Uchiha Imperial City, at the entrance.
Guy looked at Madara, who was walking toward him.
"A gatekeeper? I'm increasingly doubting whether this person named Hiromi even exists." Madara was very disdainful.
Either this person doesn't exist and is trying to lure him into the city, or this person is cowardly and afraid of battle.
Madara was now leaning towards the latter. Whether it was Hashirama's words, the performance of the Mangekyo users, or the weakness of Guy, none of them proved the existence of this person, and only proved his cowardice.
Guy could feel Madara's underestimation of Hiromi and said, "Although I don't know why Hiromi asked me to guard the gate, I know he is not afraid of battle."
"Enough."
The black sphere behind Madara appeared and shot out, intending to kill Guy and destroy the Imperial City.
Guy dodged, while simultaneously opening the Eight Inner Gates.
Gate of Opening, Gate of Rest, Gate of Life, Gate of Pain, Gate of Limit, Gate of View, Gate of Wonder!
In an instant, seven gates burst open. Blue steam from evaporating sweat covered Guy's entire body, and the massive energy impacted everything around him.
The next moment, even more powerful energy erupted.
"Eight Inner Gates! Open!" Guy shouted.
Red steam covered Guy's entire body, dyeing his hair blood-red. His veins bulged all over as the aftermath raged wildly in the surroundings. His eyes were white as he stared directly at Madara.
"Red steam, is this the blood steam unique to opening all Eight Inner Gates?"
Madara felt the Chakra on Guy. "But it doesn't look like anything special. Heh, how pathetic."
Guy said in a low voice, "You're right, but the burning of youth is never just the withering of life. The youth I burn will become nutrients for the new green leaves. And when the green leaves sprout and spring arrives, that is the climax of youth, the moment it burns most brightly."
Guy, embodying his will, stood up just as he had when the children of the Utatane Clan and the Mitokado Clan were about to be killed. Only this time, he didn't need to have any scruples. He just needed to burn his hottest youth.
Boom!
A sonic boom sounded, and Guy's body shot out. Instantly, he arrived two meters in front of Madara.
Madara's pupils shrank.
So fast!
Guy threw a punch.
First Elephant!
The air vibrated, forming a continuous air cannon in the shape of an elephant's foot, with fierce speed and terrible power.
Madara held his staff tightly, blocking in front of him, but it was very strained. After a second of stalemate, amidst Guy's roar, he was irresistibly knocked to the ground.
Boom!!!
The ground exploded, like the shocking stomp of an elephant, creating a huge crater and causing a violent storm that swept up dust.
Dust billowed, surging in all directions. The Imperial City was instantly covered and destroyed.
Guy felt the pain in his body. No one was watching him, and no one was applauding for him.
But...
His youth was there!
"Ahhhhh!!!"
He roared out, not even caring about the "crack" sound of bones breaking in his body, throwing punch after punch.
Second Elephant!
Boom!!!
Third Elephant!
Boom!!!
Fourth Elephant!
Boom!!!
Fifth Elephant!
Boom!!!
It was like a giant elephant stomping crazily, without a moment's pause. The earth seemed about to be trampled to pieces.
The Imperial City was swept by the aftermath and no longer existed, with only ruins drifting about. But there was one palace called "Hall of Contemplation" that stood untouched in the middle.
Guy landed, panting. The continuous attack had consumed much of his will, and the blood-colored steam on his body was somewhat flickering.
"Should be dead, right?" He looked forward.
Dust drifted in the deep crater, and a two-meter-sized pitch-black sphere appeared, seemingly there and yet not. Slowly, the dust dispersed, and the cracks on it could be clearly seen. Through the gaps of the cracks, one could see Madara inside, looking somewhat disheveled.
The horn on his forehead, which looked like a forehead protector, had broken on one side, and there were some bloodstains on the corner of his mouth. The pitch-black sphere condensed back into a Truth-Seeking Orb, floating behind him.
He looked at Guy with excitement. "This feeling of excitement... it's the first time since Hashirama!"
"You can still do more, right! You have other moves, right!"
"Make me happier!"
Madara's eyes were filled with anticipation.
A drop of cold sweat trickled down Guy's forehead as he looked at Madara, his gaze filled with shock.
The consecutive Evening Elephant actually only caused him this much damage!
His fists clenched involuntarily.
If that's the case...
As his will hardened, the blood-colored steam began to solidify.
