Graveyard Mountain was not truly a mountain, but a frozen, silent valley trapped between three colossal peaks in the heart of the Land of Iron. Centuries ago, three great samurai armies clashed here in a war so brutal it consumed their leaders and thousands of men. The battle scarred the land so deeply that the valley would forever bear its name. Now, thousands of rusted katanas jutted from the snow-covered ground like steel gravestones, each one a silent memorial to a warrior lost in that fateful conflict. The cold wind howled between the blades, creating a metallic chorus that echoed the eternal lament of the dead.
Amid this desolate landscape, a cloaked figure advanced slowly atop a massive black beast—Kuro. The wolf's claws crunched through the snow with each measured step, clouds of vapor rising from its breath. Its alert eyes scanned every shadow between the swords and the snow.
From the mountain crevices, familiar silhouettes began to emerge: members of Akatsuki. The first to reveal his twisted grin was Deidara, followed by the towering presence of Kisame. Then came the strange duality of Zetsu, and a step behind, Kabuto adjusting his glasses with calculated poise. Among them stood a more ominous figure, silent and still—a tall man with long, dark hair clad in ancient armor. His eyes gleamed with the cold light of an intact Rinnegan. Madara Uchiha, wrapped in the dark aura of Edo Tensei.
"So… they've finally arrived," Zetsu murmured, his gaze narrowing on the cloaked figure.
As Kuro halted, his rider began to dismount—but before his feet touched the ground, several clay figures burst from beneath the snow like arrows. A massive explosion erupted.
"She'll appreciate a proper display of true art," Deidara muttered, his grin widening disturbingly.
From the blast, the skeletal outline of a half-formed Susanoo became visible. Within it stood the rider, his hood now cast aside—crimson eyes revealing the Mangekyō Sharingan of Sasuke Uchiha.
"But... where's the princess?" Zetsu questioned from afar.
From beneath the snow, multiple Edo Tensei began to emerge—prominent ninja of the past hundred years. The most prominent among them were the Third Mizukage, the Second Tsuchikage, and the Third Raikage. Each of them was different, as if their egos were diminished by the darkness of their pasts. But Sasuke's attention locked onto one figure in particular.
"Tch… Sasuke Uchiha…" Kisame growled, Samehada trembling with eager hunger.
In a flash, Sasuke's fingers weaved hand signs. His Susanoo fully formed, muscle and armor layering over bone. Kuro beside him began to shrink as both were enveloped in the mighty colossus. Black flames of Amaterasu ignited around them, and a bow took shape in the colossus's hands, a single arrow of searing flame nocked and released in the same breath—a harbinger of annihilation.
Its target: a specific Edo Tensei, unmistakable to Sasuke—Shisui of the Body Flicker.
Shisui reacted instantly, his Sharingan flashing as he activated the Shunshin technique, dodging the devastating strike. He would have escaped—if not for Sasuke's command of Amaterasu through his Mangekyō Sharingan. The black flame veered mid-flight, altering its path to seek its prey. It struck before Shisui could vanish again, and the eternal flames latched on—containing him, for now.
"If you came looking for an easy target… you chose the wrong place," Sasuke said coldly, his voice like the chill wind that swept the valley. For a moment, his mind lingered—grateful that Hinata hadn't seen Shisui. Her wrath would have been unstoppable. His thoughts drifted briefly to how wise it had been to suggest this plan…
"Do you have a plan for the negotiation?" Sasuke's voice was calm, but his gaze was sharp, weighing every word as if already anticipating the battlefield.
"We enter the valley and make the exchange… if necessary, I'll show some force," Hinata replied. There was a faint, almost imperceptible naïveté in her tone that didn't escape him.
Sasuke exhaled slowly, the corner of his mouth twitching in the faintest smirk. "Hinata… you can fly. Presentation is everything. I'm an Uchiha—I know what I'm talking about. Let me enter first with Kuro. In the blizzard, they'll think I'm you—only catching glimpses of Kuro's black fur. If anything happens, my Susanoo can shield us. Then you make your entrance in triumph. If you impress them enough, maybe we won't have to spill blood."
Hinata's brows furrowed. "I don't know… is that really necessary?"
He met her eyes, steady and unyielding. "Naruto's already seen you fly. I want them to see it too—done right. I know how to shape the clouds, how to draw every eye. Trust me, you won't regret it."
She hesitated, then gave a short nod. "Alright."
A rare, approving glint touched his eyes. "Good. Then here's the plan…"
Madara stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he regarded his distant relative with a mixture of disdain and curiosity. "You're not the one we were expecting."
Before another word could be spoken, the skies above the mountains churned. Dense storm clouds spiraled overhead, and from the heart of that storm, silver light spilled downward. Shimmering threads of light pierced the heavens, sweeping away the falling snow in a wide circle. For the first time in months, sunlight bathed the valley below.
From the rift in the clouds descended a single figure—graceful, commanding. Her blue-and-white kimono billowed in the mountain air, her dark hair flowing behind her like ink in water. Hinata Gin, the Silver Lady, hovered in stillness several meters above the ground. With a flick of her hand, the threads trailing her withdrew into silence.
