Chapter 70 Fourth War / Moon Breathing VS Heavenly Barrier...
A week has passed since the Kannabi Bridge incident.
Rin and Kakashi's physical injuries weren't serious; they would be fine after a few days of rest. However, they suffered a great deal of mental stress, and they should have needed proper rest.
However, we are currently in the midst of the Third Shinobi World War. Although the Kannabi Bridge has been destroyed, Iwagakure's pleas are futile, and the scales of victory have tipped in Konoha's favor. But the fact remains that the war is not over. Or rather, Konoha should seize this opportunity to drive Iwagakure back.
Therefore, there was no time for anyone to lick their wounds; the Minato Squad, having lost a member, had to carry out another mission.
However, the dark clouds that had been hanging over Minato's team for days had not yet dissipated. Rin was silently shedding tears every day, her eyes never swollen down and always red; Kakashi was even more silent than usual. If he was merely indifferent before Obito's sacrifice, now he had lost even that indifference and was left only with numbness.
Minato Namikaze saw the state of his disciples and was deeply saddened by it. But what was done was done; those who were alive had no choice but to pull themselves together and try to live on.
Moreover, as a teacher, he cannot allow himself to immerse himself in a world of sadness; he must "let go," otherwise the two remaining little seedlings will be even more unable to let go.
After completing this small mission of cutting off the "tail" of the Iwagakure army, Minato's team returned to the village.
Minato Namikaze was about to say something like "thank you for your hard work" as usual, but before he could even open his mouth, an unexpected figure appeared at the village entrance. He stared blankly at the figure, momentarily forgetting what he was going to say.
His sudden change in demeanor made Rin and Kakashi instinctively follow his gaze.
Then.
"Obito?!" Rin was the first to exclaim, covering her mouth, her eyes wide, her face filled with unbelievable joy.
Kakashi stared intently at Obito, as if confirming that it wasn't an illusion. His left eye, which had recently undergone surgery, suddenly throbbed with pain, a reminder of the heavy responsibility he was entrusted with.
...Is it an illusion? Or is someone in disguise? It probably is. After all—the Obito before us has perfectly intact eyes!
Minato Namikaze's expression turned wary. He stepped in front of the students, his sharp gaze fixed on the man beside Obito: "Sir, what exactly is going on?"
At this moment, Obito was actually more bewildered than any of them.
His memory was still stuck in that moment of despair—the cold boulder crashing down, the excruciating pain, the darkness, and the resolute act of entrusting his eyes to Kakashi... He thought he was going to die. But when he opened his eyes again, he found himself being carried on his neighbor's shoulder like a sack of rice, walking through a familiar forest.
Before his muddled mind could process philosophical questions like "Who am I? Where am I? Am I still alive?", his neighbor noticed he was awake, put him down, and the two walked silently to the village entrance.
And then, it's now.
"Rin... Kakashi? Minato-sensei? You guys..." Obito opened his mouth, but before he could finish speaking, a soft body rushed into his arms with considerable force and hugged him tightly.
"Obito! Obito! Waaah, you're alright...you're really alright, that's great! That's so great!" Rin buried her face in his chest, her voice filled with heavy sobs, her scalding tears quickly soaking his clothes, making him feel a burning sensation.
Obito froze completely, his cheeks, ears, and neck turning bright red in an instant, as if steam were about to rise from the top of his head. He was at a loss, his hands hanging in mid-air, unsure whether to hug him or not.
After all, men and women shouldn't touch each other! Especially since the object of affection is the girl he secretly loves.
"Um... Lin... I..." He stammered, feeling like his heart was about to jump out of his throat.
The stimulation was too great, and he desperately needed something to distract himself and end this blissful yet dizzying "torture."
His eyes darted around in a panic, and he saw Kakashi watching him from not far away.
That's right! Kakashi!
"Hey! Kakashi!" Obito, as if grasping at a straw, immediately raised his voice, trying to cover up his embarrassment with his usual slightly provocative tone, "What kind of look is that! Are you disappointed to see me back alive! Hmph, I knew it—"
He expected Kakashi to immediately respond with a cold retort, just like countless times before.
However, Kakashi simply looked at him quietly, his eyes devoid of mockery or impatience, only displaying a complex and indescribable emotion—as if he had breathed a sigh of relief, or perhaps felt a deep sense of guilt and relief? He even slightly twitched the corner of his mouth, seemingly trying to make his usual disdainful expression, but in the end, he only whispered, "...Idiot."
Obito's remaining words stuck in his throat.
