"What... is going on?"
Sōgen furrowed his brows, watching Uchiha Obito charge toward him. Instantly, he raised his caution to the highest level. He wasn't sure what Obito was planning. Was he rushing back after suffering a loss, eager to make a coback? Was he preparing to reveal so hidden trump card?
However, sothing seed off.
The six-pointed windmill pattern in Sōgen's eyes spun, not because he was using a visual jutsu. He didn't think Obito would be foolish enough to fall for the sa trick twice. He was rely observing, pushing the insight of his Mangekyō Sharingan to the limit, trying to figure out what exactly was going on with Obito.
After the exhaustion of his visual power, Sōgen thought Obito would retreat for now...
Yet, instead of fleeing, Obito charged straight at him.
For a mont, Sōgen felt like a tiger facing a porcupine—unsure where to strike. He was certain Obito had sothing hidden up his sleeve. Otherwise, there was no way he would charge like this. Watching as Obito got closer, Sōgen's heightened vision caught sothing strange.
"······"
Sōgen was montarily speechless.
What he saw left him at a loss for words.
Within his vision, Obito's chakra was in complete disarray, especially in his brain. His ntal energy, typically well-ordered, was swirling chaotically, like a hurricane out of control. Honestly, in this state, Obito should be collapsing and needing ergency care, not running and jumping around.
"The extre power of Yang Release?"
Sōgen could only attribute Obito's abnormal vitality and movent to the incredible life force residing in his left side.
Obito's left side was the most stable part of his body, constantly releasing an imnse flow of physical energy that kept his chakra in check while also restoring his Mangekyō Sharingan. The nearly exhausted visual power was once again being replenished.
"Yang Release!!"
Sōgen's eyes burned with desire.
Looking at Obito was like staring at a clear and visible goal. This was only a partial version of the Sage of Six Paths' body. If it were the complete version...
But this was no ti for admiration.
As Obito swiftly approached, Sōgen deactivated his Susanoo, leapt onto a tree branch with his Sahada sword, and calmly waited for Obito to draw near.
For small, agile opponents, a giant body could sotis be a burden.
Especially against soone like Obito, who could use space-ti techniques like Kamui. No matter how fierce and powerful Susanoo was, its attacks were aningless if they couldn't touch the enemy. Instead of wasting his visual power, Sōgen opted for a more flexible combat style.
Then—
"Uchiha Sōgen!!!"
Obito's furious roar was filled with rage.
"This ti, I, Uchiha Madara, will kill you!"
Sōgen had grown tired of hearing threats like that. From the number of people who'd sworn to kill him, there could be a line stretching from the Hokage Tower to the village gates. What intrigued him was Obito's claim to be Uchiha Madara. Sure, Obito had been trying to pose as Madara before...
But now, it felt different!
Before, it seed like he was just saying it. Now it seed like Obito genuinely believed he was Madara.
"A disguise? Or has he truly gone mad?"
The odds of it being a disguise seed slim.
The sheer chaos in Obito's chakra wasn't sothing that could be faked. But had he truly lost his mind?
Obito didn't give Sōgen much ti to think. Whether out of instinct or lingering wisdom, Obito didn't charge headlong. Instead, he ford hand signs while running, unleashing a jutsu.
**Earth Release: Earth Core Movent!**
This Earth Release technique could raise or lower the terrain. Obito chose to elevate the ground beneath Sōgen, creating a rectangular stone platform that thrust into the sky, taking Sōgen and the surrounding trees with it.
Then ca a barrage of attacks.
Massive kunai and shuriken, seemingly ant for giants, were hurled from a distorted space, aid at Sōgen.
"Trying to block my vision?"
Sōgen glanced at the incoming weapons. His vision was indeed obstructed. The Sharingan couldn't see through solid objects like the Byakugan could. Blocking the Sharingan's sight could be done by distance or physical barriers.
The Sharingan's genjutsu required direct sight to work.
Without seeing the target, there was no way to cast an illusion.
"Since you won't back down, let's continue our second round!"
Sōgen smiled and ford hand signs, ending with the **Dragon** sign.
**Wind Release: Pressure Damage!**
This was a B-rank Wind Release technique, considered a high-level ninjutsu. It was a pure, offensive wind-style jutsu, one of the most destructive among Wind Release techniques.
Sōgen inhaled deeply, his chest expanding, and then exhaled a high-speed, semi-transparent wind orb that seed to contain a tornado within, speeding toward the incoming giant kunai and shuriken.
The orb collided with the weapons, instantly releasing a vortex of destructive wind, shredding the massive weapons into fragnts. The violent windstorm whipped the steel shards into a deadly whirlwind.
