"As expected of Madara… even at this age, he's got strength and presence."
Raizen gritted his teeth, dodging the searing flames. If I hadn't detonated the clay just now… I'd be barbequed. He grabbed a lump of clay from his pouch, chewing it briefly, and molded it into a massive clay bird.
"This… is amazing."
The bird was enormous, responding instantly to his chakra. Raizen leapt onto its back and soared skyward, leaving Madara blinking below.
"You can fly?" Madara muttered, annoyance flickering across his young face. Seven or eight, not yet awakened Sharingan, not tyrannical like the legends—but still strong for his age. Sky control? Not happening.
Raizen felt the wind whip past him, the battlefield below shrinking. Nothing restrains me up here. He summoned another clay bird, lifelike and ready to strike, and sent it hurtling toward Madara with a gleeful grin.
"Art is explosion! Drink!"
The clay bird detonated midair as it neared Madara, forcing him to dodge clumsily. He hadn't yet figured out how to counter Raizen's unpredictable, airborne attacks.
"This Amamiya Raizen kid is insane! Even a Uchiha prodigy can be outmaneuvered!" a Chūnin from another clan exclaimed.
"If he's this strong now… I can only imagine what he'll do in the Warring States' chaos!"
Other ninja glanced at Raizen in awe, and at Madara, flushed and embarrassed on the ground. The contrast was stark—the rising glory of one family against the insecurity of another.
Raizen's left-wing companion tensed, realizing how visible Raizen's skill had become. Eight hundred geniuses die in the Warring States… don't get noticed too much, kid, he silently warned himself.
"My brother will definitely win!" Izuna shouted, frustration snapping.
Madara's eyes narrowed. He locked gaze with Raizen in the sky, then whispered, almost ritualistically:
"Illusory Technique: Nairo See!"
The world shifted. Raizen found himself in a dense jungle, facing a Ueshi Family ninja grinning with a sharp knife. Lightning-fast, the blade sliced across his neck. Pain exploded, and Raizen's eyes widened—his head separated from his body.
Illusion! Raizen realized, heart hammering. Beheaded… nice touch, Madara.
He quickly disrupted his chakra flow, breaking the illusion's hold. With a flick of his hands:
"Success! Fire Style: Phoenix Fire Technique!"
The illusions vanished. Madara's face fell—her trap failed—but she immediately sealed hand signs and unleashed a volley of fist-sized fireballs toward the falling Raizen.
Here we go. Raizen dove into action, forming hand seals and splitting into two clay clones. One intercepting a fireball, the other steering the giant bird beneath him.
"Don't think I can't handle this! Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
Madara roared, spewing a massive wave of flames. Raizen didn't hesitate—detonating his clay clone midair. Boom! The explosion swallowed both of Madara's fire attacks, the shockwave sending Raizen tumbling through the sky.
The giant clay bird swooped beneath him, carrying him upward as smoke and debris drifted in the breeze. Raizen allowed himself a brief chuckle.
Clay is my ace, but I'm running low. Without this stuff, I might as well be holding a hollow pistol.
Looking down, he saw Madara's chest heaving, her own chakra dipping. A faint smirk crossed Raizen's face. Perfect. She's exhausted, but I've still got enough clay for one more round.
Before either could strike again, the front door of the central Uchiha building swung open. A middle-aged man in armor, long hair flowing, stepped out with a cadre of ninjas. His gaze swept the battlefield.
"What happened with that explosion just now?"
The tense standoff froze for a heartbeat. Raizen's grin widened—just when things were getting interesting, new players were stepping onto the board.