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The autumn wind swept across the smoke-filled battlefield, creating a thin wave that cleared a blank space for everyone.
Madara Uchiha still stood there quietly, looking at the three little guys in front of him.
Despite facing the Konoha Three, renowned throughout the Ninja World, he extended a hand towards them as if teasing cats and dogs, casually beckoning:
"Come."
Almost the instant his voice fell.
The eyes of the Konoha Three widened fully.
Jiraiya, in Sage Mode, stomped his wooden clogs on the ground, shattering the soil with incredible speed. His figure appeared abruptly before Madara Uchiha with a piercing whoosh, and he unleashed a heavy punch towards the opponent's chin.
"Smack—"
Immense power surged.
However, before Madara Uchiha, this heavy blow was merely deflected with a casual flick, easily parried.
Before he could react, Jiraiya had already extended his other hand, attempting to reach for his mask.
Stepping forward, pushing ahead.
Facing this rapid assault, Madara Uchiha showed no intention of stopping. His entire body collided with Jiraiya's torso, emitting a dull thud.
"Sage Art—"
However, at this moment, he was not fighting Jiraiya alone.
Fukasaku and Shima, the two Sage Mode toads standing on his shoulders, immediately formed hand signs.
But before they could cast their Ninjutsu, Jiraiya's airborne body was heavily kicked, and he slid across the ground, leaving a deep furrow.
"Chakra Enhanced Strength."
Taking advantage of the brief opening in the opponent's attack, Tsunade's Yin Seal on her forehead had already been released. The Byakugou no Jutsu seal marks, which had only recently been completed, covered her entire body. A massive burst of Chakra, combined with the ultra-fine Chakra control of Chakra Enhanced Strength, slammed towards Madara Uchiha's abdomen.
But though he was in the air, his movements were incredibly agile.
With just a single hand supporting and a spin, his tall body had already flipped half a circle with childlike agility, leaping directly over Tsunade and striking at the venomous snakes lunging from behind her.
"Wind Release: Violent Wind Palm!"
It was merely a basic C-rank Ninjutsu, yet in his hands, this attack achieved a level of simplicity and power. With a large infusion of Chakra, the violent wind immediately blew the countless venomous snakes attacking from mid-air into a dense, swirling mess. Even Orochimaru's serpent-like figure, coiling and lunging from behind, couldn't help but pause, his hands tightly clasped in front of his chest, barely resisting.
But at this moment, the toad on Jiraiya's shoulder had completed its hand signs and suddenly opened its mouth towards the man.
"Toad Song!"
A rare Sage Art Genjutsu that used sound as its medium, it forcibly froze the opponent's figure for an instant.
Unfortunately, it was only for an instant.
Almost at the same time his body was restrained, Madara Uchiha's hands had completed their hand signs.
"What's that sound?"
Several observant Konoha Ninja had already felt a faint tremor beneath their feet and instinctively looked down.
The next moment, countless thick branches continuously grew out from underground with incredible speed, spreading rapidly in all directions from the man himself as the center, like ropes, attacking every human figure they could sense in the vicinity.
In just a brief moment, countless individuals were pierced or entangled by branches that suddenly burst from the ground. A massive forest covered the entire area occupied by the Konoha Ninja forces in a matter of seconds.
"This is…"
Seeing this familiar scene, Tsunade's Chakra, condensed in her fist, couldn't help but pause. She stared in astonishment at the figure before her.
She was not the only one feeling bewildered.
In Konoha's fortieth year, there were still quite a few Ninja who had witnessed Shodai-sama's power.
At this moment, seeing this instant tree-planting scene, everyone was stunned.
"Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees."
Madara Uchiha's voice was hoarse and deep.
In that brief moment, he had already broken free from the Sage Art Genjutsu that the two Sage Mode toads had fully unleashed.
His crimson gaze swept over everyone present, his tone calm:
"Indeed."
"Compared to that guy, you are still far too weak."
Listening to his flat voice, Tsunade couldn't help but become enraged. Veins bulged on her forehead, and she resembled a furious lion, rushing recklessly towards the man and unleashing a heavy punch:
"You bastard!"