Kakashi's unusual attitude was like a bucket of water extinguishing the "fire" he had forcibly ignited. Looking at the obvious fatigue on his genius teammate's face and the glaring bandage around his left eye, he remembered his "last words" and a wave of guilt washed over him.
Did I go too far just now?
He lowered his head hesitantly, his voice trailing off, and said apologetically, "I'm so sorry, Kakashi... I didn't mean it that way..."
Minato Namikaze stood to the side, watching the heartwarming interaction between the three children, and a gratified smile appeared on his face.
but.
His gaze fell once again on Yan Sheng, who had remained silent.
This man is too mysterious, and his motives are a mystery. How exactly did he find and rescue Obito? More importantly, Rin and Kakashi witnessed Obito being crushed by a boulder and even received a Sharingan transplant.
But now Obito's eyes are intact, he can move freely, and there are no serious injuries on his body... This doesn't make sense.
Minato's doubts grew stronger. His gaze toward Yan Sheng was full of scrutiny and inquiry.
The three little ones over there.
In Rin's embrace and Kakashi's silence, Obito's mind, which had been overwhelmed by surprise and embarrassment, finally cooled down.
Memories flooded back into my mind like a tidal wave—the collapsed cave, the heavy boulders, the tearing pain, and the resolute feeling when I entrusted the Sharingan to Kakashi... Every detail was so clear, it was definitely not a dream.
So here's the question: why is he, a person whose half-body should have been crushed into a pulp and who has lost an eye, able to stand perfectly intact at this moment?
The answer is self-evident.
Obito turned his head and looked at the man beside him who had remained silent.
Was it his neighbor who saved him? Although he couldn't quite imagine how the other man had done it, that didn't stop him from feeling incredibly grateful to his neighbor.
He scratched his messy, spiky short hair, his face showing a serious expression mixed with a hint of youthful shyness and hesitation. He whispered something to Lin, who wiped away her tears and let go of him.
Then he turned to face Yan Sheng, his lips trembling as he tried to say "thank you," but the overwhelming emotion prevented him from uttering it.
Yan Sheng took in his hesitant expression. He remained expressionless, as if he had only done something trivial.
But before Obito could finally organize his thoughts, he made a move—reaching out and giving Obito a light push on the back.
"Go."
Those two simple words seemed to contain some kind of power, instantly shattering the last trace of hesitation and unease in Obito's heart.
He took a deep breath, gave a bright smile, bowed deeply to Yan Sheng, and said loudly, "Thank you!" Then he ran over and stood with Kakashi and Rin.
At the same time, a piece of information flashed through his mind:
[Mission complete. Departure countdown: 2159:59:59]
That translates to three months. It seems the time one can stay in each world after completing a mission is the same.
Yan Sheng's gaze passed over Obito and met Minato's probing eyes. He then regained his unfathomable calm, showing no intention of answering Minato's question.
However...
Yan Sheng raised his eyes and glanced in several different directions.
He sensed multiple well-trained chakras, each with a clear purpose, rapidly approaching him from all directions within the village. Unsurprisingly, they were from the Anbu.
It makes sense, given his previous "disappearance" without warning, and his sudden reappearance with the "dead" Obito. It's only natural that this would attract the Third Hokage's attention.
But he couldn't be bothered with these troublesome interrogations and tests. His objective had been achieved. There was no need to linger in Konoha.
And so, before everyone's eyes, Yan Sheng's figure vanished abruptly and completely, like a pencil drawing erased by an eraser, without any warning. It was as if he had never existed.
Minato Namikaze's azure pupils suddenly contracted.
"This is... spatial teleportation?" He was shocked.
No sooner had Yan Sheng left than several members of the secret service wearing animal masks arrived. They quickly spread out in a fan shape, scanning their surroundings warily.
"Where is he?" the leader of the ANBU asked in a deep voice, his gaze finally landing on the only Jonin present, Minato Namikaze.
Minato looked at the empty space, sighed helplessly, and rubbed his temples.
"They've already left, using a method similar to space-time ninjutsu." He glanced at the three students beside him and said to the ANBU captain, "Let's go, I'll go with you to see the Third Hokage and explain the situation."
***
Yan Sheng did not linger in this world that had just begun to stir up a ripple. Like a traveler, he embarked on his "journey" to the fourth world without stopping.
The first year after he left.
Madara began to operate in various places. However, he did not directly challenge the major powers. Instead, he used force to either annex or destroy several small ninja clans and mercenary organizations that were active at the borders of major powers and causing chaos. He initially established the prototype of a secret organization that only obeyed his orders and began to accumulate funds and intelligence networks.
