Chapter 242
A wave of weakness swept through Madara's body. It was as if all the strength had been drained from his limbs. He felt like a deflated balloon—utterly powerless. The dark handcuffs clamped tightly around his wrists, sapping his energy and rendering him helpless.
Even during his lifetime, Madara had never felt so vulnerable. It wasn't just physical exhaustion—something within the cuffs was actively suppressing his power. The aura of a sage that once radiated from him was completely gone. At this point, even a child could have ended his life.
"Wh-What... is this?" Madara muttered, voice trembling with rage and disbelief.
Instinctively, he tried to summon a Truth-Seeking Orb to retaliate against Chinano, but the gesture faltered. His hand froze in midair, limp and powerless. There was nothing left in him to fight back.
Hatsuizumi grin widened with satisfaction, a sinister glint in her eyes. Her voice dripped with malice as she spoke slowly, deliberately.
"If you use the immortal body to refine Gu..."
Zixu and the others rushed to Hatsuizumi side. Despite Madara's apparent defeat, they remained cautious. None of them dared to let their guard down as they stared at the fallen legend.
Above them, the giant sacred tree halted its growth. Yet its blood-red eyes remained open, fixated on the moon drifting farther into the sky. It felt as though the tree had developed a will of its own.
From the shadows, Orochimaru observed the scene unfold. A faint smile curled on his lips as he watched Madara subdued by the seastone handcuffs.
"So... that kid really figured out how to control the fruit," Orochimaru muttered to himself. "Everything's going according to plan. Now... it's time to reclaim the power of the Six Paths."
No one noticed the subtle movements of his fingers, rapidly forming hand seals. Ever since the war began, Orochimaru had been manipulating events from the sidelines—introducing strange individuals, shifting allegiances, and keeping his motives murky.