The surging tidal wave of earth shifted in an instant, transforming into a blazing azure sea. The Susano'o was swallowed, only to morph into a seed.
The next moment, a panicked green and a wild, life-swallowing vitality brewed beneath the blue flames. Then, it erupted like a volcano.
Layer upon layer of giant trees shot upward, growing at a furious pace. In the blink of an eye, they formed a standoff with the blue inferno.
Madara Uchiha had fallen indeed. He'd even resorted to using Wood Release now. And not just any Wood Release—Hashirama Senju's most iconic style.
But what was the point of a move like Deep Forest Emergence at this stage? On this battlefield, it couldn't hurt a fly. It had been demoted from a world-shattering ultimate technique to a mere landscaping project.
Here, the villain was the one planting trees. The one setting the mountain ablaze was the hero.
From an elemental standpoint, fire naturally overwhelmed wood. Moreover, Ningdun, Yūshin's original, genuine creation, powered by Six Paths-level chakra… it simply couldn't lose. A Kekkei Tōta stood above a Kekkei Genkai. That was just the natural order.
So the stalemate lasted only a brief moment before the sea of trees began to be consumed by the flames. But Madara hadn't used this technique to fight back… even as they were devoured, the trees continued to spread outward, reaching further and further.
Yūshin saw his plan immediately. This was still aimed at the tailed beasts.
"Let's see which lucky dumbass Little Madara can still grab?"
Madara hid within the forest. Yūshin flew just above the canopy. As he soared, he called out to the tailed beasts.
The smart ones shivered in fright and immediately began to scatter. They weren't exactly afraid of being caught. It was more Yūshin's tone, which seemed to imply that if any of them did get snatched, they'd likely face punishment from their… keeper later.
Of course, there was also the stubborn type, the one who felt power coursing through its veins.
"Hah! I'll help!"
The Nine-Tails planted all four claws firmly into the ground. Standing its ground, it immediately began to gather energy. Time to blast the bastard.
"Forget it. Better safe than sorry. Don't want to capsize in a ditch."
Yūshin opted for the most conservative tactic. He took a large step, placing himself between Madara and the tailed beasts. Opening a spatial portal with Yomotsu Hirasaka, he said:
"You lot, get in the bag. It's safest in the bag. Least troublesome."
He decided to move the beasts from Amenominaka into his own pocket dimension. As long as he lived, Madara would never lay a finger on them.
Kaguya… well, she wasn't completely incapable of stealing. Yomotsu Hirasaka was top-tier, and she could use it too. If she pinpointed the location… But then again, she was currently tied up by the two brothers. And was her brain even that flexible?
Hearing Yūshin, the eight tailed beasts willingly scurried into the "bag." As for the Nine-Tails… it could stay.
It wasn't that Yūshin wanted the Nine-Tails' combat power, or to split the beasts up. It was mainly about not putting all his eggs in one basket. This way, it was foolproof.
Even in the worst-case scenario, whoever stole the eight beasts wouldn't have the Nine-Tails, and whoever got the Nine-Tails wouldn't have the other eight.
In that brief moment, the Nine-Tails had finished charging its Tailed Beast Bomb. It hurled the massive sphere of condensed chakra with tremendous force.
But the attack didn't hit its target. First, blowing up a bunch of trees was pointless. Second, the spatial portal of Yomotsu Hirasaka opened right in its path.
"Nine-Tails, maybe don't get too close."
"Hmph! A mere Madara Uchiha? I need to avoid him? I'm brimming with chakra right now!"
Yeah, you're brimming with chakra. So you're getting cocky?
The truth was, the Nine-Tails' chakra wasn't enough for a qualitative change. It was the Nine-Tails, not the Ten-Tails. So, whether it had a little more or a little less chakra… did that really stop Madara from messing with it?
From the forest surging toward it, two massive wooden dragons shot out. They reached the Nine-Tails in an instant, weaving nimbly between its limbs. In the blink of an eye, they had it bound tight.
Not only that. As Madara's figure reappeared amidst the trees, the Nine-Tails caught a glimpse of his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. Its mind went fuzzy. It started to space out.
All that big talk, and it still couldn't resist Madara's ocular power.
