5 Chapter 5: His First Step

Monster

It wasn't just a creature, but an embodiment of terror, it caused the weak to rise up to fight it. It was a force of nature that shook the very foundation of the world, causing even the bravest of warriors to tremble in fear. It was a being of immense power, capable of toppling entire nations with ease, and leaving a trail of destruction and death in its wake.

During the Warring States Period, such monsters took human form in the likes of Madara and Hashirama. They were legendary figures, whose names were whispered in awe and terror by both friend and foe. They could slaughter entire clans of shinobi with a flick of their wrist, and make even the most powerful Kage-level ninja look like mere insects before them.

Their reign of terror was not limited to the battlefield. The mere mention of their names was enough to make widows curse and children cry in terror. They were the stuff of nightmares, the darkest fears of those who dared to defy them.

That was how the term was used in his previous world at least, however the universal definition wasn't that much different at all.

For a monster to truly dominate, they needed more than just raw power. They had to be ruthlessly ambitious, with an unquenchable thirst for control and domination. Only then could they overwhelm their opponents with a level of power so great that it would drown them in despair.

But power alone was not enough. A monster had to be arrogant - not in the sense of being self-centered or egotistical, but in the sense of possessing an unshakable confidence in their own abilities. This confidence was not mere bravado or showmanship, but rather a deep-seated belief in their own skills, honed through years of relentless training and effort, a deep-seated confidence in their own abilities that bordered on the fanatical. Even Hashirama, though he hid it well, was not immune to this trait. And even Might Guy had a hint of arrogance, born from the fruits of his grueling training.

Of course, some people would mistake arrogance for a negative quality. But they were wrong. Arrogance was a necessity - a key factor that separated true monsters from the sheep in the herd. It was a facade, yes, but one that concealed a deep well of self-assurance that only the most dominant creatures could possess. The right kind of arrogance, in other words - the kind that belonged to a true monster.

A great example would be the one he was fighting now....She was arrogant, quite so...but she knew how to control it. She was a true monster, confident and powerful, but also controlled and deliberate. Normally, she was the kind of opponent that Madara relished facing, the kind that challenged him and made his blood pump with excitement....

But that wasn't the case now.....Something was off...He wasn't having fun....

'Why is she holding back?' thought Madara as he frowned

He looked like a toddler pouting because he didn't get his candy, which Suki quite boldly emphasised in his mind while giggling

She was promptly ignored by Madara

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He could keep up with her speed, her strength. Granted, she wasn't giving her all, but still, a remarkable accomplishment (according to her), especially so considering he too was holding back.

As she darted around him, he attempted to land a kick that was coated in a pulsing black orb, but she deftly dodged it, twisting her body to avoid the impact. In the same motion, he reached out with her free hand and threw a sharp punch at her. She let this one hit

The punch stopped just a centimeter away from her cheek. Seizing the opportunity, she aimed to deliver a swift kick to his face

'I just need to be careful of the attacks that he coats with the orb,' she thought to herself, mentally strategizing her next move.

Suddenly, the black orb flew in between them, spreading out into a thin, circular shield that blocked her kick.

With a few quick steps back, she started creating some distance between them, her eyes never leaving his. 'Defense too, huh...' she evaluated.

Though in mid-movement, her eyes widened and she suddenly clenched her hands together, disappearing from her original spot in an instant

Not a second later, a deafening boom echoed through the air as a dark, ominous projectile slammed into the very spot where she had been standing, sending a shockwave rippling through the ground and raising massive clouds of dust and debris.

As the dust slowly began to clear, she emerged from the shadows, her body tense and her senses on high alert. She scanned the scene before her with a steely gaze, watching as a black orb slowly rose from the massive crater that had been created by the impact.

'So he can use it offensively in long range as well, huh... ' she thought to herself, her mind racing with strategies and counterattacks. She watched in silence as the black orb hovered menacingly in the air, before it suddenly shot backward away to its owner

As she studied him further, a plan began to take shape in her mind. Though, her thoughts were interrupted as Madara suddenly appeared before her, wielding a pitch-black kunai, slashing towards her neck

Without hesitation, she dodged the deadly weapon, her body moving with the fluid grace

As she back-stepped, she calmly raised her foot as high as she could. Then, with a fierce jerk, she slammed her foot down with all the strength she could muster, shattering the ground beneath them.

