Chapter 779: The World's Differences (5k)
Chapter 779: The World's Differences (5k)
As they rushed to where the Six Paths Madara stood, Obito and Naruto arrived just in time to witness the rapid regeneration of Madara's body.
"He just won't die," Obito muttered, realizing the prudence of his decision.
Naruto swiftly gathered his Sage Mode chakra and formed a Rasengan.
With a whoosh, Madara gritted his teeth and unleashed two Sage Stones with all his might.
"Naruto, I'll leave the attack to you," Obito said, using his unrestricted Sage Mode chakra to block the Sage Stones and then teleporting them away with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"Don't worry, Obito," Naruto assured him.
Without hesitation, Naruto hurled the Rasengan.
A thunderous roar filled the air, and the dazzling white light that flashed by nearly severed Madara's newly regenerated body.
However, Madara discovered an even more serious problem beyond the injuries inflicted by Naruto. The Tailed Beasts within him had gone berserk.
Roaring, the combined power of the nine Tailed Beasts within Madara surged through the wound created by Naruto and burst forth.
Following the Nine-Tails' instructions, Naruto used Tailed Beast Chakra to engage in a tug-of-war, pulling the Tailed Beasts out of Madara's body.
Due to Madara's extreme weakness at that moment, Naruto's efforts were remarkably smooth, and in an instant, he had pulled out most of the seven Tailed Beasts.
Just as Naruto thought he was about to rescue all seven Tailed Beasts, the nearly extracted Beasts were suddenly pulled back a little.
"Don't be ridiculous," Madara snarled, gritting his teeth. "As the second Six Paths Sage, I will never be defeated by the likes of you!"
Madara struggled to control the Tailed Beasts within him, desperately pulling back the power of the Beasts that were being extracted.
He had worked tirelessly for over a decade to achieve Infinite Tsukuyomi.
During this time, he had killed many and indirectly caused the deaths of countless others.
To create chaos and take advantage of the turmoil, he released the Nine-Tails, leading to the deaths of many Konoha ninjas and civilians, including his teacher and mother.
To push Nagato further into darkness, he personally killed numerous members of the Akatsuki.
In his pursuit of the Nine-Tails and Eight-Tails, he even initiated a Shinobi World War.
The reason he felt no guilt for his actions was his belief that once he unleashed Infinite Tsukuyomi, all his past sins would vanish like an illusion.
Therefore, Madara was determined to ensure the success of Infinite Tsukuyomi at all costs.
Only then would Hinata truly be resurrected, and only then would the world find genuine peace, free from despair.
"You're not the only one who can be the second Six Paths Sage; I can be the second Sage of Six Paths too!"
Obito teleported back to Naruto's side and noticed Madara's insults, prompting him to retort.
"Obito, help me," Naruto requested, asking Obito to assist in capturing the Tailed Beasts.
Obito entered Naruto's Nine-Tails Chakra, stimulating his own chakra to aid Naruto in the tug-of-war.
Perhaps due to their shared connection, something strange happened when Obito's chakra mixed with Naruto's and grappled with Madara's. Two slides appeared in Naruto's mind, one depicting Obito and the other, Madara.
Initially, the two seemed identical: both orphans, relying on their grandmothers, and average students at the Ninja Academy, earning them the title "Uchiha Clan's Dead Last."
The similarities were so striking that Naruto wondered if he was seeing double.
However, as the images on the slides continued to change, a difference emerged.
Mumu appeared as a substitute teacher in one of Madara's memories.
Naruto wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he felt that Mumu's presence brought a sudden brightness and vibrancy to the slides.
From that point on, the differences between the two Madaras became more pronounced.
With Mumu's guidance, the twelve-year-old Madara and his peers easily defeated Jonin-level opponents.
Jonin from the Stone and Mist Villages were no match for them; they were mere stepping stones to their achievements.
"And at that time, their war had already ended..."
While Madara was tasked with a dangerous mission alongside his team, in another world, influenced by Mumu, the war had concluded.
"Hahaha!"
Madara's face contorted into a peculiar smile.
It was strange because even as he laughed, his expression remained ugly, and tears welled up in his eyes.
He was bitter.
He was no worse than Obito. Obito could protect his comrades and fight with all his might, and so could he.
Obito could persevere in his training, and he could too.
Why, when they were so similar, did Obito have Mumu as his teacher, while he did not?
Within the pristine white space, four figures appeared.
