For Masashi, meeting Hagoromo was quite sudden. And just as Hagoromo had said, his world needed him more at this moment. Thus, he calmly bid farewell to the great floating sphere king.
It was no surprise to him that Hagoromo could immediately recognize him as a reincarnate. Even though chakra undergoes changes after reincarnation, it could never deceive Hagoromo.
The chakra of Asura and Indra became latent once a reincarnated individual began molding and using chakra on their own. In this era, only two people could see through this, Hagoromo and Kaguya.
Black Zetsu also possessed this ability, as he was granted by Kaguya. In essence, he was an extension of Kaguya's power. This was just like how Madara's Rinnegan was essentially the power of Hagoromo. However, Masashi's Rinnegan came directly from the God Tree. Compared to Hagoromo, he was actually closer to Kaguya.
Now, Masashi was truly convinced that once activated, this thing could never be turned off. Unlike Hagoromo, who clearly had no need to keep it active just for show.
Strictly speaking, the Rinnegan might not even fall under the category of dōjutsu, it was more like an "ID card."
Hagoromo vanished before his eyes, and the surroundings fell into pure darkness. Yet, the purer the darkness, the clearer his mind became. Finally, he regained the sensation of his true body.
He opened his eyes.
---
"Masashi-nii!"
"Sensei!"
"Masashi!"
Different voices called out to him, filled with joy. Looking at the ceiling, Masashi identified his location, the clan's refuge. He quickly sat up.
Looking around, he saw familiar faces. Even Itachi was present, clad in battle gear, clearly guarding everyone.
"Itachi, well done." He sincerely praised him before standing up. "What's the situation outside?"
"The Kiri forces launched an attack from the south, but we were prepared and have kept them blocked at the prison grounds."
"And the prison?"
"We've already alerted the defense units to prevent any intrusions."
After a series of questions, Masashi roughly understood the Uchiha clan's battle arrangements. Overall, it was fine. However, in recent years, Kiri had grown to be the fastest-developing village outside of Konoha. Rumor had it that the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had been reassembled. This unit was originally created by Kiri to specialize in behind-enemy-lines operations. Otherwise, during the Third Great Ninja War, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen wouldn't have been deployed for independent infiltration into the Land of Fire.
If Masashi were Mizukage, he would have done the same.
"Stay here and continue protecting everyone," Masashi instructed. "I'm heading to the front lines. We have multiple battlefronts, and time is of the essence."
The current situation was somewhat reminiscent of the late Third Great Ninja War.
Iwa, Kiri, and Kumo were all enemies, while Suna was an ally. Though not entirely the same, the battlefield was in Konoha's territory, negating many advantages.
After speaking, he teleported away using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Upon reappearing, he immediately saw the Kiri ninjas engaged in combat with the Uchiha defenders. No ninja clan would ever deploy all their forces at once, that had been a rule since the Warring States Period.
After all, what kind of warlord didn't keep forces in reserve for a sneak attack?
Without hesitation, he used the Body Flicker Technique to crash into a Kiri ninja attempting a sneak attack. Lightning chakra surged, making the enemy "dance" on the spot.
The Uchiha warriors already in battle didn't waste time, they swiftly threw shuriken, finishing off the electrified enemies.
"Protect the refuge," Masashi ordered succinctly before dashing toward the next battlefront.
The second group of Kiri ninjas was shredded into minced meat from afar with wind attacks.
The third group was buried alive in sand.
The fourth group attempted to hide using the Hidden Mist Jutsu, but he activated the Iron Skin and boldly walked in, eliminating them one by one.
When it came to assassination, he was far more professional than them. However, the Uchiha clan's territory was vast. Even though he was moving quickly, too many Kiri ninjas had infiltrated.
Suddenly, he sensed a surge of chakra that spiked and then quickly faded. What caught his attention was the sheer magnitude of this chakra, it was beyond the usual scale.
He didn't believe this was someone being taken down. Rather, it seemed like a battle that ended instantly due to an overwhelming power difference. After dealing with his current foes, he immediately dashed toward the source of that chakra.
At that very location…
---
"These are the new generation of Kiri's Seven Ninja Swordsmen."
