At the front lines of Mist.
As the Immortal Sage descended from the sky, chaos, panic, and fear immediately spread through the enemy ranks.
After all, many had already heard tales of the Immortal Sage's might.
Yet, when they thought about the bounty of hundreds of millions offered by Madara Uchiha for his head, these desperate outlaws' eyes turned bloodshot with greed, gradually losing their senses.
Think about it—there were thousands of them. Even if they were wild boars charging together, they'd have crushed someone to death.
Whoever landed the killing blow in the chaos would take the Immortal Sage's head—it all came down to who Lady Luck favored.
Everyone had a chance.
With this thought in mind, a bounty hunter among the enemy ranks suddenly roared loudly, triggering countless cries of agreement. Amidst deafening war cries, the enemy surged forward like a tidal wave.
Facing this pack of frenzied enemies.
Heiyan simply lifted his cane and lightly tapped it against the ground.
Click.
As the staff touched the surface, an extremely frigid chakra instantly radiated outward in a fan shape from where Heiyan stood.
Crack. Crack.
Everything in the frost's path—enemies, houses, trees, rocks, power poles, rivers—without exception, froze solid, transforming into ice statues.
Within seconds, the entire Kiri became a frozen winter wonderland.
The thousands who had roared into battle just moments ago were now gone—silently wiped out without a trace.
"It's really the Immortal Sage... How could any human ninja possess such power?"
On a distant hillside, Sage Master, Ao, and other Mist shinobi watched the scene unfold, deeply stunned as they murmured.
Heiyan floated three meters above the ground, slowly flying toward the center of Kiri.
There stood a remarkably noticeable Wood Release structure, radiating powerful chakra that repelled the surrounding frost. It was the only place in the entire village not frozen over.
Suddenly.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two figures burst out from inside the building at the same time—one was Hashirama Senju who had entered Sage Mode, the other was Madara Uchiha wielding Rinnegan power. Both unleashed terrifying auras at lightning speed, charging toward Heiyan from opposite sides.
These two legendary rivals of the shinobi world, once bitter enemies, had now teamed up with a single goal—to take down the mighty Immortal Sage.
Swoosh!
Heiyan flew straight ahead, extended both fists, and met their attack head-on without flinching.
[Flying Thunder God Collision!]
When the three clashed, the violent collision of their chakra created shockwaves strong enough to destroy the entire Kiri.
However, Heiyan refused to let that happen.
At the exact moment he engaged them in combat, Heiyan activated the Flying Thunder God Technique at top speed, transporting all three far away—over a hundred miles.
A second later, the ground beneath their feet vanished, replaced by an endless blue ocean. The energy waves generated by the clash of their chakra rippled across the sea's surface, stirring up waves upon waves.
[Flying Thunder God Collision!]
Fighting one against two, Heiyan not only held his ground without falling behind—but also struck so powerfully with his fists that the force sent both Hashirama and Madara flying backward.
They landed on the distant sea surface, looking around with shocked expressions.
This was the battleground Uzumaki Heiyan had chosen in advance—a remote and uninhabited sea area. No one could arrive to interfere with the three men's duel before this battle ended.
"Flying Thunder God?!! How do you know this jutsu? Who exactly... are you?"
Hashirama Senju couldn't help but ask, opening his mouth in inquiry. Though he had been controlled by Madara as an Impure World Reincarnation Puppet, he still retained part of his own will.
Uzumaki Heiyan no longer bothered to keep his mysterious aura,
because there was no point in keeping up the act anymore.
So, under the astonished and questioning gazes of both Madara and Hashirama, the old Immortal Sage facing them slowly straightened his waist and raised his head. His entire appearance rapidly transformed.
In the blink of an eye,
a tall and slender young man emerged, his head crowned with twin horns, silver-white long hair flowing down, shining Byakugan eyes burning bright, dressed in a loose white robe adorned with tomoe patterns.
Majestic and otherworldly, like an immortal descending from above.
"You are... Heiyan of the Uzumaki?!"
Looking at this young man, Hashirama recalled something suddenly and blurted out instinctively.
Back then, when Madara used the Impure World Reincarnation to summon him and Tobirama, he had also attempted to resurrect Uzumaki Heiyan, but failed. From that time onward, Hashirama had memorized Heiyan's appearance.
Later, when he returned to Konoha to capture the Nine-Tails, he learned from Tsunade that Heiyan had once been her lover.
Therefore, considering that Heiyan was once Tsunade's lover, Hashirama felt even more concern.
Although Heiyan's current appearance had changed quite a bit compared to before, Hashirama still instantly recognized Heiyan's identity through distinctive facial features.
"That's right, Lord First Hokage. I am Uzumaki Heiyan. Of course, from now on, you can also call me Otsutsuki Heiyan."
Uzumaki Heiyan responded to Hashirama Senju with a smile.
Otsutsuki Heiyan? Could it be...
Upon hearing this, Hashirama carefully examined Heiyan's appearance again, involuntarily recalling images of Hagoromo Otsutsuki—the Six Paths Sage—he'd seen in ancient scrolls.
"No, impossible!"
At this moment, Madara's voice suddenly rang out. His face showed utter shock as he stared fiercely at Heiyan, shouting,
"You! You were clearly already dead. I did it! I killed you with my own hands!"
"Is that so?"
Upon hearing this, Heiyan smirked at Madara and countered, "Since you could deceive Hashirama Senju back then with a fake death, why couldn't I use the same method to fool you once too?"
