Chapter 60: How Can Fireflies Compete with the Bright Moon for Brilliance

Muzan's roar echoed within the Red Barrier. He waved his claws, attacking the transparent barrier frantically, but every touch brought searing pain. His sharp nails scraped across the barrier, yet left not a single mark.

The tubes behind him danced like tentacles, constantly lashing at the barrier. No matter how wildly he attacked, that layer of red barrier remained motionless, like an invisible wall trapping him.

Suddenly, Muzan turned around abruptly, and Madara Uchiha was already standing behind him at some point. Madara's gaze was calm, yet it sent a chill through Muzan.

Madara crossed his arms, looking down at Muzan, and said coldly, "Hmph! Want to escape? Too naive."

Muzan's pupils contracted violently, and his body trembled uncontrollably. He stared fixedly at the old man before him, and fear surged in his heart like a tide.

"Who... who exactly are you?" Muzan asked through gritted teeth, his voice filled with unease and anger.

Madara smiled coldly and did not answer. He walked forward slowly, each step making Muzan feel a pang of alarm.

Muzan retreated abruptly, his back hitting the barrier. The searing pain made him suck in a sharp breath, but he no longer cared about these things.

Fear surged into his heart like a tide, making this Demon King who had lived for a thousand years feel the threat of death once again.

"No, impossible! I am the Demon King! I am immortal!" Muzan roared hysterically, his voice full of unwillingness and fear.

A trace of contempt flashed in Madara's eyes. "Immortal? Ridiculous. In the face of absolute power, so-called immortality is nothing but self-deception."

These words seemed to sting Muzan's nerves. He suddenly raised his head, a trace of madness flashing in his eyes. The next moment, Muzan actually lunged at Madara recklessly, his claws viciously slashing toward Madara's face.

"I won't die! I absolutely cannot die!" Muzan shouted madly, his voice filled with both anger and deep fear.

Facing Muzan's attack, Madara Uchiha's eyes flashed with a trace of disdain. He raised his hand lightly, as if merely swatting away a fly.

"Bang!"

With a muffled sound, Muzan's body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, slamming heavily into the barrier. The searing pain made him let out a shrill scream.

"Wait!" Muzan suddenly shouted, his voice carrying a trace of pleading, "I... I can make you live forever!"

Madara stopped his steps, coldly watching the disheveled Muzan.

Seeing this, Muzan seemed to have grasped the last straw. He said eagerly, "I can make you shed your current body and return to youth! Look at yourself now, don't you want to stay young and powerful forever?"

"Heh..."

After hearing Muzan's words, Madara Uchiha's lips curled slightly, revealing a meaningful smile. Then he slowly raised his right hand and gave a light pinch.

"Hum—"

Instantly, the surrounding Red Barrier began to vibrate violently. The transparent barrier writhed like a living thing, rapidly contracting toward the center. The barrier passed over Madara's body, as if ignoring him, and pressed straight toward Muzan.

Muzan abruptly raised his head, his pupils suddenly contracting. He watched helplessly as the searing barrier approached him, with nowhere to escape.

"Wait wait wait!" Muzan shouted in panic, his voice full of fear, "I'm telling the truth! Don't you want to stay powerful forever?"

Madara did not answer, just quietly watching Muzan. There was no pity, no anger in his gaze, only indifference. As the Fire Flame Array gradually contracted, Muzan's body began to tremble violently.

The searing barrier clung tightly to his skin, making a "sizzle" sound. Muzan's muscles began to turn black, and cracks appeared on his skin, like parched land.

"Ah—!" Muzan let out a shrill scream, his voice full of pain and despair.

Suddenly, Muzan's body suddenly twitched violently, his muscles writhing in an unnatural way. His skin rolled like boiling liquid, as if something inside was struggling madly.

"Crack! Crack!" The sound of bones breaking rang out continuously, Muzan's limbs twisting at strange angles. His spine suddenly arched upward, bulging like a small hill.

In the blink of an eye, a huge, deformed infant stood there, its body covered with twisted muscles and protruding bones, looking both horrible and strange.

The strange infant opened its bloody mouth, letting out a deafening cry. The sharp cry echoed in the air, as if it wanted to tear apart the horizon.

Madara Uchiha frowned, his eyes fixed on the giant infant before him. The contraction of the Fire Flame Array suddenly stopped, and the red barrier clung tightly to the infant's body surface.

"As expected, there is still too little chakra in the current body." Madara muttered softly, a trace of dissatisfaction flashing in his eyes.

Although the barrier stopped contracting, the searing temperature continued to burn Muzan's body. The giant infant's skin gradually turned black and began to crack. A burnt smell permeated the air.

The infant kept crying, letting out screams.

Madara Uchiha raised his eyes to look at the deformed giant infant before him, a trace of disdain flashing in his eyes.

"Is that all?" Madara's voice was low and cold, "The esteemed Demon King, and this is all you can turn into—this ugly appearance?"

Madara Uchiha's gaze stared directly at the infant's face, constantly twisted and crying in pain.

"You claim to be immortal, yet cannot even maintain the most basic form." Madara's tone was full of mockery, "Is this the immortality you pride yourself on? Nothing but a pitiful joke."

He shook his head contemptuously and continued, "Look at yourself now, even the lowliest worm is a hundred times better than you. Your existence is simply a desecration of power."

A trace of disgust flashed in Madara's eyes, "With this appearance of yours, you are not even worthy of being taken seriously by me."

The giant infant's body quickly turned black under the burning of the Fire Flame Array. The skin split open, revealing the charred flesh and blood beneath. A strong burnt smell spread.

The infant's crying gradually weakened, finally turning into painful whimpers. Its huge body began to collapse, crashing down like a fallen hill.

The smoke and dust cleared, revealing Muzan's body. He had completely lost his human form, his entire body turned into a twisted piece of charcoal. His skin cracked, emitting black smoke and a nauseating smell.

Madara Uchiha slightly raised his hand, and the Fire Flame Array instantly dissipated. The red barrier shattered like broken glass, turning into specks of red light and disappearing into the air.

Then he slowly approached Muzan's charred body, and when he was still a few steps away from Muzan, an unexpected change occurred.

The seemingly lifeless body suddenly emitted a faint white electric light. Although the electric light was tiny, it made Madara's gaze freeze.

(Chapter End)