Chapter 321: The Sage Descends, and Six Paths Madara
Once the Sage of Six Paths resolved to intervene, there was no reason to delay.
Especially now — Kitagawa Gen had effectively delivered a final ultimatum.
If they waited any longer, who knew how annoyed Gen might become?
"Sigh… I shouldn't have come back so quickly…"
The Sage felt unspeakably bitter.
Sometimes he wondered if it would've been better to just not watch any of this.
At least then, he wouldn't have seen the entire shinobi world misunderstand him so thoroughly.
"Why are human hearts so restless?"
He sighed again, though even he wondered—
Was this truly how he thought back then?
If not, why had both Kitagawa Gen and even Tobirama jumped to such conclusions…
and dragged the entire shinobi world along with them?
"Brother, focus on the important part first."
Hamura nudged him, barely suppressing a laugh.
"Right now, the world needs an anchor. Aside from Gen, you're the only one who can fill that role.
And since Gen's true identity still isn't public… we should probably wait and see what he intends to do."
The Sage shook his head and released his chakra.
Like a tide, it expanded outward — almost instantly covering the entire world.
"For now, he seems intent on eliminating those three Ōtsutsuki completely.
Whatever he plans, we'll cooperate."
Hamura nodded slowly.
There were things he wanted to say… but didn't.
At this point, even they couldn't stop Kitagawa Gen from doing whatever he wanted.
As he was thinking that, his brother suddenly turned into a streak of light and vanished.
Hamura blinked.
"Wait — not in that appearance—!"
Too late.
"Oh no…
If he goes out like that, the misunderstandings are only going to get worse."
To the shinobi world…
Hagoromo now looked exactly like Kitagawa Gen's true form (Ōtsutsuki Genshiki).
And he hadn't bothered hiding the fact that he was an Ōtsutsuki.
Hamura pressed a hand to his forehead.
"Naruto! Sasuke!"
"Big Brother…"
Tobirama and Minato dragged their bisected bodies toward the three fallen youths.
Seeing them barely clinging to life, their eyes reddened — rage and grief surging uncontrollably.
They glanced upward at the floating figure in the sky…
and felt pure hatred.
And a trace of despair.
Yet that despair quickly hardened—
into resolve.
Far across the battlefield, the entire Allied Shinobi Forces had witnessed everything.
A being who casually defeated Hashirama, Madara, Naruto, and Sasuke together…
A being who wasn't even fighting seriously.
"Can such a monster even be defeated…?"
The question echoed through every heart.
Crushing despair spread like poison.
"Are we truly going to be destroyed… by someone like that?"
"Is there really no way to win…?"
The Alliance's morale plummeted.
Even Kakashi looked sick with dread.
Gai, Jiraiya, Tsunade — all silent.
Even Orochimaru was drenched in cold sweat.
This level of power… I never even imagined it…
"Everyone, listen up!"
Kakashi suddenly shouted, forcing strength into his voice.
"We haven't lost yet! Gen is still fighting!
If he finishes off the other Ōtsutsuki, we still have hope!"
"Exactly — Gen's still here!"
Jiraiya clenched his fists.
"Pull yourselves together! Do what you can.
Just buy him time!"
"Absolutely — we won't give up!"
Mei declared sharply.
Even Deidara looked serious.
"I refuse to be wiped out by a guy like that.
If I'm gonna go, I'll let Gen use me to prove my art — yeah!"
Gaara rose into the sky, voice firm.
"Even if I die, I'll buy Gen every second I can.
The shinobi world will not submit!"
One by one, the Kage and jonin shouted their resolve.
Courage began to return.
If their home fell, they would all die anyway.
Better to fight — even if only to buy the Fifth Hokage time.
"With no home left, what else matters?"
"To hell with it — fight to the end!"
For a moment, humanity's courage shone brightly.
Even ninjas, battered as they were, stood back up.
"…Huh."
Watching the entire shinobi alliance muster their courage…
Gen felt strangely conflicted.
For a moment, he couldn't even tell who the villain was supposed to be.
