Pick one reward—this is way too tempting!
SSS Character Card – Madara Uchiha (Reanimation/Edo Tensei)!
This is basically a dream-tier character card!
Hashirama's Thousand Hands + Madara's Rinnegan—what a broken combo!
And if you fully fuse with the SSS-level character Madara Uchiha (Reanimation), wouldn't that mean gaining Indra's power as well?
What would I even need Indra to act alone for at that point?
[Fusing with SSS-level character – Madara Uchiha (Reanimation) does NOT grant Indra's power.]
Kazuki frowned. So Edo Madara doesn't come with Indra's power.
Is it because he's not alive?
That actually makes sense. For example, Edo Hashirama is clearly weaker than Hashirama at the time of his death. The same likely applies to the powers of Asura and Indra—they're incomplete in reanimation form.
So… are the two options basically equal?
Even so, the first option is still insanely tempting.
It would be like giving up Konohagakure…
Wait. Why can't I chase Madara down after helping Konoha block the Heavenly Obstruction Shock Star?
Yeah. I want both.
At that very moment, as Kazuki was thinking, Madara had already leapt out of Konoha!
At the same time, thousands of White Zetsu suddenly appeared!
This was Madara's second layer of insurance for escape.
Countless White Zetsu surfaced around Konohagakure. Everyone's faces turned pale.
A sea of white bodies—thousands of them—layer upon layer. It was enough to make your skin crawl.
Each one radiated chakra at least at chunin level.
Everyone froze.
Above them, a massive meteorite was falling—like the sword of Damocles hanging over their heads.
And surrounding them, an endless swarm of White Zetsu. There was nowhere to run.
Kazuki had to save them. If he didn't, Konohagakure would be wiped off the map.
Madara's entire sequence of moves had clearly been premeditated.
This time, Madara had already absorbed the Two-Tails, Eight-Tails, and Nine-Tails, then used the White Zetsu army and the Heavenly Obstruction Shock Star to cover his retreat.
Of course, this was only his backup plan.
If he had been able to defeat Kazuki outright, there would've been no need for it—just like the original Battle of the Valley of the End.
If you can win, you win.
If you can't… you bail.
And Madara still had a third contingency.
As he fled, he glanced back at Kazuki with a smirk.
"Reincarnation of Hashirama Senju… let me see if you still walk the same ninja path."
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
In an instant, Madara split into twenty-five clones and scattered in every direction.
"Seriously? Iconic scenes back-to-back and all of them are just for running away?"
Kazuki hadn't expected Madara to be this committed to tactical retreat.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
The Strength of a Hundred Seal on Kazuki's forehead burst open.
"Creation Rebirth – Strength of a Hundred Technique!"
The chakra he had stored erupted outward!
Kazuki created one hundred shadow clones and immediately sent them after Madara's twenty-five clones.
"Four on one. Let's see you slip away now."
Madara's eyes widened.
This guy's chakra is even more ridiculous than Hashirama's?!
After using True Several Thousand Hands and that armor form, he still has enough chakra left to split into hundreds of clones and hunt me down?
"That's impossible!"
Madara accelerated.
Kazuki's reaction sent a chill down his spine.
Meanwhile, Kazuki's original body flickered away—
—and reappeared before the people of Konohagakure.
"Kazuki!"
"Kazuki-sama!"
Their tone held unprecedented respect.
Because Kazuki had just become Konoha's savior.
Many now respected him even more than Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Hiruzen had risked his life for Konoha, but his strength simply couldn't compare.
Kazuki had already surpassed him—and he carried the golden legacy of Hashirama Senju.
To Konoha's ninja, Hashirama's name was sacred.
With the Strength of a Hundred Seal activated and Sage Mode markings across his face, Kazuki looked like a war god descended to earth.
Kushina and Mikoto's eyes lit up.
The other kunoichi looked at him completely differently.
So handsome…
"Kazuki-sama, what do we do?!"
Kazuki glanced at Kushina, nodded, then said calmly:
"Stand back."
His shadow clone formed hand seals.
"Wood Release – Deep Forest Emergence!"
BOOM!
The ground shook violently.
Massive trees erupted from the earth, flipping streets and buildings into the air.
Within seconds, flat land became a dense forest. The terrain changed instantly.
