"This… is the power of the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki?"
"It's terrifying!"
"How can anyone possibly stand against such power?"
"It's like a completely different dimension!"
Clang!
A ninja's blade fell to the ground unknowingly.
Some even collapsed to the ground, paralyzed.
The falling meteors from the sky crushed the morale of the Allied Shinobi Forces, who had just triumphed over the White Zetsu army.
Even figures like Ōnoki and the Fourth Raikage felt a profound sense of helplessness.
"What incredible power. Even if I gave it my all, I might only manage to deal with one meteor," Ōnoki admitted grimly.
Kakashi's face was deeply serious, sweat pouring down his forehead.
There were simply too many meteors!
At this moment, Might Guy clenched his fists, squatted slightly, and said with a resolute expression, "It seems it's time to burn my youth and become the Green Beast of Konoha!"
As he spoke, the veins on his forehead bulged.
"Eight Gates Released Formation, First Gate, Open!"
"Second Gate, Open!"
"Third Gate, Open!"
Boom!
A green aura enveloped Guy.
But he wasn't done. Under the astonished gazes of those around him, Guy opened the gates all the way to the Seventh Gate in one breath. A blue aura engulfed his entire body, and the sheer force generated by his power caused those nearby to take a step back.
"So strong!"
"The Eight Gates Technique… to reach this level is astounding!"
Many were shocked.
Kakashi, already familiar with Guy's abilities, activated his tailed beast chakra and shouted, "Guy, I'll back you up!"
"No, let me handle it!" Obito Uchiha intervened as his Susano'o quickly formed.
"Guy, to my hand!" Obito commanded.
Might Guy leapt onto the hand of Obito's Susano'o. The next second, the Susano'o hurled him at high speed toward the meteors in the sky.
Boom!
A fierce wind swept in all directions as Obito's Susano'o soared into the sky.
Kakashi shielded his face with his hands but kept his eyes fixed on the two charging figures.
Boom!
A meteor shattered as Guy launched his first attack, using Hirudora (Daytime Tiger) to smash one apart.
Immediately after, Obito's Susano'o unleashed massive black shuriken, which struck a meteor and transported it into the Kamui dimension.
"Well done, Obito!" Kakashi cheered with genuine excitement, watching as Obito's Susano'o unsheathed its blade and sliced another enormous meteor in half with a single swing.
The surrounding shinobi couldn't help but gasp. "Incredible!"
The previously low morale began to rise.
The Fourth Raikage turned to Ōnoki and shouted, "Tsuchikage, we can't let the younger generation outshine us!"
"Of course not!" Ōnoki responded as he flew to the Raikage's side and used the Super Light-Weight Rock Technique to enhance his movement.
The two then launched themselves into the air.
At the same time, Hashirama Senju called out, "Fourth Hokage!"
With his shout, massive wooden structures erupted from the ground, and a towering wooden figure rose.
Minato Namikaze disappeared from his spot in a flash and reappeared on the wooden figure's head beside Hashirama.
Sage Mode!
Minato's face now bore the markings of Sage Mode. Stretching out his hands, he formed two Wind Style: Rasenshuriken, throwing them one after the other with pinpoint accuracy to destroy two meteors.
However, after launching the attacks, his Sage Mode dissipated.
While he could instantly enter Sage Mode, Minato couldn't maintain it for long.
"Keep going!"
Hashirama placed a hand on Minato's shoulder, transferring a massive amount of chakra into him.
"What incredible chakra!" Minato exclaimed joyfully as he re-entered Sage Mode, creating shadow clones to generate more Rasenshuriken.
Meanwhile, Shisui also ascended, wielding his own Susano'o.
Shūichi's numerous clones spread out, enhancing the Kage present with the Super Light-Weight Rock Technique.
The Kage all took to the skies, unleashing their techniques to strike down the descending meteors.
Witnessing this scene, the Allied Shinobi Forces couldn't help but feel their spirits ignite.
