Battle Against Madara (I)

At the border of the Land of Rivers, it was completely dark.

The dense forest cast dappled shadows under the moonlight, and the chirping of summer insects sounded particularly jarring in the pre-battle silence. Team Kakashi had just stopped, preparing to set up camp and rest in a clearing backed by a rock wall— Sasuke's condition was clearly not right; his pale face and slightly trembling body could not be hidden from any experienced ninja.

"Right here." Kakashi's voice remained calm, but his eyes beneath his Forehead Protector never left Sasuke. "Sasuke, how much longer can you hold on?"

Sasuke looked up, his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan glowing a dark red in the darkness. "Don't worry about me."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Naruto suddenly pointed into the distance, his expression changing drastically. "Oh no! Something... a lot! A lot of malicious Chakra is approaching!"

With the Nine-Tails' blessing, his senses far surpassed those of ordinary people. At this moment, he could clearly feel countless Chakra filled with twisted malice surging in from all directions like a tide, so numerous that his senses were almost overloaded.

"Quantity?" Kakashi instantly entered battle mode, his right hand already on his ninja tool pouch.

Naruto looked around, his voice unusually tense. "Countless... on the ground, in the trees... too many!"

Kakashi leaped onto a tall tree and activated his Sharingan. A few seconds later, he jumped down, his brow furrowed. "Around 20,000. The Chakra fluctuations are very consistent; it should be White Zetsu."

"White Zetsu?!" Might Guy said in a deep voice, "Although their strength is average, there are just too many of them."

Sakura clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white. "Twenty thousand against five... no, against four and a half." She glanced at Sasuke, her eyes filled with worry.

Kakashi's mind raced. A direct confrontation was a poor strategy; tactics were necessary. He quickly made a decision, leaned close to Naruto's ear, and whispered:

"Listen carefully: You use your Transformation Technique to transform into the four of us, create chaos with Shadow Clone, and focus on Taijutsu to wear down the White Zetsu. The four of us will conserve our strength, hide in the shadows, and wait for the real enemy to appear."

Naruto's eyes lit up. "Understood!"

"Action!"

The five instantly dispersed. Kakashi, Guy, Sakura, and Sasuke each concealed themselves in their designated positions, completely concealing their presence. Naruto remained in the center of the open space, his hands Hand Seals—

"Transformation Technique!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Four identical "clones" of Kakashi, Guy, Sakura, and Sasuke appeared beside Naruto. Then Naruto's main body Hand Seals again:

"Multi-Shadow Clone Technique!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Thousands of Naruto's Shadow Clone filled the open space. The entire open space instantly transformed into the illusion of a "five-person team on high alert."

The tactics were clever. Naruto used his massive Chakra reserves and Shadow Clone to create chaos and wear down the White Zetsu army, while the true main force remained hidden in the shadows, waiting for the fatal blow.

But they all underestimated the Rinnegan's insightful abilities.

On a hill several kilometers away, Madara Uchiha stood silently, his tall figure like a sculpture in the moonlight. His purple Rinnegan pierced the night, the forest, and the disguises of his Shadow Clone, taking in everything.

"Transformation Technique tactics..." A cold smile curled at the corner of Madara's lips. "Did you think I couldn't see through it?"

He raised his right hand and Hand Seals. As his Chakra surged, five Wood Release Clone split off from his body, each possessing a portion of the original's power and the complete Rinnegan vision.

"Four will go catch mice," Madara's voice was calm and even, "And one will go play with Nine-Tails."

Four figures transformed into purple streaks of light, shooting towards the true hiding places of Kakashi, Guy, Sakura, and Sasuke respectively. The last clone slowly walked towards the open space filled with Shadow Clone, behind which, 20,000 White Zetsu soldiers surged from the ground like a white tide, roaring silently.

Naruto's heart sank when he saw this—his tactics had been exposed.

"Kakashi-sensei! Our tactics have been exposed!" he shouted.

Kakashi, seeing the four Madara clones accurately heading towards their true hiding place from a distance, said with a grave expression, "Retract the Transformation Technique! Fight individually!"

