"It's just gravel, not even half as good as me!"
Uchiha Madara sent Uzumaki Raiden flying with a punch, briefly glancing at the large crater Raiden had created in the distance. A faint smile curled at the corner of his mouth before his gaze shifted to Uchiha Fugaku.
Facing the immense pressure exuded by Uchiha Madara, Fugaku had already activated his Mangekyō Sharingan. He silently condensed his chakra, preparing to unleash his dojutsu in an attempt to restrain Madara.
"Mangekyō Sharingan?"
"You're not Shisui. Do you really think those eyes are worthy of being displayed before me?!"
Uchiha Madara sneered condescendingly at Fugaku as the chakra surrounding him rapidly condensed into a tangible form. A colossal chakra giant, nearly 200 meters tall, materialized on the battlefield. With a swift leap, Madara ascended to Susanoo's forehead.
"Hmph!" Madara crossed his arms over his chest, letting out a soft snort through his nostrils. In Susanoo's hands, two massive blades took form. Without hesitation, he swung them, slashing toward the opponents before him.
In an instant, smoke and debris filled the air, and a deafening roar echoed through the mountains. The force of Madara's strike split the ground apart, the fissure rapidly spreading into the distance.
The blade's light reached the surrounding barrier. After another loud explosion, the dust began to settle.
"Hmm?!"
Madara let out a small exclamation, his eyes scanning the empty ground in front of him. He was surprised. Turning his gaze toward the barrier in the distance, he noted that, despite his powerful assault, the barrier protecting the mountain remained unscathed—not even a single crack had appeared.
Furthermore, Uchiha Itachi and the others, who had been in front of him moments ago, had already relocated to another part of the battlefield. His previous attack hadn't touched them at all.
"The strength of this barrier is… unexpected," Madara muttered to himself. Susanoo raised its arms once more, this time aiming directly at a specific point in the barrier. He intended to unleash his full power to shatter it completely.
But just as he was about to strike again, a faint sound emanated from the massive crater Raiden had created earlier. Though subtle, Madara noticed it immediately.
His head turned slightly as he gazed at the crater. Without uttering a word, he unleashed two more devastating sword beams toward the hole.
At that very moment, however, two black lightning bolts shot out from the crater, colliding head-on with Madara's attacks. The clashing energies produced a cataclysmic explosion, sending shockwaves rippling across the battlefield. The barrier that had once enclosed the area had already been dispelled.
"BOOM!!!"
Seconds before the explosion, Uchiha Obito and the others used the Flying Thunder God Technique to evacuate from the battlefield. Just a moment after they escaped, an earth-shattering shockwave tore through the entire mountainous region. The peak that concealed the Gedo Mazo was cleaved in half by the devastating impact, obliterating the protective barrier Nagato had arranged.
"Shukaku… I won't let you take him away."
A voice echoed across the battlefield, followed by a faint black light piercing through the dust cloud. As spatial distortions rippled through the air, a golden-armored Nine-Tailed Fox emerged from the smoke, charging directly at Uchiha Madara. With a single step forward, it swiped its massive claw at Susanoo's chest.
"Boy! You're still alive?!"
Madara's eyes widened in surprise as he blocked the attack with Susanoo's blade. Upon closer inspection, he saw that Uzumaki Raiden was standing atop the golden-armored Nine-Tails' head. The creature itself was a construct of pure chakra, wrapped in an additional layer of armor composed of Kongō Fūsa.
"Did you really think an attack of that level could kill me?"
"I don't know how you were resurrected, but that doesn't matter."
"I'll take this opportunity to erase you completely!"
Raiden let out a low growl as the golden-armored Nine-Tails struck out fiercely. The sheer force sent Susanoo flying backward.
Madara, still inside Susanoo, felt the overwhelming impact. He was forced back a hundred meters before stabilizing himself. With a ferocious counterattack, he swung his blades again, sending two more slashes hurtling toward Raiden.
"Boom!" Anticipating the attack, the golden-armored Nine-Tails leaped into the air, effortlessly dodging the slashes. Thick smoke billowed from the ground below.
