Konoha: The Man Who Became the Fourth Hokage

There was far too much chaos in this world. Ever since the Sage of Six Paths spread chakra, a world already plagued by endless war had only become more brutal and blood-soaked.

Uchiha Madara, believing himself to be the inheritor of the Sage's will, sought to use the stone tablet left behind to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi upon the entire world, erasing all conflict and hatred.

Uchiha Hikari did not entirely share his vision, yet their paths ultimately led to the same destination.

But…

The man before her—

Was simply too strong.

Foreknowledge had already consumed an immense amount of her ocular power. Against Heaven was no longer usable. The remaining strength of her Mangekyō had to be reserved just to maintain Susanoo.

Boom!

In her moment of distraction, a silver chain hammer smashed heavily into Susanoo's chest!

The sheer force made cracks spread faintly across it.

Susanoo staggered, nearly losing its footing.

"Why…"

"Why are you stopping me…"

Hikari gritted her teeth, barely sustaining Susanoo. Even with three times the ocular power of a normal Mangekyō, her vision was beginning to blur.

This was the sign of overuse.

If this continued—

She would go blind.

Kyusei showed no mercy. Swinging the chain hammer bound with the Box of Ultimate Bliss through his Adamantine Sealing Chains, he struck again without hesitation.

He could see it clearly—

Her condition was deteriorating.

The eye technique that once predicted his movements hadn't appeared for a long time.

Even the cracked portion of Susanoo hadn't recovered.

Her ocular power was nearly depleted.

Finish her while she's weak.

Dispelling the Box, Kyusei instantly formed a golden-red battle axe and swung it straight at her!

"…Damn it…"

Blood tears streamed from Hikari's eyes as she forced out the last of her power, desperately sustaining Susanoo.

But—

A normal Mangekyō could only go so far.

This was already a miracle.

"Mm…"

A muffled groan escaped her lips as her eyes flared with unbearable pain. The majestic full-body Susanoo collapsed, rapidly regressing until only a half-bodied skeletal form remained.

Kyusei showed no hesitation.

His axe descended even faster.

Golden-red light filled Hikari's vision—

And at that critical moment—

A Susanoo suddenly rose.

Four arms extended, blocking the axe head-on!

Kyusei's gaze sharpened instantly.

Four-armed Susanoo—

Uchiha Madara.

If Madara was here—

Then Menma…

Expanding his Kagura Mind's Eye to its limit, Kyusei located him.

Lying on the sand.

Barely breathing.

If left untreated—

He wouldn't last long.

Madara must have rushed over—

Leaving Menma unfinished.

But at this rate—

Menma would die anyway.

…No choice.

Kyusei couldn't watch his ally die.

Every second mattered.

"…You're lucky."

He cast a cold glance at Hikari behind Madara, then dismissed his Tailed Beast Mode and vanished in a flash of golden light.

"Fast."

Madara watched him disappear, making no move to pursue.

"…Can you still move?"

He dispelled Susanoo and looked down at the weakened girl.

"I'm fine… don't worry about me."

"We don't know what's happening with Nagato."

"Go help him. Once he's free—everything else will fall into place."

Hikari staggered to her feet—

Then collapsed straight into Madara's arms.

"…Hmph. Stubborn brat."

Madara ignored her suggestion entirely. Under her stunned gaze, he lifted her in a princess carry and walked toward the Dragon Vein.

Moments ago—

He had sensed a familiar chakra.

Senju Hashirama.

He would never mistake it.

"H-Hey… what are you doing…"

Hikari struggled weakly.

"Instead of fighting endlessly, we go to the Dragon Vein."

"That's everyone's goal anyway."

"And… there's an old acquaintance there."

"…Old acquaintance?"

She blinked, confused.

Aside from Orochimaru and Nagato's puppets—

Who else could Madara know?

But she no longer had the strength to argue.

Her earlier overexertion—

Drawing chakra from thirty thousand White Zetsu—

Fighting Kyusei with a normal Mangekyō—

Even with Hashirama cells suppressing the backlash—

She needed time to recover.

—

As Kyusei rushed toward Menma—

Kaoru and Uchiha Yūgen's battle had already ended in Yūgen's retreat.

Kaoru immediately teleported to the Dragon Vein.

But upon arrival—

She froze.

"…Is that… the First and Second Hokage?"

"And… the Third too?"

She instinctively turned to Orochimaru.

"My teacher anticipated this."

"He ordered me to learn Impure World Reincarnation."

"And use it here."

Orochimaru explained calmly.

"…As expected of the Third."

Kaoru's eyes lit up.

"The Six Paths puppets are handled by the Hokage."

"Recover your chakra. There's more fighting ahead."

Orochimaru handed her a special soldier pill.

Kaoru looked at it—

Honestly, she'd rather bite Kyusei than eat this.

But now wasn't the time to be picky.

She swallowed it.

"…Where's Kyusei?"

Orochimaru asked, watching Tobirama already dismantling the Naraka Path within minutes.

"Menma lost to Madara."

"Kyusei went to save him."

Kaoru's expression darkened.

Menma and a weakened Hashirama—

Against prime Madara—

Was too much.

She had seen that blue Susanoo earlier.

If Madara was here—

Then something had gone wrong.

"If needed, he'll signal me with Flying Thunder God."

"I trust him."

Kaoru said calmly.

"…What about Nao?"

"He dragged Nagato away. No updates since."

"Probably fighting far from here."

Orochimaru replied.

At that moment—

A radiant golden sword tore across the night sky—

Leaving a lingering trail.

Orochimaru stared upward, golden pupils filled with shock.

"…What is that?"

—

Thirty minutes earlier—

"Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion!"

Nao's shout echoed as a massive tornado surged upward like a dragon connecting earth and sky.

Preta Path—Absorption!

Nagato raised a barrier—

But it failed.

The wind blades tore through everything.

…What kind of eyes are those?!

No time to think—

He used Shinra Tensei to repel the attack.

And in that instant—

A green flash shot upward.

Five seconds.

That was his cooldown.

Nao seized it.

"Die!"

Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!

A massive compressed air blast surged forward.

Pure physical force—

Unabsorbable.

Nagato's expression darkened.

How did she know his abilities?

But—

No time to dwell.

He clenched his fists—

And charged straight down.

"Ha!"

His punch collided head-on with the blast.

BOOM!

The sky trembled.

When the dust cleared—

He stood unharmed.

Not even scratched.

Only his clothes were shredded.

He tore them off completely, revealing a powerful physique, tying his red hair back.

Looking down at her coldly, he said,

"I've never shown myself before."

"How do you know my abilities?"

Nao smirked.

"Who knows?"

"Maybe you've got a traitor."

"…Sharp tongue."

Nagato descended.

Nao met him head-on.

The Hyūga's taijutsu—

Amplified by the Tenseigan—

Reached terrifying heights.

That single Vacuum Palm—

If Kyusei saw it—

He'd question reality.

Was that a weakened Eighty Gods Vacuum Strike?

In mere moments—

They exchanged hundreds of blows.

Rinnegan versus Tenseigan.

Two ultimate evolutions.

Neither giving ground.

Nagato fought like a war machine—

His abilities chained flawlessly together.

In war—

He alone could surpass a Tailed Beast.

No—

Except the Nine-Tails—

All others were toys before him.

"Asura Path!"

Nao launched another Vacuum Palm.

Nagato countered—

Mechanical arms erupted from his shoulders.

A massive beam fired—

Piercing through the attack.

But Nao spun instantly—

A blue vortex erupted around her.

A storm like the abyss—

Grinding everything to dust.

Tenseigan—

Rotation!

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