"Everyone, attack together! Break apart the falling debris!"
"Use Water Style, all at once!"
"All Sand shinobi, use Wind Style!"
"Sarutobi Clan, Uchiha Clan, use Fire Style!"
…
At the Allied Shinobi Forces' main base, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Nara Shikaku, and numerous other ninjas combined their efforts. Wind Release, Fire Release, Lightning Release, Water Release, and Earth Release jutsu shot into the sky in unison.
Watching this, Uchiha Madara chuckled lightly. "Heh, futile."
The next moment, he placed his hand on the ground, and a colossal Divine Tree burst forth from the earth, rapidly growing.
"What is that?"
Someone suddenly cried out.
Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, an enormous ancient tree grew at an astonishing speed. Even Susano'o, the Wooden Golem, and the meteors seemed minuscule in comparison to its towering form.
Hashirama Senju's gaze sharpened. "Is that… Wood Release? No… this feeling is different..."
Shūichi's eyes gleamed with excitement as he watched the Divine Tree expand.
The Divine Tree had finally emerged!
"All of you will become sustenance for the Divine Tree!"
Standing on one of the massive branches, Uchiha Madara manipulated the Divine Tree.
In an instant, the tree sprouted enormous roots like writhing dragons and serpents, surging toward the Allied Shinobi Forces like an unstoppable tide.
"Watch out!"
"It's attacking!"
"Is this the same Wood Release as the First Hokage's?"
Ninjas shouted warnings as they launched their attacks.
But soon, screams of agony echoed through the battlefield. One by one, ninjas were captured by the Divine Tree's roots. Their chakra was drained at a terrifying speed, leaving them weak and frail in mere moments.
"I'm Shūichi Hoshita! From now on, everyone follow my command and retreat!"
Shūichi's voice reached the ears of all the ninjas.
"Run!"
"Retreat! These things are unstoppable!"
The hastily reorganized Allied Shinobi Forces quickly collapsed into a retreat, obeying Shūichi's command.
Still, many ninjas were caught by the roots.
Kakashi leapt into action, wielding the White Fang short blade in one hand and a Chidori Sharp Spear in the other, slicing through the massive roots to rescue trapped comrades.
But the roots kept coming, surrounding him.
"Damn it, there are too many!"
Gritting his teeth, Kakashi activated his tailed beast chakra, increasing his speed once more.
Boom, boom, boom!
Yūhi Kurenai, Mitarashi Anko, and Shiranui Genma were all rescued by Kakashi.
"Fall back!" Kakashi shouted.
Kurenai and the others quickly retreated.
On the Divine Tree, Madara sneered as he saw Shūichi, his clones, and the Edo Tensei reinforcements charging toward him. "Let's switch to attack mode."
With Madara's command, the roots transformed into fierce wooden dragons, their offensive power skyrocketing.
"Damn it! Samehada is useless against this wood. It's draining chakra instead!"
Hayate Gekkō, wielding Samehada, was forced into a desperate retreat.
Not far away, the man wielding the Executioner's Blade, was also struggling, pursued relentlessly by the wooden dragons.
Kakashi, radiating tailed beast chakra, became an even more tempting target. More and more wooden dragons surrounded him, completely enclosing him.
His Chidori Sharp Spear was caught, and his White Fang blade shattered.
Just as a wooden dragon was about to crush him, Kakashi prepared to use the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Suddenly, a massive figure descended from the sky with a thunderous crash, unleashing a powerful shockwave that obliterated all the wooden dragons.
"Kakashi, you're as reckless as ever!"
Obito's voice rang out. The next moment, Kakashi was grabbed by Obito's Susano'o and placed safely beside him. On the other side, Might Guy, rejuvenated by the Seal of Life, stood ready.
"Fighting these wooden dragons is pointless. The key is the Divine Tree itself!"
Obito, wielding the Susano'o blade, sliced through another wooden dragon and soared into the air.
