"Such resilience… impressive," Uchiha Madara said coldly, lowering his hand as he landed lightly atop a massive rock formation. His crimson Sharingan eyes glowed as he looked down at the Five Kage gathered below.
The Raikage's fist, Tsunade's strength, and Ōnoki's dust release had finally managed to crack his Susanoo. For the first time since the battle began, Madara was forced to retreat a few steps.
Ōnoki, Gaara, and the others exchanged glances. For a brief moment, there was relief in their expressions—Madara was not invincible.
"Lord Raikage! Lord Tsuchikage! We've got him on the ropes!"
From the rear, ordinary shinobi cheered as hope surged through the Allied Forces. Seeing the Five Kage suppress Madara made them believe the legendary Uchiha could truly be defeated.
But Madara, standing on the jagged rock, remained motionless. His lips curled into a faint smirk, and his eyes reflected nothing but disdain. The aura he exuded was not one of a man, but of something far above.
"You believe victory is yours?" His voice echoed, calm yet thunderous. "Very well. Allow me to show you what despair truly is."
Chakra surged violently around him, erupting like a tidal wave. The azure armor of Susanoo enveloped his body once more. But this time, it wasn't the familiar warrior wielding a blade of flame. Instead, the construct grew monstrous, sprouting three heads and six arms. With each colossal hand, Madara began forming seals.
The world responded.
The bright sky dimmed in an instant, as though swallowed by the void. The cheering shinobi froze mid-celebration, their gazes dragged upward.
And then—
Boom.
Countless weapons clattered to the ground. Blades and kunai slipped from trembling hands as shinobi across the battlefield felt their strength leave them. Their bodies grew heavy, their limbs numb, as though some unseen force drained their very willpower.
"Th-this… you've got to be kidding…"
"Is this… truly the power of a single man?"
Every head tilted upward. There, blotting out the heavens, descended a meteorite of unfathomable size. It wasn't just a rock. It was a falling star, summoned by Madara's will alone.
Even before it struck, the air pressure bore down like a mountain. The atmosphere groaned under its descent, forcing shinobi to their knees as their lungs strained for air.
The Five Kage themselves looked on in horror. Tsunade's eyes widened, her fists clenching as memories surfaced. Beside her, Ōnoki's old face turned pale. Both had witnessed this jutsu once before, more than ten years ago—during Madara's battle against Ayanami Kaito.
Back then, they had only seen it from a distance. The scale was terrifying, but detached. Now, standing directly beneath its crushing weight, they finally understood.
"So this… this is his true power?" Terumi Mei whispered, her voice tinged with despair. Her lips tightened into a bitter smile as she gazed at the impossible star above.
Ōnoki trembled, his throat dry. "No wonder… no wonder Madara looks at us like insects. We… we are nothing compared to him."
Memories flooded him—Kaito transforming into a giant of lightning, splitting one of Madara's falling stars in two with a single swing. Only now did he comprehend the burden that Kaito had carried in that battle. Compared to titans like Madara and Kaito, the Five Kage were fragile, fleeting, and hopelessly outmatched.
Far away, at the Allied Shinobi Forces Headquarters, the atmosphere shifted. The great water sphere that mapped the battlefield quaked violently. Sensing-type shinobi gasped, their faces pale.
"Report!" one stammered. "Lord Kaito! At the Third Division's battlefield—where Uchiha Madara is fighting the Five Kage—a meteorite large enough to blot out the sky has appeared!"
Kaito's expression hardened, though a thin smile tugged at his lips. "So… he actually used it."
The shinobi who delivered the report shuddered. His forehead glistened with sweat as he bowed quickly.
"Very well. Dismissed," Kaito said firmly.
"Yes, Lord Kaito!" The ninja departed at once.
Kushina stepped forward, worry etched into her features. "Kaito… you're going, aren't you?"
He nodded. "I have no choice. With Tsunade's strength, they may endure one meteor… but a second? They'll be crushed." His voice was steady, resolute.
"I'll go with you," Kushina insisted, her fists clenched.
Kaito's gaze softened. He brushed his hand gently over her crimson hair. "No. It's too dangerous. I want you safe, Kushina. Stay in my dimension until this is over."
Her eyes lingered on his. After a moment, she nodded. "Alright. Just… come back."
With a wave of his hand, space rippled. A swirling vortex opened beside them. Kaito guided Kushina inside before stepping back out alone. The portal closed, leaving only silence behind.
He turned to Nara Shikaku. "Shikaku. I'll leave command here to you."
Shikaku inclined his head, calm but grave. "Understood. Go—before it's too late."
Kaito vanished in a flash of light, streaking toward the battlefield where gods clashed.
Meanwhile, deep within a dim cavern lit by eerie green candles, the colossal Gedo Statue loomed like a withered husk of a tree. Space rippled, and from the distortion stepped Uchiha Obito and White Zetsu, dragging a limp figure.
"Heh. So this is why you've been absent from the war," White Zetsu chuckled, controlling Yamato's body. "Busy hunting down the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki?"
"Silence," Obito replied sharply. His masked gaze flickered toward the Gedo Statue. "Madara has been revived. The Fourth War nears its climax. Extract the Eight-Tails' chakra immediately."
The endgame was approaching.
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Milestone
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