But just as the Nine-Tails was about to fall under the Sharingan's control—BOOM!—a vermilion torii gate slammed down between Madara and the beast. Yūshin stood atop the gate, severing the line of sight and cutting off Madara's direct path.
"Madara. Why not treat this fight as your curtain call? A final performance. You should showcase all your moves. You won't get another chance."
Yūshin was hinting, trying to suggest Madara go out with some dignity. Madara didn't get it.
"Curtain call? Yours?"
"If you want to see it that way, sure."
"…You feel hollow now. Like a symbol. Is that the price of becoming a Six Paths?"
"Not really. I've kept most of my humanity. Haven't lost much."
Madara fell silent. Yūshin hadn't denied "becoming a Six Paths." That filled Madara with utter despair… and simultaneously, a sliver of wild hope.
"Recapturing the tailed beasts is impossible now. But… becoming the Ten-Tails might not require them anymore, is that it? Yūshin. If I take your chakra… the result is the same."
"I don't know what you've done in the years since my death. But chakra doesn't lie. Chakra can't deceive."
Yūshin was momentarily surprised. Then, he offered genuine praise, even clapping.
"Good plan. A really good plan. The Uchiha never disappoint. So creative."
Madara was eloquent. He maintained the Uchiha's pride. But it all felt… unhinged. Like the man had already snapped.
Madara pressed his palms together, forming a rapid series of hand signs. He inhaled deeply, then exhaled.
Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning!
A curtain of superheated volcanic ash engulfed the area in an instant. Trapped within the technique, Yūshin waved a hand in front of his nose. He seemed to catch a faint whiff of sulfur.
"What's this? A dust explosion experiment? Fell out of love with ninjutsu, into love with science?"
That's what he thought, but he knew Madara had used such a wide-area technique to obscure his vision.
"Where's he coming from? Has to be above."
The next moment—CRACK! A spark. The entire mass of smoke and ash detonated like a mountain of explosives set off by a blasting cap.
A fire release like this couldn't hurt Yūshin. Just the power of the Deva Path allowed him to erect an "AT Field" around himself. But as the flames filled his vision, thoroughly monopolizing his attention, a massive shadow descended from directly above, engulfing him.
"Huh. You can summon meteors in a pocket dimension too?"
Amenominaka was vast enough. Calling it a pocket dimension felt wrong. It was more like a small world.
Madara's power was undeniable. But right now, he lacked Sage chakra. He wasn't Six Paths Madara. His options were limited.
In terms of raw impact and explosive force, Tengai Shinsei was top-tier.
But even a celestial collision couldn't make Yūshin stumble.
In an instant, his body was wreathed in violent purple lightning. The sheer scale of this energy eruption was unimaginable. It brought to mind a Super Saiyan transformation!
Then, Yūshin shot upward like an arrow from a bow, heading straight for the plummeting meteor.
What happened next blurred the line between who was striking and who was being struck. Which was the egg, and which was the stone?
Yūshin's fist connected with the meteor. Under that single blow, the massive rock instantly burst into a shower of sparks and fragments.
He wasn't done. After shattering the first meteor, his speed undiminished, he charged toward the second. This time, he didn't punch. Instead, he drew a giant, dark-red chakra blade. A horizontal slash. A vertical cut. The second meteor was cleaved into four pieces.
Whether it was Divine Retribution or Divine Hammer, these were once Kinshiki Ōtsutsuki's techniques. But wielded by the current Yūshin, they were simply… more brutal.
Madara's orbital bombardment achieved nothing. In fact, Yūshin had been courteous by choosing a frontal assault. If he'd wanted to dodge, every one of Madara's ultimate moves would have hit nothing but air.
"Hmph. Reckless."
Madara watched Yūshin soar into the sky. The distance the other had willingly created… it felt like a favor.
That's what he thought. But then, Yūshin descended even faster. He shot down, planting himself directly in front of the Nine-Tails. The chakra blade in his hand seemed to pierce… something.
"Madara. Rinnegan techniques can't hide from another Rinnegan. Didn't you know?"
Madara genuinely hadn't. He'd never encountered another Rinnegan user before. And until just now, Yūshin had been pretending not to see it.
Just messing with him. Yūshin had to give Madara a little hope.
