The mantis stalked the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it.
Who was that referring to?
The oriole...
Was it Uchiha Yue?
Of course not!
In truth, Uchiha Yue had shown no intention of joining the battle thus far. He had gone to the Valley of the End mainly to watch a movie; who won or lost had nothing to do with him. When Uchiha Yue spoke of the mantis stalking the cicada while the oriole waited behind, he was primarily referring to Uchiha Madara. Without question, Uchiha Madara, fighting in the Valley of the End, was the mantis. The cicada he sought to catch was chiefly the forces of the First and the Death God, along with the Third Hokage, who belonged to Konoha yet had no idea he was aiding the Death God.
And the one playing the role of the oriole was undoubtedly the person behind Uchiha Madara!
That was right!
Uchiha Yue's gaze and perspective were no longer fixed on Kage-level experts like Uchiha Madara and the First. The one he truly intended to confront was the existence behind Uchiha Madara, the Death God behind the First, and the Sage of Six Paths hidden behind Akatsuki!
Different levels came with different enemies.
So what if it was Uchiha Madara?
He had caused Uchiha Yue so much trouble in the past, but now he was nothing more than a minor lackey.
Still, Uchiha Madara's ability to copy Kekkei Tōta—and even copy Sage Mode—did come as a surprise to Uchiha Yue. Then, as he watched Uchiha Madara's Sage Mode, Uchiha Yue quickly realized that Uchiha Madara's Sage Mode might have been even more perfect than the First's.
Because with the Death God's assistance, the First had merely been brought back through Impure World Reincarnation.
His strength had not