Chapter 50: Mastery!
For a man who emerged from the Warring States period, battle had become second nature to Madara Uchiha.
No matter what angle Kagami launched his attacks from, Madara responded with precision, countering with the most appropriate techniques at the best possible moment.
This was the first time Sukuna extended his power directly into the external world.
Until now, Kagami had only drawn upon Sukuna's cursed energy before or after battles.
But now, simply drawing was no longer sufficient.
Kagami enveloped Sukuna's cursed energy with his own chakra, forcibly transforming it into a combat-ready energy supply.
It was akin to converting a fixed power source into a mobile battery.
If Sukuna's perspective before had been akin to watching through a screen, now he felt every sensation as if it were his own body.
Though his true form remained sealed, much of Sukuna's cursed energy was being siphoned.
Had Sukuna chosen to resist with full force, he could have disrupted the energy flow.
But Sukuna welcomed this development.
Take more… take even more!
Sooner or later, you will grow addicted to this power!
Kagami, for his part, saw no issue in using Sukuna's power.
After all, what master would refuse their steed's strength?
---
The clash of twin blades against Madara's scythe reverberated, generating waves of sound.
Madara's aging body restrained him from large, sweeping attacks, but his movements were ghost-like, his scythe striking down unpredictably.
He resembled nothing less than the Grim Reaper itself.
By contrast, Kagami's movements were agile and fluid, his every action precise. He darted and glided, each motion flawless, exuding a beauty and grace that made the battle seem almost choreographed.
For many, the Uchiha's combat style evoked an idealized elegance.
Watching Kagami, Madara saw a reflection of his younger self.
"I once encountered a clan of ninja who manipulated ghostly energy. They tamed cursed entities and engraved them upon their bodies with seals, borrowing their strength in combat."
"Tell me, Kagami, does an Uchiha like you truly need to rely on such filthy power?"
Madara could not see Sukuna directly, but his vast experience made it clear. The energy surrounding Kagami was utterly malevolent, its nature unmistakably vile.
---
"Filthy?"
"Boy! Slay him! Cut this decrepit fool to pieces!" Sukuna bellowed, his voice brimming with fury.
"Take all the power you want!"
Kagami ignored Sukuna's ravings, his voice calm as he replied, "If I can master the Sharingan, what's a mere cursed entity in comparison?"
---
"Well said," Madara acknowledged without hesitation.
The Sharingan in Madara's eyes spun wildly, their crimson glow intensifying.
"In that case, let me test your mastery of the Uchiha's strength!"
A tidal wave of oppressive chakra surged forth, an unparalleled force that blanketed the battlefield in an instant.
Suddenly, Kagami found himself on a blood-soaked battlefield, echoes of screams and clashing steel surrounding him.
In the heart of the battle stood an indescribable hand, its form shifting between aged, youthful, and decayed states, clutching a pitch-black spear that seemed to pierce through time itself.
Pain seared through Kagami's chest, a sharp agony that felt all too real.
A gaping hole appeared where his heart should be.
---
This was the Uchiha's greatest weapon: genjutsu.
Madara's mastery of illusion was unrivaled, ineffective only against the likes of Hashirama.
His Sharingan loomed over the battlefield like twin crimson moons, their sheer size dwarfing Kagami.
Compared to this sea of overwhelming ocular power, Kagami was like a mere grain of sand.
But within this boundless tide, black-and-red threads began weaving together, forming a canopy that shielded him.
The threads grew denser, weaving into a chariot, complete with steed and rider. Kagami stood tall upon this spectral chariot, the hole in his chest mended.
Madara's massive, blood-red eyes stared down at him from above.
---
"You… haven't unlocked the Mangekyo Sharingan?"
For the first time, Madara appeared genuinely shocked.
The power Kagami had displayed—both through their earlier physical exchanges and now in the clash of genjutsu—far exceeded the capabilities of a standard three-tomoe Sharingan.
Madara had assumed Kagami's ocular prowess rivaled even his own early days with the Mangekyo.
Yet this boy had not even reached that stage?
---
"I've refrained because I have no intention of harming my kin," Kagami said, his voice steady.
"My goal is to obtain an eternal source of ocular power, without the unnecessary sacrifices others have made."
---
"Impressive," Madara admitted, his voice tinged with rare approval.
"Very impressive!"
The colossal red eyes in the sky seemed to shimmer with admiration.
In that moment, Madara shed his older visage, revealing his youthful form clad in crimson armor.
Bloodlust and excitement radiated from him as he stepped forward, his every movement filled with vitality.
"Kagami, you truly are extraordinary!"
---
In genjutsu, the clash of wills was everything.
If one combatant faltered—be it due to fear, doubt, or reverence—they would immediately lose.
Though his physical body was weakened, Madara's spiritual energy remained unmatched.
Yet Kagami's mental fortitude was equally unyielding.
This was his domain.
Kagami extended his arms, his fingers crossing like wings as a sinister grin spread across his face.
From the shadows of his chariot, monstrous forms began to emerge.
The first beast took flight, its visage grotesque—a monkey's face, a tiger's claws, a snake's tail, and a pair of massive eagle wings.
From the legends of old, the nue had returned to life.
One after another, the monstrous creatures surged forth, an endless tide of shadowy horrors.
"Yin Release: Massacre of the Nue!"
---
The first wave of creatures met a massive blue blade, their forms disintegrating upon contact.
Madara's skeletal Susanoo loomed over the battlefield, its sword cleaving through dozens of beasts with each swing.
"This… is the ultimate jutsu of the Mangekyo Sharingan," Madara declared.
"Both offensive and defensive, its power rivals that of the Tailed Beasts."
"This… is Susanoo!"
---
Kagami's smirk widened as the remnants of the shattered beasts reassembled, their liquid-like forms pooling together.
He raised his hand, his voice brimming with dark amusement.
"Tell me, Madara-sama… when you say 'rivals the Tailed Beasts,' surely you mean the Nine-Tails specifically?"
Madara's expression shifted, his youthful face displaying a flicker of surprise.
"Of course. What other beasts could compare?"
"You're absolutely right."
The liquid shadows condensed, taking on an enormous, feral shape.
Nine black tails swayed ominously as a monstrous figure emerged, its crimson eyes burning with malice.
The battlefield quaked beneath its roar.
"Behold, Madara-sama," Kagami said, his voice dripping with mockery.
"This… is my answer to your Susanoo."
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Two titanic forces stood poised for destruction, their clash inevitable.
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