"How long has it been since we last fought?" Uchiha Madara suddenly asked.
The moment those words left his lips, Ryosuke knew—there would be no persuading him today. Just as he expected, Madara had chosen to stand with Hashirama.
Even if Madara secretly agreed with his vision, today they were enemies.
"A long time. Since the Senju and Uchiha allied, we haven't crossed blades in a true life-or-death battle," Ryosuke replied coolly.
"Yes. A long time. I never thought that after becoming comrades, I'd still have to fight you again," Madara said, his tone faint.
"And if you fight me, do you really think you can win?" Ryosuke smirked.
The words stung. No matter how many times they had clashed, Madara had never truly beaten Ryosuke. Even when he and Izuna fought together, Ryosuke had still slipped away unscathed.
"If not for that bizarre kekkei genkai, do you think you'd be so strong?" Madara snapped.
They thought it was bloodline power, but it was not. It was the Azure Dragon Devil Fruit, fused with Kaido's immortality.
"Even without it, you'd still never defeat me," Ryosuke said flatly.
"Don't underestimate me!" Madara growled, pride bristling at being looked down on.
"I heard you've been secretly training, just to keep from falling too far behind me and Hashirama," Ryosuke added suddenly.
It was true. Being constantly beaten by Hashirama, mocked by Ryosuke—Madara's pride would never allow it. He had pushed himself in secret, determined to prove himself.
"Show me the results of that training," Ryosuke said.
"Then come!" Madara roared, his chakra exploding outward, scattering rocks with its force.
"You bastard!" Ryosuke blurred forward, appearing behind him in an instant. His whip-like kick slammed into Madara's back, sending him crashing forward with a grunt.
One of the Three Gods of Konoha, the proud Uchiha Madara, looked battered in front of the gathered shinobi.
"Curse you!" Madara staggered up, fury twisting his face as he charged again.
But before he reached him, another figure stepped between them.
Ryosuke's heart sank. So… Hashirama finally decided to act?
For the first time in ages, a reluctance stirred within him. This was his closest friend, the companion he had grown up with. Savage as he was, he was not without feeling.
"Hashirama!"
"Susanoo!"
Madara's snarl cut across the moment. He did not falter when Hashirama appeared. Instead, his chakra erupted, and a massive blue warrior enveloped him. Its skeletal fist swung down in a colossal strike at Ryosuke.
Ryosuke did not dodge. He clenched his own fist and met the blow head-on.
BOOM!
The shockwave blasted every shinobi in the vicinity off their feet. Within a kilometer, only Hashirama remained standing.
Madara's Susanoo staggered back several steps, its giant frame rattling from the impact. He stared at Ryosuke in disbelief. That punch had forced even Susanoo to retreat?
They were both gods of Konoha. Why could he not withstand him?
Ryosuke strode forward, smiling faintly. "Madara, didn't Hashirama tell you? Even he cannot suppress me now. Do you think you can?"
The words struck deeper than any fist. Madara's face darkened, his glare seething. "You're saying I'm weaker than Hashirama—and weaker than you?"
Ryosuke ignored the venom, turning instead to Hashirama. "Hashirama, do you truly mean to oppose me?"
"Ryosuke…"
Hashirama's voice was heavy. Even the war of attrition had failed. Ryosuke still looked as though he hadn't expended any strength at all.
Only he and Madara together could threaten him now.
So Hashirama finally stepped forward, ready to fight side by side with Madara against their old friend—the undying monster of the shinobi world.