Chapter 184: A Gathering of Heroes!
Ōtsutsuki Kinshiki's Byakugan allowed him to use an ability somewhat akin to Obito's phasing.
In their recent exchange, Uchiha Madara discovered that fact.
But unlike Kamui, which can be used situationally in combat, Kinshiki's power didn't seem intended for direct evasion – more like a spatial relocation technique.
Presumably, he never considered applying it that way; with his formidable taijutsu, he saw no need for such "cowardly" maneuvers.
Boom!!
The scythe conjured from Madara's Truth-Seeking Orb (Gudōdama) hacked at Kinshiki's neck.
It was like two mountains violently colliding!
The scythe bit in by one inch, then jammed.
So hard!
Madara pressed with his arm; it sank an inch deeper.
Heh, so it's not totally invincible…
…
Roar!!
Accompanied by Kinshiki's furious bellow, scarlet chakra erupted.
Five fingertips lit with crimson flames as he struck downward.
Boom!!!!
A wild force blasted Madara and his Limbo clones backward!
Regaining his footing, Madara landed on the rapidly mutating Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
Ten frenzied tails lashed about, collapsing countless buildings in the Land of Rain…
…
Konan had long since carried off Nagato's "corpse" somewhere distant. She stared at the devastated Amegakure, eyes dull and lifeless.
Massive amounts of steam rose from the ravaged water; a cold drizzle began to fall.
Once again, the Land of Rain…
…was crying.
…
Fate is like that: the moment you place bright hopes in the future, it strikes you with a heavier blow. Conversely, before complete despair, sometimes a faint turn of events might appear.
Whoosh!
Several figures suddenly appeared beside Konan.
Under a faint golden light, Orochimaru's serpentine eyes glowed.
"Huh, thanks to the Uzumaki clan's special constitution—and some unknown factor… He's not completely dead. But if he's left like this, he'll die in a couple minutes."
…
"Please, Orochimaru!"
Jiraiya supported Nagato's limp body, his face grim as though a storm brewed within.
Sshhk—
From Orochimaru's palm, a white snake slithered forth, biting into Nagato's neck.
Orochimaru gave a sinister grin. "Whether I can truly save him, I won't promise. But at least let me gather some experimental material."
Urashiki's jutsu had been interrupted once Nagato retaliated, halting the freezing effect.
Still, half their bodies ended up soaking in water, leaving them unable to muster any strength.
It was Shisui.
Jiraiya's body carried the Flying Thunder God seals from all the known users, whether it was Shisui or—
He was Jiraiya's disciple's disciple… in short, a messy chain of relationships.
Sensing Jiraiya's plight, Shisui instantly arrived to rescue them.
Orochimaru might be complicated in how he got along with Jiraiya, but it was no trouble to help in passing.
As for Kakuzu…
…no one cared about him.
…
"Konan-senpai, what on earth happened?"
Shisui's Mangekyō flared, staring warily at the raging battlefield.
That cluster of monstrous chakra sources far surpassed him.
Since when…did so many monsters appear in the ninja world?!
Konan replied softly, "…We don't know either. Those three men showed up all of a sudden."
"One among them—pure black—he's called Zetsu. He said the Rinnegan never belonged to Nagato. Then Nagato used the Rinne Rebirth jutsu to revive Uchiha Madara…"
Konan's eyebrows knotted as sorrow filled her eyes.
…
"You'd be better off asking Kagami than this woman," a cold voice interjected. It was Tobirama's.
"Hmph. That man definitely knows everything about them…"
"…and that wretch Uchiha Madara, too."
Yes, I'll go get my elder brother. That might solve things in an instant!
Shisui was about to move—then paused.
…
Surely Kagami was aware of this affair.
That wasn't just speculation; from Kagami's level of might, it was an inevitable conclusion.
Those few monstrous energies, fearsome though they were, still paled before Kagami's.
Why wasn't he here?
Shisui's mind raced. Kagami had said again and again that he wouldn't linger for long. Possibly he had some bigger pursuit or dream…
Shisui didn't know where Kagami planned to go. He only knew that in his current state, he couldn't possibly keep up with Kagami.
