Just as everyone prepared to gang up on Black Zetsu, Tetsuhiro stepped forward. "Who the hell do you think you are?" He activated Sage Mode!
Then he activated the Eight Gates Formation-the Gate of Opening!
The next second, he appeared beside Black Zetsu.
Black Zetsu immediately unleashed Shinra Tensei!
A powerful repulsive force radiated outward from him, but Tetsuhiro quickly canceled it out with an identical force.
The bizarre Frog Kata struck Black Zetsu even though he had dodged Tetsuhiro's right hook. He went flying and crashed heavily into the ground, shattering it.
Heavy, powerful blows combined with an invisible, logic-defying fighting style soon left Black Zetsu unable to hold his own.
"Don't get carried away!" He flashed to the Ten-Tails' feet, formed a Tiger hand seal, and absorbed him into his body.
Glittering specks enveloped him. His crystallized skin reflected a grayish-white hue, every fragment seemingly brimming with... Moments later...
His entire body was covered in crystals. Four black spheres circled behind him, and the pointed horn on his head signaled that he had reached the Six Paths level!
Waving the black staff in his hand, Black Zetsu had never felt so full of power!
His overwhelming aura soared into the sky, leaving those around him unable to muster even the slightest thought of resistance.
"Damn it! Are the results we worked so hard to achieve going to turn to ashes just like that?" In the Cabinet, Tobirama smashed the desk before him with a furious slap.
Sarutobi Sasuke and the others nearby hurried over to console him. "All we can do now is believe in His Majesty and Lord Hokage. They'll work a miracle!"
Experiments! I must develop a forbidden technique that can change fate! Tobirama silently swore to himself.
Meanwhile, a similar scene played out in the Pure Land.
Shin Hashirama also demanded angrily, "What's wrong with him? Why would he do this?"
The Sage of Six Paths stroked his beard, his expression calm. "He has his own ideas. But to be safe, I still need to find that man."
With that, he closed his eyes.
At the same time, Madara was deeply shaken. He froze in place as a sense of helplessness welled up within him.
Suddenly, he found himself in his mindscape. Was someone standing opposite him?
"Who are you?"
"I'm sure you're familiar with me. My name is Hagoromo Otsutsuki."
"Oh, it's you. Too bad I can't see you."
"Only if that's what you wish." He raised his staff, and Madara's sight immediately returned.
"Time is short. Hold out your hand. Never mind, I'll come over."
He floated over to Madara and pressed his hand against his, gathering yin release chakra in Madara's palm.
A crescent moon mark appeared upon it.
"If a crisis arises, you can join forces with Tie... Hashirama to seal the enemy!"
Before Madara could reply, he gradually vanished...
When Madara came to his senses, "Hashirama" and Black Zetsu were locked in battle on the battlefield.
No! It was more of a one-sided beating. Black Zetsu could only use the Rinnegan's basic abilities, Truth-Seeking Orbs, and the Tianze Spear. With just those abilities, he ranked among the weakest at the Six Paths level.
"Hashirama," on the other hand, not only knew sage techniques but was practically an all-rounder. He even possessed absurdly overpowered eyes like the Tenseigan.
He also had four Truth-Seeking Orbs behind him!
And he seemed highly skilled at controlling them.
Tetsuhiro kept dancing across the battlefield, occasionally letting out wild laughter.
"Haha! Is that all you've got? Useless, useless, useless!"
Even with his opponent wielding a forty-meter DNA spear, he could advance and retreat freely through the air.
"Damn you, Hashirama Senju! You ruin my plans every time! Just stay still and die!"
"The whining of the weak. What gives you the confidence to act so arrogant?" Under the influence of his [Rose of the Battlefield] title, Tetsuhiro felt like dancing again...
He charged forward at high speed, skimming almost flush against the spear as he closed in.
Their Truth-Seeking Orbs collided repeatedly, and each man's eyes held only the other. The difference was that Tetsuhiro grinned despite the blood at the corner of his mouth, while panic appeared in Black Zetsu's eyes for the first time!
After forcing aside the Tianze Shield, Tetsuhiro gathered power in his palm, forming a powerful miniature tornado, and hurled it at his opponent.
Sage Art-Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion!
"Ah! What kind of technique is this?" Trapped within the storm, Black Zetsu felt his body being torn apart and screamed in agony.
