Fighting the Stone Ninjas Alone, You Guys Can Come At Me Together!

Three days later.

Outside Iwagakure, Land of Earth.

Madara Uchiha arrived as promised.

For now, no one besides Iwagakure knew about this.

Even Konoha had no idea that Madara had privately challenged all of Iwagakure to battle.

Three days ago, after receiving Iwagakure's envoy, Hashirama and Tobirama had left the village to visit the Daimyo, ruler of the [Land of Fire].

Although the Daimyo of this era did not hold much authority over Konoha, he was still its nominal ruler and provided Konoha with considerable financial support.

Hashirama's unilateral decision regarding the Second Hokage still had to be reported to the [Land of Fire].

However, considering Madara's temperament, if he really went to visit the Daimyo, he might not be able to stop himself from slaughtering those in power, so they had not brought him along.

They had merely left him behind to guard the village and watch over Konoha.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Madara had gone out to "pay a visit" to [Iwagakure].

"So this is Iwagakure?"

"It looks utterly unremarkable."

Madara stood alone atop a barren cliff, looking down at Iwagakure in the distance with undisguised contempt in his eyes.

The current [Iwagakure] had only just been established. It had not even built many houses yet, so naturally it could not compare to its prosperity decades later. Coupled with the brutal chaos of the Warring States Period—

Even if they gathered every ninja in the entire village, they would not be able to scrape together ten thousand Stone Ninja.

"Isn't this the perfect time to wipe out Iwagakure?"

"If we wait another few years, until Iwagakure stabilizes and the various ninja clans across the Land of Earth develop a sense of belonging to Iwagakure, it won't be so easy to clean them out."

Natsu Yuu instantly appeared beside Madara.

Naturally, he would not miss such a rare, village-destroying war.

It was also a good chance to gain some experience.

After all, barring any surprises, Iwagakure would have to be destroyed once more in each of the other six Hokage worlds.

"Are you going to make a move?"

"No, I'm only here to watch. Of course, if you get defeated, then for the sake of our cooperation, I'll save your life."

Natsu Yuu replied with an offhand smile, though the odds of that happening were exceedingly, exceedingly low.

"Hmph!"

"That moment will never come."

Madara snorted coldly and ignored Natsu Yuu.

At the same time—

Iwagakure also noticed Madara's arrival. A piercing alarm immediately sounded, echoing through the skies.

Yet no panic erupted within the village. Instead, batch after batch of Iwagakure ninja leaped high into the air and rushed to surround Madara.

A rough estimate put their numbers in the thousands.

But most of them were merely Genin there to make up the numbers, posing almost no threat.

"They've already evacuated the women and children?"

"Even better. There's even less need to hold back."

Madara took in Iwagakure's current state at a glance.

After receiving the declaration of war intelligence brought back by Mu, the other side had likely prepared long ago, relocating the village's women, children, elderly, and young to prevent them from being heavily affected by the battle.

Soon.

A figure flew out from Iwagakure's army: Tsuchikage Ishikawa, the First Tsuchikage.

Using the Light-Weight Rock Technique, he could drastically reduce his own weight and increase his speed, allowing him to fly freely through the air.

Ishikawa took the lead, flying to a point a hundred meters from Madara and hovering in midair.

He observed while remaining on guard.

Besides Madara, there's another figure?

Who is that? Another Konoha ninja? There seemed to be no record of him in the intelligence reports. And he isn't wearing a Konoha forehead protector either?

That presence... such weak Chakra, not even at Genin level?

Has he concealed his Chakra, or does he really have only that much?

Hmm—

Thankfully, there are no more Konoha ninja nearby.

That unfamiliar ninja can wait. Madara Uchiha is the real priority!

"Lord Madara Uchiha, why must this come to pass? Iwagakure and Konoha bear no grudge against one another. There is no need for us to cross blades, is there?"

Ishikawa shouted at Madara.

In one final struggle, he hoped to put an end to this war that should never have existed.

"Placing your hopes of stopping the war on the enemy? How foolish!"

Madara snorted disdainfully, looking down on this Tsuchikage from the bottom of his heart.

If he truly had any courage, he would not have sent his disciple and grandson to visit Konoha earlier. He would have gone himself.

"Lord Madara, if you have any grievances against Iwagakure, we can sit down and discuss them. Iwagakure is willing to befriend and form an alliance with the Uchiha Clan."

"Hahaha! You think you're worthy?"

The Uchiha's arrogant laughter rang out once more.

Such humiliation filled Ishikawa with rage as well.

Damn Uchiha. He had long heard that they were prideful by nature, but he had never expected them to be this arrogant.

If Iwagakure did not show its strength, did they really think everyone here was a harmless kitten?

"Lord Madara, on behalf of Iwagakure, I warn you one last time. If you insist on going your own way and refuse to repent, then do not blame Iwagakure for showing no mercy."

