Who is the Winner?

Amidst the dust, the [Box of Ultimate Bliss], buried under intense combat, slowly rose and settled on the ground.

With Madara's jutsu, blood-red lines spread across the land from the box, forming a complex array. The demonic face on the box came to life, curving into a greedy smile, exuding an aura of indescribable malice.

"Awuuu hissss," came the sound, as if from the depths of hell itself, millions of tormented voices shrieked from within the box, unleashing waves of foul wind.

Fuma frowned. Information on the [Box of Ultimate Bliss], this mysterious Six Paths artifact, was scarce even in his original timeline. He didn't have much intel.

"If it weren't for Madara's interference, I could have taken my time studying this Six Paths artifact," he muttered.

"Remember, this is the butterfly effect, the change in the timeline," Fuma thought to himself. He realized more than ever that the future of the shinobi world had become utterly unrecognizable.

What interested Fuma was the box's ability to absorb Nine-Tails' chakra. As for the claim that it could fulfill any wish, he was deeply skeptical.

"If it could really grant any wish, Hagoromo should've just sealed Kaguya inside this box instead of creating the moon."

"What does Madara want from the "Box" anyway? Could it be for his Moon's Eye Plan?" Fuma silently wondered, mocking the situation.

Madara casually wiped some blood on his hand, then slammed his palm to the ground. A wave of chakra radiated from him in all directions.

Moments later, hundreds of White Zetsu emerged from the ground, celebrating and chattering noisily.

"Madara-sama, we've come to save you!"

"You old stubborn fool, why didn't you just run when you couldn't win?!"

"Hurry, hurry! This guy can sense us; we need to flee!"

The White Zetsu spotted Fuma, and their faces changed in unison. Some even tugged at Madara, trying to carry him away.

Fuma's eyes gleamed. The blood aura that resembled molten lava emanated from his body, turning into a blood mist that enveloped the White Zetsu army on the ground, attempting to drain their chakra.

These creations of the Divine Tree contained pure energy, making them a valuable resource even for Fuma.

"Madara-sama, save us! I'm going to die!" one White Zetsu cried as it was slowly drained, still shouting defiantly, as if it were a protagonist in a hot-blooded anime.

Madara's face darkened. Fuma's predatory blood aura had intrigued him ever since he discovered it, but he could never figure out its origin.

With his experience, Madara had already discerned that this blood aura could sense, defend, enhance taijutsu, and devour chakra—a high-level ninjutsu by all accounts.

"As the leader of the Uchiha clan, I could surely develop such a bloodline ability myself, right?"

But despite the passing of the Second Great Ninja War, Madara had made no progress, which only angered him. To soothe his pride, he convinced himself that Fuma was an Uchiha bastard, a product of interbreeding with other clans.

"Box of Ultimate Bliss, absorb!" Madara's hands formed a new seal. The four faces of the box opened wide, and a powerful suction began.

The White Zetsu were rapidly drawn into the box, causing the blood-red light and black aura emanating from it to intensify. The wailing from within grew louder.

Madara looked coldly at the Zetsu being consumed, though he felt a subtle irritation.

These White Zetsu, with their ability to merge with the earth, were perfect surveillance tools for Madara to monitor every corner of the ninja world. He wouldn't sacrifice such useful tools unless absolutely necessary.

Fuma watched coldly as Madara manipulated the box, remaining vigilant of his surroundings.

Years of physical training had given Fuma a heightened sixth sense. His instincts told him he was surrounded.

"Limbo clones, huh? What a troublesome technique…" Fuma mused. There was no easy counter to this ability, which could crush anyone beneath the level of the Rinnegan.

Luckily for him, the power of Madara's Limbo clones depended on Madara's own strength and chakra reserves. In his current state, Madara couldn't annihilate Fuma with just clones.

"Box of Ultimate Bliss, open!"

With all the White Zetsu devoured, the demonic face on the box curved into its widest grin, then fell away, revealing a grotesque black lion's head.

Madara's face lit up. From his past memories, he knew this was the sign that the "Box of Ultimate Bliss" had fully opened.

"Grant me the power to regain my youth!" Madara commanded coldly, raising his hand.

"Give me the ability to devour chakra!" boomed another voice simultaneously.

The two voices, Madara's and Fuma's, overlapped as both men spoke their wishes to the box, each growing louder and faster in their demands.

"Restore my youth!"

"Ability to devour chakra!"

Their verbal battle escalated into a contest of speed and volume, each trying to outmatch the other.

As the rounds continued, the lion's head on the box opened wider, and a strange hunger emanated from the box, expressing its dissatisfaction.

Both Madara and Fuma fell silent. This strange reaction from the "Box of Ultimate Bliss" caught both off guard.

"Does it need more sacrifices?" Madara's eyes flashed coldly. His hands clapped together, and the four Limbo clones surrounding Fuma moved in for the attack.

"Shinra Tensei!"

The clones launched an invisible strike, trapping Fuma in a vacuum-like cage.

Madara's Rinnegan pulsed with blood vessels as he formed another seal. A small, destructive orb began to float at the mouth of the box.

"Chibaku Tensei!"

Madara's skin visibly shriveled, and blood streamed from his eyes as he collapsed, gasping for breath. The simultaneous release of Chibaku Tensei and the Limbo: Hengoku had drained his chakra and begun to sap his dwindling life force.

Madara laughed maniacally, feeling an intoxicating rush of excitement.

He knew his war-ravaged body had only a few years left before it would face a steep decline, leaving him unable to fight.

Even with the Gedo Mazo sustaining him, he would soon be living in a pitiful state, like a half-dead zombie, barely able to survive, let alone engage in battle.

Madara was content, knowing that while he still had some fight left in him, he had found a worthy opponent.

As the demonic face on the box began to absorb the core of the Chibaku Tensei, Madara stood weakly, brushing the dust from his clothes.

"Return my youth," he demanded once more.

This time, the box responded. The vile, corrupted aura condensed, and the box's black walls began to fade as if being purified.

From the opening, Madara saw a familiar figure—spiky hair, an arrogant expression, strutting with that unmistakable swagger.

Madara's Rinnegan sensed a profound connection.

"If I absorb this younger version of myself with the Rinnegan, perhaps I really will regain my youth…" Madara's excitement froze as he realized his dream was shattering.

A massive shadow, wrapped in blood aura, pulled the younger version of Madara back into the box, and with a flash of red, he was devoured like a mere morsel.

The "Box of Ultimate Bliss" let out a painful roar, the grotesque lion's head slammed shut, and the box returned to its sealed state.

Madara stood motionless, his throat tightening. A mouthful of blood surged from his chest, and he spat it out uncontrollably.

"Fuma! You Fucking bastard!"

Even the battle-hardened ghost of the shinobi world was pushed to his breaking point, shouting in rage.

Meanwhile, Fuma sat within the "Box of Ultimate Bliss", breathing in the vile, blood-soaked air, feeling as though he had come home.

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