'Boom!!'
The collision between the Chakra Saber and the Sword of Nunoboko echoed across the battlefield. The earth shattered even further, with massive fissures spreading in every direction.
'Boom, boom, boom.'
The two fought using Taijutsu, clashing dozens of times in the blink of an eye.
Every strike caused the earth to quake, and the deafening roars seemed endless.
They were already far from Kirigakure, but the commotion caused by their battle could still be felt by the people in the village.
Kirigakure was now completely under Madara's control.
The Mizukage had been executed, and even the heads of several Kekkei Genkai clans had not been spared.
No one could resist Madara's rule. His will hung over Kirigakure like an oppressive shadow.
But where there was oppression, there was resistance.
The vast majority of Kirigakure's shinobi had already been cowed by Madara, but there were still many who wanted to overthrow his rule.
Among them were the direct descendants of the former Third Mizukage and members of several Kekkei Genkai clans.
"Uzumaki Seiryū? The person who participated in the joint Chunin Exams with us back then."
Mei Terumī, who was only a Chunin at present, sensed the commotion coming from afar.
She could not help sighing.
"To possess such terrifying strength now, he's simply a monster!"
During the joint Chunin Exams, although Seiryū had displayed extraordinary strength, it had not been nearly as exaggerated as it was now.
She knew very well just how powerful Madara was.
The former Third Mizukage had united with the heads of several Kekkei Genkai clans, yet they had still been crushed easily by Madara.
Madara had descended upon them like a god. The title of Asura of the Shinobi World had forced even Kirigakure, one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, to bow its head.
And yet.
Seiryū, who was not much older than them, had actually displayed such terrifying power.
He had even made Madara wary of him!
Just remembering the Ninjutsu that had covered the sky moments ago made her heart tremble.
"Konoha always seems to produce monsters. The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. The Asura of the Shinobi World, Madara. The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. The Fourth Hokage, Tsunade, who awakened Wood Release. And Konoha's Reaper, Seiryū."
The person who spoke was also a familiar face, Kaguya Ichirō, the young clan leader of the Kaguya Clan.
He no longer possessed the ambition and drive he once had. Instead, he looked completely dispirited.
His father's death had dealt him a tremendous blow, causing him to lose all desire to resist and sink into despair.
He smiled bitterly, his eyes filled with despondency.
"The fate of Kirigakure has actually been left in the hands of someone from Konoha. And he's even someone from our own generation. How ironic."
The fate of Kirigakure was no longer in the hands of its own shinobi.
If Kirigakure wanted to free itself from Madara's rule, it actually had to rely on someone from another shinobi village.
Moreover, that person was someone they could be considered acquainted with, an opponent they had once competed against during the joint Chunin Exams.
That absurdity made Ichirō, who was already dispirited, feel even more powerless.
How could Konoha's Reaper, Seiryū, possess such terrifying power?
The scene just now had made him deeply aware that the gap between them was as vast as a chasm.
Was Seiryū really someone from their generation?
Another shinobi from a Kekkei Genkai clan said, "Let's hope Konoha's Reaper can win. If Madara is defeated, we'll at least have some time to recover."
Under Madara's tyrannical rule, Kirigakure had suffered extremely heavy casualties.
That was not even mentioning the Tailed Beasts and Jinchūriki.
Kirigakure's strongest shinobi had already suffered countless losses. The former Mizukage, the heads of Kekkei Genkai clans, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
Some had been killed by Madara, while others had died on the battlefield.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist had died during their invasion of Konoha.
"Heh. Even if Madara is defeated, what will be waiting for us afterward?"
Zabuza Momochi, currently a Chunin and one of those resisting Madara, sneered.
"Konoha's strength is obvious to everyone now. It has already become the dominant power."
Mei pursed her lips.
"At worst, we'll close ourselves off like Kumo. Being able to survive would already be good enough."
No one had expected that Kirigakure, once one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, would fall to such a state.
Under Madara's overwhelming power, aside from a small number of people like them, most of Kirigakure's shinobi had already begun treating Madara's will as their own.
All they could do now was wait for someone else to step forward and defeat Madara.
It was truly the greatest irony!
.
Somewhere outside the battlefield.
"What kind of monster is this guy?"
Black Zetsu clenched its fist tightly as it watched the intense battle in the distance.
It gritted its teeth and muttered, "Even Madara, who has already become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, is actually being completely suppressed by him."
"He clearly hasn't reached that level, so how did he do it?"
How had he done it!?
Black Zetsu could not answer that question.
There was only one Ten-Tails, and only one person could become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki.
That was Mother's power, the only portion of her power that remained in this world.
When there was only one such source of power, how could Seiryū possess such terrifying strength?
Where had his power come from!?
