Ambush

Hyuga Hoshishaku felt a little bitter as he rode away on the Flying Bird.

He knew how things would unfold, yet he was powerless to intervene and change them.

If he were strong enough, couldn't he just drag Black Zetsu out, then expose the deception on the stone tablet in the Uchiha Clan Compound right in front of Uchiha Madara? Wouldn't that resolve the turmoil of the coming decades?

But he didn't dare.

Even Six Paths Madara from the original story hadn't escaped Black Zetsu's sneak attack. What could he possibly do to expose Black Zetsu's scheme?

So all he could do was watch as the seed of disaster was planted.

The only consolation was that he knew what would happen next.

Thinking this, he guided the Flying Bird back the way they had come.

The night was especially dark.

Without the two "giants" providing light, the earth was pitch-black, and nothing could be seen.

To guard against accidents, and also to examine the scars the two powerful fighters had left on the land, Xingzhuo decided to take a closer look.

So he activated his Byakugan and flew back along their original route.

In the world of the Byakugan, chakra cast a faint glow over the scars on the earth.

Xingzhuo couldn't even imagine that the battlefield would still hold so much chakra after a fight between two ninjas whose chakra reserves each exceeded a million.

On the Flying Bird's back, Hyuga Hoshishaku looked at the disastrous scars scattered across the land. His shock gradually gave way to numbness.

All he wanted now was to get back as soon as possible.

He couldn't stand the atmosphere of a disaster-stricken landscape any longer.

As his gaze swept over the lake where the earlier battle had begun, he spotted a humanoid creature with an extremely intense chakra signature.

"What's that?"

Curiosity rose in him before he could stop it.

Who would show up at the site of a battle between two powerful fighters?

Was it a ninja from the village who had come to investigate?

As he wondered, chakra instinctively flowed into his Byakugan, enhancing its observation abilities.

With the boost, the Byakugan's range extended even farther.

Xingzhuo focused his gaze. The moment he recognized the person, he felt as if someone had ripped the top of his skull off. His scalp prickled, and a shudder ran through his whole body!

The familiar figure in red armor was none other than Uchiha Madara!

Xingzhuo instinctively guided the Flying Bird higher into the air.

I hope he hasn't noticed us.

But things rarely went as hoped.

A deep-blue light flashed.

Looking through his Byakugan, Xingzhuo saw Uchiha Madara form a pair of wings with Susanoo and rapidly approach them.

Suppressing his panic, he used System Inspection.

[Name: Uchiha Madara (Shadow Clone Technique)]

[Life Force: 1]

[Spiritual Strength: 1]

[Chakra: 95000]

[Jutsu: Fire Style Series, Sealing Technique Series, Genjutsu Series, Taijutsu...]

[Special Ability: Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan (False)]

Although this Uchiha Madara was a Shadow Clone Technique, he still had nearly a hundred thousand chakra and most of his original's abilities.

Xingzhuo quickly considered how to deal with him.

Madara had obviously left a Shadow Clone Technique behind for some reason.

And since Xingzhuo had spotted him with the Byakugan, he might have disrupted Madara's plans. So Madara definitely wouldn't let him go.

As for Yuto, Uchiha Madara certainly wouldn't harm him. He was his good friend's son, after all.

After a brief moment of thought, Xingzhuo made a Shadow Clone Technique and created another Flying Bird. He placed Yuto on its back and had the clone take him home.

Then he stayed behind, riding the black Flying Bird as it hovered in the air, and began preparing a secret jutsu.

Uchiha Madara's Shadow Clone Technique saw clearly as he approached Hyuga Hoshishaku: the two figures in the air weren't his target.

He also recognized the one who had just flown away. It was Hashirama's youngest son, Senju Yuto.

Looks like his old problem had struck again. He'd passed out as soon as night fell.

Madara wondered how someone as robust as Hashirama could have such a sickly child.

Leaving just like that wasn't in his nature.

So he flew closer and looked down at the little kid from the Hyuga Clan.

"You sent your companion away and stayed behind to face me alone. You've got courage."

He said it plainly.

Hyuga Hoshishaku gave a strained smile and replied:

"Lord Uchiha Madara, thank you for the compliment. He's my best friend. I had no choice but to do this."

"But I'm only seven. Surely the strongest person in the Ninja World wouldn't pick on a child?"

Uchiha Madara gave a slight nod, apparently pleased by the title of strongest person in the Ninja World. Then he said with some disdain and contempt:

"Hmph. The only mission of this clone is to kill that evil little brat, Senju Tobirama. I don't waste my time on just any stray cat or dog. Get lost."

Madara's words made Xingzhuo, who had been about to flee, freeze in place.

"You're saying you want to kill Senju Tobirama?"

He suddenly asked in a calm voice.

Uchiha Madara narrowed his eyes and stared into Hyuga Hoshishaku's. "That's right, kid from the Hyuga Clan. What, are you going to go warn him?"

Xingzhuo shook his head.

"Of course not. I just want to know: if you didn't kill him before, why are you planning to kill him today?"

"After all, you were fighting Lord Senju Hashirama today. Why would you take the time to lie in wait here for Senju Tobirama?"

"Hahahaha! That eyesore actually dared to show up here. Right here, Izuna was right here..."

Uchiha Madara suddenly started muttering to himself, his emotions wildly unstable. One moment he laughed maniacally; the next, he seemed lost in a trance.

Xingzhuo suddenly spoke up. "I know Teacher Tobirama killed your younger brother, but wasn't Teacher Tobirama's younger brother—one of Lord Hashirama's brothers—tormented to death by members of the Uchiha Clan taking turns using genjutsu on him?"

His words pierced Uchiha Madara's heart like a sharp blade.

For a moment, the faces of his younger brother and his friend Hashirama appeared in his mind.

Just as he was about to argue, an enormous tiger suddenly appeared, clamped its jaws around him, and began dragging him toward the Sealing Scroll on the Flying Bird's back.

Uchiha Madara's powerful battle instincts kicked in at once.

But this Shadow Clone Technique lacked too much of his original's power, especially when it came to resisting Sealing Technique.

All he could do was curse and form the hand seals for a Fire Style Ninjutsu.

"Kid, you dare show off a trick like that in front of me?"

"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"

Xingzhuo maintained the Sealing Technique: Tiger Staring Down with one hand.

With the other, he took out a sheet of sealing paper from his stash.

Sealing Technique: Fire Sealing Method!

Both Sealing Techniques activated at once, rapidly draining Xingzhuo's chakra.

The moment Uchiha Madara's Shadow Clone Technique was dragged into the Sealing Scroll, it dispersed into a cloud of smoke.

The brief burst of flame was absorbed by the Fire Sealing Method as well.

In this brief clash with the Asura of the Ninja World—or, more accurately, this sneak attack—Hyuga Hoshishaku had won!

He had the advantage of having prepared the Sealing Technique in advance.

He had the advantage of his opponent underestimating him.

He had the advantage of his opponent being distracted.

And he had the advantage of his opponent being a Shadow Clone Technique.

With all those factors in his favor, Hyuga Hoshishaku, who had the strength of an elite jonin, had won by the skin of his teeth!