The force of her blow knocked Madara off-balance, and his form became unstable. Seizing the opportunity, she spun around on one foot, her other leg arcing through the air in a powerful roundhouse kick aiming to strike Madara's neck

An excited grin stretched across her face, 'I got you'

*BAM!*

But then came the sound of impact - not the satisfying crack of a neck breaking, but a loud thud. The grin faded from her face....She hit something else...

A sense of deja vu enveloped her as she realised it was the same situation as before, when he was the one on the receiving end. But this time, the positions were reversed.

Huge skeletal ribs, cloaked in a menacing blue aura, enveloped her opponent, blocking her cursed-energy powered kick....not one scratch on it...

As she gazed at her opponent, she noticed that his eyes had changed as well. The familiar three-comma pattern was nowhere to be seen. In its place, a more intimidating design had taken shape

Quickly, she flipped backwards, putting some distance between herself and her opponent. Her mind raced as she analysed the arrival of this new ability

"You're not the only one with a good defense," he said, his eyes piercing into her as a condescending smirk reflected off him. "But still, not bad... for a woman."

The unexpected statement hit her like a train, her lips twitching and her eyes narrowing in disbelief. She felt a vague anger start to bubble up within her as she clenched her fist in response. Despite her attempts to maintain a neutral expression, a forced smile appeared on her face. It was clear that the comment had bothered her more than she thought it would....especially seeing who it came from

Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly and raised her hand, her previously expression now turning cold. The weight of her anger could be felt in the air, and it was clear that he had touched a nerve.

'For a woman, huh....I'll show him a woman'

As she raised her hand, her slender fingers moved gracefully to form a sign with her index and middle fingers, crossing them together. The ground beneath her feet began to rumble and shake, the dirt and debris shifting and cracking under the force of her power. Her eyes glowed a bright, piercing azure, reflecting the strength and intensity of her energy.

Madara smiled triumphantly as his shone back crimson, burning with anticipation

His attempt to make her get seemingly serious succeeded, but his smile slowly turned into a frown noticing what came next

The glow in her eyes began to fade, the once-powerful energy dissipating into nothingness. The ground slowly settled back into place, the cracks and crevices smoothing over as if nothing had ever happened.

She let out a frustrated sigh, her hand dropping to her side as her expression twisted with regret and irritation

'Its truly a pity..'

He simply gazed at her, his dark eyes flickering with something that she couldn't quite read.

"Why?" he asked, and she wrinkled her brows in confusion.

"What?"

"Why aren't you going all out?" he clarified, his question jolting her.

Her eyes flared in understanding before she jeered back at him, "Why am I not going all out?" she repeated, her voice rising in disbelief. She scoffed, "Look who's talking! Other than some of those fancy tricks of yours, I haven't seen you do anything else. In fact, you're not exerting yourself at all. It looks like you just returned from a delightful stroll across some damn park!" She couldn't help the sharpness in her tone, the way her words dripped with sarcasm.

"Well, that could apply to you as well..." he muttered

"....Fair enough," she agreed reluctantly after a momentary pause, still feeling defensive.

"Is it because of the city?" he asked randomly as he peered out at the sprawling metropolis in the distance. "Or is it because of those two up there?" He then glanced upwards, towards the platform they had fallen through. "Or is it both?" His eyes returned to hers, probing for an answer.

Her eyes narrowed but she didn't speak. Her silence answered everything that had to be said.

"Should I clear these... distractions?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous as hints of bloodthirst escaped him.

*BOOM*

The sound echoed through the surrounding, reverberating off the nearby structures and filling the air with a sudden and overwhelming sense of bloodlust. Her cold glare could freeze hell itself, and all sense of the previous playfulness was gone. The answer to that question was quite clear...

A normal man would know that he had overstepped, he would acknowledge the threat and try to placate the situation. He would back away slowly, making no sudden movements, for the betterment of both parties.....

