c18 — Test
After speaking, Uchiha Madara grasped the air with one hand, causing a swirl of tadpole-shaped chakra seals similar to those used in [Summoning Techniques] to float and pulse around him.
With a burst of white smoke, a massive Kama-like war scythe, resembling the ones carried by the Reaper in the [Reaper Death Seal] technique, appeared in Madara's grip. He pointed it at Gion with a solemn gaze.
"I will not hold back. Show the true killing intent you would face an enemy with.
Otherwise..." his voice lowered, chilling to the bone, "you may die here by my hand."
The moment the words left his lips, Madara's figure flickered.
Utilizing the high-speed movement akin to the [Body Flicker Technique], he appeared behind Gion, scythe already swinging downward.
Feeling the cold gust behind her, Gion broke into a cold sweat, tightly gripping the hilt of her blade.
'Killing intent! Real killing intent! He really means to kill me!!'
'MOVE! MOVE, DAMN IT!!'
Clang!
The blade and scythe collided with a crisp sound.
The tip of Madara's massive scythe halted just a hairbreadth from Gion's forehead, the chill of the steel biting into her skin, sharp enough to send jolts of pain through her nerves.
Before Gion could even utter a sound, Madara coldly kicked her away, then instantly closed the distance once more.
It was the same motion appearing behind her in a flash and slicing downward.
But this time, the Gion he struck burst into a puff of smoke, leaving behind only a chunk of broken wood.
Madara's lips curled ever so slightly.
"Good substitution jutsu speed."
His ears twitched instinctively.
He sensed movement behind him and in one fluid motion, swung his scythe backwards.
A roaring [Great Fireball Technique] similar to the ones Sasuke and Itachi had used came hurtling towards him.
With one clean slash, Madara bisected the fireball mid-air.
Holding the scythe upright before him with one hand, he watched as the shattered flames dissipated and through them, Gion's slender figure rushed forward.
'Uchiha Style: Ken Yanyue!'
(The Sword Flame Moon Cut.)
A golden blaze wreathed Gion's blade, slicing directly toward the handle of Madara's scythe, targeting the very spot his hand gripped.
The sudden flare forced Madara to tilt his head slightly to avoid the flash of fire.
In that instant, Gion vanished from sight again.
'Shave...?'
In the next moment, four Gions appeared, encircling Madara, each wielding a flame-coated sword.
It was a combination of the [Soru] technique from the Rokushiki, fused with high-speed body flicker methods.
Madara spun his scythe in a grand arc, releasing a shockwave of wind that blew all four Gions back.
Then, without turning, he snatched the real Gion from behind by the wrist.
'Interesting... not enough pure speed. That fifth Gion was a combined clone technique layered with transformation and substitution.'
He slammed Gion toward the ground the stone beneath her cracking into spiderweb fractures.
Yet in his grasp, she suddenly lost substance.
'A false clone! Smart.'
Before he could refocus, Gion's attack had already begun.
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Bomb!!"
From above, Madara's sickle-formed Dragon Flame Bomb technique exploded into a twin blast, a deviation from the usual concentrated stream described in the [Naruto] manga.
The flames detonated mid-air with intense force, and Madara was forced to retreat in a fluid backward leap.
Even as he moved, Gion taking advantage of his momentary vulnerability rushed in like a young hunting leopard.
'Peach.'
The white sword light shimmered with a faint pink hue, trailing soft, warm arcs through the air.
In a flash, the blade was already at Madara's chest.
His sickle was still within the Dragon Flame Bomb's blast radius.
With no time to block using his weapon, Madara had no choice he swiftly concentrated chakra into his palm and caught the blade bare-handed, the force cracking the air around them.
"That's it. Well done."
Madara's mouth curved ever so slightly upwards, a gesture that to others might still have appeared emotionless but to Gion, who had lived alongside him for over a month, it was unmistakably... a smile.
For a moment, Gion simply stared, stunned.
Then, under Madara's uncomprehending gaze, tears welled up in her eyes.
She threw herself into Madara's chest, sobbing loudly and unrestrained.
Madara froze stiffly, completely unsure how to handle the sudden flood of emotion.
After a long moment, awkwardly, he lifted his hand and patted Gion's head with a kind of mechanical gentleness.
After a long time...
"Wuuuuh... you scared me to death!" Gion hiccupped between sobs.
"I, I thought you were seriously going to kill me!"
She sniffled and pulled back slightly, pointing at the red mark left by the near-hit on her forehead, crying indignantly:
"Look! Look! It almost ruined my looks! You idiot master, I hate you!"
Then, ignoring Madara's reaction entirely, she buried herself back in his chest, hiccupping miserably.
Madara, still stiff and awkward, continued to pat her head lightly, his voice trying for gentleness.
"It's over now. I told you it was just a test."
The slightly softer tone made Gion pause, stunned.
