Naruto: Zanka No Tachi

Upon hearing the name "Madara Uchiha," an expression of disbelief washed over Orochimaru's face.

Considering Madara Uchiha's age, even if he hadn't perished at the hands of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, at the Valley of the End, he should have died of natural causes by now.

However, as a leading biologist in the ninja world, and having encountered individuals such as Kakuzu and Sasori, who defied the natural lifespan of humans, Orochimaru quickly regained his composure. In this world, nothing was truly impossible.

"So it is the legendary strongest of the Uchiha clan. However, it is doubtful that this is still your era. Possessing the Rinnegan myself, I am confident that you will not be able to defeat me!"

Orochimaru let out a cold chuckle, bringing his hands together before his chest. A multitude of white venomous snakes emerged from within his clothing, slithering forth to attack Madara Uchiha, who was slowly advancing towards him.

Upon witnessing Orochimaru's offensive maneuver, Madara Uchiha's movements accelerated dramatically. In an instant, he had closed the distance, appearing at Orochimaru's side.

"Impossible… such speed!"

A jolt of surprise ran through Orochimaru; Madara's Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique) far exceeded his expectations, leaving him completely unprepared for such a rapid advance.

As Orochimaru met Madara's gaze, filled with an air of utter disdain, the next moment he found himself violently hurled through the air.

After tumbling across a distance of several tens of meters, he finally came to a rest embedded within the stone brickwork of the fortress wall, leaving behind a sizable, human-shaped crater.

While it is true that ninjas who have honed their taijutsu skills to a certain level are capable of utilizing the Shunshin no Jutsu, the speed at which this technique can be executed varies significantly between individual ninjas.

Without a shadow of a doubt, Madara Uchiha's mastery of the Shunshin no Jutsu was unequivocally among the most exceptional in the entire ninja world.

During his previous encounter with Itachi within the Uchiha clan's Naka Shrine, Madara Uchiha had deliberately exercised restraint in his taijutsu combat, primarily driven by a desire to thoroughly assess Itachi's capabilities.

However, in his confrontation with Orochimaru, Madara displayed no such reservations, unleashing his full potential.

"Your body appears to have undergone significant modifications, granting you a considerable degree of resistance to purely physical impact.

Let us observe just how long you can withstand my assault."

Madara stated calmly, observing Orochimaru, who appeared to have sustained only minor injuries from the impact.

Before the echo of Madara's words had faded, he vanished from his position, reappearing instantaneously before Orochimaru, swiftly extracting him from his embedded position within the fortress wall.

Orochimaru immediately launched a counterattack, seamlessly blending taijutsu with his signature snake-based ninjutsu techniques, engaging Madara Uchiha in close-quarters combat.

However, to Orochimaru's dismay, he proved to be utterly outmatched in the realm of taijutsu.

Despite the outward appearance of a closely contested exchange, the reality was that Orochimaru was being subjected to a relentless and one-sided pummeling.

With a resounding "bang," Orochimaru was once again violently hurled through the air by Madara Uchiha's devastating assault.

Due to the sheer force of Madara's strike, the disguise Orochimaru had meticulously crafted around his body was completely shattered, revealing his true form.

Orochimaru's complexion had become alarmingly pale, almost translucent, and his hair had turned entirely white, creating a most uncanny and unsettling appearance.

Upon witnessing Orochimaru's altered state, Madara Uchiha furrowed his brow.

"This appears to be the manifestation of some unique kekkei genkai disease. However, the modifications you have implemented upon your body are indeed remarkably impressive, enabling you to endure my attacks for such an extended duration."

The relentless enhancement of Orochimaru's Ice Release kekkei genkai had resulted in the manifestation of symptoms consistent with a kekkei genkai disease, causing noticeable alterations in his skin and hair pigmentation, while simultaneously leading to a progressive decline in his overall health.

Wiping away the blood that trickled from the corner of his mouth, Orochimaru unveiled his signature, chilling smile, "Indeed, Uchiha Madara, your mastery of taijutsu is beyond reproach, and I readily concede my inferiority in this domain.

However, the true strength of a ninja lies not in their physical prowess, but in their mastery of ninjutsu!"

Although Orochimaru's current visage was that of a strikingly beautiful young woman, his inherent aura remained immutable. His smile, even in this altered form, continued to instill a palpable sense of unease and apprehension in those who beheld it.

"Ice Style: Frozen Capturing Field!"

