Chapter 54: He Appreciated Madara's Performance
Tsukasa Kaede's brow furrowed slightly, then quickly relaxed.
A troublesome situation had arisen. At this moment, Madara had appeared. It seemed that the current Madara had not yet reached the point where he absolutely needed to rely on the Gedo Mazo to sustain his life; he still possessed a certain degree of independent mobility.
He was also accompanied by Tobi, who could be worn if necessary to enhance physical functions to a certain extent—though Tsukasa Kaede felt that, given Madara's pride, he would certainly not wear Tobi to boost his Combat Power.
Tsukasa Kaede found it difficult to assess just what strength Madara, nearing seventy, could unleash. Comparing him to the seventy-something-year-old Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't quite seem right either.
Because at this time, Madara had painstakingly evolved his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan into the Rinnegan, a process that might have placed a heavy burden on his body.
Although he had transplanted a piece of Hashirama Senju's flesh into his chest, indirectly gaining a bit of Hashirama's physique, he was ultimately not an Asura descendant known for his Life Force. Cultivating the Rinnegan might very well have cost him a considerable amount of Life Force.
Therefore, after nurturing his eyes for decades, Madara only obtained the Rinnegan when he was already frail with old age.
A seventy-year-old Hiruzen Sarutobi could slaughter opponents with ease, even taking down Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju—summoned by Orochimaru using an improved Impure World Reincarnation—in one fell swoop, while also sealing Orochimaru's hands.
However, a seventy-year-old Madara already appeared to be on the verge of death, and still had to carry Tobi and White Zetsu with him.
"In the decades since I disappeared from the mainstream view of the Shinobi World, many gifted individuals have indeed emerged, developing Jutsu that even I find remarkable. You are one of them."
Madara's expression remained unchanged. With a lift of his eyelids, he scrutinized the Zombies at close range, and combining this with the Intel provided by White Zetsu, he had already grasped most of the situation.
"You are able to replenish your Life Force using numerous Corpses. I can feel the abundant yet somewhat disorderly Life Force within you, which indicates that this Jutsu still has potential for further development. You could focus on refining the Life Force to reduce unnecessary wastage."
Madara spoke slowly, his voice filled with undeniable certainty, and continued, "And if I'm not mistaken, your Jutsu can, at most, only replenish additional Life Force; it cannot restore the Lifespan someone lost in their youth. It's an incomplete Resurrection Jutsu."
This was indeed an imperfection of the Living Corpse Reincarnation Jutsu. It could revive the dead on the spot through Life Force Transfer, but it couldn't make an elderly person rejuvenate while being revived.
That is to say, an elderly person, once resurrected, would still be elderly; their Lifespan remained the same. They would be in the same state as when they died. At most, with more additional Life Force stored within their body, they could prioritize consuming the external Life Force while alive, allowing them to live for a very, very long time on that basis, but this Jutsu could not reverse time back to their youth.
If this Jutsu were to be used as a Resurrection Jutsu, it indeed suffered from this flaw.
"That's right, this Jutsu is a Jutsu for maintaining a state, not one that can reverse time. Do you, old man, intend to seize my Jutsu for Life Extension? That's all you'll be able to use it for."
Tsukasa Kaede didn't deny it: "I don't believe there exists a Resurrection Jutsu in this world more perfect than the Living Corpse Reincarnation Jutsu. If such a Jutsu truly existed, then someone like the First Hokage, who broke the limits of Ninja, wouldn't have died so easily."
"Hmph, 'died so easily.' It seems the world also can't accept Hashirama's utterly undignified death."
Madara single-handedly swung the Scythe he held, pointing it at Tsukasa Kaede: "I'm not concerned with Life Extension. Compared to such trifles, I'm more interested in you. A man who toys with Corpses, yet lives in a place like Konoha. People like you are only suited for times of War. Once Peace returns, your situation will become difficult. People are forgetful; they always attack uglily, often overlooking the achievements you've made."
