Chapter 254: Senpai, How About This? (Part 1)
Within the Deep Forest Emergence, Madara Uchiha and Yotsuki Dana faced off.
Five Takemikazuchi Drums, radiating dangerous energy, floated behind Dana.
"Sage Lightning Art: Five Thunders!"
All the drums turned, firing beams of storm light toward Madara. Before reaching him, the five beams converged into a single, massive stream of destruction.
Madara swung his Gunbai.
"Uchiha Reflection!"
The storm light was transformed into a fierce gale and reflected back. This wind seemed solid, like a speeding train, snapping every tree in its path.
"Sage Art, huh..." Madara glanced at the slight scorch mark on his fan, frowning slightly.
In the next instant, Dana's staff was already upon him.
Stowing the fan at his back, Madara met the attack with his scythe. The clash of metal on energy resonated throughout the forest.
Seeing the faint glow on the scythe, Dana thought, "Chakra Metal weapon? Or rather, it should be."
The weapon in Madara Uchiha's hand could hardly be ordinary iron.
Suddenly, the lightning drums triggered automatically, firing lasers at the point of impact on the staff—a move that had once critically injured Sage Mode Jiraiya.
However, Madara twirled the scythe in his right hand, hooking the staff with the blade's curve. Using circular force, he pushed his opponent an inch to the side, dodging the lasers. Then, he pulled Dana, staff and all, toward him.
His other hand thrust forward violently.
"Wood Release: Cutting Sprigs Jutsu!"
The target was the gap in the Sage Lightning Armor.
Dana didn't dodge. The "gaps" in the armor were merely visual; in reality, there were no weak points. His movement was unrestricted solely because of his perfect chakra control.
Dana seized the opportunity to close in. "Lightning Release: Overclocked Thunder Severing Wave!"
As expected, the Cutting Sprigs couldn't penetrate the Sage Lightning Armor.
Madara seemed to have predicted this as well, ducking to avoid the storm beam from Dana's mouth.
Where the beam passed, countless towering trees were sliced in half, sliding slowly to the ground.
"Too naive! Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"
A massive wooden dragon erupted from the ground with shocking speed. Dana, being at point-blank range, couldn't dodge and was launched into the sky.
"Urgh!"
Wind roared in his ears as the ground shrank rapidly below.
The immense force made Dana grunt, the terrifying acceleration pinning him against the Wood Dragon.
The dragon opened its maw, swallowing Dana whole, then slammed shut.
CRUNCH!
The sound of the dragon's jaws snapping shut echoed through the sky.
Black Zetsu, still attached to Madara, asked, "Madara-sama, is it over? Your body's condition..."
Madara barked, "Shut up! That brat can give me more surprises!"
Sure enough, the massive Wood Dragon, after a brief moment of silence, began to twist violently. Something surged within its thick body, sending wood chips flying.
After a silent roar, the dragon exploded from the middle.
Nine lightning dragons burst forth from within, tearing the colossal wooden beast apart from the inside.
Dana's roar echoed through the heavens.
"Sage Lightning Art: Nine Thunder Dragons!!"
Madara looked up at Dana plummeting from the sky like a meteor and grinned savagely. "COME ON!"
"Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!"
A gigantic wooden golem rose from the earth, standing tens of meters tall—the size of a full Tailed Beast.
Madara stood atop the Wood Human's head, forming hand seals against the falling Dana.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Destruction!"
A flame even more terrifying than the Great Fire Annihilation spewed forth, dyeing the sky red.
Mid-air, Dana spun his Staff of Storm Light into an impenetrable shield, like a fan, blocking the sky-filling fire without slowing down.
Behind him, the five Takemikazuchi Drums followed closely.
Behind them, nine Thunder Dragons pursued.
From a distance, it looked like the spectacular scene of "Nine Dragons Playing with a Pearl."
Dispersing the fire and smoke, Dana landed steadily on the Wood Human's head. Behind him, the nine Thunder Dragons attacked Madara from all directions.
Madara dodged left and right, sometimes dropping low, sometimes leaping high.
The Thunder Dragons missed and scattered. Dana, utilizing the momentary blind spot, suddenly appeared right in front of Madara, who was busy dodging.
"HAA!!"
Dana's fingers formed a claw, palm facing upward. He struck Madara's chest and abdomen from below with an uppercut palm strike. Madara's body bowed like a shrimp. Violent lightning surged through him, exiting his back in an arc several meters long, crackling loudly.
Madara was launched into the air by the blow.
"Guh!"
Dana prepared to pursue, but the massive arm of the Wood Human swept across, forcing him back.
The nine Thunder Dragons scattered and then wrapped tightly around the giant Wood Human from all directions. Although the size difference was like a strong man versus snakes, the dragons' numbers and binding force managed to restrain the golem.
Standing atop the Wood Human, Dana looked at his right hand. It was stained with a black, viscous liquid that seemed alive, trying to invade his skin.
With a flash of lightning, the black liquid was burned to ash.
If it were any other time, he would have loved to collect a sample, but in a battle of this magnitude, he couldn't afford distractions.
On the other side, Madara wiped blood from his lips.
Black Zetsu spoke urgently, "Madara-sama, the battle is too intense. The 'Spore: Possession Jutsu' is becoming unstable. We should retreat for now."
Madara roared, "Silence! Do you want Madara Uchiha to flee?!"
"But my lord! Your strength is far beyond this! Why risk your life against this guy now? Our priority should be to hide and wait for another chance, at least until we solve your body's issues!"
Madara said calmly, "Zetsu... sometimes I truly wonder if you are really the manifestation of my will..."
Black Zetsu froze internally.
Ignoring Zetsu, Madara addressed Dana. "Brat, I am very satisfied with you. You are qualified to witness the power belonging to the Uchiha Clan."
Dana focused. The opponent only had a pair of Three-Tomoe Sharingan—likely spares he took when leaving the clan. But "Uchiha power"... surely he wasn't going to awaken a Mangekyou Sharingan on the spot?
Isn't that a bit too casual? You can't just awaken that whenever you want!
Madara formed a hand seal and growled low:
"Transcription Seal: Release!"
Transcription Seal (Tensha Fuin): A sealing jutsu unique to the Uchiha, capable of sealing specific pupil power into one's own or another's eyes, to be activated after a set time or under specific conditions.
Madara had once used this technique to seal Izanagi in his right eye to resurrect himself.
Before gouging out his original eyes and replacing them with normal Sharingan, he had prepared this fail-safe.
Boundless pupil power surged with chakra, condensing into a blue solid entity. First came terrifyingly thick bones, then flesh formed from chakra. Two faces, four arms. The Susanoo unique to Madara Uchiha!
Four terrifying chakra blades formed in the Susanoo's four hands. Madara floated within the construct, looking down at Yotsuki Dana.
"This is the power that belongs solely to the Uchiha!"
The Wood Human beneath seemed unable to support the weight of the Susanoo—or perhaps Madara dismissed it—and slowly dissolved back into the earth.
"As expected, one's own power is the handiest to use. So, brat... do you have a power to match this?"