Chapter 226 (Patreon)

While Kizaru steadily advanced his plans, Ōnoki and the Third Raikage, who were still staying in Konoha, were not idle.

The two men remained wary of each other and were each pursuing their own interests. Even so, both understood the reality facing them. As Konoha continued to grow stronger, Iwagakure and Kumogakure would have to stand together if they wished to survive beneath its mounting pressure.

Using their need to exchange information about Madara Uchiha as a pretext, they approached the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, several times for private discussions. Their goal was to draw Kirigakure to their side and establish a united front against Konoha.

Although Yagura was the puppet Mizukage Madara had placed on Kirigakure’s throne, he was far from a fool. The fact that Madara had chosen him in the first place was proof enough of his talent and ability.

After witnessing Konoha’s overwhelming strength, Yagura understood that joining forces with Kumogakure and Iwagakure was the most rational choice for Kirigakure.

However, knowing the correct decision and being able to make it were two very different things. People were not machines. Personal feelings could overturn even the most obvious logic.

Day after day, Kizaru’s promise—and the sight of the First Hokage returned from the dead—haunted Yagura like a devil’s whisper.

On one side was the possibility of bringing his wife back to life.

On the other was the village where he had been born and raised.

Yagura found himself trapped between them, unable to choose.

The strain of that indecision had taken a visible toll on him. During his meetings with Ōnoki and the Third Raikage, his mind was rarely focused, and he never gave them a definite answer.

They could overlook it once or twice. After it continued happening, however, their patience began to wear thin.

What was this young Fourth Mizukage trying to accomplish? What was the meaning of his evasive attitude?

They had already explained their intentions and laid out the state of the shinobi world in painstaking detail. What reason could he possibly have left to hesitate?

What other path did Kirigakure have besides joining them?

Surely Yagura did not intend to follow Sunagakure’s example and submit to Konoha.

Eventually, Ōnoki and the Third Raikage gave up trying to persuade him. Instead, they decided that once the Five Kage Summit ended, they would send a delegation directly to Kirigakure and speak with Elder Genji, whose influence within the village remained considerable.

Compared to the unreliable young Mizukage, they believed Kirigakure’s cautious elder would make the proper choice.

Their withdrawal allowed Yagura to breathe a sigh of relief, but it also awakened a new fear within him.

How much longer could he retain his position as the Fourth Mizukage?

If he lost that title, would Kizaru still be willing to honor their proposed exchange?

The thought filled Yagura with urgency. He had to act before the position of Mizukage slipped from his grasp.

Yet that same urgency made it even harder for him to think calmly. He needed someone to guide him—someone who could help him finally choose a path.

That person soon appeared.

She stood in a position much like his own and had endured a similar loss. More importantly, she had already made her choice.

“Fourth Mizukage, would you have time for a short conversation?”

Smiling gently, Chiyo stepped into Yagura’s path. She had come carrying out a task entrusted to her by Kizaru.

“My apologies, Fourth Kazekage,” Yagura answered. “I haven’t been feeling well recently. I need to rest.”

The moment he saw Chiyo, he assumed she had come for the same reason as the Tsuchikage and Raikage—to pressure him into an alliance.

“I’ve experienced a loss much like yours,” Chiyo said. “Perhaps I can offer you some guidance.”

Yagura looked at her in confusion, uncertain what the older woman meant.

“My son and daughter-in-law both died on the battlefield,” Chiyo continued. “For years, I believed I would never see them again while I was alive.”

She stopped there.

There was no need to say anything more. Chiyo knew Yagura would understand.

His eyes widened slightly. When he looked at her again, his expression had completely changed.

“How are they now?” he asked.

“They’re doing very well,” Chiyo replied, her smile growing warmer. “They live here in Konoha with my grandson. The three of them are happy together.”

Yagura struggled to contain the excitement rising in his voice.

“Chiyo-senpai, I would like to speak with you properly.”

“Then come with me.”

Still smiling, Chiyo led Yagura toward the home where her son and daughter-in-law now lived.

Her intervention had been arranged by Kizaru.

He had been observing the Fourth Mizukage in secret and had noticed both his torment and indecision.

Kind-hearted as ever, Kizaru had decided to give the young man a small push and help him reach an answer.

Once Yagura witnessed the peaceful life Chiyo’s son and daughter-in-law now shared, Kizaru was certain he would choose the path laid before him.

