https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1002-Scheming-Against-the-Sage-of-Six-Paths-/13111859/
Chapter 1003: Betrayal Strikes Madara!
Chapter 1003: Betrayal Strikes Madara!
The battle momentarily paused as the powerful Allied Shinobi Forces surrounding Madara stared in disbelief at the figure hidden beneath a white, fine-scaled snake cloak, his body shrouded in dark purple shadows—Kabuto Yakushi. They struggled to comprehend his sudden betrayal.
There had been countless opportunities to defect earlier, but why wait until Madara became the Jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails to turn against him? Wasn't that a little too late?
"Kabuto?" Madara coldly reached out, grabbing and crushing the white snake on his shoulder.
This white snake wasn't particularly noteworthy; the crucial aspect was the 'poison' infused within, capable of affecting even Madara.
Rikudo-tier! This represented a profound elevation in life force.
At this moment, Madara's body was no longer as fragile as before.
While not claiming invincibility, he was now impervious to ordinary attacks.
Yet, despite this newfound resilience, the spot on his shoulder where the snake had bitten began to rot.
Unbelievable as it seemed, Madara, now a Rikudo-tier entity capable of withstanding even the deadly blow of the Sage of the Six Paths, had been poisoned.
Who could possibly believe it?
But the evidence was undeniable, forcing them to accept the truth.
"Because his name is Kabuto Yakushi!"
A voice abruptly echoed, followed by the emergence of a captivating figure with shoulder-length hair and eyes shimmering with the brilliance of stars—Hyuuga Aikotsuki.
Her strength was so formidable that she had to wait until now, when a Rikudo-tier entity was already present on the battlefield, to make her move.
"What do you mean?" Madara turned towards Hyuuga, sensing her threat and thus not dismissing her entirely.
"Our Solar Flare Country's Intelligence Department Chief is Yakushi Nonou, and Kabuto is her adopted child!" Uzumaki Mei declared as she stepped forward, surrounded by a multitude of powerful shinobi.
Compared to Hyuuga, who traveled alone, Uzumaki Mei had set out earlier but arrived later.
After a brief exchange of glances, they averted their eyes, both aware of their deep-seated enmity. There was no room for 'friendliness' between these sworn enemies.
"I see!" Madara instantly understood. Kabuto had always been a Solar Flare Country operative, secretly embedded within Orochimaru's forces. This wasn't a betrayal; he had never been on Madara's side.
This revelation nearly caused Obito, under the control of the White Zetsu, to burst out of his coffin, barely clinging to life.
Damn! Was this not a blatant act of humiliation?
Not only had Kabuto turned many Akatsuki members against him, but now he learned that Kabuto, whom he considered a secret ace, was also their agent. It was enough to make him furious.
After painstakingly assembling a formidable force and confidently declaring war on the Ninja World, to discover that not only his subordinates but also the reinforcements he had specifically sought were all from the Solar Flare Country was infuriating. Not succumbing to rage was a feat in itself.
"Uzumaki Mei, if you intend to stop the Manjuu no Mangekyou Plan, why do you oppose the Allied Shinobi Forces?" A shouted, genuinely perplexed.
He couldn't fathom why, if these individuals were from the Solar Flare Country, they would target the Allied Shinobi Forces.
Even if they might become enemies in the future, there was no need to act so hastily against their allies before dealing with Akatsuki.
"The Solar Flare Country needs no allies!" Uzumaki Mei declared, addressing the Fourth Raikage directly.
Following these insects would only hinder the salvation of the Ninja World.
Therefore, even if they eliminated Akatsuki, they wouldn't collaborate with the Allied Shinobi Forces and would instead take the opportunity to dispose of them.
"Damn it! Are you not being a bit too arrogant, Solar Flare Country?" Jiraiya voiced his displeasure.
Their words were a blatant display of contempt for the Great Shinobi Villages, and it was difficult to tolerate such arrogance.
"Isn't what I'm saying true?" Uzumaki Mei, seeing that others had also arrived, wasted no more time on explanations and issued a direct order.
"You deal with these nuisances; I'll handle Uzumaki Madara!"
The 'nuisances' she referred to were Jiraiya, A, Otsutsuki, and other powerful members of the Allied Shinobi Forces.
Indeed, even as the Solar Flare Country moved against Madara, it wasn't solely targeting him; they intended to eliminate the Allied Shinobi Forces' strongest shinobi as well.