....However, Madara Uchiha was not a normal man

An equally terrifying and overbearing bloodlust flooded the surrounding area as it escaped from Madara. It was not his best, but it was enough for the current situation. The two auras were so dense that they clashed almost physically, the murderous intent creating a palpable tension that would have shook, if not corrupted, the cores of any observers who might be present. The air crackled with energy as the two powerful forces faced off

The two figures stood motionless, not a single muscle twitching. The air was thick with tension, each of their gazes a weight bearing down on the other. It felt as though they were standing in the eye of a hurricane, the calm center of a maelstrom of emotion. Each was like a tectonic plate, pushing against the other with all their might, threatening to shatter the very foundations of the earth.

The atmosphere simple became tenser as their auras intensified, filling the space around them with an almost tangible energy. They continued to stare at each other, their bodies taut and coiled like springs, each preparing for the inevitable clash. The silence was palpable, broken only by the soft hiss of their breathing. It was as if the very air was holding its breath, waiting for the inevitable collision.

Just as the tension reached its crescendo and it seemed that one of them would finally make a move, the two figures suddenly snapped their heads to the side in unison

*THUD!*

It was a body....

The unconscious body of that pink haired girl. It must have been leaning on the edge of the hole they created, for some time, and gravity had finally pulled it down. Both of them came to this conclusion, silently acknowledging it

Though quite unexpectedly (but, fortunately for their surroundings and the bystanders), the fall of the body had unknowingly defused the tension in the atmosphere. The previously palpable killing intent simply evaporated away, as if it had never existed in the first place. The timing of the anti-climactic scenario was almost comedic

Their gazes once again landed on each other, though the previous tension was now unseen

Madara broke the silence, his Sharingan rotating back into his black pupils as he deactivated them, "Your name....What is it?"

She answered almost reflexively, "Gojo Satori..."

Madara's eyes shone a little as he noted the name down mentally. "Gojo Satori," he repeated. "I will remember you. We will fight once again one day. I will find you, and on that day, you will show me everything.....everything you have.... We will meet again."

With those words he turned around, walking away, leaving Satori dumbfounded....However, as he reached the gate of the now-destroyed school, his final words echoed through her mind, and for reasons she didn't understand a small flush crept up her cheeks.

But she shook her head, clearing it. A thousand thoughts sped across her mind, like a swarm of bees buzzing around a hive. She couldn't make sense of them all, but she knew one thing for certain: he was not a Cursed Spirit. He wasn't an assassin after her either; he just personally wanted to fight her.

He wasn't a Jujutsu Sorcerer, that much was clear. All the techniques he had used before were without any Cursed Energy. Instead, there was this other energy in him that was unlike any other she had seen. It was positive, almost like an energy of life.

As she thought about it, she realized that it was his eyes that had intrigued her the most. They were special, like hers. At first, she assumed it might be a variant of her Rikugan, but that thought slowly deconstructed as she battled him.

He was strong, very strong. Satori had fought her fair share of opponents, but this man was on a different level. And she knew for a matter of fact that he was holding back... a lot.

She didn't know the reach of his prowess, but he was probably on par with her...perhaps even a tad bit more?

.

.

.

'Nah.'

Nevertheless.... that excited her, but further confused her as well

A man of his strength would surely be known in the Jujutsu Society, unless other factors deemed it not to....which was rather unlikely, though not impossible.

There were so many questions, and so little answers. Her curiosity had been piqued, and she found herself unable to resist the urge to find out more....

Regardless....There was one thing she knew for certain - he was an anomaly, a complete unknown factor. He seemed to have no connections to any other parties, a lone wolf, he didn't seem the type to obey orders from someone else, which only made him more intriguing.....He was perfect

Perfect for her. Perfect for her dream...

The reason she had become a teacher was with the sole purpose of fostering strong and intelligent allies, allies who would help her change the disgusting values of the Jujutsu society by replacing its corrupt higher-ups. And with him on her side, her chances of success would skyrocket.

It wasn't just a matter of convenience, but necessity. She needed to have him on her side, and she needed to have him now. If someone else were to snatch him away before she had the chance, it would make her already difficult mission even more challenging. She couldn't afford to let that happen. She could not let him go

And so she uttered out, "Wait!"

