In a large-scale war, the worst thing was to find yourself surrounded by enemy forces.
One careless move, and you could easily be besieged by multiple enemies.
Like Kyosuke right now. Unless he had a technique on the level of "absolute defense," it would be hard to withstand an assault from all sides.
"Die!"
Facing what should have been a fatal blow, Kyosuke casually raised his hands and formed a few seals.
The next second, he vanished completely before everyone's eyes, leaving behind only a specially made Kunai that clattered to the ground.
"H-he disappeared?!" The man suddenly recalled the rumors he'd heard earlier.
People said that Uchiha's Evil Rakshasa had seemingly mastered a mysterious Space-Time Ninjutsu.
He'd made a point of remembering that at first, but when the crucial moment came, the man had actually forgotten all about it.
It wasn't that he was stupid. Space-Time Ninjutsu was simply too rare, and most people had no way to counter it.
"Damn it! Just let me catch you—" As he spoke, the man suddenly saw a blur before his eyes.
Kyosuke reappeared, holding a long blade crackling with electricity.
Chidori Blade!
With a wet squelch, the blade pierced straight through his chest. The paralyzing effect of the lightning left the enemy unable to resist.
System Prompt: Killed an Elite Jōnin of the Uzumaki Clan. Earned 1,630 points.
"Not even two thousand points. Guess he wasn't all that strong." Kyosuke shook his head, looking rather disdainful.
Starting with Elite Jōnin, the points awarded increased by greater and greater amounts. This unknown shinobi was clearly a novice who had only recently broken through.
The two of them together probably weren't worth as much as those long-established Elite Jōnin.
Feeling the substantial drain on his Chakra, Kyosuke nearly cursed. He felt like he'd taken a huge loss this time.
Using Flying Thunder God required him to reserve a considerable amount of Chakra in advance.
That was no problem for a Kage-level shinobi, but Kyosuke's Chakra reserves hadn't even reached the Elite Jōnin level.
One wrong move could easily put him in danger.
With no other choice, he formed Hand Seals again and headed to a post two kilometers away to recover.
This war wouldn't end so easily.
On the other side, Uchiha Madara was also fighting with all his might.
Unlike Kyosuke, his standard combat strength had already reached the Elite Jōnin level. He wasn't afraid to clash with any opponent.
Like the old-guard Elite Jōnin from the Uzumaki Clan standing before him now.
He was probably worth at least 3,500 points.
His strength was formidable, and he had Chakra to spare. With a casual lift of his hand, he could unleash a devastating Ninjutsu.
Faced with such a threat, Madara didn't retreat an inch. With the Gunbai in hand, he had every confidence he needed to face any enemy who relied on Ninjutsu.
A fearsome torrent surged toward him. Madara swung the Gunbai, absorbing the entire water dragon.
"Foolish choice." Young Madara wore a disdainful smirk. With a light swing, the water dragon rushed straight into the enemy formation.
Uchiha Reflection!
Dense Chakra gathered, and his sickle swept through the air, instantly cutting down several enemies who had pressed in.
"Good! Just like that—burn it all and keep dancing!" A touch of madness filled Madara's eyes.
He was reveling in the fight.
Madara drove the Gunbai into the ground, formed Hand Seals, and began gathering a mighty flame.
Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!
Though it was only a B-rank Fire Style, he unleashed it with terrifying force, nearly on the level of an S-rank technique.
Shinobi during the Warring States Period focused more on close-quarters combat. They used Fire Style mainly to disrupt enemy formations.
The kind of fighting that truly let Madara cut loose was a desperate waltz with blades inches from his body.
He didn't know what was happening on Kyosuke's end, but he understood better than anyone how strong their commander was.
The best way to keep his side from suffering a mass rout was to punch a hole through the enemy lines.
His Sharingan sharpened. The next second, Madara charged into the enemy formation, Gunbai and sickle dancing together as they unleashed a storm of blood.
"You Uchiha scum! You're not leaving here alive!" The Ninjutsu specialist Elite Jōnin closed in on him again.
Instead, he plunged headfirst into the cloud of smoke Young Madara had exhaled.
Fire Style: Dust Concealment Technique!
He spat a cloud of high-temperature dust toward the enemy. Once the dust settled, it spread in every direction.
It didn't just block vision; it also inflicted heat damage on enemies. After lingering for a while, it would spontaneously trigger an explosion.
Staggering clear of the blast radius, the Uzumaki Elite Jōnin realized things had gone badly and immediately called over several subordinates.
The five formed a defensive formation, waiting for the enemy to come to them.
Just as expected, the arrogant Uchiha youth charged in alone.
His brazen attitude made it clear he didn't consider the five of them a threat.
"Bastard!"
With a roar, all five charged at the enemy.
Three minutes later
Covered in blood, Uchiha Madara took off his battered armor and led his arriving subordinates onward, charging toward the enemy lines.
Behind him, all five men lay in pools of blood. The Uzumaki Elite Jōnin had been beheaded by his blade, his corpse a gruesome sight.
"Beautiful dance." Before leaving, Young Madara offered the enemy a compliment.
Unfortunately, they couldn't hear him, and even if they could, they wouldn't have been proud of it.
On the left, a flood of Chidori struck down all who dared face it. Its sound was like receiving an invitation from the Shinigami.
On the right, the Dance King surged forward with a furious assault. Everyone who stood in his way became a soul beneath his blade, and his killing power was terrifying.
The Uchiha duo joined forces and tore straight through the enemy formation, forcing the Uzumaki Clan to retreat again and again.
Seeing the tide turn against him, Uzumaki Ashina finally couldn't sit still.
He shoved aside the subordinates trying to stop him and personally led his men to the battlefield. No one along the way could withstand a single blow from him.
Only when Uchiha Hiroki appeared did the elder manage to halt the enemy commander's charge, and then only by fighting with all his strength.
Two Clan Leader Level powerhouses began their fierce battle. The clash shook the heavens and earth, and no one within three kilometers dared approach.
Except for those two madmen from the Uchiha Clan.
"If our Legion Commander can finish him off quickly, we can win this war." Using Flying Thunder God, Kyosuke silently drew near the battlefield.
"Only by defeating him can our clan win." Madara didn't hesitate. He broke away from the troops and headed alone for the center of the battlefield.
On the Uzumaki Clan's side, some had noticed Uchiha Madara's movements. They also guessed that Kyosuke, who possessed Flying Thunder God, might come to support him.
Unfortunately, because of their Clan Head's orders, no one was allowed to approach.
Uzumaki Ashina's plan was simple: use his own life as bait and draw in important figures from the enemy side.
Then he could trade hostages.
And bring his precious daughter home safe and sound.
As for the possibility of failure—
Uchiha Hiroki wasn't strong enough to defeat him. Even if Uchiha Tajima came in person, he might only have a thirty percent chance.
His Sealing Jutsu had made a major breakthrough, and his strength was no longer what it had once been.
There were few among the Shinobi World's strongest who could still earn his respect.
It wasn't a matter of arrogance. Uzumaki Ashina's confidence came from his strength.
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