The next second, the space around them rippled faintly.
Senju Tobirama instantly teleported over using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"Got you!"
The Sword of the Thunder God clenched in Tobirama's hand burst with blinding lightning. The blade was wrapped in fierce Lightning Release chakra as it hummed through the air.
"Flying Thunder God Slash!!", Tobirama roared.
Pouring all his strength into the strike, he swung the lightning-covered longsword viciously toward Mu's neck.
Pshhk!
The sharp blade sliced through without the slightest resistance.
Mu's head was severed cleanly in a single strike. The kill was executed at unbelievable speed, practically light-speed suppression.
"Hahaha! Tobirama, that coordination was flawless! I knew planting the Flying Thunder God formula on the war fan beforehand would create the perfect surprise kill!"
Uchiha Madara burst into loud laughter, his gaze toward Tobirama filled with unconcealed praise.
But Tobirama's brows suddenly tightened. His sharp eyes locked onto the front as he spoke in a grave tone, "Something's wrong, Madara. Look!"
The two focused their eyes ahead at the same time, only to see that the "Mu" who had been split in two hadn't shed even a drop of blood.
Instead, his body instantly crumbled into loose dirt and slowly scattered away with the wind, leaving behind no trace at all.
"Hm? An Earth Clone? Why couldn't my Sharingan see through the flaw beforehand?"
The smile on Madara's face instantly vanished. His brows furrowed deeply as the Sharingan in his eyes spun rapidly, the three tomoe revolving continuously, filled with confusion and shock.
At the same time, in a hidden corner of the battlefield.
Mu clutched his chest and breathed heavily, cold sweat covering his forehead. The scene from moments ago still left lingering fear in his heart.
"As expected of the strongest figures at the peak of the ninja world. Their attacks leave no openings at all."
"Thankfully, I prepared a backup plan in advance and used Sage Art, Earth Clone. Otherwise, I would've been instantly killed the moment we met."
At that moment, Black Zetsu's voice rang out, "Mu! You absolutely cannot underestimate them any longer!"
"Use every trump card you have immediately and fight with everything you've got. If you hesitate again, you may not even get the chance to unleash your final move!", Black Zetsu's tone was full of urgency.
Mu's heart trembled. He understood perfectly well how dangerous the situation had become. He immediately steadied his mind and spoke in a deep voice, "Sage Black Zetsu, I'm counting on you. Please lend me your power!"
Black Zetsu silently nodded.
"Fine."
———
"Found you!"
At the same moment, before the words had even finished, Tobirama's powerful sensory ability had already locked onto Mu's position in an instant.
Madara's figure exploded forward as he launched his attack without hesitation.
"Fire Release, Majestic Destroyer Flame!!!"
Madara shouted furiously. A vast sea of flames erupted like an ocean, instantly swallowing Mu's location whole.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!
The roar of burning fire shook the battlefield endlessly.
Suddenly, a pitch-black figure burst out from within the inferno.
It was Mu.
"Th-That's... what is that? This chakra feels several times colder and darker than even Uchiha chakra!"
Shock appeared in Madara's eyes as he stared fixedly at Mu.
"This guy... is he even still human?"
Tobirama's expression was equally horrified as he looked toward the figure suspended in midair.
Black aura coiled around Mu's body. His pupils had turned completely pitch-black, even the bandages wrapped around him carried a faint ink-like hue.
Several eerie crows circled around him, and the atmosphere around his body had become unbelievably sinister.
"Weird" wasn't enough to describe it anymore.
It was as though some evil god had corrupted him.
"This is... Sage chakra, just like my brother's!?"
Tobirama sharply sensed that the power on Mu's body resembled Senju Hashirama's Sage Mode.
"Oh? Power like Hashirama's?"
A sharp gleam flashed through Madara's eyes.
Floating in the air, Mu looked coldly down at the two below.
At this moment, Mu himself possessed the Yata Sage Art left behind after ten thousand repetitions, while Black Zetsu also possessed the Sage Art of Mount Myoboku.
On top of that, Black Zetsu had attached himself to Mu's body and linked with him.
In other words, at this moment, Mu simultaneously possessed both Yata Sage Art and Mount Myoboku Sage Art.
"Hmph. Then let me test it!"
Madara snorted coldly. Chakra violently surged around him as his body shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, directly attacking Mu head-on.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Sharp sounds of air tearing exploded continuously. Madara's offensive was incomparably fierce, every strike carrying overwhelming destructive force.
The wind pressure from his war fan targeted Mu's vital points relentlessly, every move aimed to kill.
At the same time, Tobirama instantly joined the battle without hesitation, forming a pincer attack together with Madara from front and back.
The two peak experts of the ninja world joined forces. Their perfected taijutsu flowed seamlessly together, instantly suppressing Mu completely and forcing him steadily backward.
Mu could only retreat at high speed while barely raising his hands to defend against their relentless assault.
"Mu, switch forms immediately! Use Yata Sage Art for long-range suppression, and Mount Myoboku Sage Art for close combat!"
Black Zetsu watched the battle closely and immediately shouted the reminder.
Mu didn't dare delay even slightly. He instantly switched Sage Art forms, and his pitch-black pupils abruptly transformed.
Golden frog-like patterns filled his eyes as massive Mount Myoboku sage chakra exploded outward.
Pah!
"Sage Art: Frog Kumite!"
A burst of chakra exploded outward.
Mu instantly unleashed Mount Myoboku's Frog Kumite. A heavy punch wrapped in dense sage chakra blasted out and directly forced Tobirama several steps backward.
Immediately afterward, Mu twisted his waist sharply. A sweeping kick tore through the air like an iron whip as it lashed toward Madara's lower body.
Madara's eyes turned cold. He suddenly leapt upward, and while airborne, his war fan descended with crushing force straight toward Mu's head.
At that exact split second...
Using the Flying Thunder God mark left on the war fan earlier, Tobirama instantly teleported directly in front of Mu, moving so fast only an afterimage remained.
Whoosh!
The Sword of the Thunder God flashed with icy light. The razor-sharp tip pierced forward with lethal killing intent straight toward Mu's face.
"Sage Art: Crow Clone!"
At the critical moment, Mu instantly switched Sage Art forms again. As his low shout rang out, his body exploded apart into countless black crows, narrowly avoiding the deadly surprise attack.
Immediately afterward, Mu condensed power in midair.
His palms slammed together. Dust Release was complete.
"Sage Art, Pillar Dust Release: Primitive World Severing Technique!"
Mu clapped his hands together.
A pitch-black beam of Dust Release instantly blasted downward toward Uchiha Madara and Senju Tobirama.
Everywhere the black beam passed, everything touched by the black light was reduced down to molecules.
Combined with the fusion of Sage Art and Dust Release... This Dust Release had effectively become a guaranteed hit attack.
And furthermore, Sage Art eliminated Dust Release's startup delay completely, allowing him to cast Dust Release instantly with zero windup.