BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion erupted instantly, the shockwaves threatening to burst the eardrums of everyone present!
Under the horrified gazes of all, Madara Uchiha—who moments ago looked like the Sage of Six Paths incarnate—was slammed violently into the earth below.
A massive, deep crater formed, dust and debris billowing wildly into the air. The seabed beneath was forced upward, creating a gigantic circular wall of earth within the ocean!
At that moment, Kaoru floated serenely in the sky. A mysterious glint shone in his eyes. He held Tsunade gently in his arms, who looked stunned and helpless, while his other hand gripped a golden spear.
His short black hair fluttered in the wind, and his magnificent Hokage ceremonial robe billowed around him. His scarlet Mangekyō Sharingan gleamed brilliantly in the void.
"'Kaoru Uchiha?!'"
"'The Sixth Hokage-sama?!!!'"
Seeing Kaoru appear like a god descending, holding Tsunade, every ninja present was overcome with a whirlwind of emotions.
Some were utterly shocked, while others let out a long sigh of relief.
"'It looks like… we're finally saved…'"
For some reason, upon seeing Kaoru, the Five Kage felt this thought arise in their hearts.
"'Thank you, Kaoru…'" Tsunade said weakly, looking up at the man who had saved her life.
"'Mmm…'" Kaoru nodded calmly, then swept his gaze over the dense crowd below.
"'Alright now. Allied Shinobi Forces, Kage, all of you stand back. I will take over the battle from here…'" Landing gently on the ground, he carefully set Tsunade down.
His scarlet eyes turned towards the figure in the crater. "'This fight… is no longer something you can interfere with…'"
After returning from Momoshiki Ōtsutsuki's dimension, Kaoru had witnessed exactly what had just transpired. After rescuing Tsunade, he had directly struck Madara with that powerful technique.
Of course, Kaoru knew very well that one strike alone would not be enough to defeat Madara now.
BOOM!!!
As Kaoru's voice faded, a terrifying tidal wave of chakra erupted violently from the massive hole created by his attack. The very air above the sea churned and roared!
"'Uchiha… Kaoru…'"
A deep, resonant voice, filled with searing heat, grated out the name through clenched teeth. Surrounded by nine floating black Truth-Seeking Balls, Madara Uchiha slowly rose from the deep crater in the seabed.
The man who once looked like the perfect image of the Sage of Six Paths now had his white sage robe torn and tattered. The wound pierced through his chest by the spear was already knitting itself back together.
"'You bastard…'"
Madara stared in disbelief at the calm figure before him. He had thought that by capturing the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails, reviving the Ten-Tails, and becoming its Jinchūriki, he had become the being closest to the Sage of Six Paths in this world.
Defeating Kaoru should have been easy. Yet, Kaoru had appeared out of nowhere, snatched Tsunade right under his nose, and unleashed such a devastating, world-shaking technique.
Even though he had raised his Truth-Seeking Balls to defend, they could not completely nullify Senjutsu.
Under the assault of Kaoru's amplified attack, his physical body had suffered catastrophic damage—though his Edo Tensei body allowed him to regenerate.
However, even if he weren't an Edo Tensei, he likely wouldn't have died. As the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, his body was nearly immortal, and combined with the regenerative powers of Hashirama Senju's cells, he could survive almost anything.
"'It seems this final battle… won't be as simple as I thought…'"
Floating in the air, Madara slowly descended to the ground. His eerie purple Rinnegan stared solemnly at Kaoru.
Sensing the immense, ocean-like pressure radiating from Kaoru, a smile of excitement and anticipation appeared on Madara's face. This was the thrill of battle he had always sought.
"'However… this is exactly the kind of life-or-death fight I desire!!!'"
Kaoru stood calmly before Madara. Simultaneously, overwhelming auras erupted from both men, like hurricanes ready to sweep the land.
When their energies collided, they blasted away all dust and obstacles, forcing everyone nearby to shield their eyes, unable to even look directly at them.
"'Just their killing intent alone creates such a phenomenon…'" Kakashi struggled to keep his Sharingan open against the buffeting winds.
"'As expected… only a monster can fight another monster…'" The one-armed Ōnoki looked battered and bruised, yet his face was filled with awe.
"'I was planning to come find you, but it seems you've delivered yourself to my doorstep instead…'" Madara looked at Kaoru with his eerie eyes and spoke coldly. "'Now… hand over my Rinnegan!!!'"
"'Rinnegan?'" Kaoru feigned surprise, then his smile widened. "'Oh right, I almost forgot. Your eyes are still with me. And right now, you're still nothing but a dead man walking… My apologies.'"
"'Hmph, stop acting! I am the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki now! Do you really think you can still wield my Rinnegan as easily as before?!'" Madara roared, his aura flaring with anger.
"'Kaoru Uchiha… if you refuse to hand them over, I will simply wait until Madara kills you. Then I will use Edo Tensei to summon you. Under the control of the caster's will, you will tell us exactly where the eyes are…'"
Black Zetsu, who had been hiding nearby, finally emerged and stood beside Madara, speaking in a cold voice.
Black Zetsu was actually even more desperate than Madara to retrieve the eyes. Without the Rinnegan, his mother, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, could not be revived. That was why he dared to show himself and speak directly to Kaoru.
Listening calmly to Black Zetsu's words, Kaoru's expression remained unchanged. He looked at the two figures before him, his Mangekyō Sharingan flickering with a killing intent that threatened to erase all existence.
"'Black Zetsu… you want the Rinnegan back, but I doubt it's for Madara's sake… Hmm… no matter whose will you were created to serve…'"
"'Today, you are fated to die by my hand. As for Madara… whether he dies by my hand or not… is still uncertain.'"
Kaoru spoke these words in a calm yet mocking tone, as if simply stating facts. His Senjutsu chakra surged within him, his presence pressing down on everyone like an immovable mountain.
Whose will was he created to serve…?
What does he mean by that…?
Does he know my secret…?!
Hearing Kaoru's words, Black Zetsu's mind was thrown into chaos!
Hearing Kaoru speak so casually, Black Zetsu was terrified. Everything this man said and did seemed to disrupt his plans.
Kaoru's words also made Madara glance sharply at Black Zetsu beside him. Earlier, Kaoru had said he wasn't Madara's real enemy. Now he said this about Black Zetsu. He wants the eyes not for himself?
And Madara might not die by his hand… What did all this mean? Was there something wrong with Black Zetsu?
But these thoughts vanished instantly. Seeing Kaoru's arrogant attitude, Madara frowned deeply. "'It seems that defeating me once… has given you far too much confidence…'"
"'But realize this! Now that I am the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki… I am on the same level as the Sage of Six Paths!!!'"
With a deep shout, a fierce light flashed in Madara's purple eyes. The nine black Truth-Seeking Balls surrounding his body instantly reformed and shot towards Kaoru at high speed!
Watching Madara launch the nine orbs at him, Kaoru silently shook his head. A brilliant, azure light radiated from his Mangekyō Sharingan, and an infinite amount of ocular power erupted forth!
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