(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
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Sasuke stared at the Sage of Six Paths in disbelief.
"Aren't you the Sage of Six Paths, the one who pacified the troubled world? Why can't your power let me surpass Colt?"
The purple Rinnegan in the Sage of Six Paths' eyes remained calm.
"Even I can't elevate you to the heights I reached in my lifetime."
Sasuke seemed to realize something.
"So, you're saying that Colt can only be defeated if I reach the strength you had when you were alive?"
The Sage of Six Paths stayed silent, shifting his gaze to Madara, who was being pummeled by Colt in the water.
In the end, Sasuke stretched out his right hand and accepted the Sage's power.
Solving the problem of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya was more pressing now.
On the other side, Naruto did the same.
In the real world.
Uchiha Madara and Colt were locked in a brutal taijutsu battle.
At their level, ordinary ninjutsu had become ineffective.
Even elemental advantages made little difference under the overwhelming force of their chakra and the powers of the Six Paths.
Their strong, hardened bodies had become their most effective weapons.
To onlookers, the two seemed to simply trade punches and kicks, but their speed was so intense that no one could follow the action.
However, the shattered rocks, debris, and fractured peaks left in the wake of their battle made it clear how intense the fight was.
With one kick, Colt sent a Truth-Seeking Ball flying behind Madara.
Spinning around, he delivered a whip-like leg strike aimed directly at him.
Madara blocked with his fan, and Colt's strike landed on an unyielding surface.
His power seemed to vanish, only to be violently rebounded by the fan, sending Colt flying back.
"What an incredible weapon," Colt muttered, surprised.
He had underestimated the fan's strength.
In the original timeline, Madara never used it against Sasuke or Naruto, so Colt had assumed it wasn't that useful.
But now, it was clear—Madara likely hadn't needed the fan to defeat them.
"Let's see what this relic can really do," Colt said, stepping forward as green chakra exploded from his body.
"[Eight Inner Gates: Gate of Life, open!]"
"[Gate of Pain, open!]"
With two steps, Colt's power surged dramatically.
Boom!
Before Madara could react, Colt teleported right in front of him, landing a blow squarely on his face.
Madara spat out blood—along with two of his teeth.
Though Colt had only opened the Fourth Gate, the boost to his already monstrous strength was immense.
Madara, bolstered by the vitality of the Ten Tails, had previously been able to match Colt's body in combat.
Now, he could only endure the barrage.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Each of Colt's strikes landed on Madara with a deafening thud, and Madara's body screamed in pain despite its regenerative abilities.
"This isn't fun at all," Colt said, landing another punch on Madara's fan, cracking its surface.
After kicking away the last Truth-Seeking Ball, Colt abruptly stopped his assault.
"Is that all you've got, Madara?"
*Cough! Cough!*
"Kamiyo Colt, you've certainly not disappointed me," Madara said, still trying to maintain his lofty demeanor despite his injuries.
"I had hoped to defeat you with pure skill, but it seems that will be difficult. So, don't blame me for using this."
"[Limbo: Border Jail!]"
Without moving, Madara unleashed his technique.
An invisible shadow raced toward Colt, aiming for his heart to finish him in one strike.
"Actually... I was just about to ask you," Colt said as he sidestepped the Limbo clone's attack and kicked it away.
"Don't you feel ashamed doing those ridiculous poses to check if I could see them, just now?" Colt dusted off his clothes, speaking calmly.
Madara's eye widened in shock.
The atmosphere became awkward.
Madara had done so to test if Colt could perceive his Limbo clones.
Thinking about it now, Madara's face burned—not from the punches, but from humiliation.
"Are you mocking me?!" Madara gritted his teeth in fury.
"Since you saw through it, why pretend not to?"
'What is wrong with the world? How is this man so underhanded? He saw through my technique from the start and said nothing, just to mock me now!'
Colt nodded.
"Yes, I'm mocking you."
Madara's expression was unreadable.
He had no idea how to respond to such blatant mockery.
Worse still, his proud Limbo: Border Jail had failed, and now he had no idea how to defeat Colt.
Colt could match him in senjutsu and taijutsu.
'How did he become so strong…' This was what he couldn't understand.
In fact, even black Zetsu could not answer this question, nor could he sage of six paths.
It was not a question, however, but a fact that he was stronger than Madara at this point.
His Rinnegan powers were heavily diminished, and sealing techniques were no longer effective.
Madara suddenly realized... he was no longer a match for Colt.
Black Zetsu, lurking in the shadows, grew impatient.
'Pathetic! You're the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki with the Rinnegan, yet you can't defeat Kamiyo Colt!?'
Swish!
Colt moved again, appearing before Madara like a specter.
He grabbed Madara by the face, slamming him into the ground.
Crack! Boom!
Spiderweb-like cracks spread from the impact point, radiating outward.
Colt placed one foot on Madara's chest, pinning him down. Then, under Madara's astonished gaze, Colt pulled out the other Rinnegan and pressed it into Madara's eye socket.
"I know you're not satisfied. After all, you're missing one Rinnegan. Here, I'm returning it to you," Colt said, stepping back.
"Now, let me see what fun you can bring me in your prime."