Chapter 313: Now… You can start running
Uchiha Madara had to admit...
Akihara Kagura indeed possessed enough power to be proud.
This brat, born from a side branch of the Uchiha bloodline, staked the patience of their lineage for generations, allowing his strength to finally surpass everyone in the ninja world!
Even...
Even Madara himself was at a disadvantage in this battle.
"I have to admit..."
Uchiha Madara clenched his fist and praised, "Hashirama was right about one thing, you have indeed surpassed him, and I even have the illusion that I might lose. This is a feeling I never had even when fighting Hashirama..."
"Perhaps it is not an illusion."
Akihara Kagura looked at Uchiha Madara and praised his opponent, "Madara, so far, you are the only enemy I find somewhat troublesome. If there were four more of you, I might even feel it would be a hassle..."
"Indeed, you can see the shadows of Limbo..."
Madara's lips curled into a slight smile, immediately catching the hidden meaning in Kagura's words. He was also curious about the power of Kagura's Rinnegan, accumulated over generations. "I am quite curious about the true wonders of your Rinnegan..."
"If you want to know..."
Kagura raised his fingers, his eyes flashing slightly. "Why not try dancing with all your might to entertain me? Perhaps you'll have a chance to see it..."
"Then let me give it a try!"
A hint of madness appeared in Madara's eyes!
The shadows of four Limbo clones followed behind him as he charged forward, instantly surrounding Kagura!
This was the most terrifying lineup in the entire ninja world!
The power of five Madaras attacking one person, with four of them being the elusive Limbo clones that only Kagura could perceive!
Five figures swirled around Kagura in a frenzy!
At this moment, the battle reached its peak!
Kagura's body swiftly dodged, grabbing one Limbo clone and hurling it to smash another!
In the next instant!
Madara raised his hand!
A burst of gravitational force instantly pulled Kagura!
The four Limbo clones simultaneously formed black rods with Yin-Yang Release, about to pierce Kagura's body. At this critical moment, Kagura's figure instantly used the Flying Thunder God Technique to appear behind Madara!
"Flying Thunder God Technique..."
Madara immediately tracked Kagura's movements through his Limbo clones, crouching and kicking forcefully at Kagura behind him!
Kagura's arms instantly crossed, magma gushing from them to form a magma wall in front of him!
In the nick of time, as Madara's feet touched the magma wall, he flipped forward, one hand pressing the ground, and his body spun up and stood!
Even so...
Madara's feet were still scalded by the magma.
However, having transplanted Hashirama's cells, Madara's body had strong regenerative abilities, and such minor injuries were not a significant problem for him!
In the next moment!
Madara clasped his hands together!
The four Limbo clones also clasped their hands!
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
Five meteoric fireballs descended upon Kagura!
"Lava Release: Rubber Wall!"
Kagura clasped his hands together!
Under his control, the Lava Release chakra formed a wide, circular wall, blocking all the Great Fire Annihilation!
The meteoric fireballs were instantly extinguished by the magma!
"Sage Art: Lava Release: Rasenshuriken!"
Kagura raised his hand, the magma from the Lava Formation Wall swirling into a giant, magma-glowing Rasenshuriken!
"Very powerful..."
Madara immediately sensed the threat from the Rasenshuriken. "Even the Rinnegan wouldn't be able to absorb that chakra in time..."
The spiral shuriken suddenly flew over!
Uchiha Madara decisively manipulated one of his Limbo clones to intercept it. The Limbo clone instantly activated Susanoo, attempting to block the attack!
With a massive explosion that echoed through the heavens and earth, a column of magma shot from the ground to the sky!
Even people within a hundred kilometers could see the magma column piercing the sky, resembling a sudden volcanic eruption, which was terrifying!
At the edge of the battlefield, a group of Konoha ninjas were horrified! These people were the closest ones, feeling the direct impact of Akihara Kagura's Lava Release: Rasenshuriken.
"Truly terrifying..."
Hatake Kakashi was somewhat fearful. Just that giant Rasenshuriken alone had enough destructive power to destroy Konoha!
On the Root ninjas' side, Karin used her Kagura Mind's Eye to sense the battlefield situation. She couldn't see Uchiha Madara's Limbo shadows, but she could see Akihara Kagura's strength!
"As expected of Lord Kagura..."
Karin's face was flushed with excitement.
"The battle isn't over yet..."
Tobirama coldly rebuked Karin, saying in a stern voice, "Akihara Kagura and Uchiha Madara are now the strongest ninjas and the two most dangerous individuals in the ninja world. It would be best if they both perish in this battle..."
This was Tobirama's purest thought.
Despite his strength, Tobirama couldn't judge the outcome of their battle. Only Hashirama was qualified to assess their strengths.
"Madara might lose."
A trace of worry appeared on Hashirama's forehead. Although his old friend's personality was extreme, he was much gentler than Akihara Kagura. Madara was the only one who could possibly stop Kagura...
