Yōkō was chasing Tobi across the rooftops when he suddenly stopped on a ridge.
A terrifying explosion occurred in the northeastern part of the village, illuminating the entire village as if it were daytime.
The Third Hokage had used the Five Elements Unrivalled Attack to blast the Complete Body Susano'o out of the village.
The shockwave lifted Yōkō's hair and cloak.
Yōkō mentally assessed: Sarutobi Hiruzen's Five Elements Unrivalled Attack was on par with his own.
Oh, no, on par with the rogue-nin Sarutobi Kanenosuke's.
The strength of the Third Hokage in his prime was astonishing.
Sarutobi Hiruzen primarily used ninjutsu as his main combat method, making his frontal assault capabilities very strong.
But his methods were limited to ninjutsu. He hadn't yet learned the Dead Demon Consuming Seal and wasn't flexible enough.
Looking into the distance, the armor of the Complete Body Susano'o was blasted open, revealing the skeleton beneath.
The performance of the elderly Uchiha Madara was inferior to the Edo Tensei Uchiha Madara from the original story.
Cries came from under the eaves. Yōkō looked down and saw two children had fallen on the ground.
Fearing they would be trampled by the fleeing refugees behind them, Yōkō shot out Iron Vines to rescue the two.
Without time to check if the children were injured, Yōkō kept his eyes on Tobi ahead.
Tobi is a real beast, actually attacking civilians.
This time, Tobi was playing tricks, seemingly on purpose, loudly shouting the name of his technique.
"Uchiha Style! Wire-Guided Shuriken Technique!"
Tobi threw Wood Release shuriken at the villagers.
The evacuating villagers were startled. For some reason, someone from the Uchiha clan was attacking them!
They didn't recognize Tobi, only thinking a member of the Uchiha clan was taking advantage of the chaos to cause trouble.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Several consecutive dull sounds echoed as red maples rapidly grew, blocking the Wood Release shuriken.
Seeing Fox had caught up, Tobi quickly continued his escape.
"Uchiha Dōjutsu: Demonic Illusion: Stakes Staking Technique!"
Moving to another location, White Zetsu used the Sharingan to cast an illusion.
Wood Spikes shot towards the villagers.
Yōkō Body flickered into view, frowning as he caught the Wood Spike spear, staring at Tobi.
The Wood Spike spear exploded but failed to pierce Yōkō's palm.
Yōkō began to understand what Tobi was trying to do.
To further the plan of collecting the Tailed Beasts, Uchiha Madara needed to weaken Konoha.
Just like the Nine-Tails Attack in the original story, Uchiha Obito had to kill Minato and Kushina, otherwise Nagato would have no chance to capture the Nine-Tails.
Creating hatred and division was also one of Tobi's goals.
The Uchiha clan would have difficult days ahead; many people would hold a grudge against them.
Not only did the Uchiha clan not deal with the rogue-nin, but some of them were even attacking villagers during the chaos. It was like mud stuck to their pants – impossible to wash off.
On the rooftop of the Hokage Building, Nara Rokaku listened to the Hyūga shinobi's report.
Fox first took the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki to the breach in the southwestern wall, stopping the invading White Zetsu.
Then Fox moved through the village, repeatedly intercepting Tobi's attacks.
Nara Rokaku thought, The more people Fox saves, the higher his prestige will be after the war.
Previously, Fox mainly carried out missions outside the village. During this Susano'o Calamity, Fox was the first to resolve the Susano'o at Konoha's wall, and now he was rescuing people everywhere within the village.
His performance was so outstanding that many people in the village would come to know about the Anbu member who wore a fox mask.
Even now, Orochimaru and Danzo had not yet dealt with their respective Susano'o giants.
Orochimaru had lost several giant snakes, and Danzo was still testing the waters.
Nara Rokaku turned his attention to the Third Hokage's battlefield.
The village was temporarily stable. The battle between the Hokage and Uchiha Madara was the key.
