Within the mental world, a storm gathered.
Opposite Uesugi Sasuke, Madara Uchiha's phantom slowly raised his hand. Vast blue chakra coalesced into a demonic god as enormous as Sasuke's Susanoo.
Without another word, battle erupted.
The two towering giants, one purple and one blue, clashed with primal force in this Valley of the End formed from will.
Boom!
Susanoo's greatsword crashed against Madara's chakra blade. The resulting energy storm sent the pitch-black river beneath their feet surging backward into towering waves.
Sasuke's mind was utterly grave.
Although the Madara Uchiha before him was merely a phantom formed from obsession, his combat skills and control over Susanoo far surpassed Sasuke's.
Each of Madara's attacks was simple and lethal. He seemed to have become one with Susanoo, wielding this demonic god of destruction with consummate mastery.
"Only the weak seek bonds, because they need to depend on others to survive."
Madara's voice echoed in Sasuke's mind, carrying the judgment of someone looking down from above.
"The strong need only absolute power. Only by severing those meaningless emotions can you free yourself from every restraint and use those eyes to create a truly peaceful world."
"An eternal world of genjutsu without war, sacrifice, or pain!"
As his words fell, Madara's blue Susanoo suddenly formed hand seals with both hands.
Sasuke's pupils contracted sharply.
He saw two enormous, flaming meteorites appear in the sky, trailing long tails of fire as they hurtled toward him.
Tengai Shinsei!
This was the world-destroying ninjutsu Madara Uchiha had once used against the allied forces of the Five Kage!
Sasuke gritted his teeth and poured all his ocular power into Susanoo, crossing its twin swords to meet the despair descending from the sky.
The violent impact shattered the ground beneath his feet, and fine cracks spread across even Susanoo's