"Chōmei, get the scale powder ready. I'm going to attack with it."
Without another word, Chōmei began preparing the scale powder.
"Kazuyama Gekkō, you're going to die today."
"Oh? Is that so? Funny, I have a feeling I won't be dying today."
The two traded jabs, and the clash resumed.
This time, Kazuyama held a kunai—his jutsu-marked kunai.
Muren Uchiha raised his hand and unleashed the Lotus Technique once more, the blue flames burning even hotter than before.
"Flame Arrows!"
"Die!"
A nature transformation took place—the flames morphed into blazing arrows that screamed through the air toward Kazuyama.
Muren's Dōjutsu activated again, and the arrows instantly appeared right in front of Kazuyama.
Feeling the searing heat, Kazuyama showed no concern and dodged using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
But this attack only further confirmed his theory.
"Ninja Art: Hiding in Scale Powder!"
A thick cloud of white phosphorus powder spewed from his mouth, the blinding light forcing Muren to shield his eyes.
Kazuyama seized the chance—he hurled the kunai at Muren and rushed forward himself.
Despite the blinding glare, Muren managed to dodge the kunai by instinct, but Kazuyama had already closed the gap, blade in hand.
"Take this!"
Just as the blade was about to strike, Muren snorted, and his Mangekyō Sharingan—shaped like a triple-pronged fork—locked onto Kazuyama.
The invisible resistance flared up again, but this time Kazuyama was ready.
In the next instant, he vanished—reappearing behind Muren using Flying Thunder God, warping to the kunai's marked location.
With Muren's line of sight broken, Kazuyama's blade swung viciously toward his neck.
"Hmph! Don't even think about it!"
"Shhkk!"
Cornered, Muren didn't flinch. With a roar, his right arm erupted with sharp wooden spikes, launching backward at Kazuyama.
"Just as I thought..."
Kazuyama wasn't surprised in the slightest to see Wood Release.
After all, Madara Uchiha had mastered it—having his stand-in learn it wasn't far-fetched.
Even the original Obito could use Wood Release.
His sword slashed through the spikes, but Muren used the opening to retreat, appearing atop a distant tree branch in a blink.
"You can't use your Dōjutsu without a line of sight..."
Kazuyama glared coldly at him from below.
"Heh... under the Dōjutsu of the Uchiha Clan, you—"
"Ghck!"
"What...?"
Just as Muren began his boast, a wave of intense pain shot up from below.
His eyes turned bloodshot—not from rage or chakra flow, but from sheer agony.
"As I thought... you can't defend against attacks you can't see."
"And now... I've figured out your technique."
Kazuyama's cold voice echoed from behind.
He had emerged from Transparent Escape, still locked in a Thousand Years of Death pose. But this time, the technique had been enhanced for maximum pain—and it was driving Muren mad.
"Damn it... when did he...?!"
Panicked, Muren instantly activated his Dōjutsu and teleported away.
Kazuyama watched him retreat and gave a cold smirk.
Muren reappeared atop another distant tree.
"A clone... and the real one used Transparent Escape to hide... bastard!"
He was right—Kazuyama had already used a Shadow Clone when he activated the Scale Powder Technique, swapping his original body.
The real Kazuyama had gone invisible using Transparent Escape to observe from the sidelines.
And in that time, he saw something crucial.
When Muren used his Dōjutsu to move, there were clear signs of displacement. That meant it wasn't true space-time movement.
And it wasn't extreme speed either—if it were, there would've been some reaction or residue at the landing point.
So it had to be some ability that shortened the distance between him and his target—allowing what looked like instantaneous movement.
Just like the concept of Shukuchi.
"Heh... I've figured it out."
"If he can see the destination, he can shorten the distance and arrive in a single step—like traveling thousands of miles in an instant."
Chōmei smacked his lips at the idea. That kind of ability sounded formidable.
"So what's allowing him to block your attacks?"
Kazuyama sneered.
"Each Mangekyō Sharingan grants a different power to each eye."
"I think his other eye also manipulates distance. If that's the case, it all makes sense."
"One eye lets him close the gap instantly—Shukuchi."
"The other, I'm guessing, extends the distance. It increases the gap between him and the attacks he sees, making them impossible to reach him."
"The so-called 'Distant Worlds'—even something within arm's reach feels like it's on the other side of the world."
"That's what I believe his ability is."
Kazuyama calmly analyzed Muren's Dōjutsu.
Meanwhile, Muren realized his technique had been exposed—and his opinion of Kazuyama rose yet again.
"At this moment... I admit Madara Uchiha was right to value you."
"To think you could actually hurt me..."
"Argh!"
He didn't even finish his sentence before another wave of unbearable pain struck him.
And Kazuyama was gone.
"Thousand Years of Death: Rasengan Ascension!"
The dizziness and spinning made Muren feel like he was being launched into the heavens.
Another soul added to the long list claimed by the terrifying Thousand Years of Death.
"Damn it!! Kazuyama Gekkō—you just wait! I will kill you!"
Already marked, Muren didn't dare linger—no matter how agonizing the pain was.
He knew that if he didn't escape now, he'd be in serious danger.
No—he was already seriously wounded. And badly.
Just as Kazuyama prepared for a third Thousand Years of Death, he suddenly noticed countless explosive tags surrounding him.
"What the hell? That bastard lays eggs now?!"
"Boom!"
The explosion erupted. Kazuyama had no choice but to focus on survival, using the Flying Thunder God Technique to evade.
Those explosive tags had been Muren's contingency—meant to cover his escape...
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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