Chapter 215: Six Paths Madara
"Senjutsu: True Several Thousand Hands—Top Transformed Buddha."
In an instant, the ground surged violently as a colossal Buddha statue burst forth from the earth. In the blink of an eye, it stood level with the blue Susanoo, then surpassed it within seconds.
Towering and heaven-covering, terrifying beyond compare—each gigantic hand was comparable in size to Madara's Susanoo itself.
"Only Hashirama can fight you? Don't underestimate people. In that world, which battle wasn't world-shattering? Surrender now and assist me—I can still show mercy…"
Although Franklin was clearly holding back, Uchiha Madara, unaware of Franklin's true situation, did not see it that way. He grinned widely.
"Then let's fight. You're not the only one who can use Hashirama's techniques."
By now, everyone present was completely stunned. It wasn't until the hurricane-force winds stirred by the giant Buddha's movement swept over them that the three finally snapped out of it and hurriedly retreated.
At this moment, tens of kilometers away, Konoha ninja and spies from other villages hidden around Konoha also discovered the abnormality in the Valley of the End.
The deafening roar, followed by the rapid formation of a massive Buddha bearing thousands upon thousands of giant arms that blotted out the sky—it was impossible not to notice.
The heads of Konoha's major clans, whose records preserved such legends, were filled with shock. The Root leader, Danzō, was even more shaken beyond measure.
The Third Hokage, along with the clan heads and Konoha's elite ninja, all rushed toward the Valley of the End at full speed.
The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, arriving ahead of the others, stood at the battlefield. His mouth hung slightly open, disbelief written plainly across his face.
The two combatants no longer spoke. Uchiha Madara controlled the Perfect Susanoo to retreat rapidly, forming seals mid-retreat. Franklin showed no hesitation, immediately giving chase.
"Planetary Devastation."
In the next moment, a shadow suddenly loomed overhead. Franklin frowned slightly. After meeting Madara's gaze inside the Susanoo, his knitted brows relaxed again.
"You think relying on this means you can win?"
Franklin clasped his hands together. Instantly, countless giant hands slammed upward toward the massive meteor. Its descent slowed dramatically, then shattered outright, breaking into countless fragments that scattered in all directions.
At the same time, the giant Buddha formed a seal before its chest, then placed its hands at its waist. Boundless natural energy from heaven and earth gathered between those palms.
Seeing Franklin's busy movements—and that familiar stance of the Buddha's hands at its waist—Madara felt a bead of cold sweat slide down his forehead.
Without hesitation, the Susanoo drew the long sword at its waist and slashed toward Franklin at extreme speed.
Franklin smiled faintly. "Senjutsu: Planetary Devastation!"
The Susanoo that had been charging toward Franklin was suddenly pulled straight into the sky. With it as the core, mountains shattered, massive trees tore free from the ground, and debris spiraled upward.
The fragments of the shattered meteor above were also rapidly drawn in.
Madara tried to control the Susanoo to break free, but it was futile.
His expression was no longer relaxed. He attempted to abandon the Susanoo and escape alone, but at this moment, he himself was the core of Planetary Devastation.
Both Planetary Devastation meteors had shattered, now fully transformed into colossal masses sealing Uchiha Madara.
But Franklin had no intention of ending things there.
The giant Buddha completed the charging of a Kamehameha that had gathered energy from dozens of kilometers around. In the next instant, it fired straight toward the core of Planetary Devastation.
The sky-covering mass was blasted off the ground and pushed straight beyond the atmosphere. The Kamehameha intensified instantly.
The several-hundred-meter-wide beam pierced straight through the small planetoid. At its center, Madara's Reanimation body and Susanoo were completely vaporized.
Even the undying nature of Reanimation was utterly useless at this moment. Dust settled—this was the conclusion.
Recording everything, Franklin looked at the terrain utterly reshaped by Planetary Devastation and let out a breath. Time Denial activated instantly.
Planetary Devastation returned to its previous position above everyone's heads. Using his divine sense, Franklin transmitted the memories to Uchiha Madara. Illusory World Genesis activated again.
The ravaged ground rapidly restored itself to its original state. The Planetary Devastation in the sky vanished as well.
Uchiha Madara, released from within, dismissed the Perfect Susanoo. He still couldn't quite believe that he had lost so easily.
Although he didn't know what had happened, everything he had just seen was undeniably real memory—not a fabricated illusion.
"I lost…"
Watching Madara land on the ground, Franklin grinned.
"I know you're still unconvinced deep down, so to make you sincerely assist me, I paid quite a price."
As everyone gathered around—and as differently dressed ninja arrived from afar—Franklin waved his hand casually.
The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, which had been blasted more than ten kilometers away, floated back. With a single downward press of Franklin's hand, Madara's Reanimation body of soil rapidly crumbled apart.
A living body directly replaced the Reanimation form.
Seeing Nagato still somewhat dazed, Franklin waved his hand again. Nagato's eyes flew out of their sockets, and a pair of Sharingan formed anew in his eye sockets.
"For now, returning these to their rightful owner. Once everything is over, these eyes will be returned to you."
Knowing the origin of his eyes, Nagato nodded immediately. He had no courage to refuse.
Not only that—the nine chakra entities forming the tailed beasts were directly created by Franklin, then immediately poured into the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path… no, it should be called the Ten-Tails now.
As Madara's own Rinnegan were reinstalled and his body fully revived, his expression became extraordinarily complex.
"You did all of this?"
Franklin nodded indifferently.
"You still have one chance. Become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki and defeat me—then today, you can carry out your Eye of the Moon Plan.
"If you fail, then assist me in a more realistic unification of the ninja world. That's an acceptable condition, isn't it?"
Seeing Franklin's unconcerned attitude, Madara grinned.
"I accept. But how much spiritual energy do you have left in your body now? Becoming a new Six Paths Sage is a dimensional transformation. You're far too arrogant."
As he spoke, Madara leapt onto the Ten-Tails' head. Forming seals once more, the Ten-Tails instantly surged into his body.
A massive cocoon appeared in the sky above the Valley of the End.
The ninja gathered around wore varied expressions—fear and disbelief dominated most of them.
The Third Hokage, who had once exchanged blows with Franklin, stared at the man he had only just encountered, now displaying such power. His eyes were filled with nothing but shock.
Crack… crack…
The Valley of the End fell silent, broken only by the sound of the waterfall and the cracking of the cocoon.
With a sharp snap, the figure that appeared before everyone once more had white hair instead of black, clad in the white robe of the Sage of Six Paths.
Nine Truth-Seeking Orbs floated in a circle behind Madara's back. His arms and legs had turned black, and in his left hand he held the Six Paths staff.
Seeing this form, even Franklin grew curious and activated the Eye of True Sight.
In the next instant, streams of data appeared before his eyes.