Deep beneath the Land of Grass, Madara Uchiha sat upon his seat with his eyes closed.

He had returned from death, regained his youth, and taken back the Rinnegan that belonged to him.

Madara opened his eyes and tested the power of the newly transplanted dōjutsu. A confident smile spread across his face.

A body overflowing with vitality.

Chakra more abundant than ever before.

Power that surpassed even what he had possessed at his former peak.

He had not merely returned to his youth. He had ascended beyond his previous self and reached an unprecedented height.

Madara extended his right hand, opened his palm, and slowly closed his fingers. For an instant, it seemed as though he were grasping the entire world within his fist.

Foolish insects...

I will show you what true power looks like.

“Black Zetsu. Have you confirmed it?” Madara asked, looking down from his seat.

“Yes, Madara-sama.” Black Zetsu bowed respectfully. “The Five Kage Summit will begin at nine tomorrow morning.”

“Good.”

Madara rose and turned toward Konoha, contempt plain upon his face.

“Then I will give them a surprise tomorrow.”

He descended the steps one at a time until he stood directly before Black Zetsu.

“Deliver my orders. Gather the rogue shinobi. Once I have destroyed Konoha tomorrow, they are to attack Takigakure and capture the Seven-Tails for me.”

“Madara-sama, wouldn’t that be too great a risk?” Black Zetsu asked carefully.

“Those missing-nin are nothing but expendable pieces. If they die, then they die.” Madara’s voice was utterly cold. “Carry out my orders.”

“Yes, Madara-sama.”

Black Zetsu lowered his head, no longer daring to question him.

At the same moment, far away in Konoha, two exceptional sensor-type shinobi felt the eruption of Madara’s chakra.

Kizaru and Tobirama sensed it almost immediately.

Taking Hashirama with him, Tobirama went straight to Kizaru’s office.

“Kizaru, Madara Uchiha—”

“I felt it too, Grandpa Tobirama,” Kizaru interrupted calmly. “Madara must have used Rinne Rebirth to return from the dead and restore his youth.”

Tobirama’s expression hardened.

“Barring an unexpected change, he will come tomorrow. We need to be ready.”

“Don’t worry. Everything is already prepared.”

Kizaru rose and walked toward the window. His gaze settled in the direction from which Madara’s chakra had erupted.

“Tomorrow, all that’s left is the performance.”

“Hahaha! I’m ready as well!”

Hashirama laughed as he rolled his shoulders. The prospect of seeing Madara again—and fighting him once more—filled him with anticipation.

Seeing the confidence shared by the two men, Tobirama said nothing further. Even his eyes, however, contained a trace of expectation.

It was not merely because he would meet Madara again.

For Kizaru’s great undertaking to proceed, and for the future he had described to become reality, the shinobi world needed a common enemy.

Madara Uchiha would play that role perfectly.

Tomorrow would mark the beginning of an upheaval unlike anything the shinobi world had witnessed in a thousand years.

Author’s Note: I spent a while deciding where to end this chapter, but I’ll stop here. Madara’s declaration of war at the Five Kage Summit will be released together tomorrow so everyone can enjoy the full sequence at once!

The following morning, at approximately eight-thirty, an unbroken layer of clouds concealed the rising sun.

The morning remained dim beneath the heavy sky.

Fully dressed in his formal attire and wearing the Fourth Hokage’s white haori, Kizaru stepped out of his home and headed toward the Hokage Building.

The Five Kage Summit was scheduled to begin that morning, and the conference chamber had been prepared on the building’s highest floor.

When Kizaru arrived outside, Chiyo of Sunagakure and Hanzo of Amegakure were already waiting for him.

They had clearly arrived early so they could enter beside Kizaru and make their allegiance unmistakable.

Hidden from ordinary sight, Sakumo Hatake had deployed Konoha’s finest ANBU throughout the surrounding area. Their task was to ensure that no one interfered with the summit.

Elsewhere, Hizashi Hyūga, acting on Kizaru’s prior orders, led members of the Hyūga clan in organizing an orderly evacuation drill for Konoha’s residents.

Hashirama and Tobirama had both used the Transformation Jutsu and concealed their faces behind ANBU masks. Disguised as members of the summit’s security detail, the two brothers patrolled the Hokage Building.

