Just thinking about it sent a thrill down his spine. As Ryan stood quietly, calculating his next moves, the group's chatter was suddenly interrupted by the familiar voice of the chat system.
[The second place has been chosen!]
[Second place: Uchiha Madara!]
[Opponents: Kenjaku, Kento Nanami, Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro.]
[Total reward: 400,000 points!]
The name Uchiha Madara echoed through the chat group, drawing everyone's attention.
"400,000 points," Tobirama muttered, processing the information.
It was a hefty reward, no doubt about it. For most, it would be more than enough to achieve incredible things. But as they glanced over at the announcement for Ryan's first-place victory, the disparity was impossible to ignore.
The 1 million points Ryan had earned were almost a different realm entirely. While Madara's reward was impressive, the sheer magnitude of the difference between the two placed them on different levels.
"Quite the gap," Kakashi remarked, his tone calm yet acknowledging the obvious.
Tobirama's expression didn't shift, though his eyes narrowed slightly. "It's not just the points. The difference is the scale of the victory. Ryan didn't just outshine the rest—he dominated in a way few could hope to match."
Even so, Uchiha Madara wasn't one to let the disparity bother him. For him, this was a moment of triumph.
A rare smile spread across his face as he exclaimed, "Finally, it's my turn! I made it to the top three this time."
"It's been far too long since I've been up here," he added, his voice filled with genuine relief.
Madara had never struggled with confidence—his strength was unquestionable, and his power had always been top-tier. But despite that, finishing in the top three had been an elusive goal.
For someone as proud as Madara, it was a frustration, a dent in his pride. But now, standing in second place, he couldn't help but feel vindicated.
"I won't forget this," Madara muttered, his eyes gleaming with determination. His pride, his power, and his will burned brighter than ever.
"This is only the beginning," he said, the corners of his lips curling into a smirk.
"400,000 points isn't bad at all," Madara declared, crossing his arms confidently. "At least it's better than last time when I didn't get any extra points. Now, I can exchange these for something interesting."
Madara's rare display of genuine happiness was contagious. His words carried a hint of pride, and the group couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm. Seeing him so satisfied, no one voiced any objections. After all, when it came to matters like these, a person's own choices and motivations mattered most. Madara earning second place this time didn't come as much of a surprise to the group.
Once they saw the breakdown of his opponents, it made perfect sense.
Sure, there weren't many cursed spirits in the mix, but handling three Sorcerers by himself? That was no small feat.
Four enemies in total, and all of them were formidable.
Ryan had faced five opponents, but the sheer difference in quality was clear.
Ryan's opponents were undoubtedly on another level—his overwhelming power spoke for itself. Otherwise, the points gap wouldn't have been so drastic.
Still, Madara's performance was nothing to scoff at.
The system soon chimed in to provide more clarity:
[Cursed Spirit: 100,000 points!]
[Sorcerers: 100,000 points per person!]
[Total points: 400,000!]
After seeing the detailed breakdown, the group collectively nodded in understanding. Four opponents, each worth 100,000 points. It wasn't that the enemies were weak—it was just that their strength seemed evenly matched.
Madara had truly worked hard for his reward.
The discussion among the group was lively. But as the others continued to discuss the reward, Hashirama and Tobirama exchanged a glance.
"Madara," Hashirama spoke with a gentle but knowing tone, "you've always had a way of turning fortune in your favor. 400,000 points… It's well deserved."
Tobirama scowled, his arms crossed. "Well deserved? Pah. I should have been the one to deal with them. The fools didn't even know what hit them. But instead, they gave Uchiha a chance to claim victory." His voice dripped with frustration, a rare show of irritation from the usually composed Second Hokage.
"Let it go, brother," Hashirama said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Madara's strength speaks for itself. It's not just about luck—it's about knowing when to strike."