Was it really possible just by relying on Dragon Vein Chakra and the Eight Inner Gates Formation?
Was this truly something a human could accomplish?
It was incomprehensible!
Madara was already the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, and his very existence had undergone an evolution.
He had become an immortal, reaching the realm of the Six Paths.
How could he still fail to match Seiryū?
If Madara lost, Black Zetsu would not even know what to do next.
If even Madara was defeated, how could it continue its plan?
It was extremely difficult for Black Zetsu to approach a battlefield of this level. It had not forgotten that Seiryū possessed the ability to sense White Zetsu.
If it got too close.
Would Seiryū discover and kill it?
Black Zetsu's eyes became lifeless as it felt that its plan might no longer be able to continue.
"No. I absolutely cannot sit here and wait for everything to fall apart. This is my only chance. I have to resurrect Mother. I absolutely cannot give up!"
It had waited a thousand years.
Was all that waiting really going to end like this?
It could not accept that!
It had to do something.
Its plan absolutely could not fail.
It had to resurrect Mother.
As long as Mother was resurrected, everything would still be possible!
Seiryū and those members of the Ōtsutsuki Clan would all submit before Mother's power!
Black Zetsu had absolute confidence in her!
"The power Mother left behind for me. As long as I use it properly, there may still be a chance. Madara cannot die yet."
With that thought, Black Zetsu began to move.
Its body sank into the ground as it approached the battlefield.
.
Meanwhile.
There were others watching the battle as well.
Orochimaru was one of them.
"Fight. Keep fighting. As long as you keep fighting, I might have a chance to seize the Rinnegan."
He watched the battle in the distance, a battle between beings who had surpassed ordinary shinobi.
A grave expression flashed through Orochimaru's eyes, mixed with greed and madness.
"Hehehe. Ten-Tails Jinchūriki. An immortal. As long as I can obtain the Rinnegan, I'll also gain the power of an immortal."
After cooperating with Madara, Orochimaru had learned that the Rinnegan and the Ten-Tails were the keys to becoming an immortal.
And becoming an immortal was the key to achieving his ultimate goal.
If he wanted eternal life, then he needed to become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki and transform himself into an immortal!
"Uchiha, Senju, Hyūga, Uzumaki, Kaguya. I already possess flesh and tissue from all of these clans connected to the Sage of Six Paths."
"As long as I seize the Rinnegan and the Ten-Tails, then combine these bloodlines, can I surpass everything?"
"Above the Six Paths level is Kekkei Mōra. Kekkei Mōra. Mōra, hehehe. Could it be the source of all bloodlines? This world is becoming more and more interesting."
A strange light flashed through Orochimaru's eyes.
Especially his right eye.
Complex patterns filled it, resembling two snakes biting each other's tails.
It was the Mangekyō Sharingan!
But there was only one, a single Mangekyō Sharingan in his right eye!
His cooperation with Madara had been mutually beneficial.
Orochimaru had used Edo Tensei to summon an Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, along with the Gold and Silver Brothers who possessed Nine-Tails Chakra.
That had allowed the Ten-Tails to be successfully revived, enabling Madara to become its Jinchūriki!
In exchange, Madara had told Orochimaru how to restore a Sharingan that had lost its light.
As long as enough Yin Release Chakra was used to replenish the exhausted ocular power, a Sharingan that had lost its light could recover.
Thus, Orochimaru had injected all the Yin Release Chakra of the Zero-Tails within Ryota's body into his blind right eye.
His blind right eye had regained its sight.
It had even caused the Sharingan to evolve into the Mangekyō Sharingan.
And the ability of this Mangekyō Sharingan could be used in the current situation.
As long as Orochimaru found the right timing and opportunity.
He could seize the Rinnegan from right under Seiryū's nose.
There was still a very good chance of success.
He did not need to confront Seiryū directly.
He only needed to remain hidden here like a viper, waiting for the right moment.
.
Elsewhere.
A black and red vortex opened, and a figure appeared high in the distant sky.
The newcomer was a man wearing a white haori, with his hair tied up and a long braid trailing behind him.
The moment he appeared, his gaze turned toward the battlefield. His expression remained completely calm.
"The source of that woman Kaguya's power, a God Tree that has already fully taken shape."
"It is even more mature than my God Tree. As long as the right opportunity appears, it can bear fruit again."
"I need a 'vessel' capable of perfectly supporting my 'reincarnation.' A body capable of containing the God Tree's power. The strongest bloodline among Kaguya's descendants should be able to handle it, shouldn't it?"
The man muttered to himself.
Madara, who had become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, and Seiryū, who possessed extraordinary vitality.
These two were currently the strongest among Kaguya's descendants in the shinobi world.
