Uchiha Obito's mentality was on the verge of collapse.
The more confident and arrogant he had been just moments ago, the more frustrated he now felt inside.
At this moment, he even seemed to empathize with Nagato, for now he too was lost and confused.
Although these past years he had been suffering one crushing defeat after another, repeatedly tormented by Kitagawa Gen, he had always believed himself to be different from Nagato—after all, Nagato had merely been a pawn, and those Rinnegan eyes weren't even his own.
"But I'm different."
Obito truly believed he was different. His current state seemed to have truly awakened the "Power of All Creation."
He felt that this was Rin's blessing—her aid to him.
Moreover, the Complete Body Susanoo had also given him more than enough confidence.
Yet now, he was completely dumbfounded. Kitagawa Gen had shattered his Susanoo relying solely on physical strength.
He had shattered the Complete Body Susanoo that had once turned Iwagakure upside down, forced Ōnoki and Deidara into utter humiliation, and stood on the same level as Uchiha Madara's!
"Why is this happening?"
Obito roared inwardly, while Ōnoki and Jiraiya were equally dumbstruck.
That Asura who had rampaged through Iwagakure—just like that, was shattered?
"That guy… is actually that strong."
Naruto couldn't help swallowing hard. He found that even his father and mother within him had gone silent, as if they too didn't understand what had just happened.
"Senpai… has he really grown that powerful?"
Sasuke also couldn't help murmuring. He was genuinely stunned.
Such an immense Susanoo filled his heart with fear—and yet, at the same time, ignited his own burning desire.
But to think that Susanoo was this feeble before Kitagawa Gen?
"It seems that kid truly mastered Yin–Yang Release."
At that moment, Jiraiya couldn't help speaking up, which immediately snapped the dazed Ōnoki back to his senses.
He had always known Kitagawa Gen was strong—but not this strong. And he had never imagined that the Susanoo, the very thing that had haunted his nightmares his entire life, could be so fragile.
Hearing Jiraiya's words, Ōnoki felt that perhaps they provided an answer—yet that answer was even harder to believe.
"Yin–Yang Release? How could that be? Isn't that a legendary power? Can someone really create it?"
"Tch, Gen's never been ordinary. Mm."
Deidara muttered quietly on the side, only for Kurotsuchi to pull him back, while Jiraiya nodded at his remark.
"Indeed, Gen truly isn't ordinary. He had already been experimenting with Yin–Yang Release long ago, and he was nearly done. I just didn't expect…"
Didn't expect that he had already achieved it so quickly?!
And the one who also understood what was going on—was Uchiha Madara.
"So it really is the power of Yin–Yang Release, huh… that brat."
He knew better than anyone just how powerful Susanoo was—but compared to it, "Yin–Yang Release" was far more terrifying.
That was the power of the Sage of Six Paths!
"Still… how did this brat obtain such power? Could he truly be a descendant of the Sage's younger brother?"
Uchiha Madara couldn't make sense of it, but seeing Kitagawa Gen move once again, he knew he had no time to think further.
"Damn it—Uchiha Obito must not die yet. At the very least, his power is still of great use."
Uchiha Madara immediately controlled his Susanoo to turn and move away, but Kitagawa Gen's speed was simply too fast.
In an instant, he had already crossed through the residual chakra left behind by the disintegrating Susanoo, his entire body charging straight toward Obito.
"Hm?"
Uchiha Obito was still coughing up blood and "reflecting," but in the blink of an eye, he saw Kitagawa Gen already rushing toward him!
"Going for total annihilation?"
A cold sweat broke out in Obito's heart. Watching the approaching Kitagawa Gen, his Sharingan spun madly.
[Pchhh—]
With the sound of metal piercing flesh, Kitagawa Gen halted before Obito, though there was a trace of regret in his eyes.
He looked down at the blood spreading on the ground and at the gasping Obito, then slowly withdrew the short blade in his hand.
"You dodge really fast, mud loach."
Suddenly, Kitagawa Gen spoke, but his words made Obito's breathing grow even more rapid.
"But dealing with you is simple, isn't it, ant?"
Obito's body trembled uncontrollably. Were these not the very words he had roared at Kitagawa Gen earlier?
And now they were being returned to him intact?
What's more, Kitagawa Gen's words cut even deeper!
[Hum—]
But at that instant, Kitagawa Gen leapt high, for Uchiha Madara had already arrived.
"Hah!"
