Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha lacks motivation.

The Magnet Release sand spear, which could easily pierce through armor made of refined iron under normal circumstances, appeared so fragile against Madara Uchiha's Susanoo armor.

When it hits, it only makes a screeching sound, but otherwise causes no damage.

"Huff, huff."

The monk clasped his hands together, breathing slightly heavily. Large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, past the blue dragon tattoo, and down his sunken, bulbous nose.

"I had a sliver of hope for you, but now it seems I was just lucky."

Madara Uchiha looked at Shamon, who was in a predicament, with disappointment. He thought that Shamon must have some extraordinary ability to survive until the end, but it turned out that he was just a lucky guy who was overlooked.

Don't underestimate people!

Sensing Madara's disdain, Shamon gritted his teeth, squatted down, and slapped his hands on the ground.

The spreading Magnet Release chakra turned the surrounding rocks into sand, and the ground beneath their feet instantly transformed into soft, sticky yellow sand.

"Quicksand waterfall!"

"It's impressive that you had the guts to challenge me, but... that's all I can praise you for."

Madara Uchiha glanced down at the field cards set up by Shamon, then shook his head. This bald man was indeed courageous, but ordinary ninjutsu attacks couldn't break through his Susanoo's defenses.

"Sandstorm Burial!"

Ignoring Madara Uchiha's sarcastic remarks, Shamon focused on manipulating the yellow sand beneath his feet, creating sand waves tens of meters high that rushed towards the fox knight clad in Susanoo armor.

"These mere grains of sand are not even half as good as me."

Facing the oncoming yellow sand, Madara Uchiha's eyes narrowed, and he lightly patted the Nine-Tails Belt buckle at his waist, instantly channeling his fire attribute.

The white fox at his waist shone with a visible red hue, and the burning chakra emanated from his body, causing his white breastplate to turn a fiery red.

Raising his white longsword, Madara Uchiha assumed a swinging stance. As fire-style chakra seeped into the blade, flames erupted from the white surface.

Once the energy had accumulated to its maximum, Madara Uchiha lightly swung his sword, unleashing a scorching sword aura that struck the oncoming sandstorm head-on.

"boom!"

The scorching heat instantly filled the entire battlefield, and the thick smoke obscured the battlefield. Everyone below the stage smelled a burnt refining odor and immediately craned their necks to see what was happening.

"No way!"

Shamon, who was fully focused on manipulating Magnet Release, felt a large amount of sand slip out of his control. He frowned in confusion, but when he looked up, he saw a scene that shocked him to the core.

Wow, so beautiful!

Mako and Koharu, who were in the spectator stands, covered their mouths in surprise, their beautiful eyes sparkling with excitement.

"They actually refined sand into glass! How high must their fire-style techniques be to do that!?"

Even Hiruzen Sarutobi, who prided himself on being a master of ninjutsu, couldn't help but feel ashamed of himself. While the Sarutobi clan was indeed skilled in fire manipulation, the difference between them and Madara Uchiha was like heaven and earth.

"The clan leader's fire release techniques are unparalleled in the entire ninja world. If you wish to consult him, I can help you make the connection."

Uchiha Kagami stepped forward and patted the dejected Hiruzen Sarutobi on the shoulder as if to comfort him, his eyes filled with arrogance as he spoke.

Watching as the sand waves he had painstakingly created were refined into dazzling glass by Madara Uchiha's single attack, Shamon felt a deep bitterness in his heart.

"Phew, I haven't lost yet!"

However, thinking of the plight of his hometown, Shamon rallied his spirits once more, his gaze fixed firmly on Uchiha Madara not far away. The fiery red aura around Madara had long since faded, but wisps of steam still emanated from his body.

"It's truly ugly to cling to life while refusing to admit defeat."

Shaking his head, Madara Uchiha's patience with this stubbornly resistant insect had finally worn thin. He then vanished from the spot in a flash.

When it reappeared, it was already standing behind the Shamen, its white longsword, exuding a bloodthirsty aura, silently falling.

"Bang!"