Shukaku, Matatabi, and Kushina—the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki—had all been stationed within the Senju clan estate. The Sannin and Hiruzen Sarutobi remained there with them, providing four powerful layers of protection.

Konoha, under Kizaru’s direction, had made every possible preparation for Madara’s anticipated attack.

Kizaru entered the spacious, sealed conference room and took the seat at the head of the table without hesitation. Chiyo, the Fourth Kazekage, followed closely and sat to his left.

Hanzo understood his own standing. Rather than sit among the Five Kage, he chose the lowest seat near the door.

Two guards stood behind each leader. Officially, they were there to protect their respective Kage. In truth, they were promising young shinobi whom each village had brought to witness the summit and gain experience.

Rasa and his fiancée, Karura, stood behind Chiyo. Two younger members of Hanzo’s family accompanied him.

Sunagakure was desperately short on capable young shinobi. Although Rasa and Karura had once belonged to the Third Kazekage’s faction, neither had ever caused trouble, and both had remained obedient. After deliberately keeping them at a distance for some time, Chiyo eventually brought them under her own wing.

Konoha suffered from no such lack of talent.

The two shinobi standing behind Kizaru were Minato Namikaze and Fugaku Uchiha—both recognized as exceptional geniuses.

Those already seated did not have to wait long.

Five or six minutes later, Tsuchikage Ōnoki and the Third Raikage entered together. The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, followed shortly afterward.

Once Yagura crossed the threshold, the Konoha shinobi stationed outside shut the doors.

The Five Kage Summit had officially begun.

“Konoha certainly has no shortage of talent, Fourth Hokage.”

After taking his seat, Ōnoki immediately recognized Minato. The young shinobi had distinguished himself on the western front, leaving a deep impression on Iwagakure.

“Hohoho~ Of course,” Kizaru answered without the slightest modesty.

The smile on Ōnoki’s face faded.

“Enough of this pointless courtesy,” the Third Raikage said. He struck the table with one broad palm. “We came here to discuss Madara Uchiha.”

“The Third Raikage has a point. Let us begin the formal discussion.”

Kizaru’s smile disappeared as he assumed a serious expression. His gaze traveled around the table before he continued.

“Everyone here has already read the available intelligence on Madara Uchiha. What course of action do you propose?”

“Madara Uchiha must be eliminated,” the Third Raikage declared without hesitation.

“And how do you intend to eliminate him?” Ōnoki asked.

The Third Raikage did not answer. He merely looked toward Kizaru, making it clear that he wanted to hear Konoha’s plan first.

“Madara may be old, but none of us can predict how powerful he has become after awakening the Rinnegan,” Kizaru said. “I propose that our villages form an Allied Shinobi Force and combine our strength to hunt him down.”

The moment he finished, Ōnoki glanced toward the Third Raikage to judge his ally’s reaction.

Ōnoki had no desire to see such an alliance created.

Anyone could predict what would happen once an Allied Shinobi Force was formed. Command would inevitably fall into Konoha’s hands, and that was the last outcome Ōnoki wanted.

“Why go that far?” the Third Raikage asked. “No matter how powerful Madara Uchiha may be, he is still only one man. The Five Kage and Hanzo are gathered here. Are you saying the six of us cannot defeat him together?”

“It would be unwise to underestimate him,” Kizaru warned calmly. “He stole Grandpa Hashirama’s power and awakened the legendary Rinnegan. His strength may be far beyond anything we can imagine.”

“He’s still an old man with one foot in the grave,” the Third Raikage insisted. “If the six of us attack together, we can wear him down and kill him.”

“That is only an assumption.” Kizaru’s voice remained even. “The source of an Uchiha’s power lies in the eyes. Age and physical decline do not weaken them as severely as you seem to believe.”

He gestured toward the shinobi standing behind him.

“Fugaku can confirm that.”

“As long as an Uchiha retains the power of his eyes, he can still display his greatest combat strength,” Fugaku stated with certainty.

“You are hailed as the new God of Shinobi, Fourth Hokage,” Ōnoki said with a trace of mockery. “Are you telling us that even you are afraid of Madara Uchiha?”

Kizaru laughed softly.

“I’m merely concerned that if we fail to unite and eliminate him quickly, certain villages might be erased by Madara all on his own.” His smile settled on the Tsuchikage. “Wouldn’t that be frightening, Ōnoki-senpai?”

