Inside Konoha Village.
A surge of scorching white smoke rose from Uchiha Madara's body.
The corners of this man's mouth curled up as the Rinnegan from the Edo Tensei fell from his eye sockets like shredded paper. His eyes turned completely black, rendering him totally blind.
However...
This still couldn't dampen Uchiha Madara's exhilaration!
Because he could feel the vitality within his body reviving. No longer did he feel like empty paper ashes, but rather a truly vibrant and energetic body!
Accompanying this...
Naturally, was intense pain!
Several black rods were still pierced through his body!
For others, this pain might be unbearable, but for Uchiha Madara, it brought endless pleasure, making him feel alive. These pains were merely minor embellishments of his resurrection!
Uchiha Madara pulled out the black rods from his body. The wounds quickly healed, showing his body's remarkable regenerative abilities!
"Kill him..."
Tsunade immediately recognized the opportunity!
Compared to a ninja under the Edo Tensei, a living person is obviously easier to kill. As long as Uchiha Madara was alive, they had hoped of killing him!
Moreover...
Now was the most vulnerable moment for Uchiha Madara!
Without the Sharingan and Rinnegan, he couldn't use many of his abilities. They might indeed have a chance to kill him!
Although Uchiha Madara wasn't allied with Black Zetsu and Akihara Kagura, he was still an enemy that threatened the ninja world and needed to be eliminated!
The three legendary Sannin of Konoha charged at Uchiha Madara!
However, Uchiha Madara removed his heavy red armor with ease. His body was incredibly agile and strong, his powerful arms striking Jiraiya, sending him flying!
Jiraiya was directly knocked away!
Uchiha Madara flipped his body, kicking Orochimaru, who was trying to release a long snake, and sent him flying with a kick!
"Ha!"
Tsunade swung her fist down!
Uchiha Madara raised his arms, forcibly enduring Tsunade's monstrous strength, but his body was involuntarily sent flying!
Boom!
Uchiha Madara fell directly into a heap of ruins!
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Bullet!"
Jiraiya quickly spat out a flame toward the ruins!
"Lightning Release: Thunder Strike!"
Orochimaru also spat out a lightning attack toward the ruins!
Fire and lightning intertwined, instantly engulfing the ruins. A loud explosion followed, and a tall Susanoo rose from the ruins!
This scene immediately stunned everyone present!
Everyone was shocked by Uchiha Madara's terrifying power!
"Can he activate Susanoo without his eyes?"
Tsunade looked at the towering Susanoo rising from the ruins, landing before them again, with a face full of shock!
How was this possible!
If this was the case, what could they do?
"The Mangekyou Sharingan is just the key to unlocking or learning Susanoo..."
Tobirama watched this scene and said in a deep voice, "For an Uchiha who has already mastered Susanoo, it's like how my brother's Wood Golem Jutsu is created from Wood Release chakra. Susanoo is merely a manifestation of the yin attribute chakra."
This was Tobirama's hypothesis.
However, Tobirama's hypothesis was immediately confirmed by Uchiha Madara.
Uchiha Madara closed his eyes, but there was a mocking expression on his face: "Tobirama, you really understand the Uchiha..."
It was truly ironic.
Many Uchiha might not understand the mechanism of the Sharingan as well as Tobirama. Uchiha Madara even learned from Uchiha Sasuke that Tobirama had analyzed why the Uchiha awakened the Sharingan...
This man, who always considered himself the enemy of the Uchiha, even the most hated by the Uchiha, was actually the one who understood them the best!
"But..."
"You are not an Uchiha..."
Uchiha Madara spread out his hands, sneering as he spoke: "It's just some outsider's research, and you'll never understand how many secrets the Uchiha clan hides..."
"Black Zetsu."
Uchiha Madara extended his hand. His Susanoo quickly dissipated. He stood not far from Nagato, commanding loudly: "Bring me the Rinnegan. I need to fight with it now..."
"Yes!"
Black Zetsu raised his hand and directly gouged out a Rinnegan from Nagato, swiftly bringing it to Uchiha Madara!
"Don't think you'll succeed!"
