Chapter 368: The Arrival of the Dragon Vein
Hagoromo Gengetsu's technique prohibited movement but did not restrict action. Under the command of "Omniversal Way," six-colored Path Jutsu erupted from him, pouring down on Uchiha Madara and Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
Given Ōtsutsuki Kaguya's immortality, Hagoromo Gengetsu focused most of his firepower on Uchiha Madara. Although Madara could also use Six Paths Jutsu, his techniques paled in comparison to those enhanced by the Omniversal Way. Furthermore, the Ten-Tails' Divine Tree absorbed powerful techniques at will.
In no time, Madara, who had become a stationary target, was battered and bloodied.
Kaguya glanced at her temporary ally Madara, whose situation was dire, and then at Hagoromo Gengetsu, who was also immobilized. Her All-Killing Ash Bones could potentially deliver a decisive blow at this moment. However...
Kaguya's gaze shifted from Hagoromo Gengetsu to the Divine Wheels behind him.
If she did act, it would likely seal Madara's fate instead.
Kaguya lowered her gaze, and her long, blue-white hair, dragging along the ground, rose into the air. Ignoring the approaching Konoha group, she continued to unleash her sharp Rabbit Hair Needles at Hagoromo Gengetsu.
Hagoromo Gengetsu could hold out, but Madara was struggling to keep up.
Rip!
An energy beam of Storm Release struck Madara's left shoulder, creating a large hole. The wound, though quickly staunched, no longer healed as swiftly as before.
Madara was acutely aware of his current state. He cast a deep look at Hagoromo Gengetsu, muttering softly to himself:
"Hashirama, did you ever consider that there might be another person in a parallel world, someone as renowned as you and me, or perhaps even stronger?"
"It seems... Uchiha Madara can't hold out much longer," observed Kushina, noticing Madara's deteriorating condition. In contrast, Hagoromo Gengetsu and Ōtsutsuki Kaguya remained pristine in their white robes.
"That damn Madara! Hurry up and die already!" Kurama seethed within the seal space. Despite seeing Hagoromo Gengetsu again, his hatred for Madara, who had once controlled him and caused his imprisonment within a jinchūriki, was far more intense.
"I think we should make a quick retreat," Orochimaru suggested, having unknowingly moved to the back of the group.
If Madara died, the balance would be broken, which would not bode well for them as bystanders.
Danzō, who had been reluctantly brought along by Hiruzen, nodded in agreement. He had intended to contribute something after being dragged here, but...
Seeing the kind of power that could uproot thousands of trees, he realized how insignificant he was, like a root hidden beneath those towering trees.
"Such power..."
Danzō watched Hagoromo Gengetsu battle against both opponents, wielding terrifying power with every move. Beneath his fearful and wary exterior, his eyes burned with ambition.
If only he could obtain such power.
No! Even a tenth or twentieth of it would be enough.
Hiruzen would no longer be able to suppress him, and Konoha would flourish under his leadership, surpassing even the eras of the First and Second Hokage!
"Just wait! Just wait!"
Danzō silently vowed to collect any flesh, cells, or other useful remnants left on the battlefield after the fight. Even the smallest gain would be of great benefit to him.
Of course, this plan was contingent on their safe departure.
The Konoha team had recognized the situation, as had the Sage of Six Paths within Madara.
"We can't win, after all," sighed the Sage from the original world.
The Sage from the current world remained calm: "We have to use the backup plan."
"The Dragon Vein?" The Sage from the original world frowned. "Do you think you can successfully use its temporal powers to drive Hagoromo Gengetsu from this world?"
"The Dragon Vein is a foreign object; even you and I can't fully control it. But given the circumstances, we have no choice but to gamble," the Sage from the current world replied, though he wasn't entirely confident.
But as he said, if things continued, Madara's fate was sealed. Kaguya, though powerful, couldn't win alone. Even if they returned their chakra to her, the outcome would likely still be their defeat or imprisonment.
Only one option remained: using the Dragon Vein's power.
"Then let's do it!" The Sage from the original world agreed, his voice somber.
At that moment, as the Konoha group turned to retreat, Madara lay gravely injured, and the duration of the Ten-Tails' Divine Tree was coming to an end.
A thunderous dragon roar echoed across the sky.
A massive surge of blue chakra erupted from the earth like a volcanic explosion.
Under the Sage's guidance, a colossal dragon, composed entirely of Dragon Vein chakra, burst from deep underground, charging headlong at Hagoromo Gengetsu with unstoppable force.
"This chakra..."
Kaguya reached out, grasping some of the nearby Dragon Vein chakra. Upon absorbing it, she frowned slightly.
Unlike the chakra she was familiar with, the Dragon Vein's chakra seemed to possess a consciousness. It could be borrowed, but it couldn't be fully controlled like other chakra types.
The Dragon Vein hadn't existed during her reign over the Earth. Even during her time with the Ōtsutsuki clan from beyond the stars, she had never heard of chakra with the power to traverse time and space.
Now, as the Dragon Vein charged towards Hagoromo Gengetsu, Kaguya, understanding his intention, swiftly expelled the Dragon Vein chakra she had just absorbed and teleported to a spot free from its influence, ensuring she wouldn't be affected by what was to come.
Meanwhile, Hagoromo Gengetsu watched as the Dragon Vein approached.
To many, the Dragon Vein's chakra seemed limitless, its power unstoppable. But to Hagoromo Gengetsu, it was of little consequence.
What truly concerned him was the Dragon Vein's temporal and spatial capabilities.
As the Dragon Vein neared, a familiar white light suddenly erupted from his body, growing brighter by the moment.
Neither Kaguya nor Naruto displayed this phenomenon, signaling to Hagoromo Gengetsu that he absolutely could not allow the Dragon Vein to touch him.
Whoosh!
A diamond-shaped talisman flew out from his sleeve, positioning itself before him to confront the oncoming Dragon Vein.
For the first time, Hagoromo Gengetsu formed a seal with both hands and uttered:
"By the decree of this command, heed my will!"
In an instant, the talisman emitted an aura identical to that of the Dragon Vein.
The massive dragon, charging with great momentum, abruptly halted, freezing in mid-air.
"What's happening? Why isn't the Dragon Vein responding?"
"That talisman! The guardian has become the usurper! The royal line of Rōran couldn't resist the allure of the Dragon Vein's power, spending vast amounts of time crafting a talisman to control it," the two Sages quickly deduced, their perceptive eyes revealing the talisman's true nature.
However, knowing this and resolving the problem were two different matters.
Now, they were in real trouble.