Uchiha Madara was not Uchiha Obito; his control over Susanoo had long since reached an entirely different level.
His Susanoo swung its ninja blade repeatedly, that violent power shaking heaven and earth.
The mountains of the Land of Earth quaked and swayed wildly at that moment, while all of Iwagakure became even more devastated.
[Boom—]
[Boom—]
[Boom—]
The massive tremors, accompanied by billowing dust, swept outward in every direction.
Even those who had already fled far away could barely keep their footing now.
The ground-shaking tremors carried with them endless energy and indistinct fragments of stone and debris; when these swept toward them, they were left covered in dust from head to toe.
Not to mention the invisible shockwaves of energy—those brought them even greater misfortune!
"What kind of battle is this…"
Those Iwagakure shinobi had almost never experienced such a scene.
Watching Uchiha Madara's Susanoo flying through the sky, continuously unleashing torrents of energy, that thunderous roar shook them to their cores.
Now they didn't even dare to think about what might have happened to those who hadn't managed to evacuate in time.
They only hoped this nightmare would end soon—this was far too terrifying!
Jiraiya and the others, however, were relatively calm. After all, they had seen such things often in Konohagakure.
Their wealth of experience made it difficult for them to panic—they were merely more concerned about Kitagawa Gen's situation.
"Gen… he should be fine, right?"
Only the Fourth Hokage couple within Naruto's body felt uneasy. Aside from worrying about Kitagawa Gen, they were also worried about Naruto himself.
Uchiha Obito seemed stronger than expected, and Naruto appeared to be struggling somewhat.
Besides, Naruto couldn't always rely on Kitagawa Gen, could he?
No one knew how long it had been when Uchiha Madara finally stopped. He remained suspended in midair within his Susanoo.
His pair of scarlet eyes swept repeatedly over the battlefield—he was uncertain whether Kitagawa Gen had already left using the Flying Thunder God.
But gradually, his expression began to grow grave, because he sensed Kitagawa Gen's chakra—right there!
[Hum—]
With a ripple of chakra, the massive cloud of dust was instantly dispersed.
Over the shattered Iwagakure, at some unknown point, a lush and verdant forest had appeared!
Those trees were intertwined and rooted together, forming a densely packed defense. Even though his attacks had blasted countless trunks apart, the structure as a whole still remained intact.
"Wood Release?"
Uchiha Madara stared at it all. The Wood Release he had been longing to see for so long had finally appeared—but there was not a trace of joy on his face.
In fact, as he looked at the convergence of that Wood Release, an intense unease arose within him instead.
Kitagawa Gen had already been able to shatter a Complete Body Susanoo using only physical power and Yin–Yang Release. Now that he was using Wood Release—Madara didn't even dare to imagine to what extent it would reach!
"I recall you asked me earlier why I didn't use Wood Release?"
While Madara was still deep in thought, Kitagawa Gen's voice quietly sounded.
The canopy of Wood Release slowly split apart, and then Madara saw Kitagawa Gen standing atop the head of a wooden dragon, slowly rising.
"Because I've always felt there was no need. After all, to deal with you all, I never thought I'd have to use any messy techniques."
"From your tone…"
Madara's face turned unpleasant.
"It sounds as if you're saying you can easily defeat me whenever you wish?"
"Think whatever you like. In truth, I'm not particularly skilled in using Wood Release."
Kitagawa Gen shook his head, raising one hand vertically. Violent chakra surged madly around him.
"But since you want to see it, I suppose I can indulge you a little. After all, it's not difficult for me. It's just that…"
[Hum—]
At that instant, the violent chakra caused all the trees to go into a frenzy. The thick vines tightened their coils even further.
Towering trees continued to swell, and a colossal form quietly began to take shape!
"I did say my control of it isn't very practiced, so I hope you'll make do."
Kitagawa Gen's voice remained calm as ever, yet at that moment, the earth itself seemed to split open. Amid the shaking ground, an enormous Buddha statue broke through the surface.
That giant Buddha kept rising, its massive body seeming to block out the blazing sun in the sky, and the land below was plunged into shadow!
"What… is that?"
The people of Iwagakure showed bewildered expressions, while Jiraiya raised his head, utterly incredulous.
"So this is… Gen's power?"
"It's huge…"
Sasuke and Naruto also looked up in terror at the sight, Kurotsuchi's face was filled with shock, and only Deidara's face showed a smile.
"Yes, that's right—this is exactly what he did back then!"
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