Gekko Chizan understood exactly what the other side was thinking.
After all, with such a perfect chance to strike at Konoha, there was no way they would let it go.
The only difference was that the ones attacking Konoha had changed.
"I'm really curious—if it really is Uchiha Madara, then how did he survive?"
"Could it be he found a way to live forever?"
Orochimaru's point of curiosity had shifted. He was currently pursuing the path to immortality, so how someone like Uchiha Madara—who should have died decades ago—was still alive was precisely what caught his attention.
That was the part he cared about.
Seeing his teacher's bright, sparkling eyes, Gekko Chizan wordlessly shook his head.
"Is that really what you should be focusing on?"
"Even if he really did find a way to extend his life, I doubt it would suit you. We're talking about Uchiha Madara here."
"People like us should stop dreaming."
Orochimaru didn't think so at all. There were no limits to science or ninjutsu. If the man was still alive, he definitely had some special method.
By now, Orochimaru had already noticed a few clues, and his research was making decent progress.
"You're keeping Pakura in the Land of Waterfalls as insurance?"
"Mm. If Uchiha Madara really launches a surprise attack, the village won't be safe on that night. You know how terrifying the Nine Tails is."
Every tailed beast was a natural disaster, let alone the Nine Tails with the most tails.
With his wife and child secured...
Gekko Chizan waited calmly in the village for that night to arrive.
One night, darkness fell, and Kushina's scream rang out.
Because of the special nature of a jinchūriki, the delivery site was within a barrier outside the village.
"Ah!"
Hearing Kushina's cries of pain, everyone guarding outside understood—the most critical night had come.
"Third, you look nervous."
"Nonsense. How could I be nervous?"
Gekko Chizan and Sarutobi Hiruzen stood outside the doorway, and the old man still had the mood to smoke.
Just as everyone became fully alert...
Two figures appeared before them at the same time.
The ANBU noticed them instantly.
"Let's begin. Gekko Chizan is mine. The rest are yours."
"Fine, fine, fine. Though I'd rather fight Gekko Chizan myself... But Black Zetsu arranged it this way, so I'll listen."
"But the opening act still needs to be flashy!"
The ones who came were Uchiha Makito and Nagato.
Hearing Uchiha Makito's words, Nagato nodded.
Then he raised one hand.
"Universal Pull!"
The ground trembled, and countless massive boulders flew toward the sealing site.
The sight instantly startled the ANBU.
Third's expression also hardened—this clearly wasn't a random attack. The enemy was executing a planned ambush.
"Hmph, petty thieves!"
"I'm right here—hmm?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen ripped off his outer robe, revealing the battle attire of the Third Hokage beneath—but in the next instant, a masked enemy appeared in front of him.
Those blood-red eyes were horrifying.
Before Sarutobi could react, a massive amount of rubble suddenly appeared right in front of him, as if it had always been there. Even a battle-hardened veteran Hokage was caught off guard by such eerie techniques.
But while he couldn't react, someone else could.
Flying Thunder God activated.
"Boom!"
The giant boulder smashed into the pillars outside the sealing site, even blocking the entrance.
"Old man, get in there and help Minato!"
"I—"
"Your opponent is me! Almighty Push!"
Using Flying Thunder God, Gekko Chizan teleported himself and Sarutobi Hiruzen to the water's surface. He was just about to move—
A wave of uncontrollable force slammed into him.
The blast sent him flying.
"Damn it! Nagato!"
It was the Deva Path's Almighty Push. While airborne, Gekko Chizan teleported again with Flying Thunder God, barely dodging it.
But seeing the black-robed figure below confirmed it—the bastard was indeed Nagato.
"I'm counting on you. Hm."
They exchanged no unnecessary words. Uchiha Madara vanished from sight again, leaving Nagato alone.
"Everyone in Konoha deserves death."
Nagato's red eyes burned. He bit his finger and slammed one hand onto the ground.
"Summoning Technique!"
With a puff of smoke, five figures appeared before everyone.
Seeing him summon five people, everyone except Gekko Chizan was stunned.
Summons were supposed to be animals—who used people as summons?
Five masked figures appeared, all sharing identical ripple-patterned eyes.
Gekko Chizan's heart sank. The Six Paths...
Even with their faces hidden, the exposed eyes were clear enough for Sarutobi Hiruzen to see.
The Rinnegan—one of the Three Great Dōjutsu…
"Kill them."
At Nagato's command, the battle erupted.
Five Rinnegan-wearing masked men rushed toward Gekko Chizan and the ANBU.
"Tch. Crystal Release."
He flung countless Crystal Release senbon as a feint. Transparent Release was already active, and Gekko Chizan vanished from Nagato's sight.
At the same time, inside the sealing chamber, Kushina had just given birth to the blond prince. Right now, Namikaze Minato faced Uchiha Makito.
"Be careful! He's not easy!"
The ANBU had barely engaged the masked clones when they felt overwhelmed.
In just a few exchanges, casualties had already occurred.
The Rinnegan clones, including Nagato himself, remained the familiar Six Paths:
Deva Path, Naraka Path, Human Path, Asura Path, Preta Path, and Animal Path.
Nagato acted as the Deva Path, controlling the other bodies as they used their individual abilities.
Gekko Chizan truly hadn't expected Nagato to include himself and fully manifest the Six Paths.
And he chose to use them on this particular night.
"Gekko Chizan..."
"Heh heh..."
Nagato stared at him, laughing coldly.
Although he didn't know why he couldn't find Gekko Chizan's wife and child in Konoha, as long as he stalled him, it was enough.
"Universal Pull!"
"Blow him up!"
The Deva Path's Universal Pull synchronized with the Asura Path's firepower.
Several missiles launched into the night sky.
"Oi, that's excessive."
"Crystal Release: Barrier!"
Even while being dragged by the invisible force, Gekko Chizan could still activate his jutsu normally.
Crystal encased him, letting the missiles detonate against the barrier.
"Roar!"
A massive roar suddenly erupted from inside the sealing site.
A moment later, malevolent red chakra surged outward—it was the chakra of the Nine Tails.
"What's happening?"
"The seal was undone?"
Gekko Chizan turned back, full of confusion.
Sarutobi Hiruzen plus Namikaze Minato still couldn't protect Kushina?
"No. That's just the Nine Tails' chakra—not the Nine Tails itself."