บท 277: Chapter 277
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With the power of the Karma seal and the promise of Isshiki, Jigen certainly had reason to be arrogant.
In his third-stage Karma form, Jigen's strength was equivalent to that of Isshiki at his peak—or rather, it was as if Isshiki himself had temporarily resurrected by borrowing Jigen's body.
Even though this resurrection lasted only three minutes and Jigen would be obliterated afterward, those three minutes were more than enough for Isshiki to accomplish many things.
If Jigen truly activated the third stage of the Karma seal, Madara wouldn't be able to stop him. While he might not be instantly defeated, Madara's chances of victory within those three minutes would be less than 20%.
Isshiki was unlike Kaguya; the former had extensive combat experience and was highly adept at utilizing his own power, making him far superior to Kaguya.
At his peak, Madara's strength was still inferior to Kaguya's, with his only advantage being his battle experience. In a one-on-one fight, Madara might win, but it would be a pyrrhic victory.
Comparing this, it's clear that Madara was no match for Isshiki at his peak.
However, nothing is absolute. If Madara teamed up with Itachi and Kimimaro, they might be able to hold out for three minutes and drag Jigen to his death.
But Madara didn't know all of this, which didn't change his disdain for Jigen.
Madara was aware that Jigen had lived for over a thousand years, but that was all. Longevity didn't equate to the strength of a millennium.
If Jigen were truly that powerful, why hadn't he revealed himself in the Shinobi World over the past thousand years? What was he afraid of? Madara couldn't help but think that if he had lived for a thousand years, not just the Shinobi World, but the stars beyond would bear his mark.
This was why Madara looked down on Jigen and held him in contempt.
While he mentally underestimated Jigen, Madara still treated him with the seriousness the situation demanded during their fight.
Clang! Two black rods formed from Yin-Yang Chakra clashed in the air, sparks flying. Madara and Jigen were locked in a power struggle.
After a two-second stalemate, a glint of surprise flashed in Jigen's eyes. Despite being in his second-stage Karma form, his strength was slightly inferior to Madara's.
Not only was Jigen surprised, but Madara was also internally comparing. Jigen was the second formidable opponent he had encountered, after Kyomu.
Suddenly, Madara exerted more force, his power surging to a new level, and he pushed Jigen back several steps.
Without performing any hand signs, Madara channeled his Chakra along a specific path within his body, gathering it in his throat.
He opened his mouth and spat.
Sage Art: Storm Release Light Fang!
A linear blue laser shot forward, easily slicing through the black rod Jigen had raised to block, and if not for Jigen's timely reaction, his head would have been next.
Taking advantage of Jigen's backward lean to evade, Madara dashed forward, crossing the distance in an instant to appear at Jigen's side.
He swung his right arm wide, aiming the black rod in his hand at Jigen's waist.
But Jigen remained unperturbed, his attack and defense rhythm undisturbed by Madara's sudden move. He still had several abilities left to use.
The black markings covering Jigen's body seemed to come alive, trembling violently. Simultaneously, the horns on his head, resembling those of the celestial Ōtsutsuki clan, flashed.
In an instant, a mysterious power surged from within Jigen's body—this was Isshiki's power, specifically his unique dojutsu: Shōnamibikunakami.
"Hmm?!"
Madara let out a soft grunt, his Rinnegan glowing as he focused on Jigen, who had suddenly shrunk.
"It's a dojutsu." Madara quickly understood the key to this power, showcasing his keen insight and battle sense.
However, understanding was one thing; countering it would require some effort.
Swoosh.
Jigen's shrunken body left a large gap, causing Madara's black rod to miss its mark.
Having dodged Madara's attack, Jigen wasted no time. He quickly returned to his original size, stepped close to Madara, and drove his elbow upward into Madara's abdomen.
Boom.
A dull thud resounded as the impact rippled through Madara's chest, sending him flying like a cannonball.
Boom! A hundred meters away, a thick cloud of dust exploded, obscuring Madara's figure.
But the dust did nothing to block Jigen's vision. With Isshiki's power, he could see through anything, be it physical or intangible.
This power stemmed from Isshiki's Byakugan, which Naruto was also using. Its superior perception, insight, and 360° vision made it a decisive factor in battle.
Turning sharply, Jigen extended his fingers and caught Madara's incoming punch.
"I can see you, so there's no need to try so hard. It just makes you look ridiculous and boring."
Having caught Madara's attack, Jigen's brief taunt didn't provoke a strong reaction. Madara remained cool-headed, not allowing Jigen's words to disrupt his focus.
Without a word, Madara broke free from Jigen's grip, his afterimages flickering as he unleashed a flurry of powerful close-range attacks.
Boom, boom, boom.
Madara's strikes were not only powerful but incredibly fast, making them almost impossible to defend against entirely.
But Jigen was not among those who couldn't manage it. He appeared to stroll leisurely, yet effortlessly blocked all of Madara's subsequent attacks.
Boom! However, no one can defend perfectly forever. Jigen's strength wasn't enough to overpower Madara completely, and eventually, Madara found an opening, landing a punch squarely on Jigen's chest.
At Madara's level, the power of his strikes was far beyond ordinary. While they might not match the destructive power of powerful forbidden techniques, a direct hit would be enough to pulverize most opponents.
Crack.
Jigen's chest caved in from Madara's punch, nearly piercing through his torso.
Although not fatal, the impact sent Jigen flying, blood spraying in the air as he sustained significant injury.
Tap, tap, tap!
Jigen landed with a backflip, retreating several steps to regain his footing. The dent in his chest had already healed by the time he landed. His regenerative ability surpassed even that of Senju Hashirama at his peak, far outstripping Madara.
Madara's eyes narrowed. While he didn't yet hold Jigen in higher regard, he now realized their battle would be fiercely intense.
