In the current shinobi world, there weren't many people who posed a threat to Aoba. Aside from the reclusive Ōtsutsuki clan and their Kara organization, the figure he was most interested in from the Shippuden story was Madara Uchiha.
Even Senju Hashirama ranked second in his interest, mainly because Madara embodied the traditional ninja archetype—an unrivaled combination of ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu.
Hashirama's dominance with Wood Style was undoubtedly powerful, but it always felt somewhat one-dimensional.
Aoba had long suspected that Black Zetsu's trump card would be Madara. After all, the location of Madara's death was known to only a select few, making it nearly impossible for anyone else to summon him using Edo Tensei.
While Aoba observed Madara, Madara was also sizing him up.
A young ninja with Sharingan, yet not an Uchiha clan member. His chakra was unusually abundant, as if the shadow clones and Flying Thunder God Technique he had just used hadn't drained him at all.
All signs pointed to this young man being highly capable, with plenty of hidden cards. At the very least, he was someone Madara deemed worthy of his attention.
Aoba raised his right hand behind him and gestured for the others to fall back. Against an opponent of Madara's caliber, numbers were meaningless.
The techniques exchanged between individuals of this level could require dozens of ordinary ninjas to even withstand. If they fought at full strength, the surrounding allies wouldn't survive the aftershocks.
"For the shinobi world to produce someone like you, at least it promises me some entertainment. Kid, are you ready to dance?"
Madara didn't even bother with banter. Perhaps he had been dead for too long and was simply bored. Now revived through Edo Tensei, he was eager for a battle.
Aoba activated Sage Mode, his heart full of vigilance.
The two moved forward simultaneously, their steps starting slow but gradually accelerating. In the final hundred meters, their speed reached its peak.
The next moment, a dull collision rang out.
Neither used ninjutsu. Aoba didn't even draw his Kusanagi sword, opting instead for pure taijutsu.
Aoba's taijutsu was formidable. As a civilian ninja in his early years, with limited access to ninjutsu techniques, he had poured his efforts into training taijutsu and swordsmanship.
Madara's taijutsu, of course, needed no explanation. A veteran of the Warring States Period, his experience in battle far surpassed Aoba's, honed through countless wars. His taijutsu was precise, deadly, and merciless.
"So fast, I can't see anything," one of the Konoha ninjas watching from afar exclaimed, stunned by their exchange.
Even the sensory team couldn't keep up with the movements of their purely taijutsu-based battle.
Madara's taijutsu differed from the modern Uchiha style that Aoba was familiar with. His was a primal version, adapted to his own capabilities.
The later Uchiha taijutsu style was refined and elegant, while Madara's was raw and violent. This didn't mean it lacked technique, on the contrary, Madara's fighting style was so advanced that most couldn't even attempt to learn it, as it demanded a level of physicality they couldn't achieve.
With a loud bang, their limbs collided once more. Aoba crouched low, slipping into Madara's guard and aiming a Phoenix Eye Fist (type of strike found in many Eastern Martial Arts) at his abdomen.
Madara twisted his body mid-air, avoiding the blow. While airborne, he spun and brought his left leg down toward Aoba's head.
Aoba sidestepped, bracing himself on one hand and countering with a Leaf Whirlwind, aiming for where Madara would land.
The strike connected, sending Madara spinning uncontrollably in mid-air.
Aoba pressed his advantage, closing in for another strike. But Madara, still spinning, extended a hand and executed a move resembling Gentle Fist, bypassing Aoba's guard and striking his chest.
Though the strike was weakened by Madara's unbalanced position, it successfully halted Aoba's advance.
Aoba retreated as Madara landed. The exchange ended in a draw.
"Exhilarating," Madara exclaimed, his voice booming as he formed hand seals. A long sword appeared through summoning.
Having seen Aoba's sword stance earlier, Madara immediately escalated the fight by introducing weapons.
Without hesitation, Aoba drew his Kusanagi sword. Madara's blade, being marked with a summoning seal, was clearly no ordinary weapon.
The sword duel was even more intense and perilous. Aoba, having honed his swordsmanship for years, was known as the Wind-Chasing Sword, and his skill represented the pinnacle of his regular combat style.
Madara recognized this immediately. Aoba didn't employ techniques like Flash, relying instead on pure swordsmanship.
The two continued their duel with nothing but swordplay.
Their high-speed movements left the battlefield echoing with the clash of their blades.
For Madara, it was entertainment. For Aoba, it was a chance to test the culmination of his years of training.
Only against an opponent like Madara could Aoba unleash his full potential without restraint. Fighting a powerful, undead opponent who didn't tire or die filled him with excitement.
"Flash!" Aoba finally unleashed the technique after several exchanges, escalating the battle further.
Madara immediately understood and responded in kind. He casually mimicked the Flash, having observed Aoba use it minutes earlier.
As a master of chakra control, such techniques were easy for Madara to replicate. This was why Aoba had always emphasized the importance of chakra control, and why he had taken Sakura as a disciple, her chakra control was the best among the Konoha Twelve.
The introduction of ninjutsu into the duel signaled the next stage of the battle.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!" Madara formed seals with one hand and unleashed a massive fireball directly at Aoba.
Aoba didn't dodge. Instead, a tornado surrounded him, crashing directly into the Great Fireball. The whirlwind devoured the flames, allowing Aoba to pass through the fire unscathed.
The Kusanagi Sword in his hand suddenly extended, aiming straight for Madara's throat.
Rather than retreating, Madara advanced. His sword intercepted the Kusanagi, sliding along its blade and slicing toward Aoba's wrist.
Aoba tilted the Kusanagi Sword upward, deflecting Madara's blade. Their right hands clashed in a fierce exchange of swordplay, while their left hands simultaneously engaged in close combat.
At the same time, Madara's eyes shifted into the Three Tomoe Sharingan.
As their gazes locked, both simultaneously activated genjutsu.
In the original storyline, the specific abilities of Madara's Mangekyō Sharingan were not detailed. However, based on his displays of power, it likely enhanced his ninjutsu abilities. Madara himself mentioned that his visual prowess was physically oriented, reinforcing this assumption.
That said, this didn't mean Madara's genjutsu was weak. When fighting Hashirama, he rarely used genjutsu, likely because it was ineffective against him. Yet despite this, Madara could still control the Nine-Tails as if it were a pet.
During his battles against the Allied Shinobi Forces in the storyline, Madara frequently used genjutsu, incapacitating ordinary ninjas with just a single glance.
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Currently on Chapter 233 - A New Land of Fire