"Be quiet." Madara crossed his arms and swept his gaze over the seven figures before him.
Along the way, through Black Zetsu's descriptions, he had more or less learned about Obito's accomplishments over the past decade. They were utterly terrible.
Madara had practically trained Kiri into his obedient servant, yet Obito still managed to lose control over them.
Well, to be fair, Obito hadn't known about Madara's connection to Kiri, but still…
Who gave you the audacity to modify the ninjutsu I taught you?
"Baring your swords at me, I appreciate that," Madara nodded. "But at least do it with some elegance."
In front of him, the newly formed Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, who had just successfully infiltrated the Uchiha clan grounds, found themselves pausing in deep thought.
Just moments ago, a man had casually strolled out in front of them.
His walking posture was so arrogant that the wielder of Nuibari couldn't resist launching an attack, and nearly got reduced to six Ninja Swordsmen on the spot.
Now, there was no way for the Seven Swordsmen to pretend they hadn't noticed him, especially after seeing those Sharingan eyes.
Meanwhile, the Uchiha ninjas accompanying Madara were practically glowing with excitement. Up until now, they still felt like they were dreaming.
In the Uchiha clan, Madara's name was never taboo.
In the shinobi world, the name Madara was synonymous with the pursuit of power. The name itself was power. As a former clan leader, his portrait hung high in the clan hall, something every Uchiha had grown up seeing.
And over the years, as the Uchiha clan had moved past its old hostility and begun to reflect on its history with a more nuanced perspective, they no longer viewed Madara in a black-and-white manner. Among the current generation of Uchiha ninjas, especially the younger ones, he was largely seen in a positive light.
This was the change Masashi had wanted for the clan.
The Uchiha had once been a clan that thought in absolutes, in extremes. And Madara, whether villain or not, had never truly wronged the Uchiha clan. His contributions far outweighed any grievances.
So when he, in his typical Edo Tensei form, appeared at the Uchiha compound, the gate guards were completely dumbfounded.
In the end, they abandoned all rational thought and resorted to their clan's time-honored tradition: When faced with confusion, just don't think too much about it.
They simply shouted from the walls:
"Madara-sama! Are you under someone's control? Who is it?! We'll go kill them right now!"
Madara never expected that upon returning so many years later, his fellow Uchiha would still call him "-sama."
And so, the hardened warrior, the feared antagonist, actually froze for a few seconds at the gate. For someone like him, a few seconds was a very long time. Then, with a cold snort, he resumed his arrogant strut and stepped into the clan grounds. He acted as if he didn't see the Uchiha ninjas there at all.
Meanwhile, Black Zetsu was beginning to regret ever telling Madara about Masashi.
Keeping Madara in Konoha for too long would definitely lead to problems. Forget the notion of "a real man never looks back," Madara had always cared deeply about his family and brothers.
The only reason he had become like this was because his brothers had all died, his clan hadn't supported him, and Hashirama had, in essence, given up on trying to understand him.
Black Zetsu quickened his pace, leading Madara toward the Uchiha refuge. But things kept happening to test his patience. Even after entering the Uchiha compound, every enemy they encountered was from Kiri. And those Uchiha guards from earlier? They were still trailing behind.
Madara continued to act as if they didn't exist, but Black Zetsu knew him well enough to realize that this "indifference" was actually extremely dangerous.
He could only hope that he was overthinking things.
Madara had been away from this village for so many years, had done so much in his past life, he wouldn't change his mind so easily… right?
Still, "unfortunate" influences would inevitably lead to "unfortunate" consequences over time. his thousand years of experience had taught him one absolute truth: Never underestimate an Uchiha's ability to have a change of heart or their unpredictability.
These people were absolute masters of sudden betrayals and erratic shifts in allegiance.
Looking at the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, who were standing in their way and practically asking for a beating, he suddenly had the strong urge to strangle them.
"What's the matter?" Madara didn't even bother using genjutsu on them, he simply said, "Don't just stand there like fools. Amuse me. That's the only value you have."
That statement enraged most of the Seven Swordsmen. But two of them weren't angered.
Zabuza and Kisame.
Both had risen to prominence at the end of the Bloody Mist era, standing out among their peers. Calmness was their shared strength.