Northeast of the village, Sarutobi Hiruzen stood in the center holding the Adamantine Staff, Tsunade panted heavily on the left, and Hatake Sakumo held the White Fang short sword on the right.
Before the Complete Body Susano'o, the three of them appeared so weak, even insignificant.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked up at the Susano'o. After being blasted open by the Five Elements Unrivalled Attack, it was rapidly repairing itself with vast amounts of chakra.
How exactly did the First Hokage, my teacher, defeat Uchiha Madara?
Back when Uchiha Madara attacked Konoha, reaching the village perimeter, Sarutobi Hiruzen, then a young elite, watched from Konoha's walls.
Uchiha Madara stood on the Nine-Tails' head, just like now, arms crossed over his chest, looking down on Konoha's shinobi.
Only after Teacher Hashirama made his move did Uchiha Madara lower his arms and takes it seriously.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze gradually hardened. He said:
"We can't delay any longer. Both Tobi and the White Zetsu will cause casualties among the villagers.
We must face Uchiha Madara with the determination to die for Konoha!
Sakumo!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen turned to look at Hatake Sakumo and said:
"Sakumo, Tsunade and I are more suited for frontal assault. We will handle the frontal containment.
As for you... Sakumo, your abilities are suited for a final surprise attack. You must kill Uchiha Madara with one strike!"
Hatake Sakumo nodded, his expression grave: "Lord Hokage, I have long been prepared to sacrifice myself for Konoha."
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Hatake Sakumo had political differences; he thought Sakumo was naive and idealistic, but he never doubted Hatake Sakumo's Will of Fire.
Sarutobi Hiruzen then turned to Tsunade and said to her:
"Tsunade, how long has it been since we last spoken properly? And how long since we fought together?"
Tsunade didn't look at Sarutobi Hiruzen, only staring up at the Susano'o:
"Third Hokage, if you have any orders, notify me, inform me. Is now the time for so much nonsense?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt bitter inside.
From within the Complete Body Susano'o, Uchiha Madara's voice rang out:
"Finished your last words?
I will prove beneath the face of Senju Hashirama that his choice was wrong.
Konoha has long been a village in name only. It is an empty husk, filled with a putrid stench.
Over forty years since its founding, every brick in this village has rotted.
You are merely maggots and leeches hiding under the name of Senju Hashirama, shining the light."
Sarutobi Hiruzen sneered inwardly. Uchiha Madara is too arrogant. He let him finish his taunts without interruption.
He was certainly confident enough, but Sarutobi Hiruzen had also recovered sufficient chakra.
Four Shadow Clones appeared around Sarutobi Hiruzen.
The five Sarutobi Hiruzens simultaneously formed hand signs, using five elemental ninjutsu.
In recent years, Sarutobi Kanenosuke had risen to fame, and many had forgotten that the Five Elements Unrivalled Attack was an S-rank forbidden technique created by Sarutobi Hiruzen.
He was the strongest user of the Five Elements Unrivalled Attack!
The five impact-type elemental techniques emitted multicolored light in the night, charging straight at the Susano'o.
Uchiha Madara's eyes flickered slightly.
Not a bad technique. One could say it touches the ceiling of conventional ninjutsu.
Among ninjutsu-type shinobi, Sarutobi Hiruzen has reached the pinnacle.
The five elemental ninjutsu crashed against the Susano'o's armor. Then, the five elemental chakras clashed against each other, the energy growing denser and denser, until the conflict between the five chakra natures triggered a secondary explosion.
In the roaring explosion, the Susano'o's armor was blasted away once more.
Uchiha Madara averted his gaze from his drooping white hair and looked towards the ground.
Sarutobi Hiruzen actually used another Five Elements Unrivalled Attack.
The second Five Elements Unrivalled Attack rushed towards the Susano'o.
The Susano'o's armor hadn't yet recovered. A second round of five-element great explosion!
"Tsunade!"
Tsunade knew this was the best opportunity tonight.