The world is unaware that a real storm is brewing.
That year, Obito successfully passed the Chunin Exams, and his teamwork with Kakashi and Rin became increasingly seamless.
He often thinks of that mysterious neighbor, wondering how the neighbor is doing now.
The year after he left.
Madara's organization began to infiltrate various small countries. Using the political tactics taught to him by Kokusatsu, Madara successfully seized actual power in the Land of Rain by creating crises and then intervening as a "savior," turning it into the first country completely subservient to him.
At the same time, he began to use the Black Zetsu in the sealed scroll to interrogate him for all information about the Otsutsuki clan.
During a dangerous S-rank mission that year, Obito, in order to protect his comrades, unexpectedly awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan under extremely perilous circumstances. As his strength increased, the doubts and gratitude he felt towards his neighbor also quietly grew like seeds planted deep in his heart.
The third year after he left.
Madara expanded his organization from the Land of Rain, and his influence grew rapidly. Through economic control, military intimidation, and ideological infiltration, he forced several small and medium-sized countries, including the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Grass, to submit, forming a hidden alliance with himself at its core.
The five major powers finally began to notice this unusually rising force, but their mutual distrust made it difficult for them to unite in response.
That year, Obito was promoted to Jonin, becoming one of Konoha's elite forces. His "competition" with Kakashi continued, but it was no longer a one-sided chase; it was a mutual encouragement and challenge.
Lin's smile remained his most important protection. Life was fulfilling and bright, but the mystery surrounding the past remained unsolved.
The fourth year after he left:
After the Daimyo of the Land of Iron was mysteriously controlled, he declared the country's neutrality and secretly pledged allegiance to Madara. In the same year, a large-scale conflict broke out on the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth, resulting in heavy losses for both sides. The shadow of Madara's organization being involved in the behind-the-scenes machinations was vaguely visible.
Five years after he left:
Taking advantage of the opportunity presented by the all-out war between the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning over resource issues, Madara's organization fully intervened.
Madara provided "aid" to both sides in the form of mercenaries, but in reality, he continuously depleted the military strength of the two major powers. In key battles, he personally intervened, severely damaging the jinchūriki of both countries. Ultimately, he forced both countries to sign a peace treaty—losing control over the surrounding smaller countries.
Ban's sphere of influence expanded rapidly, subtly forming a confrontation with the three great nations of fire, wind, and water.
That year, thanks to his outstanding military achievements, Obito became a key figure being groomed by the Konoha leadership and began to be involved in some of the village's decision-making.
He became more composed, but his search for "Mr. Neighbor" never ceased. This obsession also motivated him to work harder to improve himself, hoping to become strong enough to solve the mystery one day.
Six years after he left:
The Land of Fire and the Land of Wind attempt to form an alliance to counter the threat that will stop them. However, before the alliance can be solidified, the daimyo of the Land of Wind and his senior ministers are mysteriously taken over overnight and turn against the Land of Fire.
Meanwhile, rumors of unknown origin began to circulate within Konoha, questioning the Third Hokage's leadership abilities and perceived weakness towards the organization. Beset by internal and external troubles, the Land of Fire found itself isolated.
Ban's manipulation of people's hearts and minds has reached a state of perfection.
Seven years after he left:
At a time when the Land of Water was embroiled in internal strife among clans with bloodline limits, Madara, along with the main force of his organization, forcefully descended upon Kirigakure, suppressing all resistance by force, turning the Fourth Mizukage and his high-ranking officials into puppets, and taking control of Kirigakure and even the entire Land of Water without bloodshed.
At this point, four of the five great nations have perished, leaving only the Land of Fire struggling to survive.
That year, Obito, as one of the frontline commanders of the Konoha anti-organization, felt unprecedented pressure.
In the same year, Kakashi was seriously injured and sealed his Sharingan in his left eye, which was rapidly depleting his chakra, so he focused on swordsmanship and lightning release.
Eight years after he left:
Madara launched a full-scale offensive against the Land of Fire—not a traditional military invasion, but a comprehensive dismantling: economic blockade, propaganda attacks, the subversion of some of the Land of Fire's nobles, and precise strikes against Konoha's defensive nodes, leaving Konoha exhausted.
Despite Minato Namikaze (who has succeeded as the Fourth Hokage) using the Flying Thunder God Technique to save the day, he was unable to reverse the overall decline.
That year, Obito awakened his Mangekyou Sharingan during the final battle to defend Konoha. Unfortunately, it still couldn't change the course of the war.
