Obito Uchiha was on the verge of a mental breakdown.
The confidence he had just moments ago, the harsh words he had hurled, were now replaced with utter frustration and despair.
For the first time, he seemed to empathize with Nagato's plight, as he too was now lost and bewildered.
Though he had suffered repeated defeats over the years, being tormented by Kitagawa Minamoto time and again, he had always believed he was different from Nagato. After all, Nagato was merely a pawn, and those Rinnegan eyes weren't even his!
"But I'm not the same..."
Obito truly believed he was different. He thought he had fully awakened the "Power of All Creation" (Shinra Banshō no Chikara).
He saw this as Rin's blessing, her way of helping him.
Moreover, his Perfect Susano'o had given him boundless confidence!
But now, his entire worldview was shattered. Kitagawa Minamoto had just destroyed his Susano'o—a Susano'o that had already turned Iwagakure upside down, humiliated Ōnoki and Deidara, and stood on par with Uchiha Madara's own Perfect Susano'o.
"Why is this happening?"
Obito's mind roared in frustration. Ōnoki and Jiraiya, too, were left dumbfounded.
The seemingly invincible demon that had ravaged Iwagakure was defeated just like that?
"That guy... is he really that strong?"
Naruto swallowed hard. Even the voices of his parents inside him had fallen silent, as if they too couldn't comprehend what had just happened.
"Is our senior... really this powerful?"
Sasuke muttered to himself, dazed. The sheer size and might of the Susano'o had filled him with fear, yet also ignited a deep yearning within him.
But to see that same Susano'o so easily dismantled by Kitagawa Minamoto—it was beyond his understanding.
"It seems that kid has truly mastered Yin-Yang Release."
At that moment, Jiraiya spoke up, snapping Ōnoki out of his stupor.
Ōnoki had always known Kitagawa Minamoto was strong, but he hadn't expected him to be this strong. And he certainly hadn't expected the seemingly invincible Susano'o to be so utterly fragile before him.
Jiraiya's words provided an explanation, but also left Ōnoki even more astonished.
"Yin-Yang Release? How is that possible? Isn't that supposed to be a legendary power? Can someone really achieve it?"
"Tch, Minamoto's never been ordinary. Hmm."
Deidara muttered softly, only to be pulled back by Kurotsuchi. Jiraiya, meanwhile, nodded in agreement.
"Indeed, Minamoto is anything but ordinary. He's been experimenting with Yin-Yang Release for a while now, and he was close to completing it. I just didn't expect..."
He didn't expect it to happen so soon!
Uchiha Madara, too, understood what was happening.
"So it really is the power of Yin-Yang Release... this brat."
Madara knew better than anyone how powerful Susano'o was. But compared to that, the terrifying potential of Yin-Yang Release was on a completely different level.
After all, it was the power of the Sage of Six Paths himself!
"But how did this brat acquire such power? Could he really be a descendant of the Sage's younger brother?"
Madara couldn't wrap his head around it. But when he saw Kitagawa Minamoto move again, he knew he couldn't afford to dwell on it any longer!
"Damn it, Obito can't die—not yet. His power is still useful."
Madara immediately turned his Susano'o to intercept, but Minamoto was far too fast.
In an instant, Minamoto had already cut through the lingering Chakra remnants of Obito's shattered Susano'o, closing the distance between them.
"Hmm?"
Obito, still coughing up blood and lost in his own "reflection," suddenly saw Kitagawa Minamoto charging straight at him!
"He's going to finish me off?"
Cold sweat broke out on Obito's forehead. As Minamoto closed in, his Sharingan spun frantically.
Squelch—
The sound of metal piercing flesh echoed through the air. Minamoto stopped in front of Obito, his expression tinged with slight disappointment.
Looking down at the blood pooling on the ground, and at the gasping Obito, Minamoto slowly withdrew his short blade.
"You're quick, slippery eel."
Minamoto suddenly spoke, his words causing Obito's breathing to grow even more labored.
"But taking you down is simple, isn't it, little ant?"
