The pre-battle standoff

To the east, at the Grand Canyon.

The cliffs on either side looked as though they had been cleaved by a blade, tall and sheer. Between them, a great white waterfall thundered down into a bottomless pool, mist filling the air.

Ryuto and Hashirama emerged from the woods and stood in the clearing at the canyon entrance.

Opposite them, some fifty meters away, two figures were already waiting.

Madara Uchiha stood with his arms folded, wearing dark Warring States armor, his black hair blowing in the canyon wind. Uchiha Izuna stood beside him, his expression even colder than Madara's, his Sharingan already activated and scarlet.

"Well, you're here." Madara's voice was quiet, but it carried clearly through the waterfall's roar.

Hashirama took a step forward, his face expressionless. "Been waiting long?"

"Just got here," Madara said. "This place hasn't changed."

"The water's still just as loud." Hashirama glanced at the waterfall. "The rocks are still here, too."

The corner of Madara's mouth twitched, though whether it counted as a smile was hard to say. "As kids, we competed to see who could throw farther. Now we compete to see who hits harder. This place really does have a lot of uses."

Ryuto said nothing. His eyes stayed on Madara and Izuna, while his Ki Sense had already swept outward like radar.

Around them... there were others besides the four of them.

Not just one or two, but several groups, hidden atop the cliffs on both sides of the canyon and in the woods behind them. Their chakra fluctuations were varied, some strong and some weak, and all were moving slowly, forming an encirclement.

"Hashirama," Ryuto said quietly.

"Hmm?" Hashirama didn't turn.

"We have guests. It's not just the four of us."

Hashirama's brow furrowed, then relaxed. "I sensed them. How many groups?"

"At least five or six directions. Quite a few people," Ryuto said. "Their chakra natures are all over the place. They're not from one clan."

Before Hashirama could answer, Madara spoke from across the clearing.

"Small fry." Madara's voice carried disdain. "They swarm over at the first scent of blood. Annoying."

Izuna sneered. "Big brother, want me to clear them out first?"

"No need." Madara waved a hand. "Let them watch. Once they've seen it, they'll understand what a gap in strength means."

Hashirama looked at Madara. "Did you arrange this?"

"I'm not that idle." Madara snorted. "Probably some fool who thinks he's clever, hoping to swoop in and reap the spoils. Unfortunately, neither side considers them worth bothering with."

Ryuto felt a jolt inwardly.

If Madara hadn't arranged it, then it was a third party. And both Madara and Hashirama had noticed, yet neither cared.

These guys really were unflappable.

"What do you say?" Hashirama asked Ryuto. "Do we fight or not?"

"We're already here." Ryuto flexed his wrists. "We can't reschedule just because we have a big audience, can we? That would make us the kings of flaking."

Hashirama grinned. "Fair point."

Across from them, Izuna had already taken two steps forward, his Sharingan fixed on Ryuto.

"Ryuto, it's been a month. You look a little bigger," Izuna said.

"You too." Ryuto looked at him. "Your chakra's a lot steadier. Madara's special training wasn't wasted."

"Whether it's enough to beat you, we'll only know after we try."

"Whenever you're ready."

With both sides having said that much, the tension had reached its peak.

Hashirama looked at Madara. "The usual rules. We rest for fifteen minutes first and get ourselves ready. Then two against two, a deathmatch. No objections?"

"Suit yourself." Madara turned, walked over to a large rock, and sat straight down.

Izuna followed him over and closed his eyes to rest.

Hashirama gave Ryuto a look, and the two of them found a patch of flat ground a little farther from the waterfall and sat down as well.

Only the roar of the waterfall remained in the canyon.

Underground, at a depth of about twenty meters.

Black Zetsu had wedged himself into a crack in the rock, like an actual shadow.

His perception extended upward along the earth's veins, clearly "seeing" the four people above.

Hashirama and Madara were facing off, while Ryuto and Izuna were pitting themselves against each other.

Good. All the main players are here.

His perception continued spreading outward, flowing like ripples over the cliffs on either side of the canyon and through the dense woods.

Atop the cliff, several people in white robes lay prone, veins bulging around their eyes. Their Byakugan were fully activated as they watched the canyon intently.

The Hyuga Clan had arrived.

In the woods, another group hid in the shadows, their chakra carrying a distinctive scorching heat and wild violence. Spiral-shaped clan crests marked their clothing.

The Uzumaki Clan had come too.

Farther away, deep in the woods, there was another group. Their chakra was cold and aggressive, accompanied by the sound of bones scraping.

The Kaguya Clan had indeed failed to resist.

Black Zetsu was grinning inwardly.

Perfect.

He was like a director sitting in the best VIP seat, watching all the actors he had invited arrive on time.

The Uzumaki were probably sent by Mito to observe, or "just in case."

The Hyūga must be led by that old stick-in-the-mud Tenshu, here to investigate the "third party" and the Sharingan.

The Kaguya are purely here to pick up the scraps, hoping Madara and Hashirama will both end up badly injured so they can rush down and seize the Sharingan.

As for the Senju and Uchiha themselves... Tobirama must have brought people to hide farther out too, claiming to be watching the battle when he's really ready to intervene at any moment.

Fight. The harder, the better, Black Zetsu thought. Once you're utterly exhausted, once these "unexpected" guests can't resist joining in... Ryuto, let's see how you survive.

He could almost see a Kaguya bone spike, or a "stray" kunai, "accidentally" crossing the chaotic battlefield and driving into Ryuto's back through his heart.

When that happened, Hashirama would go mad, and Madara would become even more convinced of this world's cruelty.

The fate of Indra and Asura would race headlong in the direction he wanted.

In the canyon.

The fifteen minutes passed quickly.

Hashirama stood and brushed the dirt off himself.

Ryuto rose as well, ki flowing slowly through his body as he brought himself into peak condition.

Across from them, Madara and Izuna also stood.

The four walked to the center of the canyon and stopped about thirty meters apart.

The waterfall's mist struck their faces, carrying a chill.

"Madara," Hashirama began. "I'll ask one last time. Is there really no other way?"

Madara looked at him, the patterns in his Sharingan slowly rotating.

"Hashirama, you're always so naive," Madara said. "There's only one path, one you forge with strength. Today, right here, we'll see whose path is stronger."

"Then... there's nothing left to say."

Hashirama began forming hand seals.

Madara's Sharingan locked onto him instantly.

Izuna moved too, heading straight for Ryuto.

Ryuto took a deep breath. Ki surged from every pore in his body, forming a faint layer of white light around him.

At that moment, their fighting spirit fully ignited.

Above the canyon, atop the cliffs and deep in the woods, every hidden gaze fixed on the four in the center.

Underground, Black Zetsu held his "breath."

The show had begun.