"You..."
The Fourth Raikage was held by the neck, and although he was under the effects of Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation, rendering him immune to suffocation, the sheer humiliation made his hatred surge to its peak. He knew Kitagawa Minamoto was strong.
"But how could he be this strong? Why can't my body recover? What happened after I died?!"
To Akatsuki, he was nothing more than a "pawn," and no one bothered to explain the intricacies of Yin-Yang Release to him. Even if they had, it wouldn't have mattered. After all, even Akatsuki members believed that Kitagawa Minamoto and the Fourth Raikage weren't even on the same level.
"Die!"
Just as Kitagawa Minamoto tightened his grip on the Fourth Raikage's neck, a thunderous roar erupted from the Third Raikage.
Buzz—
Surrounded by lightning, he seemed to traverse space itself, his fingers poised to strike directly at Kitagawa Minamoto.
"Hell Stab, huh? I think I know this technique too."
Kitagawa Minamoto glanced at the incoming Third Raikage, chuckling lightly. He tightened his grip on the Fourth Raikage's neck, his chakra surging before he spoke calmly.
"You've heard about how I destroyed Kumogakure, haven't you? If you know, why haven't you learned your lesson?"
"You..."
The Fourth Raikage was unable to speak, his strength suppressed as he realized he couldn't gather even a trace of chakra. Despite being under Impure World Reincarnation, he found himself completely powerless, his expression darkening further.
Kitagawa Minamoto paid him no mind. As the Third Raikage closed in, a massive "Wood Dragon" suddenly erupted from the ground with a deafening roar.
"What?!"
The Third Raikage's expression froze at the sight of the Wood Dragon, but it was too late to stop his attack. He could only thrust his fingers forward, aiming to pierce through the Wood Dragon. However, the Wood Dragon's abilities were far from ordinary—not something he could easily overcome.
"I've heard you can take on Tailed Beasts. Let's see if you can handle this Wood Dragon."
Kitagawa Minamoto chuckled softly as the Third Raikage's "Hell Stab" collided with the Wood Dragon.
Boom—
A muffled explosion echoed amidst the raging flames, sending shockwaves and thick smoke billowing into the sky. The surrounding flames danced wildly under the invisible force, their chaotic energy bringing misfortune to the surviving White Zetsu.
Thud—
The Third Raikage crashed heavily to the ground, his right arm shattered. Meanwhile, the Wood Dragon's head cracked but quickly regenerated, leaving the Third Raikage's recovery far behind.
"Hah!"
At that moment, a golden rope shot down from the sky, aiming to entangle Kitagawa Minamoto's body. The rope radiated a unique chakra.
"This is Hagoromo's tool, isn't it? I think it's called the 'Kōkinjō' (Golden Canopy Rope)?"
Kaguya immediately recognized the artifact, her tone filled with mixed emotions.
"I didn't expect to see Hagoromo's belongings here. How pathetic."
"What are you rambling about?"
Kitagawa Minamoto couldn't help but roll his eyes, watching the "Kōkinjō" approach.
"Don't tell me you think this is another 'Sage of Six Paths conspiracy'?"
Kitagawa Minamoto sighed inwardly, feeling exasperated. He considered that perhaps the Sage of Six Paths should be called the "Pot Sage," given his penchant for attracting blame.
As for the Six Paths tools, Kitagawa Minamoto had always been curious about them. He had even contemplated digging them up at some point. Unfortunately, he didn't know where the corpses of Ginkaku and Kinkaku were buried, nor had he triggered any related quests. This left him with a sense of regret.
Still, considering how he had obtained Uchiha artifacts in such a lackadaisical manner, he suspected these tools might also be acquired casually over time. Now, however, they held little value to him.
"I don't need the chakra tied to the Sage of Six Paths anymore."
Kitagawa Minamoto glanced at the approaching "Kōkinjō," then casually tossed the Fourth Raikage aside as if discarding trash. Leaping into the air, he evaded the rope effortlessly.
