"The great Uchiha Madara… has become someone who only runs away? That's hardly the behavior befitting of a legendary shinobi. So, let's have a passionate battle, don't you disappoint me!"
Shadow Avatar one's words were filled with provocation as he gazed at Madara.
He eagerly anticipated this heated fight with the legendary ninja.
After all, it wasn't his real body at stake.
Madara's expression turned even colder. Seeing the nonchalant and dismissive attitude of Shadow Avatar one, he spoke in an icy tone:
"I'll oblige you."
With that, Madara discarded the idea of using the Uchiha fan for a surprise attack.
Instead, a tidal wave of blue chakra erupted from his body, quickly forming into the upper body of a massive chakra giant.
It was none other than Susanoo, the ultimate technique of the Uchiha clan's Mangekyō Sharingan.
The appearance of Susanoo filled the cavern, its sheer size making Shadow Avatar one seem insignificant in comparison.
Facing Susanoo up close for the first time, Shadow Avatar one was struck by the sheer power and awe-inspiring presence of the technique.
Some things are impossible to fully grasp without witnessing them in person, like the oppressive might of a tiger that can't be conveyed through mere images. Similarly, confronting Susanoo in real life was a visceral experience.
The overwhelming energy and pressure emanating from the massive construct sent a thrill through Shadow Avatar one's body.
In response, the silver lightning cloak around him seemed to glow even brighter.
But before he could dwell on the spectacle, Susanoo swung its sword down toward him with tremendous force.
Boom!
The ground shook violently with each strike. The cracks on the stone walls of the cavern spread rapidly.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The relentless strikes caused the cavern to quake continuously.
Shadow Avatar one dashed around the cave at blinding speed, narrowly evading Susanoo's attacks.
In his Silver Lightning Mode, his speed was unparalleled. No matter how ferocious or fast Susanoo's strikes were, they couldn't touch him.
However, the cavern was on the verge of collapse.
Realizing this, Shadow Avatar one made a swift decision. He headed toward the cave entrance, thinking it was pointless to fight in such a confined space.
Madara seemed to sense his intention and poured more chakra into Susanoo. The giant grew even larger and sprouted additional arms.
Susanoo began smashing the cavern walls in a frenzy.
Rumble!
Finally, the cavern succumbed to the destruction, collapsing under Susanoo's assault.
Shadow Avatar one managed to escape just before the cave crumbled entirely.
From the rubble, Madara emerged, controlling Susanoo to walk out unscathed. His eyes locked onto Shadow Avatar one, who was charging toward him once more.
The clone's fist was enveloped in Sage Chakra, glowing brightly, as if emitting light.
Madara's expression grew serious. He could tell this punch was extraordinary.
But instead of retreating, the thrill of battle ignited within him. Apart from Hashirama Senju, it had been a long time since Madara encountered such an opponent.
Although this fight didn't yet demand his full power, it was enough to excite him.
Channeling this excitement, Madara controlled Susanoo to punch directly at Shadow Avatar one, intending to meet strength with strength.
The next moment, the two vastly disproportionate fists collided.
Crack!
A sharp sound echoed through the air.
To Madara's shock, Susanoo's fist cracked and shattered under the force of the punch, leaving Shadow Avatar one unscathed as he advanced.
The clone had targeted Susanoo's arm, intending to break through and close the distance to Madara.
Although Susanoo's massive size slowed his progress, Shadow Avatar one advanced relentlessly until he decided to retreat with a leap, landing a safe distance away.
"Impressive. I acknowledge your strength," Madara said, as Susanoo's chakra surged and restored the damage in moments.
"But if you want a truly passionate battle, you have a long way to go. You can't even completely destroy my Susanoo," Madara added, his words bringing a scowl to Shadow Avatar one's face.
Looking at the fully restored Susanoo, the clone couldn't help curse in his heart.
Shinobi worlds equivalent of Gundam, one of the most despair-inducing powers in the later stages of the original stry, was indeed a force to be reckoned with.
Still, Shadow Avatar one wasn't ready to concede.
Reaching into his ninja pouch, he pulled out a sword.
It wasn't Zhi Yi, which was held by his true body.
This was just an ordinary longsword.
"I've heard you're a versatile ninja, excelling in taijutsu, ninjutsu, genjutsu, and kenjutsu. From our earlier exchange, I've already seen your skills in taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu. So now, show me your kenjutsu and entertain me," Madara said with a tone that grated on the clone's nerves.
"Entertain you? I think you've misunderstood. My sword isn't for mere entertainment, it's for killing," Shadow Avatar one replied coldly.
His expression turned serious as he dashed forward like a bolt of lightning. His speed was so extreme that even high-ranking ninja would struggle to track his movements, seeing only an afterimage.
Yet Madara's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan easily followed the clone's every move.
This was exactly what Shadow Avatar one wanted.
As he approached, the blade of his sword began to emit an intense, radiant light, shining as brightly as the sun.
The brilliance was so blinding that even Madara instinctively closed his eyes, feeling a sharp sting in his highly preceptive eyes.
Though his Eternal Mangekyō allowed him to recover quickly, Madara wasted no time leaping out of Susanoo.
At that moment, a terrifying slash of sword energy burst from the clone's blade, splitting Susanoo cleanly in half.
As Madara opened his eyes, he gazed at the long scar left on the ground where he had just stood.
At that moment, his respect toward the young man deepened.
"Incredible swordsmanship. You truly deserve the title of a well-rounded shinobi. Your kenjutsu is no weaker than any of your other skills," Madara said with admiration clear in his voice.
Shadow Avatar one sighed in slight disappointment.
"A shame I didn't hit you. You're the first ninja to avoid such a strike completely unscathed. As expected of someone who rivaled Hashirama and stands atop the shinobi world."
The clone's strike was a combination of light manipulation and his mountain-splitting technique.
Against most ninja, it would have caused serious injury, if not death. Even elite shinobi would have struggled to survive.
Yet Madara evaded it flawlessly, relying purely on instinct.
Indeed, the legendary Uchiha Madara had proven why he was a legend.
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