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The executor of Project Lure-Madara, Kabuto Yakushi, carried a second, higher-priority mission as he left Pale Moon Island: to gather the genetic material for Sasuke's eighth trial opponent.
With these two burdens on his shoulders, Kabuto departed. And then, defying all precedent, Orochimaru revealed the identity of the eighth trial's opponents—in advance.
The Second Tsuchikage. The Second Mizukage. The Third Raikage. The Fourth Kazekage. And… one to be determined.
Sasuke was intrigued. "Why 'to be determined'?"
Orochimaru explained, "Because I'm not certain Kabuto will succeed in retrieving that one's genetic material. If he fails… we'll have to release the 'Second Hokage' from the Reaper's stomach as a replacement."
So, Sasuke thought. This unknown opponent's strength… must be at least on par with the Second Hokage's.
"Why tell me their identities now?"
"The four Kage I mentioned," Orochimaru said, his voice a low purr, "were all resurrected by Kabuto during the Fourth Great Shinobi War in that other timeline. They fought as enemies of the Allied Shinobi Forces. You, Sasuke-kun… your timing in that war meant you never crossed blades with them. To you, they are strangers."
A pause. The air grew heavier.
"Furthermore, they are brought back by Impure World Reincarnation. Immortal bodies. Unkillable. The purpose of these ten trials is growth. To push yourself to the absolute limit, to accelerate your absorption of the White Cursed Seal's power. Therefore…" A thin, knowing smile touched his lips. "The use of sealing jutsu is… prohibited."
Prohibited.
Sasuke knew exactly what that meant.
No matter how strong he became, he was human. Flesh and blood. Stamina would fail. Chakra would drain. But the resurrected… they felt no fatigue. Their energy was functionally limitless. Without sealing jutsu to end them…
The battle would be endless.
"The eighth trial," Sasuke said, the words tasting like ash. "It's an unwinnable battle."
Orochimaru didn't confirm or deny. He simply added one more rule, his eyes gleaming. "Before the battle begins, I will teach them the hand seals to break free of my control. They will fight… unshackled from my will. This also means, Sasuke-kun, that in your moment of greatest peril… I will be powerless to stop them."
Silence filled the room. Sasuke fell deep into thought.
True. The ten trials needed the atmosphere of a life-or-death struggle. But when Kabuto had asked why Might Guy wasn't being used as an opponent, Orochimaru had clearly stated the trials were not 'certain death.'
If they're not certain death… then this seemingly hopeless eighth trial must have a loophole. A path to survival.
Orochimaru saw the calculation in Sasuke's eyes. He leaned forward, his voice dripping with amusement. "This battle… has no prepared path to survival. If a path exists, Sasuke-kun… you must carve it yourself."
"Carve it… myself."
Sasuke mulled over the riddle as Orochimaru rose and slid open the door to the garden.
"Your hints end here," Orochimaru said, not looking back. "The eighth trial begins in twenty-one days. Until then… make thorough preparations."
The door slid shut.
Sasuke closed his eyes, his mind a whirlwind.
No sealing jutsu. How do you defeat an immortal? Why tell me their identities specifically? Unless…
GAAAACK—!!!
Elsewhere, Madara—inhabiting Naruto's body—was on his hands and knees, vomiting his guts out.
In the corner, Black Zetsu watched the hunched, retching form with a dark smirk. You needed this, Madara. A little suffering to temper that arrogance.
"Hah… hahh… hahh…"
Madara finally expelled the entire tiger he'd devoured in the Forest of Mist. Only then did the last vestiges of the Toad Confrontation Chant's physical toll fade.
His face was corpse-pale. Strings of viscous saliva hung from his lips. Blood vessels webbed his eyes. But within that gaze… a feral, battle-hungry madness burned. "Ha… Hahahaha! Worth it…! So worth it! To think such an illusion existed! I had to experience it myself! So this is Mount Myōboku… these ancient Sage Art families with centuries of inheritance… impressive! Once I regain my true form, I'll pay them a visit myself!!!"