As Raiden soared above the battlefield, a Tailed Beast Ball quickly condensed in the fox's mouth. Its tails waved fluidly, maintaining its aerial balance. The next second, the Tailed Beast Ball was unleashed, streaking across the sky in a dazzling beam of destruction.
"One isn't enough!"
A grin spread across Raiden's face. Without pause, he continued generating and firing Tailed Beast Balls at Madara's Susanoo. The battlefield was filled with the relentless roar of explosions.
Raiden's Tailed Beast Balls were unlike ordinary ones. In addition to their immense chakra, they carried his unique Lightning Release attribute, significantly enhancing their piercing power. Upon detonation, the ground was left coated in a faint layer of lightning, turning the terrain into a deadly trap for anyone foolish enough to step on it.
The sheer scale of their battle was unfathomable. The explosions could be heard nearly a hundred kilometers away, their reverberations far surpassing the sound of thunder.
By the time the dust settled, the once-dense forest had been obliterated, transformed into a massive crater.
"Hah!"
From within the thick smoke, a powerful gust of wind suddenly erupted. Susanoo emerged from the haze, charging straight toward the golden-armored Nine-Tails. Though Madara's Susanoo was in tatters, its protective power had kept him completely unharmed.
With a mere thought, Madara's chakra surged, restoring Susanoo to its pristine state, as if it had never sustained any damage. Despite expending such an enormous amount of Mangekyō power and chakra, Madara didn't appear the least bit fatigued. In fact, he looked even more exhilarated.
Even Raiden was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected Madara to emerge unscathed from that level of attack. His combat prowess was beyond expectation.
"Hahahaha! Brat!"
"Did you think that was enough to defeat me?!"
"The last time you saw me, I was old and frail—far from my prime."
"But now, I am stronger than ever before! If you have no other tricks up your sleeve, then surrender now!"
"Become the foundation for my path to peace!"
Madara suddenly spread his arms wide before clasping them together. Susanoo mirrored the gesture, forming a seal with its hands.
An immense surge of chakra erupted from Madara's body.
"Tengai Shinsei!"
Though Madara had released an overwhelming amount of chakra, no visible ninjutsu had yet manifested. Raiden merely felt the sky darken as a suffocating pressure descended upon him.
Sensing imminent danger, he instinctively looked upward.
A colossal meteorite, spanning nearly 300 meters in diameter, tore through the clouds, plummeting straight toward him.
The golden-armored Nine-Tails immediately stood on all fours, its towering frame rivaling Madara's complete Susanoo in size. With a swift movement, a stream of energy surged from its tails, coalescing into a Reishi Longsword.
Raiden grasped the blade.
"The so-called peace you speak of is nothing but an illusion."
"Didn't that masked man tell you? Black Zetsu has already been sealed away by me."
"Its plan was merely to resurrect Kaguya, and you were nothing more than a fool deceived by it."
"Now that you've been revived, you're just a pawn meant to take the fall."
"This is a new era—there is no place for an old relic like you!"
As Uzumaki Raiden's voice fell, the golden-armored Nine-Tails swung its massive blade. A terrifying surge of chakra erupted from the weapon, striking the massive meteorite in the sky. A thunderous explosion, even more deafening than a storm, reverberated through the heavens. The meteorite's descent was abruptly halted.
Fine cracks rapidly spread across its surface. The next second, the meteorite shattered entirely, unleashing a shockwave from beneath it. The fragmented debris, instead of falling, was blasted back into the sky. The once-darkened heavens brightened as the massive rock crumbled, and as the airwave dissipated, meteorite fragments scattered across the battlefield.
The shattered debris crashed into the ground, creating large craters. However, these remnants posed no threat to Uzumaki Raiden.
With just one strike, he had completely annihilated Uchiha Madara's Tengai Shinsei.
The battle unfolding here could be witnessed from tens of kilometers away. The enormous meteorite blotting out the sky, the overwhelming slash that countered it, and the sheer force of the resulting shockwaves created a spectacle beyond belief. However, Uchiha Itachi and the others, having retreated earlier, were unable to witness this confrontation in its full intensity.
