Uchiha Madara's chakra signature vanished completely. Only then did Hyuga Gakuya release his hand, allowing the light to slowly fade and reveal a deep, vertical crater in the earth.
Madara was gone—no trace of him remained.
Of course, Gakuya knew exactly where Madara had gone. Black Zetsu had rescued him.
Though Black Zetsu hadn't shown himself, he was clearly still lurking in the shadows, laying groundwork for his next move.
After all, his time to exit the stage hadn't come just yet.
And so Gakuya feigned ignorance, pretending that Madara had been obliterated and returned to the Pure Land.
A thunderous cheer erupted from the Allied Shinobi Forces. They were overjoyed at Gakuya's victory.
"Uchiha Madara is dead!"
"Glory to Mokushū-sama!"
A wave of joy swept through the crowd, every face lit with the relief of survival and renewed hope for the future.
Ōnoki gazed up at the majestic figure hovering in the sky, his heart full of mixed emotions.
All the conflict he'd once had with Hyuga Gakuya now seemed utterly trivial. He was just grateful that his past prejudices hadn't sabotaged this critical battle.
He exhaled deeply, tension finally draining from his old frame, and muttered,
"Thank goodness… we made it…"
Ōnoki knew all too well—if not for Gakuya's overwhelming power, the Allied Forces would have been doomed beyond redemption.
Gakuya descended slowly from the sky, and the moment his feet touched the ground, the shinobi surged forward.
"Hero! Hero!"
He stepped toward the cheering masses, his voice still clear and commanding, filled with conviction:
"This is our victory. You all fought for this world. You are the real heroes."
A genuine smile appeared on Ōnoki's face as he stepped forward and said,
"I was shortsighted before. This time… it's thanks to you."
Gakuya returned the smile with a calm nod. "We're all protecting peace together."
Another round of cheers burst out. It didn't matter which village they came from—at that moment, every shinobi was cheering for Gakuya.
As the noise died down, Gakuya raised his voice once more.
"The war isn't over yet. Let us head to the northern front and support our comrades there!"
"Yes, sir!" the Allied Forces roared in unison.
Gakuya led the charge, soaring back into the sky with the shinobi flying behind him toward the battlefield where Gaara and Sunagakure were engaged.
Ōnoki and Mu rose into the air as well, deliberately keeping a step behind Gakuya to show their respect.
"Supreme Leader Mokushū," Ōnoki said, "why are we prioritizing the northern front? According to our latest intel, while the situation there is tense, it's still under control. But the eastern front—where the Raikage is facing Uchiha Obito—is in critical condition. They've already said they can't hold out much longer."
His tone was tactful, but the implication clear. He was concerned that Gakuya's past grudges against the Raikage were influencing his decision to support Gaara first, given the latter's close relationship with the Federation.
Gakuya replied smoothly, "Nagato is on the northern front. If we can bring him to our side, he'll be a valuable asset. Honestly, the previous battle drained me more than I let on. I only kept up appearances to maintain morale."
"I plan to use the last of my strength to plant Orochimaru's sealing curse into Nagato's body. That way, we'll gain a powerful ally with the Rinnegan."
Of course, that was all nonsense. Gakuya had barely broken a sweat in the last fight. If he'd gone all out, Black Zetsu wouldn't have had a chance to interfere.
But this lie would serve as a useful cover. After displaying such overwhelming strength, it would be hard to justify taking a backseat later unless he planted the idea now that he was exhausted.
This way, Gakuya could quietly steer the events forward—watch from the sidelines as the story progressed, and finally reappear when Kaguya Ōtsutsuki was revived… only to devour her in one fell swoop.
Neither Ōnoki nor Mu suspected anything. Gakuya's earlier performance had been so awe-inspiring that any claim of exhaustion seemed perfectly reasonable.
Frankly, it would have been suspicious if he weren't tired after a battle like that.
Second Tsuchikage Mu nodded in approval after hearing Gakuya's explanation.
"You truly are a hero—not just in power, but in strategy as well."
Gakuya answered humbly, "Everything I do is for this world."
...
In a hidden underground base, Uchiha Madara slowly rose from the ground, wrapped tightly in the shadowy mass of Black Zetsu.
Moments later, Zetsu peeled away from Madara's body, having just used Yin-Yang Release to extract him from Gakuya's attack.
Madara glared at him, furious. "Why did you pull me out?! I could've kept fighting!"
He was Uchiha Madara—the legend of the shinobi world. When had he ever been forced to flee in disgrace?
This kind of retreat was utterly beneath him.
Black Zetsu's voice was low and eerie as he responded, still pretending to be the manifestation of Madara's will.
"Please don't act rashly, Madara-sama. Hyuga Gakuya's strength was beyond what we anticipated. And this wasn't a retreat—it was strategy. In your current state, reanimated by Edo Tensei, you can't access your full power. A direct clash would've been unwise. That man's victory was not earned honorably."
Madara's scowl deepened, but he gradually cooled down.
"You don't need to sugarcoat it. I'm not someone who can't accept defeat. I lost this battle. It's not my first… and it won't be my last."
Zetsu continued soothingly, "Your strength is unquestioned. But our plan can't afford a misstep born of pride. The forest must survive if the fire is to return. While you were gone, many things changed. We need to rethink our approach. Gakuya may be powerful, but I doubt he's seen through our final gambit."
As he listened, Madara felt as though all his efforts had been for nothing. He'd left behind so many trump cards for Zetsu and Obito—Rinnegan, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, Hashirama cells, White Zetsu troops—all of them squandered.
And it wasn't just one card... it was like they'd thrown away three kings in a game of poker. Absolutely infuriating.
Black Zetsu chuckled sinisterly. "Don't worry, Madara-sama. Everything is still under control. You will achieve your dream. This world will become what you envisioned."
Of course, that was a lie.
This world would become what he, Black Zetsu, desired—not what Madara wanted.
Madara took a deep breath, calming himself further.
"Tell me everything that happened while I was gone. What's going on with that Hyuga Gakuya? And his eyes—what's the deal with those?"
"Yes, my lord!" Black Zetsu said obediently.
But before he could continue, Madara cut him off sharply. "Forget the others. Start with Gakuya."
"As you command," Zetsu replied respectfully—though behind that loyal facade, his ambition burned ever brighter.
"Hyuga Gakuya was born in the 45th year of Konoha's founding…"
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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