Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 563 Hyuga Neji VS Uchiha Madara 1

When he was almost upon the second meteorite, Hyuga Neji suddenly stretched out his arms, and a vast and powerful energy erupted from his palms. This energy, like a wild horse unleashed, roared out from his hands with overwhelming force, crashing straight towards the massive, menacing meteorite.

In that instant, a boundless surge of energy erupted like a volcanic eruption, rapidly coalescing into a colossal, majestic dragon. This dragon shimmered with dazzling light, its scales as if forged from steel, indestructible. It opened its gaping maw, large enough to swallow the heavens and earth, spewing forth raging flames with devastating force, charging straight towards the rapidly falling meteorite.

For a fleeting moment, time seemed to freeze. Then, a deafening roar, shaking the heavens and earth, suddenly erupted. The sound was like a thunderbolt, making eardrums ache, and even the ground beneath their feet trembled violently, as if the entire world was shaking from the impact!

The once enormous meteorite proved to be as fragile as tofu before the energy dragon unleashed by Hyuga Neji. The dragon slammed into the meteorite with overwhelming force, instantly shattering it. Countless fragments of varying sizes rained down from the sky amidst billowing dust, like a torrential downpour of stones.

Just then, the ninja alliance below, who had been immersed in despair, quickly regained their senses, and the fear on their faces was gradually replaced by determination. They moved nimbly, their figures flashing like lightning among the falling rocks, dodging those stones that could cause fatal damage.

Meanwhile, the Tsuchikage Onoki and the Kazekage Gaara, standing some distance away, also turned their gazes to Hyuga Neji, who was still hovering in mid-air. Their eyes were filled with disbelief and shock; they had never imagined that the usually low-key and humble Hyuga Neji possessed such terrifying strength! His attack just now, like a thunderbolt, had easily shattered the massive meteorite that had rendered everyone helpless into countless tiny fragments.

The Tsuchikage, Onoki, stared wide-eyed at Hyuga Neji, pondering to himself, "When exactly did this young man master such astonishing skills?" The Kazekage, Gaara, frowned slightly, his expression grave as he watched the figure in mid-air, a new understanding and awe forming in his heart for this once familiar yet suddenly unfamiliar comrade.

After successfully shattering the meteorite in the sky, Hyuga Neji's tall and agile figure floated down to the solid ground like a light feather. His feet landed firmly on the ground, as if he had become one with the earth, exuding a calm and powerful aura.

At this moment, Hyuga Neji's gaze, like a blazing lightning bolt, shot straight at Uchiha Madara, who stood in the distance, radiating boundless domineering aura. At the same time, the already surging aura emanating from him showed no signs of weakening; on the contrary, it continued to rise, like a volcano about to erupt, containing endless power and energy.

A fierce fire burned in Hyuga Neji's eyes, his intense fighting spirit almost bursting forth. Facing such a formidable enemy, he showed no fear; on the contrary, he became even more excited, secretly anticipating a thrilling and intense battle.

On the other side, Madara Uchiha's deep and sharp eyes were also fixed on Neji Hyuga, who had suddenly attacked. From that earth-shattering blow alone, Madara had clearly sensed that this seemingly young opponent was not to be underestimated. He thought to himself, "This person possesses such skill; he is truly a formidable opponent!" Thinking this, a subtle smile appeared on Madara's lips, seemingly filled with anticipation for the upcoming fierce clash.

"Do you also want to dance?" Madara Uchiha's sharp, hawk-like eyes locked onto Neji Hyuga, who was staring at him. His expression was calm and composed, with a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth, carrying a hint of barely perceptible contempt, as he slowly spoke.

Although Hyuga Neji's attack just now did demonstrate considerable strength, it was utterly insignificant to Madara Uchiha, who had already obtained the Rinnegan. Since acquiring the Rinnegan, a symbol of supreme power and authority, Madara Uchiha had become extremely arrogant, regarding everyone else in the world as insignificant and lowly as ants.