The ninth year after his death:
With Konoha's resources exhausted and its outer defenses completely collapsed, Madara, after issuing an ultimatum, walked alone towards Konoha.
The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, along with Jiraiya and Tsunade from the Legendary Sannin, Danzo Shimura from Root, and all the Konoha elites, including Obito and Kakashi, were on high alert.
When that figure, clad in layered red armor and with long, flowing black hair, appeared clearly and without any concealment before the gates of Konoha, everyone who recognized his appearance was plunged into utter shock and horror.
"Impossible!" Danzo exclaimed in shock, his finger trembling as he pointed at Madara. "Uchiha Madara! You're already dead!"
Minato Namikaze's expression was more solemn than ever before. He finally understood where his opponent's overwhelming strength and unfathomable strategies came from.
This is not a contest between people from the same era at all.
Obito, standing in the crowd, was struck dumb. He stared at the face that bore a striking resemblance to his "neighbor," but was far more imposing and cold. An absurd and terrifying thought exploded in his mind.
Ten years after his departure (the year of unification):
Madara, in an invincible manner, defeated all challengers in front of Konoha, including the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze's desperate attack.
However, he did not destroy Konoha, but instead gave them the choice of "submission or destruction." Faced with an absolute power imbalance and a crumbling external environment, Konoha, along with the last remaining Land of Fire, was forced to bow down.
Standing atop the Hokage Rock, Madara proclaimed to the world the end of the old era and the birth of a new one.
Next, he abolished the daimyo system, dissolved all independent ninja villages, and established an absolute centralized rule with himself at its core and organizations as its framework.
An era of "peace" that was sustained by power and fear, but which did indeed eliminate large-scale wars, arrived in such an unexpected way.
One evening after a mission, Obito came alone to the banks of the Naka River. The quiet place allowed him to calm his thoughts.
The setting sun dyed the river water a warm gold. Dai Tu sat on the riverbank, gazing at the murmuring water, his thoughts drifting far away.
Ten years have passed, but the image of that person in his memory has not become blurred; on the contrary, it has become clearer.
“Mr. Neighbor…” he murmured to himself, the form of address carrying a hint of indescribable complexity.
To this day, he still doesn't know the other person's real name. When he asked Ban, who looked very much like the other person, Ban wouldn't say, only that the person had left and wouldn't come back.
Obito raised his hand, gazing at the clear lines on his palm, feeling the surging chakra and vitality within him. He took a deep breath, facing the empty river, as if addressing someone who might exist somewhere in the world, and solemnly said:
Thank you. Whoever you are, wherever you are.
A gentle breeze swept across the river, creating shimmering ripples that carried away his whispers. But no one answered him; only the eternal sound of the flowing water seemed to tell of the capriciousness of fate and the wonder of destiny.
The neighbor who changed the course of his life was like a stone thrown into the center of a lake; the ripples will eventually subside, but there is no denying that he once existed.
......
Before the images of the new world had even finished "loading," Yan Sheng's feet had already landed on solid ground.
And the moment they landed, a chilling aura, so intense it was almost tangible, swept over them, completely different from the previous three worlds.
Clearly, this world is different from the three worlds he had experienced before.
If you ask what's different about him—he's on a massive battlefield.
Looking out, the dense crowd stretched like a surging tide, reaching all the way to the horizon.
The vast majority of them wore standard armor or suits of armor bearing the emblems of different families or villages, and held kunai, katanas, or various strange weapons in their hands. Their faces were all solemn, as if they were about to face not a battle, but a death they had already been destined for.
--scale.
This is a true ninja world war, completely incomparable to the localized conflicts of the previous world.
Yan Sheng stood still, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.
He was dressed in a dark-colored casual outfit that seemed out of place in this environment. The fabric was soft and offered no protection whatsoever. A sword hung at his waist, but overall, he looked more like a young nobleman who had stumbled into the battlefield than a ninja who had come to fight.
Because of his conspicuous appearance, despite the large number of allied forces and the fact that everyone was on edge due to the impending battle, no one noticed that he had appeared out of thin air for the time being. However, his attire quickly attracted the attention of ninjas in a small area nearby.
A burly man with a scar on his face standing next to him couldn't help but turn his head and say in a strange tone, "Brother, what...what are you doing here? Dressed like that, aren't you afraid of dying?" He looked Yan Sheng up and down, as if he were looking at a madman.
Yan Sheng did not answer the question. His sharp gaze swept across the surrounding environment, his mind racing as he analyzed the current situation.
He was currently positioned at the rear of this massive army, as there was a dense, endless sea of people ahead, making it impossible to see who the enemy was.
