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The large hand that shot out from behind Konan, grasping Obito's wrist mid-stab, belonged to Jiraiya—returned to the battlefield after releasing his reverse summoning.
As for Tsunade, she had already been retrieved by the venerable sage Katsuyu of Shikkotsu Forest.
Obito's face darkened. A black rod slid from his other sleeve into his hand, and he lunged, stabbing toward Jiraiya's shoulder.
CLANG!
Jiraiya snapped the rod. He dropped low, his wooden sandal driving into Obito's chest. In the same motion, his hand gripping Obito's wrist loosened and clenched again. By the time Obito was kicked away, the sword had been wrenched from his grasp.
Whoosh!
Obito stopped in the distance, his glare cold and furious. "Jiraiya! What is the meaning of this?! Are you openly violating your promise?!"
"I promised not to interfere with you. I never promised I wouldn't save my student."
Jiraiya's gaze lowered to Obito's chest… to the face of Hashirama grafted there, and the Rinnegan on its forehead, not yet fully closed. It all clicked into place. He understood how Obito had survived.
"I see. So that was your plan, Madara. You chose to transplant your other Rinnegan into an artificial Hashirama body. It wasn't a Sharingan that cast Izanagi… it was a Rinnegan."
"…"
Obito's expression was supremely dark, yet beneath the gloom was a wave of immense relief.
Time rewound for a moment.
After capturing Tsunade, Obito had accepted Shikaku Nara's terms for negotiation. Within the control genjutsu he cast on Shikaku, he had also implanted a request for tactical analysis.
He had asked Shikaku where he could still improve.
Shikaku's response: "Where is your other Rinnegan?"
"I hid it. Why?"
"Black Zetsu has already betrayed you. Among so many White Zetsu, who can guarantee every single one still obeys you?"
"White Zetsu are products of the Gedo Statue. With the statue under my control, they naturally obey my command."
"One must always be prepared. In my opinion, if you cannot control that eye, rather than leave a hidden vulnerability, it would be better to… use it another way. Your Hashirama cells work throughout your body, but the transplanted areas have the highest purity, correct?"
"Correct."
"Then transplant the other Rinnegan together with your Hashirama cells. Not only does it reduce the risk of being exploited, but in a critical moment, you can sacrifice it to save your own life. It's still Izanagi, but a Rinnegan's version is naturally superior…"
Back to the present.
Squelch…
The Rinnegan on Obito's chest closed completely.
Frustration warred with genuine gratitude. It seems listening to Shikaku Nara's advice was a truly wise move.
Obito raised his eyes, his gaze locking onto Jiraiya. "So, this was your carefully laid trap to kill me? A fine lesson you've taught me… Jiraiya. Truly worthy of the legendary Sannin. And you, Konan. An original founder of the Akatsuki, after all. I admit… I underestimated you both."
Gurgle… gurgle…
Dozens of White Zetsu cannon fodder emerged from the sea behind Obito, launching a suicidal charge at Jiraiya.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
Wielding the ninja sword he'd seized, Jiraiya carved through the White Zetsu with contemptuous ease.
Whoosh!
Seizing the moment, Obito's right eye generated a swirling vortex that pulled him into its void.
"Consider this round your victory. But the one who laughs last is the true winner!"
"Don't you dare…!"
Konan, unwilling to give up, raised her hand to stop him.
Jiraiya caught her wrist. "Konan, this is as far as we can go. What comes next… we leave to our 'ally.'"
They could only watch as Obito vanished into the vortex.
"…Hah. I'm still not strong enough. I couldn't stop him." Konan sighed, exhaustion hitting her all at once as she slumped forward.
Jiraiya gently caught her, his voice warm. "It's alright. You did excellently. I'm proud of my student."
Konan leaned against him and fell into a deep sleep.
On the sea's surface, the corpses of White Zetsu floated.
I was once buried in this very sea, Jiraiya thought, his gaze lifting to the horizon. But now, it is my starting point. Where will I go from here?
"Naruto… where will you go?"
…
The ruins of Konoha.
The Tenth Battle was entering its finale.
Madara's Perfect Susanoo had ascended to the stratosphere. He was confident that at this altitude, not even Sasuke's Susanoo-amplified Amaterasu could reach him. From here, he would unleash a cataclysmic wave of natural energy with a single slash of his blade, annihilating Sasuke and half the Land of Fire along with him.
But on the ground below…
On the back of Sasuke's Susanoo: Aberrant Form, the Gedo Skeleton, ten tail-like vertebrae stood erect. They absorbed natural energy, igniting into towering plumes of purple flame.
The Gedo Statue could perform techniques. The Gedo Skeleton that Sasuke manifested through his Susanoo could do the same. Moreover, this technique was a fusion of the Gedo Statue's 'Thunder Style' and Sasuke's own Magnet Release.
Those ten plumes of purple fire were the result of the Gedo Skeleton absorbing and converting natural energy.
Crackle! Pop!
Infused with Sasuke's Magnet Release, the flames sharpened into silver magnetic spheres, crackling violently as they resonated with one another. Simultaneously, the magnetic field generated by their resonance blanketed the vast ruins of Konoha.
Through his Rinnegan, Madara could see the field. He saw it as a lattice of countless semi-transparent, silver-white 'lines' crisscrossing the land outside the village, forming a 'birdcage.'
He hesitated. "That's… a magnetic field? Hmph. What can a magnetic field possibly do?"
SWISH! SWISH!
At that moment, the Gedo Skeleton's massive arms rose. Two great swords of chakra blazed into existence and began slashing madly, cutting through the magnetic lines that saturated the space around it.
On the Island of the Azure Moon.
Suigetsu gaped. "Is that some kind of ritual dance? Sasuke's finally lost it!"
"No… you don't understand," Orochimaru said, his eyes gleaming with understanding. To cut magnetic lines… and generate immense electricity. Of course! Sasuke-kun, what a world-shattering concept! He's perfectly integrated the powers of the Outer Path, the Uchiha, his Magnet Release, and the very nature of a thunderstorm… To create such an earth-shaking jutsu. Magnificent!
BOOM! BOOM! RUMBLE!
As the Gedo Skeleton danced its wild ballet of blades, the high-frequency slashing of magnetic lines created a chaotic storm. The thunder that erupted shook heaven and earth.
Madara's pupils trembled. "That dance… is beautiful…!"
Golden lightning accumulated frantically on the ground, coalescing into a majestic, coiling dragon of immense scale.
Orochimaru smiled. "Indeed. Kirin is child's play in comparison."
"ROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGH!"
The instant the dragon unleashed its roar—a pillar of sound connecting sky and earth—Madara's very soul shuddered.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! THAT POWER! I FULLY ACKNOWLEDGE YOU, SASUKE! IN THIS WORLD, ONLY YOU ARE WORTHY OF BEING MY OPPONENT!"
WHOOSH!
The moment the dragon surged skyward, Madara swung his blade, unleashing a cataclysmic tide of natural energy from the heavens.
Sage Art: Ripplewind Sacrifice—Tyrant of the Seas!
Takemikazuchi Art: Magneto-Myriad—Heaven's Roar!
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