Strike first! Tsukasa Kaede decisively made his move. This old man Madara was troublesome; it was best to seize the opportunity and press him hard.
Dozens of Zombies encircled Madara, approaching simultaneously. Some rushed forward for close combat, while others stood at a distance, performing Hand Kaedegns to prepare Ninjutsu. Compared to such a lineup, the aged Madara seemed to have no room to retaliate.
Yet, he merely stood there, like a giant, his enormous shadow stretching towards the heavens.
At the moment the numerous Zombies attacked and were about to close in, he quickly performed Hand Kaedegns.
Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!
The ferocious flames instantly incinerated over twenty Zombies, but Tsukasa Kaede didn't even blink. With a flick of his wrist, he Summoned even more Zombies, who surged forward relentlessly.
A cumulative hundred Zombies were spread across the sky and earth. In that momentary pause, Tsukasa Kaede once again performed Hand Kaedegns.
"A decent Fire Release, but you've been fooled. I never intended to assault you in an ordinary way. Let me have you try this Jutsu... Corpse Release: Hundred Bone Roar God!"
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom! The hundred Zombies, the instant they neared Madara, detonated on the spot.
One hundred individuals underwent a chain explosion, each one's position and detonation time meticulously calculated.
At this range, a massive net was formed, with explosions ringing out in successive waves from the inside out, enveloping Madara. Even if Tobi tried to escape with Madara by burrowing underground, it would be too late.
Because an explosion of this magnitude could even rip up a layer of the nearby ground.
A violent shockwave swept forth, threatening to crush Madara into dust. This scale of explosion even caused people many kilometers away to sense it, their faces revealing expressions of shock and uncertainty as they wondered what powerful Ninja were clashing.
Yet, when the aftershocks of the explosion dispersed, and a deep crater was left in the ground, Madara, along with White Zetsu and Tobi, emerged completely unharmed.
Tsukasa Kaede's expression remained unchanged. He continued to Summon Zombies, launching a sustained assault on Madara, determined not to give him a moment to breathe.
Facing the new Zombie squad, Madara closed his single eye. The moment he reopened it, three Tomoe spun rapidly.
Immediately after, an abnormally cold Chakra surged forth from his body, and translucent ribs appeared, enveloping Madara, White Zetsu, and Tobi. In an instant, skeletal arms grew out, wielding a ten-meter Katana to unleash a horizontal slash!
The rainwater on the ground floated upwards again, then split into two parts, upper and lower, solidifying there.
A terrifying Chakra erupted like a volcano, carrying an aura capable of tearing the sky apart. With a single strike, the Katana, along with the blade-energy it unleashed, sliced dozens of Zombies in half.
In just an instant, a large number of Zombies were dismembered. Many Zombies were already decaying, and under this terrifying impact, their flesh and blood splattered like raindrops, their bodies falling apart into numerous fragments.
The blade, capable of tearing through anything, pointed directly at Tsukasa Kaede himself.
Tsukasa Kaede merely performed a single Hand Kaedegn, activating Spatial Rift Jutsu. His figure instantly vanished, performing a position swap with a Zombie that had been severed first but still had one hand intact, capable of performing a single Hand Kaedegn.
That Zombie, in effect, took two blows and instantly shattered into innumerable pieces.
With one move, no Hand Kaedegns, just by opening his eye, he completed a clear-out.
The terrifying Chakra slowly receded, and the translucent ribs, arms, and Katana also gradually dissipated. Madara remained Madara, maintaining the same slow, deliberate posture.
"If I'm not mistaken, is this the legendary... Susanoo? You truly surprise me. Can you use a Jutsu like Susanoo with just a Three-Tomoe Sharingan? Then your identity becomes highly suspicious. To my knowledge, only one person possessed such Dōjutsu Power, but that person should have died a long time ago."
Tsukasa Kaede even began to applaud, marveling at the opponent's brief yet terrifying display.
(end of chapter)