Madara had already grown extremely impatient and barked directly at him.

"Enough nonsense!"

"Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!"

Madara struck first, unleashing a ninjutsu that spewed a straight line of flames from his mouth. In an instant, it crossed a hundred meters and shot toward Ishikawa, who was floating in the air.

Ishikawa was alarmed and hurriedly darted aside, narrowly avoiding the searing blaze.

What powerful Fire Style!

Seeing Madara attack, he no longer held any illusions and immediately formed a counterattack.

"Earth Style: Rock Iron Cannon Technique!"

Ishikawa spat out several small pebbles, which continuously expanded into solid cannonballs that flew toward Madara.

"Bang! Bang! Bang—!"

Madara did not use any ninjutsu to block them. With a mere swing of the Uchiha Flame Gunbai in his hand, he shattered every solid cannonball.

"Earth Style: Earth Rising Spear!"

"Earth Style: Rock Pillar Spear!"

"Earth Style: Earth Dragon!"

Ishikawa stopped holding back. All manner of Earth Style techniques came at his fingertips, bombarding Madara in rapid succession.

After all, he had become the First Tsuchikage and brought an end to the chaos in the [Land of Earth]. He was no pushover.

However, Ishikawa was in no hurry to have the several thousand Stone Ninja behind him join the battle. Even if they won that way, Iwagakure would have little to boast about.

But if he alone could contend with, or even defeat, Madara Uchiha, would that not bring him even greater prestige?

Madara Uchiha's reputation was indeed immense, but Ishikawa was still the First Tsuchikage. He believed he had the strength to fight.

Unfortunately.

Madara immediately shattered his confidence.

Madara leaped high into the air, easily evading the attacks.

Then he swiftly formed hand seals.

"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"

A vast sea of flames surged forth, covering half the sky. Its range was so immense that it had nearly exceeded the bounds of ninjutsu.

During the Fourth Great Ninja War, this technique had forced over twenty Kirigakure ninja to jointly use Water Wall simultaneously just to barely withstand it.

Not to mention that these were all Stone Ninja. You could not find even one Water Style specialist out of ten of them.

The rank of a ninjutsu had never determined its power. The only thing that truly determined its power was the caster himself!

In an instant, the enormous range of the Fire Style sealed off every route of retreat for Ishikawa.

Forcing him to take it head-on.

"Earth Style: Rock Golem Arm!"

A massive stone arm the size of five people took shape, enclosing Ishikawa within it to resist the might of the Fire Style.

But Madara's Fire Style was simply too terrifying.

In only a few seconds, the sturdy stone arm had been baked red-hot and was even beginning to soften.

"Earth Style: Golem Technique!"

Ishikawa panicked. He cast another technique, consuming a considerable amount of Chakra as he spat out a gigantic Clay Giant to shield himself and reinforce his defenses.

Only then did he barely withstand the terrifying power of Great Fire Annihilation.

But he did not have time to catch his breath.

"Fire Style: Great Fire Destruction!"

High in the sky, Madara launched another Fire Style attack.

An enormous fireball, like a meteor, came crashing down as though a blazing sun had fallen from the heavens.

Its range and impact were even greater than Great Fire Annihilation. After striking the ground, the fireball would spread into a sea of flames, enough to set an entire forest ablaze!

If it landed within Iwagakure, a single move would be enough to destroy more than half the village.

"Boom—!"

The gigantic fireball slammed into the Clay Giant Ishikawa had formed, instantly blasting it apart.

The next moment, Ishikawa, the First Tsuchikage, was struck down like a shattered stone and smashed into the hard rock wall below, his fate unknown.

"Lord Tsuchikage!"

"Lord Tsuchikage!"

The Stone Ninja were thrown into a panic and rushed into the sea of flames, trying to rescue Ishikawa.

However, the flames showed no sign of weakening, and within moments, they had burned a large number of Stone Ninja.

"Don't come in!"

A furious shout came from within the flames. Ishikawa activated [Earth Style: Earth Core Movement], instantly raising a square section of earth and using it to rapidly lift himself out of the fire.

But he was in no good condition. More than half his beard had been scorched away, and flames still clung to his clothes.

He looked utterly miserable.

Though both were ninjutsu, Madara's Fire Style was unimaginably powerful!

In that instant, Ishikawa felt as if he were being besieged by dozens of Elite Jonin using Fire Style together. It was terrifying.

Was this the power of Madara Uchiha?

Seeing that Ishikawa was still alive, Madara grinned.

"Interesting. But it's far from enough."

"Come at me together. I'll let you experience the weight of the Uchiha name!"

Madara cackled viciously from high in the air.

His blood boiled and his fighting spirit surged. It had been a long time since he had been able to move his body so freely.

Today, he would dance to his heart's content!

The next moment, Madara plummeted at high speed like a grenade, crashing fiercely into the Stone Ninja army.

He began to dance madly, unleashing a bloody massacre.