Whoosh!
Yet at that very instant—when Limbo's shadow launched its sudden strike—Akira twisted his body in a bizarre, impossible way…
And dodged it.
Madara: "What?!"
Damn it.
Leaning back to the extreme, Akira thought to himself, So this is Madara for you—opening straight with Limbo. If I didn't have this, there'd be no way I could face him head-on here.
Surprised as he was, Madara remained sharp and seasoned.
"Hm? His gaze isn't following the Limbo shadow… Does that mean he can't actually see it? Can't see it, yet still dodges… Naruto's sensory ability?"
No. It's too early to conclude.
Let's probe further.
The Limbo shadow reversed course and threw a second punch at Akira's completely exposed back of the head.
Whoosh!
Still leaning backward, Akira suddenly folded forward, forcefully shifting his center of gravity—and dodged again.
"That is—!"
Madara narrowed his eyes and caught a crucial detail.
When Limbo's fist came within half a palm's distance of Akira's head, its speed slowed down unnaturally.
Slowing close-range attacks?
That alone couldn't explain how he avoided invisible strikes.
Increase the pressure.
——Limbo: Border Jail!
Both of Madara's eyes activated simultaneously.
Four shadows launched relentless alternating assaults!
Akira instantly felt the invisible pressure multiply.
He closed his eyes.
Pushed his focus to the absolute limit.
Step, shift, pivot.
Waist, hips, arms, and torso moved in seamless coordination.
Beneath the black ceremonial cloak, every honed muscle in his body seemed to possess its own consciousness, executing extreme maneuvers that even elite taijutsu specialists could never achieve.
To an uninformed bystander, it would look like he was dancing rhythmically against empty air.
"Incredible…"
Madara clenched his arm.
Because what he saw—
Was Akira dancing within Limbo itself.
"A personal barrier surrounds him. About thirty-three centimeters thick. It shifts shape with his movements but always covers his body. No matter which direction Limbo strikes from, the moment it touches the barrier's edge, it slows down. That's what gives him the chance to evade."
"Moreover, when the barrier is touched, it transmits ripple-like waves inward. Those ripples convey the point and direction of impact to his skin through touch."
"So even though he can't see Limbo and can't sense it directly, he uses this indirect perception to dodge."
"Since Limbo's presence can't be detected beforehand, this barrier must exist whenever his Mangekyō is active—similar to Obito's Kamui."
"But his true strength isn't just his eyes."
"It's the body capable of responding instantly and precisely to those 'ripples.'"
"That means his physical conditioning, taijutsu, and body-flicker techniques are all at a very high level."
"Limbo is something only Rinnegan and Six Paths power can counter…"
"And yet he handles it smoothly with just the Eternal Mangekyō."
"That alone makes him worthy of standing before me."
Whoosh.
Madara halted Limbo.
Akira straightened up immediately, without the slightest wasted motion.
In truth, that exchange had pushed him to his limits.
Dodging four simultaneous Limbo shadows was already the extreme limit of what his current body and barrier could manage.
If there had been one more shadow…
Or if Madara himself had joined in…
He would've needed other methods.
Not to mention—Limbo could use techniques too, like Susanoo.
Madara clearly hadn't gone all out. This was just a test.
So Akira had no reason to reveal everything either.
Calmly, he said, "Are you done testing my strength?"
"Hmph." Madara neither confirmed nor denied. "That technique your right eye used just now. What's it called?"
"Umotoryu."
"Umotoryu… A rare time-based ocular technique."
"As expected of Uchiha Madara. You saw through it immediately."
"To slow down Limbo—something unbound by physical laws—that can't be ordinary deceleration. If not time manipulation, what else could it be? And that can't be its full power, can it?"
Akira admitted frankly, "No. That was only the basic function."
Madara lowered his crossed arms, eyes shining with excitement.
"Show me the higher level."
Even after his tragic downfall, Madara's obsession with battle hadn't faded.
If anything, it still burned fiercely.
Akira said, "That's fine. But before that… don't you want to ask why I revived you?"
"Hah."
Madara laughed once, then his tone darkened.
"If I ask, I might have to kill you immediately. If I don't, I can enjoy myself a little longer."
"I see…"
Akira understood.
Before his death, Madara had reconciled with Hashirama.
He had acknowledged Hashirama's ninja path.
The Madara standing here now was no longer a symbol of pure darkness.
If Akira truly intended harm to the ninja world…
Madara would execute him on the spot.
Madara stretched his arms and shifted his stance, adapting to his body.
He clearly wasn't underestimating Akira.
He was treating him as a true opponent.
After all—
Besides Naruto and Sasuke, the only one who could evade Limbo was Akira.
"Come on," Madara said eagerly. "Next, I won't use Limbo. Attack me head-on."
Akira didn't respond immediately.
He glanced at the mechanical watch on his right wrist.
