Ruri was quite satisfied with this newly acquired weapon.
In the last battle with the Third Hokage, it was because she didn't have a suitable weapon that she was at a bit of a disadvantage.
After all, Ubi, this 'Shield', could only be used a few times.
Now, with this Flame Circle Fan, she thought that even when facing that Vajra Indestructible monkey, she wouldn't be as restrained as before.
"Alright, now we can continue discussing our matters."
Ruri turned her gaze back.
"... Are you questioning my identity?"
Madara asked.
"No, it's just unnecessary to be surprised. If you're not Uchiha Madara, then you're just a rat acting under the name of 'Madara.' But if you truly are that Uchiha Madara, then the era of you and the First Senju Hashirama reigning has long passed."
Ruri stared at Madara with her Sharingan and said earnestly.
"Is that so?"
Madara wasn't angered; instead, he appreciated such an ambitious junior like Ruri.
Much like himself, with a thirst for power.
Yet, thinking about it, Madara found it natural because this was a common trait among the Uchiha clan.
The more powerful someone is, the more they naturally pursue even greater strength.
Chasing the ultimate power beyond the Sharingan.
"You're right. But one point is incorrect. My and Hashirama's era has passed, but this era remains stagnant in the past. And it cannot be severed absolutely. And I... I want to sever all causalities of this world..."
Madara spoke in a low voice.
"Sever the world's causality? Is that the reason you're lingering on, insisting on living?"
Ruri's sharp words did not disturb Madara's inner peace.
Madara continued to whisper, "You, who have awakened the Sharingan and trained your Donjutsu to this extent, should deeply understand something. Suffering, discouragement, pain, hatred... This is a cursed world. No matter what happiness humanity once possessed, ultimately one remains in a lifetime of regret and suffering. This kind of chain 'vortex,' no one can escape from."
"..."
"This is an unfair world, a contradiction sparked by reality. The victor dominates everything, the loser loses everything. This causality cannot be broken."
"..."
"And I want to sever this kind of causality, change this pathetic world... What are you doing?"
Madara stopped abruptly when he saw Ruri walking toward him.
Ruri didn't answer, reaching behind Madara.
Snap.
Something was pulled apart.
"Ugh ugh ugh..."
Suddenly unable to breathe, Madara's expression turned pained, as if drowning, struggling to breathe, with incoherent sounds coming from his mouth.
But to Ruri's ears, it no longer formed a coherent sentence.
Madara lowered his head, hands weakly hanging, leaning against something in the darkness, eyes sunken, lifelessly, and his breathing gradually ceased.
"Madara, Madara-sama... is dead..."
Afei and the remaining White Zetsu looked shocked.
In their eyes, the deity-like Madara had died so unceremoniously.
And at the hands of a successor from his own clan.
This ridiculous scene unfolding before them was somewhat hard for them to believe.
"Did you kill him?"
Afei's voice trembled, whether out of fear or anger.
He couldn't believe Ruri so casually killed Madara.
"Isn't it obvious? That old man was too long-winded, chattering on without knowing what he was talking about. What I hate most is when someone preaches to me with long-winded speeches."
Ruri frowned, looking impatient.
She didn't know what Madara was about to say, but she understood that letting him continue would waste a lot of time.
And she had no interest in such philosophical preachings either.
"Next, it's your turn."
Ruri scanned Afei and White Zetsu with her red eyes.
Afei and White Zetsu then realized their situation, with the Summoning Ninja Cat Ubi blocking their escape, baring its teeth at them, eyes fierce.
Just as Ruri was about to make a move, an incredibly chilling aura suddenly came from behind.
Ruri's heart jumped, and when she turned around, she found Madara's body had disappeared at some point.
In its place was a grotesquely scary massive creature surging in the darkness, emitting some strange, sharp sound.
In that instant, Ruri felt a shiver from her soul.
Ruri cautiously stepped back.
"Lady Ruri? What's that..."
Ubi seemed also startled, feeling an electric shock run through his body, fur standing on end.
"No, I don't know."
Ruri stared ahead, a bit hesitant.
Footsteps approached.
A figure slowly stepped out from the darkness.
An old body, long white hair.
The Sharingan, now a pale color, and the drastically changed face of Madara came into view, and Ruri was a bit surprised.
"Although I used some little tricks to buy some time, it seems I made it in time..."
Madara spoke, his voice still old, but not as weak as before.
"...Impossible, why aren't you dead?"
Ruri couldn't understand why Madara wasn't dead.
That last move should have stopped his life functions.
Madara sighed on his wrinkled old face, seemingly deeply troubled by something.
"Honestly, I didn't want to use this Forbidden Technique, but sometimes, this Forbidden Technique comes in quite handy. Not knowing the existence of this technique, I guess you gave me an opportunity."
Madara extended his withered fingers toward his pale Sharingan, and with a pop, removed it, then took out a glass vial from his pocket, where a new Sharingan was soaking, and reinstalled it.