This question directly left Madara speechless on the spot.
For a moment, Madara was left speechless.
When Madara regained his composure, various clues connected in his mind, finally revealing Heiyan's purpose.
"It's for the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path?! So it was you behind everything all along!"
A low growl of anger came from Madara's throat. Upon realizing he had always been manipulated by Heiyan, he lost his usual poise.
"Congratulations. You're absolutely right."
Uzumaki Heiyan shot Madara a mocking look, then raised his right hand and pointed his middle finger at him. At his fingertip appeared a cluster of white spores.
"These are my Parasitic Spores. I hid them inside the Six Paths stone tablet—so you'd bring them back to Kiri Village."
"Also, those four Tailed Beasts you had captured — they each carry spores inside their bodies and have long been under my control. Speaking of which, I should thank you for gathering the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and the four Tailed Beasts, allowing my six Parasitic Spores to work together perfectly and ultimately seize control of the statue."
Heiyan spoke slowly yet mockingly toward Madara, finishing with a final remark:
"As you can see, I've already fused with the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and become an Immortal Sage. Much obliged to you."
This was the ultimate form of psychological defeat — breaking someone's spirit.
After hearing Heiyan's words, Madara Uchiha's face grew increasingly flushed with anger, his fury building until he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood on the spot.
"I... will... kill... you."
He glared at Heiyan with intense hatred, clenching his teeth as he bit out each word painfully.
Snap.
Heiyan responded with the sharp sound of a finger snap, directed at Madara Uchiha.
This seemingly ordinary gesture functioned like activating a switch within Madara's body, instantly causing him to stiffen and suddenly kneel onto the sea surface, drenched in cold sweat.
"Just to clarify, this Elephant Path clone of yours was created using flesh, blood, and chakra from the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. That means it carries my Parasitic Spores as well — giving me complete control over it."
With both hands clasped behind his back, Heiyan looked down upon Madara, completely crushing the other man's pride and morale.
Watching from the sidelines, Hashirama Senju couldn't help but exclaim in admiration:
"Truly remarkable. To manipulate Madara like this? I've never seen him suffer such a humiliating defeat before."
This comment was like pouring oil on fire, pushing Madara even deeper into uncontrollable fury.
"They're mine! The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, becoming the next Sage of Six Paths — everything was mine from the start! It rightfully belongs to me! Die!"
He raised his head, hair disheveled, appearing almost crazed.
Before his voice had even faded,
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Four invisible shadows burst forth from Madara's body, rushing through a pocket dimension at astonishing speed toward Heiyan, seemingly about to succeed.
[Outer Path—Edo Tensei]
At this moment, overwhelmed by extreme rage, Madara finally unleashed once again his ultimate trump card — a supreme Ninjutsu capable of instantly killing all Nine Tails.
Even if the Sage of Six Paths rose from the grave, I'd still kill him.
Madara held firmly to this conviction.
Yet Heiyan smiled.
True, the Outer Path—Edo Tensei undoubtedly counted as an excellent technique against weaker opponents, but to a Six Paths Tier shinobi, it was nothing more than an advanced form of Shadow Clone Jutsu.
At the crucial moment,
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
From Heiyan's body shot forth four Truth-Seeking Balls, which, under his control, precisely struck the approaching four Outer Path clones.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Struck forcefully by the Truth-Seeking Balls, the four Outer Path clones flew backward at even greater speed and exploded mid-flight during their retreat, unable to reform for quite some time.
Madara trembled violently, his face turning deathly pale.
No better than this.
After deciphering the Outer Path—Edo Tensei, Heiyan confirmed his previous conjecture regarding this technique.
Actually, the reason Madara could perform this jutsu was also because Heiyan hadn't obstructed him using the Parasitic Spores. As for why that was, the explanation was indeed very simple.
Otsutsuki Heiyan's biggest problem right now? Even he wasn't sure just how powerful he'd become.
To measure his own strength, he needed one or more formidable opponents as a reference point—someone strong enough to serve as a benchmark.
Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha were exactly that kind of people.
So looking at the two of them, Otsutsuki Heiyan spoke:
"Come on, entertain me. Go all out—let me see the power of both the [Shinobi God] and the Rinnegan wielder."
Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha exchanged a glance—they knew there was no other choice.
If Madara gave up fighting, his clone body would be instantly seized by Otsutsuki Heiyan, as easily as handing it over to Haku. But if he resisted, there might still be a sliver of hope for victory.
As for Hashirama Senju—
"Heiyan isn't my enemy. In fact, I greatly admire and trust my great-grandson-in-law. Precisely because of this, I've decided to have an exhilarating battle with Otsutsuki Heiyan. After all, Otsutsuki Heiyan will win in the end."
He said with a smile toward Madara.
"All right."
Madara hesitated for a moment, gave Hashirama Senju a long look, then formed hand seals, completely lifting the restriction placed on him.
"I feel much more comfortable already. The chakra's surging through me like never before."
Hashirama Senju stretched his limbs, remarking joyfully.
"Enough talk—let's go!"
Madara coldly declared. As soon as the words left his mouth, he charged straight toward Otsutsuki Heiyan.
"Here we go!"
Hashirama also roared, purple chakra erupting around him in violent waves, closely following Madara as they both launched a joint attack against Otsutsuki Heiyan.
[Purple Chakra Surge!]
Otsutsuki Heiyan, Madara Uchiha, Hashirama Senju.
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