Guy stepped his right foot forward, bent his knees, and placed his hands at his sides, like a sprinting stance, but with even more power behind the charge.
Sweat, starting from one or two drops, gathered into small streams as it continuously ran down his face. His body trembled uncontrollably, yet his actions remained as firm as his will.
"Amass!"
Suddenly, the blood-red steam exploded. Even the ground began to shatter, and a hurricane scoured everything in the vicinity.
Amidst it all, he stood motionless. The blood-red steam condensed on his body, like a dragon awakening, raging upwards while emitting a faint, indistinct roar.
Blood-red lines appeared on Guy's body, resembling cracks, burning his body, burning his will, burning his youth.
Atop the peaceful Hall of Contemplation, Hiromi appeared, quietly watching Guy's burning youth.
Madara did not notice. At this moment, his eyes were only on Guy, filled with fervor and excitement.
"With this kind of Chakra, I acknowledge you! In terms of Taijutsu, among all those I have fought, no one is more excellent than you!"
"I, Uchiha Madara, am willing to call you the strongest!"
Guy did not hear him. Pain continuously washed over his will. All his focus was spent on resisting the pain and executing this technique.
He opened his mouth slightly, and white steam drifted away.
The next moment, he charged forward. The blood-red steam on his body condensed into a dragon, roaring as it charged. Everything in its path was destroyed.
Madara gripped his staff with both hands, holding it forward in opposition. The blood-red dragon had already pounced upon him.
"So fast!"
The next instant, Madara noticed the front end of the staff bending. "Even space is distorted?!"
Before he could react, the blood-red dragon had engulfed him, filled with scorching heat, as if it wanted to burn him to ashes.
Guy leaped high into the air. In that instant, he recalled Hiromi's gentle smile as he said to him—"Guy, remember, you must kick the head."
Guy glared at Madara's head, roaring, "Night Guy!!!"
This kick struck Madara's head with unerring accuracy.
Black Zetsu's expression changed drastically. He immediately gouged out Obito's eyes, took out the Mangekyo he had just collected, and shoved them in.
Kamui!
Pfft!
The eyes couldn't withstand it and exploded.
Black Zetsu immediately took out another pair of Mangekyo.
Hariti!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Obito's limbs instantly exploded. Just as his head was about to explode, Black Zetsu guided another eye into his eye socket.
Pfft!
The eyes exploded again.
Black Zetsu could only help up to this point. He clenched his fist and looked forward. He saw that Madara had gained a split second of buffer time and shifted his head.
BOOM!!!
The blood-red dragon carried Madara along, charging forward, destroying everything in its path. It didn't stop until it reached several thousand meters away.
When the dust slowly settled, it revealed a deep crater, with Madara lying inside. Only half of his head remained. His nose and teeth were gone, with only a bit of skin stubbornly connecting it to his body. One could see his brain through the hollow space there.
He was in a sorry state, his eyes filled with the shock of having narrowly escaped death.
His hollowed-out head was rapidly regenerating, with teeth, throat, and tongue reappearing.
The next moment, he lifted his head, as if not at all worried that it might fall off, and looked forward.
Guy lay there, charred all over, the lines on his body burning, evaporating into white mist.
A gentle breeze blew, and his foot turned into ash, disappearing in part.
Madara stared at Guy, laughing maniacally.
"Hahahaha! I was almost killed by you!Although you are already a candle in the wind, you have pleased me! This is my token of gratitude, before you turn to ash... "
"I will kill you!"
A Truth-Seeking Orb floated up beside Madara.
The next second, it shot out.
Swish!
In an instant, it pierced through Guy's head. At the same time, the aftermath of the attack caused Guy's body to shatter instantly, scattering away like ash.
Seeing this, Madara's smile faded, his expression dimmed, and he stood up.
Black Zetsu, hiding to the side, felt relieved.
Guy almost killed him. That should at least make him see reality, right?
But the next second, Madara looked toward the palace thousands of meters away and curled the corner of his lips.
He stood up staggeringly and with difficulty. "Hiromi, it's your turn next."
He was looking forward to what kind of surprise Hiromi would bring him.
Black Zetsu, hiding in the shadows, clenched his fists, eyes wide with rage. He thought that since Madara had almost died, he would learn his lesson, summon the God Tree, and perform Infinite Tsukuyomi. He didn't expect him to still be so arrogant.