Black Zetsu sighed inwardly. Not tempered at all. If anything, more bloodthirsty. This warlike nature is in his bones. You can't beat it out of him.
"Lord Madara…"
Madara's bloodshot eye slid toward him. "What?"
"Your left arm… the one the Raikage shattered. I couldn't retrieve it. Once you lost consciousness, the black rods restraining the Five Kage and Jiraiya dissolved. My priority was extracting you."
Madara turned away, his voice cold. "Noted. You don't need to remind me who broke it. Or who you were facing. If you fear death and defeat, you shouldn't fight at all. I, Madara, do not fear loss. Temporary setbacks mean nothing. The one who laughs last… is the true victor."
Black Zetsu's inner voice sneered. Is that the philosophy you adopted after losing at the Valley of the End? As Indra's reincarnation, you've never once defeated Asura's.
Outwardly, he bowed. "As you say, Lord Madara. What are your plans for the left arm?"
Madara pressed a hand to the ragged stump of his shoulder.
"It's time to contact the White Zetsu."
Black Zetsu's voice was carefully neutral. "The White Zetsu… no longer answer to you."
Madara's head snapped around. "What… did you say?"
"The curse seal on Obito's heart was destroyed. He used one of the artificial Hashirama bodies from the Gedo Statue to repair it. Furthermore… he has transplanted your Rinnegan. Control of the Gedo Statue now belongs entirely to him. The White Zetsu… will not heed your commands."
RRIIIP
Madara violently tore the orange jacket from his body!
"HAH! That brat's wings have truly hardened!!!"
But the rage was fleeting. Cold clarity returned. He wrapped the tattered orange fabric around his waist, using his teeth to tie a strip of it tightly around the bleeding stump.
Then… he took a deep, centering breath. Closed his eyes. Sat down in the lotus position.
Black Zetsu asked, "What are you doing?"
"Entering Sage Mode."
"But… the Sage power you absorbed from Jiraiya was a one-time infusion! It's gone!"
"The power is gone," Madara said, his voice already growing distant, focused inward. "But this body remembers the sensation. I will simply… recondense it."
"That's…!"
"Silence. I need focus."
Zzzz—ssss…
The orange pigmentation of Sage Mode slowly bloomed around his eyes.
Black Zetsu watched, stunned. To memorize a feeling and master it so quickly… that is Naruto's innate talent. Madara… he's even more compatible with this vessel than I imagined.
When Madara opened his eyes again, the pupils at the centers of his Sharingan had transformed—into the horizontal slits of a toad.
"Behold," he said, rising fluidly. "Sage Mode… is complete."
Black Zetsu's mind reeled. What I truly didn't expect… is that through this battle, Naruto's own power has grown enough to sustain a perfect Sage Mode!!!
SWOOSH!
Madara vanished.
Five kilometers away, a White Zetsu clone screamed as its left arm was severed in a blur of motion.
SCHLICK.
Madara coldly pressed the dripping white limb against his own stump. His Sharingan locked onto the clone's eyes.
"Speak. Obito's next move."
The clone's voice was a dull monotone. "Hunt… Eight-Tails… Nine-Tails… Revive… Ten-Tails… Launch… Infinite Tsukuyomi… before… Sasuke… surpasses… Madara's prime…"
"Surpass… my prime?" Madara's voice was a deadly whisper. "How dare he? HOW DARE HE!?"
"WHERE IS SASUKE!?"
"Sasuke… unknown. But… his subordinate… Kabuto Yakushi… reportedly… heading to…"
"HEADING WHERE!?"
"To… Paradise Island… in the Land of Lightning… to seal… the other half… of the Nine-Tails… and—"
CRUNCH.
Madara crushed the clone's throat without mercy.
The clone's final, unspoken words died with it: '…and other clones have already confirmed that is false information.'
A critical piece of intelligence… forever missed.
Madara let the white corpse fall. A slow, dangerous smile spread across his face. "Paradise Island… I recall. The training ground for the Cloud's jinchūriki. It seems… a visit is in order."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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