"Die!"
Suddenly, a surge of immense chakra erupted above him, followed by countless bolts of lightning cascading toward him. This was clearly the power of the "Bashōsen" (Banana Palm Fan), and accompanying the lightning was Ginkaku, who wielded the "Shichiseiken" (Seven Star Sword) and had circled behind Kitagawa Minamoto for a pincer attack.
"Interesting..."
Kitagawa Minamoto observed the scene, nodding slightly before chuckling.
"But that's all it is."
In an instant, the ground trembled, and a colossal "Wood Golem" burst forth from the earth! The Wood Golem roared ferociously, positioning itself behind Kitagawa Minamoto, while he swung his Yin-Yang Release-infused short blade to meet the "Shichiseiken."
"You're courting death!"
Ginkaku, unaware of the danger, gritted his teeth and accelerated toward Kitagawa Minamoto. But the next moment, he sensed something was wrong. When his "Shichiseiken" collided with the black short blade, he was shocked to see cracks forming on his weapon!
"How is this possible?!"
The Six Paths tools were extraordinary artifacts, and Ginkaku had never faced a disadvantage while wielding the "Shichiseiken." Yet now, the sword was cracking under the force of Kitagawa Minamoto's blade, the damage spreading rapidly. His face was filled with disbelief.
"A good weapon is only as good as its wielder."
Kitagawa Minamoto's calm voice echoed, his strength intensifying.
"You're not the true owner of this weapon. So, with just a little effort, it becomes worthless."
Snap—
With added force, Kitagawa Minamoto shattered the "Shichiseiken," his hand now crackling with purple lightning streaked with black.
"Damn..."
Ginkaku, though stunned, retreated swiftly. But the lightning struck him squarely, blasting a hole through his chest.
Roar—
The Wood Golem let out a deafening roar, turning to deliver a powerful punch to Kinkaku.
Boom—
Another ear-splitting explosion reverberated, sending shockwaves across the battlefield. Kinkaku was sent flying, his body colliding heavily with the recovering Third Raikage. The impact left the ground fractured, while the two struggled to recover from the sudden assault.
"This... this guy..."
The former leaders of Kumogakure were visibly shaken. They knew their own speed well, yet they couldn't even touch Kitagawa Minamoto. This realization was hard to accept. If it had been due to Flying Thunder God, they might have understood. But Kitagawa Minamoto hadn't even used that technique!
"If you want to play, let's play bigger."
Kitagawa Minamoto ignored their reactions, his gaze sweeping over the four of them before turning to the White Zetsu army advancing through the flames. Nodding casually, he declared:
"Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence."
With a surge of chakra, countless vines and roots erupted from the ground! The flames ignited the vines, but they continued to intertwine and spread relentlessly.
"Damn it, dodge!"
The Third Raikage shouted, using his hand to cut down the approaching vines. The others followed suit, but no matter how they fought back, more vines kept coming. Meanwhile, the flaming vines rushed toward the White Zetsu army, as the Wood Dragon and Wood Golem wreaked havoc among them.
The battlefield was engulfed in chaos, with flames and vines intertwining, and the towering Wood Dragon and roaring Wood Golem dominating the scene. Kitagawa Minamoto stood atop a burning tree, arms crossed as he surveyed the carnage below. It seemed as though he wasn't the one surrounded—instead, it was the thousands of White Zetsu.
The symphony of screams and roars filled the air, flames and trees consumed the battlefield, and the ground trembled violently. The sky turned a deep red from the raging inferno.
"What kind of battle is this?"
The Allied Shinobi Forces watched in stunned silence, unable to comprehend the scene before them. They had never witnessed such a terrifying battlefield, one that defied all imagination. Even with thousands of enemies, Kitagawa Minamoto seemed unfazed, making their numbers feel utterly irrelevant.
"Is this what the First Hokage was like?"
"Wood Release... this is the power of Wood Release?"
"Fire Release and Wood Release... is this the essence of Konohagakure?"