However, Akihara Kagura remained at ease, while Uchiha Madara was already fighting with all his might!
Madara knew very well that his Limbo clones couldn't fight for long; they needed to return to the Rinnegan to recuperate after a certain time or upon death.
The recuperation time for the Limbo shadows could be the moment he would fall to Akihara Kagura!
Madara had already confirmed in previous battles that in Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, and even Susanoo, he was at a disadvantage. The only ability he could rely on was the Rinnegan!
All four Limbo clones were unleashed...
This was Madara's strongest form!
But the battle had only just begun...
One Limbo clone was directly hit by the Rasenshuriken...
Madara hastily retracted the injured Limbo shadow, letting it return to the Rinnegan to recuperate!
Madara, with his three remaining Limbo clones, once again rushed towards Akihara Kagura. The four figures continuously launched attacks, forcing Kagura to expose a Taijutsu vulnerability!
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
Huge dragon-head fireballs rushed towards Kagura. As Kagura was fighting the Limbo clones, the four dragon-head fireballs were about to hit him. In that instant, Kagura used the Flying Thunder God Technique to appear beside Madara, evading the Great Fire Annihilation!
"Flying Thunder God again..."
Madara frowned slightly.
If nothing unexpected happens, it should be during his first physical encounter with Akihara Kagura that Akihara Kagura left the Flying Thunder God mark on him...
However...
This time is different!
Uchiha Madara's figure seemed to anticipate this, raising his hand to strike at Akihara Kagura's chest, a black rod forming in his palm!
The next moment!
Uchiha Madara's body suddenly froze in place!
"Can't move..."
Uchiha Madara looked at the black rod in his palm, his body unable to move, inexplicably stiff and frozen in place!
"This is... the Shadow Imitation Technique?"
Uchiha Madara's eyes narrowed instantly, immediately recognizing this technique, realizing that the Nara clan's shadow could control a ninja of his level.
"When light is born, shadows follow..."
Akihara Kagura raised his hand, and the shadow on the ground came to life like flowing water, the huge shadow cast by the clouds in the sky acting as if it were a living creature!
Everything present...
Had already been controlled by Akihara Kagura through the shadows!
This is Akihara Kagura's trait of "Light and Shadow" upon ascending to Jonin!
The Nara clan's Shadow Imitation Technique had been mastered to perfection by Akihara Kagura. Although the control over Uchiha Madara was brief, it was enough!
Uchiha Madara frowned, seeing the ever-shrinking shadow on the ground: "The Nara clan's Shadow Imitation Technique... to be manipulated to such an extent by you... you had already set up the shadows at the beginning of the battle..."
"I just don't want to get hurt..."
Akihara Kagura, with his Rinnegan fixed on Uchiha Madara, spoke softly: "Since I don't want to get hurt in battle, one must learn a bit of elegant fighting art..."
Akihara Kagura raised his hand, breaking the black rod in Uchiha Madara's palm with one hand, and then aiming to thrust it into Uchiha Madara's chest!
Bang!
A Limbo clone was instantly summoned!
Even if Uchiha Madara couldn't move, he could still swap places with his Limbo clone's shadow in an instant!
In that instant, the Limbo clone that swapped positions was pierced by the black rod in Akihara Kagura's hand, and had to return to Uchiha Madara's Rinnegan to recuperate!
This time...
Was enough for Uchiha Madara to break free from the shadow's restraint!
Uchiha Madara, upon breaking free, took a deep breath, with only two of his Limbo clones left to use, standing in front of him...
However...
Akihara Kagura did not give him any time to breathe!
"Sage Art: Lightning Release: Chidori!"
"Sage Art: Dust Release: Rasengan!"
Akihara Kagura extended both hands, with one hand forming a ball of silver lightning, the Sage Art form of Chidori, and the other forming a white Rasengan, a combination of Dust Release and Sage Art Chakra.
The next moment!
Akihara Kagura's body turned into a beam of golden light, charging straight at Uchiha Madara's two Limbo clones, instantly destroying them with the two Sage Arts!
"This guy..."
Uchiha Madara watched as his Limbo clones were destroyed, a look of shock and disbelief appearing in his eyes, feeling that this moment was beyond his comprehension!
"To simultaneously use two different ninjutsus, condensing different chakras in the body, and both techniques having equally terrifying power..."
Of course...
The most terrifying thing is...
These two techniques, enough to threaten anyone and even Uchiha Madara didn't dare confront, were merely casual attacks from Akihara Kagura.
This guy...
Has even more terrifying cards up his sleeve!
Uchiha Madara fully realized that his Rinnegan abilities had been completely countered, his trump cards torn apart by Akihara Kagura...
"Madara..."
Akihara Kagura gently opened his hand, lightly curling his fingers as if controlling everything in his palm: "Now, you can start running…”