Obito's body trembled uncontrollably. Those words—weren't they the very insults he had hurled at Minamoto earlier? Now, they were being thrown back at him, word for word.
And Minamoto's tone made them sting even more.
Buzz—
At that moment, Minamoto leapt into the air, as Uchiha Madara arrived on the scene.
"Hah!"
Madara was no Obito. His control over Susano'o had reached an entirely different level.
The Susano'o's massive ninja blade swung wildly, its devastating power shaking the heavens and earth.
The mountains of the Land of Earth trembled and swayed, while the already ruined Iwagakure was reduced to an even more desolate state.
Boom— Boom— Boom—
The massive tremors, accompanied by clouds of dust, swept across the battlefield.
Even those who had retreated far away found it difficult to stay on their feet.
The ground-shaking tremors, combined with the unseen waves of energy and flying debris, left everyone battered and bruised.
"What kind of battle is this?"
The Iwagakure shinobi, most of whom had never experienced such a scene, were utterly terrified.
Watching Madara's Susano'o hover in the air, relentlessly unleashing its power, they couldn't help but despair.
They dared not think about the fate of those who hadn't managed to evacuate. All they could hope for was for this nightmare to end.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya and the others remained relatively calm. After all, they had witnessed similar scenes in Konohagakure many times before.
Their experience kept them from panicking, but their concern for Kitagawa Minamoto only grew.
"Minamoto should be fine, right?"
Even the Fourth Hokage couple inside Naruto were worried, not just for Minamoto, but for Naruto as well.
Obito seemed stronger than they had anticipated, and Naruto couldn't rely on Minamoto forever.
After what felt like an eternity, Uchiha Madara finally paused, his Susano'o hovering in the air.
His crimson eyes scanned the battlefield, uncertain if Minamoto had used the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape.
But gradually, his expression grew solemn, as he sensed Minamoto's Chakra still present!
Buzz—
With a ripple of Chakra, the dense clouds of dust were instantly dispersed.
Where the ruins of Iwagakure once lay, a lush forest had taken root!
The intertwining trees formed a dense, impenetrable barrier. Though parts of it were shattered by Madara's attacks, the overall structure remained intact.
"Wood Release?"
Madara stared intently at the scene. The Wood Release he had been anticipating for so long had finally appeared, but instead of excitement, he felt an overwhelming sense of unease.
If Minamoto could shatter a Perfect Susano'o with just his physical strength and Yin-Yang Release, what could he achieve with Wood Release? Madara didn't dare to imagine.
"I recall you asked me earlier why I wasn't using Wood Release."
As Madara pondered, Minamoto's voice rang out.
The canopy of the forest parted, revealing Minamoto standing atop the head of a wooden dragon, slowly rising into the air.
"It's because I didn't think it was necessary. After all, I didn't need any fancy techniques to deal with you."
"Judging by your tone..." Madara's expression darkened.
"Are you suggesting that you could easily defeat me if you wanted to?"
"Think what you like. Honestly, I'm not particularly skilled with Wood Release."
Minamoto shook his head, raising one hand as violent Chakra surged around him.
"But since you're so eager, I suppose I could indulge you. After all, it's not too difficult for me. However..."
Buzz—
The surging Chakra caused the surrounding trees to grow wildly, their thick vines intertwining even more tightly.
The towering trees swelled, and a massive figure began to take shape!
"I did say I'm not very proficient with it, so I hope you won't mind a rough demonstration."
Minamoto's voice remained calm, but the ground seemed to split apart as a colossal Buddha statue emerged from the earth.
The giant Buddha continued to rise, its enormous form casting a shadow over the battlefield, plunging the world into darkness.
"What... is that?"
The shinobi of Iwagakure stared in confusion. Even Jiraiya tilted his head back, his face filled with disbelief.
"Is this... Minamoto's power?"
"It's enormous..."
Sasuke and Naruto looked up in terror, while Kurotsuchi was utterly dumbfounded. Only Deidara smiled.
"Yes, that's it. This is exactly what he did back then!"
