"Now, Hashirama!" As the genjutsu took effect, Uchiha Madara shouted. He knew that Otsutsuki Hamura could not remain trapped in an illusion for long.
Even without Uchiha Madara's shout, Hashirama on the other side had already reacted swiftly. The two had possessed nearly perfect coordination ever since the Warring States Period.
"Sage Art: Yin-Yang Gate of the Great God!"
A tearing sound split the air as vermilion gates appeared in the sky, plunging downward at supersonic speed. Their target was none other than Otsutsuki Hamura.
In one-thousandth of an instant, the glazed pupils in Otsutsuki Hamura's eyes shifted slightly, and he directly dispelled the genjutsu. Had Madara not been standing before him, no one would have even noticed that he had ever fallen under an illusion.
In truth, if Madara had not already become a Six Paths Level powerhouse, with his genjutsu strengthened countless times over by Yin Release, he would not have been able to affect Hamura even for that instant.
The moment he broke free of the genjutsu, a fist had already reached Madara. The Gates of the Great God still needed half a second to descend from the sky—more than enough time to knock Uchiha Madara back and evade them.
Yet that strike missed.
It was not because Madara was faster, nor because his strength had increased. He had merely foreseen his opponent's attack and begun evading before Hamura even made his move.
Even so, he had barely avoided that punch. Space rippled visibly around the fist, while in the distance, a mountain peak exploded. Countless trees and vines along its path were destroyed, leaving behind a distinct trail carved by air pressure.
"Oh..." The glazed eyes glanced lightly at Madara. "Another ocular ability? Was that how your shadow avoided my attack just now?"
Madara did not