Fortunately, Shamon's tense nerves saved his life. Just before the blade was about to pierce his body, thick sand armor instantly covered his body, narrowly blocking the fatal blow.

"Oh?"

Surprisingly, Shamon's defense was quite fast. Madara Uchiha raised an eyebrow, his figure vanishing again. The next moment, white longswords slashed towards the green tanuki knight from all directions.

"Bang!"

"Snapped!"

"Crackling and popping~"

Shamen hurriedly manipulated the yellow sand to protect himself, but unfortunately, he couldn't hold on for long. He was still shaken senseless by the immense force that pierced through his body and was sent flying backward, crashing heavily onto the steaming glass, causing a shower of sparks to fly everywhere.

"Cough cough cough pfft!"

The pain from the displacement of his internal organs triggered a violent cough, causing internal bleeding from his injuries to gush from his mouth. Shamen lay amidst the shimmering shards of glass, his lifeless eyes staring at the gloomy sky.

It was dusk, and a continuous drizzle fell on the green raccoon's mask, creating a pitter-patter sound.

It's so unfair to lose like this.

"Tsk, even in this situation, that bald guy still won't admit defeat?"

In the stands, the Silver and Gold Brothers watched as Shamon was mercilessly ravaged by Madara Uchiha. After exchanging a glance, they spoke up.

"Why insist on being the weakest knight?"

"This is a complete waste of time."

With his arms crossed, Tobirama Senju frowned slightly. Why wasn't Madara Uchiha quick to finish the battle? Did he not want to save his older brother?

As expected of the naturally evil Uchiha Kouka!

"My Lord, that raccoon knight is so pitiful."

Mako pursed her lips, a hint of pity in her dark eyes.

"Teacher! Let's do it!"

Suddenly, a thin figure stood up from the crowd. Chiyo, with tears welling in her eyes, puffed out her cheeks and cheered for Shamon in the arena at the top of her lungs.

"Stand up! You are the ace ninja of Sunagakure! The last hope of the Land of Wind!"

"It's Chiyo."

Shamen, whose consciousness was already fading, had a faint glimmer of light in his dim eyes. He turned his head with difficulty, following the sound, and looked at the disciples in the stands with their hands raised high. A flicker of hope slowly ignited in his heart.

That's right, I'm an ace ninja!

"Oh? You can still stand up?"

Madara Uchiha looked at Shamon slowly standing up with some surprise. From Madara's Sharingan perspective, the man's body should have been completely bruised and battered.

"As long as there is a glimmer of hope, I will fight to the very end."

Despite the pain, Shamon stood up and stared intently at Uchiha Madara.

"Then let me shatter your hopes."

Anyone can say nice things.

With a disdainful sneer, Madara Uchiha raised his white longsword and attacked the lone Shamon once more, a sharp sword aura erupting from the blade.

Everyone stared wide-eyed at the sight, while Mako turned her head away, unable to bear watching the cruel scene that was about to unfold.

"I am the ace ninja of Sunagakure, the Kazekage!"

In the face of life and death, the monk's conviction was rekindled, and the power within him resonated with the belt buckle.

Suddenly, the green belt buckle at his waist, symbolizing a swift wind, flashed with a blinding light, and a profound power arose abruptly.

Seeing this, Madara Uchiha, who was halfway there, inexplicably stopped and waited.

"This is."

As the light faded, Shamen looked down at the green belt buckle bearing the shuriken symbol at his waist, his mouth agape in astonishment.

"Interesting, at least they've come up with something new."

Madara Uchiha did not attack immediately; instead, he looked with interest at the new belt buckle on Shamon's waist.

Only he and the bald man in front of him possessed this prop, so he was naturally very curious about what the other man could do.

"I will never let this force down."

Stroking the Ace Ninja Buckle, an upgrade from the Gale Buckle, Shamon's eyes sharpened. He raised one hand, rested the other on his waist, and gently pushed, locking the buckle into the driver.

"Ninja! Ready Fight!"

A full-body emerald green heavy armor covered the black body, the crossbow in his hand transformed into a sharp double-edged blade, and his yellow compound eyes turned red due to the enhancement of his five senses.