Both their bloodlines and their strength were among the greatest, and their bodies had already undergone a qualitative transformation.
They should both be capable of becoming the "vessel" for his "reincarnation"!
As long as he could perfectly "reincarnate," he would recover his peak power.
After that, as long as he found a suitable "sacrifice" to feed his God Tree, it would inevitably bear fruit as well.
Moreover, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's God Tree was already mature. It only needed an opportunity to bear fruit once again.
The fruit produced by consuming the "vitality" of this special planet as nourishment was extraordinarily powerful.
Just one could allow an ordinary member of the Ōtsutsuki Clan to reach the level of Kekkei Mōra.
If he consumed two such fruits at the same time.
He would immediately become one of the strongest members of the Ōtsutsuki Clan!
If he continued accumulating more fruits, he might even have a chance to become the new "God of the Ōtsutsuki"!
This man was none other than Isshiki Ōtsutsuki!
Isshiki watched the fierce battle between the two, his expression still calm, with almost no emotional fluctuation.
"Let's see which one of you will be fortunate enough to become my 'vessel.'"
As long as he could perfectly "reincarnate," he would be able to carry out his plan.
He had never expected that another member of the Ōtsutsuki Clan from another space-time would appear here.
That had given him much more room to maneuver.
With an Ōtsutsuki possessing Kekkei Mōra as a "backup," some of his plans could now become more aggressive.
He no longer needed to be quite so cautious.
For Isshiki, this was an opportunity sent by fate.
Thus, after remaining hidden for more than a thousand years, he had finally begun to act.
.
'Boom, boom, boom.'
The battle was still continuing, but anyone observant enough could already see that the scales of victory had begun tipping toward Seiryū.
Even though Madara had already reached the Six Paths level, he was still at an absolute disadvantage against Seiryū in his current state.
'Shhh!'
The sharp sound of a blade cutting through flesh rang out as Seiryū's sword sliced Madara in half at the waist.
Madara's body had become extremely unusual.
Even though he had been cut in half and blood sprayed everywhere.
No internal organs could be seen!
It was as though his body was no longer human, but instead a lifeform composed almost entirely of Chakra.
However, that transformation had not yet been completely finished.
"Hadō #90 Kurohitsugi!"
After cutting Madara in half with a single strike, Seiryū did not stop.
He did not need an incantation.
A high-level Hadō unleashed by Seiryū in his current state was not something to underestimate.
With a 'click,' irregular black panels interlocked with one another, forming a coffin-like structure around Madara.
Kurohitsugi activated, damaging both his body and soul at the same time.
Faint, suppressed groans could be heard from inside.
One second later.
Kurohitsugi disappeared.
Madara, who had already been cut in half at the waist, fell into a pool of blood. His entire body was covered in wounds, leaving him drenched in blood.
The Chakra fluctuations coming from him were much weaker than before.
Even from the speed at which his wounds were recovering, it was obvious that Madara had suffered extremely severe injuries and was in poor condition.
"Cough, cough."
Madara's severed body was already reconnecting, but he still coughed up several mouthfuls of blood.
The Sword of Nunoboko in his hand shattered and reverted to the Six Paths staff it had originally been.
The Sword of Nunoboko drew strength from the user's will.
If that will wavered or collapsed, the Sword of Nunoboko would lose its power.
The fact that the Sword of Nunoboko had shattered meant one thing.
At this moment, Madara's will had been broken.
He no longer believed he could win.
He had lost!
"I've lost, but this battle was truly satisfying. Even more satisfying than my battle with Hashirama at the Valley of the End!"
"To be defeated by a monster like you isn't shameful for me, Madara! Hahaha!"
Even though he had lost, Madara still laughed loudly!
He was still the Asura of the Shinobi World.
Struggling to stand, he looked at Seiryū, whose body was also badly damaged and bleeding heavily, and grinned.
"How was my final attack? It couldn't have felt too pleasant, could it?"
Seiryū's injuries were recovering at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Hearing Madara's words, he nodded.
"That final strike from the Sword of Nunoboko, empowered by your will, really did cause me fairly serious injuries. But that was all."
Madara's final attack had indeed been extremely powerful.
Several layers of Dankū had still failed to block it completely.
Even after most of its power had been stripped away, the remaining force had slammed into Seiryū's body and inflicted serious injuries.
If Seiryū had not possessed such extraordinary regenerative ability, he might not have been able to withstand it.
But there were no "ifs."
He had endured it.
And the price Madara had paid was far greater.
He had been completely defeated.
Kurohitsugi could damage the soul.
Injuries to the soul were not so easy to recover from.
Madara no longer had any chance to turn the battle around.
The outcome had been decided!
Seiryū had won this battle!
(To be continued.)