However…
"Hahaha, hahahaha!"
Madara's classic Uchiha laughter echoed as his face flushed with excitement, his blood pumping faster than ever. He had never feared battle, nor had he ever shied away from a challenge!
Limbo: Border Jail.
Still laughing, Madara's Rinnegan flared, and four "invisible" shadows appeared around him, positioned to the north, south, east, and west.
Swoosh.
The four shadows, possessing the same power, abilities, and shared will as Madara, vanished instantly.
"Clones?"
Of course, Jigen could see the four shadows Madara had summoned with Limbo: Border Jail. He also possessed Yin-Yang Release and had inherited Isshiki's dojutsu. It would have been strange if he hadn't noticed them.
Madara knew this and hadn't intended to hide it. But the core strength of the Limbo: Border Jail shadows didn't lie in their invisibility; it was in the fact that they shared Madara's power, abilities, and thoughts.
Now, Jigen faced five Madaras. Even if he was stronger than Madara, he couldn't handle a five-on-one fight.
Boom! Surrounded, Jigen was hit again, sent flying as seven or eight black rods followed, aiming to impale him to the ground.
Divine Technique: Shōnamibikunakami! Isshiki's power was once again channeled by Jigen. With a glance, all the incoming black rods shrank and nearly disappeared.
In an instant, Madara's offensive advantage, established through Limbo: Border Jail, vanished.
Jigen landed steadily, pushing off the ground with his toes as his injuries healed during the sprint, his vitality far surpassing that of even the most resilient creatures.
As he rushed toward Madara, Jigen reached behind him, grabbing the eight shrunken black rods from the air. Upon contact, they returned to their original size and were absorbed into his hands.
In the next moment, the eight rods shrank again, becoming the size of senbon needles, which Jigen hurled at Madara.
The time between the throw and impact was just a blink, leaving only two centimeters between the rods and Madara's chest.
Madara knew better than to let his guard down.
Though he was highly focused, the shrunk rods, despite needing the same amount of force to throw, had a vastly different speed and power compared to their original size.
In the next instant, the rods returned to their original size, further amplifying their momentum and destructive power. With no way to dodge, Madara prepared to sacrifice one of his shadow clones to switch places with in order to avoid this deadly attack.
However, Shisui, who was engaged in battle with Amado, intervened just in time. The security provided by his Mangekyō Sharingan technique, Kotoamatsukami, was as dependable as ever.
Thud, thud, thud.
A series of dull impacts resounded as the once-invisible barrier formed by Shisui's Kotoamatsukami absorbed the force of Jigen's attack. The black rods were stopped in their tracks, leaving Madara unharmed. (Remember that the dojutsu of Shisui are now defensive.)
"Shisui's dojutsu..."
Even without turning his head, Jigen's 360-degree vision allowed him to clearly see Shisui's actions.
"But what of it?"
Jigen was unfazed. In his exchanges with Madara, he had taken a few hits and sustained several severe injuries, but by now, he had already figured out the weaknesses of Madara's Limbo: Border Jail.
"Madara, your Rinnegan's dojutsu is surprising, but this is as far as it goes."
One on one, Jigen had no fear of Madara. One on two, he still had a chance of winning, but one on five was beyond his capabilities.
Now, his plan was to split the battlefield, isolating Madara from his four shadow clones so he could defeat them one by one, pulling the battle back in his favor.
"Let's see how you handle this!"
Jigen raised his hand as Madara and his four shadow clones closed in for another attack.
Madara, aware that Jigen was preparing an attack that could neutralize him, pressed forward, knowing that the best strategy was to interrupt his opponent's move before it could be fully executed.
In battle, no one waits for their opponent to finish charging up a powerful attack. The seasoned warrior knows to strike before the enemy can unleash their full power.
But Jigen's technique wasn't a slow-charging attack—it was an instant one!
Divine Technique: Daikokuten!
Suddenly, a black and red portal appeared above Jigen's head, and one by one, black and red cubic structures began to fall from it, hovering in mid-air.
Before the cubes even landed, Madara realized something was wrong. He could sense the overwhelming weight and an indescribable energy emanating from the cubes.
Jigen remained silent, his cold gaze fixed on Madara as he waved his right arm downward.
Boom, boom, boom!
The black and red cubes crashed down, shaking the earth as if an earthquake had struck. They effectively blocked Madara's advance and cut off his shadow clones.
At that moment, Madara's heart skipped a beat. "The energy within these cubes..."
With his shadow clones now cut off from him and their locations unclear, Madara could no longer sense their presence—or Jigen's, for that matter.
"My sensory abilities are down..."
Madara's mood sank. He realized that Jigen's plan was to divide and conquer, isolating his shadow clones from his true self.
Madara's quick reflexes kicked in, but with his sensory abilities cut off, his efficiency was drastically reduced.
Moreover, the black and red cubes that blocked his path and surrounded him were impenetrable to the Rinnegan's sight. They formed a perfect labyrinth, trapping Madara within a confined space.
"Madara, your death is imminent. No one can save you!"
Jigen's voice echoed faintly from all directions. He had used his Shōnamibikunakami technique to shrink his body to a nearly invisible size and was rapidly closing in on one of Madara's shadow clones.
With his sensory abilities blocked and Jigen reduced to near-invisibility, Madara and his clones could only detect him by sound—rendering Jigen practically invisible.
"I'm right here."
Jigen, like a cat toying with a mouse, suddenly reappeared behind one of Madara's shadow clones, enlarging himself just enough to deliver a fatal blow.
Despite the clone's quick reflexes, it couldn't defend itself in time. Jigen shrank back down and repositioned himself to strike again.
Splat.
Jigen's hand pierced through the back of one of Madara's clones, emerging from its chest with a spray of blood.
(End of Chapter)
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