"Big brother, the situation has gotten even more complicated. Are we still going to wait?"
In the dimensional space, Hamura looked down at the battlefield below, which had once again taken a drastic turn. Unable to hide his concern, he spoke up.
He was aware of some of his elder brother's plans—waiting for the new reincarnations of Indra and Ashura to reach the brink of life and death.
Then, his kind-hearted elder brother would meet them, bestow upon them the power he had preserved, and give them a chance for rebirth. This way, they could learn the truth and work to save everything.
But now...
The entire ninja world had descended into chaos. The Ōtsutsuki "Karma" marks were beginning to thaw, and the Ten-Tails was roaring furiously.
If they didn't act now, when would be the right time?
"Let's wait a little longer. Ashura still needs to reconcile with the Tailed Beasts..."
The Sage of Six Paths spoke with a somewhat numb expression, still seemingly recovering from the previous blow. But his tone remained serious.
"The previous Ashura took a... different path. Now, we can attempt to correct it slightly. Besides, that child Minamoto has no issues."
"..."
Hamura certainly knew that Kitagawa Minamoto had no issues. That guy was, by all accounts, the strongest Ōtsutsuki!
But that was in a one-on-one scenario. Now, there were three Ōtsutsuki preparing to "rise from their graves."
Could Kitagawa Minamoto really handle a one-against-three situation?
"Could it be..."
Suddenly, Hamura had a peculiar thought. He raised his eyebrows and scrutinized his elder brother with suspicion.
"Big brother, are you trying to make the world feel the might of the Ten-Tails and the power of the Ōtsutsuki, so that people will understand the 'good intentions' behind everything you've done?"
As this idea popped into his head, Hamura immediately found it somewhat reasonable!
After all, his elder brother's reputation wasn't exactly stellar right now...
Using this war to make the world "recognize" everything seemed like a good choice.
"Big brother..."
Hamura couldn't help but speak softly, prompting the Sage of Six Paths to look at him with confusion.
"?"
"While the method may be effective and the results promising, isn't it a bit too cold-blooded and cruel?"
"..."
The Sage of Six Paths had no idea what his "good little brother" was thinking again, but he no longer cared.
After all, he had already been labeled "inhuman." Nothing anyone said mattered anymore.
"Perhaps appearing later might change the situation somewhat..."
The Sage of Six Paths pondered internally.
Meanwhile, on another side of the battlefield, Jiraiya had finally managed to contact Mount Myōboku.
Standing on his shoulders were the two Toad Sages, Fukasaku and Shima, both of whom wore heavy expressions.
"The situation has grown incredibly complicated, especially with the arrival of Ōtsutsuki Minamoto. And then there's Obito Uchiha and Nagato..."
"I never expected things to escalate to this point. Nagato... sigh."
Jiraiya's face was filled with sorrow. Though he knew his disciple had gone astray, his feelings were as conflicted as Minato Namikaze's.
"Don't dwell on it too much. Didn't Ōtsutsuki Minamoto say that strong willpower might resist the Ōtsutsuki's erosion?"
Tsunade interjected with a comforting remark, though her expression remained grim.
"Besides, Grandpa and the others are heading toward Ōtsutsuki Minamoto. And Minamoto is going after Obito and the others. Perhaps they have some sort of plan?"
"Whatever their plan is, we need to act. This is the Great Toad Sage's command."
Fukasaku and Shima exchanged glances before speaking in low tones.
"The Great Toad Sage is preparing to come personally. We must be ready."
"The Great Toad Sage is coming personally?"
Jiraiya was taken aback by this revelation, and even Tsunade seemed momentarily stunned.
She had heard of the Great Toad Sage before, but she hadn't expected it to choose to act at this moment.
"Also, we can't let these Impure World Reincarnations go to waste."
Fukasaku glanced at the temporarily aimless Impure World Reincarnations and spoke in a low voice.
"We must make use of them. Not just them—the ninja army can't remain so lost either."
"Agreed."
Shima's gaze fell upon the ferocious ancient beast in the distance, and she sighed softly.
"Even if we can't defeat the Ōtsutsuki, we can at least try to seal the Ten-Tails!"
"Understood."
Jiraiya nodded, and Tsunade sighed as well.
This battle had clearly exceeded all expectations, but it was a fight for their "world."
No matter what, they had to give it their all!
"Hey, how are you holding up?"
While Jiraiya and Tsunade moved into action, Sasuke remained unusually still.
It wasn't that he didn't want to act—Naruto's condition seemed off.
Sasuke frowned. Though he wanted to leave Naruto behind and join the "battle of the century," he couldn't bring himself to do so. Especially since Naruto appeared to be undergoing some sort of "transformation."
"Has the Nine-Tails' Chakra changed?"
After a moment of thought, Sasuke sighed.
