Chapter Twenty: Dance Freely Here, Nine-Tails!

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Uemura Shigen.
The greatest medical ninja in the shinobi world.
In truth, Madara Uchiha never wished to become a medical ninja.
However, when Madara was a child and met his friend Hashirama Senju, countless times he heard the name from Hashirama’s lips, and memories from the past resurfaced deep within his mind.
“Madara!”
“Have you heard the story of Uemura Shigen?”
“In our clan, the tale of Lord Uemura Shigen has always been passed down!”
“Hey…”
“You grew up hearing his story too?”
“To endure the pain the world cannot bear, to save those who suffer—this is the shinobi way left behind by Lord Uemura Shigen for this world!”
“Madara!”
“I saw it secretly today!”
“Don’t tell anyone!”
“My family has a crystal coffin left by Lord Uemura Shigen!”
“Madara…”
“My father forbade me from becoming a medical ninja…”
“And my brother Itama died; learning medical arts cannot protect those I want to protect. Medical ninjas cannot change this chaotic era.”
These memories drifted away like the wind.
Madara Uchiha was on the verge of forgetting them altogether, almost forgetting that Hashirama had long since given up something precious.
Uemura Shigen.
A sage from the ancient era.
Legendary as the most skilled medical ninja in history.
Madara understood why Konoha kept Uemura Shigen’s identity secret—because Hashirama’s brother Tobirama, who was always fascinated by underhanded ninja techniques, must have discovered a forbidden jutsu and resurrected this ancient sage.
Indeed...
Only Uemura Shigen...
Could possibly heal Hashirama.
“I see now.”
A flash of realization crossed Madara’s face.
Since the other was a ninja from the ancient era, some unique methods were to be expected; suffering a heavy loss at his hands was not shameful.
Moreover, knowing the other was that famed ancient sage, revealing his own identity wasn’t a disadvantage.
However...
It was time for him to leave Konoha.
“Madara!”
A figure clad in red armor descended!
“You’re still alive!”
Hashirama Senju appeared almost fully armed before them, his gaze fixed on Madara trapped within Susanoo; his expression was complex.
This close friend he had once killed with his own hands...
Had revived and appeared before him again!
To stop Madara’s Susanoo from wreaking havoc, Hashirama ignored his unhealed wounds and rushed ahead!
“You came fast... Hashirama.”
When Hashirama appeared, Madara’s attention was instinctively drawn to the armored red figure below.
“Hm? You are...”
Hashirama glanced at Uemura Shigen beside him, vaguely feeling the other’s profile was familiar—was he the doctor who treated him today?
Or...
Where had he seen this stranger before?
As the village’s Hokage...
He remembered every ninja and child in the village.
This was neither a Konoha ninja nor an enemy of the village.
More like a guest of the village, yet there was something lifeless about him, an odd aura.
Although Hashirama had not clearly seen Uemura Shigen’s face in Konoha’s hospital, he knew he was an outsider found by Tobirama, otherwise he wouldn’t have been placed in the guest quarters for foreign dignitaries.
“I am...”
Uemura Shigen stepped forward to introduce himself.
“Go take shelter! Leave this place to me!”
Hashirama ordered without hesitation, then refocused on Madara, noticing one of Madara’s eyes was an eerie gray-white.
That eye...
Was fine during battle.
Why was it now a blind gray-white?
“Madara, your eye...”
Hashirama looked surprised.
“No need to be curious.”
“It’s just the cost of escaping your death...”
Madara clenched his fist, his expression turning fierce and cold; his palm opened and closed repeatedly as he tried to draw power from his eye. “I planned to say a few words and leave, but it seems trouble lies ahead...”
Indeed, trouble.
Hashirama was truly a relentless nuisance!
Boom!
The damaged Susanoo was rapidly repairing!
The third form of Susanoo stood like a giant sapphire colossus over Konoha!
“Wood Release!”
Hashirara clapped his hands together!
Vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around Susanoo’s arms!
“Again with this trick!”
Madara scowled and clenched his palm tightly!
A curved greatsword glowing with blue light emerged from Susanoo’s hand, slashing through the vines!
The battle between the two reignited here!
This was the aftermath of their deadly fight; the severely wounded Hashirama and the resurrected Madara seemed poised to clash again!
“Hashirama...”
Uzumaki Mito looked at her husband with concern, “You must restrain your chakra use given your injuries, or else...”
“No.”
Hashirama responded sternly, disregarding his own body. “You leave now. Though I’m somewhat relieved Madara is alive, this time I must kill him here and now!”
“You mean you still think you can kill me again?”
Madara’s voice echoed ominously; upon noticing Mito, a sinister malice flickered across his face.
“Madara!”
A resolute expression crossed Hashirama’s face.
“Even if you escaped death...”
“You still want to destroy our village!”
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Hashirama clapped his hands again; massive vines erupted like giant trees from the empty spaces around, growing endlessly!
No matter what...
He could not let Madara leave again!
Even if it meant risking his life now to keep Madara here, because he feared Madara’s return to destroy Konoha once more!
“Then I’ll just wait and see...”
Madara pricked his finger and drew some blood, his palm slowly forming hand seals; his voice took on a laid-back tone.
This situation...
Carried a strange, unsettling aura.
“Hm?”
Hashirama furrowed his brow, pondering possibilities.
He sensed both he and Madara were near exhaustion; Madara’s ocular power no longer strengthened his Susanoo’s armor. Hashirama’s recovery was better—what other methods could Madara have?
Also...
Konoha’s shinobi were arriving continuously...
Though Hashirama wished they would stay away, he knew even a small, unnoticed aid could turn the tide in this Warring States era of shinobi combat...
Like his brother Tobirama...
Hashirama didn’t need their help but could not fathom how Madara might turn the tide, hence his suspicion.
“Hashirama.”
“In our battle...”
“Even the slightest mistake can be fatal...”
“Even the smallest unnoticed aid can take an enemy’s life...”
A sly smile curled Madara’s lips as he finished his hand seals, sneering coldly at Uzumaki Mito standing close behind Hashirama.
“What if the most ferocious ally in this world were involved?”
“...”
Both Hashirama and Mito’s hearts tightened simultaneously!
No good!
They already suspected something!
“But...”
“I have no interest in repeating this fight.”
Madara stood within Susanoo, showing Uemura Shigen a grim smile that he deemed friendly: “I’ve gained much today, and many questions may find answers. If I have the chance, I shall visit again...”
“Madara!”
Hashirama watched uneasily as Madara’s hands completed the seals, then came down hard: “You intend to summon...”
“Ninjutsu: Summoning Jutsu!”
Madara’s voice and gaze turned icy!
He struck his Susanoo hard, and a vast surge of smoky energy swept forth!
The force was so immense!
Many of the Konoha shinobi on the way were blown off their feet!
Konoha’s entire architecture was shrouded in the smoke carried by this surge!
“Dance freely here...”
“Nine-Tails!”
Madara’s fierce voice echoed through the smoke!
His figure vanished behind the haze, leaving only a monstrous being with nine tails—the most ferocious tailed beast in the world!
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