“Fourth Hokage, what exactly are you implying?”

Ōnoki slammed a palm against the table, anger flashing across his face.

“Oooh~ Nothing at all. I’m only offering a friendly warning.” Kizaru looked around at the assembled leaders. “Konoha is confident that it can withstand Madara. Can every one of your villages honestly say the same?”

His gaze sharpened slightly.

“And let us not forget—Madara’s targets are the Tailed Beasts. Can each village truly protect its own?”

“If Madara comes to Iwagakure, I will stop him,” Ōnoki said firmly. “Even if it costs me my life.”

Kizaru applauded the old Tsuchikage’s courage.

“How admirable~ If you’re truly that confident, then perhaps we should forget the alliance. Everyone can return home, protect their own village, and leave the rest to fate.”

Ōnoki’s expression changed. He wanted to argue, but doing so would mean taking back the declaration he had made only moments earlier.

“Fourth Hokage, you understand that uniting against Madara is still the wisest course,” the Third Raikage said, stepping in to help him.

“We should unite,” Chiyo agreed, choosing the perfect moment to support Kizaru. “I believe the Fourth Hokage’s proposal to establish an Allied Shinobi Force is the correct one.”

“And who would command this alliance?” Ōnoki asked.

“I nominate the Fourth Hokage,” Hanzo said immediately. “His strength is acknowledged throughout the shinobi world. He is the most suitable choice.”

“The Fourth Hokage is only twenty years old and has no experience commanding an army of that scale,” Ōnoki rejected flatly. “I do not agree.”

“The alliance commander should be chosen for strategic ability, not individual strength,” the Third Raikage added.

“Then whom do the two of you recommend?” Kizaru asked with a smile.

Ōnoki and the Third Raikage exchanged glances. Neither could immediately provide a name acceptable to both of them.

“Age is not the issue.”

Yagura, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke.

“Considering the Fourth Hokage’s strength and prestige throughout the shinobi world, I believe he is the best choice to serve as supreme commander.”

With his first contribution to the discussion, the Fourth Mizukage had openly sided with Konoha.

Ōnoki and the Third Raikage both felt the situation slipping from their grasp. Chiyo, Hanzo, and now Yagura had all expressed their support for Kizaru. The two of them were completely outnumbered.

Kizaru smiled at Yagura and inclined his head in thanks.

Seeing the friendly response, Yagura quietly relaxed. He had chosen Kizaru’s side in the hope of drawing closer to him and preparing the way for his wife’s eventual resurrection.

“Everyone, the creation of an Allied Shinobi Force would require the approval of the daimyo,” Ōnoki said, seizing on the only escape he could find.

“The Tsuchikage is correct,” the Third Raikage agreed quickly, inwardly admiring Ōnoki’s quick thinking. “A decision of this scale cannot ignore the wishes of the daimyo.”

“Then, if the daimyo approve, the two of you will also support the alliance?” Kizaru asked.

His wording left Ōnoki with little room to retreat.

“If all five daimyo agree, then I will support the formation of an Allied Shinobi Force,” he answered.

He had already made his decision. The moment he returned to Iwagakure, he would persuade the Land of Earth’s daimyo to reject the proposal under any circumstances.

“Very well. I agree,” the Third Raikage said.

His thoughts were almost identical to Ōnoki’s.

Neither man believed that mobilizing every major village was necessary to defeat a single Madara Uchiha. More importantly, neither wanted Kizaru placed in command of their forces.

If the Allied Shinobi Force were formed and Kizaru became its supreme commander, there was no telling how that young fox might use the opportunity to weaken Iwagakure and Kumogakure.

“Then it’s settled. Once we’ve returned—”

Kizaru stopped in the middle of his sentence.

His head turned sharply toward the nine-o’clock position.

The sudden movement drew every eye in the room. The assembled shinobi instinctively tensed, and those trained in sensory ninjutsu immediately extended their perception beyond the village.

“Fourth Hokage, what did you sense?” Ōnoki asked.

Kizaru rose abruptly, his expression grave.

“An extraordinarily powerful chakra is approaching Konoha.”

His gaze remained fixed in the same direction.

“It may be Madara Uchiha.”

The declaration struck the room like an explosion. Every leader immediately left their seat and stood.