Zabuza even reached out and grabbed Ameyuri, stopping her from charging forward.
The other four had already launched their attacks at the strange, armored Uchiha in front of them.
"What the hell are you doing, Zabuza?!"
"Shut up," Kisame said. "He is making the right call."
In this generation of the Seven Swordsmen, Kisame was the de facto leader. Watching as his four comrades rushed toward Madara, who still hadn't moved a muscle, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of unease.
A thought crept into his mind.
Could this guy… actually be a taijutsu specialist? Wait… don't tell me… it's another Eight Gates user!?
Taijutsu was almost synonymous with genin. At least, it was during the era of national villages.
After all, people no longer had to worry about suddenly encountering a hulking brute at their doorstep demanding a fight out of nowhere. Before that era, however, because battles could break out at any time, taijutsu was not seen as a weakness. Instead, it was something everyone trained rigorously in, fearing the waste of even a bit of chakra.
For a true master, being called a taijutsu user was the highest form of praise, it meant they were exceptionally skilled.
Madara was one of the strongest taijutsu users in the late Warring States Period. He had once gone head-to-head with someone who had fully opened all Eight Gates.
The four Ninja Swordsmen charging at Madara immediately realized this terrifying fact.
The wielder of Nuibari was the first to strike.
Moments ago, he had been sent flying by a single kick from Madara, half his body crashing into the dirt, almost meeting his end right then and there.
He admitted he had underestimated this man before him. Now, he needed to redeem himself. But at that moment, he noticed something… This person before him, was he even alive?
"Too slow!" Madara's eyes looked at him as if he were a piece of filth. "You can't even entertain me?"
This time, he used his hands.
The piercing attack from Nuibari struck nothing but air.
In the next instant, Madara casually reached out, snatching Nuibari into his grasp. Without sparing a glance, he struck with his elbow, sending the original wielder flying, his body perfectly parallel to the ground.
He was sent flying an incredible distance.
Next came the wielder of Shibuki.
The sword resembled a large scroll drum. Among the Seven Ninja Swords, it specialized in clearing out enemy mobs and breaking through defensive formations. The wielder could control the amount of explosive tags used, adjusting the power accordingly.
However, because its power relied on explosive tags, it required constant resupply, without them, it was little more than a club. Its previous owner had barely lasted a single round against Duy, failing even to swing his blade before being outsped.
To Madara, this wielder was equally sluggish. But he also noticed the incoming wielder of Kabutowari.
Like Shibuki, it was designed to crush enemy defenses, but it specialized in concentrated strikes rather than explosive force.
He effortlessly gripped Nuibari.
As the strongest Uchiha in history, he had mastered every form of combat, both armed and unarmed. Give him a mere brick, and he could still unleash carnage.
The wielder of Shibuki grinned as his blade struck Madara's armored arm, triggering a maximum-strength explosion.
A massive fireball erupted, thick smoke billowing into the air. The resulting shockwave rushed toward the spectating Uchiha warriors.
They instinctively retreated.
They did not want to interfere with their Great Clan Leader's battle.
In Uchiha history, only one person had ever been honored with the title of "Great Clan Leader," Madara himself.
And this battle was why…
The wielder of Shibuki was still smiling, until Nuibari suddenly shot out from within the smoke, crackling with Lightning Release energy.
The perfectly timed attack was both swift and deadly accurate. Had it arrived even a fraction of a second earlier or later, it wouldn't have been as effective. But it struck just as the wielder of Shibuki, still reveling in his "success," let his guard down.
Nuibari pierced straight through his heart.
At the same time, the mechanism at the end of it activated, releasing its steel wire. The blade emerged from the wielder's back and, using the Uchiha's expert shuriken techniques, was flung directly at Kabutowari.
Not at its wielder at the weapon itself.
The wielder instinctively raised his sword to block. Only then did he realize his mistake.
Too late.
A surge of powerful lightning chakra coursed through his body. And the steel wire followed, wrapping tightly around him.
The Uchiha clan was the most skilled ninja clan when it came to manipulating steel wire, and among them, Madara was the undisputed master.