…
Taking a deep breath, Shisui turned to the raging battle.
His brother was unstoppable—but he wouldn't keep shielding them.
He had his own road, his own dream.
"I… must handle this myself."
Whoosh!!
Deep green Susanoo unfurled its wings, heading straight for the battleground!
Like a fledgling eagle leaving its mother's nest to fly for the first time.
---
Uchiha Madara and Kinshiki exchanged blow after blow. Meanwhile, Madara was devoting half his attention to Momoshiki and Urashiki.
After reanimation, Madara sensed those three possessed more chakra than himself.
Only that bulky Kinshiki was about on par with him.
Though he had no idea where these people sprang from, their white eyes reminded him somewhat of the Sage's younger brother.
…
Boom!
A huge wave of green Yasaka Magatama parted the dust, smashing into Kinshiki from behind!
Crash—
Kinshiki's body slammed into a rubble heap.
Madara's lips twitched faintly as he took in the new arrival in green Susanoo.
"So you're Kagami's younger brother, Shisui, right? Your elder brother's done nicely training you."
Shisui studied the legendary Uchiha. "…Uchiha Madara, sir, you seem to know me?"
Faced with the chaos, Madara remained composed. "Indeed. Kagami once sought me out so he wouldn't harm his own relatives. I suppose I was used by him back then."
…
"Kagami…" repeated Shisui.
Battered from the wreckage, Kinshiki didn't immediately resume fighting. He was called to Momoshiki's side.
So far, neither side had formally introduced themselves. They'd traded only mocking words.
Shisui's conversation with Madara leaked hints of valuable intel.
Even Madara found it bizarre that in the ninja world there'd be anyone who didn't recognize him.
"Uchiha…," Momoshiki muttered, eyes narrowing. "So that Rinnegan aside, the local phenomenon of reversion must be from that Kagami. Another throwback, is it?"
"That's strange," said Momoshiki. "If it's just one unusual event, we can handle it as an outlier. But an entire clan's eyes like that would threaten the Ōtsutsuki."
"We must eradicate them!"
He turned to Urashiki. "The Tailed Beast fusion is nearly done. Finish off Rinnegan, but don't damage that green-eyed man's eyes— I want to study them."
"Sure, sure…" Urashiki flashed a playful grin. "I'm curious about that green Susanoo as well. Let me handle him."
…
Madara remained cautious about the pair who hung back, even as he fought Kinshiki.
He'd gleaned enough from their short clash that Kinshiki's style was direct, relying on raw power. If it were Kinshiki alone, Madara was confident of victory.
But the other two, just standing by, could be a problem.
…
Boom!!
Green soared as Shisui's Susanoo battered out some stalling slash. Possibly a Yasaka Magatama or a direct strike?
Anyway, it hammered Kinshiki aside again.
Madara bared a faint grin, "Heh, not bad, Kagami's brother."
From the wreckage, Kinshiki wiped dust away, forcibly retreating near Momoshiki. He was weary of illusions or trickery.
Shisui and Madara's brief conversation had let slip some clues.
Even among the enemy, they gleaned:
Uchiha…
Momoshiki's face stiffened. "So that's the famed Rinnegan. But it's still a degenerate version. The green man's eyes are somewhat akin to the group that sealed Kaguya's. But maybe that's a connection to Kagami's lineage?"
"Don't know, but interesting," Urashiki teased. "After all, it's Kagami's brother, right?"
"Something's off," Momoshiki said solemnly. "If it was just one anomaly, fine. But to have an entire clan with these powers? That's a direct threat to the main family. All must be purged!"
He readied himself. "Time to move, Urashiki. The Tailed Beast synergy's about done, so kill Rinnegan and get me that green man's eyes."
"Understood," Urashiki said with a smirk. "I do fancy seeing that green giant up close."
…
Observing the Otsutsuki about to attack, Madara kept half an eye on the Ten-Tails forming behind him.
They lacked one-tail's chakra, making the transformation slower than expected.
All of a sudden, Madara craned his head, gazing far into the distance.
He sensed it…
A supremely familiar chakra drawing closer.
You…
Excitement blazed in Madara's eyes, grin twisting manically.
Hashirama!!