Chapter 288
Just kidding—if she hadn't been betrayed by the two traitors, Ōtsutsuki Hamura and Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo, she would never have been sealed. Let alone her current state—even if she broke the seal by other means, she wouldn't dare to show her face so easily.
Just thinking about it made her feel aggrieved, an unbearable frustration gnawing at her.
More importantly, in Ōtsutsuki Kaguya's perception, the aura of other powerful members of the Ōtsutsuki clan was drawing closer and closer to Earth. An earth-shattering war was inevitable.
"Son… we must endure a little longer!"
"The Fifth Hokage—Uchiha Yuta—has already reached the peak of Six Paths–level power. Even Hagoromo himself might not be able to withstand him."
After taking a deep breath, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya gave Black Zetsu a direct order. Her meaning was simple: with Uchiha Yuta so strong, it would be safer for them to remain hidden and bide their time.
"Understood, Mother."
Buzz!!
Black Zetsu nodded stiffly, suppressing the unease in his chest. He couldn't help but tremble.
The Fifth Hokage—Uchiha Yuta—had truly reached the peak of Six Paths–level power. It was terrifying. No wonder even his "stupid brothers," Ōtsutsuki Hamura and Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo, had not dared to show themselves. Were they simply afraid?
And now, the Great Toad Sage had appeared of his own accord—only to become nothing more than a stepping stone for Uchiha Yuta to establish his dominance.
"So… amazing…"
Nagato, bound by Edo Tensei, sighed softly. "The Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Yuta, is becoming more terrifying by the moment."
"Yes."
Uchiha Itachi, also a captive of Edo Tensei, nodded bitterly. His gaze shifted to the massive projection in the sky. In the corner of that vision, he caught sight of Uchiha Sasuke standing with Uzumaki Naruto, both of them looking up at Uchiha Yuta with eyes full of admiration.
"Well…"
A sigh escaped Itachi's heart.
Did he regret it?
Of course he did.
But in the shinobi world, there was no medicine for regret.
At the beginning, for the so-called "Will of Fire" instilled by the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, he had agreed to massacre his clan and murder his parents.
And in the end?
He had only thrown himself against an iron wall.
Everything had collapsed because of the intervention of the Fifth Hokage—Uchiha Yuta.
Now, seeing Sasuke living a happy life, and their father, Uchiha Fugaku, still alive as the head of the Uchiha clan, Itachi's heart was filled with conflicting emotions. A part of him even wanted to thank Uchiha Yuta.
If not for the Fifth Hokage, Sasuke might never have found this happiness, and the Uchiha clan might never have known peace.
But Sasuke never once looked toward the projection of his brother. Not once did his eyes acknowledge him. Itachi realized, bitterly, that Sasuke had long since let him go. Fugaku too looked at him only occasionally, with a faint trace of bitterness in his eyes.
In the end… father and son had been forced into enemies.
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"This… the gap in strength is too great."
"Not just great—didn't you see? Even the Great Toad Sage couldn't intervene."
"Incredible… it's truly incredible. In such a short time, the Fifth Hokage—Uchiha Yuta—has risen to such a terrifying level…"
Onoki, the Third Tsuchikage, and the Fourth Raikage, A, exchanged glances. Each could see the same fear and disbelief in the other's eyes.
They had once placed their confidence in Uchiha Madara and the Great Toad Sage. But now? Their hopes had been shattered.
The Fifth Hokage—Uchiha Yuta—hadn't even acted with his true body. With nothing more than an energy projection, he had slain Fukasaku and Shima of Mount Myōboku before both the Great Toad Sage and Madara. His power was beyond terrifying.
"What should we do?"
"There's no turning back. The Shinobi Alliance has already drawn the bowstring. Now we must release the arrow."
Both Onoki and A looked stricken, but there was no other choice.
And they weren't the only ones.
The Second Raikage, the Third Raikage, the Fourth Raikage, the First Tsuchikage, and the Second Tsuchikage—all resurrected through Edo Tensei—were equally horrified.
"Is this real? The Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Yuta, is this powerful?"
"An energy projection alone killed Fukasaku and Shima. To him, it was nothing more than child's play…"
"What now?"
"Our strength may not be enough…"
"If we aren't mistaken… the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Yuta, is already stronger than both Madara and the Great Toad Sage combined."
Their voices carried resignation and despair.
Meanwhile, those of the Edo Tensei who were once aligned with Konoha—the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama; the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama; the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato; and the past Kage of the other villages—looked on with unrestrained joy.
It was refreshing. Truly refreshing.
The Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Yuta, had executed Fukasaku and Shima with an energy projection alone, even in front of Madara and the Great Toad Sage. His terrifying strength filled their hearts with satisfaction.
Of course, their joy was internal only. Outwardly, their bodies were no longer their own—Uchiha Madara still controlled them completely, unwilling to risk even the faintest chance of rebellion.
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