This tense exchange weighed heavily on Kakashi's mind.
It seemed there was no room for negotiation. So be it—
In an instant, Kakashi hurled a kunai, its surface wrapped in chakra imbued with lightning-natured transformation.
Though all signs pointed to this man being the legendary Warlord of the Ninja World with a 99% probability, Kakashi still needed to test his mettle.
This attack, though seemingly simple, was deceptively refined. Ordinary jonin wouldn't even have time to react.
But to Uchiha Madara, such an attack was child's play. Internally disdainful, Madara's Rinnegan—superior even to the Mangekyō Sharingan—easily detected the incoming threat. With a slight turn of his head, he effortlessly dodged the strike.
"Pathetic. But since you've attacked me, I won't show mercy—even if you're just a child."
Madara's tone was indifferent as his demeanor shifted abruptly.
Kakashi ignored Madara's words and quickly formed hand seals. A fierce dragon of thunder surged forth, charging directly at Madara.
Facing this terrifying assault, Madara neither dodged nor retreated. With a mere raise of his hand, he absorbed the devastating lightning technique capable of destroying walls.
Seeing this unmistakable ability, Kakashi's expression darkened. There was no doubt about it—this was the Preta Path's chakra absorption.
However, Kakashi had already noticed a key difference between Madara and Nagato Uzumaki. While Nagato could absorb techniques through an invisible barrier, Madara had to consciously direct his hand toward the incoming jutsu.
Kakashi calmly analyzed the situation. If Madara hadn't mastered that ability, then they had identified a potential weakness. This fight wouldn't be as troublesome as dealing with Nagato.
But Uchiha Madara, hailed as the "Rose of the Battlefield," had no intention of giving Kakashi time to think. With a slight push off the ground, he appeared before Kakashi in an instant.
"So fast!"
Kakashi's eyes widened as he focused intently on Madara's movements.
Though Madara acknowledged Kakashi's courage, in his eyes, this boy was still nothing more than a weak ant. Without even bothering to use ninjutsu, Madara unleashed a powerful kick.
"So heavy!"
Kakashi blocked with both hands, using receiving techniques to mitigate the force. Yet, his expression changed drastically—the seemingly ordinary attack carried power rivaling the Strength Enhancement Technique.
But soon, a piece of intelligence flashed through Kakashi's mind. This man had once fought toe-to-toe with the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju, without relying on Susanoo or similar techniques.
Quickly, Kakashi used the Yin Healing Wound Destruction technique to treat his injuries, ensuring his arms wouldn't break and leave him unable to continue fighting.
At this point, Kakashi realized he could no longer hold back his trump card.
Both wielders of the Rinnegan, but Uchiha Madara and Nagato Uzumaki were opponents on entirely different levels. Just as the strength gap between triple tomoe Sharingan users varied greatly, so too did the disparity here.
"Vast Ocean Chakra Mode!!!"
Hatake Kakashi, the Apostle of the Vast Ocean, emerged as a golden figure brimming with overwhelming power.
The surge of potent chakra caught Madara's interest. Moments ago, Kakashi had been but an insignificant ant, yet now he had transformed completely.
"Interesting." A pleased smirk tugged at Madara's lips. In an era without Hashirama Senju, it was rare to find such an opponent. Madara's hands began to itch for battle.
"Entertain me, Hatake Kakashi."
"Arrogant bastard," Kakashi thought with a flicker of irritation. He then pushed off the ground with great force.
Since the mission target, Nagato Uzumaki, was already dead, capturing Uchiha Madara, another Rinnegan wielder, would surely hold greater value. Perhaps his god would forgive his failure.
Seeing Kakashi refuse to use any ninjutsu and instead opt for pure taijutsu combat, Madara laughed even more joyfully.
"Hahaha, do you really think you can dance with me?
Let me see the strength of the new generation of shinobi!"
The next moment, their fists collided heavily. Though the exchange was plain and unadorned, the resulting shockwave scattered the gently falling rain within dozens of meters.
Madara's eyes gleamed with intense interest.
The ability this young man employed was clearly not the Sage Mode of Hashirama Senju—it was something far more intriguing.
But Madara didn't dwell on it. He simply wanted to enjoy this rare battle that made his blood boil.
Though much younger than Madara, Kakashi was a ninja who had fought his way through mountains of corpses and rivers of blood. Combined with the exquisite swordsmanship passed down in his family, their skills were evenly matched for the moment.
Madara grew more excited with each passing moment, as if recalling the passionate battles of his youth. His initially stiff body quickly adapted to his will.
Ultimately, Kakashi faltered by a single move and was sent flying by one of Madara's kicks.
But Madara didn't press his advantage. Instead, he stood still, savoring the lingering thrill of the fight.
Kakashi, having been knocked back, frowned deeply, inwardly cursing Madara as a monster. Each of his attacks in this state carried enough force to shatter mountains and split stones. How could this Madara, without Yang Release-enhanced physical strength, possess such monstrous power?
But soon, Kakashi seemed to recall something.
Yin and Yang were two opposing forces that interacted to create the myriad phenomena of the universe.
This was the information Ye Wen had given Kakashi about the Rinnegan, which included the fact that it was the pinnacle of the Sharingan but lacked detailed descriptions. Upon closer reflection, these so-called yin and yang likely referred to extreme Yin Release and Yang Release chakra.
If that were true, Uchiha Madara was even more formidable than the records in Konoha's intelligence suggested.
With a calm smile, Madara regarded Kakashi.
"Boy, I acknowledge you.
Among the younger generation of shinobi I've encountered, your taijutsu is the strongest!"
If an ordinary ninja were praised by such a legendary figure, they would likely be overjoyed. But Kakashi, with his lofty goals, remained unmoved, coldly staring at Madara.
"Tsk, what a boring brat."
Seeing his words ignored, Madara felt slightly annoyed. However, he reasoned that they had played around long enough—it was time to get serious.
"Boy, I'll give you one last chance. Submit to me, and under my guidance, you'll witness a new world. All your past regrets will be resolved."
Kakashi stared coldly at Madara. "Is that supposed to be your last words? I understand."
Suddenly, a subtle change occurred in the chakra emanating from Kakashi's body.
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