Nuibari had earned its place among the Seven Ninja Swords because its steel wire was a masterpiece, not only could it channel chakra, but it could also transmit various ninjutsu.
The next moment, the wire tightened, Kabutowari's wielder was sliced into seven or eight pieces.
With its owner gone, Kabutowari and the severed hand that once wielded it tumbled to the ground.
Nuibari was yanked back by the steel wire, re-entering the body of the Shibuki wielder.
As the smoke cleared, a single gauntleted hand emerged from the darkness, grasping Nuibari's hilt, this time, infused with wind chakra.
Shibuki's wielder met the same fate as his comrades, his body exploded into a shower of flesh and blood.
Three of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had already fallen.
The former wielder of Nuibari had been slammed into a wall, now buried under rubble with only one hand exposed. Even if he had survived, he was no longer capable of fighting.
Everyone knew, a jonin's body could normally withstand being smashed through walls. The fact that this man was in such a state had nothing to do with the wall itself.
Now, only one swordsman, Chōjūrō, remained standing before Madara.
In this world, he had only just inherited Hiramekarei. And he was still a young man plagued by a lack of confidence.
Staring at the demon before him, he was dumbfounded.
He hadn't even had the chance to unleash the power of Hiramekarei, and yet his three comrades were already dead. The courage that had just been ignited drained away like a receding tide.
Behind him, Kisame, Zabuza, and Ameyuri each wore different expressions.
The two men looked serious and grim, while Ameyuri had the look of a fangirl who had just spotted a legendary superstar.
"Chōjūrō, fall back," Zabuza ordered.
This was a complete disaster. Not only had they failed to locate their target, but they had also lost three of the Seven Swords. Shibuki and Kabutowari hadn't been outright stolen; they simply lay abandoned in the blood-soaked dirt. But at this moment, no one dared to pick them up.
"Perhaps there's been some misunderstanding between us," Kisame suddenly spoke. "I am Kisame, wielder of Samehada. May I ask for your name?"
Madara didn't bother to respond.
These four fools were weak beyond belief. One of them even lost his nerve halfway through. Still, at least they had the courage to bare their fangs.
But those who couldn't even do that, who could only force a stiff grin, were beneath his notice.
Besides, a more interesting young one had just arrived.
"Zabuza, we meet again." Masashi, drenched in blood, emerged onto the road behind Kisame and the others. He, too, had fought his way here.
"Judging by the direction you were headed, you were looking for our clan's refuge, weren't you? If you didn't know the way, you could've just asked me." As he spoke, Masashi's gaze drifted past the four of them.
The ground was littered with severed limbs and torn flesh, mixed with the crimson-stained dirt to form a morbid sludge. The fallen ninja swords lay abandoned within it, looking like nothing more than scraps of rusted metal.
Yet none of it was as striking as Madara himself.
Masashi had never expected to see him here, let alone within the Uchiha homeland itself. He opened his mouth, unsure if he should say what he was thinking.
Then, he saw the sword in Madara's hand, Nuibari.
Oh. So that's how his comrades had died.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen really were just specialists in cutting down their own allies from Kiri.
Madara casually discarded Nuibari, the blade still dripping with fresh blood, and began walking toward Masashi as if he had just finished eating some skewers and happened to stumble upon a chess match.
"Madara-sama" Masashi said. "Welcome back."
That seemed like the only appropriate thing to say. At the same time, he exchanged a glance with Black Zetsu. And in that silent exchange, they both understood each other's thoughts.
Madara caught their silent exchange.
"You two seem to have a good relationship." He glanced at Black Zetsu. "Is this the one you were talking about?"
"Yes, Madara-sama."
Black Zetsu was already considering whether to silence everyone present to prevent any future complications.
Madara scrutinized Masashi for a moment, nodding in approval, at least his appearance was acceptable.
"Now, entertain me!"
"..."
Yep. Still the same Madara.
There was no way to preach peace to Madara. Not to mention, trying to play the empathy card was pointless. After all, the prerequisite for empathy was making him happy first. Since that wasn't an option, the only choice left was to enjoy the fight.
"Here I come."
"Don't make me say it twice."
Boom!
Masashi lunged forward, the force of his movement sending Kisame and the other three stumbling back several steps.