"Yes!" Yamanaka, Izumi, Sho, Shizuka, and other powerful shinobi like Yotsuki, Terumi, and Mei began their assault.
However, they all tacitly agreed to move the battlefield elsewhere instead of engaging in direct combat at their current location.
(End of Chapter 1003)
The reason was simple; with the presence of Madara, Hashirama Senju, Hyuga Aikotsuki, and Uzumaki Mei, all Kage-level or stronger, they naturally wanted to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.
Although they were unaware of the Rikudo level, they could tell from Madara's power and transformation that he had surpassed the Ultra-Kage level. Thus, they wisely chose to steer clear of this "gods' battle."
Especially after witnessing the immense power of Senjutsu and the complete Susanoo, no one wanted to be caught in the aftermath of such large-scale techniques.
In an instant, only four figures remained in a tense standoff.
Rikudou Hashirama vs. Uzumaki Mei, Hyuga Aikotsuki, and Hashirama Senju.
Despite being three against one, the side with more numbers wore more solemn expressions.
Rikudo-tier! Even if it was just a glimpse of the power they had previously witnessed, it was enough to make one's heart race. How could anyone be careless?
"Raiton: Chidori Spear!"
Uzumaki Mei launched a direct attack, showing no signs of holding back.
She wasn't one for idle chatter like a certain yellow-haired shinobi.
(Naruto: Just call me by my name, thank you!)
With no need for further delay, she took immediate action.
Chidori Spear!
Of course, she didn't expect this attack to make much of a difference.
Her primary goals were to probe and cover.
The probing was straightforward; she wanted to gauge the flight speed and transformation time of the Sonneityama.
Even though they had some prior intelligence, no one dared confirm its authenticity, suspecting that it might be a deliberate display. Thus, the information they gathered firsthand was the most reliable.
Just as the Chidori Spear was about to hit its mark, Madara's Rikudo Staff transformed into a black, eggshell-like barrier, blocking the attack.
'Self-response?'
'And so fast!'
'It seems like no ninjutsu can penetrate this black barrier.'
'So, according to Tang Ping, only Eclipse Art and Taijutsu can affect it?'
"Right, and Reiki should work too. Let's find an opportunity to test it later!"
...
In an instant, Uzumaki Mei's mind was flooded with information.
Before her attack, she had been observing the situation through the Eternal Mangekyou, but she hadn't anticipated such formidable defense from her opponent.
When ninjutsu struck the black, egg-like barrier, there was not even a hint of disturbance or consumption. No matter how many or how powerful the ninjutsu, it was impossible to breach this defense.
The Allied Shinobi Forces had unleashed countless ninjutsu, yet they couldn't trigger any response, confirming this intelligence to Uzumaki Mei.
It wasn't that she distrusted Tang Ping, but she needed to verify the information he provided before fully accepting it.
However, since Tang Ping had volunteered this information, she could use it as a reference but not as an absolute rule.
Who knew what changes might occur?
If any unexpected developments arose, blindly following Tang Ping's information could lead to disaster. Thus, she needed to proceed with caution.
Slow and steady wins the race!
Hashirama Senju rushed forward, engaging in close combat.
At this moment, Tobi relaxed his control, allowing Hashirama to unleash his full strength.
This way, there was no concern about losing control or resistance.
If it were about annihilating the Allied Shinobi Forces, Hashirama would have resisted, but now, the goal was to stop Madara from activating the Manjuu no Mangekyou, so there was no worry about his commitment.
Not so!
When it came to fighting Madara, Hashirama would undoubtedly go all out; there was no concern about his dedication.
Engaging in close combat was the best choice, as using ninjutsu against Madara, who possessed the Sonneityama, would be futile.
Relying on an immortal body was a joke.
With Rikudo power, even impure world reincarnations could be easily erased.
"Byakugan: Hakke Hyakunijuuhasshu!"
Hyuga Aikotsuki reduced her presence, attacking when Madara was occupied with Mei's assault and close combat with Hashirama.
And with her first move, she unleashed the full power of the Byakugan: Hakke Hyakunijuuhasshu.
This attack could pierce even the mightiest mountains.
The terrifying Byakugan: Hakke Hyakunijuuhasshu successfully struck Madara, who had not been fully focused on Hyuga Aikotsuki.
Shoulder!
The attack landed on Madara's shoulder.
Chapter end
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