She looked up at the face of the infamously stoic Uchiha Madara.
There was definitely a smile there.
It was subtle barely twitching at the corners of his mouth but it was there.
And Gion, after living alongside Madara for weeks and memorizing his every tiny shift in mood, caught it keenly.
'So... he can smile.
But it's such an awkward smile...'
Her heart, which had been choked with fear and tears just moments ago, suddenly turned warm and fuzzy.
The strange, scrutinizing look she gave Madara made him uncomfortable he shifted slightly, unsure why she was staring at him so oddly.
"Master..." Gion said mischievously, still sniffling slightly, "You scared me like that. You have to compensate me!"
Madara blinked once, slow and confused.
But seeing her eyes still slightly red and her nose still twitching, he sighed inwardly and nodded.
"...Fine."
Gion's eyes sparkled slyly.
"Then you have to smile properly for me! I didn't see it clearly just now!"
Madara: ?
'...Did I really smile just now?'
Madara thought silently to himself, then got up and pulled Gion out of his arms. He said flatly:
"Since you're unharmed, stand up. Stop indulging in useless emotions."
However, after speaking, he noticed Gion was still looking up at him with bright, expectant eyes an expression oddly similar to Naruto's stubbornness when begging Jiraiya for training.
Madara felt his cheeks grow faintly warm, and he quickly turned around, hiding the slight redness.
"Hurry home. Take a shower. I will resume training shortly."
Gion noticed the slight awkwardness in Uchiha Madara's turned back, and her sharp instincts like Nami bargaining for treasure kicked in immediately.
Her large, sly eyes narrowed mischievously, like a little fox.
"Hee hee hee. Master's feeling shy, isn't he? Don't be shy! Just give a real smile! Come on just a little one!"
As she teased him, Gion suddenly noticed her feet lifting off the ground.
Looking up in confusion, she found Madara looming over her with an increasingly dark expression.
"Cough... cough cough I'm so heartbroken, Master~~~~" Gion wailed dramatically, clutching her chest.
The sheer absurdity of the scene sent an uncomfortable shiver through Madara's spine.
Without hesitation, he tossed Gion aside unceremoniously much like how Sasuke flung Naruto away during their childhood scuffles and strode off toward the house.
Gion, undeterred, quickly caught up, trailing after him.
They walked one after the other in silence, the atmosphere oddly heavy.
Madara, deep in thought, suddenly spoke.
"You seem very desperate for compensation."
At his words, Gion's face lit up instantly. She nodded so rapidly that her head blurred like Luffy shaking in excitement.
"Mmmmmm!"
Madara gave a curt nod.
"As compensation... I'll cook dinner tonight."
Gion: ?
'Did I hear that right? Did he just say he'll cook?'
Still stunned by the absurdity, Gion chose not to question it and simply walked alongside him.
After that, she said nothing more about compensation.
At home, Madara noticed that Gion wasn't pestering him further about the matter and secretly sighed in relief.
But just as he relaxed, a thought struck him like a thunderbolt.
His body stiffened.
He turned to Gion, his tone serious.
"In the Navy... what happens if a vice admiral dies?"
Gion, sitting at the table with one hand propping up her chin like a lazy cat, answered casually:
"That would be a bit of a problem.
Vice admirals are key military strength for the World Government. Losing one would definitely shake the Navy's command structure."
Madara sat down, holding an apple in one hand.
Without looking up, he began to peel it cleanly thin, continuous spirals of peel falling, just like how Itachi once peeled an apple for Sasuke.
As he worked, he said something astonishing:
"Then... what if the vice admiral is Monkey D. Garp?"
Gion instantly straightened up in shock.
"Vice Admiral Garp!? "
She almost fell off her chair.
"Lieutenant General Garp is a legend!
Even though he holds the rank of vice admiral, his influence and strength are equivalent to or even surpass that of an admiral!
If something were to happen to Garp, the entire Navy Headquarters would be thrown into chaos!"
Madara slowly exhaled.
"...What's your opinion of Garp as a person? Easy to deal with?"
Gion gave him a puzzled glance, confused at the sudden shift in conversation.
"I think he's pretty kind?
He's a little rough around the edges... but he's generally reasonable.
Most of the time, he'll accommodate others' wishes if he sees sincerity."
Madara nodded slightly, absorbing her words.
Then, dropping another bombshell with an expressionless face, he said:
"In that case, I'll go... ask him for help."
Gion: !!!
She stared at Madara in complete disbelief.
'Wait... what!?
Is this the same Madara? Did he hit his head today?
First he smiled, and now he's talking about asking for help??!'
"Master... are you serious?"
Madara closed his eyes briefly, then stood up slowly, as if reaching some major internal decision.
"Of course.
It's just a minor issue.
I'll go bother Garp...
...and send someone annoying straight to hell."
Gion: ?
She blinked, stunned.
'Master... what exactly are you planning?!'
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