Countless paper pieces floated from Konan's body, transforming into dense paper shurikens aimed to kill Black Zetsu on the spot!
Everyone else also rushed towards Uchiha Madara at that moment. Uchiha Madara, even without using the Rinnegan, possessed terrifying power. Once he obtained the Rinnegan, who knew how much more powerful he would become!
Tobirama and Minato also wanted to take action. Even Hashirama hesitated for a moment, contemplating rushing towards Uchiha Madara.
Theoretically speaking…
Both Akihara Kagura and Uchiha Madara pose a threat to the ninja world.
They should belong to the faction of Akihara Kagura's destruction, while Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu belong to another faction that also aims to endanger the ninja world.
These two factions are mutually antagonistic...
Tobirama's thoughts were very straightforward. He wanted to take advantage of the opportunity while Akihara Kagura and Uchiha Madara were at odds to eliminate Uchiha Madara.
Uchiha Madara had always been hostile and even wanted to kill Tobirama, and Tobirama had also longed to get rid of Madara as soon as possible.
However…
Their actions were instantly controlled!
Tobirama did not quite understand Akihara Kagura's intentions.
Through their mental connection, Tobirama voiced his doubts to Akihara Kagura, who was controlling him: "Now is a perfect chance to kill Uchiha Madara…"
"Uchiha Madara is a necessary tool."
Akihara Kagura's voice was very calm, continuing nonchalantly: "Instead, it is the bark of the Senju clan that hides a great secret. Taking that piece of bark is most important. If Uchiha Madara learns the secret on the bark, it will hinder my plan…"
"What secret does the bark hold?"
Tobirama could not understand, and he shouted in a deep voice: "Your faction once betrayed the Senju clan for that bark, and yet you still won't reveal it?"
"The bark contains secrets about the Sage of Six Paths."
Akihara Kagura finally revealed a bit of crucial information, continuing softly: "It is the greatest secret in this world, recording the history of the Sage of Six Paths' family, the origins of the Senju and Uchiha clans, the darkness of the Sage of Six Paths, and the secrets of becoming a new Sage of Six Paths…"
"…"
Tobirama and Hashirama were both stunned.
No one in the ninja world had ever glimpsed ancient history. People only knew that the Sage of Six Paths created the world and the flourishing ninja sects of ancient times.
Now…
Akihara Kagura told them…
That piece of bark records so much information from ancient times!
It even includes the dark secrets of the Sage of Six Paths, the most revered figure in the hearts of ninjas. If these contents were to be leaked, it would undoubtedly cause an uproar in the ninja world!
Akihara Kagura was still leisurely fishing, using the connection between the reanimated and the summoner to explain his reasoning: "If Uchiha Madara gets the secret on that bark, he will abandon his plan, but this will interfere with mine…"
"But…"
Tobirama raised an important question: "If we don't stop Uchiha Madara from obtaining the Rinnegan, his increased power will surely allow him to seize the bark…"
"Then I have no choice."
Akihara Kagura's voice seemed somewhat helpless: "Uchiha Madara must obtain his Rinnegan to continue his plan. Can't you team up with Uchiha Madara to deal with Konoha? One side gets the bark, the other gets the Rinnegan?"
"But…"
Hashirama weakly spoke up: "Do we really need to team up with Madara to deal with little ones like Tsunade and the others?"
"Then forget it."
Akihara Kagura did not mind, his thoughts seemingly all on the bark of the Senju clan: "You must take the bark and let Uchiha Madara get the Rinnegan…"
Inside Konoha Village.
The fierce battle continued.
Everyone else attacked Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu wildly, not wanting Uchiha Madara to obtain the Rinnegan, even though Black Zetsu only held one!
"Black Zetsu, hide!"
Uchiha Madara suddenly raised his hand, forming a hand seal. His face turned cold: "Fire Release: Dust Cloud Technique!"
A mass of high-temperature smoke instantly spewed from his mouth!
This high-temperature smoke enveloped everyone around in an instant, causing a violent explosion that blew everyone present away!
Black Zetsu hurriedly escaped underground with the Rinnegan a second before Uchiha Madara released the Dust Cloud Technique. It reemerged only after the battle ended.