“I can sense it as well,” the Third Raikage said with a frown.

He had deliberately trained in sensory ninjutsu for some time as part of his preparations to counter Kizaru.

One of the bodyguards behind Ōnoki was also a sensor-type shinobi. He stepped forward and whispered, “Tsuchikage-sama, an extremely powerful chakra is approaching us.”

With multiple sensors confirming the same presence, there was little room for doubt. Anyone approaching Konoha at that moment with such monstrous chakra could only be Madara Uchiha.

Whatever conflicts of interest divided them, they shared the same immediate goal when it came to confronting him.

“Fourth Hokage?” Ōnoki called, looking toward Kizaru for instructions.

“Minato, notify the village and oversee the evacuation,” Kizaru ordered.

“Yes, Hokage-sama.”

Minato vanished from the room.

“Fugaku, issue the alert. Konoha is entering its highest level of combat readiness.”

“Understood.”

Fugaku turned and hurried out of the conference chamber.

Once both orders had been given, Kizaru looked toward the assembled leaders.

“Everyone, shall we go outside and welcome our guest?”

“Let’s go,” the Third Raikage replied at once.

The others nodded and followed Kizaru out of the room.

Roughly a mile beyond Konoha, Madara Uchiha was flying through the air.

As the village appeared before him, a flicker of memory passed through his eyes.

Hashirama, I have returned.

This time, I will prove that I was right.

Only I can bring true peace to this world.

His moment of reflection ended. Madara accelerated, angled downward, and shot toward Konoha at terrifying speed.

Inside the village, the highest-level battle alert set the entire shinobi force into motion.

Most civilians had already completed the evacuation drill. The shinobi clans were now guiding noncombatants toward the nearest shelters in an orderly manner.

Following the arrangements Kizaru had established in advance, Konoha’s genin and chūnin maintained order throughout the village. One-third of its jōnin had been stationed around the shelters to protect the civilians gathered inside.

Every remaining jōnin moved toward Konoha’s outskirts, prepared to intercept the approaching enemy.

Of course, Kizaru had no intention of allowing them to fight Madara. Sending them against such an opponent would be nothing more than throwing away their lives.

He had deployed them to the perimeter for two reasons.

First, the visiting Kage needed to witness Konoha’s readiness with their own eyes. Second, when Kizaru finally entered the battle, those jōnin would serve as eyewitnesses who could carry the story of what happened across the village and throughout the shinobi world.

Greater fame was no longer essential to raising Kizaru’s template integration rate. Even so, as Konoha’s leader, he needed his prestige to continue growing. The deeper his authority took root in the hearts of the people, the easier his future plans would become.

Kizaru led the representatives of each village beyond Konoha’s main gate. He stood at the front, while the other leaders spread out to either side of him.

Konoha’s jōnin formed three-man teams throughout the surrounding area, their attention fixed on the horizon.

“He’s coming,” Kizaru said.

With his exceptional eyesight and perception, he was the first to make out the figure descending from the distant sky.

Ōnoki rose into the air for a clearer view. The instant he recognized the approaching man, shock spread across his face, and his body began to tremble on instinct.

Why?

Why did Madara Uchiha look so young?

As Madara drew closer, Ōnoki called out with none of his usual composure.

“Be careful! Something is wrong with Madara!”

Clad in crimson Warring States-era armor and carrying his gunbai and war scythe, Madara descended until everyone could see his face clearly.

“Fourth Hokage... what is this?”

The Third Raikage drew a sharp breath as he stared at Madara’s youthful appearance.

Kizaru deliberately allowed shock to enter his expression.

“He actually used that jutsu...”

“What jutsu?” Ōnoki demanded.

“Rinne Rebirth,” Kizaru explained gravely. “It is said to be a technique left behind by the Sage of Six Paths. Only someone possessing the Rinnegan can use it, and it has the power to return the dead to life.”

Everyone present was shaken by the revelation.

Everyone except Chiyo.

Her eyes shone with barely restrained joy.

“That cannot be possible,” Ōnoki said. “How could a jutsu like that exist?”

“I found it difficult to believe as well,” Kizaru replied. His words trailed off as he looked toward Madara. “But the proof is standing before us.”

“Hahahahaha!”

Hovering in the air, Madara laughed with open satisfaction as he looked down upon their alarmed faces.