Roots and vines burst outward!
The entire village was enclosed within a wooden fortress.
"Handle whatever slips through!" Kazuki said coolly.
White Zetsu charged in—only to be entangled and drained dry by the roots.
But there were too many.
The outer layer of trees creaked… then splintered.
"Move! We can't just stand here!"
Tsunade was the first to charge, activating her own Strength of a Hundred Seal.
With one punch, a White Zetsu exploded backward, taking several others with it.
Hiruzen formed hand seals.
"Five Release Great Bullet Technique!"
Five chakra natures merged into a barrage that obliterated a swath of enemies.
The ninjas of Konoha joined the fight.
Even Kushina and Mikoto Uchiha rushed forward.
"Charge!"
"Take them down!"
Kakashi Hatake and Obito Uchiha dashed out first, stunning many ninja.
Elementary students fighting like this?!
Hiruzen watched Obito's Sharingan flicker as he fought.
And for the first time, doubt crept into his heart.
Was the Uchiha Clan truly the problem?
The younger generation clearly had no hostility toward Konoha.
Had they been wrong all along?
Meanwhile, Rin Nohara treated the wounded.
The wooden fortress split the battlefield into manageable sections.
Above—
The meteorite continued descending.
Its shadow swallowed the sky.
If it fell, Konoha would cease to exist.
"Kazuki… you have to stop it!"
Kazuki narrowed his eyes and placed his hands atop the Wooden Buddha's head.
"Sage Art: Wood Release – True Several Thousand Hands!"
The colossal Thousand-Armed Buddha rose into the sky.
From the shadows, Black Zetsu watched in shock.
Even the second time seeing it, the sight was overwhelming.
"It's too strong… even Madara can't match this…"
Suddenly—
"Water Release: Water Blade Slash!"
A clone of Kazuki struck Black Zetsu from behind, tearing him apart.
But the black half seeped into the earth and escaped.
Kazuki knew better. Black Zetsu was nearly impossible to kill.
Back above—
The wooden hands slammed into the meteorite.
They shattered instantly.
Kazuki gritted his teeth. The Strength of a Hundred Seal poured chakra into the construct.
New wooden arms regrew—only to shatter again.
The meteorite kept descending.
"Wood Release – Wood Dragon Technique!"
Massive wooden pillars shot upward.
They cracked on impact.
But the meteor's descent slowed.
"Kazuki!"
The entire village prayed.
Their chakra shimmered like starlight and flowed toward him.
Kazuki felt his nearly depleted reserves surge again.
Sage Mode absorbed natural energy at the same time.
"Wood Release – Multiple Wood Clone Jutsu!"
Hundreds of wooden clones launched skyward.
They were crushed instantly.
Again.
Thousands this time.
Thousands of wooden clones braced against the meteorite.
Finally—
Its descent stopped.
On the ground, the forest withered. Kazuki's chakra was nearly gone.
With a roar, he heaved the Heavenly Obstruction Shock Star aside—
BOOM!!!
It crashed outside the village, reshaping the land into a massive hill.
Silence fell.
Then—
"Kazuki-sama is unstoppable!"
"Long live Kazuki-sama!"
Even Hiruzen sat down heavily.
"I'm… old."
The Wooden Buddha collapsed.
[Ding. Option 2 complete: Protected Konohagakure from the Heavenly Obstruction Shock Star. Reward: Indra's Power.]
[Activate now?]
"Not yet. Option 1 is still active."
He had already deduced Madara's real location from his clones' memories.
Kushina rushed forward and hugged him tightly.
"It's okay," Kazuki said softly, patting her head. "There's just one last thing."
She grabbed him—
Then stood on tiptoe and kissed him.
Obito watched, utterly devastated.
"I'll surpass sensei someday…"
Far away—
Madara fled toward the Land of Water.
"Persistent little flies…"
Another of Kazuki's clones burst into smoke.
Suddenly—
A kunai engraved with the Flying Thunder God Formula flashed through the air.
Back in Konoha—
Kazuki disappeared.
"Flying Thunder God Technique!"
No matter the distance, as long as the mark remained—
He would arrive instantly.
Madara turned—
"Kazuki—?!"
"Suffer death, Madara!"