Shamon, transformed into his ace ninja form, exuded an aura far stronger than before.

"Is this the power of an ace ninja?"

When the storm subsides, only the ace remains to protect the Wind Kingdom.

Uchiha Gin, sitting in the spectator stands, rested his chin on his hands, his eyes filled with amusement as he looked at the emerald green tanuki knight.

Unexpectedly, the bottom of the Shamen prison was able to rebound, unlocking a new form at this critical moment.

But

Ninjas are no match for gods.

"I will not fall!"

Holding his sharp twin blades to his chest, Shamon, feeling the surging power within him, looked intently at Uchiha Madara, who was waiting not far away.

"Very good, let's continue dancing~"

Faced with Shamon's provocation, Uchiha Madara calmly swung his white longsword. The aura emanating from Shamon's new form was indeed impressive, but not strong enough to make him feel threatened.

"Whoosh!"

With the power boost from the ninja belt buckle, Shamon's agility was maximized, making him more than twice as fast as before.

In the blink of an eye, Shamon appeared behind Madara Uchiha, raising his twin blades high, seemingly about to replicate Madara's actions.

"snort!"

But all of this was observed by Madara Uchiha's Sharingan. Without even turning his head, he raised his longsword, easily blocking Shamon's sneak attack, and delivered a follow-up back kick, landing squarely on Shamon's chest.

"Bang!"

Madara Uchiha, feeling the impact of his attack, hadn't even had time to feel smug when he heard a dull thud behind him. Glancing back, he realized that he had only kicked a clone, while the real Shamon had already vanished.

Which way are you looking?

Just as Madara Uchiha was frowning and searching for Shamon's whereabouts, the other's voice rang in his ears. He looked in the direction of the voice, but found nothing; the empty area was devoid of any figure.

"Tsk!"

Unconvinced, Madara Uchiha activated his Mangekyou Sharingan and discovered some clues. He saw a faint, fluctuating aura on an open ground not far away, but in normal vision, there was nothing there.

"Whoosh!"

He raised his hand and flicked a sword aura in that direction, but it missed its target.

"Forehead?"

While Madara Uchiha was still wondering, a verdant figure suddenly leaped out of the sand behind him, wielding twin blades with tremendous force, and struck Madara's back armor directly.

"Bang!"

"What?!"

Upon seeing this, everyone in the stands showed expressions of disbelief. In particular, the Silver and Gold Brothers, who had fought against Uchiha Madara, stared wide-eyed with their mouths agape. Even if they racked their brains, they couldn't figure out what method Shamon had used.

"Ultimate ninja skills? This is the kind of buckle that fits the world's lore~"

Only Uchiha Gin saw the key to it: Shamon's ace ninja belt buckle maximized the ninja's basic abilities, such as the Three Body Technique, the Infiltration Technique, and a series of other unique ninja skills.

My younger cousin was caught off guard and attacked by this basic skill. It seems he hasn't mastered the fundamentals. When we get back, I'll have him practice his basics properly. He shouldn't think he can do whatever he wants just because he created a nice pattern.

"hateful."

This was the first time Madara Uchiha had broken down in this competition. Turning his head to look at the wound on his back armor, although the wound was slowly healing, the resentment in his heart filled his chest.

His eyes gleamed with a dangerous light as he stared intently at the emerald green raccoon knight who had landed not far away, his cold, sinister gaze gathering within them.

"Come on! But there's a condition..."

Shamon felt a chill that penetrated to his very bones and immediately shivered. However, with the power of an ace ninja by his side, he still raised the dual blades in his hand, and his figure gradually blurred as he spoke.

"You can find me."

I'm currently reading the error-free version! This is the first time I've published this novel.

"As you wish."

For once, Madara Uchiha became serious. Facing the unpredictable methods of Shamon, he pondered for a second before striking the Nine-Tails belt buckle at his waist.

"Ouch! What are you doing?"

Kurama, who was clutching her belly and frowning in her consciousness space, sensed Madara Uchiha's summons. Reluctantly, she stood up, dragging her large, protruding belly, and looked up to ask,

"Didn't you say you wouldn't let me help?"