Intelligence is always the top priority.
He needs to understand the world situation as soon as possible.
He turned to the burly man who had spoken to him earlier and asked directly, "Who are we going to fight?"
The burly man probably didn't expect to get an answer, so he wasn't annoyed that Yan Sheng ignored his question—under such extreme pressure, any conversation that could distract him was a luxury.
He sighed heavily, a bitter smile appearing on his face, as if Yan Sheng had asked an extremely ridiculous yet incredibly tragic question.
“No way, brother.” He shook his head. “We’re standing right here, and you still don’t know who to fight?” He paused, his voice trembling slightly, as if just saying that name required immense courage. “Of course, I’m fighting Shura.”
"Asura?" Yan Sheng repeated the blood-soaked title, a vague guess forming in his mind, but he needed to confirm it.
Looking at Yan Sheng's calm yet inquisitive gaze, the burly man felt even more that this man was strange and unusual.
“Brother, you’re dressed in a very old-fashioned way, and I didn’t expect you to be quite…old-fashioned too.” He scratched his head, then rephrased, “No, logically speaking, if you’re old-fashioned, you should know better who Shura is—” He took a deep breath, as if he needed to use all his strength to utter that name that symbolized calamity and death.
"Shura is Uchiha Madara!"
really.
A knowing glint flashed in Yan Sheng's eyes.
More freckles.
Indeed, as can be seen from the information obtained from the first world, if the future remains unchanged, Madara will follow this path and then be betrayed by Black Zetsu.
How tragic, brother.
His gaze passed over the countless tense and anxious figures ahead, and landed on the far other side of the battlefield.
There, a vast, cold chakra, filled with a destructive will, emanated an undisguised, suffocating pressure, like a lighthouse in the darkness.
The front lines of the battlefield.
Before the war drums sounded, the killing intent, like a dark cloud, weighed heavily on the hearts of every allied ninja.
In the distance, a figure walked unhurriedly, alone, facing tens of thousands of ninja allied forces who were on high alert. The figure wore ancient red layered armor, long black hair flew wildly in the wind, arms crossed in front of his chest, and walked with the ease of strolling in his own backyard.
It was Uchiha Madara, resurrected through the Impure World Reincarnation.
He was clearly just one person, but his invisible aura was like that of a thousand troops, causing the soldiers in the front ranks of the allied forces to subconsciously take a half step back, their throats going dry.
"This is... Uchiha Madara?" A young ninja's voice trembled as he couldn't reconcile the legendary figure, who was on par with the First Hokage, with the oppressive presence of death before him.
"Don't be afraid! He's just one person! We have tens of thousands of ninjas!" the commander shouted hoarsely, trying to boost morale. "For the future of the ninja world, attack!"
The next moment, like a flood bursting its banks, countless ninjas roared and charged towards that lone figure.
Kunai and shuriken rained down like a storm, and all sorts of ninjutsu—fire release, water release, wind release—were interwoven into a destructive net of light that engulfed Madara's location.
The explosion was deafening, and smoke and dust billowed into the sky.
However, as the smoke and dust dissipated slightly, everyone's pupils constricted.
Madara remained standing in the same spot, not even lowering his arms. There seemed to be an invisible barrier around him, and all attacks that approached within a certain range were easily deflected or annihilated.
"boring."
He uttered two words casually, as if the combined attack that had just been enough to destroy a small ninja village was nothing more than a harmless fireworks display.
Then, he lowered his arms and rapidly formed hand seals, so fast that they left afterimages.
Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!
When he spewed that terrifying flame from his mouth, everyone understood what "despair" truly meant.
—That wasn't fire at all, but a crimson tsunami that swept across the heavens and the earth! Its range was so vast that it covered a fan-shaped area more than a hundred meters directly in front of the allied forces. The scorching heat distorted the air, making those far behind feel as if their eyebrows and hair were about to be scorched.
"Water Release! Quick! Combine Water Release techniques!" an experienced ninja shouted.
In an instant, dozens of ninjas skilled in water-style techniques stepped forward and began forming hand seals simultaneously.
"Water Escape·Water Formation Wall!"
Walls of water rose from the ground, attempting to block the torrent of flames. The water and fire collided, unleashing a deafening hissing sound, and white steam filled the sky, enveloping the entire front line of the battlefield.
As the steam dissipated slightly, a scene of utter disarray appeared before the allied forces.
Most of the dozens of ninjas who used water-style techniques had exhausted their chakra and collapsed to the ground. The water barrier they jointly created only barely managed to block a burst of flame that Madara casually spat out.
