Boom—
Inside Konohagakure, deafening explosions continued to echo, while the figures of Uchiha Madara and Sasuke flickered rapidly back and forth.
The battle between the two instantly drew the attention of the shinobi stationed within the village. With the shinobi world at war, the village was naturally a key defensive point.
But right now, all they could do was watch the fight erupt before their eyes—they simply could not intervene at all.
"Too fast… too strong."
The clash between these two Uchiha was truly not something other shinobi could easily insert themselves into.
Their speed was extreme, their power overwhelming. What everyone saw were mostly afterimages flashing past, leaving them completely unable to do anything.
"Damn it."
Naruto had already rushed to the battlefield. He had originally wanted to use the Flying Thunder God to dash to Sasuke's side and fight together with him.
After all, the two of them each possessed the other's kunai—but he was abruptly grabbed by Kushina.
"Don't act impulsively. This is our village. Right now, your most important task is to protect the village and prevent greater destruction, not to create even more damage!"
Hearing this, Naruto knew he could not act rashly. Still, watching the battle between Uchiha Madara and Sasuke made him grow increasingly anxious.
Moreover, he could tell that Sasuke actually had no advantage at all.
"Hm?"
However, just as he was worrying, he suddenly sensed something.
He turned his head and cast his gaze toward the Hyūga clan compound not far away.
"Brat, don't think that just because you obtained these eyes and gained some improvement, you've really caught up to me!"
On a lofty mountain peak, Uchiha Madara seized Sasuke's wrist and spoke coldly.
"Although I admit you've indeed become quite a bit more agile, in my eyes that's all it amounts to—and I find you even more detestable now."
Uchiha Madara truly despised Sasuke.
This kid looked almost exactly like Izuna, yet he chose to learn from the very person who killed Izuna.
He seriously suspected that this was all Senju Tobirama's deliberate doing.
That sinister, despicable villain was simply trying to disgust him by using such a matter.
He genuinely wanted to strangle Sasuke right now, but Sasuke's Flying Thunder God made it far from easy for him to succeed.
"You're really noisy."
Sasuke was also somewhat displeased with Uchiha Madara. He spoke coldly.
"If you could do it, would you still be standing here talking nonsense? A guy like you, who died long ago, should crawl back into a museum!"
Whoosh—
With a flash of movement, Sasuke had already broken free of Uchiha Madara's control. The short blade in his hand crackled with purple lightning as he charged straight at Uchiha Madara!
"It seems I've been underestimated."
Uchiha Madara showed no particularly strong reaction to Sasuke's move. Aside from wanting to strangle Sasuke, he was also curious about how things were going on Black Zetsu's side.
After thinking it over, an idea quickly formed in his mind. Perhaps he could make things bigger and create a better environment for Black Zetsu.
'And fighting here—even if Hashirama came, he'd probably find it hard to fight freely.'
He still had not seen Senju Hashirama, which meant that guy was not in Konohagakure right now but on the front lines. This left him slightly disappointed.
But it did not really matter. He also needed to warm up, and the bigger the commotion, the faster Senju Hashirama would arrive.
"Then let me show you the gap between you and me."
Uchiha Madara snorted coldly, and in an instant, Susanoo manifested around him.
Susanoo drew its long blade and swung it toward Sasuke in a flash, as his icy voice rang out at the same time.
"Besides, you're not Hashirama, nor are you Kitagawa Gen. I have never acknowledged you in my eyes."
Boom—
Facing this ferocious strike, Sasuke instantly flashed again, narrowly avoiding it.
However, the forest behind him was immediately swept up into a violent storm. Countless trees snapped in an instant, and a deep fissure tore open across the ground.
"Tch."
Sasuke cursed under his breath and immediately activated his own Susanoo, purple chakra surging around his entire body.
In the blink of an eye, two "Complete Body Susanoo" stood towering within Konohagakure!
'We can't fight here. Otherwise, the entire village will suffer. I have to draw him out.'
