The endless roar of battle gradually subsided, and Iwagakure finally began to find some semblance of peace.
Standing in the distance, gazing upon the hellish scene before them, everyone felt their minds buzzing. It seemed they had yet to recover from the terror of the battle, a confrontation that had utterly shattered their understanding of what it meant to be a shinobi.
"A thousand-meter-tall Buddha..."
"A hundred-meter-tall Chakra giant..."
"And that future Fifth Hokage who shattered a hundred-meter-tall Chakra giant with a single kick..."
"This kind of battle... it's on a completely different dimension from us."
Humans can't truly imagine what they've never seen before. Though they had heard tales of such feats, they had always assumed them to be exaggerated. But today, they understood just how insane this world truly was.
"It seems the battle is finally over," Ōnoki sighed as he watched the battlefield quiet down.
"Hmm, perhaps it is," Jiraiya also sighed, his expression deeply complex.
"I never thought that guy would be so terrifying, and he's only here through Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation."
"What's wrong with Impure World Reincarnation?" Ōnoki glanced at Jiraiya with a puzzled look, clearly not understanding the distinction.
After a moment of thought, Jiraiya spoke softly. "For most ninja, this technique is an enhancement, providing them with unlimited Chakra. But for figures like Uchiha Madara or the First Hokage, it's actually a form of limitation."
"Limitation?" Ōnoki looked incredulous as he gazed at the hellish battlefield in the distance. But Jiraiya nodded and explained further.
"Impure World Reincarnation requires a 'vessel' to bear their power. But they're so strong that no ordinary vessel can handle it."
"Too strong..." Ōnoki was momentarily speechless. If what he had just witnessed wasn't Madara's full strength, then just how absurdly powerful was Kitagawa Minamoto?
Before he could dwell on this, the towering, sky-obscuring thousand-meter Buddha began to dissipate. At that moment, their vision blurred, and suddenly, Kitagawa Minamoto appeared before them!
"Minamoto!"
"Is it completely over?"
"Are you alright?"
Deidara was the first to notice, his entire demeanor brimming with excitement. Naruto and Sasuke's eyes lit up, and Jiraiya immediately inquired about Minamoto's condition.
Ōnoki, however, wore a complicated expression. He had feared Madara for his entire life—that defiant figure under the moonlight, the unsettling presence of Susano'o, a nightmare etched deeply into his memory.
Yet today, Kitagawa Minamoto had shattered it all in a manner so simple it left Ōnoki at a loss for words.
The other Iwagakure shinobi couldn't contain their exclamations either. The inhuman ferocity of the battle had left them trembling, but also ignited their spirits. They knew all too well: if not for Kitagawa Minamoto, they'd all be doomed.
"Don't worry, I'm fine," Minamoto shook his head, smiling as he reassured them.
"Obito Uchiha and Uchiha Madara have both retreated. For now, it seems the battle is over."
Obito's mental state was likely in shambles, while Madara, after enduring a relentless beating from Minamoto's imperfect mastery of 'True Several Thousand Hands,' was likely not in much better spirits.
Otherwise, Madara wouldn't have chosen to leave without even using his Rinnegan abilities.
"Of course, even if he had used them, the outcome probably wouldn't have changed much."
Minamoto recalled that when Madara was first resurrected through Impure World Reincarnation, his Rinnegan could only perform basic functions. Without access to the technique 'Limbo: Border Jail,' Madara likely realized he couldn't pose much of a threat to Minamoto, prompting his retreat.
After all, in a way, his objectives had already been achieved.
"By the way, what was their goal this time?" Minamoto collected his thoughts, his gaze sweeping over Ōnoki before settling on Deidara with curiosity.
"Was it the Jinchūriki?"
"Probably," Deidara scratched his chin thoughtfully and nodded, causing Ōnoki's eyelids to twitch.
"Hey, I'm not dead yet! I'm still the Tsuchikage!" Ōnoki glared at the irreverent Deidara, then sighed deeply before speaking.
"Their target was indeed the Jinchūriki. Your prior warnings were correct. I just didn't expect them to be so reckless, or so overwhelmingly powerful."
Looking at the devastated remains of Iwagakure, Ōnoki clenched his fists involuntarily. The once-thriving village had been nearly obliterated by this battle.
Even though they had reacted quickly and begun evacuations, there were always those who couldn't escape in time, or who chose to stay and assist in the fight.
As for their fate now, Ōnoki couldn't bear to think about it.
"Damn Akatsuki..." The thought brought tears to Ōnoki's eyes, despite his many years of experience in witnessing brutal battles.
The surviving Iwagakure shinobi seemed to grasp this as well. Their initial exclamations, cheers, and relief at having survived gradually gave way to a somber atmosphere. Grief began to spread among them.
"My condolences. This debt will be repaid," Jiraiya sighed, patting Ōnoki's shoulder in consolation.
