A Rematch with Uchiha Madara

An hour passed, and the sun had already dipped halfway below the horizon.

"Clan Head, there has been no unusual activity from that Uzumaki Clan member." An Uchiha scout quickly reported to Madara.

Madara sat atop a large rock, impatience written across his face. "Izuna, begin the attack. It'll be dark soon."

Izuna looked puzzled. "Wouldn't darkness be to our advantage, Big Brother?"

Madara hesitated briefly, then shook his head.

Seeing this, Izuna looked shocked. "Big Brother, your eyes..."

When Madara silently confirmed it, Izuna immediately rose to his feet. "Everyone, assemble! Prepare to attack!"

On the Senju side, Masahiko had already sensed the Uchiha clan's movements. Looking at his three disciples, who were still sobbing beside him, he felt utterly helpless.

"Enough crying. Your teacher isn't dead yet. Go back and stay there—the battle is about to begin!"

After the three had moved away, Masahiko did not know whether to laugh or cry. If I don't die in this war, there'll be no way to explain it...

Tobirama also saw the Uchiha advancing and shouted, "Everyone, prepare yourselves! Meet the enemy!"

Masahiko gauged the Uchiha clan's distance and nodded slightly. With a thought, several Small Fireballs appeared before him. Yet instead of bombarding them as before, he focused his mind, and the Small Fireballs gradually changed shape into miniature Shuriken.

"Scorch Release—Rasenshuriken!"

Several burning miniature Shuriken howled toward the Uchiha formation.

Seeing this, Uchiha Madara did not waste any words. His Mangekyo spun in his eyes. "Susanoo!" The pale-blue giant threw several punches, scattering all the Shuriken.

"Old man! You said you were my opponent, didn't you?! I'm here now!" Madara shouted as the giant charged straight at Masahiko.

Masahiko glanced at Tobirama, giving him a look that said not to worry, then rushed toward Madara.

Tobirama's expression hardened. "Senju clan members, engage!" He then charged directly toward his old rival, Uchiha Izuna.

As Masahiko ran toward Uchiha Madara, he called out loudly, "Uchiha Madara, it has been fourteen years since our last battle. I hope you won't be as pathetic as you were back then."

Madara glared fiercely at him without responding. Judging the distance, the Susanoo giant formed hand seals. "Fire Release—Great Fire Annihilation!" A Great Fire Annihilation more than ten times larger than before surged toward Masahiko as Madara shouted, "Try absorbing this one!"

Masahiko did not defend against the flames. Instead, he threw a specially made Shuriken through them toward Madara. As it neared him, Masahiko activated the Shuriken Substitution Technique and instantly appeared before Madara's Susanoo.

"Dark Release—Fantasy Killer!" Before Madara's disbelieving eyes, Masahiko tore a hole through the Susanoo and kicked Madara flying. Without Madara's control, the Susanoo giant gradually faded away.

"Madara, history really does repeat itself. After fourteen years, I've kicked you again." Masahiko teased as Madara barely steadied himself.

Madara's face flushed with humiliation and anger. "Damn old man, you still have so many bizarre ninjutsu..."

Madara straightened up. I didn't want to use this, but it seems I can't hold back against this old man...

"Susanoo!" Blood tears flowed from Madara's eyes as an even larger Susanoo condensed around him. It had two heads and four arms, with two of those arms gripping enormous swords of light.

Masahiko rolled his neck, his face full of misery. "Fighting giants is exhausting. I have to keep looking up, and now you're even bigger... Are you trying to tire me to death?"

Madara did not bother responding. His twin swords slashed downward.

Masahiko rapidly formed hand seals. "Earth Release—Earth Shore Return!" A massive boulder appeared between them, but moments later, Masahiko's expression changed slightly and he activated the Shuriken Substitution Technique again.

Madara's twin swords cleaved the enormous rock in two. Masahiko wiped nonexistent cold sweat from his forehead.

"Wow, you're actually serious. If I don't get serious too, I really might be finished..." Masahiko focused. Sage Mode—activate!

In Madara's eyes, Masahiko's entire presence suddenly became completely different.

Madara froze for a moment, his face darkening. "The same technique as Hashirama's?" He had clearly recalled something unpleasant.

"Sage Art—Wind Release—Rasenshuriken!" Masahiko shouted, launching a Rasenshuriken vastly more powerful than before at Madara.

Madara came to his senses and sneered at the gradually enlarging Rasenshuriken. "You're still far inferior to Hashirama!"

He slashed at the Shuriken with one sword, but after holding it back for only a moment, his expression changed drastically. He crossed both swords in defense, yet was still forced to slide back a hundred meters before finally blasting the Shuriken apart.

"I am far inferior to Hashirama, but you're far inferior to him now too!" Masahiko added fuel to the fire.

Sure enough, Madara could not stand hearing that he was inferior to Hashirama. The instant he regained his footing, he controlled the giant to stride back several steps and slash both blades toward Masahiko. At the same time, he formed hand seals. "Fire Release—Great Fireball Technique!" He attacked the landing point of Masahiko's special Shuriken.

"As expected of Madara. You figured out the principle behind my Shuriken Substitution Technique so quickly... But I still have three more Shuriken like that." Masahiko wore a wicked grin as he threw three Shuriken in three different directions.

Uchiha Madara's expression changed. The blood-red Mangekyo in his eyes spun rapidly as he tried to discern Masahiko's whereabouts.

In the blink of an eye, Masahiko vanished from before Madara, and there was no sign of him in the directions of the three Shuriken either.

"Underground!" Madara cursed inwardly, turning his sword toward the ground beneath his feet.

"Sage Art—Chidori Sharp Spear!" Facing Madara's slash, Masahiko, who burst from the earth, chose to meet it head-on for the first time, taking the opportunity to close in on Madara once more.

"Dark Release—Fantasy Killer!" Those sinful hands reached for Madara's Susanoo again, but Madara would not fall for the same trick twice. With a glare, he instantly cast a genjutsu that made Masahiko freeze briefly. By the time Masahiko came to his senses again, Madara's sword of light was already right before him. Helpless, he could only activate the Shuriken Substitution Technique once more.

After retreating far from Madara, Masahiko let out a small breath.

"Damn Susanoo. Aside from Fantasy Killer, I have no way to deal with it at all. Now that Madara is on guard, defeating him is no longer very likely..." Masahiko looked around and found that the situation slightly favored the Senju. His three disciples were also barely able to protect themselves through mutual cooperation.

"Then next comes stalling—stalling until Hashirama returns or another battlefield decides the outcome..."

With that in mind, Masahiko deactivated Sage Mode. It consumed Chakra far too quickly and was unsuitable for a prolonged battle.

Seeing Masahiko panting, Madara shouted, "Old man, is that all you've got? You're still far too lacking!" As he spoke, he charged over again.

"Scorch Release—Steaming Murder!" Masahiko had not wanted to use this dangerous ninjutsu, but it seemed that aside from the overly Chakra-consuming Rasenshuriken, only this could cause Madara some trouble.

Sure enough, although it could not pierce Susanoo, Steaming Murder's heat still reached Madara through its outer layer. The effect was minor, except... Madara's face turned bright red.

"Old man! You're dead!" Madara was somewhat humiliated into rage.

Masahiko: "..."

I used a technique with the opposite effect. What should I do? Waiting online, urgently...