Madara's Mangekyō

During the Warring States Period, the only people who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan were the brothers Madara Uchiha and Izuna Uchiha.

Although the condition for awakening the Mangekyō was "killing one's closest relative," or rather, "experiencing the pain of a closest relative's death,"

there should have been another condition: the Sharingan wielder's innate talent.

Otherwise, among the many Uchiha who had witnessed the deaths of their closest relatives during the Warring States Period, why had only Izuna and Madara awakened the Mangekyō?

In the original story, Tobirama Senju claimed that he had once seen the technique "Kagutsuchi."

It could now be confirmed that he had seen it used by Izuna.

As for Madara's Mangekyō ability, it remained a mystery.

As it happened, Madara would definitely use his Mangekyō ability in this fight. Now was the perfect chance to see it for himself.

At that moment, in the center of the training ground,

Madara and Uchiha Gakugyo faced each other.

The former wielded a scythe and a Flame Gunbai, while the latter used a katana.

"Begin!"

The Great Elder, Kōshi Uchiha, waved his hand and shouted.

In the next instant, both men's eyes narrowed in unison, revealing their Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

At the same time, they vanished from where they stood, turning into black blurs as they appeared high in the air, more than ten meters away.

Clang!!

The sharp sound of weapons colliding rang out, accompanied by a shower of sparks.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The two black blurs darted around the training ground at a speed even the Sharingan struggled to follow.

Every time they clashed, sparks flew and powerful shock waves rippled outward.

"Their Taijutsu is evenly matched."

Everyone reached the same conclusion at once.

"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Skill!"

Madara was the first to attack with a ninjutsu!

Forming hand seals with one hand, he performed the C-Rank Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Skill. In less than the blink of an eye, he fanned his right-hand Gunbai, more than doubling the technique's power!

"That little boost is nothing special."

Uchiha Gakugyo replied coolly. A layer of Wind Blades covered the katana in his hand.

With a flash of movement, he easily cut the Phoenix Sage Flowers to pieces.

He possessed both Fire and Wind Release.

Wind Release was the Shimura Clan's specialty. Uchiha Gakugyo had fought the Shimura Clan in his youth and used his Sharingan to copy this technique from them.

He had used it ever since—and now he wielded it even better than the Shimura Clan's own ninjas!

"That was just an appetizer. Don't get impatient."

Madara suddenly spoke from across the field, rapidly forming hand seals. "Fire Release: Great Fire Destruction!"

He immediately changed his hand seals. "Lightning Style: Gratitude Wave!"

The Fire Release merged with the Lightning Release, sending countless giant lightning serpents surging through a sea of flames. In an instant, the attack had become a large-scale ninjutsu with power exceeding A-Rank.

"That's the Lightning Release Izuna invented! Madara really has learned it!"

Uchiha Kai was startled, but quickly understood. He couldn't help glancing at Izuna.

This Vice Clan Leader would surely bring the clan even more surprises in the future.

"Fire Release: Great Fire Destruction!"

"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"

Uchiha Gakugyo wasn't to be underestimated either. He unleashed two elemental ninjutsu in one go as well.

His combination of Wind Release and Fire Release had excellent synergy, but his Wind Release technique was only C-Rank.

There was no helping it. In this era, each clan had only a limited number of ninjutsu.

Even a great clan like the Uchiha had few techniques above B-Rank outside of Fire Release.

By the time Hiruzen Sarutobi became the Third Hokage, the many techniques in the Scroll of Seals and the hundreds of ninjutsu he himself knew had only accumulated over time.

Boom!!

The two techniques, each far more powerful than A-Rank and close to S-Rank, collided. Uchiha Kai's expression changed slightly as he shouted, "Anyone below Chunin, fall back a hundred meters!"

Even with a barrier in place, an attack this powerful could easily cause an accident. Besides, the battle had only just begun.

Boom! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

After their powerful attacks clashed for about fifteen seconds, the battle began to turn.

Uchiha Gakugyo was starting to struggle.

Maintaining two elemental natures put a burden on his Chakra far greater than the sum of its parts.

Madara, on the other hand, maintained his Lightning and Fire Releases with ease. His attack was even growing stronger, showing signs of breaking through from A-Rank to S-Rank!

At that moment, Izuna and several others noticed a change in Madara's eyes!

His ordinary Three Tomoe had transformed into a special pattern, its curved shapes joined together in a circle.

The Mangekyō Sharingan!

He had awakened the Mangekyō's ability!

"Wind Release: Gale Wall!"

At a disadvantage in the clash, and with Madara's finishing move about to hit him, Uchiha Gakugyo gritted his teeth and used a new Wind Release technique.

A protective wall rose from the stone tiles at his feet, forming a barrier that bought him time to escape the barrage of Madara's attack!

But the sleeve on his right arm was still burned to ashes, exposing the scorched flesh beneath.

"So this Mangekyō ability is..."

Izuna activated his own Three-Tomoe Sharingan to observe the changes in the flow of Chakra within Madara's body.

That power came from the Mangekyō in Madara's left eye.

It merged Lightning Release and Fire Release seamlessly, reducing Chakra consumption while allowing them to unleash even greater power.

Izuna now remembered that in the future, Madara would also use a special kekkei genkai called "Storm Release," created by combining "Lightning Release" and "Water Release."

He was also the first—and only—person to transplant Hashirama Cells into himself and evolve his Sharingan into the Rinnegan through his own power.

That was different from Sasuke, who had gotten a cheat from the Sage of Six Paths.

This showed that Madara was highly skilled at combining things.

That was the ability of his left eye. It wasn't as straightforwardly useful in battle as Izuna's own Amaterasu, but it was well suited to developing and studying ninjutsu.

Meanwhile, Wind Blades rose once more around the katana in Uchiha Gakugyo's hand.

A second later, flames burst across the blade as well. Fire and wind fused together, transforming it into a fearsome Chakra weapon somewhat like a Susanoo sword.

By the time of Izuna's generation, battles had become more focused on ninjutsu.

But in Tajima Uchiha's generation, swordsmanship and ninjutsu had been practiced together.

So when it came to swordsmanship, Uchiha Gakugyo was now arguably the best in the entire clan.

"Here I come, Madara!"

As Uchiha Gakugyo spoke, he vanished in an instant.

Using the Body Flicker Technique, he appeared to Madara's right.

His blade came slashing in.

The Mangekyō in Madara's right eye contracted.

Rumble!!

The slash came down, utterly destroying at least a third of the Uchiha training ground.

The ninjas maintaining the barrier had to pour in all their Chakra just to stop the shock waves from spreading farther.

"What incredible power. Lord Gakugyo really is in the prime of his ninja career."

An Uchiha Jonin spoke with apprehension.

"Does that mean the winner has been decided?"

Another Chunin asked.

"No."

Tenzou Uchiha and the others had also activated their Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

Izuna murmured to himself, "So that's the ability of his right eye?"