Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou-Chapter 226: Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou []

Outside the vast and towering forest, the passing ninjas seemed completely unaware of anything unusual. Even the most sensitive of beasts had failed to notice anything amiss as if it were just another ordinary day. However, deep within the forest, a massive barrier enveloped the area.

On the outside, nothing appeared to be happening, but within the barrier, an earth-shaking battle was raging.

The Susanoo within the barrier had already dissipated after a grueling fight, leaving behind three figures clashing repeatedly in the forest.

Genjutsu: Bringer-of-Darkness Technique!

In an instant, everything within Uchiha Madara's vision was engulfed in darkness, making him even more frustrated.

"Are you a Uchiha or a Senju?!"

Through their intense battle, Shirou's exceptional abilities had already exceeded Madara's expectations, thrilling him to no end—especially when he saw another pair of Mangekyō Sharingan. However, as the fight continued after Susanoo's disappearance, Madara grew increasingly irritated.

"Why does everything feel so familiar? Isn't this just like the Senju's old tricks against the Uchiha? Water Release, Bringer-of-Darkness Technique... After all these years, I'm feeling this same frustration again."

"This Uchiha Shirou learned so many anti-Sharingan techniques from the Senju!"

Madara was speechless for a moment. But then, as he thought about it, he couldn't help but smirk. Back in the day, the Senju had developed methods to counter the Uchiha, and now the Uchiha themselves had mastered those same methods. The frustration in his heart was replaced by a surge of exhilaration.

There was no need to explain the relationship between Hashirama's granddaughter and Uchiha Shirou. The battle was revealing far too much information.

"A perfect opportunity!"

Sage Art: Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson!

In an instant, countless fiery blossoms attacked from all directions. Although Madara couldn't see, his hearing remained intact. While successfully evading the attack, he also forcefully broke the genjutsu.

"Shirou, be careful! The genjutsu has been broken!"

"Uchiha! This is a genjutsu meant for the Sharingan. Did you think the Uchiha would have no way to counter it?!"

As the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique was dispelled, Madara wielded a ninja blade and stabbed it directly into Shirou's abdomen, his expression stern.

"There's great terror between life and death! I will make you understand that the Mangekyō is merely the beginning!"

"Something's not right!"

Although the sensation felt entirely real, Madara's extensive battle experience and instincts kicked in. His expression changed drastically as he hastily sidestepped, only for a cold glint to flash by.

Squelch!

Blood splattered into the air, and an arm fell to the ground.

"Impossible!"

Madara frowned deeply and retreated quickly. The figure he had stabbed began to fade, replaced by Shirou standing to the side, wielding the Kusanagi sword.

"What a shame."

Breathing heavily, Shirou shook his head with a hint of regret, though his Mangekyō Sharingan, reflected pure excitement.

This exhilarating battle was making his blood boil. Fighting against Madara, with his vast combat experience, had taught him so much.

"It's not a genjutsu!"

Madara, ever sharp in battle, frowned instantly as he recalled several similar situations earlier in their fight.

"Is this some kind of Mangekyō Sharingan ability that manipulates the five senses?"

At that moment, Madara seemed to have pieced it together, his expression turning grim. It was the first time he had encountered such a bizarre ocular technique.

Across from him, Shirou smiled.

"You really can't be fooled, can you? I call this ability Kyōka Suigetsu. Anyone who looks into my eyes can't escape its effects."

Madara burst into laughter at the arrogance of the statement.

"Hahaha, good! You are even more arrogant than I, Uchiha Madara! Naming your ocular technique, are you?!"

The Mangekyō Sharingan's techniques were traditionally named after gods, but Shirou had chosen to name his own. Was he not claiming to be above even the gods?

Such arrogance made Madara both furious and exhilarated.

"Is that so? A technique that manipulates and confuses the five senses... Then how about this girl?!"

Squelch!

Blood sprayed as the one-armed Madara suddenly appeared behind Mikoto, stabbing her through the back with a kunai.

Mikoto spat out blood, her Mangekyō Sharingan contracting, while Madara skillfully avoided hitting any vital spots.

"You two are indeed strong, but when it comes to mastering the Sharingan, I am leagues ahead of you!"

Madara's raspy voice carried a condescending tone, as if he were teaching his juniors a lesson. However, in the next moment, his pupils contracted in shock.

"You—!"

Sage Art: Lightning Release: Chidori!

A flash of lightning struck, and Madara's expression shifted to one of rage and disbelief. He was enraged that Shirou was willing to risk Mikoto's life, aiming to pierce both of them at once.

Madara seethed with fury.

"A true Uchiha controls their power—they are not controlled by it!"

"Uchiha Shirou!"

"Mikoto!"