Anyone caught in the storm would be ground to dust.
Yet, exceptions always exist.
For instance, Obito passed through the storm unhard, his mastery of Kamui almost instinctive by now. Even in his confused state, he used Kamui to phase through the whirlwind and climbed up the now-shattered stone platform.
All of this seed like a distraction.
It was rely to ensure he could get close to Sōgen without falling into a genjutsu.
Though, in Sōgen's opinion, there was no need for all the theatrics. He could've just used Kamui to warp over. Obito's current state was definitely not right, his instincts and muddled mind clashing, creating this odd version of himself.
"Perhaps an opportunity?"
Sōgen flexed his wrist, and Sahada responded by raising its spikes.
Like a phantom, Obito appeared behind Sōgen.
*Clang!*
The descending Uchiha fan was blocked by Sahada.
"Sahada!"
Sōgen twisted his wrist, and Sahada extended like a snake, wrapping around Obito's fan and lunging at his left arm. Sahada sensed the delicious chakra in Obito's body, but when it bit down, it only caught air—Obito had phased again.
Obito vanished just as suddenly as he appeared, yet no relentless barrage followed. His use of Kamui seed more sporadic and less threatening than before.
"Maybe he's lost his sharpness."
While Obito wasn't as dangerous as before, Sōgen still didn't have an answer for the vexing space-ti jutsu. With Obito avoiding eye contact to prevent another genjutsu trap, Sōgen's options were limited. His regular attacks and ninjutsu couldn't break through Kamui's defenses.
Holding Sahada in his right hand, Sōgen reached toward his left eye.
"Should I use it now?"
He pondered silently.
To this day, Sōgen had used **Konoha Sakuya** three tis, but had never revealed his other eye's ability in combat. Unlike Konoha Sakuya, which could be fueled by ongoing battles, the other eye's technique was a massive drain on his power.
His left eye's six-pointed windmill pattern spun as his vast visual power built up.
When decisive action was needed, you had to take the chance, even if success wasn't guaranteed. Just as he was about to act, sothing unexpected happened.
When Sōgen deflected Obito's fan again, Obito didn't phase out this ti. Blood dripped from under Obito's mask. Sōgen hesitated, then quickly pieced it together—Obito's visual power had been drained significantly during their earlier battle. Despite the Sage's body healing him, it hadn't been enough to replenish his lost strength.
With his frequent use of Kamui, Obito had depleted himself further.
He couldn't retreat to his alternate dinsion anymore.
"Now's my chance!"
Sōgen sprang into action with a Body Flicker technique, closing the gap. Sahada coiled around Obito's fan, and Sōgen drew his long blade. The edge glowed with deadly, high-speed wind chakra, sharp enough to slice through steel like butter.
This strike would cleave through anything.
His crimson eyes flared as he swung the blade toward Obito's neck.
"Wood Release: Thorns of Death!"
Thorn-like vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around Obito like serpents. It was a Wood Release technique ant to bind and crush its target.
Yet now, it served as a shield.
The wood, harder than steel, blocked Sōgen's blade. Splinters flew, but Obito remained unhard. Well, mostly unhard—his right hand, still clutching the fan, hadn't been covered by the wood and was severed by Sōgen's strike.
"I'm not letting you go without a parting gift."
Sōgen gritted his teeth.
His blade spun, abandoning its attempt to slice through the stubborn wood. In a sharp, downward motion, the wind blade severed Uchiha Obito's right wrist. Blood spurted out like a fountain, and both the severed hand and the fla fan tumbled to the ground.
Imdiately after, the blade rotated again. Sōgen aid to thrust the sword into the open wound, planning to give Uchiha Obito a brutal finishing blow.
But just then—
The ground beneath him began to tremble. A massive wooden figure suddenly appeared beside the rocky platform. Its colossal fist hurtled down toward Sōgen with earth-shattering force. Sōgen's eyes darted around, but he couldn't spot the caster—whether it was White Zetsu or Black Zetsu, neither seed keen on showing themselves.
"Susano'o!"
The scarlet in Sōgen's eyes deepened.
In an instant, his deep crimson Susano'o advanced to its fourth stage. A massive, deep-red hand shot up to et the wooden figure's descending fist. However, it was a hasty reaction. Susano'o was struck and staggered back, tumbling off the platform.
"He got away again!"
Sōgen clicked his tongue in frustration.
But when he saw the fla fan being carried over by Sahada, a smirk finally crept across his face. At least he hadn't co away empty-handed!
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