Sasuke thought to himself. He instantly controlled Susanoo to spread its wings and shoot straight into the sky.
"Remnant of the old era, don't come out here and make a fool of yourself. You say you've never put me in your eyes? What a coincidence—I feel the same way!"
"Hmph. Ridiculous."
How could Uchiha Madara fail to see through Sasuke's intentions? He let out a cold laugh and, in the next instant, also controlled Susanoo to fly up into the heavens.
Moreover, four arms immediately extended from his Complete Body Susanoo, and a long blade appeared in each hand.
Under his control, Susanoo swung that enormous ninja blade once again!
"Compared to me, you're still far too lacking!"
"Hmph."
Sasuke did not expect Uchiha Madara to be that fast, but he immediately controlled his own Susanoo to counterattack quickly as well.
But when that hundred-meter-long blade came crashing down, its overwhelming might was not something ordinary people could even imagine!
Even though Sasuke defended as much as he could, his Susanoo was still blasted apart along the front armor by the shockwave, making him lose his balance and stumble midair.
However, this outcome was already considered good. At least this time, he was not as powerless as he had been last time.
"Hmph. You've indeed made some progress."
Seeing this, Uchiha Madara nodded lightly, but his gaze soon sharpened.
"However, this is only the beginning. So how will you respond next?"
The moment he finished speaking, the other arms of his Susanoo also raised their blades and chopped down on Sasuke in a flurry.
Rumble, rumble, rumble.
Another burst of thunderous noise followed, and the entire sky trembled without stop.
As the hundred-meter-long blades swung, chakra vortices filled the heavens, forming storm after storm.
The surging storms spilled outward in all directions and crashed into the earth, instantly making all of Konohagakure seem to sway.
"Is this the power of the Uchiha?"
The shinobi stationed here watched everything before them with bitter expressions. In a battle like this, there was nothing they could do at all.
That feeling of helplessness truly made them uncomfortable. Even Kushina felt somewhat dazed at this moment.
"That child Sasuke… he's actually grown to this point?"
However, in that instant, Kushina immediately sensed something was wrong, because Naruto was not making a huge commotion right now.
Turning her head, she discovered in shock that her good son was actually gone!
"Naruto?!"
Unfortunately, her voice was quietly drowned out by the roar in the sky.
...
"Uchiha Sasuke is actually here. That works out perfectly—no need to worry about failing to draw Kitagawa Gen's attention."
Within the Hyūga clan compound, Black Zetsu felt the surging battle outside and nodded slightly to himself.
In truth, he was also frustrated. Kitagawa Gen was in Konohagakure; if he brought Uchiha Madara along to take it, then Uchiha Madara would not be able to escape.
But if he did not bring Uchiha Madara along to take it, then either Kitagawa Gen would not notice him, or he would not be able to escape either.
Such an awkward situation left him feeling genuinely powerless, and things being like this now was already the best possible outcome.
"Then it's time to retrieve what I left behind and wait for Kitagawa Gen to arrive. It's just that Kitagawa Gen is outrageously strong."
He had also been continuously gathering information about the current battlefield through the White Zetsu at his side, so he naturally knew everything that was happening outside.
Relying on his own strength alone, Kitagawa Gen had shattered an army of tens of thousands of White Zetsu, and had even casually dispersed four Impure World Reincarnation bodies.
"Not only that—Obito and Nagato are suffering as well. It's truly a bit terrifying."
To be honest, there were times when he even suspected that Kitagawa Gen might actually be an Ōtsutsuki as well.
After all, someone that strong could hardly avoid provoking such speculation, yet he truly had no concrete evidence.
Even though he had discovered unusual chakra on Kitagawa Gen, it was still far inferior when compared to Ōtsutsuki Genshiki.
"Forget it. No matter what, for Mother's sake I can only give it my all. It would be best if he could take down Uchiha Obito as well—that would make things much easier."
Black Zetsu muttered to himself inwardly. At the same time, he arrived at the hidden chamber within the Hyūga clan.