Both shouted simultaneously. As the lightning flashed before them, a massive, thick blue Susanoo emerged. Yet even this mighty defense was pierced by the ultimate S-rank Lightning Chidori.

Drip, drip...

Blood dripped onto the ground as Madara clutched his abdomen, coughing up blood, his face full of shock.

"Impossible!"

Madara wasn't shocked by his wound but by the fact that Mikoto was completely unharmed and standing off to the side.

"Izanagi! And her eyes are still intact... I see now. So that's the ability of your Mangekyō Sharingan!"

At that moment, Madara finally understood. It all made sense now—why Shirou had been so bold and why Mikoto had been burning through chakra so quickly earlier.

Izanagi, one of the Uchiha clan's ultimate techniques, wasn't invincible. It required activation beforehand, allowing the user to turn any unfavorable situation into an illusion for one minute.

However, activating Izanagi required an immense amount of chakra, whether one used the three-tomoe Sharingan or the Mangekyō.

"An impressive ocular technique indeed!"

As his wounds rapidly healed, Madara couldn't help but praise them. These two descendants were becoming increasingly fascinating to him.

These ocular techniques were both powerful and mysterious.

"Mikoto, are you alright?"

Shirou stood protectively in front of Mikoto, his expression serious. Mikoto, panting heavily, nodded, though her Mangekyō Sharingan was bloodshot.

"Shirou, I can still fight!"

Shirou was also breathing heavily, secretly alarmed. He now had a clearer understanding of the gap between his strength and Madara's.

"So the Mangekyō's Izanagi won't cause blindness... but even this technique must have limitations!"

Squelch!

Blood splattered once more as Madara, with his eyes closed, appeared behind Mikoto again, stabbing her with a kunai. At the same time, Shirou appeared behind him, slashing with the Kusanagi sword.

"Flying Thunder God, huh! Such a familiar and annoying technique!"

The three clashed once again in chaotic combat. Madara, closing his eyes, was already beginning to deduce the nature of Shirou's ocular abilities. However, he was certain that Shirou was still hiding something.

At this moment, Madara was relying entirely on his instincts to battle.

The five senses may deceive, but instinct never lies!

At the same time, the disparity between the three combatants became apparent. Mikoto, whether in stamina or chakra reserves, was the weakest and had already become a burden.

Shirou, on the other hand, relied heavily on the Flying Thunder God technique and his powerful lightning-based taijutsu to attack. Although Madara's taijutsu was slightly inferior, his immense combat experience made up for this small gap.

"Izanagi... to use it three times in a row? One of these must be sealed into the eye through transcription. The second must rely on the Mangekyō Sharingan. This technique must have a cooldown... so how long is it?"

As Madara's single-handed sword pierced Mikoto for the third time, an astonishing scene unfolded before his eyes once again.

She used it a third time!

"Five minutes! The cooldown for this ocular technique is five minutes?"

In just a fleeting moment, Madara's vast combat experience had already deduced the limits of her ocular ability.

"Shirou!"

After her Mangekyō Sharingan technique was deciphered, Uchiha Mikoto's expression turned solemn. Meanwhile, Shirou stepped in to shield her, standing protectively in front of her.

"Mikoto, your technique has been exposed. I'll take the lead from here. Be careful!"

Mikoto clutched her injured shoulder, her chest heaving as she stared at their opponent in shock.

He had seen through her ocular ability!

Izanagi, the ultimate ocular technique, came with a steep cost when used with a regular three-tomoe Sharingan: blindness. However, when she awakened her Mangekyō Sharingan, the nurturing energy of Wood Release over the years reduced its cooldown to five minutes.

Similar to Uchiha Obito's Kamui, with the enhancement of Wood Release cells, she didn't have to worry about exhausting her ocular power. Kamui could be sustained for five minutes, while Mikoto's Mangekyō had a cooldown period of five minutes.

"What a truly enviable combination of techniques!"

Looking at Shirou and Mikoto, even Madara couldn't help but silently praise them.

One focused on large-scale offense, while the other provided support.

It reminded him of the time he and Izuna fought side by side, their Mangekyō Sharingan complementing each other perfectly.

Thinking of Izuna brought another face to Madara's mind—a white-haired man he detested. A surge of anger boiled within him.

Damn Tobirama Senju!

"Now you..."

A bolt of lightning flashed. As Madara saw Shirou reappear before him with a smirk, he instinctively dodged the attack. However, his pupils shrank in alarm.

"What is this..."

An all-too-familiar scene unfolded, setting off alarm bells in Madara's mind.

"Something's wrong! After the third Izanagi, this Shirou left a Flying Thunder God mark on my shoulder..."

In just an instant, Madara's face turned more serious than ever. Noticing the absence of a wound on his shoulder, he immediately realized the truth.

"Another ultimate ocular ability!"

