"So that's how it is."
To Madara's surprise, after hearing his confession, Nagato remained incredibly calm—so calm that it seemed as though the matter being spoken of were someone else's, not his own.
"I always felt something was off—how these eyes and this body didn't quite match."
"I thought it was just my imagination… but I see now it truly wasn't."
Nagato slowly closed his eyes.
"Then return my eyes to me," Madara declared proudly. "I may consider sparing you."
Nagato met him with a look of detachment, as though Madara were a fool:
"Uchiha Madara—whether you are truly him or not, let me call you that for convenience."
"Regardless of whose eyes these really are, even now they are not solely my own. They carry Yahiko's ideals, the hopes of my ancestors, and the expectations of the entire shinobi world."
Nagato shook his head.
"I could never hand them over to you."
"Well then there's nothing left to negotiate."
Madara spoke with confidence, as though fate had already been sealed.
"I had hoped we could settle this peacefully."
"But if you won't yield..."
He paused, then added with icy certainty:
"I will personally dig them out of your eye sockets."
He was a man who once stood at the pinnacle of the shinobi world—of course he believed he could.
In his era, only Hashirama Senju had ever been able to match his gaze.
In the next moment, Madara vanished from sight—and reappeared less than a meter from Nagato.
Whether in taijutsu, ninjutsu, or genjutsu, in any one of these arts Madara stood among the absolute elite.
Even without the Sharingan, he was a top-tier shinobi.
He raised his leg and launched a flying kick directly at Nagato.
Nagato did not flinch. He remained rooted in place, his eyes never even blinking.
Just at the instant the kick would land, a dark shadow appeared and intercepted it effortlessly.
It was the Path of Ashura (Shura-dō).
"The power of the Rinnegan?"
Madara did not seem surprised that Nagato could absorb that attack. If the punch had connected, that would have been the surprise.
He nodded to Nagato: "You seem to have mastered its use quite skillfully."
"Then let me try this, too."
Madara clasped his hands and drew in a deep breath, then exhaled forcefully:
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
A massive wave of fire surged toward Nagato, the heat so intense the very air seemed to warp and shimmer.
Again, a figure intervened—this time, Preta Path (Gakidō) arose in front of Nagato. With a single outstretched hand, he absorbed the entire inferno—fire intense enough to melt rock.
Madara coldly snorted:
"Impressive skill."
He prepared his next attack—but both Ashura Path and another figure lunged forward, moving in tandem to strike Madara.
But Madara was not so easily caught. As he struggled with Ashura Path, he released a shadow clone.
This was no ordinary shadow clone—instead, it was a Wood Clone, the same technique once unique to Hashirama Senju.
Blue chakra surged through it, and a skeletal framework formed around it, holding fast the enemy's advance and preventing further assault.
Obito, watching, asked, "Black Zetsu, would you like assistance?"
Black Zetsu replied:
"You'd be wise not to. Madara despises interruptions when he's engaging in a fight he enjoys."
"He especially hates someone interfering with what he considers a fair duel."
"Alright, then try this!"
Madara laughed as he leapt into the air.
"If you can block this, I will truly acknowledge you."
"Fire Release: Great Fire — Lost!"
A meteor-like fireball plummeted from the heavens toward Nagato.
Though formidable, it was not without countermeasures—and it was not Madara's actual killing technique.
Nagato acted:
"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"
A dragon of wood formed overhead. After circling, it charged straight at Nagato. If it latched on, it would siphon chakra—such is the nature of Wood Release.
But Nagato stayed calm.
Another Path—Deva Path (Tendō)—stepped forward and extended a hand toward the dragon's path.
"Almighty Push (Shinra Tensei)!"
A repulsive force struck the wood dragon, as though it crashed into an invisible barrier. The impact echoed with a massive shock.
Whether due to structural weakness or excessive momentum, the wood dragon shattered into countless fragments—obliterated in a single stroke.
This was no small feat—it testified to the tremendous strength now held by the Deva Path.
Obito watched tensely:
"It seems the tide is turning against Madara. He hasn't even engaged his true form—yet the Six Paths of Pain alone have repelled his attacks."
He murmured: "Has Nagato already surpassed what I expected?"
Nagato's strength had exceeded not only Obito's expectations, but Madara's as well. Madara did not anticipate that the same wood dragon which had once subdued the Nine-Tails could now be crushed so effortlessly.
In that very moment when Madara paused, the Pain body that had attacked the wood clone surged forward. It struck down the wood clone, then silently slipped next to Madara, reaching for the back of his head.
Madara felt his spirit threatened—as though his soul would ascend—and his Reanimation body began to strain.
Fortunately, he reacted in time. With a powerful kick, he sent the Human Path (Ningendō) flying, avoiding the complete extraction of his soul.
Even so, his Reanimated body took a moment to stabilize.
Though the Edo Tensei form grants infinite chakra and resistance to most ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu, its vulnerabilities lie in sealing techniques and soul-based attacks.
Human Path's soul-absorption jutsu—exactly the kind used—had already gleaned what it needed.
"So Yahiko's death truly was connected to the two of you!"
Nagato's expression changed noticeably for the first time. He turned sharply toward Madara, Black Zetsu, and Obito with rage in his eyes.
"This affair involved not only Mist's Hanzo and Konoha's Danzō—but you as well."
"Now, you shall know pain."
Suddenly, Obito shouted, alarmed:
"Something's wrong—Nagato's true body is about to act!"
Observing the duel, Obito realized just how far ahead Nagato's power had grown.
If only the Six Paths—each a fraction of his might—could repel Madara, what terrifying force would his original body wield?
Thank heavens for his Kamui space—if he couldn't win, he could always retreat.
Obito's eyes swirled with chakra:
"It's now or never!"
He tried to slip into Kamui space.
But before he could fully activate it, his body stiffened—as though caught in immobilization jutsu.
He could only watch helplessly as his body was drawn toward Nagato.
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