The wind howled across the scorched plains of the Fourth Great Ninja War. Dust rose in thick, choking clouds as five chakra signatures lit up the battlefield like miniature suns—each one belonging to a Kage.
And facing us, standing alone with calm, almost regal disdain, was Madara Uchiha.
"Five Kage…" he said, his deep voice echoing across the desolate land. "You've come to entertain me."
The air itself trembled. Every instinct screamed danger, but I stepped forward, my Hokage cloak flowing in the wind, the red flames at its edges flickering against the gray sky.
"Madara Uchiha," I said, my voice calm but sharp. "Your time is over. This world doesn't need your chaos."
He smiled faintly. "And yet, chaos is the only true constant. Show me, boy, what your so-called 'peace' can do."
The ground cracked under the pressure of his chakra.
"Everyone!" I shouted. "Move!"
Raikage was the first to strike—lightning surged across his body as he vanished from sight, appearing before Madara in a blur of blue sparks. His punch hit like a meteor, but Madara raised a single hand, blocking it effortlessly.
The shockwave alone shattered the earth beneath them.
Mei was already mid-seal, spitting out a torrent of lava that melted the landscape. Gaara's sand followed immediately, swirling upward to trap Madara's feet. Ōnoki floated high above, his wrinkled hands weaving a cube of blinding light.
"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"
The massive jutsu descended like divine judgment.
"Interesting," Madara murmured, his Rinnegan gleaming. "Limbo: Border Jail."
An invisible force erupted around him—Raikage was thrown back like a rag doll, crashing through three rock formations before stopping. Gaara's sand barrier shattered in an instant, while my own Sharingan barely tracked the unseen attacks flickering around Madara.
I raised my hand. "Susanoo!"
The battlefield erupted in a blast of blue and crimson light as my Susanoo formed—massive, armored, its wings unfurling in defense. Arrows of chakra rained down toward Madara, each one guided by my Mangekyō Sharingan.
Madara countered with his own Susanoo—larger, darker, and far older. The two giants collided, sword to sword, shattering the air with every strike.
The others pressed the attack—Raikage and Mei coordinating their speed and destructive power, while Ōnoki enhanced Gaara's sand with his Earth Release to increase its weight.
For a moment, just a moment, we had him surrounded.
I seized the chance, flashing through seals faster than thought. "Amaterasu!"
Black flames ignited along Madara's Susanoo, the searing heat distorting the very air. But then his Rinnegan pulsed—and the flames vanished, absorbed into a swirling vortex.
"Preta Path…" I muttered, gritting my teeth. "He's countering every move."
Madara's expression turned cold. "You've grown strong, Itachi… stronger than the one who bore your name in my time. But strength alone cannot defy destiny."
He raised his hand. Chakra surged, condensing into a sphere above us—dense, dark, and heavy with the gravity of a dying star.
"Meteorites."
Our eyes widened as not one, but two massive meteors began to descend from the heavens.
"Everyone scatter!" I yelled, teleporting across the field in flashes of golden light, pulling Raikage and Mei with me before the first meteor slammed into the ground.
The world exploded.
Fire, stone, and chakra ripped through the battlefield in a cataclysmic wave. Even miles away, the shockwave sent us tumbling.
And then, through the rising flames, Madara emerged—untouched, his armor gleaming, eyes burning with divine fury.
I rose slowly, blood dripping down my cheek, cloak torn but resolve unbroken. My Susanoo reignited around me, brighter and sharper than before.
I looked back at the other Kage—injured, exhausted, but still standing.
"This ends here," I said. "Together."
Raikage cracked his knuckles, lightning crackling anew. Mei and Ōnoki nodded grimly. Gaara lifted his hands, the sand forming wings behind him.
Madara smirked. "Then come, Hokage. Show me the will of fire."
And the five Kage charged.
The storm of gods had truly begun.