One person, one ninjutsu, and it would take dozens of allied soldiers working together to stop them!
This stark difference in strength left everyone who witnessed it feeling utterly powerless.
However, no matter how afraid they were, they could not retreat. They had no way out; knowing that facing them meant death, they had to meet them head-on.
"Physical training class! Go!" The order was given again.
Several elite squads skilled in physical combat and teleportation techniques attacked Madara from the flanks and the air.
But to Madara's Sharingan, their movements appeared as slow as if they were "still".
Ban's figure moved through the crowd like a ghost, each hand raised, each kick striking the enemy's vitals with pinpoint accuracy. The crisp sound of bones shattering filled the air, and the elite martial artists who had charged forward were sent flying back like leaves swept by a whirlwind, crashing heavily into the allied ranks and causing chaos.
It was a complete and utter crushing.
Ninjutsu, taijutsu, speed, strength... the two sides are simply not on the same level.
"Damn it!" Huang Tu roared, leaping high into the air, his massive rock fist slamming down on Ban with immense force.
Madara simply raised one hand casually.
"Bang!"
With a muffled thud, the rock fist, powerful enough to split mountains and shatter rocks, was caught steadily by him with a single palm, without even causing his body to sway.
"Too light," Madara commented, flicking his wrist and unleashing an irresistible force. He swung Huang Tu's massive body up like a sandbag and slammed it into the other ninjas rushing towards him.
"Dust Release: Particle Style: Detachment Technique!" Just then, a calm, aged voice rang out.
Onoki hovered in mid-air, a dazzling white light shining between his hands, and a transparent cube-shaped barrier instantly enveloped Madara.
This is an advanced ninjutsu that can break any substance down to its atomic state!
However, Madara simply raised his head, glanced indifferently at the incoming Dust Release barrier, did not dodge, and merely extended a finger.
The dust-escape light, powerful enough to annihilate everything, vanished without a trace the instant it touched Madara's fingertip, like a mud ox sinking into the sea, without even causing a ripple.
"What?!" Onoki's aged face showed near-collapse shock. His strongest attack was absorbed so easily...?
"Grandpa!" Black Earth exclaimed.
Gaara manipulated a large amount of sand, which surged up from the ground like ocean waves, in an attempt to restrain Madara's movements.
"Sand-bound coffin!"
The endless flowing sand instantly engulfed the spot, forming a huge sand ball, and rapidly compressed inward.
"It's a success?" A glimmer of hope appeared in some people's eyes.
But the next moment, a low, muffled sound came from inside the sand sphere.
"Bang!"
The entire sand sphere exploded with a deafening roar, and the blue chakra giant skeleton vanished in a flash. Madara stood unharmed, dusting off the dust from his shoulders.
He surveyed the allied forces around him, who were now frozen in fear and trembling with terror at the sight of the godlike power he had displayed, and a cold, mocking smile slowly crept onto his lips.
"Would you like to dance too?"
These words, like a final death knell, tolled in the hearts of every Allied Ninja.
Numbers? Before absolute power, that's just a paltry statistic. They weren't facing an "enemy," but a natural disaster roaming the earth, a true—Asura!
Like a ghost, Yan Sheng moved silently through the chaotic battlefield. He dodged the flying ninjutsu and the fleeing crowds, finally finding his ideal spot on a slightly protruding rock face.
This location is neither too close nor too far from the main battlefield, offering a clear view of every detail without being affected by stray bullets, making it an excellent "viewing platform".
He stood there, his deep gaze piercing through the noisy dust, firmly fixed on the figure who was fighting against ten thousand men.
Madara Uchiha.
He knew his brother was strong, but knowing it was one thing, witnessing it firsthand was quite another. However, the scene before him did not surprise him; instead, it stirred within him an indescribable... awe-inspiring beauty.
Yes, aesthetics.
It is an art form that takes violence to its extreme.
Madara's every movement was concise, efficient, and without the slightest excess. Whether it was the arc drawn by his fingertips when forming hand seals, the sharp whistling sound generated by his movements, or the composure with which his Sharingan seemed to see through everything, everything was full of the rhythm of power and control.
He moved through thousands of enemies like the Grim Reaper wielding his scythe, each strike inevitably drawing blood and reaping countless lives.
"It's so beautiful." Yan Sheng murmured, a rare burst of intense passion igniting in his usually calm eyes.
He felt his blood boiling slightly, a long-lost, burning desire to fight coursing through his body. His fingers unconsciously traced the hilt of the sword at his waist, the cool touch slightly suppressing the restlessness.
