Meanwhile, back on the desert battlefield,
Madara's entire body turns transparent after Minato uses the Ame-no-Hoko to strike him down.
"What a powerful technique! I didn't expect the current shinobis to possess such a powerful tool." Madara opens his mouth with a nonchalant expression.
Shoom…
Suddenly, a powerful pulse of chakra flashes past the ground. Kakashi and Minato's eyes narrow as the two of them notice a black ripple of energy flash past the sky.
Boom…
Suddenly, the entire surrounding trembles as a powerful earthquake hits the area.
Crack… crack…
Several cracks spread across the obsidian barrier in the distance. Minato and the rest's expression turns ugly.
"That thing is about to escape." Kakashi opens his mouth.
The rest of the Kages also glances in that direction with trepidation.
Even Madara's eyes narrow as he senses the powerful energy signature in the distance.
"Interesting!"
Madara notices a pitch-black aura slowly rise in the distance with his Rinnegan. The pitch-black aura condenses into a gigantic dragon with red eyes.
ROOAAR…
The giant dragon opens its mouth and releases a devastating roar. Powerful shockwaves spread across the battlefield, forcing shinobis to fend themselves with defensive techniques.
Swish… swish…
Onoki makes a series of hand signs and slams his palm on the ground.
"Earth Release: Fortress of Gaia,"
A massive rock structure rises from the ground and shrouds the group in a fortress-like structure.
Gaara and Rasa also manipulate large amounts of sand and construct a barrier of sand around the giant fortress.
Snap…
Something snaps in Madara's mind.
Ah…
Madara's body, which was on the verge of dispersing, pauses.
'The restrictions the Edo Tensei jutsu caster placed on me are gone.'
Swish… swish…
Madara makes several quick hand signs.
"Edo Tensei: Release,"
He slams the ground and a fuinjutsu seal appears on the ground. The seal shrouds his body and rescinds the Edo Tensei.
Bang… bang… bang…
Four command Talismans fly out of Madara's body and explode. After the seal explodes, four transparent wisps enter Madara's body.
Hmm…
Madara clenches his fist as he regains complete control of his body.
"Previously, the jutsu caster was quite wary of him. So, he limited my power output to seventy percent. Now, since I am free of his control with an immortal body and immortal chakra, I am free to do as I please on the battlefield." Madara cracks his neck.
"Though…"
He pauses and glances toward that massive black dragon that is only visible to his Rinnegan.
"… I don't think I want to cross paths with that thing." Madara narrows his eyes.
"I have to find Obito and revive myself. Only after recovering my Rinnegan and absorbing the power of the ten-tails, can I stand against that thing."
Swish… swish…
Madara makes a series of hand signs.
"WHAT?! MADARA… he… what's going on?"
Rasa notices the abnormal state of Madara.
"Madara's chakra, which had begun to separate from his body, is now clinging firmly to it. Is he back to his original state?" Rasa expresses his doubts.
"Why? Why won't he disappear?!" A grunt in displeasure.
"I thought Edo-Tensei was dispelled."
"There is something wrong with his body." Kakashi glances at Madara's body with his Mangekyo Sharingan.
"It seems like some sort of restrictions have been removed from his body after that Edo-Tensei was released." Kakashi expresses his doubts.
"Could it be? No, it seems like it has something to do with the modifications Kabuto made to his body." Minato answers firmly.
BOOM…
With a loud bang, the Obsidian barrier in the distance shatters. Izuna Black's body slowly flies out of the seal.
A column of pitch-black aura rises from his body.
ROOAR…
Izuna Black raises his head and releases a powerful roar.
In Madara's vision, the giant black dragon slowly seeps into Izuna Black's body.
Bang…
The next second, Izuna Black stomps the ground.
BOOM…
"This is bad!"
Izuna, who was in the In-Yō headquarters, also senses the abnormality.
"Things weren't supposed to happen like this."
Whoosh…
In the next second, he teleports in front of the giant earth fortress.
"Madara-sama!"
Black Zetsu crawls out of the ground and appears beside Madara. He glances towards the pitch-black aura and turns to Madara.
"Let's leave this place. Nothing good will happen if we stay here."
Madara slowly enters the ground and leaves with Black Zetsu.