"Unbelievable... with the Fifth Hokage leading us, the very nature of warfare might change."
The ninjas couldn't stop murmuring to themselves, overwhelmed by the surreal spectacle. They began to understand the legends surrounding Wood Release, realizing that the tales of the First Hokage were true. This kind of power could indeed bring peace to a war-torn world.
"Terrifying..."
Even Jiraiya and Tsunade felt their scalps tingling. They had witnessed similar battles before, but seeing Kitagawa Minamoto in action was an entirely different experience.
"But why does Minamoto make this scene look like hell itself?"
Jiraiya finally whispered, his voice hoarse with awe.
"It truly is terrifying..."
Tsunade nodded, her expression turning peculiar as she continued.
"But Minamoto seems to be toying with them. Does he hate Kumogakure that much?"
"Who knows what goes on in his mind."
Jiraiya wasn't certain either, but reflecting on it, Kitagawa Minamoto did seem particularly hostile toward Kumogakure. Besides the Akatsuki members, he had been most ruthless with the Raikage, though the Kazekage hadn't fared much better. But compared to the fate of the Raikage and Kumogakure, the Kazekage and Sunagakure were in a far better position.
"Perhaps he dislikes dark-skinned people as much as he dislikes toads?"
"So you're aware of how annoying you are?"
"?"
"Enough chatter. This battle is nearly over. We should consider how to divide our forces to reinforce other areas."
"I suppose you're right."
Jiraiya pursed his lips, no longer dwelling on Tsunade's words. The battle here seemed to be concluding. Kitagawa Minamoto had gained complete advantage, and even though his opponents were reincarnated through Impure World Reincarnation, it made no difference to him. Jiraiya knew that Yin-Yang Release was highly effective against such techniques.
The battle wasn't over yet, mainly because Kitagawa Minamoto was still clearing out the White Zetsu, but it seemed to be nearing its end.
Boom—
As Jiraiya contemplated this, another massive explosion shook the distant ground. Four figures were instantly sent flying, and the flames were whipped into irregular waves by the gusting winds, creating a suffocating spectacle.
Kitagawa Minamoto remained standing atop the tree canopy, arms crossed, his expression unreadable as he gazed down at the four figures below.
"Damn it, how did he suddenly become so powerful?"
The Fourth Raikage's face was contorted with anguish. He couldn't understand what was happening. Not just him—the other three also wore grave expressions. They had anticipated that Kitagawa Minamoto would be strong, but they never imagined he could reach this level!
"This is bad..."
The White Zetsu around them were dwindling. No matter how fearless they were, they stood no chance against Kitagawa Minamoto's onslaught. Many had already retreated underground, disappearing to unknown locations, leaving the four in a precarious situation.
"Looks like we're about done here."
Kitagawa Minamoto had noticed this as well. Nodding slightly, he looked down at the four with an air of superiority.
"The game is over. You didn't even provide enough of a warm-up for me."
"You bastard..."
The Fourth Raikage growled, his expression dark. But looking at his missing left arm and Ginkaku's gaping chest wound, he found himself at a loss for words. The Third Raikage, Kinkaku, and Ginkaku had all fallen silent, seemingly experiencing what it meant to face an "insurmountable mountain."
"Can Konoha also use Impure World Reincarnation? With this kid... has Konoha returned to, or even surpassed, its strength from sixty years ago?"
Regardless of their thoughts, Kitagawa Minamoto stretched lazily before asking with a smile:
"Let me ask you something. Do you know what the Kumogakure ninjas felt when I conquered their village?"
"W-what do you mean?"
The Third Raikage clenched his fists, instinctively responding while a sense of foreboding crept into his heart.
Kitagawa Minamoto ignored him, raising one hand vertically as his chakra surged once more.
Hum—
Under the immense chakra, Kitagawa Minamoto's clothes billowed upward, his hair moved without wind, and the ground began to shake violently. As the tremors intensified, countless flaming vines converged.
