Hashirama Senju's gaze landed squarely on the silent Madara.
The meaning behind that look was obvious.
Was this your doing again?
Did you really create something this bizarre just to play tricks on everyone?
Following Hashirama's lead, Obito, Black Zetsu, White Zetsu, Orochimaru, the Fourth Raikage A, the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki, and many others all turned toward Madara.
After all, if anyone in the shinobi world was capable of pulling off something like this—
Madara was the first suspect.
Among everyone present, Black Zetsu was the most unsettled.
If Madara truly had another hidden trump card, then the situation had become far more dangerous than he had imagined.
It would mean Madara had been hiding something even from him.
But the moment Black Zetsu remembered that Kaguya had already awakened and was secretly residing within him, he quickly calmed down.
No matter how many steps ahead everyone else thought they were—
he believed he was already far beyond them.
Watching everything.
Controlling everything.
"It wasn't me."
Feeling everyone's suspicious gazes, Madara frowned.
"I don't have time for pointless games like this."
Then he raised his hand.
"Almighty Push!"
A terrifying wave of repulsive force erupted from his Rinnegan.
The pressure distorted the surrounding air itself.
Visible cracks spread across space as the invisible force surged toward the enormous screen overhead.
The sheer display of power left countless shinobi speechless.
"As expected of Madara..."
"What incredible power."
"He attacks the moment something gets in his way."
"So domineering..."
For a brief moment, everyone admired the legendary Uchiha's decisiveness.
Unfortunately—
the admiration lasted less than three seconds.
The overwhelming repulsive force struck the giant screen.
Nothing happened.
Not an explosion.
Not even a ripple.
The attack simply disappeared.
As though it had been swallowed whole.
Silence.
Utter silence.
Everyone stared blankly at the sky.
Madara's attack—
one powerful enough to flatten mountains—
had vanished without leaving behind the slightest trace.
"What..."
"That screen absorbed Madara's attack?"
"How is that even possible?"
"This can't be real..."
Shock swept through the Allied Army.
No one had expected the mysterious screen to possess such terrifying defensive capabilities.
"This isn't normal..."
Hashirama narrowed his eyes.
"The situation may be far more serious than we thought."
Tobirama immediately looked toward him.
"Brother..."
"You think the Fifth Hokage is behind this?"
Hashirama simply smiled.
"I didn't say that."
"You did."
"..."
Tobirama rolled his eyes.
He had fallen into his brother's trap again.
The moment Uchiha Ren's name was mentioned—
the atmosphere instantly changed.
Madara's expression darkened.
Ōnoki's face stiffened.
The Fourth Raikage unconsciously released a burst of chakra.
Even Black Zetsu felt a chill run down his spine.
If this really was Ren's doing—
then this screen had definitely appeared for a reason.
Nothing Ren did was ever meaningless.
That realization alone was enough to make everyone's hearts sink.
"If it really is Uchiha Ren..."
"What exactly is he planning?"
"I have a bad feeling."
"This screen isn't watching us... is it?"
"That makes no sense."
"With his current strength, why would he even need to monitor us?"
"Then why create something like this?"
Questions spread rapidly through the army.
From ordinary shinobi to the resurrected Kage, everyone wore uneasy expressions.
No one understood what was happening.
And perhaps that uncertainty was the most terrifying part.
Because when the enemy was Uchiha Ren—
the unknown was often more frightening than any battlefield.
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