Chapter 220: Even a High-Level Six Paths Must Flee

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The devastating white projectile struck once again, inflicting severe injuries on Jigen's body for the second time.

The monk simply couldn't understand. The power gap between him and his opponent was vast—like heaven and earth—and yet, from the very start of the battle, he had been the one on the defensive.

"Is it because I'm too distracted?"

He knew full well what his enemy's goal was.

In truth, the "Vessel" had long been placed under heavy guard by his subordinates. Security-wise, there should have been no major issues.

Yet despite this, Jigen couldn't afford to ignore that matter—his very reincarnation depended on it.

With his attention divided and the need to avoid excessive injury, it was no surprise that he was struggling to maintain control of the fight.

"I've been far too careless."

Dark, intricate markings spread wildly across his body, and soon, Jigen's appearance began to change.

The most striking feature was the horn that emerged from his forehead.

Kāma Seal: Stage Two!

"Now then… let me reward your efforts with my full strength."

Stage Two—an advanced transformation brought on by the Kāma seal—allowed Jigen to tap deeper into the power of Ōtsutsuki Isshiki.

His strength surged from the early stages of Six Paths to the peak of that power, rivaling Madara Uchiha's prime form after fully absorbing the God Tree.

In this state, Jigen possessed the strength to obliterate both the Nine Tails' combined assault and a fully-formed Susanoo in a single strike.

"Three minutes... That's all I'll need to end this fight."

With a calm, commanding expression befitting a true powerhouse, Jigen took a deliberate step forward.

Sukunahikona!

His golden pupils gleamed with an icy, merciless light. In the blink of an eye, a black rod shot forward—piercing straight through Kyōsuke's body.

"Time-based abilities are rare... and undeniably powerful," Jigen muttered with a sneer. "But sadly for you... your dōjutsu is far too weak."

"What seems like an unbreakable 'rule' can be shattered when sufficient external force is applied. Your so-called defenses... they're nothing more than paper walls before true power."

Having reached the high levels of Six Paths strength, even Jigen's simplest attacks now carried devastating force.

In other words, Kyōsuke's trump card had failed. His dōjutsu End could no longer protect him. Without it, he had lost his ability to keep up with the fight.

"Still not ready yet?" Kyōsuke suddenly shouted, his voice strained yet firm. "If you keep dragging this out, you'll be collecting my corpse soon!"

"Hmph," a voice rang out from the distance. "I've been ready for a while now... but you seemed to be enjoying yourself, so I didn't want to interrupt."

Madara Uchiha's figure strode across the waves, his presence exuding power and dominance.

"You're a mess, Kyōsuke."

Brilliant golden light radiated from Madara's crimson armor, forming a shimmering mantle of chakra around him.

Nine Tails Cloak Mode—Activated!

"Now then... it's my turn."

Against an opponent capable of shrinking at will and displaying unnatural agility, relying on his imposing Susanoo would only make him an oversized target.

Instead, Madara chose to channel the Nine Tails' chakra directly into himself.

By combining the power of the Sharingan's genjutsu with Kurama's strength, Madara had achieved what could be called the true "Perfect" Jinchūriki form.

With this union, his strength far surpassed Naruto's peak power during the Fourth Great Ninja War.

In terms of sheer speed alone, Madara in this form might even exceed Kyōsuke in his Seventh Gate state.

"Pitiful fool."

Four black rods appeared in Jigen's hands, and he swiftly drove them through Kyōsuke's limbs, nailing him firmly to the ground.

Unwilling to waste any more time, Jigen decided to finish off his immobile opponent first.

The vast chakra emanating from Kyōsuke's battered body was exactly what Jigen needed to replenish his own strength. His death would not only erase an obstacle but also restore his energy—one life to compensate for the offense against him.

Jigen's body shrank rapidly as he bolted toward Kyōsuke's pinned form.

But in that fleeting moment of distraction, a fist the size of a cooking pot suddenly filled his vision.

*BOOOOOM!!!*

For the second time that day, the mighty Ōtsutsuki was sent soaring through the air by a brutal punch.

Seeing this, Kyōsuke let out a faint chuckle and began struggling to free himself from the black rods.

He hadn't come here intending to fight to the death. Without putting his life on the line, he knew his displayed strength might not even match Madara's current power.

In close-quarters combat, agility mattered far more than raw speed.

And when facing an enemy capable of shrinking at will, nimbleness became even more crucial.

In this regard, Madara held a natural advantage.

Moreover, Madara's dōjutsu possessed a unique trait—it could perceive souls.

In the past, Madara had primarily used this ability to gauge people's conditions and potential.

During his long years of seclusion, he had relied on this technique to discover Uchiha Obito—a child deemed talentless by his clan, who had yet to awaken his Sharingan even after graduating from the academy.

But thanks to Kyōsuke's advice, Madara had now realized a new application for this ability.

When the Sharingan couldn't detect an enemy's physical form, he could instead use his soul-perception ability to track their movements.

The earlier delay in his intervention was deliberate. Madara had been closely observing Jigen's techniques to develop the most effective counter.

That calculated patience was precisely what led to the successful strike moments earlier.

"Keep attacking," Kyōsuke reminded. "His body's condition is deteriorating. Each injury he sustains will accelerate his breakdown."

"Once the damage piles up enough... he'll collapse on his own. We won't even need to finish him."

"Understood," Madara responded with a firm nod.

In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance, delivering a powerful punch that ignited the air with a thunderous crack.

*BOOOOM!!!*

But this time, Jigen was prepared.

Since shrinking himself had proven ineffective, Jigen chose instead to face Madara head-on.

Effortlessly blocking the incoming punch, Jigen retaliated with a swift kick—the same devastating strike that had once shattered Madara's famed Gunbai.

However, Madara's vast battle experience prevented him from committing too much force to his punch. He knew that in a pure contest of power, he couldn't overpower Jigen.

Instead, he utilized the momentum to pivot, dodging the counterattack while twisting his body mid-air. With expert precision, his right leg lashed out from an unexpected angle, striking Jigen square in the chest.

"Consider that payback," Madara muttered.

*BOOOOM!!!*

Jigen staggered back a few steps, his eyes burning with rage.

Daikokuten!

A massive black cube materialized above them, looming like a mountain poised to crush everything beneath it.

Meanwhile, Jigen shrank his body once more and engaged Madara in close combat.

It appeared to be a suicidal maneuver—but in truth, the massive cube was positioned to strike Madara first.

No matter how powerful Madara was, there was no chance he could physically stop the immense structure from crashing down on him.

With no escape route, death seemed inevitable.

Fortunately, Kyōsuke had anticipated this. Before their departure, he had equipped Madara with a special kunai marked with the Flying Thunder God technique.

Just as the cube plummeted toward him, Madara teleported away in the nick of time.

*BOOOOM!!!!*

The ground shook violently as debris erupted from the impact. Both men had to channel chakra into their feet just to remain upright.

"Where is he?" Kyōsuke asked, frowning.

Logically, Jigen should have recalled the black cube to his pocket dimension. Yet since the attack had landed, it could only mean...

"He's gone," Madara muttered grimly. "I can't sense his soul anywhere."

"…He ran?!"

..

..

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