His eyes only widen in surprise when he notices another figure suddenly appear in front of that pitch-black aura.
"This guy…"
Madara murmurs something as he disappears to the ground.
Whoosh… Bang…
A's attack is a few seconds too late.
"He escaped!" A click his tongue.
"This bastard!"
Everyone ignores A and glances at the back of the figure floating in front of them.
RROOOAARR…
The pitch-black figure in front of them opens its mouth and fires a powerful beam of black energy. The beam slices through the ground, creating an endless abyss before targeting the group.
Onoki and everyone's face turns pale.
"Our defenses can't withstand this attack." Rasa releases a verdict.
However, the next second, the cloaked figure in front of them extends its hand and creates a flimsy transparent barrier.
The powerful beam of pitch-black energy strikes the flimsy barrier.
"WHAT? H-he blocked it?"
The group's eyes widen in surprise as the pitch-black beam that sends a chill across their spine is unable to pierce through the flimsy barrier of that mysterious figure.
"W-who is he?" A question rises in everyone's mind.
Minato takes a step out of the earth fortress and appears beside the mysterious figure.
"This familiar chakra and this familiar sensation…" Kakashi and Gaara's lips tremble.
"He is Izuna Uchiha!" Both of them speak at the same time.
However, the next second, something incredulous happens right in front of them.
The mysterious figure, who is apparently Izuna Uchiha, raises his hand and waves it in a downward moment.
Crack…
The simple motion of the mysterious figure's wave slices a massive rift in space. The massive rift reveals a swirling, dark space inside it.
Whoosh…
The mysterious figure disappears and reappears behind the pitch-black calamity.
Bang…
A loud explosion and powerful shockwaves spread across the area. A black streak of light flashes across the sky and enters the massive rift.
Rumble… Rumble…
The powerful shockwaves reach the earth fortress. They clash against their defenses and rattle the entire battlefield. Several cracks spread across the earth fortress. The giant fortress is almost on the verge of collapse.
Onoki suffers a backlash and spews out a mouthful of blood.
"Lord Tsuchikage!"
A few shinobis quickly support him.
Izuna's face twitches slightly at the sight.
'Oops, I overdid it! Well, it's not my fault. After the previous battle, my powers are in slight disarray. Well for now…'
Izuna turns towards Minato.
'Minato-san, follow me!'
With these words, Izuna enters the massive space rift. Minato pauses and glances at the rest.
"Everyone… there is no need to panic. This powerful man is a close ally of ours. I won't explain much since we don't have enough time. So, I will keep it short."
Everyone quietly stares at Minato, waiting for his instructions.
"The threat of that pitch-black figure isn't over yet. He is just banished to another dimension. to prevent further harm to the shinobi world. However, if we don't stop him, then he might return to the shinobi world and wreak havoc. So, I will enter the other dimension to fight him alongside our ally. In my absence, Shikaku will take command of the allied Shinobi Force." Minato adds.
He turns around and walks towards the massive space rift.
"Lord Minato!" Onoki, A, Gaara, Rasa, and the rest glance at each other.
"Please allow us to follow you." Minato pauses in his footsteps and shakes his head.
"That won't do!" The enemy is too powerful for you all to handle in your current state.
Minato glances at their tattered state and shakes his head. Besides, Madara is still hiding somewhere, ready to strike us at any instant.
"So, that's why I can't allow anyone of you to follow me. I will leave the safety of the shinobi world in your hands."
Sigh…
Onoki and the rest sigh and cast another glance at Minato's back.
Shua…
Minato enters the giant space rift. The giant space rift slowly vanishes after Minato's entry.
"Let's retreat!"
Sakumo opens his mouth and signals everyone to leave.
"We will follow Lord Sakumo's orders."
In the end, all of them helplessly leave the battlefield to heal and recover their chakra.
"How's the situation on the other battlefield?" Onoki and others enquire about the situation on the other side.
Previously, they didn't have the luxury to worry about the other division.
Inoichi slowly narrates the entire situation to them.
"So, there is still an ongoing battle on the other side?"
They sigh and pray for the safety of their comrades on the other side of the battlefield.
Finally, Shikaku opens his mouth.
"I have something important to discuss with everyone. With the current situation, a change in battle plan is required."