Tobirama scoffed, but deep down, he knew his older brother was right. Even so, the feeling of being passed over in favor of someone like Madara stung more than he'd care to admit. "I'll never understand how that man's ego gets so inflated. He thinks he deserves every scrap of attention," Tobirama muttered, eyes narrowing at Madara.
Madara, overhearing the conversation, merely raised an eyebrow. He knew Hashirama's younger brother's pride and arrogance were even greater than his, but he wasn't bothered by it. If anything, it only fueled the rivalry that had always existed between them.
Many admired the strength of Uchiha Madara, but now even Naruto, the Seventh Hokage, couldn't deny it—Madara's tactical brilliance was terrifying.
"Four opponents at once? That's nuts," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head, a mix of disbelief and frustration on his face. "And here I thought I'd thought you were getting old."
Sasuke, standing nearby with his arms crossed, snorted. "He is from Sengoku era. If anyone could turn a fight like that into an advantage, it's him."
Madara stood with quiet confidence, the faintest smirk on his lips as he let their remarks settle. Finally, he spoke, his voice calm yet edged with pride. "Very fortunate indeed," he said.
Naruto frowned. "So what happened? You're saying you just walked into the fight and came out on top? What about teamwork, huh?"
Madara gave a small chuckle, amused by Naruto's naivety. "Teamwork?" he echoed mockingly. "Kenjaku was locked in battle with three sorcerers. Their strategy was weak; their coordination, abysmal. I let them tire each other out."
Sasuke's expression didn't change, but his tone betrayed subtle approval. "Typical. You waited until the moment you had the advantage," he said simply.
"Exactly," Madara replied, his voice dropping slightly. "When the time came, I intervened. Kenjaku is formidable, but with their combined assault and my arrival, his defeat was inevitable."
Naruto narrowed his eyes. "So you just helped them take him down? That doesn't sound like you, old man," he said suspiciously.
Madara's smirk darkened. "Helped them?" He let out a low, humorless laugh. "No. I merely removed a mutual obstacle. Once Kenjaku fell, those sorcerers foolishly assumed the battle was over. Their complacency…" He trailed off, letting the weight of his words hang in the air, "…was their undoing."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow, his voice colder now. "You didn't hesitate, did you?"
"No," Madara said simply, his voice steady. "They should have known better than to let their guard down near an unknown shinobi."
Naruto's jaw tightened. "You're telling me you took out all of them after Kenjaku?" His voice was incredulous but tinged with frustration. "You couldn't just let them walk away after all that?"
Madara shrugged, his demeanor as indifferent as ever. "Letting them walk away would have been careless," he replied evenly. "But don't misunderstand me, Naruto. I didn't kill them. I only knocked them out—it was part of the mission."
Naruto blinked, his expression softening just slightly. "Knocked them out?" he repeated, his voice calmer but still skeptical. "Why not just leave them be after Kenjaku was dead?"
Madara's crimson Sharingan glinted as he spoke, his tone sharp and commanding. "Because they were still a threat. After Kenjaku fell, they were weakened, yes, but their hatred and desperation could have made them unpredictable. I eliminated their ability to retaliate. It wasn't about cruelty, but efficiency."
Naruto's hands clenched briefly before he sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess… that makes sense," he admitted reluctantly. "But you've gotta understand, Madara, not everything has to be a battle to the death."
Sasuke glanced at Naruto, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable. "He didn't kill them," Sasuke pointed out, his voice cool. "He did what the situation demanded. Softness has its place, Naruto, but not here. Leaving them conscious would've been a liability."
Madara smirked faintly, his voice carrying that distinct arrogance. "Exactly. They underestimated me, and that was their mistake. I didn't kill them because I did not need to. But make no mistake—had it been necessary, I wouldn't have hesitated."
Naruto let out another deep sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Man, I don't know if you're a genius or just insane," he muttered, shaking his head.
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them. As much as Naruto hated to admit it, Madara's logic wasn't entirely wrong. Sasuke, meanwhile, looked as though he'd known this truth all along.
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