“I heard you were gathering here to deal with me.”

He raised his gunbai and pointed it directly at Kizaru.

“You insects believe you can oppose me?” His grin widened. “Do you truly think you are worthy of dancing with me?”

Madara’s chakra erupted.

Its overwhelming pressure descended upon everyone below like an invisible mountain.

Kizaru turned toward the Third Raikage with a smile.

“Why don’t you take the first turn? The rest of us can wear him down one after another.”

The Third Raikage’s cheek twitched.

He was certainly reckless, but he was not a fool. Judging by the pressure Madara had just released, charging in alone would be no different from offering up his life.

“Kizaru!” Ōnoki called urgently.

The terror Madara had carved into him years ago resurfaced in his mind. This was not the time for their side to turn against itself.

Kizaru ended his teasing and stepped forward. He raised his head toward Madara, who remained suspended overhead.

Every eye followed him, waiting to see what the Fourth Hokage would do.

“You two have waited long enough,” Kizaru called. “Please come and help us receive our guest.”

His words left Ōnoki and the Third Raikage bewildered. Even Madara narrowed his eyes.

Who else in Konoha could possibly stand against him besides Kizaru?

Surely he did not mean Tobirama’s former disciples. Those worthless remnants were not even worth Madara’s attention.

He did not have to wonder for long.

Two figures appeared at Kizaru’s side in an instant.

Familiar forms.

Familiar chakra.

Faces Madara could never mistake.

His eyes widened on instinct, and the corners of his mouth rose into an exhilarated grin.

Madara dropped to the ground at once and stared directly at Hashirama and Tobirama.

“Hashirama!” he shouted. “Fight me!”

“Brother, we should attack together,” Tobirama said, visibly irritated that Madara had ignored him completely.

Hashirama folded his arms across his chest and looked straight at his old friend.

“Madara, it isn’t too late to stop. You don’t have to do this.”

He still intended to reason with Madara one last time.

“Hahahahaha! You’re still the one who refuses to understand, Hashirama!” Madara pointed his gunbai toward him. “Only I can bring true peace to this world!”

While Hashirama and Madara argued, Kizaru calmly stepped backward and returned to the other leaders.

“Fourth Hokage, what exactly is going on?” Ōnoki demanded impatiently.

The sudden appearance of the First and Second Hokage had left him stunned. At the same time, he could not deny the relief that washed over him.

Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi who had defeated Madara once before, was here. Their chances of victory had risen dramatically.

“This is Konoha’s greatest trump card,” Kizaru replied.

Ōnoki asked nothing further. He stared at Hashirama and Madara facing each other across the battlefield, his thoughts deeply conflicted.

The return of the First and Second Hokage was unquestionably good news for the coming battle.

For every future conflict between the shinobi villages, however, it was a disaster.

The Third Raikage had reached the same conclusion. Surprise crossed his face first, followed by relief, and finally by unmistakable concern.

The leaders had endured so many shocks in succession that they were beginning to feel numb.

At last, Hashirama and Madara stopped speaking.

The battle began.

Neither man bothered testing the other with lesser techniques.

Madara’s Yin Release chakra surged forth and wrapped around him. In the next instant, an enormous Susanoo towered over the battlefield.

Hashirama brought his palms together.

“Wood Style: Wood Golem Jutsu!”

The ground split apart as a colossal wooden figure rose before Konoha. A Wood Dragon coiled around its body, lifting its head toward Madara’s Susanoo.

Everyone else immediately retreated and put distance between themselves and the two giants.

The assembled shinobi could only stare upward, their faces numb with disbelief.

“Can shinobi truly possess this kind of power?” Yagura whispered.

The young Fourth Mizukage had never witnessed a battle on such a scale. Faced with those towering figures, even he began to question the meaning of his own strength.

“Not every shinobi stands in the same realm,” Ōnoki said, offering the only comfort he could.

“It seems I should go and help.”

Kizaru began unfastening his suit.

The others stared at him in confusion. Why was he undressing in the middle of a battle?

He removed his Hokage haori and the upper half of his suit, tossing them toward the Third Raikage. Then he slipped off his leather shoes.

“You should all wait here,” Kizaru said with a smile.

The restraints placed upon his body were released.