The final interpretation rests with me.

With a blank expression and narrowed eyes, Uchiha Madara, who had emerged from the consciousness space, spoke coldly.

"I'm a little inconvenient right now, so take as much chakra as you want."

Sensing Madara's bad mood, Kurama, who had just been defiant, instantly slumped to the ground, dragging its belly and looking slightly pained. It was experiencing excruciating abdominal pain, likely from eating something bad.

"Don't even think about slacking off, I need your abilities."

Madara Uchiha shook his head, completely disregarding Kurama's feelings, and ordered it to go out and help.

"Huh? But my stomach..."

"Hurry up, or you'll regret it!"

"Waaaaah, I'm going to complain to the Pure Land!"

Overwhelmed by Madara Uchiha's tyranny, Kurama had no choice but to accept its fate and die, bowing its head and transforming into a wisp of chakra that drifted away.

In reality, Madara Uchiha's yellow compound eyes flashed, and the red markings on his body burst forth with light once more. The addition of the Nine-Tails' power transformed his body, which was originally 80/20 in terms of power, into a 50/50 split between white and red.

Kamen Rider Kyokujou: Nine-Tailed Link Form

"Have you finally realized the importance of the Tailed Beasts themselves?"

Uchiha Gin looked at his cousin's transformation with some surprise. This form meant that Uchiha Madara was now fighting in tandem with Kurama, no longer simply squandering the power of the tailed beast.

"Nine-Tails, find out his current location."

In its Nine-Tails Linked Form, the human and the beast share the five senses. The Nine-Tails has the special ability to perceive good and evil, and can accurately locate enemies hiding in the surroundings. Therefore, Madara Uchiha entrusted it with the task of finding Shamon.

"Northeast corner 40°"

It took Nine-Tails less than three seconds to pinpoint Shamon's location, so fast that it didn't even need to use its senses.

Simply put, even with just her sense of smell, Nine-Tailed Fox could smell the stench of that stupid tanuki.

"Whoosh!"

Trusting in the Nine-Tails' abilities, Madara Uchiha initiated the attack with a zero-frame strike, unleashing a sword aura towards the point it had indicated.

"Bang!"

A metallic clang rang out, and Shamon, wielding a pair of twin blades emitting blue smoke, appeared in the direction of the attack with a look of astonishment, seemingly surprised by Madara Uchiha's precise strike.

"It must be a fluke!"

Shamon was very confident in his concealment skills, believing that Madara Uchiha had only gotten lucky by chance. He immediately activated his invisibility technique again, and his entire body gradually disappeared from the spot.

"Where?"

"Southwest 45°"

"Whoosh!"

"Bang!"

This time, Madara Uchiha didn't probe; he attacked with full force. His speed was so great that Shamon had no chance to dodge and could only raise his weapon to defend. However, the difference in strength between them was too great, and this attack directly broke through Shamon's defenses.

"Boom~"

The double-edged sword in his hand was instantly broken in two, and the aftershock of the sword energy tore a deep, bone-revealing wound in his chest.

If he hadn't used the Substitution Jutsu at the last moment to deflect most of the attack, Shamon might have been cut in half.

"Phew. How did he even find me?"

Shamon, holding half a blade in each hand, stared in horror at the smug-looking Madara Uchiha. He couldn't understand how Madara had discovered his presence; this was a stealth technique that could even fool the Sharingan.

"It's a stinky fox!"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Just as Shamon was wondering, Shukaku's shrill voice rang in his ears. In his consciousness, Shukaku, clutching his stomach, spoke with a resentful expression.

"That guy has merged with that stinky fox."

Shukaku naturally knew how Madara Uchiha discovered them, after all, the Nine-Tailed Dog's keen sense of smell was an open secret in the Tailed Beast world.

"They've combined?"

"That's right, but not completely. It's clear that guy doesn't fully trust that stinky fox."

While Madara Uchiha's current form allows him to utilize the Nine-Tails' power, it is not his truly perfect form.

Madara Uchiha, unable to fully surrender his body to the Tailed Beasts, was still unable to activate their true power.

