As memories came flooding back, the chakra within him slowly began to stir. He remembered that before his life came to an end, there was still one battle he had to fight.
A battle to the death he had waited decades for. Ever since the Valley of the End, he had never fought again for the sake of this battle.
Fifty years of meditation, fifty years of lurking in the shadows, fifty years of concealing his strength—all of it would erupt today as the most violent power.
He believed that his opponent had not forgotten this battle either.
Silently, a figure clad in a black robe appeared before him. Madara opened his eyes and chuckled. "You've always been punctual. I was worried you might miscalculate my lifespan and miss it."
"How could I miss something like seeing you off? Though you probably wouldn't like having someone beside you when you die." Shin spoke calmly. There was a trace of wistfulness in his voice, but no sorrow.
Uchiha Madara did not reply. After a moment of silence, Shin suddenly sighed. "Actually, I didn't want to come."
"I know." Madara replied evenly. "I don't want to say anything else, either. I don't have much time left. Soon, we'll be fighting for our lives. I won't hold back, and I hope you'll give it everything you have as well. If you show mercy, you might just die by my hand."
"Heh." Shin gave a soft laugh, but it vanished an instant later. Looking at him with a complicated expression, he said, "Must we fight? There's no reason for us to battle to the death."
"Your will to fight doesn't seem very strong. That isn't a good sign." Uchiha Madara frowned. In the next instant, his gaze sharpened, and he abruptly rose to