Limbo: Border Jail was the unique ability of Madara's Rinnegan. His trump card. His killing move. But it wasn't a hidden card anymore. It was face-up on the table.
"You can perceive my shadows with your eyes. But… why can you injure them?"
Injure? Yūshin hadn't just injured the shadow. He'd destroyed it. Without a period of regeneration, Madara couldn't separate a new one.
"Who knows? Maybe my spatial perception is exceptional. Or maybe it's because I'm using Six Paths Sage Art? Whatever the reason… right now, I just have one question. Five against one, and you lose one? Are you even trying?"
It had nothing to do with Yūshin's taunt. But having Limbo seen through and countered dealt a severe blow to Madara Uchiha's confidence. What could he do now? What move did he have left?
He still had a few techniques unused. Particularly a fair number of the Rinnegan's abilities. But if its ultimate ability was ineffective… what use were the others?
Rinnegan versus Rinnegan. They knew each other's capabilities. Hell, the other's eyes were a higher grade…
"Perhaps… temporary retreat is the only option. The plan is difficult, but not impossible. If that Kaguya can also escape… the only path is to establish contact with her. Work together…"
He couldn't win. So, Madara made a very rational decision: withdraw.
When the road ahead is blocked, consider the way back. That seemed logical. But… where was his way back?
A cowering Madara Uchiha was a worthless Madara Uchiha. Yūshin had never liked the man to begin with. And now?
He no longer had to suffer. Because he could choose not to watch anymore.
Madara avoided the fight. Turned and ran. For him, this behavior meant nothing. Think about it—he'd once submitted, briefly, to Hashirama Senju. And then? He'd stewed, grown angrier, and eventually fled.
Madara even tried to use his Limbo clones to confuse Yūshin. A last-second substitution with a clone to facilitate his escape. However…
As if he was the only one who knew space-time ninjutsu.
In an instant, all three of Madara's clones were annihilated.
"Madara. Behind you." Yūshin offered a friendly warning.
Before the words fully left his mouth, a spatial rift tore open in front of Madara. From it flew a massive black sphere, three or four stories tall. It was aimed directly at his head.
It was the Tailed Beast Bomb from the Nine-Tails that Yūshin had just… collected. Now, it finally had a use.
This boomerang tactic… Yūshin had used it multiple times already. He was starting to enjoy it.
A Tailed Beast Bomb… you had to experience it to know. Madara instantly activated his Susano'o. But the bomb was already detonating.
BOOM!
A point-blank Tailed Beast Bomb explosion. Even Hashirama Senju's physique would struggle to withstand it. But Madara was different now. He was both Madara and Hashirama. His Susano'o was quite the "absolute defense."
Blast through the armor, there was the flesh. Blast through the flesh, there was the skeleton.
Madara was sent flying by the explosion, looking utterly wretched. But he was still covered in the Susano'o's skeletal frame… Forget wretched. Did he survive? He did.
Madara landed right back where he started, at Yūshin's feet. Realizing the fight wasn't over, he scrambled to his feet, adopting a battle stance once more. Then…
He looked down at his own chest. Something had pierced straight through it.
At the wound site, his body was disintegrating. It could no longer maintain biological function. His flesh and blood seemed to be turning into spent ash.
Yūshin raised both hands, gesturing toward Madara.
"Not me. It was her."
Madara followed Yūshin's gaze. He saw Kaguya, locked in fierce combat with Naruto and Sasuke.
Before Madara, a rift of Yomotsu Hirasaka hung in the air. From it extended an arm, completely grayed, looking like it would crumble at a touch.
The hand at the end of that arm clutched a shard of bone.
Right. It was the All-Killing Ash Bones Kaguya had once used on Yūshin.
After his "arm was severed," he'd temporarily stored the ash bone within the spatial corridor of Yomotsu Hirasaka. Just like he'd collected the Tailed Beast Bomb.
In moments, more than half of Madara's body had disintegrated. The First Hokage's regenerative abilities were useless against a Kekkei Mōra.
"I…"
"This world is but a dream, Madara, and life is fleeting."
"You…"
"Don't get it? What I mean is… the shinobi world is but a temporary dwelling. The Pure Lands are your true home, Madara. You should have died a long time ago."
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