Chapter 225: Run for It!
Up until now, Uchiha Madara had been fighting Uzumaki Nagato and Yahiko with his eyes closed.
Now, he suddenly opened them.
From the once pitch-black sockets, two crimson lights emerged.
The glow sharpened and quickly formed into the pattern of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
Without a word, Madara immediately unleashed his genjutsu on Nagato and Yahiko.
It wasn't a move he often used.
Not because he lacked skill in genjutsu—that was merely a misconception held by those who didn't truly understand him.
The reason Madara rarely used genjutsu in battle was simply because he didn't need to.
A casual punch or kick, or even the most basic of ninjutsu, was enough to throw his opponents into chaos and leave them battered and desperate.
The satisfaction of toying with them like a cat with a mouse was something a swift genjutsu kill could never provide.
In other words, he disdained using genjutsu to fight.
But now, to end the battle quickly, he had no choice.
When Nagato and Yahiko saw the change in Madara's eyes, they instantly became wary.
Unfortunately, they still failed to dodge his genjutsu attack.
In the blink of an eye, both were caught. Their bodies froze, unable to move, forced to watch as Madara walked toward them step by step.
Stepping down from his Susanoo and landing on the ground, Madara came right up to Nagato.
"Well then, I'll be taking these eyes back."
He raised his hand, fingers poised to gouge.
But at that moment, a playful voice suddenly sounded behind him.
"Oh? So you really were brought back by the Reanimation."
Madara's hand paused as he glanced back.
About five meters away, a figure had appeared without him noticing.
It was a young man with short, clean-cut hair, looking spirited and sunny.
He couldn't have been older than twenty.
The powerful chakra radiating from him was identical to what Madara had sensed earlier in the Hidden Leaf Village.
"You're Uchiha Dali?" Madara asked, turning to face him.
"You've even heard my name? Should I be flattered?" Uchiha Dali replied with a playful smile.
"With your current strength, you've reached about one percent of my power in life. Quite an achievement," Madara remarked casually.
"But nothing more than that."
After speaking, he turned back, ready to take Nagato's eyes.
He knew full well he couldn't defeat the young man before him now—this body was far too weakened.
But if he could reclaim his Rinnegan, that would be another matter entirely.
"You think I'll let you do that right under my nose?" Dali said coldly.
Madara ignored him, continuing his motion.
Just as his fingers were about to touch Nagato's eye, a flash of cold light appeared.
In an instant, his right arm dropped to the ground.
Staring at the empty space where his arm had been, Madara's eyes darkened with killing intent.
"I had thought to invite you into my ranks, but it seems you've chosen the hard way."
As he spoke coldly, his arm was already regenerating. Masses of Edo Tensei ash gathered and formed a new limb, leaving him unhindered.
That was one of the perks of being reanimated—chakra nearly infinite, and the body almost truly "immortal."
The only drawback was being unable to unleash his full battle power in this state.
"Those words should be mine, Madara," Dali said with a smirk.
"The ninja world is already united. What are you doing crawling back out here?"
"You just want to be this world's ruler. I, on the other hand, seek true and lasting peace. Our ideals differ—there's nothing more to discuss."
"If you have the guts, let me take back my eyes and we'll fight to decide the victor," Madara replied flatly.
"I want to be the ruler of the world?" Dali raised an eyebrow, quickly realizing the situation.
"Black Zetsu told you that, didn't he?"
Madara neither confirmed nor denied, remaining silent, waiting for Dali to go on.
Something in Dali's tone had caught his attention.
"You two never told him about Black Zetsu's lies and the scam behind the Eye of the Moon Plan?" Dali asked, puzzled, glancing at Nagato and Yahiko.
The two could only shake their heads helplessly.
"I was going to," Nagato said, "but he wouldn't listen and insisted on fighting."
Hearing this, Madara's eyes narrowed, his gaze turning razor sharp.
"A scam? What are you talking about?"
"That you've been deceived by Black Zetsu all along. He's not your will incarnate. Urging you to gather the Tailed Beasts and cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi was never about creating a peaceful world," Dali explained.
Before he could finish, Madara's expression turned impatient.
"Even if it's a scam, I'll listen to your nonsense after I take my eyes back."
Once again, his hand shot forward toward Nagato's Rinnegan.
This time, Dali didn't strike him. But just before Madara's fingers touched the eye, Nagato and Yahiko suddenly vanished.
"Flying Thunder God, huh?" Madara's gaze shifted to the right.
There stood a blond-haired young man, the one who had teleported them away.
Madara had seen the entire process clearly—and he recognized the technique instantly.
After all, it belonged to his hated enemy, Senju Tobirama, and was something he could never forget.
"I'm Namikaze Minato," the newcomer said, turning to greet Madara.
"I've long heard your name. Today, I finally meet you in person. But it seems you're not exactly friendly toward the village."
"Heh…"
"It seems taking my eyes back won't be easy today."
"But no matter."
"I'll return—and next time, it won't be like today."
Sensing more and more Konoha powerhouses arriving, and with Uchiha Dali alone already hard to deal with, Madara knew there was no point in staying to lose face.
Decisively, he chose to retreat.
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