All the present ninjas rapidly retreated!
The impending clash between the two fully-formed Susanoos, each over a hundred meters tall, was something that ordinary ninjas could not approach.
Even being slightly touched by the aftershock could result in serious injury or death. From the way Uchiha Madara's Susanoo swung its blade, the incidental leakage of power from either Susanoo was enough to obliterate all of them!
"You go report the situation here to Lady Tsunade," commanded Hatake Kakashi, glancing at the group of ANBU ninjas. "Guy and I will stay here to monitor the battle..."
"Understood," the ANBU ninjas promptly nodded in agreement.
"We'll stay as well," Sarutobi Asuma and Yamato expressed their desire to remain.
"Kakashi-senpai, let me stay too," Neji Hyuga requested earnestly. "At least my Byakugan can help you and Guy-sensei monitor the battlefield..."
"I can help too!" Hinata Hyuga quickly voiced her support.
"I should stay," thought Uchiha Sasuke, unwilling to leave. He wanted to talk more with Akihara Kagura after the battle.
"Everyone, stop!" Kakashi commanded, seeing the eager young ninjas. After some thought, he decisively said, "Neji, Sasuke, Guy, and I will stay. The rest of you return to Konoha immediately. Asuma, Yamato, take these youngsters back!"
Kakashi chose Neji for reconnaissance, and Guy and Sasuke, who could run fast enough to escape. He could ensure that he and Sasuke could help Guy and Neji escape.
Of course, aside from them, there was still Uchiha Obito.
In the battle between Uchiha Madara and Akihara Kagura, there was no time to consider Obito. He finally had some breathing room and had recovered from his injuries.
This guy still wanted to kill Madara!
Kakashi couldn't take his former friend back to Konoha, nor could Konoha ninjas capture Obito, who had the Kamui Mangekyo Sharingan.
The most crucial identity here was Uzumaki Naruto. The ANBU's purpose was to bring him back.
A group of Konoha ninjas left, leaving Kakashi and a few others to observe the impending clash between the two Susanoos.
Besides them, the Root ninjas were also retreating swiftly.
Karin had been observing the battle from a distance. With Tobirama and Hashirama, the Senju brothers protecting her, she noticed the impending battle between Uchiha Madara and Akihara Kagura and hurried to take the reckless Root ninjas away.
"That's... Karin!" The retreating young ninjas saw their former classmate.
The Root ninjas didn't fight with Karin, as if they were still family, or maybe many of them had grown up together.
"Karin must have defected to Akihara Kagura..." Shikamaru Nara whispered, fully aware of Karin's choice. "Akihara Kagura saved her life, gave her a new one, and always kept her by his side. She would never betray him..."
Anyone might betray Akihara Kagura, but not Karin. No one was surprised by her loyalty.
Uzumaki Naruto felt particularly conflicted. His life had also changed because of Akihara Kagura!
Now, Naruto was aware of the darkness within Konoha, but he hadn't thought of defecting. He hadn't forgotten his dream of becoming Hokage...
"I will bring Kagura back," Naruto declared, looking at the towering white Susanoo in the distance. "I will bring him back to the village!"
"Let's head back and gather more information first," Shikamaru sighed. "You need to understand, Akihara Kagura and his ancestors have always strived for their goal. It's not something your words can change..."
"Besides, he was never a Konoha ninja to begin with," Shikamaru reminded his friend to face reality. "Joining Konoha was just a step in his plan..."
"But I will still bring him back!" Naruto remained resolute.
After saying this…
Uzumaki Naruto thought of someone and murmured, "Sister Anko will surely be upset about Karin and Kagura's defection, right?"
"Let's go quickly."
An ANBU ninja hurriedly tried to lead them away.
This ANBU ninja also knew some stories about Special Jōnin Anko Mitarashi. Her teacher, Orochimaru, had also defected...
However...
Fate had some differences.
Back then, when Orochimaru defected, he did not take Anko with him, and Anko did not defect either. But when Akihara Kagura defected, he chose to take Karin with him, or rather, Karin followed him in defection...
