"How could that possibly stop it?"
"It's too big, the gap is just too vast."
Even Susanoo, when faced with a descending meteor, seemed as insignificant as an ant before a mountain.
Madara Uchiha didn't take Aoba's attempt seriously. He considered himself the foremost authority on Susanoo in the world, and even a Perfect Susanoo couldn't directly stop Tengai Shinsei.
However, when Aoba's Susanoo suddenly grew in power mid-flight, Madara raised an eyebrow. It was clear that Aoba hadn't yet fully developed a Perfect Susanoo, judging by its shape.
But the power contained within Aoba's Susanoo was already comparable to his own Perfect Susanoo, leaving Madara puzzled as to how Aoba had achieved this.
This surprise lasted only a few seconds before something even more shocking occurred.
Madara looked up sharply. What did he just witness?
From the perspective of the distant Allied Shinobi Forces, they saw Aoba as a green light streaking toward the falling meteor, as though a moth diving into a flame.
The overwhelming chakra and the vast distance made it impossible for the sensory teams to discern what was happening. They could only vaguely make out that Aoba had swung his sword at the descending meteor.
But Madara felt it clearly.
"That's..."
The meteor in the sky cracked. At first, it was just a small fissure, but the crack rapidly spread. Within seconds, even the distant Konoha forces could clearly see it.
"Look! It's cracking, the meteor is cracking!"
Before the eyes of thousands, the rapidly descending meteor shattered after Aoba's sword strike. The fissure expanded, and combined with the meteor's immense velocity, the celestial body disintegrated.
The fractured meteor split into two massive piles of debris, scattering to either side in an avalanche-like chain reaction. The central region below the meteor became a safe zone, free from falling debris.
It took over ten seconds for the meteor to completely break apart. The fragments rained down across much of the Land of Hot Water, blanketing the region in destruction.
The violent impact kicked up colossal clouds of dust and a shockwave that made it feel like the apocalypse had arrived in the Land of Hot Water.
After a long while, wind-style ninjas dispersed the airborne dust, revealing the battlefield once more.
Two massive figures, one blue and one green, stood in a silent standoff, their Susanoo glowing faintly.
For the first time, Madara's expression turned serious. Gone was his earlier nonchalance; he now studied Aoba's Susanoo with a sharp gaze, a look of realization crossing his face.
"I see now. Two different pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan. I must say, Aoba Kamikawa, you've truly earned the right to be remembered. To simultaneously wield two pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan and even combine their visual prowess, your mastery of the Sharingan surpasses most of the Uchiha. That strike which shattered the meteor must have been an ability of your other Mangekyō pair. A powerful direct-force technique. Aoba Kamikawa, in this era, you've earned the right to leave your mark."
"To be acknowledged by Lord Madara, it's an honor," Aoba replied, showing deference with a touch of mockery.
"Hahaha, interesting. I was displeased at being resurrected prematurely, so I came looking for entertainment. But now, I'm glad I encountered you.
Aoba Kamikawa, you are worthy of being my opponent. But for today, this is where it ends. Your Sharingan must have consumed a great deal of energy. Protect your eyes well. When I am fully revived, we will have a true battle.
At that time, I will face you at my peak."
Surprisingly, Madara Uchiha declared a temporary truce. He understood his Edo Tensei body was immortal, while Aoba's physical form bore the full burden of their fight. Madara's eyes consumed no energy, whereas Aoba's Sharingan required enormous reserves.
To ensure their future battle was fought at full strength, Madara chose to halt the fight, allowing Aoba to recover. He clearly respected Aoba as a worthy opponent.
This decision showed how deeply Aoba had impressed him. Madara, famously loyal to Hashirama Senju, rarely recognized anyone else's strength.
For Madara, Aoba now stood as a rival worth fighting. By strict definition, Madara had already lost the earlier stages of the battle.
The first time Aoba used Flash, he had successfully blown off Madara's head. Though Madara didn't defend fully, given his Edo Tensei body, a loss was still a loss.
His use of Tengai Shinsei was a test of Aoba's limits. When Aoba proved capable of meeting his power, Madara began to view him as a true adversary.
Out of consideration for Aoba's Sharingan depletion, Madara chose to end the battle, allowing Aoba to rest before their next encounter.
This reminded Aoba of a scene from the original story where Hashirama sent a Wood Clone to confront Madara. Madara, uninterested in fighting a clone, merely glanced at it and refused to move.
Now, facing Aoba, Madara was similarly unenthused by the immortality of his Edo Tensei body. For a warrior like Madara, a battle without pain or risk was nothing more than a game.
Both warriors' Susanoo gradually dissipated as they descended to the ground.
Madara scanned Aoba from head to toe.
"Judging by your expression, I take it Black Zetsu's actions won't go as smoothly as it hopes, right?"
"That's right. I've prepared a little surprise for it back in Konoha."
"Interesting. Aoba Kamikawa, I look forward to our next meeting."
"So do I."
Madara turned to leave, but Aoba hesitated for a moment before calling out to him.
"Lord Madara, I know this might sound abrupt, but I need to ask. Do you truly believe that Black Zetsu is your creation?"
"..."
Madara turned back to glance at Aoba but gave no response. Instead, he vanished in an instant.
For someone like Madara Uchiha, a hardened leader with unshakable conviction, rushing up to him with claims like, "Madara, you're wrong. The contents of the Uchiha Tablet you read were fake. Black Zetsu isn't the manifestation of your darker side but a manipulative fraud who's deceived you from the start," would hardly work.
If anything, such an approach might lead to Aoba being killed on the spot.
Figures like Madara who were unyielding, supremely confident, and resolute cannot be swayed by mere words. They are entirely different from idealists like Nagato, who can sometimes be reached through argument or emotional appeals.
Aoba never attempted to convince Madara outright with the truth. Instead, he chose to plant a single question. He didn't believe that Madara had never harbored doubts about Black Zetsu's origins. It was simply that Black Zetsu had hidden its true nature so flawlessly over the years that Madara gradually dismissed any suspicions.
Now, Aoba sought to rekindle that sliver of doubt in Madara's mind. The outcome of this seed of doubt remained unknown, to both Aoba and Madara.
But for him, even an uncertain result was more than enough.
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Currently on Chapter 238 - A Catalyst for the Mangekyō?