Minamoto, after some thought, couldn't help but add a reminder. "I know this is painful, but you should focus on retrieving the Four-Tails as soon as possible. They won't stop here."
"I understand," Ōnoki nodded, then sighed deeply before speaking again.
"I apologize for showing you such a disgraceful sight. Thank you for your help; without you, Iwagakure would no longer exist. But I must attend to the village's matters now, so I won't be able to properly host you."
"No problem, no problem. Let us know if you need anything," Jiraiya waved his hand dismissively, understanding that Ōnoki's mood was far from ideal, and refraining from pressing further.
Ōnoki nodded once more, casting a deep glance at Minamoto before leading Deidara and the others away.
Ōnoki's demeanor left Jiraiya feeling somewhat melancholic. Once they were out of sight, Jiraiya pulled Minamoto aside.
"Honestly, encountering something this troublesome... it's a good thing we came."
"Is there a chance that it's because you, the Pervy Sage, brought us here?" Minamoto blinked, unable to resist teasing him. But before he could finish, Jiraiya cut him off.
"There's no chance! We're not bad luck magnets! Damn it, this has nothing to do with us!"
Jiraiya knew exactly what Minamoto was implying, and he couldn't let such "rumors" take root through this troublemaker's mouth.
"Enough about that. Was that Yin-Yang Release you used earlier?"
"Yes," Minamoto nodded earnestly.
"Yin-Yang Release is difficult to integrate, but I was lucky. Its practical effects are indeed beyond expectations."
"Lucky, huh..." Jiraiya struggled to keep his composure, but found himself unable to refute Minamoto's claim.
After all, it seemed that only Minamoto had succeeded with Yin-Yang Release. And there was no denying its terrifying power.
"If only I had your luck..." Naruto muttered under his breath, while Sasuke couldn't help but feel a sense of longing.
"Yin-Yang Release... what a formidable power."
"Indeed, with this technique, we might truly stand a chance against Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki," Jiraiya nodded in agreement. But Minamoto looked somewhat awkward.
"Let's not talk about that for now. We've actually made another gain this time."
"Another gain?" Jiraiya and the others were surprised. Minamoto spoke softly.
"As Uchiha Madara and Obito retreated, I noticed some unusual movement nearby. So, I managed to capture two individuals."
"Akatsuki members?"
"No. They're humanoid creatures. Haven't you noticed something odd? Uchiha Madara seemed excessively strong, didn't he?"
"Excessively strong?" Jiraiya paused, then quickly understood.
Madara's power was truly absurd. Not only did he perfectly wield the Uchiha's abilities, but he could also use Wood Release—all while being an Impure World Reincarnation.
So what kind of entity could bear his immense power?
"You mean..." Jiraiya's expression grew solemn, and Minamoto nodded.
"It's highly likely. Let's take them back for examination. If it's true..."
"Then it's an unexpected and monumental gain," Jiraiya murmured to himself.
For Iwagakure, this battle was undoubtedly a catastrophe. But for them, it was an entirely different story.
Not only had they helped, potentially smoothing the path for Naruto's future, but if these creatures turned out to be useful, then even the First and Second Hokage might find new hope!
"Yes, it's truly an 'unexpected' gain," Minamoto nodded, his gaze briefly drifting to the ninja pouch at his waist.
Inside it lay a scroll containing the Five-Tails' Chakra, sealed away and quietly resting.
Amid the mountains of the Land of Earth, Uchiha Madara and Obito Uchiha's figures silently emerged. Both landed unsteadily, their faces grim.
Boom—
Suddenly, Obito struck the ground with his fist. The force of his punch created a deep crater.
"Why is this happening?! Damn it, why did it turn out like this?!" He roared furiously, as if trying to vent the darkness in his heart.
Blood continued to flow from his body, clearly a result of being pierced by Minamoto's Yin-Yang Release blade—a wound not easily healed.
"Hmph," Madara watched coldly, choosing not to offer any words of comfort.
To him, this was an indelible humiliation. He couldn't understand how Minamoto had grown so powerful. That display of Wood Release had truly brought back memories of the past.
Defeated once again by 'True Several Thousand Hands,' Madara couldn't bear the pain of it. It was this realization, combined with his knowledge that he couldn't defeat Minamoto, that prompted his retreat.
After all, if he were struck by Yin-Yang Release, even his Impure World Reincarnation body might not survive.
"Could that brat really be a descendant of the Sage of Six Paths' younger brother?" Madara couldn't help but wonder. But at that moment, Obito suddenly raised his head.
"You said we could create a world of peace, a world without war. Why did it turn out like this?!"
"Hmph," Madara snorted coldly, just as he was about to respond.
But then, he noticed something unusual. To his shock, black markings had appeared on Obito's face, and his Chakra seemed to be growing stronger!
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