I Have Long Struggled with Myself

The moment the wall came down, it didn't just leave Senju Kyogawa's mind blank for a second. The two people forced to remain outside were also completely dumbfounded.

The passage was so wide. Who said only one person could go through???

Madara and Senju Chenghe only felt a force repel them the moment they stepped inside. It shoved them both back out, and then a wall of earth came crashing down.

Senju Chenghe was shocked. Senju Chenghe was confused. Senju Chenghe refused to give up.

With his Senju Super Strength, he punched the earthen wall, but it didn't budge. Instead, the force of the impact left Senju Chenghe in pain for quite a while.

Senju Chenghe tried using Earth Release to move the wall.

But...

It didn't do a damn thing.

Senju Chenghe still refused to give up. He shouted Senju Kyogawa's name at the top of his lungs.

Senju Chenghe's voice rang through the tunnel, echoing more than a dozen times before it finally stopped. It almost deafened Madara.

"Stop, stop, stop!" Madara finally couldn't take any more of Senju Chenghe's antics and interrupted him.

Senju Chenghe stopped, but continued mumbling:

"Kyogawa is still under five. If something happens to him because of me... How will I face the clan and his family..."

Senju Chenghe remembered how Senju Kyogawa had once snatched his life back from the Shinigami. He had promised to protect Senju Kyogawa during the mission.

"None of us could have foreseen this. It wasn't your fault, so don't blame yourself." Seeing how dejected Senju Chenghe looked, Madara offered a few words of comfort. "Besides, I think he's strong. At least as strong as I am. He may lack some combat experience, but I believe he'll survive."

"Please, trust him," Madara said with a smile.

Senju Chenghe sat on the ground in silence for a moment, then finally managed to convince himself.

"That's right. Kyogawa's Taijutsu is excellent, and he knows Medical Ninjutsu. He'll be fine..."

[And there's that mysterious swordsmanship...] Madara added silently.

He still couldn't forget how Senju Kyogawa had dropped from the sky that day and sliced the monster in half with a single stroke. He had fought that long-tongued monster himself and knew how tough its skin was. Shuriken and kunai couldn't even cut it.

Madara couldn't tell where the swordsmanship came from, but that very strike was what convinced him Senju Kyogawa wouldn't die so easily.

"Then let's split up and take the other two passages," Madara suggested once he saw Senju Chenghe had come to terms with things. "I'll take the right one, and you take the left."

"Be careful," Senju Chenghe said to Madara just before entering the passage.

He sincerely hoped that this younger boy would also make it out safely, even though they had only known each other for a few hours.

"Mm. You too." Madara's lips curved into a gentle smile. On his delicate features, that tender smile was like spring thawing the snow, warming anyone who saw it.

Meanwhile, on Senju Kyogawa's side.

After realizing he had been separated from his two companions, Senju Kyogawa quickly accepted the situation.

Alone, he was even more cautious.

Senju Kyogawa covered his whole body in a layer of "flames," took the Nichirin Sword from his system space, and slowly pressed forward.

Just as he was about to round a corner, Ugly Monster suddenly spoke.

"Master, be careful. I sense a very unpleasant presence." Ugly Monster was perched on Senju Kyogawa's right shoulder as it warned him. "It smells rotten, dead, and decayed..."

Senju Kyogawa was already ready to fight, prepared to face a powerful Evil Demon.

His right hand gripped the Nichirin Sword tightly. He took a deep breath, drawing energy from his lungs and sending it throughout his body.

At the thought that he might be about to face a powerful enemy, Senju Kyogawa suddenly felt his blood surge with excitement. He had already been through several battles; he was no longer the inexperienced boy who had been scared and nervous when he first encountered bandits.

He wanted to find out just how powerful a monster he could defeat with his Nichirin Sword and [Sun Breathing: First Form: Waltz].

Senju Kyogawa held his breath and finally stepped around the corner.

The sight left him utterly stunned.

"Huh? What's going on?" Senju Kyogawa cried out in shock, staring wide-eyed at what lay ahead.

He had expected to see an ugly but powerful Evil Demon, and had already prepared himself for the sight.

But he never expected to find a boy who looked exactly like him, from head to toe.

The "boy" across from him also had shoulder-length white hair, fair skin, and delicate, adorable features. His black eyes, as bright as dark crystals, stared seriously at Senju Kyogawa. He held a Nichirin Sword in his right hand, and on his shoulder lay a spacetime rift offshoot that looked exactly like Ugly Monster.

Even when Senju Kyogawa cried out in shock, the "Senju Kyogawa" across from him said the exact same thing at the same time and made the exact same expression.

"Master, he looks just like you. Even his expression and voice are identical..." Ugly Monster exclaimed, its eyeball falling right out. The long nerve connecting it to the eye snaked over to peer at the "Senju Kyogawa" opposite them, then turned back to study the real Senju Kyogawa.

"But he's fake! That disgusting smell is coming from him!" Ugly Monster added.

At that moment, the "Ugly Monster" on the "Senju Kyogawa" opposite them did the exact same thing and made the exact same sound.

Senju Kyogawa and "Senju Kyogawa" faced off, as if the one across from him wouldn't move unless Senju Kyogawa did.

Senju Kyogawa tried saying a few things and making a few gestures.

Sure enough, the "Senju Kyogawa" said the same things and made the same gestures at the same time.

When Senju Kyogawa cautiously stepped forward, however, the "Senju Kyogawa" across from him didn't move forward. Instead, he stepped back.

[So if he's just a "copycat," then as long as I don't attack him first, he won't attack me either?] Senju Kyogawa realized he'd found a loophole.

He decided to walk forward and test things a little more.

Senju Kyogawa continued forward, and the "Senju Kyogawa" continued backing away.

Seeing that this worked, Senju Kyogawa immediately strode forward, heading straight for what looked like the exit's "gate."

Senju Kyogawa thought he might be the first person in history to solve the problem of fighting himself—and he'd done it peacefully, too.

But just as Senju Kyogawa was about to touch the exit's "gate," something unexpected happened.

The "gate" bounced Senju Kyogawa back.

"Senju Kyogawa" raised the Nichirin Sword in his hand.

"Sun Breathing: First Form: Waltz!"