Madara flexed the newly attached White Zetsu arm, his eyes glinting with a hint of murderous intent.
The upper part of the right arm was covered in wrinkled, aged skin, while the lower part was plump and greyish-white, giving off a strange appearance.
Though his body was stained with blood, Madara still wore an expression of haughty pride.
"Uchiha Fuma, in this dull shinobi world, having a young one like you to entertain me is rather pleasing."
Forcing down the blood clot in his throat, Madara, still exuding the demeanor of a seasoned elder in the shinobi world, looked at Fuma with an approving nod.
Fuma, now in his awakened form, bared his sharp teeth, responding to Madara with a menacing grin, matching the old man's aura.
"Likewise, it's been a long time since I've met an old man who can take such a beating."
Both Fuma and Madara stood tall before each other, neither willing to back down in words.
This was the nature of a battle between two Uchiha; win or lose, maintaining face came first.
But no matter how composed they appeared on the surface, after the recent exchange, the killing intent between this elder and the young one had deepened.
"This kid cannot be left alive!"
"Today, I'll smash Madara's skull!"
Madara let out a light grunt, and an invisible repulsive force gathered around him, twisting the space into waves of white energy that remained coiled, forming a shield around him.
Fuma narrowed his eyes, silently marveling:
"As expected from a legendary figure. Such meticulous chakra control... In his hands, the Rinnegan is practically invincible."
"If I were to face him at his peak, I wouldn't even stand a chance to retaliate with my current strength."
"No matter what, I cannot allow Madara to get his hands on the Box of Ultimate Bliss!"
Madara's mastery over the Rinnegan was unparalleled. Whether it was Shinra Tensei or Bansho Ten'in, even with limited chakra, he could still unleash devastating effects.
Unlike Nagato of later generations, who was crude and wasteful with the Rinnegan's abilities, squandering its potential.
For the sake of honoring Yahiko's memory, Nagato refused to heal his own crippled legs and even split the Rinnegan's abilities across six paths, only to be defeated one by one, a tragic case of severe idealism in his thirties.
Fuma's eyes grew determined, solidifying his resolve.
Even if he couldn't evolve himself, he would never let Madara reap the benefits!
"If Madara regains his youth with the Box of Ultimate Bliss, he might just greet me with a Chibaku Tensei next time."
After this brief skirmish, Fuma's understanding of Madara had grown. This was someone who stood a league above all other shinobi. If he were to regain the vitality of his fifteen-year-old self, he could easily sweep across the five great nations.
Fuma's speculation wasn't far off, as Black Zetsu had similar thoughts at that moment.
Hidden within the rocky walls of the Hozuki Castle, a mass of pitch-black substance eagerly watched Madara and the Box of Ultimate Bliss, feeling a sense of good fortune for his long-awaited opportunity.
After millennia, he had finally encountered an Indra's reincarnation who was enlightened!
"Who would've thought that Uchiha's muscle freak would spark Indra's interest in the Six Paths' tools? This is simply marvelous."
"Go on, regain your youth, Indra. Only then can you atone for your sins to your father!"
[AN: Black Zetsu means Madara when he says Indra]
Black Zetsu mentally screamed in excitement, itching to reveal himself and tear out Fuma's heart, clearing any obstacles for Madara.
The repulsive force around Madara grew stronger, forming a tangible spherical shield. The energy within it was so intense that the surrounding space trembled faintly.
Madara flexed his neck, and his Senju healing abilities became evident as the wounds on his body began to close at a visible rate.
In the earlier close-quarters combat, Fuma's heavy punches had shattered Madara's Susano'o and nearly crushed his neck.
"This guy's strength is unnatural... To shatter my Susano'o and wound me—what kind of jutsu is this?"
"Even the Preta Path didn't work on him. Does that mean he has no chakra? How is that possible?"
Madara used Shinra Tensei as his shield, buying time to heal while also analyzing Fuma. He had never seen such a "pure" taijutsu specialist.
At the same time, Fuma was recovering from his own injuries. Having taken two direct hits from Shinra Tensei, his situation wasn't looking too favorable.
Whether it was Bansho Ten'in or Shinra Tensei, the essence of these Rinnegan techniques was yin-yang release, capable of breaking through defenses with ease.
Even though Fuma had entered his awakened state with formidable defense, the muscles in his chest and upper arms had been severely torn. His dark golden skin now showed patches of unhealthy crimson.
"As expected, challenging the old patriarch is still a bit premature, huh?"
Fuma glanced at the prize in his hand, smirking meaningfully. The rich scent of blood clung to Madara's severed limb, greedily sucking in the residual chakra.
"Whether it's the power of the universe or Indra, they both taste exquisite."
In desperate need of chakra, Fuma set his sights on Madara's severed limb. Now wasn't the time to worry about keeping trophies. Surviving this war was the most important thing.
Licking his lips, Fuma let out a fake burp, his eyes full of malice as he looked at Madara.
Madara, now frowning darkly, was about to speak when something inside Fuma suddenly interrupted him!
A piercing pain surged through his body as a cold, dark chakra rampaged within him. Even with Fuma's physique, it felt as though he had been plunged into an icy abyss.
Black blood poured from Fuma's eyes, but the wounds on his body healed at an astonishing rate, as new flesh rapidly regenerated.
"Arghhhh!"
Fuma roared like a wild beast, his aura growing more violent.
Madara stared in disbelief. No one knew Uchiha better than he did—this was the sign of awakening.
What puzzled Madara even more was the familiar ocular power surging from Fuma. It was as if he were looking into a mirror...
This was undeniably his own power!
Fuma raised his head, and in his blood-red eyes, three tomoe slowly rotated, radiating immense ocular strength.
"Sharingan, Three Tomoe!"
At that moment, Fuma had finally reclaimed his long-lost Sharingan, once again becoming a true Uchiha.
Black Zetsu, still lurking underground, was now utterly numb. As a creation of yin-yang release and Kaguya's child, he was highly attuned to the chakras of Indra and Asura, and had never failed in tracking them for millennia.
"What's going on? That Uchiha muscle freak now has Indra's chakra too!"
This bizarre and surreal moment plunged Black Zetsu into deep thought, his mind spiraling:
"Could Indra have two reincarnations?"
"Is this a trap set by the Sage of Six Paths?"
Having lurked in the shinobi world for millennia, Black Zetsu felt a deep sense of unease over this unforeseen situation.
Madara's eyes widened in rare shock, unsure of what to say.
This was the first time he had seen an Uchiha awaken like this.
And as for stealing... wasn't he the original pioneer of that in the Uchiha clan?
Fuma reveled in the strange power surging through his body, his spirit soaring as he let out the Uchiha clan's signature maniacal laughter.
"Kehahahahahahahahaha!"
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