483. The True Use of the Rinnegan

Konoha’s forces had no intention of letting Uchiha Madara leave so easily.

But just as they prepared to pursue him, Obito, flanked by Hashirama and Tobirama Senju, blocked their path.

"Sorry, but your opponents are us."

His voice was low and firm, a declaration of the battle to come.

With that, Orochimaru’s puppet—Hashirama Senju—clapped his hands together.

"Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!"

The earth trembled violently as colossal trees erupted from the ground, surging forward like a tidal wave of living wood. Branches lashed out like whips, swallowing everything in their path.

At the same time, Tobirama formed rapid hand seals, water-style chakra swirling in his mouth. His cold, focused gaze locked onto his targets, ready to unleash a devastating strike.

Faced with this crisis, Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped forward without hesitation. His Enma Staff became a blur, weaving a protective barrier that shattered the incoming branches with sharp cracks.

Buying them a moment, Hiruzen barked orders:

"Tsunade, with me—we’ll hold off the First and Second! Kakashi, Oyashiro—stop Madara!"

Kakashi and Oyashiro En nodded, darting past the battlefield like lightning, racing toward Nagato’s location.

Madara, already mid-stride, glanced back at the two figures closing in. A cold smirk curled on his lips.

This wasn’t like the Nine-Tails incident, where he’d been limited to a mere 30% of his power.

After years of Orochimaru’s meticulous refinement, this Edo Tensei body could now unleash 80% of his prime strength—more than enough to crush the shinobi of this era.

He turned slowly.

The air warped around him as an immense blue Susanoo materialized, its towering form radiating an aura of devastation. In its grip was a chakra-forged longsword, its edge gleaming like concentrated light.

With a single swing, the blade descended toward Kakashi and Oyashiro—too fast to evade.

"Move!"

Muukade’s face paled. He summoned a thick wall of blood above them, but against Madara’s might, it was paper-thin.

The sword sliced through effortlessly, the blood barrier parting like water.

Kakashi reacted instantly, steam erupting from his body as he yanked Oyashiro out of harm’s way.

They landed hard, Muukade gasping, his chest heaving. Before them stretched a hundred-meter-long fissure—Madara’s casual slash.

Cold sweat drenched his back.

This… was the "Ghost of the Uchiha."

Madara’s eyebrow arched.

"The Five-Tails’ Jinchūriki?"

His gaze settled on Kakashi, mildly surprised. One of the pawns he’d once used to manipulate Obito… now a vessel for a tailed beast?

"Convenient."

A cruel smile spread. After reclaiming his Rinnegan, he’d need to hunt the tailed beasts anyway.

This saved him the trouble.

Just as he prepared to strike again—

SHRIEEEEK—!

A barrage of missiles streaked through the sky, slamming into Madara’s position.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Fire and smoke engulfed the battlefield.

The attacker?

Nagato.

Or rather, Nagato’s puppet.

Kneeling on the ground, his face slightly pale, Nagato was surrounded by five emotionless figures—each pierced with black rods that pulsed with eerie energy.

The Six Paths of Pain, crafted under Danzo’s guidance.

The one who had launched the missiles was the Asura Path.

Madara chuckled as the smoke cleared, his Susanoo untouched.

"Splitting the Rinnegan’s power for easier control? How… mediocre."

His expression darkened.

"Only the weak rely on such cheap tricks."

"True power needs no gimmicks."

Disdain dripped from his voice. To him, this was an insult to the Rinnegan’s legacy.

"Let me show you its real use."

Madara’s hands moved in a blur of seals, the air distorting around him.

Then—

"Heaven Concealed."

The sky split opened.

A meteor, so massive its full scale couldn’t be grasped by the naked eye, tore through the atmosphere.

Its shadow swallowed the battlefield, the sheer pressure alone making the ground quake.

Oyashiro's legs trembled.

"This… can’t be real."

Even Kakashi, always composed, felt his breath hitch.

Madara had opened with an extinction-level attack.

Where was the buildup?

Where was the restraint?

The answer was simple—

There was none.

This was Uchiha Madara.

And the world would break before he did.