Chapter 52 - Three Battles

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"Second Granduncle!" As Uchiha Madara charged toward Akio, both Hashirama and Tobirama were shocked and immediately prepared to intervene—only to see Madara abruptly skid to a halt and raise his head.

Akio was already airborne and chuckled, "Madara, can't land a hit—frustrated, aren't you?"

Madara's rage flared, his Sharingan spinning rapidly, clearly about to activate Susanoo.

"Stop, Madara!" Hashirama quickly reacted and blocked his path.

Madara glanced at Hashirama and said coldly, "Didn't you want a truce? Fine. Either you kill your brother, or let me kill this old man."

In midair, Akio staggered slightly, nearly falling out of the sky.

"What kind of joke is this?!" Tobirama snapped, fury written across his face. "Big Brother, stop hoping he'll change. Let's just kill him together!"

But Akio looked contemplative. "Madara with the Nine-Tails… if he fought Hashirama now, it'd really be hard to tell who'd win. If I…"

He raised his voice, "Madara, do you really think you can just kill me? You didn't come out ahead in either of our last two clashes!"

At the mention of their past battles, Madara's rage exploded. "The current me has the power and hatred passed down from Izuna! You old relic… hmph!"

"Then come. Let's go one more round… After this fight, we'll settle everything!" Akio said with a smile.

"Second Granduncle…" Hashirama began, clearly wanting to stop him, but Akio waved him off.

"Hashirama, I'm not like before. I can fly—don't worry. I won't use that technique." Akio reassured him.

Hashirama hesitated but didn't press further. He planned to intervene if things went wrong.

Madara turned and waved to his clansmen. "Fall back!" Despite everything, he still cared about those who followed him.

Hashirama looked back at his own people. "Tobirama, take them away."

Now, only the three of them remained.

Madara looked to Hashirama. "Trying to save that old man from me?"

"Then try." Without waiting for a reply, Madara activated his Susanoo.

The fully manifested Tengu-form Susanoo loomed before Akio. Madara drew the longsword at his waist and slashed downward.

"Phew… so this is the full-body Susanoo. Finally seeing it up close." Akio sidestepped the attack, watching as the mountain behind him split in half.

"Still, being underestimated by Madara over and over is getting really annoying…"

"Earth Style: Opening Earth Rising Rock!" Akio formed hand seals. The ground beneath Madara's right foot suddenly surged upward, throwing the Susanoo off balance. Madara retracted his blade to brace himself.

"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!" A white crystalline column erupted from Akio's hand, aiming not at Madara, but his blade. The impact caused Susanoo to stumble back and fall.

"You old man!" Susanoo actually bounced up from the ground. Akio's eyelid twitched. That's how deep the hatred runs? Good thing I'm airborne, or I'd be feeling earthquakes.

"Madara, every time we fight, you start off looking like a mess. Do you always have to get beaten around before going all out?" Akio teased.

Surprisingly, Madara dispelled his Susanoo and nodded. "You're right, old man. I always underestimate you. Your bizarre jutsu always catch me off guard. Besides Hashirama, you really are my second true rival."

"This time, I won't hold back—Summoning Jutsu!"

"The Nine-Tails, huh… First time seeing it in person…" Akio murmured as the ferocious fox appeared. "Sage Mode: Activate!"

Madara's full-body Susanoo gradually enveloped the Nine-Tails, fusing together.

"So this is the legendary beast-cloaked Susanoo…" Akio said in awe, watching as the Tailed Beast Bomb formed in the Nine-Tails' mouth. He rapidly formed seals. "Sage Art: Dust Release: Limited Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"

The Dust Release collided with the Susanoo-shrouded Tailed Beast Bomb. Akio shot up into the sky, but was still sent flying by the shockwave.

When the dust settled, the plain below had become a massive crater.

"Crap, the Senju territory is nearby!" Akio looked south and was relieved to see towering trees. "Right, and Hashirama!" He exhaled in relief.

"Old man, that last move wasn't bad. How many more times can you use it?" Madara called out.

Akio smirked. "Chakra? I've got plenty! Seventh Gate—Gate of Shock: Open!"

Light-blue steam burst from his body, his chakra multiplying dozens of times.

"Taijutsu? You old man… you're not planning to fight me with that, are you?"

"The Eight Gates in my hands are just a chakra-boosting technique. I only planned to open five—it hurts like hell past that. But now, I've got a crazy idea." Akio said, drawing four special shuriken and hurling them around Madara.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Four clones appeared and instantly used the Shuriken Substitution Technique, surrounding Madara.

"Barrier: Four Red Yang Formation!" A crimson barrier enclosed Madara and Akio's original body.

Akio nodded to himself. "As expected… with my already massive chakra reserves, opening the seventh gate lets me do something like this…"

"Trying to trap me in this?" Madara slashed with his sword, only to be repelled. The Nine-Tails gathered another Tailed Beast Bomb.

"Then how about this? Sage Art: Dust Release: Limited Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!" Akio unleashed another blast inside the barrier.

"Shuriken Substitution Technique!" Akio escaped and landed on one knee outside the barrier, watching as the area within trembled, shrouded in smoke and dust.

"Direct hit… Don't tell me that blast actually killed him?" Akio winced.

As the dust cleared, his four clones dispersed—chakra exhausted.

"Still lost… As expected of Uchiha Madara. Even if I opened the Eighth Gate, I probably couldn't take him down with me. He still has Izanagi, after all…" Akio forced a smile. "Used the Nine-Tails to shield himself, huh? Poor fox…"

"Old man, you almost killed me! But now, it's your turn to die!" Madara laughed, charging forward.

"Enough! Madara!" Hashirama arrived just in time, and Akio let out a long breath.

"Do we really have to fight to the death?"

"Hashirama, like I said—either let me kill this old man, or kill me yourself while I'm still like this!" Madara declared.

"Madara… can we really never go back to those days, skipping stones together?"

Madara paused. "I'm not that person anymore."

"If I kill you, the young Uchiha will rise in rebellion…"

"There are no such spirited youths left in the Uchiha."

"There will be… Killing you won't erase hatred. I'll carry Izuna's grudge in Tobirama's place!"

…

Akio watched the real-life version of Hashirama's "suicide-for-peace" drama unfold and couldn't help but feel… was there something a little too emotional between those two?

"Still, Konoha is finally back on track. At least this time, we didn't fight in vain…"

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