Great Elder: I Thought I Saw Madara

Uchiha Gen certainly still had the strength to fight. He would probably be like Maruboshi Kosuke in the future, still retaining combat power at or above the Jonin level.

But if he were to fight, it meant that his already battered, aged body would once again have to endure the torment of injury.

If he could avoid suffering, there was no need to suffer.

After cramming Medical Ninjutsu knowledge over this period, Uchiha Gen also understood just how limited the Ninja World's medical capabilities currently were, let alone those of twenty or thirty years ago.

Not to mention that Tsunade had yet to create the Creation Rebirth technique capable of restoring organs and flesh. His injuries simply could not be healed.

"Forget it. There is no point bringing up these old matters now. The future belongs to you young people."

Uchiha Gen sighed and waved his hand.

"Continue. This old man will watch. Don't worry about hurting each other. Though I am old, I still have a few tricks left."

"Yes, Great Elder."

"Yes, Grandfather."

The boy and girl nodded at Uchiha Gen together, then stepped onto the Training Ground side by side and formed the Seal of Confrontation without prior agreement.

"Gen, I'm coming!"

Uchiha Mikoto stood prettily before Uchiha Gen with a smile on her face, but the Two-Tomoe Sharingan had already emerged in her eyes once more. Her right hand drew a gleaming short blade from behind her waist, while her left quietly rested on her ninja tool pouch.

"Come on, Sister Mikoto."

Following the stance of Uchiha Style Swordsmanship, Uchiha Gen slowly drew the newly purchased Ninja Sword at his waist.

This was the perfect chance to familiarize himself with the various abilities of the Young Madara card—it was like playing certain games. Even with the same hero, the same stats, and the same skills and mechanics, the results depended closely on the player's technique, awareness, proficiency, and more.

In the distance, the Great Elder had also revealed his Three-Tomoe Sharingan as he watched the battlefield.

When Uchiha Gen assumed his opening stance, an inexplicably familiar feeling suddenly welled up in the Great Elder's heart.

Clang!

Uchiha Mikoto flung out several shuriken. Uchiha Gen reacted swiftly, flicking his Ninja Sword to knock them aside.

The next instant, Uchiha Mikoto moved like a falling cherry blossom, lightly drawing her blade and thrusting it toward Uchiha Gen.

So fast!

Startled, he immediately lowered his body and steadied his center of gravity. Gripping his sword with both hands, he swung upward in a rising slash.

As the two blades collided, the sound of clashing steel rang out once more.

My eyes can see it, and my body can keep up too.

Uchiha Gen immediately felt reassured.

Mikoto was indeed very strong.

In the future of the original timeline, she would also become a Uchiha Jonin who had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. Moreover, she must have awakened it at nineteen—the age at which Mikoto gave birth to Itachi in the original timeline.

Though Uchiha Mikoto was not yet sixteen, she was already an exceptionally capable Special Jonin.

Previously, he would certainly have retreated to widen the distance, relying on his solid shuriken techniques and excellent ninjutsu abilities to circle around her while searching for an opening—though he most likely would not have had much chance of winning.

But now that he possessed Young Madara's card, Uchiha Gen was certain he was qualified to face Mikoto's Two-Tomoe Sharingan head-on.

With a thought, Uchiha Gen twisted his waist and swung his arm with the momentum. His blade tore through the air in a sideways sweep. As if she had expected it, Mikoto performed an agile backflip while secretly flicking out three senbon aimed at Uchiha Gen's brow, throat, and heart.

His next move, however, was beyond Mikoto's expectations.

Though the release of those three senbon had been concealed, Uchiha Mikoto believed that Uchiha Gen, with his Sharingan active, could not possibly have missed them. He would surely dodge backward or to the side.

As long as she forced Uchiha Gen out of position and widened the distance between them, she would have the opportunity to form hand seals and cast ninjutsu, forcing him into her fighting rhythm.

But Mikoto had not expected Uchiha Gen not to retreat or evade. Instead, he surged forward, leaping ahead in a swift burst as the Ninja Sword in his hand slashed out fiercely.

Uchiha Style: Sword Leap Slash.

At that moment, the Great Elder watching from the sidelines abruptly widened his eyes. The three tomoe in his sockets spun faster of their own accord, reflecting the turmoil in his heart.

They were different people, in different times, yet the spirit and momentum behind that movement were astonishingly similar.

"Madara..."

The Great Elder murmured a name—the name of a man once so powerful that everyone despaired before him, and who had filled every Uchiha with pride.

This child gave him the same feeling as Madara, especially Madara in his youth!

The Great Elder was about the same age as Tobirama Senju and Uchiha Izuna, only slightly younger than Uchiha Madara.

Though he had not been as outstanding as the brothers Madara and Izuna in his youth, he had still been a genius ninja in the clan's first tier, second only to the two of them. He had often sparred and improved alongside them, fighting shoulder to shoulder in battle.

It could be said that among everyone still alive in Konoha, no one was more familiar with Young Madara's abilities and fighting style than he was.

"How could they be so alike..."

Uchiha Gen watched the two enormous Great Fireballs collide in midair, and the dazed look in his eyes quickly faded.

Fortunately, he only resembled Madara in close combat, when using swordsmanship. In other aspects, such as ninjutsu, while he also carried some of Madara's flavor, there were still clear differences.

That was because after several years of training and Orochimaru's guidance, Uchiha Gen had already developed things of his own in many areas.

Moreover, their styles were distinctly different.

Madara's personality had been immensely forceful and fierce, carrying a touch of tyranny and sharpness without lacking attention to detail or battle wisdom. His personal style had been intensely pronounced, and in this regard, Uchiha Gen was somewhat different.

However...

"They really are alike..."

At that moment, Uchiha Gen suddenly felt rather fortunate.

Fortunate that Tobirama Senju, that wicked old white-haired bastard, had died eighteen years ago.

That man had indeed possessed a certain breadth of mind, but his methods had truly been despicable. His wariness toward the Uchiha Clan had been ingrained in his bones. Moreover, he and Hashirama had fought Madara and Izuna many times in their youth.

They said that when someone later resembled you by even a few degrees, it could throw you into a panic. Yet Uchiha Gen's resemblance to the young Madara went far beyond just thirty or fifty percent.

If Tobirama Senju had lived until now, he probably would not have been able to sleep that very night after seeing this, and by the next day, he would have resorted to both soft and hard measures against Uchiha Gen.

Thankfully, he was already dead. Of the remaining old fellows who had likewise witnessed Madara's youthful brilliance, few were still alive. And like him, all had retreated to the second line because of their age.