"Hurry up already. Don't waste my time."
The battlefield had shifted once again, and at its center, Kitagawa Minamoto, now transformed into Ōtsutsuki, remained calm.
Looking at the four Impure World Reincarnations before him, he shook his head lightly.
"You'd better attack together. Otherwise, you might not get another chance."
Minamoto's words were delivered with a casual tone, but beneath that casualness lay an undeniable arrogance.
This attitude irked Madara Uchiha, though he understood the stakes. After exchanging glances with Hashirama Senju, a strange sense of mutual understanding emerged between them.
Without the need for words, Hashirama moved instantly!
Madara followed closely behind, his Chakra surging wildly.
"Let's go."
Seeing his elder brother and Madara cooperating so seamlessly, Tobirama felt a twinge of irritation. But he suppressed his emotions and spoke to Minato Namikaze.
The next moment, the two darted toward Minamoto from the flanks.
Their speed was astonishing. In the blink of an eye, they had surrounded Minamoto with precise positioning.
"Interesting. But what's the point?"
Minamoto raised an eyebrow. Hashirama struck first, launching a frontal assault. Wood Release Chakra surged through his arms.
At the same moment, Madara leaped into the air, his Susano'o glowing brilliantly.
Buzz—
Meanwhile, two kunai crossed paths beside Minamoto. In the next instant, Tobirama and Minato appeared!
"Flying Thunder God Slash!"
"Sage Art: Rasengan!"
The two attacked simultaneously. At Minamoto's feet, countless vines burst forth from the ground, aiming to entangle him. Madara's Susano'o grew larger, its blade swinging downward.
"Die!"
Their coordinated attack was executed in mere moments, their teamwork impeccable. Against anyone else, even an Ōtsutsuki, this might have been fatal.
But unfortunately...
They were facing Minamoto, who knew them inside and out.
Buzz—
Minamoto chuckled softly, and the four attackers' expressions changed drastically.
"What's happening?!"
Their movements faltered, their senses distorted. The direction of their attacks shifted dramatically, not due to illusion but a genuine rewriting of spatial rules.
Their strikes were now aimed at each other!
"Damn it..."
Hashirama's fist landed on Minato, while Minato's attack struck Madara's Susano'o. Madara's Susano'o slashed at Tobirama, and Tobirama retaliated against his elder brother.
Boom—
With a muffled sound, the four were sent flying. In that moment, they realized what had happened.
"The rules of space... have been rewritten?"
Minato's quick thinking allowed him to grasp the situation before even landing.
"Damn it. He can manipulate space like this?"
Tobirama, a master of space-time ninjutsu, quickly understood as well.
"Hmph!"
Madara, though less informed, refused to let any opportunity slip by. Even as his body was thrown back, he completed his hand seals!
"Fire Release: Majestic Flame Destroyer!"
A massive fireball resembling a meteor shot toward Minamoto.
"Madara!"
Hashirama reacted swiftly, raising a hand as violent Chakra surged forth. Vines erupted beneath Minamoto, merging with those already affected by the spatial shift.
In moments, a small forest formed around Minamoto.
At the same time, the meteor-like fireball descended, igniting the vines and hurtling toward Minamoto.
"Such impressive teamwork..."
Minato murmured in awe. But Tobirama's expression grew even grimmer.
"Big brother and Madara are cooperating seamlessly. But Ōtsutsuki Minamoto won't be fazed by such techniques..."
Sure enough, as Tobirama pondered, the flames seemed to dissipate, as if absorbed.
Minamoto stood unharmed, his white robes fluttering in the wind. In his hand, a red Chakra sphere emanating an eerie glow began to form.
The sphere grew larger, its overwhelming power striking fear into all who saw it.
"Is that... my technique?"
Madara's eyes widened in realization. Minamoto casually waved his hand.
"Indeed. So I'll return it to you."
With those words, the red Chakra sphere shot toward them like a meteor.
Boom—
The sphere collided with the ground, unleashing a sea of flames that seemed to consume everything. The fire spread rapidly, turning the night sky orange-red.
Even the Ten-Tails roared furiously, though it dared not act recklessly, as if suppressed by something terrifying.
"A casual strike... and this is the result?"
The distant ninja paled, unable to comprehend the battle unfolding before them. This level of power exceeded their imagination. They couldn't even find words to describe it.
"Can the three Hokage and that Uchiha Madara really win?"
Such thoughts circulated among them.
Amid the flames, a massive figure emerged—a colossal wooden humanoid. It stood amidst the inferno, its body clad in a layer of azure armor.
At its waist hung several samurai swords, and atop its head rested a peculiar crystal slot.
Floating within were Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama.
The sight made Minamoto raise an eyebrow in curiosity.
"This isn't Susano'o Armored Buddha... Should I call it Susano'o Armored Wooden Giant?"
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