He also wanted to join in, to clash with such opponents, and to experience the ultimate thrill of walking on the edge of life and death.
Unfortunately, he came with a mission. He needs to think things through carefully and cannot act impulsively.
Speaking of which...
He frowned slightly, his consciousness sinking deeper. Why hadn't the planetary consciousness of this world transmitted the mission yet?
Just then, a clear stream of information suddenly flooded into his mind: [Prevent Kaguya Otsutsuki from being resurrected.]
Um?
Preventing Kaguya's resurrection... This means that Black Zetsu in this world has already advanced the plan to a considerable extent.
So what should he do? Join the coalition directly to fight Madara? Putting aside whether the coalition can trust this guy of unknown origin, from an efficiency standpoint, cooperating with this coalition that Madara slaughtered like vegetables is clearly not a wise move.
Moreover, Madara is the key. Whether it's preventing Kaguya's resurrection, or... perhaps there are other possibilities, talking to Madara is a more direct and effective option.
Just as Yan Sheng was racing through his thoughts, the situation on the battlefield changed once again.
"This can't go on!" Naruto roared, gathering a massive amount of Sage Chakra. "Sage Art: Wind Release: Rasenshuriken!"
At the same time, Gaara manipulated the endless sea of sand, forming a massive restraint: "Great Burial Seal of the Desert Layer!"
The giant spiral shuriken arrived almost simultaneously with the sand waterfall that descended from the sky, attempting to completely bury and seal Madara.
Faced with the combined attack of the two, Madara didn't even bother to move, calmly raising his hand: "Sealing Technique Absorption Seal".
The Sage Art Rasenshuriken, which contained terrifying destructive power, was swallowed up by an invisible black hole the moment it touched his left hand. Its light quickly dimmed, shrank, and finally disappeared.
The towering sandstorm pressing in from the right was completely repelled and disintegrated by an invisible force as it approached his body, unable to get even a fraction closer.
"W-Why?!" Cold sweat trickled down Naruto's forehead, his pupils contracting sharply in disbelief. "Still unable to cause any damage?!"
A deathly silence of despair filled the allied forces.
Their strongest attacks were still child's play in the eyes of their opponents.
Ban slowly lowered his hand, a hint of impatience and weariness finally flashing in his eyes.
"The struggle of ants has come to an end."
He clasped his hands together in front of his chest, and an indescribable, terrifying pressure, as if emanating from the heavens, suddenly descended. The sky darkened at that moment.
Everyone instinctively looked up at the sky.
Then, their blood almost froze.
In the once azure sky, a massive, swirling cloud had appeared out of nowhere. At the center of that vortex, a huge, blazing meteorite was tearing through the clouds, crashing down with devastating force towards the heart of the allied forces.
The meteorite was so large that it blocked out the sunlight, casting shadows that covered thousands of ninjas. Its descent seemed slow, but it was actually incredibly fast, and the roar of its friction with the air was like the howl of death, shattering eardrums and tearing livers and gallbladders.
"Oh my god..."
"What's this..."
"It's impossible to stop them, we'll die...everyone will die!"
Panic spread like wildfire, and desperate cries and helpless screams replaced the previous will to fight. Faced with this true natural disaster, the advantage of numbers seemed so laughable, and the power of an individual so insignificant.
"The Heavenly Obstruction Star".
Ban's indifferent voice echoed across the deathly silent battlefield. He stood in the shadow of the meteorite, like a god wielding destruction, looking down at the countless beings beneath his feet who were about to turn to dust.
Yan Sheng looked up at the meteorite that blotted out the sky, the wind whipping his hair wildly across his forehead. There was no fear in his eyes, only pure admiration and wonder.
"What a...spectacular sight."
He muttered to himself, then turned his gaze back to that god-like figure.
***
The massive, sky-covering meteorite plummeted downwards with an unparalleled sense of oppression, the shadow of death gripping the throats of every allied ninja like a cold, giant hand.
Despair reached its peak at this moment. Even the usually optimistic Naruto and the composed Gaara lost their color in their faces, feeling their own insignificance in the face of a natural disaster of this scale.
At this critical moment, a figure moved.
Yan Sheng took a step forward, facing the devastating meteorite. His chakra surged forth, mixed with his breathing technique.
"Fleeting beauty".
His left eye, the Mangekyou Sharingan, suddenly spun, and a wisp of light, like fragments of time, flowed through the complex and eerie patterns.
Then, an unimaginably powerful force instantly filled his limbs and bones, his muscle fibers were strengthened to the extreme in an instant, his bones emitted a faint hum, and his five senses were elevated to a realm beyond the ordinary.