Muscles and bones surged beneath his skin, expanding with explosive force. Within a few breaths, Kizaru had transformed into a three-meter-tall giant.

His loose suit trousers had been specially tailored to withstand the transformation, but even they strained and tore along several seams.

Kizaru’s enormous body dissolved into light. A golden streak crossed the battlefield, and he appeared beside Hashirama atop the Wood Golem’s shoulder.

“Grandpa Hashirama, let us fight together,” Kizaru said calmly.

“All right!”

Hashirama clapped his hands together and sent the Wood Golem charging toward Susanoo.

“Kizaru!” Madara roared in displeasure. “This battle is between Hashirama and me!”

Susanoo drew its gigantic blade and swung toward Kizaru, who stood upon the Wood Golem’s shoulder.

“Leave that to me,” Kizaru told Hashirama.

His body became light once more. He flashed directly into the path of the descending sword.

Golden radiance gathered around his right leg.

Kizaru twisted in midair and drove a powerful kick into the enormous blade, stopping its descent.

The force of the collision exploded across the sky.

Madara glared at the intruder who had forced his way into the battle.

“Then die!”

Susanoo changed again.

Armor resembling a tengu encased its body, and an immense pair of wings unfolded from its back. Madara had taken it directly into its perfect form.

Perfect Susanoo drew back one fist and struck at Kizaru with crushing force.

“Be careful!” Hashirama shouted.

Dark markings spread across his face as he entered Sage Mode.

“Oooh~ How frightening.”

Kizaru made no attempt to evade the approaching fist.

He pulled back his own right arm, gathered his strength, and punched forward.

One enormous fist and one comparatively tiny fist collided in the air.

For several seconds, neither side yielded.

Then, without any footing beneath him, Kizaru was hurled backward. His body transformed into light before the recoil could injure him and streaked safely away.

“Hahahahaha!”

Madara laughed in satisfaction.

“Madara!”

Hashirama drove the Wood Golem forward. Its massive arms wrapped around Perfect Susanoo and forced it backward.

At the same moment, the Wood Dragon coiled around the golem thrust its head upward. Its jaws opened wide as it lunged toward Madara inside the crystal on Susanoo’s forehead.

“You’re no longer my equal, Hashirama!”

Perfect Susanoo swung its sword.

The giant blade severed the Wood Dragon with a single slash.

Madara did not stop there. Susanoo seized the Wood Golem by one shoulder and brought its sword down toward the wooden giant’s neck.

Hashirama’s Wood Golem was already smaller than Perfect Susanoo. Pinned beneath its superior size, it could not break free in time.

The blade swept through its neck and sent the massive wooden head crashing to the ground.

Hashirama leaped away from the collapsing golem.

The natural energy he had been gathering was finally sufficient. He turned toward everyone behind him and shouted a warning.

“All of you, fall back!”

Then he brought his hands together and unleashed his most powerful technique.

“Sage Art: Wood Style: True Several Thousand Hands!”

By then, everyone who had heard Hashirama’s warning had retreated as far as Konoha’s gate and the walls connected to it.

The earth began to quake.

A colossal wooden statue erupted from below, thousands of immense arms spreading behind it in layer after layer. Its size surpassed even Madara’s Perfect Susanoo.

“So this is the power of the God of Shinobi...”

For the first time, the Third Raikage understood the true meaning of that title.

Whether it was Hashirama’s True Several Thousand Hands or Madara’s Perfect Susanoo, neither was an enemy who could be overcome through numbers alone.

“Everyone, buy me some time.”

Kizaru returned to the group, shirtless and completely unharmed.

Tobirama arrived beside him.

His older brother and Madara were both monsters. They had opened with attacks so vast that Tobirama had found no safe opportunity to intervene. Instead, he had withdrawn to protect the others from the shock waves that would inevitably follow.

Kizaru sat cross-legged upon the ground. Golden markings slowly spread across his face as he began drawing in natural energy.

The others immediately stepped forward and formed a defensive perimeter around him.

“What is he doing?” Ōnoki asked, watching with open curiosity.

“Kizaru is gathering natural energy,” Tobirama answered. “Like my brother, he is preparing to enter Sage Mode.”

Ōnoki committed that information to memory. His attention remained fixed on Kizaru as he wondered what kind of technique the Fourth Hokage would unleash after entering Sage Mode.

In truth, Kizaru no longer needed this preparation.

