Just as Nagato Uzumaki was confronting Madara Uchiha, a spiraling space-time vortex silently appeared behind him.
Kamui.
Obito, wearing his spiral mask, emerged halfway from the distorted space. Taking advantage of the brief interval after Shinra Tensei, his right hand shot forward with astonishing precision and instantly gouged Nagato's right Rinnegan from its socket.
Blood splattered across the street.
Without the slightest hesitation, Obito immediately pressed the Rinnegan into his own empty left eye socket.
Typical shinobi style.
No sterilization.
No medical treatment.
As long as it worked, that was enough.
A sharp pain shot through Nagato's body.
His vision instantly became unbalanced.
Even he wasn't certain whether the Six Paths Techniques could still be fully utilized with only a single Rinnegan remaining.
However…
There was no time to hesitate.
Ignoring the intense pain in his eye socket, Nagato forcibly activated the Deva Path once again.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Boom!!
A tremendous repulsive force exploded outward.
Madara and Obito were simultaneously blasted backward several meters, leaving long cracks across Konoha's streets before finally stabilizing themselves.
Taking advantage of the brief opening, Nagato immediately formed another seal.
"Summoning Technique!"
A huge cloud of smoke erupted.
Roar!!
The enormous multi-headed splitting dog of the Animal Path descended onto the battlefield.
Each time one of its heads was destroyed, it would split into even more heads, making it one of the Animal Path's most troublesome summons.
Nagato and Konan landed atop the summon.
His objective wasn't to defeat Madara immediately.
It was to create enough chaos to buy time.
The commotion here would inevitably alert Chinatsu and the rest of Konoha.
"Oh?"
Madara raised an eyebrow slightly.
"So this is one of the Animal Path's summons…"
"It truly is an interesting creature."
Although the Rinnegan had originally belonged to him, Madara had awakened it only shortly before his natural death and had transplanted it into Nagato without ever fully mastering all Six Paths Techniques himself.
This was also the first time he had personally witnessed the bizarre immortal summon of the Animal Path.
Meanwhile…
After transplanting one of the Rinnegan into his own body, Obito immediately felt an astonishing surge of power spreading throughout him.
The connection between chakra and his eyes became incomparably clearer.
He slowly clenched his fist.
"So…"
"This is the true power of the Rinnegan…"
A smile appeared beneath Obito's mask.
He immediately turned toward Madara.
"Madara."
"We've already recovered one eye."
"We should withdraw first."
Unexpectedly…
Madara merely smiled.
"Withdraw?"
"Why should we retreat?"
"We've only reclaimed one Rinnegan."
"The other eye is still in Nagato's possession."
"Without both Rinnegan…"
"The Eye of the Moon Plan cannot proceed."
As soon as his words fell…
Boom!!
A tremendous amount of blue chakra erupted around Madara.
His skeletal Susanoo appeared first.
Then muscles.
Armor.
Finally…
A gigantic blue armored warrior towered over the battlefield, gripping an enormous chakra katana.
Although it had yet to reach the Complete Body Susanoo that rivaled mountains, its sheer size was already enough to make countless shinobi despair.
Madara's smile widened.
"This…"
"…should be more than enough."
The gigantic Susanoo swung its chakra blade downward.
Boom!!
The Animal Path's multi-headed dog was instantly cleaved into two halves.
However…
Instead of dying…
Its divided bodies immediately began regenerating and splitting once more.
At the same moment, paper gathered behind Konan's back.
Countless sheets folded together into a pair of enormous white wings.
She immediately grabbed Nagato and soared into the sky, barely avoiding the remainder of Susanoo's slash.
Just as Madara prepared to launch another attack…
A powerful shout suddenly echoed throughout Konoha.
"Five Release Combination Technique!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!
Fire Release.
Wind Release.
Lightning Release.
Earth Release.
Water Release.
Five different Nature Transformations bombarded Madara's Susanoo almost simultaneously.
The tremendous explosions engulfed the giant warrior.
Unfortunately…
When the smoke cleared…
The blue chakra armor remained completely intact.
Madara's Susanoo hadn't suffered the slightest damage.
Madara slowly turned his head.
His Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan calmly looked toward the direction of the attack.
On top of the Hokage Building…
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood firmly with the Adamantine Staff—transformed by Enma, the Monkey King—in his hands.
His aged eyes remained fixed upon Madara without wavering.
"…Madara Uchiha."
"…An Edo Tensei body?"
Even Hiruzen himself found the situation unbelievable.
The legendary rival of the First Hokage…
A shinobi who should have died decades ago…
Now stood inside Konoha once again.
Although countless questions filled his mind…
He understood one thing perfectly.
Regardless of how Madara had returned…
He absolutely could not be allowed to continue fighting within the village.
Madara Uchiha glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi before turning his head back without further interest.
A mere monkey, nothing to fear.
Uchiha Madara turned back to look in Nagato's direction, but in those few short seconds, Nagato had vanished.
Uchiha Madara was stunned. Although his head was turned away, his chakra perception hadn't stopped. Nagato hadn't fled; he had disappeared suddenly, like… a space-time transfer?
He immediately turned to look at Obito below, initially assuming Obito had used "Kamui" to teleport Nagato. However, Obito himself wore a shocked expression.
He had witnessed Nagato's disappearance.
Kamui!
It was his Kamui!
Could it be Kakashi?!
That was Obito's first thought.
Unfortunately…
It wasn't Kakashi Hatake who had used Kamui.
At this moment, Kakashi and the other Konoha jōnin were busy evacuating civilians and establishing defensive lines throughout the village.
No one chose to recklessly charge toward Madara Uchiha.
Why?
Because they all knew…
Someone else had already stepped onto the battlefield.
"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"
Boom!!
The earth suddenly split apart.
A gigantic wooden dragon burst from beneath the streets, letting out a deafening roar as it coiled around Madara's blue Susanoo with astonishing speed.
The Wood Dragon continuously tightened its body while simultaneously absorbing the chakra of whatever it restrained, displaying one of Hashirama Senju's signature techniques.
For the briefest instant…
Madara's eyes lit up.
"Hashirama…?"
His battle instinct almost convinced him that Hashirama Senju himself had returned.
However, before that excitement could fully surface…
An overwhelming killing intent erupted behind him.
Madara immediately turned around.
Towering over the battlefield stood a gigantic crimson warrior clad in complete armor.
Its appearance was majestic and oppressive.
A Complete Body Susanoo.
This was the first time Chinatsu had completely manifested her Susanoo since awakening the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
Unlike Itachi's Susanoo, which wielded the Yata Mirror and Totsuka Blade…
Unlike Sasuke's Susanoo, which specialized in archery before later evolving…
And unlike Madara's own overwhelmingly destructive Susanoo…
Chinatsu had once wondered whether her Susanoo was somehow defective.
It possessed no legendary spiritual weapons.
No famous divine artifacts.
No unique chakra weapon worthy of its reputation.
Then…
She had come to a simple conclusion.
If there were no weapons…
She would simply become the weapon.
A loving iron fist.
And a righteous flying kick.
Those were more than enough.
Inside the crimson Susanoo, Chinatsu stared directly at Madara.
"So…"
"You're Madara."
She finally met the legendary Uchiha whom Obito had mentioned countless times.
The Wood Dragon's restraint wouldn't hold Madara for long.
Perhaps one second.
Perhaps two.
That brief opening was all Chinatsu needed.
The Complete Body Susanoo raised its enormous fist.
Countless streams of chakra gathered around it as the gigantic arm smashed straight toward Madara's head.
Seeing the incoming attack, Madara reacted instantly.
His own Susanoo rapidly reinforced the armored helmet protecting his position.
As an Edo Tensei, chakra consumption meant virtually nothing.
There was no reason not to strengthen his defenses.
Just as Chinatsu 's "Iron Fist of Love" was about to collide with Madara's head…
The crimson Susanoo abruptly twisted its waist.
Its massive leg swung upward with unbelievable precision.
Bang!!!
Instead of punching…
It delivered a devastating flying kick directly between Madara Susanoo's legs.
The vulnerable lower armor instantly shattered under the impact.
Inside the Susanoo, even Madara's expression froze.
His brain went completely blank for a tenth of a second.