On the other hand,
A group of Root ninjas followed behind Karin.
Karin learned quite a bit of good news from these Root ninjas, such as Uchiha Sasuke being expelled by Akihara Kagura, and Uchiha Sasuke being expelled by Akihara Kagura.
Some other news...
Such as the background of their leader, Akihara Kagura...
Karin was not interested in that.
However, the Senju brothers, Tobirama and Hashirama, who were protecting Karin, exploded in anger upon hearing this news!
"That kid is from the Uchiha clan..."
Tobirama had originally thought that Akihara Kagura was from the Senju clan, but upon learning that he was a branch member of the Uchiha clan, his face immediately turned furious!
"I knew it! That kid acts treacherously and schemes in the dark, not at all like a Senju ninja!"
Tobirama immediately blamed everything on the Uchiha clan, indiscriminately discriminating against all Uchiha: "As expected, the Uchiha are innately evil!"
"..."
A group of surviving Uchiha looked at each other in dismay.
If it weren't for the fact that they were all old acquaintances and knew Tobirama's personality, they would have long wanted to show him just how evil the Uchiha could be.
"It's about to start."
Hashirama focused solely on the distant battlefield.
The First Hokage's gaze was extremely grave and serious.
In the current ninja world, only the First Hokage, Hashirama, could judge the upcoming battle between the two Perfect Susanoo, because only he had experience fighting and defeating a Perfect Susanoo.
In the distance.
The forest looked as tiny as weeds under the feet of the Susanoo.
Two Susanoo, over a hundred meters tall, faced off. Uchiha Madara's blue Susanoo resembled a terrifying demon god, while Akihara Kagura's white Susanoo looked like a divine war god!
"A white Susanoo, huh?"
A slight smile played at the corner of Uchiha Madara's mouth. He controlled his Susanoo to draw a giant katana and launched the first attack on Akihara Kagura!
The ground began to tremble instantly. Each step of the Perfect Susanoo made the earth shake, and the tall trees in the forest fell one by one...
The blue Susanoo, like a demon god, raised its katana, which glowed with blue light, and slashed down at the white Susanoo with a powerful strike!
In the next moment!
A bright white light burst forth!
Akihara Kagura controlled his Susanoo to raise a magnificent weapon, as radiant as moonlight. The two colossal weapons clashed!
The two giant Susanoo began their battle in an instant!
A powerful shockwave erupted from the point where the weapons collided, sweeping everything around like a passing hurricane, making one's heart tremble!
The two giant Susanoo separated for a moment, then clashed again, their katanas' white and blue lights intermingling!
"So strong..."
Might Guy's face showed a hint of amazement.
"Is this the power of Susanoo?"
Uchiha Sasuke furrowed his brows lightly, his hand gently touching a small vial in his ninja tool pouch, which contained Uchiha Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan.
Based on known information, Sasuke had already awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan and could unlock the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan by transplanting Itachi's eyes. By further implanting cells from the First Hokage, Hashirama, he could achieve the Rinnegan that those two possessed...
This was an incredibly powerful strength...
Once, Uchiha Sasuke had been desperate for power to seek revenge, but now that he had a ladder to the heavens, his life felt somewhat aimless.
"Susanoo..."
Uchiha Obito squinted his eyes.
Even though he had the Mangekyō Sharingan, he could not attain this power because he only had one eye.
"Get down!"
Hatake Kakashi hurriedly reminded everyone to duck!
As they lay flat on the ground, a powerful sword wind swept overhead, splitting a small mountain, a casual strike from the battle between the two Susanoo...
"It won't be easy to determine the victor in a short time..."
Uchiha Madara raised his fingers sharply, and wings grew from the blue Susanoo's back, sprouting an extra pair of arms, with a giant katana in one of them!
The katana was drawn directly!
Two blue-glowing katanas were held by the blue Susanoo, slashing simultaneously at the white Susanoo in front of it!
Even...
Aside from the two katanas…
Two additional arms have extended from the waist and abdomen of the blue Susanoo!
This is the strength of Uchiha Madara!
This man has a thorough mastery of Susanoo!
