Chapter 232
According to legend, a sacred tree descended from the stars, crashing into Earth before taking root. It brought chakra to the world—but at a terrible cost. Every sacred tree that thrived drained the planet's life force, leaving it hollow and dead.
The sacred tree of the ninja world was no different. It was brought long ago by a woman from beyond the stars, fulfilling her mission without hesitation. But she never expected her own two sons to betray her, sympathize with this pitiful planet, and seal her away.
Before being sealed, she bore a final son. She knew the seal was not eternal. One day, she would awaken, and when that day came, she would return to the ninja world and repay her suffering—twice over.
Zixu clone (the one with nika fruit), nurtured by Black Zetsu, was now separate from his own memories. In a way, he had become Black Zetsu's nemesis. The immense energy inside him was on the verge of overflowing, each heartbeat pounding like a war drum. Flames wrapped around Black Zetsu's body, a twisted smile stretched across his lips, but his heart was cold as ice.
"So in the end, this is the power you rely on?" Black Zetsu sneered, dodging Zixu's wind blade—though he couldn't avoid the moon blades that sliced into him, leaving shallow wounds.
Zixu didn't reply. The pressure on him was mounting fast, especially with the reincarnated Madara in play. The man used his immortal body to summon meteorites as if they cost nothing. Several had already been blocked by Roran and the Whirlpool Country, but he showed no signs of stopping. One by one, he dragged celestial stones from the heavens, ready to crush everything.
If they didn't deal with him soon, the entire ninja world would be reduced to ash.
It seemed Kabuto had struck some kind of deal with Rosinante. The Kages, who had been attacking Madara and the masked man, suddenly redirected their attacks—toward Black Zetsu and Zixu instead. At the same time, Madara felt a strange force pulling at him. The caster of the Impure World Reincarnation technique was trying to suppress him.
"You still don't understand why Impure World Reincarnation is forbidden, do you?" Madara said calmly, his smirk unwavering. A white light radiated from his body as the dust-bound flesh began to crumble. His form flickered, on the verge of collapse.
The rain of meteorites ceased. It looked, for a moment, like Madara might return to the underworld.
But in a flash, his hands performed hundreds of seals. His crumbling form stabilized, shedding the filthy, dead body—and reclaiming life in full.