In the next moment, the world seemed to fall into silence, the earth shrouded by a layer of fiery dark clouds. Beneath these clouds, the Fourth Raikage and his companions fell silent, their gazes fixed in stunned disbelief at the scene unfolding before them.
In that moment, they began to understand what Kitagawa Minamoto had meant. For rising before them was a colossal Buddha statue with thousands of hands layered behind it, towering into the clouds, its entire body engulfed in flames!
"What is this..."
The Third Raikage murmured, never imagining that his son had provoked such a terrifying opponent.
"Wood Release... even more powerful than Hashirama Senju's?"
Kinkaku and Ginkaku had seen much in their time, but even they were stunned by what stood before them.
"This is beyond our dimension!"
Only the Fourth Raikage remained silent, staring at the rising colossus that resembled both a deity and a demonic asura. After a long moment, he shook his head with a bitter smile.
"You bastard, you want us to experience the despair that my village felt?"
"Well then..."
Kitagawa Minamoto didn't give them much time for reflection, chuckling softly as he casually commanded:
"Gana."
As the word fell, the flaming fists struck with devastating force. In an instant, heaven and earth seemed to collapse—like divine punishment.
"Excellent, that feels about right."
In Konohagakure, Naruto sensed the Nine-Tails within him and smiled with excitement.
Nearby, Kushina had been accompanying Naruto, also monitoring the Nine-Tails' condition within him. After a while, she nodded.
"Yes, it seems fine for now. Your control over the Nine-Tails looks pretty good."
"Hehe, that's because you're amazing, Mom!"
Naruto knew his mother's capabilities well and immediately gave her a thumbs up. It was true—without his mother's help, controlling the Nine-Tails wouldn't have been so easy. Especially since the Nine-Tails within him was now much stronger than before!
"A complete fox, really..."
He knew that only half of the Nine-Tails was sealed within him, with the other half in his father. But he hadn't fully grasped how powerful the complete Nine-Tails was until now. The complete Nine-Tails was far stronger than he had imagined, its vast chakra astonishing him.
Now he understood just how incredible his mother was—containing such a massive Nine-Tails within her without issue, and still being able to help him control it. His mother was truly extraordinary!
"Alright, enough with the flattery."
Kushina rolled her eyes, though she did enjoy her son's praise.
"Even though we've strengthened the seal and you can use its power without problems, remember that the Nine-Tails is no ordinary being. You still need to be careful."
"Yes, yes, yes."
Naruto stood up excitedly, clenching his fists.
"But now we're ready. I can finally go help Dad. I've been waiting for so long!"
He was well aware of the war raging across the shinobi world and had been eager to join the battle. However, he needed to reconfigure his connection with the Nine-Tails first, which had delayed his participation. This had left him frustrated but with no choice.
Now, however, everything was set. He could finally take action!
"Tch, you're really something, getting excited about this."
Kushina watched her son with a mixture of helplessness and irritation. War was no laughing matter—people died! And beyond the Akatsuki bastards, there was Ōtsutsuki Isshiki who wouldn't easily give up on the Tailed Beasts. She worried for her son.
"It's fine, Mom, don't worry."
Naruto grinned at Kushina, speaking softly.
"I'll take care of myself, and we'll end this war quickly so we can enjoy peace!"
"Did Minato teach you to say that?"
"No way..."
"Don't think I don't know you. Your grades were terrible. I really don't know how Minato and I ended up with a child like you."
"..."
Naruto's grin faded. His mother's words stung a bit. But he couldn't refute them—"Naruto's poor academic performance" was something of a running joke.
"If only I had studied harder back then. Damn it!"
Naruto silently lamented, but facing his mother, he could only scratch his head awkwardly before quickly changing the subject.
"By the way, Mom, how's Sasuke doing?"
"I don't know. Lady Tsunade has gone to the front lines. Sasuke is probably being watched by Karin and Sakura."