Kakashi nodded. "You're right. But these things absorb chakra from ninjas. That's no coincidence, is it?"
Obito replied, "The Divine Tree must be using the ninjas' chakra to sustain itself, bloom, and eventually cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi."
"The Ten-Tails is still incomplete without the Nine-Tails, and Shūichi seems to have siphoned off a significant portion of its power."
Kakashi's expression darkened as he glanced toward the Divine Tree's trunk. "Shūichi should be able to stop it, right? If the Infinite Tsukuyomi is activated..."
Obito frowned, uncertain, but flew toward the trunk as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, Hashirama Senju unleashed the Deep Forest Emergence Technique, summoning a massive forest to counter the advancing wooden dragons.
But the clash was devastating.
Hashirama's expression grew grim. "They're too strong…"
Even the Wooden Golem was entangled and brought down by the wooden dragons.
Minato quickly teleported Hashirama out of the battlefield, looking toward the Divine Tree's trunk from a distance. "That's the target. We must cut it down!"
At the main base, as reports from the battlefield poured in, Nara Shikaku said, "Third Hokage, we may need to deploy all our remaining forces. Only by combining them can we hope to cut down that tree and stop the Infinite Tsukuyomi."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face was grave as he shook his head. "No, we must trust Shūichi."
"He likely foresaw this scenario and ensured ordinary ninjas wouldn't approach the main battlefield."
"Madara is exploiting what could be considered Shūichi's weakness."
Shikaku, though concerned, hesitated. "Can Shūichi handle this alone?"
It wasn't that he doubted Shūichi.
Shūichi had dealt with Nagato decisively, but with Madara's resurrection, the situation felt far more complex.
Hiruzen felt the same unease but reassured Shikaku. "I trust Shūichi!"
"He wouldn't risk himself or Tsunade for anything!"
Hiruzen had seen Shūichi's loyalty and compassion firsthand. He was certain of his judgment.
…
Shūichi was rescuing people.
Clones created earlier using White Zetsu cells had activated golden Susanoo, cutting down the branches of the Divine Tree and saving the ninja ensnared by it. Meanwhile, Shūichi's true body stood face-to-face with Uchiha Madara.
"Even if you save them, you're only delaying the inevitable," Madara remarked.
Shūichi chuckled lightly. "They are insignificant, true. But tell me, Uchiha Madara, have you ever considered this?"
"You manipulated Nagato, tried to control Obito, and now you want to dominate the entire ninja world. Yet in reality, you're nothing but someone else's pawn."
Madara paused for a moment, then smirked. "I see. Your target is the Divine Tree as well."
"You seek immortality!"
"So that's why you allowed Nagato to resurrect me."
"However, if you think a few words will change my mind, you're gravely mistaken."
Clearly, Madara had misunderstood Shūichi's words. But Shūichi didn't bother to explain. He smiled faintly. "You misunderstand. I never convince people with words."
"I prefer fists!"
Madara's eyes narrowed, a rush of excitement evident. "Then let me see your full strength!"
As his words fell, a Truth-Seeking Orb shot toward Shūichi like a bullet.
"As you wish!"
Shūichi kicked the orb away effortlessly, appearing instantly before Madara. His body shimmered with green flames and blood-red lightning coursing around him.
"So fast!"
Madara raised his staff to block, colliding with Shūichi's punch.
Crack!
The staff shattered. At the same time, two more Truth-Seeking Orbs launched toward Shūichi, but his figure vanished, reappearing a hundred meters away.
Breath of Earth!
Shūichi's body began to change. Each cell transformed into something as hard as rock, and his weight multiplied dozens of times, rivaling the super-heavyweight boulder technique.
Breath of Wind!
Taking a deep breath, currents of wind flowed within him. The previously heavy body became as light as a feather, while sharp, tangible wind blades surrounded his form.
Next came Breath of Water, enabling control over bodily fluids and external water, granting him the ability to liquefy cells and heal instantly.
