I, Madara, Acknowledge You as the Strongest

A sharp glint suddenly flashed in Ying Yue's eyes. He spoke slowly, his voice calm yet resolute. "Why are you so sure you'll win?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Ying Yue unleashed chakra even greater than Uchiha Madara's. An overwhelming surge of air shook the entire battlefield, forcing Naruto and Sasuke to stagger back. Even the air seemed to freeze for an instant.

Madara's eyes widened in shock as he stared at Ying Yue in disbelief. "How is this possible... How could your strength have increased so much in such a short time? Have you been hiding your power all along?"

A faint smile appeared on Ying Yue's face, and the aura around him grew increasingly wild. He lowered his gaze to Madara and spoke with a hint of mockery. "You really underestimated me, Madara."

A wave of unease washed over Madara. Though he had absorbed the God Tree's power, Ying Yue's transformation made him feel as if he were at a disadvantage.

Madara had no intention of giving up, however. He forcefully suppressed his anger and said coldly, "Do you think these little boosts will let you stand against me? Come, Ying Yue. Show me just how far you can go!"

Madara's words were like a battle cry. He immediately unleashed Limbo: Border Jail once more, and four powerful clones appeared, bringing all their strength to bear against Ying Yue.

But Ying Yue's eyes remained calm. He knew the real battle had only just begun.

"What difference do your clones make, Madara?" Ying Yue's gaze was sharp. The Six Paths Staff in his hand shone brilliantly, as though the stars in the heavens had all descended.

Beneath the boundless sky, the battle between Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Ying Yue had reached its fiercest stage.

It seemed as if their battle had shaken heaven and earth. The air around them twisted violently, and the surrounding mountains and terrain crumbled in the wake of their clashes.

Every collision and technique unleashed was like a cosmic upheaval. Enormous waves of energy shattered the surrounding mountains, and the entire world seemed to tremble at this Six Paths-level battle.

Uchiha Madara's Limbo: Border Jail clones clashed with Ying Yue's World Stand. Every punch and every move carried enough force to tear through the air, and they moved so fast that even Kage Level fighters could barely follow them.

Their battle was an exchange of blows too swift for the naked eye to catch. The air around them seemed to burn, while thunderous rumbles and crashes filled the sky.

A formidable light shone in Uchiha Madara's eyes. Though he was already in Six Paths Mode, his Sage Arts, Yin-Yang Release, and every technique available to him in this state surged toward Ying Yue like a flood.

The lightning from Sage Art: Storm Release Light Fang tore through the earth like a thunderbolt, while Sage Art: Yin Release Lightning Dispatch sent tree-like bolts of purple lightning streaking toward Ying Yue, each one capable of destroying a mountain in an instant.

Every wave of attacks carried Madara's immense chakra, with enough power to destroy almost anything.

Yet Ying Yue was still able to dodge with his own strength and speed, slipping into safety whenever a dangerous attack came his way.

The immense power of World Stand, along with Ying Yue's incomprehensible ability to stop time, rendered each of Madara's attacks ineffective.

Ying Yue also used his Strength of a Hundred techniques to keep Madara on the defensive and launch swift counterattacks.

Every punch and move of his carried immense force. Madara was struck, but his Six Paths body's powerful regenerative ability healed his wounds almost instantly.

Still, Ying Yue felt that he wasn't giving it his all.

He knew that although he had a certain advantage, the outcome was still undecided. Madara's strength remained terrifying.

Madara's aura made Ying Yue realize that unless he increased the pressure soon, the battle would never swing in his favor.

"I can feel that you're stronger than before, but you still haven't surpassed your true limits." Uchiha Madara spoke with utter confidence. His Rinnegan shone like stars, and he seemed unfazed by Ying Yue's counterattacks. With a cold laugh, he continued his assault. The earth shook, and people and objects all around were caught in the energy's wake, plunging the area into chaos.

"You're disappointing me more and more, Ying Yue." Madara's words dripped with contempt. "No matter how strong you become, you'll never surpass my perfect plan."

But Ying Yue paid no heed to his words. He simply said, "If this is all you can do, then this is where it ends for you."

Madara's smile froze. He seemed to sense an unusual aura emanating from Ying Yue—a formless pressure, a threat so powerful it was suffocating.

A colder light suddenly flashed in Ying Yue's eyes. His Rinnegan spun, and space itself began to twist violently. A crushing pressure followed, as if all of time and space had been bound.

Ying Yue's lips curled into a cold smile. "I don't need even a second to defeat you."

As Ying Yue's words fell, his time-stopping ocular jutsu activated, and the entire world seemed to freeze in an instant.

Everything around them—even the movement of the air and the flow of time—was mercilessly locked in place.

In those few seconds, Uchiha Ying Yue became like a god. He activated the Space Control of his Mangekyō Sharingan and Amenominaka of his Rinnegan. In that instant, with time no longer passing, he focused all his ocular power, tore through space, and launched a fatal attack against Uchiha Madara.

Space Slash swept from Ying Yue's hand. The sharp strike pierced Madara's defenses in an instant, cutting his body into several pieces.

Then Ying Yue's punch landed. Using his Strength of a Hundred technique, he sent Uchiha Madara flying hundreds of meters, straight into a massive mountain range. The mountain collapsed on impact, leaving behind a huge crater as dust billowed into the air.

Uchiha Madara's body and limbs were instantly torn apart, and blood gushed out. Yet, astonishingly, his Six Paths body did not let him die.

As time passed, Madara's body began to regenerate rapidly. His gaping wounds healed, and his shattered bones knitted back together at incredible speed.

Despite his astonishing recovery, Uchiha Madara could feel himself becoming utterly exhausted. Anyone could see that Ying Yue's attack had severely injured him and left him briefly weakened.

Uchiha Madara took a deep breath and got to his feet, complex emotions flickering in his eyes. He looked at Ying Yue, a wry smile on his lips. "Among the shinobi of the Ninja World, I, Uchiha Madara, acknowledge you as the strongest!"

Uchiha Ying Yue looked at Uchiha Madara, now recovered, and said calmly, "As expected of a legend from the Warring States Period. Your regenerative ability is truly astonishing."

Madara, however, showed no sign of letting his guard down.

His eyes suddenly widened, and even more powerful chakra burst from his body. Deep cracks spread around him, and the earth trembled beneath his feet.

"Now it's time to show you true divine power." An evil gleam appeared in Uchiha Madara's eyes. "God Tree: Deep Forest Emergence!"

With Madara's low growl, the God Tree's power erupted once more. The earth shook violently, as if the world itself were trembling.

At the same time, Madara drew power from the God Tree and activated the ultimate ocular jutsu, Infinite Tsukuyomi.

Madara's pupils suddenly dilated, and an immense surge of ocular power locked down the space in every direction, enveloping the entire battlefield.

A confident smile appeared on Uchiha Madara's face. "Ying Yue, from here on, this is my stage!"