The damage…
Was practically nonexistent.
The humiliation…
Was immeasurable.
"…"
For the first time since his resurrection…
Madara genuinely didn't know what expression he should make.
Crack…
The damaged section of Susanoo regenerated almost immediately under the limitless chakra supplied by Edo Tensei.
At the same time, Madara unleashed an explosive surge of chakra, violently shattering the Wood Dragon's restraints.
The enormous dragon splintered apart into countless fragments of wood.
Without wasting another second, Madara's Susanoo swung its gigantic chakra blade horizontally toward Chinatsu .
The attack cleaved through buildings and streets alike.
Naturally…
Chinatsu had no intention of blocking such a slash head-on.
Her crimson Susanoo shifted sideways with astonishing agility despite its enormous size, narrowly avoiding the blade as the battle between the two giant chakra warriors officially began.
The moment both sides completely manifested their Susanoo, the style of the battle changed entirely.
It no longer resembled a battle between shinobi.
If someone unfamiliar with the ninja world happened to witness the scene…
They would probably think this was some kind of "Naruto Gundam" battle.
One side threw a punch.
The other answered with a sword slash.
One side attempted to overpower the opponent head-on.
The other dodged, counterattacked, and looked for an opening.
It resembled the climactic showdown between two giant warriors from a Hollywood blockbuster.
Of course…
Only Madara was truly fighting like a fearless warrior.
Chinatsu had absolutely no intention of exchanging blows with an Edo Tensei body.
Charging head-on against an opponent with limitless chakra and an immortal body?
She wasn't stupid.
Even so…
She gradually realized something.
Although their abilities were surprisingly similar…
Their combat experience was worlds apart.
Chinatsu possessed Wood Release.
Madara possessed Hashirama's implanted cells, allowing him to use Wood Release as well.
Chinatsu could enter Sage Mode.
Madara, after obtaining Hashirama's cells, was likewise capable of utilizing Senjutsu chakra.
Chinatsu could fight using a Complete Body Susanoo.
Madara could naturally do exactly the same.
As for overwhelming large-scale destructive techniques…
Neither side lacked them.
"…"
Chinatsu suddenly blinked.
Wait a second.
Since ordinary attacks wouldn't permanently defeat an Edo Tensei…
Then…
Why not test something else?
A direct nuclear-scale explosion probably wouldn't eliminate Madara.
The Impure World Reincarnation granted him an immortal body that would endlessly regenerate unless sealed.
However…
What about radiation?
Even if Edo Tensei continuously restored his body…
Would radioactive contamination still interfere with the regeneration process?
Or perhaps produce unexpected side effects?
If nothing else…
Making Madara feel sick for once would already count as a victory.
Thinking of that…
A bright smile appeared on Chinatsu 's face.
Come on…
Let the legendary ghost of the Warring States Period experience the terrifying power of the new ninja era.
Inside the crimson Susanoo, Chinatsu suddenly changed tactics.
Instead of retreating again, she took a powerful step forward.
Boom!!
Madara's Susanoo sword struck directly against her armored shoulder.
Ignoring the impact completely, Chinatsu reached forward with both enormous chakra arms and grabbed Madara's Susanoo before it could pull away.
Madara frowned slightly.
"What are you planning, little girl?"
Without answering, Chinatsu 's Susanoo tightened its grip.
The next instant…
Boom!!
Using overwhelming physical force, the crimson giant dragged Madara's Susanoo straight across the ground.
Buildings disappeared behind them.
Roads shattered beneath their feet.
The two gigantic chakra warriors charged directly toward the outskirts of Konoha at astonishing speed.
Madara narrowed his eyes.
"…What exactly are you doing?"
A mischievous grin spread across Chinatsu 's face.
"You'll find out soon enough…"
"…Grandpa."
Whoosh!!
With an explosive roar, both Complete Body Susanoo burst out of Konoha's walls and crashed onto the vast open plains outside the village.
Boom!!!
The impact sent countless rocks and clouds of dust soaring into the sky.
The two gigantic chakra warriors slowly straightened themselves.
They silently stared at one another across the battlefield.
The Susanoo battle…
Had only just begun.
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