A spiraling black portal unfurled beside Madara, and from it stepped Obito. "Since you brought guests… I thought it was only fair that I did the same."
Hinata touched down gently on the snow. Her eyes, calm yet razor-sharp, locked onto Madara. "I want the exchange. I want to see my two fathers."
Madara tilted his head slightly, his tone low and commanding. "You have no such right. You lack the strength and the resolve to—"
His words halted mid-breath. He instinctively sidestepped, just as a silver thread sliced past his face—mere inches from where his head had been. Another thread, perfectly anticipating his movement, materialized before him and slammed into his chest. Only the Rinnegan's Almighty Push saved him from lethal impact, deflecting the blow—but not the force. He was hurled backward like a cannonball, crashing into the mountain behind him and splitting stone as the battlefield fell silent.
Moments later, Madara emerged from the fissure, dust trailing from his armor. His eyes found Hinata again—now surrounded by dozens of glimmering threads, each poised like the fang of a serpent.
"You were saying?" Hinata replied with icy courtesy, her hand settling on the hilt of Shinsei.
When the dust around Madara settled, a faint smile touched his lips—not mockery, but something resembling genuine interest. His Rinnegan gleamed with anticipation. "Interesting." The very air seemed to tighten under his growing bloodlust.
Behind them, other Edo Tensei figures began to advance—utterly unfazed by the sight of their comrades being devoured by the immortal flames. Unflinching, unfeeling, they marched forward, indifferent to the agony that awaited them. Sasuke moved without hesitation, black arcs of Amaterasu igniting around him, forming a wall of searing fire to bar their path.
Hinata's voice rang out, cold and sharp: "I don't like puppets."
Her silver threads surged forward, weaving through the battlefield, seeking the soul-strings tethering the dead to the world. But nothing snapped. Nothing gave way.
"Fascinating… These Edo Tensei have been altered," she muttered, narrowing her eyes. "This is the Red Monk's work."
From above, two clay birds dove from the sunlight—Deidara's assault, concealed by glare. But Hinata didn't flinch. She stood motionless, a calm smile on her lips.
Just before impact, a massive hand of Susanoo intercepted the blasts, shielding Hinata from the explosion. The sheer force forced several Edo Tensei back.
Hinata stepped onto Susanoo's arm. "I believe we've demonstrated our capabilities. Perhaps now you'll consider negotiating a deal that benefits us all?"
Madara chuckled. "I'll admit—your threads were unexpected, girl. But you'll give us what we want. Whether you agree or not."
At that moment, the reanimated Kage of old began to move. Slowly, deliberately, they spread out—beginning to encircle Sasuke's towering avatar.
Hinata's expression shifted. She clasped her hands and focused her chakra. Six spiritual clones shimmered into existence, each infused with a spark of her vitality. They connected to the souls of new, permanent residents of Yumegakure no Kai. She had done this once before—with Kaito, when she invaded Takigakure. Now, she repeated the miracle and improved upon it, now what was a unique and limited case was something she could use to change the flow of this battle..
"Yume no Fukkatsu—Dream Rebirth!" she declared.
The technique, though different in origin, mirrored the intent of Edo Tensei: the return of legends. But Hinata's chosen had vanished from the world over 500 years ago. Only the current Kage knew of their existence—figures powerful enough to shake the Silver Nodes of Yumegakure with their names alone in their final battle against the Pure Lands.
Around Sasuke's Susanoo, six figures materialized, each locking eyes with a designated target. Sasuke had been warned by Hinata that she might summon them if the situation escalated.
Kyo Senju, the Reflection of Death—rushed toward the Third Mizukage. Ryusei Uchiha, the Eye Stealer—charged at Deidara and Kisame. Shogo Uzumaki, Edge of the Sea—moved to engage Madara. Jiro, Dust of Death—lunged at the Second Tsuchikage. Ro Kaguya, the Blood Fest—launched himself at the reanimated Third Raikage. Aoi of the Deep Waters—walked calmly into a snow-covered battlefield that to his senses was all ocean, heading for the remaining Edo Tensei and Zetsu army.
The battle began in ernest.
In the distance, a familiar Susanoo rose where Shisui once stood, repelling the terrible Amaterasu flames. Hinata turned her gaze there, something dark flickering in her expression.
"I know those eyes…" she whispered.
A rift opened in Sasuke's Susanoo. He stepped through and placed a steady hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry about him. I'll take care of it. You do what we planned," he said, his voice calm but resolute.
Hinata nodded. "Alright. He's yours. Be careful."
With that, she dispersed into flickering mirages, vanishing into the battlefield.
Beside Sasuke, Kuro stretched, her tail flicking with mischief. "Now that I'm free… time to have some fun. Catch you later!" she called, disappearing into shadow.
Sasuke centered his chakra, breathing deeply. Lightning Breath surged through him. Time slowed.
And then—with his Susanoo blazing around him—he launched himself toward the terrifying presence of Shisui and the overwhelming might of Kotoamatsukami.