Uchiha's Taijutsu Supreme

As the sensory-type White Zetsu entered the room, two others followed closely behind—Nagato and Kana.

Under Uchiha Madara's tutelage, these two members of the Uzumaki clan had grown exceptionally well. Although they endured rigorous training daily, they also enjoyed the best resources—nutritious supplements and elite-level ninja training programs.

The once frail Nagato, after years of following Madara, now sported radiant crimson hair and a strong, athletic physique. He had matured into a confident young man, exuding assurance with every move.

On the other hand, Uzumaki Kana, despite retaining a youthful, doll-like face, had developed a strikingly curvaceous figure.

In mere months, her formerly flat chest had grown prominent, and her slender legs had elongated, fully accentuating her graceful form.

Clearly, such dramatic changes couldn't have occurred naturally in just a few months. However, in the ninja world, there were far more potent body-regulating agents than mere hormones—such as Hashirama's cells.

On Kana's exposed arm was the face of a figure well-known throughout the ninja world—Senju Hashirama, the lifelong rival and close friend of Madara.

Madara's expression grew complicated as he glanced at Kana's arm before awkwardly turning his head away.

Even though he had seen Kana in this state for months, the sight of another man's face on a woman's body was undeniably unsettling.

After his defeat at the hands of Fuma, he had come to a deeper understanding of Fuma's abilities and grown increasingly wary of them.

In Madara's estimation, even if Nagato's potential were fully realized, he would likely still be unable to defeat Fuma. Despite being the wielder of the Rinnegan, Madara—who had mastered its myriad powers—had failed to claim Fuma's life.

Admittedly, there were extenuating circumstances: Madara's advanced age and declining chakra reserves prevented him from unleashing the Rinnegan's full power.

Still, he was confident that in his prime, it would have taken him only a few moves to defeat Fuma and show the young upstart the true wrath of the Shinobi Demon.

But the reality was stark—Madara's youth had long since faded. No matter how much he fantasized, he couldn't change the facts.

While the Rinnegan granted him immense power, it also placed a heavy burden on his body.

Even with the aid of the Gedo Statue, sustaining his life was becoming increasingly difficult, to say nothing of using unconventional methods to extend it.

Reluctantly, Madara turned his focus toward his "successor," stepping further into the shadows. However, this brought new challenges.

Though Nagato had abundant chakra, he wasn't the Rinnegan's original wielder and struggled to fully harness its supreme powers—especially Madara's unique technique, "Limbo: Hengoku."

Faced with this growing gap, Madara doubted whether Nagato would ever be able to overcome Fuma.

Persuaded by Black Zetsu, he abandoned his earlier reservations and decided to summon Izuna back from the Pure Land while helping Nagato grow stronger.

In Madara's mind, Izuna's strength and cunning would ensure no flaws in their plans. Moreover, Izuna's unwavering loyalty made him an invaluable ally.

Madara had left a contingency within the Rinnegan. With the special Mangekyo Sharingan he had prepared for Izuna, even Nagato would be unable to resist if Izuna intervened.

Initially resistant to the idea of resurrecting Izuna, Madara found himself increasingly appreciative of the suggestion.

Having a completely loyal companion was proving to be incredibly convenient, and he began valuing Black Zetsu's advice more.

To further strengthen their ranks and eliminate weak links, Madara shifted his focus to Kana. Previously seen as a mere tool to control Nagato, Kana had become a glaring vulnerability—an easy target for enemies.

For Madara, allowing such emotional liabilities was unacceptable, as they could only increase the risk of failure.

However, Kana had once saved Madara's life with her abilities, so instead of outright eliminating her, he subjected her to a trial under the guise of a noble purpose.

To save the ninja world, one needed strength, and falling short on the path to power was no shame. Even Nagato, who held deep feelings for Kana, silently supported Madara's decision, praying for her success.

Madara extracted a fragment of Hashirama's cells that had been preserved within the Gedo Statue for decades.

This particular fragment was unique—not only had Madara personally torn it from Hashirama during their peak battle, but it also contained extraordinary power.

This fragment represented the essence of Hashirama at his prime, far superior to the degraded versions circulating in Konoha.

From one perspective, Madara had given Kana a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—a chance to ascend instantly to unparalleled heights, albeit with immense risk.

To Madara's surprise, Kana not only survived the process but adapted exceptionally well to Hashirama's cells. Her body displayed signs of complete assimilation, even manifesting Hashirama's visage on her skin.

Unlike Madara, who had acquired the powers of the Six Paths through the cells, Kana's integration greatly enhanced her vitality.

She not only awakened the rare "Adamantine Sealing Chains", a unique Uzumaki clan Kekkei Genkai, but also unlocked the power of Wood Release.

Madara was baffled. He had never expected the Uzumaki clan to react so strongly to Hashirama's cells.

Unbeknownst to him, the Uzumaki clan's Sage Body didn't share the same origin as the Senju clan. While the Senju inherited their powers from Hagoromo, the Uzumaki lineage traced back to Hamura, the Sage of Six Paths' brother.

Black Zetsu, watching quietly from the sidelines, saw all this unfold. As the true elder of Madara's organization, it had an innate sense of everyone's bloodline potential.

Kana's success was no accident. Black Zetsu had covertly influenced the process, manipulating the Gedo Statue's power to aid her fusion with Hashirama's cells.

Black Zetsu had grown weary of Madara. While this reincarnation of Indra possessed extraordinary talent, his arrogance made him inflexible, unwilling to heed advice.

In Black Zetsu's eyes, Madara was a mere tool for its ultimate goal—a powerful pawn to claim the Tailed Beasts and become the Ten-Tails' Jinchuriki. The less Madara interfered in the interim, the smoother the process would be.

At one point, Black Zetsu even considered reaching out to Fuma. From its sharp observations, it detected Fuma's peculiar interest in Tailed Beasts and chakra constructs.

However, during Madara and Fuma's chance encounter at Hozuki Castle, Black Zetsu remained in the shadows, hoping the two exceptional Uchiha would join forces.

Instead, Madara's opening words to Fuma shattered its hopes:

"Little one, do you know who I am?"

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