Remembering their earlier battle plan, Madara seized the opportunity to activate Sage Mode and charge in.
"Even without my eyes, a treacherous bastard like you is no match for me!"
Perfect Form-Susanoo!
With the support of yin power, Madara could activate it without needing his eyes.
A massive sword infused with natural energy came cleaving down.
But the Tianze Spear caught it.
"You forced me to do this!" Black Zetsu roared madly, flying swiftly toward the blood-red moon.
He wrenched his horn and headband apart with all his strength, exposing the third eye beneath them.
Infinite Tsukuyomi-activate! Intense white light illuminated every corner of the world.
Madara quickly shielded Tetsuhiro beneath him, but the others were not so fortunate. Everyone in the world, including Tobirama and the others, was wrapped in the God Tree's branches and hung from the tree.
"Haha! Mother, please descend once more!" With that, Black Zetsu began swelling uncontrollably. Vast quantities of chakra poured into him from every direction, then gathered anew, until a peerlessly beautiful woman devoid of expression stood before them!
"Hamura... Hagoromo! This time, I shall reclaim all chakra and destroy the world!" A voice of utter coldness emerged from her lips.
"Please wait! I know about the misfortune and pressure you've suffered."
Seeing that her gaze remained icy, Tetsuhiro hurriedly added, "Ōtsutsuki Isshiki is still alive!"
"What... did you say?" An immense pressure radiated from her.
"I learned by chance that when you sacrificed him back then, his upper body wasn't devoured. He's now possessing a man named Jigen."
Her reply remained cold. "Lies... I have long since tired of them."
Since she had answered, there was still room to negotiate. Tetsuhiro hurriedly told her about the true Ōtsutsuki Clan, explaining the personalities and fighting styles of Momoshiki, Urashiki, and the others.
"..."
"But how am I to believe you?"
Tetsuhiro replied frankly, "You don't need to. Watch what we do first, then decide whether you believe us. No one will interfere in the meantime."
"What if you're merely trying to buy time?"
Faced with Kaguya's repeated doubts, Tetsuhiro couldn't be bothered to pretend to be friendly anymore.
"I wanted to preserve the last shred of dignity between us, but all I got in return was suspicion. Fine, I'll lay my cards on the table. No more pretending!"
Tenseigan Chakra Mode-activate!
His aura surged, becoming almost equal to Kaguya's.
"With my strength, why would I need to trick you to buy time? If we didn't share a common goal, why would I waste my time?"
"That is true." Kaguya fell into thought.
"For now, I shall believe you. My bedchamber..."
"Heh. Although I'm glad you've agreed to cooperate, I don't like your attitude!"
"And give Madara's eyes back."
She shouted furiously, "What exactly do you want? The eyes have already fused with me. They cannot be removed!"
Tetsuhiro held up his index finger. "First, treat us as equals. Second, hand over Madara's eyes!"
"I cannot!" Kaguya immediately unleashed a powerful wave of air pressure, confronting Tetsuhiro.
Amenominaka!
In an instant, their surroundings became a lava cavern, with heat constantly rising from the pool of magma below.
But this posed no difficulty for the two men. Flight and repulsive levitation allowed them to move freely through the air as they attacked Kaguya together.
Crack! The space changed in an instant. This time, it was a world of ice and snow, and they were frozen the moment they entered.
Boom! Tetsuhiro shattered the ice with repulsive force alone.
Unwilling to accept this, Kaguya controlled the entire world, sending wind and snow crashing toward the two men...
"Hmph, cheap tricks!" Susanoo swung its four swords, unleashing four energy slashes that canceled out the attack.
At that moment, Tetsuhiro also created nine clones, and together they unleashed Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!
They completely transformed the frozen world into a forest, which continued surging toward her.
Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack!
With a single palm strike, Kaguya smashed every one of those trees.
Just then, Tetsuhiro used the Body Flicker Technique to appear beside her, pretending to expose the mark on his hand and briefly distracting her.
Madara immediately closed in, thrusting his palm toward Kaguya.
He snapped, "Either get sealed again or do as you're told!"
Suddenly, they plummeted, pinned tightly against the uneven ground.
"The Primordial Space? Ten times normal gravity?"
There was no reply. A long gray rod gradually emerged from Kaguya's palm.
Both men instinctively sensed danger...
Before you continue