With a crash, the shattered earth scattered, creating a reverse waterfall on the ground.
Tsunade's eyes were bloodshot, and she glared ferociously at the man opposite her.
Her grandfather, who had protected Konoha his entire life, had his Ninjutsu used against the people of Konoha after his death.
For Tsunade, who cherished her family, this was something she absolutely could not accept.
It wasn't just Tsunade.
Everyone realized the gravity of the situation when they saw this Wood Release attack.
If this guy in front of them was truly like Shodai-sama of old, wouldn't Konoha truly be doomed?
The moment this realization struck, a figure immediately lunged from the crowd.
The blade in his hand gleamed sharply.
Madara Uchiha narrowed his eyes. With the Sharingan's superior dynamic vision, he instantly saw through all of the opponent's movements.
Upward slash, horizontal cut, low sweep.
He merely shifted his feet slightly, easily evading the opponent's blade.
Then, he swung a flying kick horizontally, sending Sakumo tumbling to the side.
Immediately after, Jiraiya seized the opportunity, forming hand signs simultaneously.
The toad Sages on both of his shoulders puffed out their cheeks.
Suddenly, a violent column of wind and fire oil shot forth, scorching a fiery path tens of meters long in front of them.
"Sage Art: Goemon!"
"Boom—"
The explosive flames engulfed everything in front of them, even charring the soil black, carrying a huge impact and storm that spread out.
This single attack alone would have severely impacted even a Tailed Beast if it took it head-on.
Everyone silently watched the scene before them.
Unfortunately.
After the smoke cleared, the charred wooden wall blocking the man, though on the verge of collapse, remained incredibly sturdy.
Only a few fragments had fallen, revealing the unharmed figure within.
"How could this be?"
Jiraiya stared in shock at the scene before him.
"Crack, crack…"
As Madara Uchiha walked, the Wood Release barrier in front of him slowly shattered, revealing his figure.
"Is this all you've got?"
His voice remained hoarse and slow, his gaze calmly sweeping over everyone present: "Then it's this old man's turn."
The instant those words fell.
He suddenly accelerated, his figure almost turning into an uncatchable afterimage in everyone's vision, heading straight for Orochimaru on the side.
This one should be the weakest.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
The storm spewing from his mouth continuously blew towards Madara Uchiha, even uprooting trees and the deep roots of the earth, forming a tearing wave that covered tens of meters in front of them.
However, Madara Uchiha's figure merely flickered and vanished from his sight.
Orochimaru's golden snake eyes couldn't help but freeze.
How could this be?
Before the thought could even fully form in his mind, a whistling fist slammed down from his side.
"Bang—"
The heavy punch struck his pale face, and the immense, irresistible force stretched his entire face and neck like noodles. His entire cheek seemed to sink into his bones, emitting a cracking sound.
Hand chop, knee strike.
The continuous assault seemed even more violent than the storm from the previous second.
Orochimaru's body was as soft as noodles before him.
However, this unusual sensation caused Madara Uchiha to frown slightly.
It shouldn't feel like this.
Almost at the instant this thought arose, the softened body suddenly coiled around his body like a snake, binding his hands.
"Well done!"
Jiraiya's speed, enhanced by Sage Mode, barely allowed him to keep up with the opponent's movements.
The moment the snake body coiled around Madara Uchiha, he had already descended from mid-air.
"Sage Art: Toad Oil Bullet!"
The highly heated oil and fire mixture, upon being spewed out, instantly transformed into an explosive fireball with a diameter of several meters, lunging towards the opponent's figure, clearly intending to engulf both of them within it.
However, Orochimaru's softened body was still too fragile before this body enhanced by White Zetsu armor.
With just a momentary burst of force, the softened body was completely shattered under an indescribably absolute violence.
Even with the fireball's extremely high Fire Release properties, Madara Uchiha seemed to ignore it. He charged directly into the center of the flames, suddenly lunging towards Jiraiya behind him.