Uchiha Madara slowly reached out to take the Rinnegan that Black Zetsu handed him and inserted it into his eye socket. The healing power quickly healed the wound around his eye, and the Rinnegan restored his vision…
"This Rinnegan is mine."
Uchiha Madara caressed his eye socket, cherishing the light he regained: "Only I can truly wield the power of the Rinnegan. Nagato using it only brought it shame…"
"…"
Everyone present watched as Uchiha Madara regained his eye. They could all feel that his aura had changed.
"Humph, humph, humph…"
Uchiha Madara assessed the situation on the scene, looking with great interest at the wrecked Konoha Hospital, the terrified Konoha ninjas, and the grim-faced Hashirama!
Now...
He had achieved his goal!
As long as he could be resurrected and regain the Rinnegan, the plan would still be under his control, and he could proceed to the next step without any hesitation!
As for that Akihara Kagura who wanted to use him...
Uchiha Madara suddenly burst into laughter, his laughter gradually becoming arrogant and wild: "Hahaha... Hashirama, and that boy manipulating you from behind, this time I have won... Whether it's the Rinnegan or the Eye of the Moon plan..."
"Everything is mine!"
Uchiha Madara clenched his fist forcefully!
"From this moment on…"
Uchiha Madara's eyes narrowed tightly, and his expression became somewhat sinister and terrifying: "Let this world know that the destiny they must accept has arrived!"
"Madara…"
Hashirama didn't know what to say.
However, Tobirama and Minato moved swiftly, rushing directly toward the piece of bark that had somehow fallen to the ground!
"Lord Madara…"
Black Zetsu's expression also became somewhat respectful. It cautiously watched the bark being fought over and, to maintain Madara's trust, proactively said: "That piece of bark may contain secrets of the ninja world's history…"
"I've already seen those on the clan's stele…"
Uchiha Madara laughed lightly, seemingly uninterested in the bark. Watching Tobirama and Minato's actions, he sneered contemptuously: "However, it can serve as a trophy for the victor!"
"Want to take it?"
Uchiha Madara slightly raised his eyes, the pupils of his Rinnegan vibrating: "Then witness the true power of the Rinnegan! Limbo: Border Jail!"
"Watch out!"
Tobirama hurriedly reminded.
However…
There was silence in the field.
Because nothing happened.
It seemed that Uchiha Madara merely uttered the name of his technique, which appeared to have no effect, and there wasn't even any chakra fluctuation in this area.
Everyone was puzzled by Uchiha Madara's actions.
The next second!
Tobirama was suddenly sent flying backward!
The former Second Hokage Tobirama received a heavy blow, as if struck by an invisible person, with no chance to counterattack, and was kicked away!
Minato instantly raised his hand, placing a Rasengan in front of him, thinking the opponent might be invisible!
However…
The Rasengan landed on empty air.
Minato's neck suddenly took a hit!
The invisible enemy delivered a heavy blow to Minato's neck, causing his body to crash to the ground!
"Absolutely no signs…"
Minato lay on the ground, still struggling to understand what went wrong: "I tried to judge the enemy's attack path, but there was no chakra fluctuation, not even a disturbance in the air current before the attack…"
"…"
Tobirama crouched hastily, attempting to use his chakra sensing to discern who was attacking him.
However…
He found no trace of anyone.
Perhaps it wasn't an invisible person, but rather a mysterious technique that had attacked him?
"Madara, is this your ability?"
Tobirama suddenly looked at Uchiha Madara, the man he feared the most, the one most likely to use such bizarre abilities.
Tobirama charged toward the bark again, this time extremely calm and cautious, ready to use the Flying Thunder God technique to evade any attacks!
However…
The attack came again without any sign!
Tobirama's body was once again sent flying backward!
Hashirama had just begun to make a move, his hands barely clasped together when his arm was inexplicably twisted behind his back, mysteriously restrained!
"I told you."
"This time, I have won."
Uchiha Madara walked towards the piece of bark lying on the ground with a face full of arrogance.
Black Zetsu cautiously followed behind Uchiha Madara, hoping to take the opportunity to peek at the secrets on the bark.
~~~
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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!