With the Iron Skin reinforcing his fist, he threw a punch straight at Madara, who raised his hand to catch the strike, chakra surging in his palm. With the impact of the shockwave and immense strength, both he and Masashi were sent soaring into the air.
"Not bad." Madara's long hair fluttered wildly in the wind as he regarded Masashi with a hint of approval. "But it's not elegant enough."
To the onlookers, their taijutsu movements appeared strikingly similar. And of course, they were.
The battle between the Senju and Uchiha had lasted for centuries, shaping and influencing each other's combat styles. The Uchiha were famous for their mastery of shurikenjutsu, but their taijutsu was anything but weak.
After all, fighting the Senju required exceptional close combat skills. Otherwise, when they activated their Four Crimson Ray Formation, a group of battle-hardened warriors would come charging in full force, and if your taijutsu wasn't up to par, you'd be dead on the spot.
A powerhouse like Madara, who could kick a tailed beast like a ragdoll, had to have drawn inspiration from the Senju's fighting style. Even Hashirama himself wouldn't have doubted that.
However, Masashi's execution was in reverse order, which, in Madara's eyes, lacked grace.
Both fighters wove Wind Release into their techniques without hand seals. Even without using Susanoo, the sheer intensity of the surrounding air currents made it impossible for ordinary people to get close.
After another clash, they simultaneously unleashed the Majestic Demolisher Flame.
Two massive, arrowhead-shaped infernos erupted from different directions, first staining the sky red before colliding in the center. The deadlock between the two flames continuously radiated heat, scorching the heavens and altering the atmosphere itself.
On the ground, everyone had their own thoughts.
"So… this wasn't the Uchiha's doing after all," Kisame murmured, watching the apocalyptic scene in the sky.
At first, they had assumed the Uchiha had used Edo Tensei to summon an ancestor for support. But now, that theory seemed unlikely.
"Kill these people. Find the Uchiha civilians," he commanded decisively.
By these people, he was, of course, referring to the few remaining Uchiha and Black Zetsu.
Zabuza and the others didn't waste time bickering over who was in charge. The two monsters in the sky were completely beyond their level, better to stay out of it and focus on the mission.
Chōjūrō gathered his courage once more, while Ameyuri grinned with excitement.
The four of them charged toward the Uchiha and Black Zetsu.
The Uchiha, who had been anticipating their attack, immediately activated their Sharingan and formed hand seals.
Black Zetsu, however, seemed oddly out of place. And yet, Ameyuri's first target was him. To her, that weird, shadowy figure looked way too interesting.
He watched as she rushed in with her electrified short swords, her face filled with thrill and exhilaration, and thought to himsel, This woman is insane. Do I look like I'm on the same team as the Uchiha behind me?
But then… Glancing up at the two figures dueling in midair, he decided it wouldn't be a good look to just leave.
Fighting alongside these people wouldn't interfere with his plans, and gaining some favor from the Uchiha wouldn't hurt either.
So, he took a stance.
"Bring it on, you crazy woman!"
Suddenly, a rain of lightning spears rained down, striking at the Four Swordsmen. Kisame swung Samehada, effortlessly absorbing the lightning. The others each dealt with the attack in their own way.
Masashi landed beside Black Zetsu.
"At least you have some loyalty. You didn't run." He patted Black Zetsu before turning to glare at the four attackers. "Zabuza, I told you to ask me for directions. What, do you look down on me?"
Zabuza, gripping his broken Kubikiribōchō, remained silent. This was not like that time at the ramen shop.
"Do you really think you can take on all of us alone?" Kisame slowly unraveled the bandages concealing Samehada's true form. "You still have other enemies, you know."
Thanks to the chakra it had just devoured, Samehada had grown in size, making it look even more like a monstrous iguana.
"I'm Kisame." He grinned, relishing the surge of chakra flowing into him. "I look forward to working with you in the future."
"What future?" Masashi sneered.
A guy like Kisame wasn't worth taking as a prisoner. Once he pledged loyalty, he never betrayed his master. Missions were absolute, that was Kisame.
Suddenly, a violent gust howled overhead, forcing Kisame and the others to lower their heads.
Through the raging wind, Madara descended.