Realizing something was wrong, Jiraiya changed his hand signs.
"Sage Art: Needle Jizo!"
The next moment, his long silver hair immediately surrounded his body, each strand standing on end with the enhancement of Sage Mode Chakra, resembling a cactus.
However, Uchiha Madara's descending foot did not hesitate in the slightest; its extraordinary force immediately kicked Jiraiya, along with his long hair, flying, producing a muffled thud.
But in that fleeting moment, Tsunade's figure had already appeared before him, crashing down from above.
"Heavenly Foot!"
This kick, imbued with both inertia and Chakra explosive power, slammed into his shoulder. The Ninja closer by felt as if something had exploded violently in front of them, the scorching wind even stinging their faces.
However, Tsunade, who was closest, realized something was wrong the instant she struck.
From her angle, the opponent had actually raised his arm at the very moment of impact, enduring the kick as he was slammed into the ground, causing the bedrock to crack into concentric craters, with gravel constantly splattering in all directions, making a crackling sound.
"Hmph."
"Only that one was not bad."
A hoarse voice of praise came from beneath the mask.
As soon as the voice fell, he suddenly gripped her ankle, flinging Tsunade away.
However, this perfectly coordinated fierce battle finally allowed Namikaze Minato, who had been waiting for an opportunity since earlier, to find his chance.
Almost the instant Tsunade was flung away, the Flying Thunder God Mark previously imprinted on the ground flickered, and the young man's figure abruptly appeared before Uchiha Madara.
At the same time, the Jutsu he had been preparing for a long time was still in his hand.
"Space-Time: Rasengan!"
A highly condensed Chakra sphere, a mixture of azure and a hint of gold, seized the brief moment Uchiha Madara raised his hand, exposing his chest and abdomen, and swung violently towards his face, vowing to crush his entire head.
Uchiha Madara, who had been playing with them like children until now, finally felt a slight sense of threat at this moment. His crimson eyes suddenly looked at his arm, and his head immediately tilted.
"Boom—!"
A violent, space-distorting ripple grazed his head, exploding behind the two into a spreading wave that seemed to erase the entire space.
The sweeping spatial ripple, carrying tiny fragments, broke through everything in its path, extending forward for more than ten meters.
At this moment, the tall man, who had not suffered a single scratch throughout the battle, finally had most of his mask shattered, revealing an ancient, wrinkled face.
Those crimson eyes glowed brightly.
The moment Namikaze Minato saw this face, he couldn't help but be stunned.
The next moment, his neck was already firmly gripped by a large hand.
Uchiha Madara looked at the young face, but couldn't help but grin with an excited, bloodthirsty smile:
"Do you also want to dance?"
Before his words could even fall, a single blow that tore open a vacuum for dozens of meters had already sent him flying into the sky, even Namikaze Minato in his hand was thrown aside.
"Ha, ha."
Orochimaru, having escaped through the Orochi-style Substitution Jutsu and switched to a new body, was panting heavily, his eyes fixed on that face.
His voice was also hoarse, but with a hint of disbelief:
"You are..."
"Uchiha Madara?!"
Almost the instant that name fell, the entire Konoha Ninja army fell silent, all looking in unison at that tall figure.
Jiraiya and Tsunade were even more stunned.
Even Namikaze Minato, having narrowly escaped death, ignored the pain in his neck and struggled to stand up.
There was no other reason.
That name was simply too intimidating.
In the post-Second Shinobi World War era, most of the Ninja who had personally experienced that legendary time were still alive. Through their oral accounts, various unbelievable, mythical scenes that the new generation found hard to believe still existed in their memories.
Whether it was Senju and Uchiha conquering the entire Land of Fire to establish Konoha, or the Battle of the Valley of the End that marked the end of the mythical era.
Various deeds, even to describe them as 'famous', seemed somewhat insufficient.
Tsunade's eyes were wide open, staring blankly at that person.
After the Battle of the Valley of the End, her grandfather had quickly followed Uchiha Madara into death, due to the heartache of having killed his best friend with his own hands, and from over-expending his Chakra.
