Chapter 219: The Power of a God, Battle of the Perfect Susanoo
In the vast subterranean cavern, Madara and Kyosuke stood in silence, observing one another.
After a long moment, it was Madara who spoke first. "I am curious. How did you find this place?"
"You underestimate the sensory capabilities of Sage Mode," Kyosuke replied ambiguously, letting Madara draw his own conclusions.
Sage Mode... The memory of Hashirama Senju's "True Several Thousand Hands" technique, a product of Sage Mode, made the corner of Madara's eye twitch. He shook his head, forcing the unpleasant memory away.
Damn that White Zetsu. I told him to be more careful... but it's too late for that now.
"And do you know who I am?" Madara asked, his voice low and steady, his expression a mask of calm.
"No," Kyosuke lied without hesitation. Finding this place could be explained away, but to call out Uchiha Madara by name would introduce too many unknown variables. He had already sensed that Obito and the others were gone. The rescue mission was a failure. He couldn't afford any more complications.
Hearing Kyosuke's seemingly genuine reply, Madara felt a sense of relief. As long as Kyosuke hadn't obtained any other intelligence, his own exposure was a minor issue. An old man on the verge of death was hardly a cause for concern. Konoha would likely keep the matter quiet, and Obito's future plans would not be significantly affected.
With that, Madara cast aside his worries, ready to savor this unexpected battle.
"My name," he said, his voice filled with an unshakable pride, "is Uchiha Madara."
To his surprise, the boy before him showed no reaction, as if he had just heard the name of a random passerby. For a moment, Madara was genuinely taken aback. Had his legendary reputation truly faded with time?
The boy's next words put his mind at ease.
"You are old, but your face is still recognizable. I knew who you were the moment I arrived," Kyosuke said, his tone flat.
Impressive, Madara thought. To remain so calm in the face of my threat... my arrangements for you were not in vain.
"Then why have you come?" Madara asked, getting to the heart of the matter.
"I originally came to see what kind of rat was hiding here," Kyosuke replied, his voice unchanged. "I didn't expect it to be you."
"And now?" Madara asked, his interest piqued.
"Simple. You are a traitor who has clung to life for far too long. As a member of the Uchiha clan, it is my duty to execute you on the spot." As he spoke, an astonishing killing intent erupted from him.
Madara stared at him for a moment, then burst into a wild, unrestrained laughter.
"Execute me?! Brat, do you have any idea who I am?"
"I am UCHIHA MADARA!!!"
An immense, crushing pressure, far greater than that of Hiruzen Sarutobi or Onoki, slammed down on Kyosuke, finally breaking his calm facade.
To think that Madara, even at this stage, could still possess such power... it's... exhilarating. The Mangekyo pattern bloomed in his eyes. At the same time, a surge of pure sage chakra from the curse mark on his neck flooded his entire body.
Azure snake-like shadows writhed around him, a single black horn sprouted from his forehead, and his demonic crimson eyes blazed. Kyosuke had unleashed his full power from the very beginning.
In this state, Madara's oppressive aura no longer affected him. In fact, his own killing intent was beginning to push back. Like Madara, he had cast aside all other concerns. All he wanted was this fight. No schemes, no conspiracies. Just a pure, simple battle to the death.
Seeing the raw, murderous power emanating from the boy, Madara was reminded of his own younger, more vibrant self. A flicker of anticipation ignited within him.
BOOM!
The clash of their unrestrained chakra sent a tremor through the entire cavern, causing rocks and debris to rain down from the ceiling.
In the instant their vision was obscured, Kyosuke vanished, reappearing behind Madara with his Body Flicker Technique. His Kusanagi Sword was already unsheathed, its blade humming with a power that could cut through anything.
"Sage Art: Immovable Flame Slash!"
A brilliant flash of white-hot fire illuminated the cavern, but it failed to harm its target.
"A fine slash," Madara commented, a semi-transparent blue skeleton now surrounding him.
Ignoring his words, Kyosuke unleashed another Sage Art.
"Sage Art: Wind and Fire Gilded Blade!"
The attack, with its massive area of effect, engulfed Madara completely, the kinetic force of the blast sending him hurtling upward, crashing through the cavern ceiling and out into the open air.
"Is that all you have?" Madara said, landing on the surface and looking at Kyosuke, who had followed him out. "Enough with these childish tricks. Show me your true power."
Kyosuke slowly sheathed his sword. With the aid of his sage chakra and his maxed-out "Chakra Control" skill, his Mangekyo Sharingan began to glow with an unprecedented brilliance.
In an instant, a violet-red light flooded the forest as the fourth stage of his Susanoo rose from the ground.
"Hahahaha! This is how it should be! This is a battle to the death!" Madara's insane laughter echoed through the trees as the blue Susanoo around him also began to grow, quickly surpassing Kyosuke's in height.
Gritting his teeth, Kyosuke poured every last bit of his remaining dōjutsu power into his Susanoo. "Stabilize!" he commanded.
His masterful chakra control, amplified by his dōjutsu, managed to calm the raging energy within the construct.
"Rise!"
As if mirroring its blue counterpart, Kyosuke's violet-red Susanoo shot upward, growing to the size of a mountain, taking on the form of a majestic warrior god.
"Susanoo: Fifth Stage."
The fifth stage, the "Perfect Susanoo," was the ultimate form of the technique, achievable only by those who had pushed their Mangekyo Sharingan to its absolute limit and possessed an immense amount of chakra. In this state, its power was stable, capable of leveling mountains and shattering meteors. It could even fly. It was a power that transcended ninjutsu, a power that could truly be called "the power of a god."
Normally, Kyosuke was still a long way from this level of mastery. But with the boost from his Sage Mode and his flawless chakra control, he had managed to touch upon this divine realm. Of course, after this battle, his Mangekyo would be finished. But that was a price he was willing to pay.
With a courage born from desperation, in this remote forest, the power of a god had once again descended upon the world.
From within the diamond-shaped crystal on the Susanoo's forehead, Kyosuke stood with his arms crossed, gazing at the equally massive blue giant opposite him.
Without a word, they attacked.
The movements of the two warrior gods shook the very earth. They drew their massive "Susanoo Blades" in unison and swung them at each other.
With a deafening VWONG, the two colossal swords clashed in mid-air. The resulting shockwave of pure energy completely obliterated the massive forest, wiping it from the map.
The tremendous commotion terrified everyone in the Land of Grass. The stationed Konoha shinobi were about to investigate when Hyuga Saori stopped them. Kyosuke had told her of his plans, and she would not let them go to their deaths. But even with her prior knowledge, the sheer scale of the destruction was staggering. After a moment of hesitation, she ignored Kyosuke's warnings and set off alone toward the battlefield.
You have to be safe.
Amidst the swirling dust and debris, the two giants remained locked in a stalemate. Suddenly, the blue figure staggered back. In this pure contest of strength, Uchiha Madara was losing.
To think that his power has reached such a level. The chakra from the Gedo Statue is almost depleted. This will be the final blow.
But... this was a good fight. Hahahaha!
Even on the brink of defeat, Madara's laughter was filled with a genuine, exhilarating joy.
Hearing the distant sound of his laughter, Kyosuke also let out a low chuckle. Feeling the last dregs of power in his eyes, he unleashed his final, strongest attack.
A brilliant, white-hot flame engulfed his blade. With a single thought, the Susanoo's sword, carrying an unparalleled force, swung toward its target.
Let all of creation be turned to ash.
"Susanoo: Imperial Lock of Blazing Annihilation."
End of Volume.
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