"Protecting a surviving Uzumaki?" Uchiha Madara glanced at the unconscious Nagato before turning back to Uchiha Kagen.
"So you know some of Konoha's hidden secrets after all. It seems the once-proud Uchiha clan has already absorbed the stench of Konoha.
I have no interest whatsoever in the present-day Konoha. It is a village on the verge of death.
A village completely dead — without ideals, without a future.
What lies beneath the Hokage Rock is nothing but a pile of filth.
After Senju Hashirama died, I lost all interest in Konoha.
And yet you… you keep coming to bother me.
First Shimura Danzo, then Jiraiya, and now you.
You traitors who dare wear the same clan crest as me — do you really think I would spare you out of familial sentiment?"
Madara calling Konoha a pile of filth was utterly crude.
And yet… no one present dared refute him.
Yako understood Madara's plans, which was precisely why he kept leveraging Nagato — someone Madara would absolutely protect — to manipulate the situation. Madara was probably numb by now, like someone who had kicked a hornet's nest and kept wondering why Konoha wouldn't stop coming after him.
Madara clapped his hands together.
"Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!"
Yako's heart tightened.
To ensure the village would never suspect him, he needed to act before direct combat with Madara escalated too far.
That way, no one would suspect him of being responsible for any deaths.
He had already used this month's resurrection through Arc of the Waning Moon, so he needed to be extra cautious.
Yako didn't rush forward immediately. Instead, he waited for Uchiha Kagen's group to act.
After all, this investigation of Madara was primarily led by the Uchiha clan.
It was their duty to deal with their former clan leader.
Just as Yellow Dog had instructed, Yako hoped the Uchiha and Madara would weaken each other through mutual slaughter.
The forest exploded into growth. Massive tree trunks surged upward, surrounding the Konoha forces.
"Everyone — Fire Release!" Uchiha Kagen shouted.
Four jonin and eight Tokubetsu jōnin unleashed twelve enormous Fire Release: Great Fireball Techniques.
Fireball after fireball roared forward, each more than ten meters across.
The reconnaissance squad glanced toward Fox Squad Leader.
They didn't know whether the village intended to stand aside and let Madara and the Uchiha fight to the death — or to intervene quickly.
Yako pointed toward Nagato.
"Take the Uzumaki survivor! If we seize him, we'll learn Madara's scheme. Whatever Madara protects — that's what we must destroy!"
White Ram Squad, Blossom Deer Squad, and the reconnaissance squad moved immediately, bypassing the battlefield of Wood Release and Fire Release to attack from the flank.
Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan were surrounded by a group of White Zetsu.
The White Zetsu panicked at the approaching ANBU.
"What do we do? Those ANBU look strong."
"There are only a few dozen of us — we can't beat them."
"Should we call for reinforcements? Maybe… three hundred?"
White Zetsu began emerging from underground and from within trees.
Long ago, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya had hung thousands upon the God Tree, turning them into White Zetsu. Later, Obito had cultivated them further into an army numbering in the tens of thousands.
Summoning three hundred was nothing for the White Zetsu forces.
Yako formed a seal.
Water Severing Wave!
A thin line of water shot forward, sweeping through the battlefield.
More than a hundred White Zetsu were sliced apart in a single strike.
One technique eliminated nearly a third of them.
The White Zetsu stared in shock.
"That level of Water Release… it's almost on par with Senju Tobirama, isn't it?"
"Combination jutsu!" Yako ordered immediately. "Clear a path — I'm going in!"
White Ram and Blossom Deer squads coordinated, unleashing combined Wind and Fire techniques.
The combined assault ignored the heavy rain, incinerating dozens of White Zetsu and opening a path forward.
As the mass of pale figures vanished, Yako saw Nagato.
He flashed forward with the Body Flicker Technique.
The White Zetsu only noticed the blur after it passed them — turning to look back at Nagato.
Yako appeared directly in front of him.
Nagato was unconscious.
Yahiko had just begun raising his hand. Konan's eyes widened in shock.
At that moment, Yako sensed a terrifying movement from the side.
Wood Dragon Technique!
He leapt immediately.
The wood dragon could absorb chakra, feeding on an enemy's energy to grow stronger, longer, tougher.
If caught, even the chakra within Absolute Defense: Bronze Light might be drained.
The Uchiha weren't pressuring Madara enough — he could still manage two battlefields simultaneously.
The wood dragon's claw struck down from above.
Yako formed another seal, releasing Water Severing Wave again.
The water line shot forward and sliced the dragon's claw clean off.
At this point, Yako could be considered a weak Kage-level combatant; the power of Water Release: Water Severing Wave was immense.
Madara watched with faint interest at the ANBU squad leader's strength.
He waved his hand.
From the hollow tree behind him, a white figure stepped forward.
Hyuga Ketsu shouted in surprise, "Sarutobi Kanosuke?!"
A moment later, confusion filled his voice. "No… Sarutobi Kanosuke wears a spiral mask with eyeholes. This one has no eyeholes — only twisted wooden vines. Is this another of Madara's subordinates?"
Yako's heart sank.
It was the most special of the White Zetsu — Spiral White Zetsu.
Spiral White Zetsu was hollow inside; beneath the spiral mask was nothing but an empty cavity.
He charged straight toward Yako, protecting Nagato.
Wood Release: Spiked Stakes Technique!
A wooden spear shot toward Yako. He allowed it to strike his chest.
The spear split apart against Bronze Light, its tip shattering harmlessly.
He feared the Wood Dragon Technique — but not this.
Seeing the technique fail, Spiral White Zetsu rushed forward and engaged Yako in taijutsu.
His taijutsu was strong. His speed was fast. With him blocking the way, Yako couldn't reach Nagato quickly.
Madara glanced at two Uchiha corpses trapped within Deep Forest Emergence.
"Uchiha Kagen," he said coldly, "do you believe me now? I will not show you mercy. The only similarity between us is a shared surname."
Under the pouring rain, sweat streamed down Uchiha Kagen's face, indistinguishable from rainwater dripping from his chin.
Madara was too powerful.
The range of Deep Forest Emergence was enormous. Without realizing it, they had become surrounded by wildly growing trees. One wrong move, and the massive trunks could crush them.
Kagen glanced at the massive wood dragon to the side. Only Fox Squad Leader drawing its attention had prevented their deaths from coming even faster.
The disadvantage was overwhelming.
Who could have imagined that a seventy-year-old Madara still possessed such terrifying chakra reserves?
Amid the chaos, Uchiha Suigiku darted constantly, using the Body Flicker Technique to weave between tree trunks. His eyes tracked Madara, Uchiha Kagen, Uchiha Tōka — and ANBU Fox.
He held another identity now.
Advisor Danzo's informant.
Root's operative — B.
Inside his mind, Suigiku judged coldly:
Uchiha Kagen was no match for Madara. The gap between them was enormous. Fire Release could not overcome Wood Release.
Unless something unexpected happened…
The rogue ninja pursuit force would all die here.