Chapter 277
As for fear—impossible.
He was Uchiha Madara.
Having stepped into the Six Paths realm, he was confident that even if he could not defeat the Sage of Six Paths, he could still stand as his equal. The idea of being eliminated outright was laughable.
He, Uchiha Madara, was not someone to be underestimated.
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"Good, good… truly good. Uchiha Madara, you've made a wise decision."
The Great Toad Sage nodded with satisfaction, his voice calm and pleased. "At the critical moment, the Sage of Six Paths will take action. For now, let us cooperate."
"Fine."
Madara gave the Sage a deep, unreadable look before inclining his head slightly. Cooperation meant nothing to him; what mattered was uncovering the true schemes behind the Great Toad Sage and Hagoromo.
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"Why linger?"
Adjusting his tall hat, the Great Toad Sage spoke slowly, almost in confusion. "This giant screen only serves to rattle morale. Better that we march directly to Konoha and face the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Yuta, head-on."
"That's right…"
Fukasaku folded his arms, his expression cold. "Since we've entered the Land of Fire, the next step should be a decisive battle at Konoha Village."
Shima hesitated briefly before adding, "And once we reach Konoha, the full army of Mount Myōboku can be summoned. At that point, the Leaf will be trapped like a turtle in a jar."
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"…Hmph."
Madara frowned, his gaze flicking upward toward the vast screen still playing in the skies. Some unshakable premonition gnawed at him.
Why had the Great Toad Sage not sensed it?
As if reading his doubt, the Sage smiled with a confidence that seemed unbreakable. "I sense the danger, Madara. But I am not afraid. Not at all. This so-called 'great screen' is nothing more than the Fifth Hokage digging his own grave."
"The Great Toad Sage is right…"
Fukasaku and Shima chimed in immediately, their voices almost sycophantic. "What are we waiting for? Let's march now!"
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But among the ranks of Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Otogakure, the shinobi hesitated. Their faces betrayed unease, though none dared voice it loudly.
They had all witnessed the humiliation of the Nine-Tails broadcast across the world. If even a beast as fearsome as Kurama could be reduced to a laughingstock, what horrors might await them once they reached Konoha?
Still, retreat was no longer an option.
"The bow is drawn; the arrow must be loosed," growled the Fourth Raikage, A (Ay), his eyes sharp with fury. "We can't falter just because of a screen in the sky."
"That's right," said the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, his hands trembling slightly as he clenched his fists. "The Shinobi Alliance has no way back. We fight to the end."
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"We move!"
Cries of resolve spread through the coalition.
"We're already in the Land of Fire—if we press forward, we can surround Konoha in three hours."
"The Fifth Hokage's illusions won't shake us. The screen is only a trick to weaken morale."
"Now that Mount Myōboku has joined us, our power has doubled. Together with the Sage of Six Paths, we will crush the Leaf once and for all!"
Confidence surged again, especially among the Edo Tensei Kage—the First through Third Raikage, the First and Second Tsuchikage, and others. Their self-assurance swelled to arrogance, bolstered by the promise that Hagoromo himself would intervene when the time came.
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But among their ranks, the resurrected Hokage of Konoha—Hashirama, Tobirama, Hiruzen, Minato, alongside the past Kazekage and Mizukage—could only exchange bitter, helpless looks.
They had not expected the Sage of Six Paths to send the Great Toad Sage to ally with Madara. It was a painful twist, one that made their hearts sink.
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Meanwhile, in Konoha itself…
Kurama, the Nine-Tails, was suffering a humiliation like no other. His grand image, once feared across the shinobi world, had been shattered. The giant screen was replaying scenes of his worst defeats—being beaten down, controlled, treated like nothing more than a pet.
When the realization struck that his fearsome reputation was crumbling before the entire world, Kurama nearly wanted to cry.
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"This… this is the Nine-Tails?"
"Looks so terrifying, but in reality, it was tossed around by Hashirama and Madara like a toy."
"Who would've thought? The great Kyūbi—reduced to this."
"Before the eyes of the whole world, Kurama has been utterly socially destroyed. No wonder the Fifth Hokage chose to deal with the Tailed Beasts this way."
Mocking voices spread rapidly, drowning any sympathy.
And so, the mighty Nine-Tails—once the pinnacle of terror—was now a punchline.
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