A Sage's Pursuit of Power

Black Zetsu regretted not leaving when it had the chance. Facing this peculiar Flying Thunder God user again, it felt more pressure than the last encounter.

What made matters worse was the presence of Kakashi. Black Zetsu was fully aware that Kakashi's left eye was part of the same pair of Mangekyō Sharingan it wielded.

Kakashi's Kamui, if properly utilized, could counter Black Zetsu entirely.

Although Kakashi hadn't used Kamui so far, seemingly unfamiliar with it, Black Zetsu couldn't afford to lower its guard.

Currently, with Kamui in its right eye and the Rinnegan in its left, Black Zetsu's combat strength should theoretically rival Kakashi and Minato. But the attack on Konoha had damaged its essence, and Obito's body had suffered significant injuries as well. Though patched up with White Zetsu cells, the severe damage created an imbalance between the body and the White Zetsu material.

Many overlooked the dangers of White Zetsu cells. Though less aggressive than Hashirama's cells, they were still invasive. If the balance in the body was disrupted, they could consume the host.

As a result, Obito's body wasn't stable, forcing Black Zetsu to divert its energy to maintain equilibrium. This diminished its ability to fully utilize the Rinnegan or Kamui.

Adding to its woes, Obito's consciousness was stirring. Black Zetsu couldn't comprehend how this stubborn human still clung to life, deeply entrenched in the recesses of the body, waiting for an opportunity to disrupt its control.

Looking back, Black Zetsu cursed its earlier confidence when mocking Aoba Kamikawa. It had believed itself on the verge of victory. Reviving Madara, granting him the Rinnegan so dominating everything seemed inevitable.

But it hadn't anticipated Aoba's reckless determination. Braving Madara's jutsu, Aoba had forced Black Zetsu to abandon its plan at the last moment.

Now, after all the reversals, Black Zetsu realized that it had been the one to fall behind.

Meanwhile, Madara and Aoba were engaged in battle. Hiruzen Sarutobi had withdrawn, leaving Aoba to face Madara alone.

Aoba had chosen a one-on-one fight with Madara to extract the secret of Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan fusion. His eyes were fusing unusually slowly, indicating he might be missing key conditions. Madara was the only one who could hold such knowledge.

But Aoba wasn't reckless. If he found himself unable to defeat Madara, he would immediately call for Hiruzen and Shin to gang up on him.

Both men refrained from using ninjutsu. At their level, conventional techniques were largely ineffective, serving only to waste chakra.

Aoba opted for swordsmanship, while Madara employed the Uchiha-style taijutsu. Yet as the fight progressed, Aoba noticed that Madara wasn't limited to Uchiha taijutsu.

Madara's movements reflected techniques from every taijutsu style in Konoha. Aoba even recognized strikes reminiscent of the Hyūga Clan's Gentle Fist.

Madara's understanding of taijutsu had reached a level of mastery, allowing him to seamlessly integrate any fighting style into his own. In contrast, Aoba's approach was much more focused, he relied on a single method perfected to its limits.

This style was similar to Might Guy's: instead of diversifying, Aoba honed a single technique to extreme proficiency. In the original story, Guy's high-speed taijutsu allowed him to physically overpower Six Paths Madara, earning him the title of the strongest in taijutsu.

Though Aoba hadn't yet reached Guy's level, he was facing a far weaker Madara than the Six Paths version.

Aoba's swordsmanship emphasized speed and directness, augmented by Wind Release chakra to extend his attack range.

Their duel escalated in intensity, surpassing the destructive force of most ninja battles. Every punch and slash had devastating effects on their surroundings.

Fortunately, the prison had been completely enveloped by Yumi's Wood Release. Otherwise, their clash would have flattened the area entirely.

A glint of steel flashed as Aoba's Kusanagi Sword pierced Madara's arm. But the strike allowed Madara to close the distance and deliver a powerful punch to Aoba's chest.

Aoba twisted his body to evade, spinning his sword to leave a bloody hole in Madara's arm.

Yet Madara seemed unfazed by the injury. His body surged forward, grabbing Aoba's sword-wielding right hand.

At the same time, Aoba felt a strange chakra invading his arm through his wrist. His right hand became sluggish and heavy.

"Gentle Fist!"

Aoba's heart sank. He hadn't expected Madara to use Gentle Fist techniques, let alone attempt to block his tenketsu.

Realizing the danger, Aoba noted that while he had injured Madara's left arm, the latter's remarkable regenerative abilities would heal the wound within seconds.

If his own right hand's tenketsu were sealed, it wouldn't recover nearly as quickly.

This exchange of injuries appeared to favor Aoba on the surface, but tactically, Madara had the upper hand.

If Aoba's right hand remained blocked, his swordsmanship would be halved in effectiveness, leaving him at a disadvantage in the ongoing battle.

Sensing the danger, Aoba retreated while his left hand began to crackle with lightning. While Madara pursued his own strategy, Aoba had been concealing his intentions all along.

Madara quickly recognized Aoba's movements.

In a flash of electricity, the two separated.

Feeling the sluggishness in his right hand, Aoba switched the Kusanagi Sword to his left hand. Madara's left shoulder, meanwhile, was blasted, leaving a significant chunk of flesh torn away.

During their close-range exchange, Aoba had unleashed his Flash technique with his left hand.

This move had been prepared in advance. Knowing Madara would expect it, Aoba had waited for the perfect moment during their close-quarters fight to strike unexpectedly.

Yet, Madara Uchiha lived up to his reputation as the near-perfect shinobi. Even in such a close-range ambush, where Aoba was confident no one could evade his Flash, Madara had anticipated the move just enough to avoid a fatal hit.

The entire exchange lacked dramatic visual or auditory effects, but only those involved could appreciate just how perilous that moment had been.

As the two combatants, their fighting spirits ignited, prepared for the next clash, an unexpected event occurred.

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Currently on Chapter 266 - Kisame's Observations