"Clear!"

Naruto deactivated all Transformation Technique. He looked at the approaching sea of White Zetsu and took a deep breath—

Golden Chakra shot into the sky!

The Nine-Tails Chakra Cloak instantly covered his entire body, Naruto entered Nine-Tails Chakra Mode. His whole body was like a burning golden torch, dazzling in the night.

"Come on!" he roared, and thousands of golden Shadow Clone erupted simultaneously, charging towards the White Zetsu army.

The battle instantly intensified.

A golden figure charged through the white tide. Rasengan, Big Ball Rasengan, Rasenshuriken... Naruto unleashed every Ninjutsu he knew, each attack clearing an area. White Zetsu fell in droves under the bombardment of golden Chakra, turning into pale fragments.

One-quarter.

In just ten minutes, Naruto eliminated over five thousand White Zetsu. But the cost was enormous— the Nine-Tails Chakra was being consumed far faster than expected, and what's more troublesome is...

"Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence"

Madara's clones finally made their move. He Hand Seals, causing the earth to tremble. Countless giant trees burst from the ground, growing wildly and turning the battlefield into a primeval forest in the blink of an eye. The trees not only entangled a large number of Shadow Clone, but also absorbed the Nine-Tails Chakra —the innate advantage of Wood Release over the power of Tailed Beast began to show.

Naruto's Shadow Clone have dwindled in number, and his golden Chakra Cloak has begun to falter.

"Kid, change tactics." Nine-Tails's voice rang in his mind, unusually serious. "Wood Release is too effective against me. Use Senjutsu."

Naruto gritted his teeth, maintaining Nine-Tails Mode to eliminate White Zetsu while absorbing Natural Energy. The Sage Mode mask gradually appeared on his face.

When the number of White Zetsu decreased to around 15,000, Naruto decisively switched to White Zetsu.

The Nine-Tails Chakra recedes, Sage Mode is fully activated!

Sage Art: Wind Release: Rasenshuriken!

Dozens of Sage Shadow Clone simultaneously unleashed this technique, unleashing a massive Uzumaki of wind blades that shattered trees and annihilated White Zetsu in its wake. The range was greater than in Nine-Tails Mode, yet the energy consumption was more controllable.

Madara's clone finally revealed a serious expression. He Hand Seals, moving so fast that they left afterimages:

"Wood Release: Gate of the Great God!"

A red torii gate descended from the sky, suppressing the Sage's Shadow Clone. At the same time, Wood Dragon rose from the forest, rushing straight towards Naruto's main body.

The battle escalates. The clash between Senjutsu and Wood Release erupts in the night, creating a dazzling yet deadly spectacle.

Meanwhile, the real crisis has only just begun.

Four Wood Release Clone of Madara Uchiha approached Kakashi and his companions. Each clone activated Susanoo —although it was in its initial skeletal form, the oppressive aura of the four blue giants appearing simultaneously made the air seem to freeze.

Sasuke's battlefield.

He gritted his teeth, the excruciating pain in his chest like a burning flame. The fusion of Hashirama Cells and Uchiha Clan's Chakra continued, and the tearing sensation at the cellular level tormented his nerves every second.

"Susanoo!"

The purplish-black Chakra soared into the sky, condensing into a giant skull. But this time, pale green patterns appeared on the surface of Susanoo —the power of Hashirama Cells permeating and resonating.

"Oh?" Madara's clone said with interest. "Your Chakra... is quite interesting."

Sasuke didn't waste any words. He controlled Susanoo, longbow in hand, black flames clinging to the arrow tips.

"Amaterasu Arrow... that's interesting."

The arrow pierced the air. One of Madara's clones was unable to dodge in time, Susanoo was hit, with black flames spreading.

The clone decisively dispelled its Susanoo and jumped away. The remaining three clones exchanged a glance and instantly made a decision—

Fusion!

The three clones transformed into streams of light, merging into the first clone. The instant the fusion was complete, a more powerful Chakra, with more concentrated chakra, appeared. He Hand Seals, Rinnegan:

"Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!"