7:58 PM.
…Fine.
If he wanted Madara to listen seriously, he had to satisfy his curiosity first.
Crackle!
Purple lightning burst from Akira's left palm, spreading over his wrist and condensing into solid arcs.
This seal-less Lightning Release—
The evolved form of Chidori refined by Kakashi after losing his Sharingan—
Purple Lightning.
"Purple lightning… An advanced nature transformation. Its power should be decent," Madara commented casually.
"Now then, let me see how you'll use your right eye to land that on me."
"Hah."
Akira took a deep breath and charged straight at him.
Oh? A frontal assault?
Trying to slow me down while closing in?
How naive…
Madara raised his hands and formed the Horse seal.
"Fire Release: Great Fire—"
At that instant, as Akira reached Madara's previous position, he raised his lightning blade.
His right eye trembled with crimson light.
"Return."
——Umotoryu!
Whoosh!
Madara vanished.
Along distorted black lines in the air, he suddenly reappeared—
Right before Akira's palm.
On the edge of Purple Lightning.
He had been reset to his warm-up position.
Worse still—
His hand seals reverted to his arms-crossed stance.
Even the fire chakra gathered in his throat…
Was gone.
Completely erased.
"Hiss—!"
Realization struck.
Madara retreated at full speed.
But Akira had already seized the initiative.
His follow-up flowed like water.
Slash!
Purple Lightning tore through, dispersing Madara's unfinished left arm and carving away the features of Hashirama's face on his chest.
Madara halted mid-retreat.
He stared at Akira in silence for a long time.
Akira didn't pursue.
He dismissed the lightning and said calmly,
"Time reversal. That's Umotoryu's advanced application."
"And even after being hit, still avoiding fatal damage…"
"Only the legendary Uchiha Madara could manage that."
Rustle.
Dust reformed Madara's arm and restored Hashirama's features.
After a long pause, Madara asked, "What's your limit?"
"About five minutes," Akira replied evenly.
In his plans, Madara and "the other one" were crucial.
They would work together for a long time.
There was no need to hide this.
Madara's gaze deepened.
Umotoryu…
More broken than even Kamui.
And time reversal likely wasn't its full extent.
Nor the full extent of his eyes.
Anyone who awakened such power…
Could never be ordinary.
With solemn expression, Madara asked,
"Uchiha Akira… with strength like yours, why weren't you in the Fourth War?"
Because back then, we were still growing.
My brother and I only had Mangekyō.
Why waste limited ocular power in a war we were guaranteed to win?
My original plan…
We would exchange eyes.
Each gain Eternal Mangekyō.
After the war, convince Naruto and Sasuke to form an alliance and resist future threats.
But I never imagined…
My brother would die so mysteriously.
That even Edo Tensei couldn't summon him.
Nor that Naruto would be so stubborn.
In the end, I inherited his eyes.
And rebuilt everything.
Countless thoughts passed through Akira's mind.
Yet he only said four words:
"The time wasn't right."
"Hm?"
Madara raised his brow, staring deeply.
Not right?
A war with united nations.
Ten-Tails hosts.
Six Paths power.
Kaguya's descent.
And he says—
Not the right time?
Then what kind of enemy…
Was he preparing for?
Those four simple words sparked Madara's curiosity.
Toward this man who resembled young Hashirama in appearance…
And himself in spirit.
"You've caught my interest," Madara said slowly.
"Speak. Why did you revive me?"
Akira checked his watch again.
8:00 PM.
That should do.
He looked up. "Mind changing locations?"
Madara had noticed him checking the time earlier.
Interesting. He's quite time-conscious.
"Does it matter?" Madara asked.
"It does," Akira replied. "This is my ritual site. Dark, gloomy, bad lighting. No chairs. No tea. Two grown men chatting here looks ridiculous."
Madara chuckled inwardly.
Not just time-conscious.
Also space-conscious.
"What if I refuse?" he teased.
"Then take a walk, see the modern ninja world. I'll find you tomorrow at eight."
Madara tilted his head.
A question mark practically appeared.
So he's confident too.
Doesn't he fear I'll cause trouble overnight?
"Fine. Where to?"
"My home."
"Where's that?"
"A thousand kilometers away. The Land of Lightning."
"Walk?"
"No. Fly."
Akira stepped forward and placed a hand on Madara's shoulder.
Whoosh!
A black vortex burst from his right eye.
After being swallowed, a white void appeared, filled with countless compartment-like rooms.
"Where is this?"
"The Umotoryu Time Zone. My technique's inner space. Using it as a relay, I can move through space-time."
Madara: "…"
Whoosh!
The scene shifted again.
Moonlight.
Evening breeze.
A warm little house.
And a beautiful woman waiting at the door.
"Welcome home, dear~"
"And this gentleman beside you is…"
"Uncle Madara, right?"