Just then—
A radiant light enveloped the entire battlefield.
A vast chakra tide swept over everyone, calm yet overwhelming.
Gen blinked.
"Sage of Six Paths, huh…"
He exhaled in relief.
He had honestly worried the old man might refuse to appear.
But despite being slandered by the world, Hagoromo still chose to shoulder everything.
Gen nodded approvingly.
"If it were me, I would've snapped long ago…"
Inside him, Kaguya reacted as well.
"That chakra… Hagoromo?"
Her tone sharpened.
"So he really came."
Gen nodded.
"Yup. And I'm guessing his little brother Hamura came too.
Your family reunion's about to happen."
Kaguya snorted.
"If we're having a family reunion, shouldn't you be releasing me first?"
Kaguya responded instantly, but the moment she remembered how terrifying the man she was possessing truly was, she quickly changed the subject.
"Also… the Ten-Tails is almost done transforming. Aren't you going to check on it?"
"Ten-Tails, huh?"
Gen glanced over, then smiled.
"Of course. I've been waiting for it to finish.
Once it does, I can release you, feed my God Tree, and accomplish several goals at once."
"…"
Hearing him voluntarily say he intended to release her somehow made Kaguya feel even more uneasy.
ROOOOAAAR——!
As they spoke, Madara completed the final hand seal.
The already-howling Ten-Tails erupted with a soul-shattering scream.
"Quiet down, beast!"
Madara was merciless.
He felt the Ten-Tails resisting, struggling violently—
but he no longer cared.
There was only one thought left in his heart:
"I will become the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki.
I will gain the Sage's power.
And I will avenge Hashirama!"
Whatever happened to anyone else meant nothing.
But watching Hashirama fall right in front of him…
That was something he absolutely could not accept.
"We finally fought side by side again…
We finally let go of our resentment…
So why—why did it have to end like this?!"
Madara's rage burned like wildfire.
The Ten-Tails writhed, its ten massive tails smashing the ground, sending dust and boulders flying in a storm.
But Madara refused to let go.
He pressed his palm against the Ten-Tails' body, Rinnegan blazing.
In the exploding dust and shattered debris, the Ten-Tails suddenly froze—
Then its body began collapsing inward, drawn into Madara's hand, as if being swallowed alive.
"Uchiha Madara… succeeded."
Black Zetsu whispered.
But immediately, he lifted his head toward the distance.
"Hagoromo's chakra…
That bastard really came."
The moment the Sage arrived, Zetsu felt it.
But instead of relief, only dread filled him.
"Hagoromo wants to turn Mother into the vanguard who fights the Ōtsutsuki…!"
He grit his teeth.
He didn't have the luxury of thinking too deeply—
he had to keep control of two things:
The Ten-Tails.
And Uchiha Madara.
As long as those stayed under his influence, there was still a chance to prevent Kaguya's release.
"I won't let you succeed.
I will never allow Mother to be sacrificed, you cold-blooded, scheming monster…"
Black Zetsu muttered, even as—
BOOM—!
Madara's chakra erupted.
White Zetsu gasped.
"What an overwhelming amount of chakra!"
The Ten-Tails struggled less and less as Madara absorbed it, until eventually—
—its presence vanished entirely.
BOOOOM!
A shockwave burst outward.
The smoke split apart.
A white-clad figure stepped forward—
Armored with a bony forehead plate, six black magatama circling his collar, and an aura vast enough to drown heaven and earth.
"Aaaahhhh!"
Madara roared as chakra thundered through him.
Behind him, black truth-seeking orbs materialized—
one after another—
until nine hung in formation.
"So this… is the power of an Ōtsutsuki…"
Madara raised his hand.
A truth-seeking orb floated to him, transforming into a staff.
He lifted his gaze to the man floating in the sky—
Ōtsutsuki Genshiki.
"This time…
I will end you.
I will—
avenge Hashirama!"
His roar shook the entire battlefield.
And from afar—
"Another Ōtsutsuki?!"
"Damn—prepare for combat!"
Voices rose in panic.
The war was far from over.