A sight even more terrifying than the Deep Forest Emergence appeared. Countless giant flowers bloomed in the forest, their pale yellow pollen spreading like mist, their sweet fragrance concealing deadly poison.

Sasuke's pupils contracted sharply. He recalled a similar attack method from his previous battle with Neji.

"The pollen is poisonous!" he shouted, simultaneously activating the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan at full power and sending Kakashi, Sakura, and Might Guy into the control room of Susanoo.

The Susanoo began to evolve! Muscles and skin grew from its purplish-black skeleton, and it was covered with heavy armor. Even more astonishingly, a pair of huge Chakra wings slowly unfolded from the back of the Susanoo, with black flames burning at their edges.

"It's flying?" Madara's clone raised an eyebrow, using Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique, the Wood Dragon beneath his feet rising into the air. "Then bring it down."

The Wood Dragon spewed out wooden spikes like a torrential rain. Sasuke controlled his Susanoo his twin swords—the longbow had transformed into two enormous katana. The swords flashed, the wooden spikes shattered, but more attacks followed.

"Sasuke!" Sakura called out anxiously from inside the Susanoo. She, Kakashi, and Guy were all protected by Sasuke in the control room—this was Sasuke's newly acquired ability to envelop his companions with Susanoo.

Kakashi calmly observed the battle. His eyes— Obito's Mangekyō Sharingan —opened silently. The purple diamond-shaped mark on his forehead and the three years' worth of Chakra stored in the Yin Seal gave him unprecedented confidence.

"Sasuke, use Amaterasu clear the flowering trees below," Kakashi said calmly. "If the poisonous fog isn't cleared, we won't be able to land even if we win."

Sasuke nodded, his attention diverted to control one of Susanoo's hands, aiming it at the forest below. Black flames cascaded down like a waterfall, igniting the flowering trees and dispelling the poisonous mist.

Madara's clone seized the opportunity and Hand Seals:

"Wood Release: Gate of the Great God!"

A red torii gate descended from the sky, carrying the power of sealing, and rushed straight towards Susanoo.

Sasuke tried to dodge, but the Wood Dragon's entanglement slowed his movements. The torii gate was about to fall...

"Kamui."

Kakashi's voice was very soft, but the Mangekyo Sharingan pattern in his eyes suddenly began to spin!

Space twisted into Uzumaki, swallowing up all the falling torii gates. The entire process was effortless, without the slightest strain—the complete Mangekyō Sharingan, combined with the massive Chakra provided by the Yin Seal, allowed Kamui to be used with unprecedented fluidity.

Madara's clone finally showed a surprised expression. "Oh? You're using the Sharingan quite well."

Kakashi didn't respond. His gaze swept across the entire battlefield— Naruto's side was still locked in a fierce battle...

"Sasuke, we must deal with this clone as soon as possible," Kakashi said, "And then go help Naruto."

Sasuke closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the patterns in the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan began to spin wildly.

Susanoo evolves once again! Its armor thickens, its size expands, black flames burn fiercely on its wings, and the two swords in its hands merge into a giant spiral spear.

Madara's clone's expression finally turned serious.

"Wood Release: Ranking Technique!"

He created a rectangular wooden shield resembling a fanged demon face in front of him to block Sasuke's Susanoo's spiraling spear. At the same time, he used the Wood Release: Laughing Buddha Jutsu, and several huge wooden hands surged into the sky from the forest, trying to drag Susanoo back to the ground.

The battle entered its most intense phase.

On a distant hill, Madara's true form silently observed everything. His Rinnegan reflected the light and shadow of two battlefields— Naruto's Senjutsu cleansing, Sasuke's Susanoo evolution, and Kakashi's fluid Kamui...

"The aura of Hashirama Cells... the complete form of Susanoo... and those eyes..." Madara muttered to himself, "Uchiha Clan brat, you're more interesting than I thought."

His gaze was directed toward Konoha, piercing through the night sky for hundreds of miles.

"So, Neji Hyuga... how long are you going to keep watching this show?"

The night wind blew across the hills, lifting his long, freckled hair. A complex and enigmatic smile curved at the corners of his lips.