She released the Yin Seal on her forehead. A massive amount of chakra stimulated her muscles.
Pushing off with her legs, Tsunade leaped up like a cannonball.
In mid-air, Tsunade gathered all her strength in her waist, using it to drive her shoulders, and then her shoulders to drive her arm, unleashing her full body's power in a stretching motion.
Charging into the smoke of the Five Elements Unrivalled Attack, Tsunade saw the Susano'o.
The Susano'o's armor had been destroyed by the first Five Elements Unrivalled Attack. The Susano'o's muscle layer had been blasted open by the second.
Before Tsunade's eyes were the Susano'o's sternum and ribs.
And inside the ribcage was Uchiha Madara, suspended within the Susano'o's chest cavity.
Tsunade used her monstrous strength, punching the Susano'o's ribs with all her might.
Crack! Crack!
The ribs shattered instantly.
Tsunade felt a bone-chilling coldness behind her head. She raised her foot and stomped hard on the Susano'o's ribs.
The force of this stomp was equally immense.
Not only did it completely shatter the Susano'o ribs, but Tsunade also used the recoil to leap up, clearing the way.
Hatake Sakumo's figure appeared.
This time, Hatake Sakumo didn't use the Lightning Release Crystallized Blade Aura. Instead, he concentrated all his Lightning Release chakra onto the surface of the White Fang short sword.
Terrifying Lightning Release chakra gathered on the White Fang short sword.
The lightning glow was as brilliant as a blazing white meteor!
This was Hatake Sakumo's strongest strike, crystallizing all his Lightning Release chakra onto the short sword, an attack with peerless destructive power.
White Fang Thrust!
The Susano'o ribs had been broken by Tsunade. The White Fang short sword easily pierced through the ribs.
The Susano'o seemed to melt away. The dōjutsu chakra dissipated rapidly around the point of impact like butter under a hot knife.
The dojutsu chakra was vaporized into blue steam by the crystallized Lightning Release chakra.
Uchiha Madara's eyes changed.
He lowered his crossed arms and reached behind him to grab his weapon.
The Uchiha War Fan appeared in front of him, blocking the path.
Hatake Sakumo's expression changed!
The Uchiha War Fan, the Uchiha clan's sacred tool capable of reflecting ninjutsu.
The White Fang Thrust was one of the top-tier Lightning Release ninjutsu in the shinobi world, but Hatake Sakumo was now uncertain if his thrust could break through the Uchiha War Fan.
Out of the corner of his eye, Hatake Sakumo suddenly saw half a rooftop.
That rooftop belonged to a watchtower on Konoha's wall.
Remembering the devastation Konoha was suffering, Hatake Sakumo's heart resolved.
The perfect opportunity created by the Third Hokage and Tsunade would only come once; there would not be a second.
This was their closest chance to reach Uchiha Madara.
Hatake Sakumo, originally pushing the White Fang short sword with his right hand, suddenly switched hands, throwing the short sword to his left.
In mid-air, his left hand swiftly caught the short sword and continued the thrust forward.
Uchiha Madara's eyes widened instantly. The war fan slammed hard into Hatake Sakumo's chest, but...
But Hatake Sakumo, with an extremely fast taijutsu motion, had switched hands in mid-air.
The White Fang short sword appeared beside the gourd-shaped war fan, following the concave curve of the war fan's gourd-shaped waist, and thrust towards Uchiha Madara!
The blazing short sword disrupted the air. A fierce wind surged, blowing Uchiha Madara's hair back.
Both of Uchiha Madara's Sharingan were exposed.
Within both Sharingan, the three tomoe spun rapidly.
Hatake Sakumo was sent flying hard by the war fan.
The more resolute his charge, the faster his speed, the greater the force with which he was struck.
Boom!
Hatake Sakumo's entire body was nearly shattered by the impact.
However, the short sword had also pierced Uchiha Madara's chest!
***
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(End of Chapter)