He slowly walked up to the book. He did not intend to take it directly, but instead planned to examine it carefully.
After all, the last time the information had been tampered with, it had scared him so badly his blood had practically run cold. This time, he absolutely had to take a careful look first.
"Then—"
Just as he was about to begin his inspection, he suddenly sensed that something was wrong, and an unusual gleam instantly flashed behind him.
"Rasengan!"
Accompanied by an angry roar, Naruto had appeared behind him at some unknown moment, and the massive Rasengan was already pressing down toward his body!
"Damn it—how is he here?!"
Black Zetsu's expression changed drastically at that instant. He did not even have time to check anything. Grabbing the book, he was about to sink underground.
However, the Rasengan had already struck his body. He himself felt little, but the White Zetsu half of his body let out a heart-rending scream!
"So you really did come here with a purpose. Don't even think about running."
Naruto did not bother with anything else and launched another attack at Black Zetsu.
"This is troublesome!"
An even deeper look of pain appeared on Black Zetsu's already darkened face. He truly had little combat ability, and he strongly suspected that a Flying Thunder God mark had already been placed on him.
If he wanted to run now, he had to find Uchiha Madara. Moreover, the thing he had obtained absolutely could not fall into Naruto's hands.
'Right—there's also Yakushi Kabuto in Konohagakure. He's Orochimaru's man!'
In an instant, Black Zetsu made up his mind. At that moment, his body rapidly split apart, while Naruto did not bother with anything else and continued launching his attacks.
...
Rumble—
Outside Konohagakure, amid deafening explosions and violent tremors shaking the ground, Sasuke's Susanoo was instantly blasted backward.
Facing that enormous impact wrapped in surging airwaves, even a Susanoo at Sasuke's level found it difficult to withstand.
However, at this point, he did not really care. After all, he had already achieved his objective.
Especially—
Whoosh—
Whoosh—
Whoosh—
Accompanied by successive fluctuations of chakra, several figures arrived around him in an instant!
"They've finally arrived."
Seeing the figures appear all around, Sasuke let out a slight sigh of relief, while Uchiha Madara became even more excited.
"So you've finally come, Hashirama!"
"Uchiha Madara!"
Senju Tobirama looked coldly at the figure before him, while Namikaze Minato furrowed his brows tightly.
"Uchiha Madara, huh."
"It's been a long time."
Only Senju Hashirama wore a smile on his face. He raised his head, looked at that massive figure, and spoke softly.
"Madara."
"Yes, it really has been a long time."
The smile on Uchiha Madara's face deepened. He nodded lightly and chuckled casually.
"Still, three Kage plus one Kage candidate—this scene is quite interesting. But it doesn't really matter. For me, it's just right."
"It's not just one Kage candidate!"
At that moment, Naruto's figure flickered, and he quietly arrived at the battlefield as well.
He shot Sasuke an annoyed glance, then glared at Uchiha Madara and shouted loudly.
"I count as one of Gen's subordinates too. And besides, I already know your objective, bastard!"
"Oh?"
Madara raised an eyebrow. At that instant, he noticed that Black Zetsu had already appeared beside his Susanoo, which immediately made him frown deeply.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield in the Land of Hot Water, Kitagawa Gen—who was delivering heavy blows to Nagato, Obito, and Kimimaro—suddenly paused.
He then cast a strange glance toward the direction of Konohagakure, muttering inwardly.
'How did that damned thing end up in Kabuto's hands?'
"Damn it."
Yet just as he was thinking this through, Nagato, Obito, and Kimimaro each struggled back to their feet.
They were gasping for breath, their bodies covered in wounds, yet their fighting spirit was extraordinarily intense.
"Are we worthy or not—"
As the words fell, black mottled patterns quietly appeared across the bodies of the three of them.
These black markings rapidly spread, instantly causing their auras to change drastically. At the same time, the chakra within their bodies grew even more abundant.
They glared angrily at Kitagawa Gen and let out waves of furious roars.
"That's not for you to decide!"
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