That's why this new form is called Nine-Tailed Link, not Kurama Link.

"It's already enough to give us a hard time if it's not completely complete."

Shamon felt a slight bitterness in his heart. Since Madara Uchiha could now pinpoint his location with pinpoint accuracy, his advantage in his ace ninja form was completely gone.

"There's nothing we can do, you're just too far behind."

Shukaku, unusually, did not utter any sarcastic remarks. Instead, it looked at the monk with a sigh. In its view, for a mere ordinary person like the monk to be able to force the reincarnation of Indra to such a state was already a highlight of his life, something he could boast about for three generations.

"Is there really no other way?"

Shamon didn't want to give up easily, so he asked Shukaku with a sincere expression,

"No, I can't help you. Just wait to die."

With an indifferent expression, Shukaku picked its nose and turned to merge into the desert in its consciousness space. It was clear that it did not want to offend Uchiha Madara, the reincarnation of Indra, because of Shamon.

The cunning Shukaku, after analyzing the pros and cons, immediately set to act.

The future is long, and its cooperative relationship with the Shramanas will last no more than a century, but Indra can be reincarnated indefinitely. If it offends him now, it won't have a good time in the future.

It would rather do nothing than make a mistake.

"Hello! Hello! Hello!"

No matter how Shamon called out, Shukaku did not respond. Seeing this, he had no choice but to place his last hope on himself.

"You're slacking off during battle? Who do you think you're underestimating?"

The moment Shamen returned to reality, he heard a death-calling voice from the underworld. He swallowed hard, turned his head, and looked at the red and white fox knight holding a sword to his back. The desolation in his heart intensified.

"Where's that silly raccoon?"

Suddenly, a high-pitched, eunuch-like voice came from beneath the fox knight's mask. The dejected Shamen blinked in confusion upon hearing it, but quickly recognized the voice's owner. He composed himself and replied...

"Shukaku is inside, but it seems a bit inconvenient for it."

"Hmph~ I knew it. That stupid raccoon is not only fat and bloated, but also a coward. He wouldn't dare to even touch me in real life."

Using Madara Uchiha's body, Kurama was finally able to communicate with the outside world. Looking at the dejected Shamon, Kurama's smug lips curled up high, and its mocking voice was clearly heard by everyone present.

"That voice...it wasn't the clan chief's, was it?"

Uchiha Kagami blinked in confusion. Madara Uchiha's voice was completely different from usual, which made him feel a little worried.

"Don't worry, that's the Nine-Tails' voice."

As one of the few who had heard Kurama speak, Tobirama Senju reassured his somewhat bewildered disciple, but his gaze remained fixed on Madara Uchiha, as if he were considering something.

"Who told you to speak? Get down here!"

Just as Kurama was about to continue his verbal sparring, Madara Uchiha's slightly annoyed voice escaped through his teeth.

"Tsk~ Didn't you say you'd let me roam freely for a while after finding the silly raccoon?"

Kurama pursed its lips, logged out, and let Madara Uchiha log back in.

"To surrender, or to die?"

Madara Uchiha, his eyes slightly reddened, inevitably showed some negative emotions under the influence of the Nine-Tails' chakra. Looking at Shamon, who was being held by a sword, his killing intent was faintly visible.

What if I say no?

Even under the threat of death, Shamon persisted in his beliefs. As the last hope of Sunagakure, he could not fall with his back to the enemy no matter what.

"Then I'll grant your wish!"

Madara Uchiha's face was contorted with madness as he raised the longsword in one hand. Its deadly edge gleamed with a ravenous light, and its swing exuded a dense aura of death.

Knowing he had nowhere to retreat, the monk did not choose to flee. Instead, to everyone's astonishment, he quickly turned around, then resolutely raised the short blade in his hand, his body radiating emerald green light.

He chose to take a desperate gamble.

He chose to believe in the power of hope of the ace ninja.

"Boom!"

However, the next moment, Shamen was plunged into deep darkness.

The rain continued to fall, and a cold darkness shrouded the twilight of hope; the long night had finally arrived. (End of Chapter)