The man abruptly halted, twisting his neck to face her. His eyes radiated annoyance as he cast a fleeting glance in her direction. "What does she want now..." he muttered, his tone clipped and irritable.

She persisted, unfazed by his initial reaction. "Why don't you come with me?" she suggested, a hint of coaxing in her voice.

'...What?'

She then took a shot in the dark, a risky manoeuvre

"I assume you're not from around here? You're not familiar with this.....with Cursed Energy" she said, her words slow and deliberate. She held out her hand, which flickered with a blackish-blue aura in the darkness, "Not familiar with people like me, Jujutsu Sorcerers," she added

It was a total gamble, perhaps she was reading too much into it, but she saw his looks.....He wasn't used to Cursed Energy. Of course, it could have been an act, a ruse to lure her into a false sense of security. She didn't know for sure, but her gut feeling was telling her that there was something there.

He simply raised a brow in interest, his expression neutral, betraying no hint of where his thoughts were going. He didn't know where she was going with this.....However he was intrigued, so he confirmed it

She saw the affirmation in his eyes, and like a huge boulder that had been lifted from her shoulders, her entire being was shrouded in relief. She couldn't help but smile

"Then you have much to learn," she said, "Factions to look out for, each with their own agenda and machinations. Higher-ups who could meddle with your affairs and hinder your actions, and other parties interfering" She studied him carefully, trying to gauge his reaction to her warnings.

She saw him looking unconcerned at the things she mentioned

"And then there are the creatures," she continued with vigour, "Cursed spirits, manifested from Cursed Energy themselves, with all sorts of twisted powers and malicious intentions. And other beings...individuals of considerable strength"

Now that got his attention, he perked up, his eyes glinting with interest. She allowed herself a small smirk, enjoying the effect of her words on him.

She continued, "I can teach you. I'll give you all the information you need to survive and thrive in this world. And I'll also offer you accommodation, a safe haven where you can rest and recuperate. Just come back with me..."

He could clearly sense that she had ulterior motives. But the things she was offering were quite tempting. Yes, he could acquire the knowledge himself, given time, but why take the long route when the answer was right in front of him?

He wasn't afraid of any manipulations or traps the woman might have in store for him. He was confident in his ability to handle them. Moreover, her intentions didn't seem malicious, and he was rather intrigued by the situation himself

He didn't have anything else to do in this world presently. She, and whatever she expected from him could prove to be entertaining.....Besides, he had nothing to lose

"It will also be easier and quicker to have that fight that you talked about," she added, a sly smile playing on her lips. "We'll be around each other more often, so you'll have plenty of opportunities to choose the perfect time and place for a real showdown.....A fight where I'll go all out"

And that sold him...

'Junkie' Suki scoffed

'Bite me'

'....You know....' Her voice low and ominous, '....that's a wrong thing to say to a fox...' Her eyes glinted with a dangerous light making Madara have second thoughts on what he just said

Satori leaned in, her gaze fixed on him. "So, what will it be?" she asked, her voice laced with expectation.

He turned around slowly, taking his time to meet her gaze. For a moment, he seemed lost in thought, and Satori couldn't help but wonder what was going on in his mind. She waited patiently as he considered his options

Finally, he broke the silence. "Ok woman," he said, "I'll go with you."

A jolt of excitement went through her at his words, and a broad smile spread across her face. Her expression gleaming with joy

"I'm interested in what you desire from me," he continued, his eyes fixed on hers.

'As expected' She thought. Satori wasn't surprised that he got to know her other motives to bring him with her. Well, there was that and the fact that she was also personally interested in him... She wanted to know more about him. He had caught her interest, quite firmly to say so

A woman's curiosity was a dangerous thing...

"By the way, you never told me your name."

An impassive stare landed on her.

He stared at her for a fair bit of time, before the name that brought nightmares to the Shinobi World left his lips, the name that had been spoken in hushed whispers throughout the land, a name that was synonymous with terror and destruction

"Uchiha.....Madara Uchiha"