was Madara Uchiha not the clone, but the aged, original body.
Inside this cavern sat a bizarre entity: a massive, humanoid figure with nine eyes. Its body possessed the color and texture of withered wood, and ten pillar-like protrusions grew from its back. Its expression was one of profound suffering. This was the famous Gedo Mazo.
It was the empty husk left behind after its chakra had been stripped away. This statue possessed a terrifying power and immense vitality, allowing Madara to hang onto his life by remaining connected to it.
The chakra stripped from the Gedo Mazo had been divided by the Sage of Six Paths into the nine Tailed Beasts. If the Tailed Beasts were ever absorbed back into the statue, it would return to its original form: the God Tree.
"I didn't expect such a powerful junior to emerge," Madara murmured. He had felt everything his Wood Clone experienced. Whether it was Tianyuan's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan or that terrifying black Susanoo, it was as if Madara had seen it with his own eyes.
"A pity he cannot be used for my purposes." Madara felt a pang of regret. If Tianyuan had joined his plan, its realization would have been much easier. "It's still not enough... I need more time."
Though Madara had been setting his pieces for a long time, it wasn't yet time to pull in the net.
"White Zetsu." Madara looked toward a pitcher plant-like figure. "Continue your investigation. Keep a close watch on the situation in the Ninja World."
"Understood, Madara." The pitcher plant-like figure slowly sank into the ground and vanished.
"Peace... my path is the only correct one. Hashirama, you were wrong." Madara's eyes were exceptionally cold. "A pity you can't see it. Even after your death, the Ninja World is still plagued by endless war. There is no such thing as true peace."
"Then, let it be me who leads the Ninja World toward it." Madara gazed into the distance as if looking into the future itself.
"I am the one who is right."
Madara's frail body shifted slowly toward the corner of the cave as he leaned back to rest. Even in his decrepit state, his ambition and desires remained undimmed.
"I, Madara Uchiha, am the one who is right."
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