In his heart, he had already become another legendary figure after the Sage of Six Paths. He firmly believed that with the powerful abilities granted by the Rinnegan, no one could stop him from achieving his grand goal of ruling the world and reshaping the ninja world's order. And this young ninja named Hyuga Neji was merely an insignificant episode on his road to success.

The only thing that truly astonished him was that such a powerful individual actually came from the Hyuga clan! In his understanding, ever since the Hyuga clan divided its members into the branch family and the main family, its overall strength had been far inferior to that of the Uchiha clan. A clan that had lost its drive for advancement, even with powerful bloodline limits, would likely find it difficult to cultivate a peerless powerhouse at their peak. However, the sudden appearance of Hyuga Neji standing before him forced Madara Uchiha to re-evaluate his preconceived notions about the Hyuga clan. He couldn't help but think to himself, "It seems that those clans that have withstood the test of time for a thousand years are truly not to be underestimated! They often possess a profound foundation and boundless potential beyond what ordinary people can imagine."

Meanwhile, Hyuga Neji stared wide-eyed at Uchiha Madara's deep and mysterious pupils. Within those pupils were a pair of Rinnegan eyes, radiating an eerie light! These Rinnegan eyes seemed to contain boundless power and mystery, igniting a strong sense of curiosity within Hyuga Neji.

You see, he had learned a great deal about the Rinnegan, this legendary eye technique, from the evil Orochimaru. Rumors said the Rinnegan possessed unimaginable power and terrifying might. However, what puzzled Hyuga Neji was why this man, a member of the Uchiha clan, possessed such a rare Rinnegan. After all, logically, the Sharingan should be unique to the Uchiha clan!

Furthermore, since the other party appeared before everyone in an Edo Tensei body, it meant that these Rinnegan eyes must have originally belonged to him, and were not forcibly acquired through any means such as transplantation. So the question arises: how exactly did Uchiha Madara obtain these Rinnegan eyes? Could there be a shocking, unknown secret hidden within? Thinking of this, Hyuga Neji's brows furrowed even more deeply, his mind racing through various possibilities…

After much deliberation, Hyuga Neji slowly closed his eyes, clearing his mind of all distractions. However, only a moment later, he abruptly opened his eyes, his deep gaze seemingly piercing through all fog. Then, he vigorously shook his head, as if trying to completely cast aside those chaotic thoughts.

Whatever secrets his opponent's Rinnegan might hold, it was no longer important to Hyuga Neji at this moment. He knew that dwelling on these issues would only distract him and affect the crucial battle that lay ahead. At this moment, he held only one unwavering belief—to give his all in meeting his opponent's challenge.

Judging from the mere glimpse of his opponent's strength and his unparalleled aura, this duel was destined to be exceptionally fierce. This level of confrontation would undoubtedly bring Hyuga Neji unprecedented stimulation and pressure. But precisely because of this, he firmly believed that this battle could very well be the perfect opportunity for him to break through his current limitations and reach a higher level. As long as he could persevere in this life-or-death struggle and learn from it, a much wider world awaited him. Thinking of this, Hyuga Neji's eyes burned even brighter, and his blood seemed to boil and burn.

When that intense, fiery fighting spirit, seemingly capable of scorching the air itself, erupted from Hyuga Neji, even the usually composed and unwavering Uchiha Madara couldn't help but twitch his brow slightly. His deep, sharp eyes were fixed on the seemingly small yet infinitely powerful figure before him, and he was secretly astonished by the intense fighting desire his opponent possessed.

Through Hyuga Neji's burning fighting spirit, Uchiha Madara easily discerned the deep-seated desire in Neji's heart to challenge him. This undisguised and unwavering challenge, like a lightning bolt piercing the night sky, instantly attracted Uchiha Madara's attention and successfully aroused his long-dormant interest.

It's important to understand that since that earth-shattering battle with Hashirama Senju, it had been a long time since anyone had been able to evoke even a hint of excitement in Madara Uchiha, let alone truly ignite his fighting spirit, simply through the aura emanating from Hyuga Neji. Yet, at this moment, facing this young opponent who was both arrogant and courageous, Madara Uchiha felt a long-lost surge of passion coursing through his veins.