After an unknown stretch of time, a violent wind swept across the battlefield. Amid the fading dust came the sound of heavy, uneven footsteps.
Kaido, his body drenched in blood, forced himself upright by leaning on his spiked club. The weapon dug into the ground as he struggled to support his shattered frame. Even with the recovery granted by the Fish-Fish Fruit, his body could no longer regenerate.
Madara was in far better condition. His upper garments had been torn apart by the explosion, but his posture remained steady. The Susanoo had already vanished, and he advanced slowly toward Kaido, stopping when only a few meters separated them.
"Uchiha Madara…" Kaido said hoarsely. "If only we had lived in the same world."
For the first time in his life, the strongest creature on the surface had encountered an opponent capable of pushing him this far. The battle had been truly exhilarating. Yet in the end, even his near-indestructible body could not endure the might of the Perfect Susanoo.
"To fight you like this," Kaido continued, laughing weakly, "I, Kaido, have no regrets."
Madara regarded him in silence, his expression unreadable.
"Your will is remarkably resilient," he finally said. "It reminds me of an old friend—Hashirama."
"He possessed regeneration much like yours," Madara continued calmly, "but his power surpassed even yours."
"Gyahahahaha…" Kaido laughed loudly, only to choke on a mouthful of blood. The explosion had inflicted severe internal damage. "Are there really so many monsters like you in the Naruto World? I wish I could see it for myself."
As their exchange ended, the battle came to a close.
Golden light enveloped their bodies. After one final glance at each other, both figures vanished from the battlefield.
"Battle concluded. Victor: Uchiha Madara."
The Naruto World did not erupt in celebration. Instead, unease spread through the crowd.
Sarutobi's expression darkened."Uchiha Madara… he's coming back."
Jiraiya closed his book slowly. He still couldn't understand how Madara had awakened the Rinnegan. In all his years of travel, the only known bearer had been his student, Yahiko.
Still, with Guy remaining in Konoha, even Madara's return shouldn't lead to immediate catastrophe—or so he hoped.
Land of Earth
Ōnoki nearly fell from his chair upon hearing the news of Madara's resurrection.
Cold sweat drenched his forehead."That man… is back."
Memories of being utterly overwhelmed by Madara resurfaced, sending uncontrollable shivers through his body. That fear felt no different from being stared down by death itself.
The other Kage shared similarly grim expressions. Treaties and alliances meant nothing to Madara. If he chose to act, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Akatsuki Headquarters
Konan stared at Obito thoughtfully, causing a chill to run down his spine.
With Madara's return, Obito's deception would soon be exposed. How would the others react once the truth came out?
Nagato had already suspected the truth for some time. Now he was certain—but since Obito was still useful, there was no reason to expose him yet.
Suddenly, an overwhelming presence filled the chamber.
A man with wild black hair and an oppressive aura stepped forward.
Everyone froze.
Yahiko and Konan stared in shock, while Itachi, Kakuzu, and Deidara instinctively took combat stances.
Madara glanced around and sighed."Obito… you've been far too slow."
Obito's expression twisted. He hadn't expected Madara to return before his plans were complete.
Madara took a few steps forward, surveying them all."From this moment on, the Akatsuki will be under my direct command."
No one dared object. This was the man who had once plunged the entire ninja world into terror.
Deep underground, Nagato felt a chill crawl up his spine.
"Ding. Congratulations to Uchiha Madara for acquiring Six Paths Power."
"Six Paths Power?"
Confusion spread across the Naruto World.
Shinji activated the large screen."The Six Paths Power originates from the Sage of Six Paths. He inherited his mother's abilities, wielding immense chakra, the Byakugan, and later awakening the Rinnegan. This power includes Six Paths Mode, an immortal body, and the complete Bloodline Web."
Tobirama's face turned pale."If Madara has truly obtained this power… even my brother wouldn't stand a chance."
Ōnoki immediately mobilized, heading for Konoha with Kitsuchi and Kurotsuchi. The other Kage followed suit. If they didn't unite now, annihilation was inevitable.
Madara smiled faintly."To receive such a reward… it seems the Eye of the Moon Plan can proceed ahead of schedule."
The remaining Akatsuki members fell silent. From this moment on, their path was set.
"Ding. Congratulations to Kaido for acquiring the Perfect Susanoo."
On his ship, Kaido jolted upright, nearly spilling his sake.
"Gyahahahaha! So that's my reward?! With this, even Whitebeard won't stand a chance!"
Laughing wildly, Kaido immediately summoned a two-hundred-meter-tall Perfect Susanoo and soared into the sky. He circled several times before descending low over the sea.
Massive waves surged beneath him. Fish and sea creatures were hurled skyward by the violent winds.
"This is incredible!" Kaido roared with delight.
Charlotte Linlin laughed loudly."Mama mama! When is it my turn?"
Even Benn Beckman paced restlessly across the deck. So many battles had passed, yet his turn still hadn't come.
Marineford
Sengoku watched Kaido's antics with a troubled expression. Whitebeard had returned to his prime, and now Kaido wielded the Perfect Susanoo. The future looked bleak for the Marines.
Garp, however, remained unfazed, casually munching on senbei.
Even Akainu, unusually quiet, leaned back like Aokiji, covering his eyes as if drifting off to sleep.
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Chapter 30: The Fourth Match, Uchiha Madara vs Kaido
Chapter 37: Kizaru vs. Minato Namikaze
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