Exhilarating

"Now, welcome Blood Pupil Asura to the stage!" the host shouted fervently.

"What's going on? Didn't Blood Pupil Asura just finish a match?"

"This is my first time hearing of this too. Does the Soul Fighting Arena not let people rest?"

Madara remained as arrogant and unruly as ever, as though no one was worth his notice, climbing the fighting platform step by step.

"Facing our Blood Pupil Asura is the long-famous Iron Claw Demon Bird!" the host said while the iron was hot. "This is another challenge across ranks, and by a full nine levels! Blood Pupil Asura is about to make history once again!"

Madara curled his lip disdainfully. It was only a challenge across ranks. What was there to boast about?

In a fight to the death, was he supposed to stretch out his neck and await execution just because his opponent was a higher level?

The host stared at the kunai pinned into his microphone, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.

Without even looking at the host below, Madara said coldly, "You're noisy. Start already!"

"Hahahahaha! Kid, I like you!" Iron Claw laughed, though the malice in his eyes deepened. "We really are the same kind of people! We're both carnivores!"

"The same kind? Aren't you overestimating yourself? You're just a ground chicken!" Madara found this ground chicken's utter ignorance of his own limits amusing.

"I now declare the match officially begun!" The host flapped his wings and fled the tense fighting platform as though for his life.

The crowd no longer needed him to stir them up. Two Life and Death Duels in one day were enough to set everyone's hormones ablaze.

"Let's see if you're qualified to excite me!" The instant Madara used Martial Soul Possession, the ninja tools in his hands shot out.

Clang! Clang!

Every ninja tool that struck Iron Claw's wings, which shielded his entire body, fell powerless to the ground.

"Kid! Those little tricks won't work on me!" Iron Claw, already in Martial Soul Possession, mockingly poked his hidden head out from beneath his iron wings.

"Die for me! Kekekeke!" Iron Claw cackled like an old crow and charged at high speed.

Madara's pupils suddenly contracted. He pushed the Soul Power and Chakra within him to their limits and leaped sideways as far as he could.

The instant Madara left his spot, a massive taloned foot arrived in a flash and stomped viciously onto the stone floor.

Countless fragments of stone flew everywhere, some even landing in the stands. The flagstones had been utterly pulverized, and everyone felt a faint tremor beneath their feet.

Iron Claw turned around and stared at Madara with a half-smile. "Do you still think I'm a ground chicken, brat?"

Ostriches were indeed among the few birds that could not fly, but their speed and the power of their feet were absolutely rare in this world.

Why would I need to learn to fly? To avoid these trash I can kick to death in one blow?

Madara slowly raised his head, his sword-sharp gaze sweeping over Iron Claw.

"Let me teach you something! Carnivores come in two kinds: fierce tigers that eat flesh, and vultures that feed on carrion!" Madara looked down on Iron Claw as though he were nothing more than an insignificant fly.

Now, it seemed he could finally get in a little warm-up.

A faint flush rose to Madara's face, and his heart began racing beyond his control, pumping scorching blood through his body.

"Quit talking big!" Iron Claw charged forward viciously again. To an ostrich exceptionally skilled at running, the enormous Soul Fighting Arena was merely large enough for him to move around.

Madara showed no hesitation either. Gripping his scythe, he rushed head-on to settle who was stronger.

"You're courting death!" Iron Claw raised his foot and viciously kicked at Madara's head, ruthless beyond compare.

Iron Claw put all his strength into that kick. If it truly hit Madara, his chances of survival would be slim.

Battle-hardened as Madara was, he naturally would not fall so easily to a minor character.

Madara remained calm in the face of danger. He held the War Fan up with one hand to block, while using his scythe with the other to brace against the fan's surface.

Madara only felt an enormous force slam into the War Fan, numbing both his hands and forcing him into a half-crouch. Even his scythe nearly slipped from his grip.

Yet Madara did not retreat a single step. Instead, he gripped the War Fan tightly and endured the blow head-on.

Even against Hashirama, I would not take one step back. You are not qualified!

Blocking Iron Claw's taloned foot, Madara slowly stood up beneath Iron Claw's incredulous gaze.

"You're still just a ground chicken!" Red light flared in Madara's eyes, brimming with madness and killing intent.

"What?" Iron Claw could not believe that a mere One-ring Soul Master possessed such ability.

An opening!

Madara's thoughts shifted. Taking advantage of Iron Claw's stunned moment, he withdrew his defense, planted his scythe against the stone floor, and used the leverage to launch his slender body into the air, kicking Iron Claw's comical head.

Madara's kick sent Iron Claw's head snapping to the side. Realizing something was wrong, Iron Claw hurriedly retracted his head and shielded it with his arms, which had transformed into wings.

Slash!

Though the gleaming scythe did not sever Iron Claw's head, it still carved a long wound across his wing.

Iron Claw glanced at the wound on his wing, blood streaming from it. The intense pain brought a bead of cold sweat to his brow.

That was close! If I hadn't reacted quickly, I'd already be separated from my head!

Iron Claw had completely lost any desire to toy with Madara. He glared at him with venomous hatred.

"As expected, you're weak," Madara mocked carelessly.

Yes, that is exactly the look in a weakling's eyes. It is no different from that rabble in the Shinobi World.

"If you're strong, then come over here and kill me! Only trash hide in corners and tremble!" Madara sneered provocatively.

"Go! Kill that Asura!"

"Don't really act like a turtle-headed ostrich. If you're scared, just bury your head in the sand!"

"Kid, have you forgotten? I haven't even used my spirit skill yet!" Iron Claw bared his teeth in a terrifying grin.

"Then use your spirit skill and add a little fun to this battle!" Madara said teasingly, pointing his scythe at Iron Claw.

"You'll regret this!" Iron Claw's blade-like gaze fell upon Madara, as though he wanted nothing more than to carve a piece of flesh from him.

Iron Claw crossed his wings before himself. The First Spirit Ring behind him lit up, and his feathers instantly stood on end, making him look from afar like a puffed-up cat.

"Feather Barrage!!!"

Iron Claw suddenly spread his wings. The feathers on them transformed into sharp arrows and shot toward Madara like a torrential storm.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The audience in the stands cried out in alarm, because from their angle, Iron Claw had instantly fired an entire wall of arrows.

But could that really deal with Madara? That was far too naive!

The tomoe in Madara's Sharingan spun rapidly. Under his gaze, the feathers tearing through the air gradually slowed in his vision.

Just like the bestial transformations brought by Beast Martial Souls, the Sharingan had given him extraordinary dynamic vision.

Madara's scythe became a blur, viciously slicing apart every feather that reached him and turning them into scraps that filled the sky.

But there were simply too many feathers! Madara had no choice but to use the War Fan, casually sweeping it to knock down swaths of flying feathers.

"Stop struggling! It's useless!" Iron Claw shouted madly as he continuously used his spirit skill to create arrows that filled the sky, seemingly without end.

"Die right here! Hahahaha!" Iron Claw laughed cruelly, his face filled with savagery.

Madara's voice drifted faintly from within the pile of feathers, cold as winter. "Have you ever seen me use a spirit skill?"

"Fire Release: Great Fireball!!!"