12dz Chapter 878 Silence
Chapter 878 Silence
Zhang Hai fell silent. Ban's words unfolded in his mind like a series of bloody scenes, the overwhelming weight of history leaving him no room for rebuttal. It was indeed a chaotic world he could not have imagined.
“So,” Ban paused, his tone suddenly shifting to something eerie, “it’s because there’s still an innocence in your eyes that I’ve never seen before that you’re the only kid in all these years who has truly impressed me.”
Zhang Hai's heart skipped a beat, and that feeling of being watched by a ferocious beast returned.
“To tell you the truth,” Madara’s aged face revealed a chilling smile, “I once prepared a ‘grand gift’ for you. I developed a technique called ‘Yin-Yang Release,’ originally intended for you. Not to kill you, but to… devour you.”
"Devour?" Zhang Hai's pupils shrank, and a chill ran down his spine.
“That’s right. Your physical attributes, your chakra, and especially your unique Mangekyou Sharingan, are all excellent vessels.” Madara stated bluntly, as if discussing something trivial. “I want to use Yin-Yang Release to erase your will, making your body an extension of my will, or… a deeper fusion.”
Zhang Hai's hand gripping the knife trembled slightly. It turned out he had been on this old monster's menu all along. This feeling of being schemed against from the very beginning filled him with a deep sense of powerlessness and anger.
“But I gave up.” Ban sighed, seemingly with some regret. “The longer I observe you, the more uncontrollable you become. There’s a quality in your soul that I can’t fully understand, like an unstable bomb. If I try to force it in, it might backfire on me.”
Ban slowly raised his withered hand and pointed it at Zhang Hai: "Since we can't control him, we can only destroy him. I regret that we weren't born in the same era, otherwise we might have been worthy opponents. But now... for my plan, you must die."
As the word "death" fell, the murderous aura in the entire underground space suddenly erupted, as if tangible blades were piercing Zhang Hai from all directions.
However, at this critical moment, Zhang Hai's Mangekyou Sharingan suddenly began to spin wildly.
Not right.
The moment Madara unleashed his killing intent, Zhang Hai's enhanced perception, amplified by the Spirit Transformation Technique, detected an extremely subtle sense of unease. The killing intent, though immense and real, seemed to originate from something ethereal.
Zhang Hai suddenly looked up, staring intently at Ban on the throne.
In the Kaleidoscope's vision, the Madara that should have been a solid flow of chakra was now blurred, like hot air rising in the desert distorting light. That seemingly decaying body was actually hollow inside!
“A mirage?” Zhang Hai suddenly sneered, his tense body instantly relaxing. “Uchiha Madara, you’re getting more and more humorous as you get older.”
Ban paused for a moment, his cloudy eyes narrowing.
"You've been telling me stories for ages with a phantom, and even threatened to kill me?" Zhang Hai took a step forward, his tone laced with mockery. "The legendary Asura of the Ninja World has also learned this bluffing trick. Your real body is probably hiding in some rat hole by now, isn't it?"
Although Zhang Hai was mocking him verbally, he was actually relieved and gained a new understanding of Ban.
At first, he subconsciously thought that a proud overlord like Madara would choose to face his enemies head-on even in death, and would drag them down with him even if it was just a final burst of energy. But now it seems that he was too naive.
A true ruthless leader would never gamble meaninglessly for the sake of so-called "face".
Madara is currently in extremely poor condition. Facing Zhang Hai, who possesses the Mangekyou Sharingan and is at the peak of his combat power, even Madara is not confident of victory. Rather than risk being killed in a mutual destruction, it would be more rational and advantageous to use illusions to buy time while his real body moves away.
"Your insight is quite good, being able to see through my 'Shadow Reincarnation' in such a short time."
Even after being exposed, Madara's voice remained calm, even carrying a hint of admiration. The figure sitting on the throne began to become transparent, as if it might vanish with the wind at any moment.
"However, junior, do you really think that only wielding a knife in front of someone counts as killing?"
Ban's phantom slowly stood up. Although it was just an illusion, its aura of looking down on all living beings was still terrifying.
"Swordsmanship is indeed a good way to kill, but in a real game of chess, a sword is just the lowest level of tool." Ban's voice echoed in the empty cave, carrying a chilling coldness. "Thoughts, strategies, or even a casually placed piece are far more efficient at killing than that piece of scrap metal in your hand."
Zhang Hai sheathed his sword, watching the gradually fading spots with a complex expression.
“I don’t deny it,” Zhang Hai said calmly. “Killing someone doesn’t necessarily require a knife. Just like you, although you didn’t lay a hand on me today, your words just now made me feel more dangerous than any ninjutsu.”
"Very good." Ban's figure had become a faint outline. "Since you understand this principle, then enjoy the rest of your time. In this false world, death may be the only relief. We will meet again, Zhang Hai."
As the last words fell, the figure on the throne vanished completely.
Zhang Hai stood alone in the empty underground cave, staring at the deserted stone seat, motionless for a long time.
"He really is a cunning old fox..."
Although this confrontation appeared to be a draw, or even one where Zhang Hai forced Ban to retreat, he knew in his heart that he had not won. Ban's voluntary retreat meant that he had a deeper plan in the shadows. And he had only uncovered a corner of this vast conspiracy.
“However, it at least proves one thing.” Zhang Hai turned and walked out, a cold smile playing on his lips. “Uchiha Madara was also human. He would grow old and be afraid of death. As long as someone is human, he can be killed.”
In the empty, desolate underground cave, the gradually dissipating phantom of Uchiha Madara suddenly solidified a bit more, as if unwilling to end the conversation just like that.
"Why must you kill me?" Zhang Hai stood still, his gaze as sharp as a blade, staring directly at the illusory old man on the throne. "We are all Uchiha. I have no loyalty to the so-called Konoha. My existence may even become a weapon in your hands."
"A blade?" Madara's phantom let out a contemptuous sneer. "No, you are not a blade, you are the one who wields the knife."