I, Uchiha Hikaru, have joined the chat group.

Chapter 395 Battle from Afar!

In a way, Danzo was one of the "old" members of the Akatsuki organization.

This guy defected from Konoha and joined Akatsuki not long after, and it's been almost a year now. With his Kage-level strength and rich, experienced experience, he's now considered one of Akatsuki's most capable lieutenants.

Even Nagato, who harbored a deep hatred for him, made an exception and allowed him to stay in the Land of Rain because of his achievements.

Only Madara, with his keen sense of discernment, detected something amiss in this series of events. Through Black Zetsu, he directly located Danzo and discovered evidence that Danzo had been under a genjutsu. Although he didn't say it outright, Obito felt his abilities were being seriously questioned.

"snort."

"You used your Sharingan to control Yagura Karatachi for years, yet you couldn't even see through such a rudimentary genjutsu?"

Madara gave Obito a cold glance, then said, "Well, whatever. This is a good opportunity to see if Uchiha Hikaru's eye power is as astonishing as you say..."

talking.

Madara's eyes narrowed, and he channeled his pupil power towards Danzo.

As the previous Indra and the first Uchiha in nearly a thousand years to actively awaken the Rinnegan during his lifetime, Madara's ocular power was naturally extraordinary. At this moment, it was as if a torrent was forcibly poured into Danzo's mind, causing an expression of extreme pain to appear on the latter's face. The "mark" imprinted on the soul level was also affected by the torrent, showing signs of flickering light.

—This is when Uchiha Hikaru sensed something was wrong on the other side.

It seemed that the "mark" was about to be erased.

Just now.

A pair of illusory crimson eyes suddenly lit up from the depths of Danzo's mind.

Ban's eyes narrowed; he sensed a threat.

next moment.

The world is spinning!

……

"here it is……"

Madara Uchiha, who was inside the cave, felt a momentary blur before his eyes. The next instant, the scenery around him changed from the cave to a vast, frozen lake as clear as a mirror.

Across the lake.

A petite girl with long, spiky black hair and a dark blue dress stood suspended in mid-air, her arms crossed over her chest. Her features were obscured, yet an aura of dominance emanated from her, creating a palpable sense of oppression in the air.

For a moment, Madara Uchiha thought he was seeing another version of himself.

—This hedgehog-like hairstyle and that domineering aura are exactly the same as his when he was young. Even more powerful and astonishing, making him unable to help but recall Hashirama in his prime.

"...It's you?"

"it's me."

Uchiha Hikaru nodded slightly.

"An illusion technique activated remotely using a pre-placed mark as a medium...?"

Madara snorted coldly, clearly having already grasped his current situation in those brief moments. He then casually remarked, "Never before have I encountered a genjutsu-type ninja who has reached this level of skill. In the realm of genjutsu, I, Uchiha Madara, acknowledge you as number one."

"..."

Uchiha Hikaru's lips twitched slightly, and a subtle expression appeared on his face.

Well... no wonder he's Madara.

Even under these circumstances, they didn't forget to put on a show first.

but……

"Is this the first thing a junior says when meeting an elder of the same clan? I originally thought you would be more polite."

"..."

This time, it was Ban's turn to be speechless.

However, he didn't remain silent for long. He quickly snorted again and said, "Heh. You're just a brat who was sealed by Senju when you were a teenager. How dare you call yourself an adult? I can overlook your words because you're inexperienced and we're from the same clan. But you'd better think carefully about who you're really up against."

"Since Hashirama died, you are the first person who has dared to speak to me in such a tone."

"...It seems you're quite inexperienced. You're just a young man with no experience."

Uchiha Hikaru sighed softly: "If I told you right now that you were tricked by that dark thing next to you, you probably wouldn't believe me, right?"

The answer is self-evident.

Until he was stabbed in the heart, Madara firmly believed that Black Zetsu was a product he created using Yin-Yang Release, a more loyal and reliable subordinate than Obito. From their opposing perspectives, their conversation had reached its limit. The only thing that made Uchiha Hikaru slightly regretful was that he couldn't out-argue Madara in terms of speaking authority; it seemed he still had a lot to learn.

A brief silence.

next moment.

Then I heard—

boom!!

Two powerful auras erupted in an instant!

Even though neither Uchiha nor Madara moved, the air around them suddenly became tense, a fierce gale arose, and in the blink of an eye, it formed a visible storm, stirring up ripples in mid-air.

click-

A crack appeared on the ice between the two.

Immediately following, a second, a third… countless, terrifying cracks, as dense as a spiderweb, appeared in a short instant, covering the entire ice surface. Then, with a loud “splash,” the ice shattered, and the icy water, swept up by the gale, shot upwards, forming dozens of enormous waterspouts that roared through the air!

This is a conflict that occurs purely on a spiritual level.

The last time Uchiha Hikaru fought a battle like this was when he first met Esdeath.

Compared to Ai at that time, Ban's mental strength was undoubtedly superior.

Under the influence of his powerful eye energy, the half of the lake beneath Madara's feet gradually turned inky black, and the sky above his head was also shrouded in a layer of dark haze, giving the feeling of the end of the world. On the other half where Uchiha Hikaru was, the lake remained calm and clear, and the sky was as bright as a mirror.

"Is this not your full strength? It seems your strength is deeper than I expected."

"but……"

Ban's expression suddenly hardened, and he shouted, "Not enough! Far from enough!"

With those words, a pitch-black storm suddenly exploded, accompanied by sharp bangs, transforming into terrifying, ancient, dark beasts that lunged towards Uchiha Hikaru's location! They seemed poised to tear her spiritual entity to shreds!

A strong wind is blowing overhead.

Uchiha Hikaru sighed again, a hint of pity even appearing in his eyes.

The sigh had not yet faded.

A phantom image of a giant, blazing sword had already materialized before her, almost instantly evaporating the lake's water. Then, as it continued to solidify, it suddenly slashed forward with overwhelming power and terrifying momentum! The power poured out like a surging tide!

(End of this chapter)