However, this best friend, whom he had used all his strength to kill, was now still alive in the world?
Involuntarily, a strong sense of absurdity rose in Tsunade's heart.
"How could you..."
Only Uchiha Madara himself showed no reaction to his identity being exposed, casually dusting himself off as if nothing had happened, looking at the group of people before him, his tone calm:
"It's been a long time since I went for a walk. It seems I accidentally played a bit too much."
"If that's the case."
He looked at the Konoha Ninja before him, and the three tomoe in his eyes suddenly sped up their rotation, the black tomoe merging into one continuous blur.
A colossal, cerulean Chakra, like a giant, continuously poured forth with the infusion of his visual prowess, and the body of Susanoo, appearing out of nowhere, began to form around him. A giant several meters tall stood beside him, from bones to muscles, and then to the outer armor and sword...
The surrounding Advent of a World of Flowering Trees continued to engulf the bodies of the Konoha Ninja.
The Susanoo standing before them cut off all paths of breakthrough for everyone.
Though only one person, he managed to exude a terrifying aura that seemed to envelop all of them.
Uchiha Madara's aged face turned, looking at Namikaze Minato, who had struck him earlier, and said coldly:
"Let's start with you."
At that instant, everyone immediately realized something was wrong.
Uchiha Madara's figure, accompanied by the massive Susanoo, suddenly charged towards Namikaze Minato with an extreme speed utterly contrary to his age and size.
Jiraiya immediately sensed his killing intent, his body moving at top speed to block in front of Minato, while simultaneously slamming his hands on the ground.
"Sage Art: Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
The abruptly rising earth wall, fortified by Sage Mode Chakra, was several meters thick, and its surface was so dense that even ordinary Lightning Release struggled to break through it.
However, such a sturdy defense shattered with ease under a single swing of the third-stage Susanoo's sword.
The gigantic body violently collided with Jiraiya's fragile form, sending him flying sideways.
Behind him, Namikaze Minato, who had been blocked, showed no fear of this imposing presence. He suddenly gathered another Rasengan in his hand and pushed it directly towards the Susanoo.
However...
"Bang!"
The Rasengan, wrapped in subtle spatial Chakra, only distorted the outermost armor of the Susanoo and crushed the muscle in the middle section, carving out a hollow in front, but then it could not advance any further. He slammed directly into the massive body.
A momentary blankness flashed in Namikaze Minato's eyes.
Uchiha Madara, however, remained calm.
The so-called Third Power is indeed such an unstoppable force.
As the thought flickered, the giant sword in his hand swung down without hesitation towards the young Konoha Ninja, making a piercing sound as it cut through the air.
"Minato!"
Everyone present instinctively cried out.
The next moment.
"Rumble—!"
Like an attack rushing from an infinite distance at supersonic speed, yet still carrying a monstrous wave of air, it flashed past everyone's eyes with an unstoppable momentum, tearing open a vacuum tunnel that stretched for countless kilometers.
Even the massive Susanoo seemed to be pushed by an unimaginable force at that instant. Uchiha Madara, enveloped within it, couldn't help but show a look of surprise, instinctively turning his head to look at the figure behind him.
And so, he met the young man's azure eyes.
His sword deviated, his body distorted, and with an extremely violent roar, he plunged entirely into the center of the giant dense forest he had created.
Large clouds of dust rose.
Namikaze Minato, who had nearly been cut in two, appeared at another Flying Thunder God teleportation point, but his gaze turned blankly, following the gully for hundreds of meters.
Almost the instant that sound rang out, he understood what had happened.
And so, he happily turned his head back to the other side.
"Thump."
Sawara Kiri landed on the ground, his eyes slightly narrowed as he looked at Uchiha Madara, who had plunged headfirst into the trees like a falling onion, his voice carrying an extremely cold smile:
"Honestly."
"I thought some bug suddenly burrowed out of the ground and made me step on it."
"You startled me."
"Turns out it's just an old geezer."
join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for advance chapters | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter | Report issues @discord.com/GVBdncd9Wr