"Yes, if I were to personally send a child to the side of the world's most dangerous enemy, how would I be any different from the Third Hokage I once looked down upon?"
Dan Katō's face was filled with a complex expression.
"It's been quite a few years since I became the village's Hokage. Over the years, what I've done most is weigh the pros and cons, try to accomplish the greatest things with the least cost, and believe that some sacrifices are worthwhile. Without realizing it, I seem to have become the kind of person I hate the most."
"For the past few years, Madara has been a sword hanging over my head. I am afraid that I am not worthy of the position of Hokage that I have worked hard for half my life. I don't want the Fourth Hokage to be the last Hokage of Konoha."
Meikyō stared at Dan Katō, then at Uchiha Itachi, who was kneeling down alongside Uchiha Shisui, before finally turning his gaze back to Dan Katō.
Dan Katō is now over forty years old. He has transformed from a handsome young man into a dignified and mature middle-aged man. His long, light blue hair, which was originally as blue as the sky, is now adorned with two white dragon whiskers on his forehead.
He aged much faster than Jiraiya and Orochimaru, who were the same age.
The position of Hokage represents immense pressure, and Madara's existence adds even more weight to this already immense pressure.
"There's no need. Even if Madara recovers to the strength he had when he fought the First Hokage, I might still be able to put up a fight."
Meikyō activated his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and spoke to Dan Katō.
"Your eyes..."
Dan Katō noticed that the pattern on Meikyō's Mangekyō Sharingan had changed.
Originally a shuriken design with curved corners, the tip of the shuriken now extends further back, becoming longer and connecting with the rear end of the previous section to form a perfect circle.
"This is Sharingan that surpasses the Mangekyō Sharingan. Not only does it lack the original Mangekyō Sharingan's defects in ocular power, but the quality of its ocular power has also increased. In other words, my strength has also increased."
Under the astonished gazes of Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui, Meikyō said this.
At the same time.
Another location within the Land of Fire.
"Nagato! How are you now?!"
Konan carried Nagato on her back and flew at low altitude using the wings created by the Paper Dance.
They dared not fly too high, as that would be too conspicuous and easily spotted.
"Cough cough, I won't die for now. I knew it. Madara was lying. What he said about helping me collect the Tailed Beast to create the Ten-Tails, and helping me develop the Akatsuki Organization to fight against the Five Great Ninja Villages, was just a pretext to steal my eyes."
Nagato, perched on Konan's back, coughed as he spoke.
"It is my eyes, not yours, Nagato. And I am not lying. Collecting the Tailed Beast to create the Ten-Tails and developing the Akatsuki Organization were indeed things I did to bring true peace to the Ninja World."
Ban's voice suddenly rang out from ahead.
Nagato and Konan's expressions changed drastically.
The earth trembled, and a massive Wood Dragon slowly rose, dragging Madara before Nagato and Konan.
Beside him stood a ninja with a full head of white hair, his entire body wrapped in bandages.
"Bhiruho... how dare you betray me!"
Nagato stared fiercely at Bhiruho with his Rinnegan wide open.
"I never imagined that the incredibly powerful Pain was actually being manipulated by such a sickly person."
Bhiruho looked at Nagato ahead and said.
"Alright, it's time to get my eyes back. Do it, Bhiruho, use that move you just learned."
Uchiha Madara looked at Bhiruho beside him.
Bhiruho a hand Hand Seals and pressed his hands to the ground.
The three coffins rose one after another, and when the coffin lids were opened, three ninjas with cracked faces were revealed.
The Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu is very difficult; even if the method is given, ordinary ninjas cannot learn it.
Bhiruho the person Madara and Zetsu found after searching the Ninja World, besides Orochimaru, who was the most likely to have learned the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu.
Relying on his own scientific research capabilities, Bhiruho has finally mastered the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu recently, but it is only the original version of Impure World Reincarnation.
Even when using White Zetsu as the material for the technique, the power of the Impure World Reincarnation only increased from 20% to 40% or 50%.
"This is... the Third Kazekage, and the Third Mizukage!"
Shock appeared on Konan's face. She flapped her white wings and prepared to flee the scene with Nagato.
However, Bhiruho manipulated the Third Kazekage, using Iron Sand to drag everyone into the sky and chase after them.
It's not surprising that Madara has the body tissue of the Third Mizukage in his hands.
To this day, Kirigakure remains under his control.
The Third Kazekage was specially Impure World Reincarnation by Bhiruho to deal with Konan, a flying unit. The raw materials were easy to find; all that was needed was a little bit of the Third Kazekage's body tissue from Sasori.
The position of leader of Akatsuki Organization has changed from Pain Madara.
After recovering some of his strength using the Earth Grudge Fear, Madara infiltrated the Akatsuki Organization and guided Nagato as a mentor.