The six arms of the blue Susanoo attacked relentlessly. The two arms on its shoulders wielded blue samurai swords, forcing the white Susanoo to continuously retreat!
One arm on its wing grabbed the white Susanoo's ornate weapon, another wing arm grabbed its wrist, and the two arms on its waist and abdomen seized the white Susanoo's waist and abdomen!
At this moment...
The white Susanoo was immobilized!
At this moment, the blue Susanoo seemed to have secured its victory!
The next moment!
Uchiha Madara manipulated the blue Susanoo to raise two massive samurai swords, merging them into one, and struck down heavily!
The white Susanoo staggered and fell!
"Indeed..."
"The strongest man in the Uchiha clan..."
Akihara Kagura raised his eyebrows, manipulating the white Susanoo to maintain its form with great effort, and praised Uchiha Madara: "Even after a millennium in the Uchiha clan's history, this title still belongs to you..."
This is not an exaggeration.
Because ever since the emergence of the Uchiha clan, there has never been a ninja as powerful as Uchiha Madara. He has even surpassed his ancestor Indra!
Uchiha Madara's strength lies not only in his power but also in his inner fortitude. No matter how many times he fails, he can stand up without fear!
"Hahahaha..."
Uchiha Madara laughed arrogantly and began to instruct Akihara Kagura: "Susanoo is the ultimate ocular jutsu of the Mangekyo Sharingan. Only through long-term training and use can you continually develop Susanoo's power and discover more ways to utilize it..."
In this aspect...
He indeed has the upper hand.
Because Akihara Kagura has probably not used Susanoo much, nor does he have an equal opponent like Senju Hashirama to spar with, naturally, he has not devoted himself to developing Susanoo. His ocular power has just reached this level.
"Blame it on being born in a peaceful era!"
Uchiha Madara looked at Akihara Kagura inside the white Susanoo's forehead crystal and said proudly: "A sapling that only experiences gentle breezes and light rain can never grow into a towering tree. Being born in this peaceful era, where war feels like child's play, is a blessing for the weak but a cage that corrodes the minds of the strong!"
"Moreover..."
"You have other attachments."
Uchiha Madara spread his palm and continued to teach this junior: "Kid, your fondness for using schemes can accomplish anything. Your methods are the sharpest I've ever seen, even surpassing that naturally sinister guy Senju Tobirama!"
"But..."
"The gap in power cannot be filled by schemes..."
"Your strength is indeed formidable, perhaps only below mine and Hashirama's, but it's still not enough to entertain me like fighting Hashirama..."
"I understand."
Akihara Kagura nodded thoughtfully, seemingly a bit ashamed: "It seems relying solely on Susanoo would indeed disappoint you..."
"Hmm?"
Uchiha Madara raised an eyebrow at him.
"Then..."
Akihara Kagura suddenly raised his fingers, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes: "Let me excite you a bit more!"
The next moment!
The white Susanoo suddenly disintegrated!
Silver-white moonlight scattered in the air like feathers!
"Sage Mode, activate!"
Akihara Kagura clasped his hands together again, and natural energy frantically surged into his body, instantly putting him into Sage Mode!
Just as Uchiha Madara was somewhat surprised, he saw a wooden figure rising from the ground, growing in an instant to a height comparable to the blue Susanoo!
White armor quickly spread across the wooden figure, transforming into a white armor that tightly adhered to the wooden figure's body!
This white armor, compared to the original white Susanoo, was even whiter and gleamed like flowing water, seemingly enhanced in texture by the infusion of senjutsu chakra!
A wooden figure, clad in a layer of glowing white armor, opened its eyes, which emitted a white light, as if it were truly alive!
A wooden dragon, also clad in white armor, grew from the back of the wooden figure, coiling around its body, with its head extending over the wooden figure's shoulder, glaring menacingly at Uchiha Madara!
"Sage Art: Wooden Human Susanoo!"
~~~
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— Ending + Extra Chapters!
Read upto Chapter 348: End! + Extra Chapters of Sasuke's Rebirth where the world Akihara Kagura is not around. Thank you!