"How is this possible!"
The expressions of Black Zetsu, White Zetsu, and Obito Uchiha darkened, as if they had just been struck across the face.
None of them expected Madara Uchiha to be completely suppressed by Ryūjin.
If not for the Edo Tensei body, Madara would have already died twice over, and both times had been effortless kills.
"This won't work. At this rate, Madara is no match for Ryūjin," Obito said, his voice low.
"Have some faith in Madara," Black and White Zetsu replied, staring at the battlefield. "He has an immortal body. Even if he dies a hundred times, he will come back. Ryūjin, on the other hand, will eventually run out of chakra. The final winner will still be Madara."
Obito said nothing.
From the moment he first fought Ryūjin until now, he had never once gained the upper hand. Not even briefly.
Every encounter ended with him being crushed.
Watching Ryūjin stand there, completely unfazed, made Obito uneasy.
---
Under everyone's gaze, one half of Madara's severed body crumbled into ash and disappeared.
The remaining half regenerated rapidly, restoring him completely.
"What is going on?"
"Did he just revive again?"
"Can he keep coming back like this?"
The ninjas of Konohagakure grew increasingly tense.
No matter how strong Ryūjin was, an opponent like this was a problem.
Those who recognized Edo Tensei were even more worried. Infinite regeneration, endless chakra. It was a nightmare.
"Still want to keep going?" Ryūjin asked, looking at Madara with faint amusement.
Madara said nothing, his expression stiff.
Then he clapped his hands.
"Wood Release, Wood Clone Jutsu."
Four wooden clones appeared instantly.
Each one activated their ocular power.
Alongside the original, five massive Susanoo rose into the sky.
A heavy silence fell over the Valley of the End.
Five towering giants stood side by side.
Several ninjas swallowed hard, unable to speak.
One Susanoo was already overwhelming. Five at once felt absurd.
"This should be enough," Black Zetsu muttered, regaining some confidence. "There is no way Ryūjin can destroy all five. He cannot have that much chakra."
The Konoha ninjas stared nervously.
The ground trembled as the five Susanoo charged forward.
Madara fixed his gaze on Ryūjin.
"I don't believe you can cut through all five."
"Five?" Ryūjin glanced at them, expression unchanged.
With the power of Hashirama Senju's cells and multiple Tailed Beasts sustaining him, chakra depletion was not even a concern.
Even fifty would not matter.
A Truth Seeking Orb shifted behind him, forming a golden blade.
He swung once.
A single streak of light swept across the battlefield.
The five Susanoo were struck simultaneously and sent flying backward, as if smashed by an invisible force.
Shock spread instantly.
Five giants, repelled in one strike.
Black Zetsu and Obito froze.
Their last bit of confidence cracked.
The Susanoo collapsed, and Madara along with his clones fell from the sky.
Even Madara could not hide his shock anymore.
"You possess a terrifying technique."
The arrogance on his face faded, replaced by seriousness.
He understood now.
Ryūjin had not defeated a weakened Hashirama.
He had defeated Hashirama at full strength.
"I acknowledge you," Madara said firmly. "You are the strongest."
Ryūjin looked at him.
"So, are you done?"
"Not yet."
Madara moved again.
His four clones rushed forward, shifting tactics.
Ryūjin gave a faint, dismissive smile.
"Using clones against me? Yeah right, fuck off."
He clapped his hands.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu."
Dozens of clones appeared instantly.
The battlefield filled with Ryūjins.
They surged forward, overwhelming Madara's clones in moments.
It was not even a fight.
The four clones were crushed without resistance.
At the same time, Madara's original body activated Susanoo again, but instead of attacking, he formed hand seals.
The Susanoo mirrored his movements.
"Heavenly Restriction Star."
High above, space distorted.
Two enormous meteors began descending, one above the other.
They were far larger than anything seen before, each spanning hundreds of meters.
Madara dismissed his Susanoo and stood with arms crossed, watching.
Below, Ryūjin's clones had already eliminated the wood clones.
Ryūjin looked up.
The meteors were falling fast.
Gasps echoed throughout the Valley of the End.
"What is that?"
"Meteors… those are meteors!"
"Is this even ninjutsu anymore?"
Fear spread among the Konoha forces.
Even Obito was shaken.
"This… this could destroy an entire village."
Black Zetsu's eyes gleamed again.
Maybe this would work.
Ryūjin, however, showed no reaction.
He raised his hand slightly.
A ring of Truth Seeking Orbs formed behind him.
With a simple motion, a massive black tornado surged upward.
It was the Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion.
The hurricane pierced the first meteor instantly, then continued straight through the second.
Both massive bodies were torn apart from within.
Cracks spread rapidly across their surfaces.
In the next moment, both meteors exploded midair.
The sky lit up with a deafening roar.