"This is..."
Madara's expression shifted. The giant Buddha continued to rise, and compared to its immense form, his Susano'o seemed almost insignificant.
This power was something he had seen before, something he had speculated about. But witnessing it again still sent ripples through his heart.
As he gazed at the towering Buddha, with its thousands of arms spread out behind it, he couldn't help but murmur:
"This is... True Several Thousand Hands."
True Several Thousand Hands—one of Madara's most painful memories.
It was the power Hashirama Senju had used against him, even when he wielded the Nine-Tails.
It was the power that had utterly crushed him, leading to his most humiliating defeat.
"So this is what you call a 'rough demonstration'?"
Madara's voice was low, but his gaze grew both solemn and fervent.
"Fine. Let me see just how much of this power you've mastered!"
With a roar, Madara's Susano'o charged recklessly at the giant Buddha.
Its twin blades were drawn, and violent energy surged along their edges.
The memories of that fateful battle with Hashirama overlapped with the present. No matter what, he had to test his limits!
Boom—
The sand and dust stirred by his power blanketed the battlefield. Distant mountains seemed to crumble under the force of his attack.
The twin blades of Susano'o sliced through the air, tearing the earth apart as they aimed for the giant Buddha.
But even at over 200 meters tall, Madara's Susano'o seemed dwarfed by the thousand-meter Buddha.
"You're going all out. In that case..."
Standing atop the Buddha's head, Minamoto watched Madara's desperate charge without hesitation.
Raising one hand, he unleashed his Chakra once more.
"Sage Art: Top Transcendent Buddha."
The towering Buddha moved under Minamoto's command. Its massive form caused the ground to quake violently with every motion.
The thousands of hands behind it surged forward, each as large as a Tailed Beast, raining down upon Susano'o!
Boom— Boom— Boom—
The deafening roars echoed through the heavens and earth. Each colossal fist smashed into Susano'o, sending shockwaves that rippled across the battlefield.
For a moment, it felt as if the sky itself was falling.
"Ah!"
But Madara was no ordinary opponent. His Susano'o fought back fiercely, its twin blades shattering the first wave of arms.
Yet for every arm he destroyed, ten more took its place. And behind them, hundreds, if not thousands, of arms awaited their turn.
Madara's full-powered attacks were nothing to scoff at, but the relentless assault of True Several Thousand Hands was not something he could easily withstand.
Before long, his Susano'o was overwhelmed by the Buddha's iron fists!
"So this is the true power of Konohagakure?"
Ōnoki was at a loss for words. The earlier destruction of Susano'o had already eased his nightmares. But to see Uchiha Madara himself being crushed—it was almost cathartic.
After all, this was Uchiha Madara!
"Minamoto really went easy on me back then."
Naruto watched the scene with a mix of excitement and newfound respect. But as the thought crossed his mind, a troubling realization struck him.
Over the years, he had cursed Minamoto countless times, perhaps more than anyone else.
"I'm still so far behind him..."
Sasuke clenched his fists. The vast gap in power was suffocating, yet it also filled him with determination.
He knew he was on the right path by following Minamoto.
"Is this how you defeated Kumogakure back then?"
Kurotsuchi couldn't help but ask Deidara, even Jiraiya leaning in curiously.
Deidara nodded, his eyes fixed on the battlefield as he spoke softly.
"Yes, this is the technique. This is his art!"
Boom—
The overwhelming energy and shockwaves continued to surge. Amid the chaos, flames erupted across the battlefield, and the ground itself seemed to burn.
Despite being resurrected through Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation, and possessing an endless supply of Chakra and powerful Dōjutsu, Madara's Susano'o was ultimately shattered under the relentless assault of True Several Thousand Hands.
"Damn it!"
Madara's body was flung through the air by the immense force. As he soared, another massive fist came hurtling toward him.
At that moment, he heard Kitagawa Minamoto's voice.
"I told you, I'm not particularly skilled with Wood Release, so I couldn't end your suffering quickly."
"But since I've granted your wish..."
"It's time to end this farce!"
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