Illusion Within Illusion?!

Even if she accepted Kosuke's far-fetched theory, Mina did not think they should risk putting it into practice now.

After a month together, Mina had already figured out the temperament of her "sister-in-law."

How should she put it?

She was intelligent, perceptive, and terrifyingly calm whenever something happened.

"Do everything you can to maintain the original flow of Chakra within Brother Madara's body and stabilize his injuries. Izuna and I will cast the illusion together. If anything else happens, we'll dispel it immediately."

"Alright. Madara has only just awakened today. Let him rest for three days, then we'll begin."

Seeing Mito agree, Mina gave her a slightly apologetic bow.

She had thought Mito would be able to relax after Madara woke up, but instead, she would have to trouble herself again.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

At this moment, Madara's tent held Izuna, Mina, Mito, and the two original Medical Unit ninjas.

When Madara slowly opened his eyes, Mito stepped forward and looked at him solemnly. "Have you made up your mind?"

Madara nodded with difficulty, determination flashing in his eyes.

Especially when he caught sight of the three tomoe in Izuna's eyes, the obsession in his heart grew even stronger.

Mito turned and nodded to the others, signaling them to proceed according to the steps they had agreed upon over the past two days.

Though the two Medical Unit ninjas did not know the exact reason, they still obediently followed the red-haired clanswoman's instructions and stepped forward to perform Medical Ninjutsu on Madara.

Once Mito and the others were ready, the Three-Tomoe Sharingan in Izuna's eyes began to spin abruptly, his Dojutsu surging and gathering within his eye sockets.

Madara made no attempt to avoid it. He met Izuna's gaze calmly and gave him a slight nod.

The illusion activated in an instant!

In the blink of an eye, Madara's consciousness fell into the illusion Izuna had created.

"Hashirama! Our battle from years ago never produced a victor. Today, Kosuke and I will settle the score with you—and decide who lives and who dies!"

Before Hashirama could respond, Madara and Kosuke launched a fierce assault.

In an instant, where the blades in the three men's hands collided, the Chakra currents that erupted tore through the ground like frenzied blades.

On the flank of the battlefield, Izuna's Scarlet Sharingan suddenly lit up. As an eerie red glow swirled within them, the long blade in his hand drove straight for Senju Tobirama's throat.

"Tobirama, die!"

Izuna pushed off the ground, his body turning into an afterimage.

As the Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun, he predicted all of Tobirama's escape routes in the blink of an eye.

Yet the anticipated illusion failed to take hold.

The instant their eyes met, Tobirama shut his eyes tightly and blasted the approaching Izuna with fierce lightning.

Izuna spun aside from the lightning, his boots scraping across shattered rocks and kicking up dust as his knee slammed hard into Tobirama's abdomen.

Tobirama grunted and flew backward, his spine smashing into a dead tree with a dull thud.

Yet he completed his hand seals even as he fell.

Tiger—Rabbit—Snake—Ox—Dragon—Rat—Monkey—Horse—Tiger

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"

A deep-blue water dragon burst from the ground, its open maw carrying a torrential surge of water.

At the same time, Izuna's fingers flew through the hand seals. The scorching Chakra gathering in his mouth surged forth in a torrent.

"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"

The water dragon and fireball collided violently in midair, and billowing vapor spread out like a white curtain.

In an instant, it swallowed both of them whole.

Within the dense fog, Tobirama had already gripped five Kunai between his fingers, a cold smile curling across his lips.

The hunt had only just begun!

The sound of Kunai slicing through the fog suddenly rang beside Izuna's ears. His Sharingan spun at high speed, vigilantly tracking their trajectories through the mist.

At the same time, his hands formed another set of seals.

Snake—Boar—Goat

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

A high-pressure current burst from Izuna's mouth, becoming a hurricane that swept across the battlefield and instantly dispersed the lingering mist.

At that exact moment, the fourth Kunai Tobirama had thrown grazed past Izuna's ear from a treacherous angle.

Izuna's rapidly spinning Sharingan caught the intricate curse mark on the Kunai's surface with its extraordinary dynamic vision.

Flying Thunder God!

Tobirama's low shout exploded at Izuna's side.

When Izuna turned his head, a cold gleam had already reached his chest.

That was a Senju Chakra Longsword, the blue chakra coating its blade refracting a cold, glacial gleam.

Izuna instinctively formed the hand seals for the Substitution Technique, only to see Tobirama's lips curve into an icy smile. "Too slow. In your next life, remember not to meet me again!"

The blade flashed like lightning, instantly piercing his left chest.

Izuna clearly felt the searing pain of his heart being sliced open.

Tobirama's chakra surged wildly through the blade into his heart, exploding with a boom!

He staggered and dropped to one knee, violently coughing up blood. Blood tears seeped from his Sharingan under the agonizing pain.

Through his blurring vision, Izuna saw his elder brother Madara frantically cleave through a massive tree and charge toward him.

The fierce wind raised by the war fan in his hand sent dust flying across the battlefield.

"Izuna!"

Madara's furious roar seemed to shatter the clouds. The chakra around him ran violently out of control, while his Two-Tomoe Sharingan spun at high speed in his rage, faintly showing signs of evolution.

Yet just as he was about to reach his younger brother, a Crimson Figure cut between them.

Hashirama Senju spread his arms and extended a palm toward Madara. "Madara, stop this war. We can end all of this..."

"Fuck! Screw you! Let's go again..."

Kosuke lunged toward Hashirama, and the two once more clashed in battle.

"Brother..." Izuna clutched Madara's collar, his coughing blood staining Madara's lapels red. "Don't forget the heroes in the Ancestral Hall... Their eyes are still watching us..."

Madara's Sharingan spun rapidly in his grief. The red glow in his eyes grew ever brighter as his chakra began to rage out of control.

"Go..." Izuna used the last of his strength. "Live... Let the Senju know... the Uchiha's wrath..."

His hand slipped soundlessly from Madara's collar, his flowing blood reflected in Madara's scarlet pupils.

"Ahhh—! Izuna—! Senju—!"

Madara's roar shook the heavens.

"Watch out! Madara's chakra is about to deviate from its original trajectory!" Mito cried out anxiously in warning.

Meanwhile, blood tears slowly overflowed from Izuna's eye sockets, his Dojutsu having been excessively drained.

He was currently kneeling helplessly on the ground, covering his eyes.

Seeing that Madara's Two-Tomoe Sharingan was spinning violently but showed no sign of evolving, Mina had no time to tend to Izuna, who was kneeling on the ground with his eyes covered.

She immediately stepped forward, her Three-Tomoe Sharingan locking tightly onto Madara's pupils.

As red light flashed, she took Izuna's place.

Seeing this, Mito felt even more shaken by the Uchiha clan's ruthlessness and decisiveness...

Boom!

Madara suddenly awoke from the illusion, gasping for breath. Sweat soaked through his bandages, which clung tightly to his still-unhealed skin. His entire body felt as though it had been soaked in salt water, the stinging pain unbearable.

When his gaze landed on Izuna, who was kneeling on one knee nearby, covering his eyes with a bitter smile, an almost imperceptible trace of disappointment flashed through his eyes.

"Did it fail...?"

Before he could finish speaking, Mito, who had been using Medical Ninjutsu on Madara, suddenly flashed forward and appeared behind Mina and Izuna like a ghost.