Kushina wasn't thrilled about her child going to war, but she understood the bigger picture. Even if she was unhappy, she could control her emotions, especially since Naruto was part of the "Special Operations Team." With the First Hokage, Second Hokage, Minato, and other powerful shinobi there, Naruto would be relatively safer.
"Tch, that guy still isn't ready?"
Naruto had no idea what his mother was thinking. Upon hearing about Sasuke's condition, he immediately stood up.
"Alright, though I'd like to go straight to Dad, I should check on him first. I wonder how he's doing."
"Hey, slow down!"
Kushina pursed her lips, feeling that Naruto's impulsiveness was a serious issue. But before she could say more, she noticed Naruto freeze, staring down at his abdomen.
"What's wrong?"
She asked, puzzled. The next moment, she felt the ground trembling slightly.
"What is this?"
"It seems like a major battle is happening far from here, and..."
Naruto murmured, instinctively placing his hand over his stomach.
"The Nine-Tails seems unusually afraid. What's going on..."
"Tch, Konoha is still the same mess."
Within Konohagakure, Madara Uchiha was stealthily approaching the Hyūga clan. The war had been raging for some time, yet he hadn't formally entered the battlefield. His goal was to find the remnants of the Sage of Six Paths' brother.
Honestly, he had never believed the Hyūga clan were descendants of the Sage's brother. They were simply too weak!
But Black Zetsu was so certain, and Madara was willing to trust his judgment.
"After all, it comes from my will!"
Moving swiftly through Konoha, he observed the familiar streets and alleys, the towering Hokage Rock, and the statues of the Hokage carved upon it.
"The first statue could have been mine!"
His gaze shifted to the last figure—the fifth statue. It seemed to be only roughly carved, still needing refinement. But he knew exactly whose likeness it would bear!
"Kitagawa Minamoto..."
Madara couldn't forget being thoroughly beaten by him in Iwagakure, nor how terrifyingly effective Kitagawa Minamoto was with Hashirama's power!
Even he couldn't wield Hashirama's power to that extent.
"More importantly, he can face Ōtsutsuki Isshiki directly and is defined as an 'Evolver'..."
Madara didn't know the exact definition of an "Evolver," but he knew that Ōtsutsuki Isshiki valued Kitagawa Minamoto highly. He had even offered a "suggestion," though it was unlikely to be accepted.
"Held back by others? In some sense, perhaps that's true. But if you're strong enough, what's there to fear about being held back?"
Madara snorted coldly, his gaze turning toward the Hyūga clan compound. Finally, he clenched his fist.
"Besides, as long as there's a method to defeat someone like you, I want to see how the Sage of Six Paths dealt with your kind!"
As he contemplated this, he moved toward the Hyūga compound. Black Zetsu was already waiting for him. Now, he just needed to get what he wanted.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, he sensed something, his gaze immediately turning toward the distance!
"That is..."
Despite the great distance, he could clearly perceive an immense surge of chakra rising from the Land of Hot Water region! Even in Konoha, he could feel the ground trembling slightly.
"Kitagawa Minamoto?"
Madara murmured, and a White Zetsu suddenly appeared beside him.
"Madara-sama, it's Kitagawa Minamoto."
"Hmph, as expected. Only he could unleash such power."
Madara wasn't particularly surprised, considering this to be within Kitagawa Minamoto's normal capabilities.
"I wonder who the unfortunate soul is that encountered him."
"It's the Kumogakure shinobi."
White Zetsu replied with a grin, then squinted his eyes and continued.
"But Madara-sama, we need to hurry, because unless I'm mistaken..."
Whoosh—
Before he could finish, a kunai suddenly flew toward them, followed by a figure materializing in a flash!
Boom—
A deafening explosion accompanied by purple lightning created a crater in the ground. But Madara had already vanished, reappearing on a high platform overlooking the figure below.
"Kid, it's you."
"I wondered who was sneaking around Konoha so suspiciously."
The figure looked up, revealing crimson eyes—it was Sasuke!