With swift and precise hand seals, Orochimaru brought his right hand down onto the ground, instantly causing the earth surrounding him to rapidly freeze solid. From within the newly formed ice, a multitude of razor-sharp ice spikes erupted.

Within the span of a single breath, the expanse of frozen earth and the formidable array of ice spikes had extended to a point directly before Madara Uchiha.

Madara Uchiha responded with a cold sneer, bringing his hands together in a swift and seamless motion to execute a Katon (Fire Release) ninjutsu technique.

"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"

A colossal torrent of flames erupted from Madara Uchiha's mouth, engulfing a broad swathe of the surrounding area in a sea of intense fire.

Although Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame is classified as a mere B-rank ninjutsu technique, in Madara Uchiha's hands, it unleashed a power that far surpassed that of an S-rank technique.

"What?!"

A look of profound astonishment briefly flickered across Orochimaru's eyes. Such a formidable display of fire style ninjutsu was comparable only to that which he had previously witnessed from Yusuke.

While the temperature of the flames might have been somewhat inferior to Yusuke's, the sheer overwhelming power and destructive force were virtually indistinguishable.

At that very moment, a serpentine form, a white snake, emerged from Orochimaru's sleeve, swiftly coiling around Orochimaru's shoulder before rising erect.

This white snake, remarkably, possessed a Rinnegan of its own, clearly indicating a mysterious and profound connection between the snake and Orochimaru.

Opening its maw, which was adorned with a formidable array of razor-sharp fangs, the white snake unleashed a torrential blast of intensely frigid mist, miraculously managing to counter and nullify the devastating onslaught of Madara Uchiha's Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame.

A flicker of surprise registered in Madara Uchiha's eyes; he had not anticipated that Orochimaru would possess the means to withstand his formidable ninjutsu technique.

A subtle smirk played upon Madara Uchiha's lips as his anticipation for the ensuing battle intensified.

For a warrior as devoted to combat as himself, the prospect of engaging a truly formidable opponent held immeasurable value.

"Shall we dance?" Madara Uchiha boomed out with a hearty laugh.

Immediately following his declaration, Madara Uchiha abruptly ceased his execution of the fire style technique, and a layer of azure-hued skeletal structure materialized instantaneously around his body.

Swiftly, this skeletal framework underwent a remarkable transformation, extending outward to form muscles and armor, culminating in the manifestation of a colossal, blue-hued warrior—Madara Uchiha's Susanoo.

However, unlike the Susanoo manifested by other users of this formidable technique, Madara Uchiha's Susanoo possessed a striking and unprecedented configuration: three heads and six arms.

"Orochimaru, while your taijutsu skills leave much to be desired, your ninjutsu capabilities are undeniably noteworthy!

However, the intensity of our upcoming engagement will undoubtedly prove to be far more challenging,"

Madara Uchiha declared, adopting the tone of an elder assessing the abilities of a junior.

Despite Madara Uchiha's youthful appearance, he was indeed Orochimaru's senior in terms of age and experience.

Orochimaru, experiencing the unprecedented sensation of having his taijutsu skills deemed inadequate, responded with a sinister chuckle, immediately initiating the execution of the Yamata no Orochi technique.

The white snake, which had just unleashed a torrent of intensely frigid mist, underwent a transformation, assuming the form of a colossal, snow-white Yamata no Orochi.

The immense Yamata no Orochi, whose physical stature rivaled that of the Susanoo, positioned itself before the Susanoo, its imposing presence and aura proving to be in no way inferior.

"Uchiha Madara, you are not guaranteed victory. And you, who were once ostracized from Konoha, surely yearn for vengeance. We could cooperate," Orochimaru stated with a sly smile.

Madara Uchiha responded with a cold sneer, "Cooperate? Based on the capabilities you have thus far demonstrated, you are hardly worthy of such an alliance!

However, were you to relinquish the Rinnegan, I might consider granting you the privilege of serving under my command."

Upon hearing Madara Uchiha's words, Orochimaru recognized that a peaceful resolution was no longer attainable, and he immediately initiated an all-out assault, directing the Yamata no Orochi, radiating an aura of intense cold, towards the opposing Susanoo.

"Your mastery of ice is indeed formidable; I have never encountered a ninja capable of developing the Ice Style kekkei genkai to such a remarkable extent.

However, before the might of the once-revered God of Shinobi, your kekkei genkai will prove to be utterly inconsequential,"

Madara Uchiha declared, forming hand seals with both hands, while simultaneously directing his Susanoo to execute the same hand seals with its three pairs of hands.

"Mokuton Hijutsu: Jukai Koutan!"

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