Nagato was watched by Madara from Nagato and was manipulated by Madara throughout his life. Madara knew Nagato's personality and experiences very well. With Madara's abilities, he could easily play Nagato in the palm of his hand. Many members of the Akatsuki Organization also joined under Madara's guidance.
Madara's control over the Akatsuki Organization had long surpassed that of Nagato, that chuunibyou youth.
"Wood Release: Descent to the World of Flowering Trees!"
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand World Method!"
Ice Release: Shattering Ice Crystals!
Countless attacks came at Konan Nagato, and even though the two fought with all their might, they were soon covered in wounds.
"Nagato, what should we do now?"
Konan clutched her chest and looked at Nagato, who was kneeling and lying on the ground.
"Go to Konoha and find Jiraiya- sensei! Now, only Konoha has the power to stop Madara!"
"Go to Konoha? It's useless. Once I take back these Rinnegan, even if Uchiha Meikyō and the people from Konoha join forces, they will have no chance of defeating me."
Uchiha Madara sneered, manipulating Susanoo Puppet, and reached out to grab Nagato.
"That depends on whether you have the ability!"
Nagato retorted, controlling the repulsive force of his Rinnegan to levitate his body.
His legs had lost their mobility, and this was the only way he could maintain his mobility.
"Ban, I will make you feel what pain truly is!"
Nagato stretched out his arms towards the sky and spoke to Uchiha Madara.
"Super Shinra Tensei!"
A blinding white light erupted, and a terrifying shockwave was instantly unleashed.
Iron Sand, ice crystals, and trees all crumbled at this moment.
Bhiruho hid behind Madara, controlling the Third Kazekage and the Third Mizukage to protect himself.
Uchiha Madara frowned slightly, standing atop Susanoo Puppet's head, controlling his fists to blast forward in order to reduce the damage from the shockwave.
Even Konan was inevitably severely injured when Nagato used a shockwave to send her into the air and help her escape.
"Boom!"
The massive Hundred-Handed Wood Golem collapsed with a crash, sending up clouds of dust.
Bhiruho awkwardly pushed away the Third Kazekage and the Third Mizukage, who were rapidly repairing their injuries, while cursing under his breath.
If he hadn't had the foresight to absorb the Dark Release from a Kirigakure Ninja and the Steel Release from an Iwagakure Ninja using the Chimera Technique before the operation, greatly enhancing his own survivability, he might have already perished here.
"You're quite good. Your control over the Rinnegan has exceeded my expectations. The power of this move is approaching my peak level."
Uchiha Madara by the Nagato and lifted him up, speaking in his uniquely intimidating voice.
The fact that Super Shinra Tensei could unleash such power in a short period of time, almost enough to destroy a large ninja village in one strike, was quite remarkable even in Madara's eyes.
Nagato was being held by the throat by Madara and couldn't speak.
After being severely injured, he didn't have much strength left to speak when he unleashed the Super Almighty Push.
"Ah, you can't die yet. If you die, how can Lord Madara's plan continue?"
A hoarse sound came, and a pool of black liquid flowed from the gaps in Madara's armor, crawling onto Nagato's body.
"Lord Madara, this body still has enough vitality to perform the Reanimation Rebirth Technique, look..."
Black Zetsu, controlling Nagato's body, spoke.
"Wait a minute."
Uchiha Madara reached out to stop him.
"Next, I will unleash the power of the Earth Grudge Fear with all my might, gathering the power of the five hearts into one, and restoring my physical condition to its peak. Although it can only last for ten minutes, it will be enough."
As Uchiha Madara spoke, clumps of black lines emerged from his body, weaving freely across his form and transforming his physique to appear younger.
In just a few minutes, Uchiha Madara's face, which originally had some wrinkles and looked a little old, suddenly became full of life, and the wrinkles on his skin were smoothed out.
He has recovered to the physical condition he was in Hashirama Senju in the Valley of the End.
Even if it's only for ten minutes.
And these ten minutes will soon be extended significantly.
"Now, we can begin."
As Uchiha Madara spoke, he formed hand Hand Seals.
Nagato, who was possessed by Black Zetsu, was also forming the exact same hand seals as Madara.
The instant the Hand Seals were completed, Uchiha Madara suddenly reached out and struck his own heart.
The Rebirth of the Samsara is not a jutsu that makes Madara younger, but Ninjutsu that resurrects the dead. Uchiha Madara used the power of Earth Grudge Fear to restore his youth and experience the process of life to death and death to life again.
"Thump, thump..."
A strong, powerful heartbeat emanated from Ban's body.
On the other side, Bhiruho sighed almost imperceptibly.
He had originally been thinking about whether he could take the opportunity to seize the Rinnegan.