His body already contained a tremendous reserve of natural energy, allowing him to enter Sage Mode whenever he wished. The entire display was part of the performance.

He wanted everyone to understand that he possessed a trump card capable of opposing Madara—but also to believe that it required time and could not be used casually.

That impression would be essential to what came next.

The shinobi world needed to remain afraid of Madara Uchiha. As long as that fear endured, its people would continue to place their hopes in Kizaru—the only savior capable of standing against him.

While Kizaru continued his performance, Hashirama and Madara launched their next attack.

True Several Thousand Hands and Perfect Susanoo charged across the battlefield toward each other.

“Hashirama!”

“Madara!”

Their voices thundered across the land as the two giants collided.

Perfect Susanoo raised its sword and slashed at the colossal wooden statue. At the same time, countless wooden fists surged forward and rained down upon Susanoo from every direction.

Had this been their battle from years ago, Hashirama’s overwhelming barrage would have shattered Madara’s Perfect Susanoo.

This time, however, the conditions were different.

Hashirama had returned through Edo Tensei. Although his reanimated body had been modified and strengthened, he still could not reproduce the full power he had possessed while alive.

Madara, in contrast, had regained his youth and now wielded the Rinnegan, which could absorb chakra.

The terrifying strength of Hashirama’s Wood Style came from the vast quantity of chakra he poured into every construct he created. Madara used the Rinnegan to drain the chakra carried within each descending fist of True Several Thousand Hands.

Stripped of that chakra, Hashirama’s strongest attack lost much of its destructive force.

Behind the battlefield, Tobirama directed the gathered shinobi as they used Water Style and Earth Style techniques to erect defensive barriers against the violent shock waves.

Walls of water and earth rose one after another—only to crack and collapse beneath the impact.

Eventually, the thunderous destruction subsided.

The smoke and dust slowly dispersed.

What emerged from within crushed the hope of everyone watching.

Hashirama’s colossal wooden statue had been hacked into pieces.

Madara’s Perfect Susanoo still stood, almost completely unharmed.

Despair spread across the faces of the assembled shinobi.

Even Hashirama Senju—the man who had once defeated Madara—had lost.

If the former God of Shinobi could not stop him, what power did any of them possess that could?

“I’m ready.”

As despair began to consume the crowd, Kizaru opened his eyes and rose to his feet.

He knew that Hashirama had fallen.

He knew that everyone had lost hope.

The moment for him to enter the stage had finally arrived.

“Fourth Hokage...” Ōnoki said. At that point, there was nothing else he could offer. “We’re counting on you.”

“I’ll go with you,” the Third Raikage declared, stepping to Kizaru’s side. He intended to face the seemingly invincible Madara beside his former opponent.

Kizaru placed one hand on his shoulder and gently held him back.

“You should stay here and watch.”

His tone remained reassuring, and his familiar smile had not wavered.

Leaving the Third Raikage behind, Kizaru stepped away from the gathered Kage.

Every leader watched him with mixed emotions. The despairing jōnin of Konoha also turned toward the youngest Hokage in their village’s history.

“You can do it!”

“Hokage-sama!”

Scattered cries of encouragement rose from behind him.

Kizaru neither stopped nor looked back. He merely raised his right hand and gave them a thumbs-up.

On that day, Madara Uchiha had revealed a power capable of sweeping aside everything before him.

At the moment despair threatened to swallow them all, Kizaru stepped forward.

He was the final light remaining within that darkness.

The light that would bring them hope and salvation.

Kizaru walked through the drifting smoke until he reached Hashirama, who was kneeling on the shattered ground and breathing heavily.

He extended a hand and rested it against the former God of Shinobi’s shoulder.

“Grandpa Hashirama, leave the rest to me.”

Hashirama rose with a smile. He placed his right hand over Kizaru’s left, and the silent gesture resembled a ceremonial handover.

The old God of Shinobi had reached the end of his part.

From that moment onward, the stage belonged to the new God of Shinobi.

Golden light began radiating from Kizaru’s body, growing more dazzling with every passing second.

Then his body began to expand.

A golden giant rose through the smoke blanketing the sky. Its radiance tore through the darkness, dispelled the despair within every heart, and stood between Konoha and the demon who threatened to destroy the world.

On that day, a giant of light descended upon the shinobi world.