But this Sasuke was different. His aura was more powerful, and his Mangekyō Sharingan had changed form. Clearly, he had completed the fusion.
"So it's you, Madara Uchiha."
"Impressive eyes."
Madara was somewhat surprised by Sasuke's transformation, though his surprise was limited.
"I must say you've made some progress, but do you really think this level is enough to face me?"
"We won't know until we try, will we?"
Sasuke's short sword crackled with lightning, indicating he was ready for battle.
"Sigh, looks like I'll have to deal with you first."
Madara shook his head, but soon he began to smile.
"But this works out well, because..."
As he spoke, Madara's expression grew serious, his eyes fixed on Sasuke with intense displeasure.
"Why do you have that face yet choose to learn from that underhanded Tobirama Senju? You truly deserve to die!"
"?"
"Something's happening."
At the border of the Land of Fire, Tobirama Senju spoke gravely.
"Such powerful chakra waves, and they seem somewhat similar to yours, brother."
"It's probably Minamoto taking action."
Hashirama Senju, hearing this, immediately guessed and smiled.
"In that case, we don't need to worry about that area. If he's involved, there won't be any problems."
"Idiot! The key issue is who he's facing!"
Tobirama's expression soured. He felt his brother was being dense—how could he not understand something so simple?
"It could be Madara Uchiha, Obito Uchiha, or even... Ōtsutsuki Isshiki!"
Hashirama remained calm when Madara and Obito were mentioned. He had confidence in Kitagawa Minamoto's abilities. But at the mention of Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, he couldn't maintain his composure. That being was truly terrifying.
"It shouldn't be him."
Hashirama became serious, standing to carefully scan the area.
"I don't sense any more powerful chakra eruptions. He's probably just encountered some trouble. Also..."
"Also? Have you found something else, Lord First?"
Minato Namikaze asked curiously, while Hashirama looked toward Konoha with an odd expression.
"I sense Madara's chakra in Konoha. It's strange..."
"Konoha? Madara?"
Tobirama had been wondering who Kitagawa Minamoto was fighting, but upon hearing this, he snorted coldly.
"That evil Madara Uchiha! I knew he wouldn't behave. No wonder we couldn't find him—he went to Konoha!"
"If that's the case..."
Minato's expression turned serious, though Hashirama maintained his smile.
"We should head back. After all, he's our target."
As he spoke, he placed his hands on Tobirama and Minato's shoulders, his heart secretly excited.
"We'll finally meet, Madara..."
"I've been waiting for this for a long time!"
"Cough, cough, what is this..."
Back in the Land of Hot Water, the Allied Shinobi Forces were in disarray, though they weren't seriously harmed, having only been caught in the aftermath.
But their expressions were frozen, their minds replaying the scenes they had just witnessed: the earth-shattering tremors, the thousand-meter-high Buddha engulfed in flames—it was like a nightmare!
And now, the collapsed earth, the raging fires, the countless corpses, and in many places, not even bodies remained—it was truly hellish.
They felt as if they had witnessed the apocalypse. For the first time, they realized that a ninja's power could reach such heights!
"Well, that worked out nicely."
At the center of the battlefield, Kitagawa Minamoto stood atop the colossal Buddha, nodding with satisfaction as he surveyed the scene.
The Buddha, infused with Yin-Yang Release, had unleashed devastating power. Anyone caught in its path would have suffered greatly.
The White Zetsu in this area had been completely eliminated, and the four reincarnated Kumogakure shinobi had vanished without a trace.
However, he didn't leave. Instead, he gazed playfully into the distance.
"More old acquaintances are coming. This should be interesting, so..."
As Kitagawa Minamoto contemplated this, his system suddenly pinged, and new information appeared before his eyes:
[Completed Sasuke's Exclusive Side Quest 3: The Night Gave Me Black Eyes, But I Made Them Red]
[Reward: Portion of Sasuke's Special Yin Release]
At that moment, several figures silently appeared before him.
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