At that moment, Madara's expression grew heavier, and his chakra surged wildly as he shouted with excitement:

"I, Uchiha Madara, acknowledge you! But today, let me teach you that every jutsu has a weakness. There is no such thing as a perfect technique! Young ones, forbidden jutsu must not be misused!"

With a resounding shout, the surroundings shattered like glass. However, in reality, only a moment had passed.

As the illusion broke, a bolt of lightning appeared before Madara. He instinctively raised his arm to block.

Slash!

Under the flash of lightning, one of his arms was severed. Yet, the opportunity to land a fatal blow on Madara was lost.

As the arm fell, Madara's figure flickered to a distant location.

Meanwhile, Mikoto groaned faintly in the distance, blood tears streaming from her eyes. Exhausted, she panted heavily as the curse mark on her face began to fade.

Having expended a massive amount of energy and continuously using her Mangekyō's forbidden techniques, she could no longer maintain her cursed sage mode.

"Mikoto!"

Shirou teleported to Mikoto using Flying Thunder God, his expression grim as he stared at Madara in the distance. He couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

This old man's almost on his deathbed, yet he's still so tenacious!

"Izanagi! Izanami! So, young lady, your Mangekyō awakened both of these forbidden techniques!"

Breathing heavily in the distance, the battered Madara raised his head. His one remaining Sharingan—still a three-tomoe—gazed at the two before him, filled with admiration.

"What a dangerous Mangekyō. If I had been even a little slower just now, your plan might have succeeded!"

Even Madara couldn't help but feel a lingering fear. Despite having surpassed his strength during the battle at the Valley of the End after awakening the Rinnegan, the situation had nearly turned against him.

If one were to categorize ocular abilities, they would rank as follows: Mangekyō Sharingan, Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Rinnegan. Madara stood two levels above them.

But for shinobi, even the strongest can fall into a moment of carelessness. A jōnin could die to a chūnin if off guard.

"Shirou, he possesses the combined powers of Madara and the First Hokage..."

Mikoto spoke between heavy breaths, highlighting the vast difference in strength between them and their opponent.

Shirou nodded solemnly, his tone serious:

"As he said, no jutsu is unbreakable—not even the Mangekyō. Mikoto, your Izanagi and Izanami, and my Kyōka Suigetsu..."

His Kyōka Suigetsu was indeed powerful, nearly invincible among those of the same level. It wasn't a mere genjutsu and was virtually impossible to dispel.

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However, Madara's strength was on an entirely different plane. He had utterly dismantled both Mikoto's techniques and Shirou's ocular ability.

"What other strategies or jutsu do you two have now?"

Madara's hoarse laughter echoed. Though he looked battered, the excitement in his eyes was unmistakable.

The surprises he had encountered today were too great! So great that he was already eager to proceed with his plans, imagining their next encounter atop the mountain.

He envisioned himself standing on that peak, looking down at those below—Tobirama, and even Hashirama!

At that thought, even with his arms gone, Madara couldn't contain his exhilaration and burst into crazed laughter.

As White Zetsu's cells spread from his body, two pale-white arms began to regenerate from his stumps.

"My chakra is still far greater than yours!"

In an instant, Madara formed hand seals, unleashing a terrifying Fire Release.

Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!

A massive fireball, as devastating as a falling meteor, hurtled toward them. Despite his aged body, Madara's chakra reserves far exceeded those of Shirou and Mikoto.

Sage Art: Water Release—Water Formation Wall!

Shirou quickly spun around, creating a circular barrier of water that deflected the incoming flames. Unlike other water-style users, Shirou needed only two hand seals to perform this advanced jutsu.

After seeing this scene, Uchiha Madara became somewhat annoyed and shouted angrily:

"You Uchiha! Isn't the Uchiha clan's ninjutsu enough for you to learn? Why are you always using the Senju clan's techniques!"

This water-style ninjutsu was all too familiar. In the entire ninja world, only that irritating white-haired guy could use it. Back then, Izuna's fire-style was completely suppressed by the white-haired guy's water-style.

"The battle has only just begun!"

"No! The battle should end now!"

As their eyes met, Uchiha Madara's pupils suddenly contracted when Shirou's figure appeared abruptly beside him. Only then did he realize that there was a Flying Thunder God mark near the Hashirama face on his chest.

"Again with this annoying ninjutsu!"

However, as Madara roared angrily, Shirou and Mikoto, who had appeared beside him, maintained a strange posture.

Especially Shirou, who curved his lips into a victorious smile.

"This is!?"

White exploding tags danced in the air. At this moment, Madara's expression drastically changed, and he shouted furiously:

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

Although that irritating white-haired guy had never used this particular ninjutsu, Madara clearly understood the nature of this technique.

This was a forbidden technique designed for mutual destruction, typically used in conjunction with Edo Tensei!