When Konoha's reinforcements arrived in large numbers at the six battlefields...
Inside the ruined underground chamber...
Shen caught his breath and deactivated his Mangekyō, retaining only his regular Sharingan.
Though he had nearly mastered the use of Susanoo, his combat strength still couldn't match that of the Impure World Reincarnated Hashirama.
Madara watched calmly, internally rating this battle an 80 — a high score.
"60 points," he declared out loud.
Without even activating the Tianjin'nu, Shen immediately knew the score had been cut by ten or twenty points.
How was anyone supposed to fight under these conditions—an opponent with unlimited stamina and chakra who couldn't be sealed away?
If Madara hadn't taken away the option to surrender, Shen would've forfeited on the spot with a twenty-point penalty!
Under the gaze of two figures, Shen nervously made a suggestion: "This Planetary Devastation seal should be breakable now, right?"
"Do as you wish," Madara turned his head aside.
The Impure World Reincarnated Hashirama simply smiled slightly and nodded.
Their true intent was never for Shen to actually defeat them.
After all, individual combat power in today's shinobi world wasn't as strong as it was during the Warring States Era.
Since he'd tried so hard already, they figured there was no need to hold him back too much—otherwise something might go wrong.
With permission granted, Shen immediately sat down and began using the Yin-Yang Release technique taught by Madara, attempting to dismantle the Planetary Devastation seal deep beneath the earth.
By dawn, Konoha had grown eerily quiet, except for five playful little troublemakers running around.
With all the major clan heads having left the village, the leaders of smaller clans were now the strongest remaining fighters.
At this moment, just one powerful enemy could easily destroy the entire village—not necessarily wiping everyone out, but definitely reducing it to ruins.
How strong would such an enemy need to be?
Strong enough to defeat Mito Uzumaki, the current host of the Nine-Tails.
So Black Zetsu, inside the body of the Third Mizukage, immediately launched a massive ninjutsu technique that engulfed the entire Uzumaki clan compound, similar to the Water Prison Technique.
The Uzumaki clan compound instantly became a deadly snare—easy to step into, impossible to flee from.
As for the elderly, women, and children? Naturally, he felt no psychological pressure at all about what lay ahead.
"Ambush?" As soon as she heard that, Mito leaped outside her house.
Black Zetsu stood there surrounded by Anbu agents in formation, yet showed no sign of panic.
"I shall destroy Konoha."
Mito had the distinct feeling she definitely recognized this person.
But that overwhelmingly sinister and evil chakra aura left her completely puzzled.
"The Third Mizukage of Mist?"
A voice from afar answered Mito's confusion.
Uchiha Cocoon, who had hidden his presence, noticed unusual activity within the nearby Uzumaki clan compound, and brought along another elder from the Warring States Era, Chiyuki Uchiha, into the water prison.
"One nearly useless Mangekyō eye combined with another that can't fully unleash its power..."
Black Zetsu mocked with words while watching two elderly people filled with tension.
"Konoha is not your hunting ground," Cocoon's Mangekyō Sharingan radiated brilliantly. "Anyone daring to invade must pay the price."
Immune to genjutsu, Black Zetsu took a step back, dodging the attacks from two elderly men in white kimonos radiating powerful auras.
"You two are way too old—your punches don't even have any strength."
"Hahahaha!" Black Zetsu laughed loudly. "Is this really all the combat power Konoha has left?"
His words cut deep into the elders' hearts—the survivors of the Warring States era.
"Phew." Mito exhaled deeply and used the password left by Shen to slightly loosen Kurama's seal.
From the moment Kurama saw Black Zetsu, it made a deal with her.
Chakra would come from Kurama, but Mito had to eliminate this man.
Because Kurama clearly sensed that this overwhelming malice wasn't aimed at Mito as its jinchūriki, but at itself—the tailed beast.
Black Zetsu watched with curiosity as Mito was slowly enveloped in pale golden chakra.
"That's right. Destroying Konoha is just one reason."
He raised his right hand and spread it outward, revealing his true objective: "Nine-Tails is my real target!"
In an instant, two black figures, two white ones, plus a pale golden silhouette attacked together with several Anbu members.
[Shinra Tensei]
An invisible shockwave spread outward, sending several people flying.
Only Cocoon, whose physical condition remained tough despite her age, and Mito in her pseudo-Nine-Tails form could withstand the tremendous impact.
"Mito-sama, you tend to the others first," said Cocoon, who possessed the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan, deciding to face this suspiciously skilled 'Third Mizukage' alone.
"No need," Mito shook her head. "They're not that worn down yet."
A black figure appeared before Black Zetsu.
The clover-shaped Mangekyō was reflected in the eyes of the possessed Third Mizukage.
"Even the illusions of the Mangekyō have no effect on me whatsoever."
Instantly snapping out of it, Black Zetsu was struck on the chest and back by the two elderly Hyuga—one hitting front, the other behind.
"Cough!" He spat out a mouthful of blood before realizing—an old lion still has sharp claws.
One of the successfully striking elders was immediately grabbed by the neck.
The other roared furiously, only to bend forward from a vicious knee strike to the abdomen.
With one person in each hand, Black Zetsu swung them like an old lion taking on rivals head-on.
He was cold-blooded and cruel, showing absolutely no mercy.
All human moral boundaries were trampled without hesitation by this filial son devoted solely to resurrecting his mother.
The unconscious—or possibly dead—Anbu were the best proof.
Until Mito bound his entire body with Adamantine Sealing Chains enhanced by Nine-Tails chakra.
"So what if you have abundant chakra reserves? What does the Uzumaki clan have left besides sealing techniques and barriers?"
Wanting to avoid exposing his Rinnegan, Black Zetsu gradually dismantled the chains binding him using Yin–Yang Release.
Inside the renewed sealing space, Kurama sensed this familiar power.
"This is the power of the Sixth Path."
Unaware of the Otsutsuki clan's history, it heightened its alertness toward Black Zetsu another level.
Meanwhile, in the real world, Mito once again felt a massive influx of chakra.
She didn't understand why the Nine-Tails was giving her so much chakra, but there was no time to dwell on it now.
A massive dragon-shaped fireball slammed into Black Zetsu's back.
The impact made him loosen his grip, letting the two elderly Hyuga members finally catch their breath.
After performing the Dragon Fire Technique, Cocoon activated his remaining Mangekyō's ability.
The Third Mizukage's outer skin started aging and withering visibly.
Absorbing life force and then returning it to oneself was the true power of Uchiha Cocoon's Mangekyō.
With only one eye left, Uchiha Cocoon could merely cause his opponent's body to age.
Black Zetsu, nearly freed from restraint, suddenly found himself facing another pair of Mangekyō eyes.
[Forced hypnotic jutsu], huh?
The Third Mizukage's neck began twisting uncontrollably toward the left.
Once it hit ninety degrees, it kept twisting further backward.
Drawing on what remained of her ocular power, Chiyuki Uchiha's Mangekyō granted her control over someone's body.
No matter how strong-willed the target might be, this [forced hypnotic jutsu] was absolutely impossible to break.
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