The White Snake Sage led a vast army of Edo Tensei, launching a full-scale assault on the research institute with complete confidence.
With powerful figures from every era at their side, how could they possibly fail to take down a mere research institute?
In reality, they truly couldn't take it down.
They didn't even see where the enemy was.
Three extremely thick defensive barriers surrounded the research institute, forming an absolutely solid bulwark… or rather, what should have been a solid bulwark.
The reason it was described as "should have been" was that before the many Edo Tensei powerhouses could even touch it, they were riddled with holes by artillery fire coming from the sky.
Thankfully, this was an Edo Tensei army. With a bit of time, they could reform again. If this were a human army, facing such a hopeless way of dying, it would have collapsed internally long ago.
The White Snake Sage hid underground, only sticking out its head as it squinted up at the sky.
It couldn't see anything.
That was the most terrifying part.
All the sky warships were launching saturation attacks from beyond visual range. The resurrected warriors of the Edo Tensei could only take the beating passively, with no chance to fight back at all.
The Edo Tensei army continued charging forward, using death after death to consume the energy reserves of the sky warships.
But this process would be very long.
The White Snake Sage knew clearly that what they lacked the most was time.
"Itachi."
The White Snake Sage turned back and shouted.
It had no choice but to shout. The artillery fire made the ground hum and shake, without yelling at the top of its lungs, you couldn't hear anything, even if you were standing right next to each other.
The White Snake Sage lifted its tail and pointed toward the research institute. "Are you sure Amenotejikara is there?"
"Yes."
Uchiha Itachi, summoned via Edo Tensei, still wore that deeply burdened expression, as if he alone were carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
In his eyes were two constantly spinning Mangekyo Sharingan. One of them was Amenotejikara.
The Amenotejikara formed through Edo Tensei couldn't compare to the genuine one inside the research institute. The gap between them was like the difference between Jiangnan loli stockings and Chengdu loli white socks.
Still, relying on rough calculation ability and the connection between the same kind, Uchiha Itachi had sensed that Amenotejikara was indeed inside the research institute.
"There's absolutely no mistake."
The White Snake Sage nodded slightly.
Although Uchiha Itachi's résume was riddled with black marks, it still chose to believe him.
Uchiha Itachi and the Evil God White Snake had already reached an agreement during their last cooperation, if Uchiha Itachi could alter the timeline and personally reverse the tragic ending, then so be it.
If he failed, then when the Evil God White Snake's plan reached its final stage, when Infinite Tsukuyomi was achieved and all humanity entered the illusionary world, Obito would use the Rinne Rebirth technique to revive the deceased members of the Uchiha clan one by one.
With the physique of a Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, extending time to hundreds of years, perhaps it really could be achieved,
Let everyone enter the beautiful world of Infinite Tsukuyomi and enjoy true happiness.
Uchiha Itachi stared at the research institute ahead, his gaze cold. The first plan, to reverse the past, had been shattered by Ryosuke's interference. The second plan, Infinite Tsukuyomi, he had to realize no matter what.
"This won't work."
The White Snake Sage contacted Yakushi Kabuto. "Send all the Edo Tensei over here first!"
"All of them?"
Kabuto was stunned. "Then what about this side?"
"Isn't Obito always calling himself the second Sage of Six Paths? Let him figure it out himself."
"Huh?"
Crouched behind a sand dune, Yakushi Kabuto raised his head slightly and glanced toward the central battlefield.
Obito stood there blankly, like an autistic child who had just arrived at kindergarten, staring at Ryosuke fighting Momoshiki and Kinshiki. Whether to act or not, he couldn't decide, his face full of confusion.
"Besides,"
The White Snake Sage sped up its speech. "Against Otsutsuki-level opponents, do you really expect a few Edo Tensei, old geezers whose strength has been greatly reduced, to be any help? Don't waste time. Send them all over, especially that one, Uchiha Madara!"
"Are you sure?"
Uchiha Madara was different from other powerhouses.
His strength was the greatest, and Madara with the Rinnegan had extremely strong resistance to Edo Tensei.
To prevent him from breaking free of the jutsu's restraints, Kabuto and the White Snake Sage didn't know how many nights they stayed up, how many specialized sealing incantations they devised just for Madara.
Even so, they still couldn't say it was 100% safe. One mistake, and this former super powerhouse might break free of their control.
Another round of volleys fired from the sky warships, tearing up the ground. Soil mixed with shattered earthworms flew into the White Snake Sage's mouth. It spat them out repeatedly and shouted, "What are you afraid of! If something really goes wrong, worst case we fail and let Ryosuke clean up the mess!"
Kabuto felt that made sense and stopped hesitating. He threw nearly a hundred coffins out of the Kamui space.
Once they returned to the real world, they could be summoned normally.
On the other side, the White Snake Sage slammed its tail onto the ground and activated the summoning technique, calling out coffin after coffin. Then came a series of bangs as the coffin lids were thrown open.
Past Kage and powerhouses from every village.
World-famous swordsmen.
Deceased Jinchuriki.
And…
The final coffin lid was blasted open with a loud boom, kicking up clouds of dust. A hand grabbed the edge of the coffin, and the previously chaotic scene of Edo Tensei instantly fell silent.
All the powerful figures present felt an overwhelming chakra, so intense it was almost terrifying, and instinctively looked over.
"So it's finally come to this day."
"Looks like that kid Nagato has finally grown up."
A dignified, cold, confident voice came from within the coffin.
Uchiha Madara's plans had been laid out perfectly. Nagato was one of his chess pieces.
On one hand, he served as a preservation container, using human flesh to store Madara's Rinnegan.
On the other, at the right moment, Obito would deceive Nagato into using the Rinne Rebirth technique to revive him.
Uchiha Madara stepped forward with a light chuckle, walking out of the coffin. As he raised his head, his gaze met that of Nagato, who had just been summoned as well.
Meeting his Rinnegan.
"Hm?"
Uchiha Madara lowered his head and looked at his own hands.
"Edo Tensei?"
"Yes, that's right. Edo Tensei."
The White Snake Sage walked over with a cigarette in its mouth. "For various reasons that would take too long to explain right now, in short, Uchiha Madara, we need your strength."
"Don't worry. Your Edo Tensei was specially designed by Kabuto and me. It can guarantee that you'll be able to exert strength comparable to your prime."
First being revived as an Edo Tensei, then being spoken to in a commanding tone by the White Snake Sage, Uchiha Madara's smile vanished completely.
He slowly turned his head. His three-tomoe Sharingan spun as he stared at the White Snake Sage.
"Have you ever seen my prime?"
"I have."
Contrary to what Uchiha Madara expected, the White Snake Sage answered cleanly and decisively.
What hadn't the White Snake Sage seen before?
"Heh."
Uchiha Madara let out a light laugh. Killing intent was already mixed into the sound as he formed hand seals.
"Edo Tensei, Release."
A white light flashed across his body, then dispersed with a bang.
It couldn't be released?
Uchiha Madara clenched his fists tightly.
He was certain the snake demon before him wasn't lying. His strength really was close to what it had been in life. But the sealing point of this Edo Tensei was positioned extremely cleverly, right in a region he couldn't touch.
Like a muscular strongman who can't scrub his own back.
The stronger Uchiha Madara's power, the harder it was to reach that point of restriction.
The White Snake Sage gently exhaled a puff of smoke.
"I told you, your Edo Tensei was specially crafted by us. You may have been very strong in life, but as for me…"
"I'm not bad either."