Refusing the Crown

The Uchiha Clan’s bloodline had one major drawback: it heavily drained bodily energy and Chakra extraction.

The cursed energy Satoru Gojo excelled at using required no extraction at all. Bai Cangshu’s body would supply it endlessly.

Chakra, meanwhile, was a form of bodily energy. Even with Bai Cangshu’s current physical capabilities, Uchiha Madara could extract it without end. Yet at this moment, he still could not stop the body’s condition from tilting toward that top-tier powerhouse of the Jujutsu World.

The corners of Satoru Gojo’s mouth rose uncontrollably. This was a victory of energy systems. Even if this was a top-tier powerhouse of the Ninja World, even if he could use the host’s unparalleled body to rapidly refine the energy he needed, even if his Pupil Technique was more aggressive…

Still, in the current situation, it was obvious…

"I’m the strongest."

Satoru Gojo lowered his eyelids, the corners of his eyes lifting as his lips curled into the same arc. He could not completely overpower Uchiha Madara’s soul. The two currently shared the Throne of the Heart, but because of their compatibility, he could access nearly unlimited energy within this body at any time.

Buzz~

Amid a strange sound, Shuriken, fireballs, Wind Blades, and every other Ninjutsu attack froze before Bai Cangshu’s body.

The half of his face controlled by Uchiha Madara showed a trace of surprise as well. Clearly, even he was somewhat taken aback by Satoru Gojo’s ability.

An ability comparable to an "absolute defense" was exceedingly rare even in the Ninja World.

Satoru Gojo spread one hand. His completely defenseless stance could not look quite so carefree because the other half of the body, controlled by Uchiha Madara, had folded its arms across its chest. Still, he looked freely at the humans of this world who wielded strange energies.

"What a fine ability."

This energy system, which allowed humans to manipulate extraordinary power without relying on extreme emotions, drew Satoru Gojo’s admiration. He looked at the many energy attacks frozen before him, his gaze shifting until it finally settled on Uchiha Obito.

Of everyone present, only this one could make this body wary.

Obito focused his gaze. Compared to other members of the Uchiha Clan, the consumption of his Mangekyo Sharingan ability was not so unbearable thanks to the boost from Hashirama Cells.

Kamui activated in an instant. The spatial distortion attack gave no warning whatsoever, but Satoru Gojo immediately became alert.

Bang!

The instant the ground exploded, Bai Cangshu’s figure vanished completely. Uchiha Obito was wary of Uchiha Madara’s Sharingan, and even when his eyes moved, he remained extremely vigilant.

Yet Uchiha Madara did not appear. Instead, a figure appeared amid all the ninja with movements nearly indistinguishable from Teleportation.

Neither the Hyuga Clan’s Byakugan nor the Uchiha’s Sharingan could foresee a method of movement that truly differed little from Teleportation.

Satoru Gojo formed a hand sign before him with one hand. He was already prepared to instantly kill everyone.

"Domain Expansion, Infinite Vo—"

Crack!

The sound of bones shattering rang out. Satoru Gojo’s expression turned cold. Half of Bai Cangshu’s body used an utterly unnatural movement to stop his hand sign. That excessively powerful left hand had actually crushed the right hand belonging to the same body.

The delicate flow of cursed energy was disrupted, and the Domain Expansion could not be activated.

Uchiha Madara and Satoru Gojo shared the body at this moment, and they shared their minds as well.

He had read the memories of this individual named Satoru Gojo and discovered that he possessed an ability which, once unleashed, could almost instantly kill everyone within its range. He did not like seeing his work destroyed by such an ability, nor did he like having someone else steal the stage from his first performance after resurrection.

Uchiha Madara almost violently gouged out the eye on the left side of Bai Cangshu’s body, then installed the Sharingan he had seized.

Transplanting a Sharingan normally required a fairly delicate operation, but this body’s overwhelming vitality allowed him to ignore that. He only needed to place the eye in its socket, and the greedy flesh and nerves would naturally bring that Sharingan under the body’s control.

And the immense burden a Sharingan placed upon a non-Uchiha was almost not worth considering before this body’s absurdly powerful capabilities.

Uchiha Madara felt that cool Yin Chakra begin to flow from the eye into his body. The familiar sensation nearly made him laugh aloud again in delight.

The Two-Tomoe Sharingan spun and changed in an instant, its third tomoe emerging in the blink of an eye.

Whether it was emotions or the extraction of Yin Chakra, such techniques were nothing more than a casual act to Uchiha Madara.

This body, with far more cells than an ordinary ninja’s, began operating as though it were burning under his Chakra extraction technique.

A massive amount of bodily energy was converted into Chakra.

Uchiha Madara moved his body. Though it was still not as convenient as his original body, in some respects, this body possessed a higher limit.

Uchiha Obito maintained Kamui, but he had sensed the terrifying malice revealed by this Mercenary Tao claiming to be "Uchiha Madara" in that brief instant. Countless bumps rose on his skin, a reaction stirred from the depths of his heart by that momentary killing intent.

Satoru Gojo’s soul turned cold. Uchiha Madara’s arrogance and domineering manner displeased him. As someone who had been regarded since birth as a person capable of changing the balance of the Jujutsu World, he found it difficult to accept another person displaying such an attitude.

He did not stop Uchiha Madara from controlling this body to refine energy. He even had the half of the body under his control cooperate with Uchiha Madara’s actions.

This was his confidence and pride. He disdained bullying Uchiha Madara when he could not command much energy.

He was willing to truly fight Uchiha Madara for control of this body after Madara had adjusted himself to perfect condition.

Whoosh!

In the sky, the golden beast that seemed wholly unaffected by gravity now seemed weightless as well. The Eight-Tails Gyuki’s charge struck nothing but empty air, and the Elden Beast dissolved into the sky through Kamui.

It transformed into golden radiance and appeared at another corner of the sky.

The Fourth Raikage, his face stained with golden blood, looked down at Mercenary Tao and Uchiha Obito confronting him with lingering fear.

Whoosh!

The next moment, golden flames rained down again. This attack meant nothing to a Nintaijutsu master like A, and he vanished from where he stood in an instant.

But this time, no golden formation appeared after the flames.

Instead, the Elden Beast spun several times and transformed into a human figure.

It was a figure taller and more powerfully built than an ordinary human, with a fit physique and long red hair flowing behind his back.

Upon that near-perfect body was a chest marked with a brilliant red flower pattern, vivid to the point of decay.

God-Human Hiranaka Minoru emerged from within the Elden Beast. Looking at Mercenary Tao, who had ultimately appeared on this battlefield, golden incantations continuously lit up.

Erdtree Vow!

Golden Magic Protection!

Golden Lightning Protection!

Hiranaka Minoru’s form seemed to grow illusory as he drifted behind Mercenary Tao’s powerful body. This was the king acknowledged by both him and the Golden Order, a powerhouse capable of conquering this world.

"Mercenary Tao, become the Elden Lord…"

His voice was ethereal as his figure appeared behind Bai Cangshu. The two were about to merge into one.

But the next moment, Black Flash erupted.

A distance that seemed as though it would never change appeared between them.

"Have you misunderstood something…"

"Hiranaka Minoru."

"A king does not need someone like you to acknowledge him…"