At the same time, at the Mist Village Frontline in the Land of Fire.
A flash of yellow raced toward the Land of Grass. It was Minato!
He clutched the message delivered by Mount Myōboku's Contact Frog, worry plain in his eyes. "Teacher, please be careful!"
ROOOAR!
The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path revived at once, unleashing a deafening roar. It brought its hands together, shielding Liao Wu and Madara in its palms like Kannon.
Jiraiya's Super Big Ball Rasengan struck the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword and Tsunade's Monstrous Strength struck it as well.
Attacks powerful enough to destroy a small village had no effect on the statue. As if enraged, it unleashed a surging shock wave.
Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru were all sent flying by the shock wave.
The next second, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path's clasped hands parted. Charka so immense it took one's breath away burst from within, forming streaks of blazing light.
"Ha ha ha... This feeling, this feeling!!"
"Hashirama, I'm back!"
Madara Uchiha's black hair flowed like a waterfall, his brows slanted sharply, and defiant flames burned in his eyes. His whole body radiated an energy so vigorous it was almost scorching.
He had even found time to change into his Warring States Armor.
It was a set of Ninja Tool Armor in the traditional Domaru Armor style. Its main color was crimson, with a rectangular red breastplate at the center, secured along the edges by black rope buckles.
The shoulder guards and side guards were made of red plates. Beneath the armor, he wore a long, dark brown robe with a loose hem that allowed for easy movement.
Liao Wu lay beside Madara, pretending to be dead. He secretly cracked open an eye for a peek. When had Madara put on all six pieces?
Liao Wu hadn't even noticed.
Then he spotted the pitcher plant beside Madara. It was Black and White Zetsu, who had detached themselves from Madara's body.
Madara's gaze shifted toward him, and Liao Wu hurriedly played dead again.
"This is bad!"
After steadying himself, Orochimaru stared dumbfounded at the rejuvenated Madara Uchiha. This was truly a mess now.
Run! Run as fast as he could!
Unfortunately, he wasn't the fastest to flee.
"Orochimaru, I'm taking off first. I'll let bygones be bygones. From now on, I'll burn incense for you on every holiday. Ha ha ha—"
Orochi used Reverse Summon to escape immediately.
Orochimaru cursed, "You bastard!"
Not one of Jiraiya's toads had run away. What was the difference between Orochi and that cowardly Hakimi of Liao Wu's?
He'd failed as a person, and he'd failed as a summoner. Orochimaru felt that Jiraiya had left him far behind.
Should he run too?
Orochimaru looked at Jiraiya and Tsunade, suddenly hesitating.
Tsunade and Jiraiya would never run. If he fled now, he really wouldn't be able to face them again.
Orochimaru still had a little regard for their bond.
Tsunade explained to Jiraiya, "Jiraiya, I put all my strength into that punch. I definitely killed Liao Wu. I'm sure of it!"
Jiraiya nodded. "Tsunade, I believe you. Maybe it was because of Liao Wu's Forbidden Technique!"
"Anyway, this is going to be a problem!"
Even after entering Sage Mode, Jiraiya still felt they had no chance of winning, despite having the Two Great Sages' help.
Madara's Chakra was astonishing—already beyond that of an ordinary Tailed Beast.
And his presence was so overwhelming. Facing him was no different from facing a Tailed Beast. No, he was even more frightening.
"Little Jiraiya, listen to me..."
Sage Fukasaku suddenly spoke up. Jiraiya and Tsunade listened attentively.
Madara kicked Liao Wu. "Quit pretending to be dead. Why do young people these days like playing dead so much?"
White Zetsu summoned a White Zetsu Clone in front of Liao Wu. Liao Wu reached out toward the clone.
Kimera no Jutsu: Plundering Reincarnation!
In the blink of an eye, Liao Wu was young again, revived at full strength.
The moment he came back to life, he bowed deeply. "Congratulations, Great Ancestor, on regaining your youth! Now nothing can stop you from unifying the Ninja World! The entire Ninja World will belong to us Uchiha!"
Madara plucked the blind Sharingan from his own eye, then touched Liao Wu's eye socket.
Liao Wu had a bad feeling. Given Madara's reputation, could he really be about to—
In a flash, before Liao Wu could react, Madara had snatched his eye.
"Madara Uchiha, I'll fucking kill you! Give me my eye back! You're stealing it even though I haven't awakened it yet—are you even human?"
Madara planted a foot on Liao Wu's chest, as if crushing an ant by the roadside.
Then Madara used Yin Yang Release to place Liao Wu's eyes in his own eye sockets.
He even sounded disgusted. "I've never seen an Uchiha with such poor bloodline."
"You old bastard! You're killing the donkey after it's done the hard work. I'll fight you to the death!"
Liao Wu hissed and clawed and bit at Madara like a feral cat.
Liao Wu's furious curses reached Tsunade and the others, who looked over.
"Are they fighting among themselves? Looks like Liao Wu and Madara aren't on the same side after all!"
"Liao Wu's eyes were stolen. Now that Madara can see again, he'll be even harder to deal with."
Sage Fukasaku said, "Don't get distracted. Listen to us. Madara Uchiha hasn't reached his peak yet."
Orochimaru sensed Madara's astonishing Chakra. He had only ever felt Chakra this terrifying in one person before.
The White Snake Sage of Ryūchi Cave!
"Madara Uchiha hasn't reached his peak?! You've got to be kidding!"
Sage Fukasaku nodded. "You all saw it earlier. Madara only had one eye, and it was a Three Tomoe Sharingan."
"But according to the records at Mount Myōboku, Madara's eyes were Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. That was his Trump Card in his battles against the First Hokage."
"Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Orochimaru felt like the world had become so twisted that he no longer recognized it.
Sage Fukasaku explained, "The Mangekyō Sharingan is an evolution beyond the Three Tomoe Sharingan. During the Warring States era, Madara and his younger brother, Uchiha Izuna, both awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"With the Mangekyō, the Uchiha brothers killed anyone who stood in their way. Back then, only the Senju Brothers could stop them."
"I don't know what happened to Madara's Mangekyō, but he still hasn't reached his peak."
"You must defeat him now. If Madara gets his eyes back, it'll be the end of the Ninja."
The Sannin looked at one another, none of them knowing what to say.
What a mess this had turned into!
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