Before the battle escalated to this level, Uchiha Itachi, Shisui, and Obito had used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport their comrades away. Shortly after their escape, Gaara was teleported back to the battlefield by Uzumaki Raiden. Only because his allies had safely withdrawn was Raiden able to fight without restraint.
It was not until this moment that Uchiha Itachi and the others truly comprehended the full power of Uzumaki Raiden. What shocked them even more was the fact that Uchiha Madara was still able to keep up. If Raiden hadn't personally led this mission, they would have stood no chance against Madara.
"This kind of battle… is completely beyond us."
"If Raiden loses, there won't be anyone left in Konoha who can stand against Uchiha Madara."
"What should we do? We have to find a way to assist Raiden."
Hyuga Hizashi kept his Byakugan focused on the battle. Although he couldn't actively participate, he could still observe the fight and track its progression. However, he wasn't willing to let Uzumaki Raiden fight alone, so he asked the others for a plan.
Might Guy's expression shifted several times. His fists were clenched, and he remained silent. He was contemplating.
He carefully assessed the power difference between Raiden and Madara. He knew that if he fully opened the Eight Gates Technique, he could definitely land a decisive hit on Madara. But the harsh reality was this: the real challenge was actually reaching Madara.
Opening the Eight Gates Technique would not significantly enhance his durability. He might be killed before even landing a single blow. In a battle of this scale, jumping in recklessly wasn't an option.
"Don't be reckless. As long as the battle stays this intense, we won't have an opportunity to intervene."
"We wait. Once the fight slows down—once we find an opening—then we'll make our move."
"Obito, Itachi, and Shisui, you three have mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique. With this, we can return to the battlefield instantly when the time is right."
"When the battle reaches its climax, that is when we act."
"For now, let's focus on treating Gaara's injuries."
Uchiha Fugaku remained calm and observant, his Mangekyō Sharingan analyzing every detail of the battle. He firmly believed that his dojutsu could aid Uzumaki Raiden. However, he also understood that the time was not yet right.
Following Fugaku's decision, everyone gradually relaxed. They quickly patched up Gaara's wounds and formed a defensive perimeter around him, keeping their eyes fixed on the battlefield.
Meanwhile, the battle between Uzumaki Raiden and Uchiha Madara had entered its most intense phase.
Both had abandoned ineffective ninjutsu, engaging instead in pure hand-to-hand combat. The colossal Susanoo and the golden-armored Nine-Tails clashed head-on—each blow they exchanged was more devastating than any jutsu.
Of course, Uchiha Madara had attempted to use Rinnegan techniques, but the effects were insignificant. Shinra Tensei and Banshō Ten'in barely fazed the golden-armored Nine-Tails.
Distracted by his own ninjutsu, Madara momentarily lost focus. That instant was all Raiden needed.
With a swift and brutal strike, the golden-armored Nine-Tails landed a crushing blow on Susanoo's right arm—tearing it clean off.
Madara was forced to burn through an enormous amount of chakra just to repair the damage.
"If we continue like this, the fight will only end when one of us makes a critical mistake… or when one of us runs out of chakra."
"Even though I have more chakra than Uchiha Madara, his Rinnegan abilities are unpredictable."
"He might still have a hidden ace up his sleeve."
"If this turns into a battle of attrition, things could get risky. I can't afford to waste time."
At this moment, Raiden had already gained the upper hand.
His chakra reserves far exceeded Madara's. Even more importantly, his chakra contained Sage Energy, significantly enhancing the golden-armored Nine-Tails' strength. Every one of Raiden's attacks inflicted massive damage on Susanoo.
But merely suppressing Uchiha Madara was not enough.
What Raiden truly sought was to end him—permanently.
With that resolve, after another fierce clash, the golden-armored Nine-Tails suddenly leaped back, creating distance between them.
Uzumaki Raiden formed a single-hand seal.
At that instant—a long-planted curse seal was activated.
This was no ordinary seal.
It was a curse seal he had embedded into Madara's Rinnegan long ago—one that had finally been triggered.
Madara's Rinnegan abilities were about to be completely sealed away.
(End of this chapter)