At this moment, his physical abilities briefly returned to their peak state when he was Upper Moon One, when he was a demon. That was absolute power capable of cutting through and shattering everything.
He drew his sword from his waist. The moment the blade was drawn, it was enveloped in a hazy, cold halo, as if formed from moonlight. Wisps of blue chill emanated from the blade, causing the surrounding air temperature to drop sharply.
Facing the colossal meteorite that seemed poised to crush the entire battlefield, Yan Sheng gripped his sword with both hands, assuming a starting stance. His aura suddenly shifted, transforming from its previous calm and undisturbed state into an extreme sharpness capable of cleaving the heavens.
“Breath of the Moon.” His deep voice carried a strange rhythm, creating an eerie contrast with the roar of falling meteors in the sky.
"Seventh Form: Mirror of Calamity: Moon Reflection!"
The moment he finished speaking, he moved.
Without using the Body Flicker Technique, relying solely on his explosive power, he transformed into a blue meteor tearing through the sky, defiantly soaring towards the heavens against the trajectory of the falling meteor.
Amidst the stunned gazes of the crowd, just as Yan Sheng's figure made contact with the first meteorite, countless massive, crescent-shaped, sharp slashes erupted from him in all directions.
Each strike was imbued with the chilling moonlight and destructive power, its edges carrying a faint, icy light like shattering ice crystals, its trajectory unpredictable, as if simultaneously striking the meteorite from countless angles.
"Boom—!"
A deafening, terrifying sound—different from an explosion, but more like the instantaneous pulverization of some enormous solid—overwhelmed the roar of the meteorite.
The first massive meteorite, powerful enough to turn the earth into an abyss, was instantly cut, broken down, and pulverized like tofu thrown into a meat grinder the moment it came into contact with the countless crescent-shaped strikes. It turned into a rain of burning, flying pebbles, like a dazzling yet deadly fireworks display, falling from mid-air and no longer able to cause any devastating damage to the ground.
But this is just the beginning.
Without pausing, Yan Sheng, taking advantage of the momentum from the first wave of attacks, charged straight toward the second, even larger meteorite, which was following closely behind.
"Breathing of the Moon - Eighth Form - Moon Dragon Tail".
The blade in his hand drew a perfect and enormous arc, and a blue crescent-shaped sword aura, even larger and more solid than the previous slash, roared out.
The sword energy spun rapidly in the air, its edges creating a violent flow of air, like a giant dragon formed from moonlight, whipping its massive tail fin with an unparalleled momentum capable of cleaving mountains and rivers and shattering stars, before crashing violently into the second meteorite.
"Clang—!"
This time, it was a crisper, more piercing tearing sound.
The spinning crescent-shaped sword energy, like a hot knife cutting into butter, pierced the core of the meteorite without any resistance, and then suddenly expanded and exploded!
The second meteorite was split in two from the very center. The cut was as smooth as a mirror. The meteorite fragments, now broken in two, lost their complete structure and, under the influence of their own gravity and the shockwave of the explosion, fell and disintegrated at an angle to both sides. They eventually crashed into the open ground far to the sides of the Allied camp, creating huge craters and stirring up clouds of dust, but failed to harm the main Allied forces in the slightest.
The sky cleared up.
Sunlight streamed down again, illuminating the desolate battlefield below and the figure who had fallen from the sky, lightly touching the ground with one knee, the tip of his blade pointing diagonally at the ground, his body still surrounded by lingering blue moonlight and icy chill.
The entire battlefield fell into an absolute silence, as if even breathing had stopped.
All eyes were fixed on the stranger, as if drawn by a magnet. The dramatic shift in emotions, from utter despair to unbelievable shock, left their minds blank.
"oh?"
A soft hum, tinged with obvious surprise and keen interest, broke the deathly silence.
A flicker of emotion finally appeared in Madara Uchiha's indifferent eyes. He had lowered his arms at some point and was now scrutinizing the man who had shattered his two Heavenly Obstacle Stars with a single strike while his back was turned.
At that moment, Yan Sheng slowly turned around to face everyone, his face clearly displayed before them.
The moment they saw his face, the allied forces, who had just recovered slightly from their shock, were plunged into even deeper horror.
That face...
"Another Uchiha Madara?!"
Suspicious and uncertain gazes swept back and forth between Yan Sheng and Ban like a woven net, trying to find the connection and differences between the two.
Ban narrowed his eyes slightly the moment he saw Yan Sheng's face clearly.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Battlefield Rose, we love you—(very loudly) [heart]
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