Chapter 40 - Magnet Release vs. Lightning Release

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After rapidly forming hand seals, Uchiha Madara pulled his hands apart, and an intense crackling of lightning surged between his palms. Under his exquisite control, the Lightning Release chakra took the form of a vivid, lifelike bird!

This was none other than the S-rank Lightning Release technique developed exclusively by Uchiha Madara: Extreme Chidori! Faster and more lethal than Kakashi's Raikiri from the original story, this jutsu could also be used for long-range attacks!

Seeing the glowing Thunderbird appear between Madara's hands, Chiyo felt her scalp tingle. Without hesitation, she commanded her ultimate trump card—the Ten Puppet Brigade of Near-Silent Death—to charge at Madara.

In an instant, the ten puppets unleashed a chaotic flurry of attacks. Some extended long blades, others swung spiked chains, some wielded four-edged chakra knives, and a few even unleashed Wind Release techniques. Like a well-coordinated team, they simultaneously assaulted Madara from all directions.

However, Madara had always held Suna puppeteers in disdain.

With a simple upward thrust of his right hand, the shrill-sounding Thunderbird lightly spiraled above his palm before Madara gently flicked it forward.

Zzzt! 

The Thunderbird, initially no larger than a sparrow, suddenly expanded mid-flight, transforming into a massive eagle-like bolt of lightning. It streaked through the air with sparks and thunderous force, leaving trails of destruction wherever it passed. The incoming Ten Puppet Brigade was utterly powerless to resist. Like paper dolls, the puppets were obliterated one by one by the overwhelming force of the electrified assault.

Chiyo's face turned ashen as the Thunderbird closed in on her with lightning-fast speed. She had no time to evade and could only watch in horror as the blinding blue light of the Thunderbird screamed toward her, ready to pierce through her body!

At that moment, Chiyo could almost envision her own gruesome fate—being torn apart by the electrified bird.

Bzzt! 

Just as the Thunderbird was about to strike, a surge of black Iron Sand erupted from the ground beneath Chiyo. In the nick of time, the flexible Iron Sand enveloped her body, forming a dense, protective sphere.

The Thunderbird slammed into the Iron Sand sphere, exploding violently. Blue lightning crackled across the surface of the sphere, and electric sparks shot out in all directions with deafening booms. The surrounding Sand shinobi who had been observing from afar were caught in the aftermath—dozens of them collapsed, paralyzed by the residual electrical discharge.

As the sparks fizzled out, a group of Sand shinobi lay twitching on the ground, incapacitated.

While the residual electricity of the Thunderbird's explosion caused such devastation, what of Chiyo inside the Iron Sand sphere?

In the blink of an eye, the Third Kazekage appeared beside the Iron Sand sphere. With a swift motion, he reached in and pulled out Chiyo, now drenched in blood. His expression grim, he struck the hovering Iron Sand sphere with his palm.

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Rain!"

The Iron Sand exploded outward, scattering into countless fragments resembling flying stones. They rained down on Madara like a violent storm.

Madara remained expressionless as his Chidori Stream flared up around him once more. The Iron Sand rain was completely repelled by the magnetic barrier surrounding him.

Finally, the stunned spectators among the Sand shinobi managed to see clearly—their Kazekage had rescued Chiyo, but she was covered in blood, barely clinging to life.

They were all horrified. Everyone knew that the Iron Sand sphere, compressed to its utmost density, was hailed as an "absolute defense." Yet, it had been shattered by this man's devastating Lightning Release. Just who was this mysterious intruder?

Meanwhile, Madara's piercing gaze never left the Third Kazekage, who was sprinting rapidly to one side.

In an instant, Madara deflected the relentless barrage of Iron Sand and launched himself forward like a black arrow skimming along the ground. With a powerful kick, he charged directly at the Third Kazekage.

The Third Kazekage's eyes widened in disbelief at Madara's terrifying speed. He hastily tossed the blood-soaked Chiyo to a nearby shinobi for treatment and barely managed to cross his arms in time to block the fierce kick.

Two figures—one black, one gray—blurred through the crowd of Sand shinobi too fast for anyone to react. They collided repeatedly, exchanging blows with incredible precision and ferocity. Each punch and kick carried immense power, producing booming sounds akin to fireworks exploding in the air.

The two engaged in a high-speed battle, weaving through the spacious yet crowded training ground. Their movements were so rapid that the surrounding Sand shinobi couldn't tell who was who—they could only see two streaks of shadow flashing past them again and again.

The Third Kazekage ran, while Madara skimmed along the ground like a phantom. The Kazekage wielded a blade forged from Iron Sand, slashing repeatedly at Madara, who effortlessly countered each strike with his crackling Chidori-enhanced fists.

Gradually, the Third Kazekage's expression grew darker. At this rate, he couldn't keep up. Madara was gliding through the air, while he was forced to run on the ground—it was far too taxing on his stamina. This wouldn't do.

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Wings!"

Under his command, a large amount of Iron Sand gathered behind him, forming two enormous wings resembling birds. With a flap of these wings, the Third Kazekage soared into the sky. Urgently, he issued orders to the disarrayed Sand shinobi below:

"All shinobi, scatter! Look for opportunities to attack!"

Madara abruptly halted his movements, planting his feet firmly on the ground. He looked up at the Third Kazekage hovering in the air, his expression cold and indifferent.

Finally, the Sand shinobi managed to locate where Madara had stopped. They quickly dispersed, giving the two combatants ample space to continue their duel.

Hovering in the air, the Third Kazekage swiftly formed hand seals.

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand World Method! Iron Sand Spear!"

A massive quantity of black Iron Sand erupted from beneath the ground, swirling around the Third Kazekage's body. Under his precise control, the Iron Sand condensed into a single point in his hand—and then, a razor-sharp, unyielding spear abruptly shot forth, piercing through the air with explosive speed toward Madara.

This technique was an instantaneous, highly penetrative thrust—sharp and sudden!

Calmly observing the incoming Iron Sand Spear, Madara remained expressionless. His pitch-black pupils abruptly shifted into intricate crimson patterns—the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. A sinister and terrifying ocular power radiated outward.

The Third Kazekage locked eyes with Madara's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. In that instant, his entire body froze, immobilized by the overwhelming genjutsu.