Breath of Spirit(Ying) heightened his sensory capabilities, while Breath of Yang provided incredible regenerative power.
Finally, Nature Breathing infused him with natural energy, endlessly replenishing his vitality and amplifying the previous techniques.
This combination created a forbidden Taijutsu technique that surpassed even the Eight Gates.
When all eight breathing styles ignited, the green flames and red lightning vanished, replaced by a radiant golden aura akin to sunlight.
At that moment, Shūichi's hair and eyebrows turned golden, and he stood in mid-air like a miniature sun.
(T/N: Full Powered Super Saiyan, Let's GOOOO!)
The oppressive energy caused even Madara's expression to shift. "So, he was hiding this power all along!"
"But it's been a long time since I felt such pressure."
"Let's see if you're truly worthy!"
Swish!
A group of wooden dragons sprouted from the Divine Tree, lunging at Shūichi.
But they were instantly sliced apart by Obito's Kamui Shurikens.
Madara snorted coldly, summoning numerous wooden clones equipped with complete Susanoo to battle Obito and the others.
"If you lose focus on me, you'll die!"
Shūichi's voice rang out behind Madara.
The next instant, the defensive layer of Truth-Seeking Orbs around Madara shattered. A powerful Shinra Tensei clashed with Shūichi's punch, but the resulting shockwave sent Madara flying.
Shūichi pursued him, his form streaking through the air like lightning. He unleashed a kick, sending a concentrated air blade that tore through the heavens.
The slash cut through Madara's Truth-Seeking Orbs and even pierced the repelling force of Shinra Tensei.
"Susanoo!"
Crack!
Madara's perfect Susanoo was left with a deep fissure, and before he could react, Shūichi's next attack landed.
Shūichi's body expanded, surpassing the size of Madara's Susanoo. His enormous fist smashed down, obliterating the Susanoo and sending Madara crashing through layers of the Divine Tree, creating a massive crater on the ground.
Cough, cough!
Madara rose, spitting blood. Half his body was pulverized. A Truth-Seeking Orb regenerated his injuries as he stared at Shūichi with a crazed laugh.
"What astonishing power!"
"You nearly killed me!"
"But if this is your best, you'll still fall to the Infinite Tsukuyomi."
Madara's laughter stopped abruptly as he realized Shūichi wasn't pursuing him.
Hovering mid-air, Shūichi clasped his hands, compressing the surrounding air until it warped the light and distorted space.
Between his palms, a massive white sphere began to take shape.
Despite its subdued glow, Madara felt its overwhelming power.
White Dwarf Stellar Cannon!
(T/N: Kamehameha!)
Shūichi thrust his hands forward, launching the sphere at ten times the speed of sound. A vacuum corridor formed in its wake.
Madara's expression twisted. "No! His target is the Divine Tree!"
He had miscalculated. He thought Shūichi aimed to defeat him and claim the Divine Tree, but there was no time to act.
The sphere struck the tree's trunk, and Shūichi's voice echoed: "Explode!"
The compressed air cannon detonated inside the tree, shattering a massive section of its trunk. The Divine Tree collapsed with a deafening crash.
"So strong!"
Obito exclaimed in awe.
Might Guy pumped his fists. "I knew it! Shūichi did it!"
As the Divine Tree fell, the wooden dragons stopped attacking. Ninja like Hashirama and Minato, watching from a distance, sighed in relief.
However, a voice resonated in Madara's mind. His expression shifted as he flew toward the fallen tree.
Before he could reach it, Shūichi intercepted him, severing his body in half with a single strike.
Madara ignored the injury, allowing the tree's remains to surge into his upper body.
Meanwhile, Shūichi grabbed Madara's lower half, absorbing its power while standing atop the tree's stump.
The remaining roots hidden underground surged into Shūichi's body.
Madara devoured the tree's trunk and bud, while Shūichi feasted on its scraps.
Only this time, Shūichi refrained from biting into it directly.
(En₫ of Chapter)
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