"Come over here. You still have a choice to be like your brother, Dai Tu," Naruto said, extending his hand towards the Six Paths Madara.
Having witnessed the memories of the Six Paths Madara, Naruto's resentment towards Madara lessened significantly.
Madara could have been as kind as his brother, but he was blinded by hatred and ultimately strayed onto the wrong path.
"Naruto, you're still too naive," the Six Paths Madara sneered, covering his face.
At this point, returning to the past was impossible.
Aside from whether others could accept it, he himself couldn't accept it.
The Six Paths Madara glared at Madara, approaching him.
"Although your experiences were tragic, this isn't something you should..."
Madara met the Six Paths Madara's gaze without flinching, sharing his insights from witnessing Madara's memories.
He sympathized with the Six Paths Madara's experiences but firmly believed that the actions Madara took afterwards were unforgivable, and the only way to atone for such sins was death.
Slap! The Six Paths Madara unexpectedly slapped Madara across the face without any warning.
"You!"
Madara stared at the Six Paths Madara in bewilderment. He hadn't even finished speaking, and the Six Paths Madara had struck him, and on the face, no less.
"Consider it payback for your punch. Remember, it's not that you defeated me, but that you had the guidance of Mumu. That's all."
With that, the Six Paths Madara released his hold on the Tailed Beasts, vanishing from the consciousness space.
As he witnessed Mumu's establishment of the new Shinobi Sect, bringing peace and rapid development to the Shinobi world, the Six Paths Madara realized one thing—he was wrong.
Peace wasn't just an illusion in Genjutsu; it could also be achieved in reality. He had taken the wrong path.
The new Shinobi Sect created by Mumu was the most correct and genuine path.
In Mumu's world, Hinata lived a good life, becoming a potential candidate for the Hokage, and even the Akatsuki's rogue ninjas had a good ending.
"A flower in a greenhouse? It's just a fool living in a fantasy world."
The Six Paths Madara even felt that Madara's life would be better than the one in the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Before witnessing Madara's memories, he couldn't have imagined such a beautiful outcome.
The Last Uzumaki, a weakling, encountered a kind and mysterious teacher who nurtured him into a genius.
As he grew up, he gained loyal subordinates who went to great lengths to help him win over Hinata.
These were all privileges usually reserved for the protagonists of ninja novels. Could they possibly exist in reality?
Bang! The Six Paths Madara's thoughts suddenly stalled as he released his hold on the Tailed Beasts, allowing Naruto to easily pull them out.
The Six Paths Madara, now without the Tailed Beasts, lost the white feathers covering his body, falling to the ground.
The fusion between Madara and Kakashi was undone, and they returned to being two separate individuals.
"Mumu..."
Lying on the ground, the Six Paths Madara gazed at the blood moon in the sky, silently reciting the name he had seen in Madara's memories.
"I won. I was right about you."
Senju Tobirama smiled, seeing that the Six Paths Madara had fallen.
After so many years, his judgment remained as sharp as ever.
"You're still not dead?"
Sasuke noticed that the Six Paths Madara, now without the Tailed Beasts, didn't die immediately. He drew his sword and charged forward.
"Madara, you lost," said Adult Kakashi, who also rushed towards the Six Paths Madara.
"Teacher Little Kai, I will always remember you and strive to be like you!"
Xiao Li stood before Might Guy, whose body was charred black, and swore with tears in his eyes.
Adult Might Guy patted Xiao Li's shoulder, but before he could say anything, Might Guy's body suddenly underwent a transformation.
A white light enveloped Might Guy, and in the next instant, he stood tall, his charred body restored.
"My youth will not fade away so easily!"
Might Guy stood up and gave Xiao Li a thumbs up.
"Huh!"
Both Xiao Li and Adult Might Guy were astonished.
With the defeat of the Six Paths Madara, the most formidable enemy on the battlefield, most ninjas felt a sense of relief.
Some began to check on each other's conditions.
"Hinata-sama, are you okay?" Neji asked with concern.
"Yes, thanks to Naruto's Chakra protection. How about you, brother?" Hinata nodded and asked.
"My stamina and Chakra are running low," Neji replied.
"Is that guy still not dead?" Someone shouted, reminding Naruto's group to finish off the Six Paths Madara.
Adult Kakashi persuaded Sasuke to back down, expressing his desire to personally end the life of his former friend. However, Madara stopped him.
"Kakashi, let me do this. Let me put an end to my sinful life with my own hands."
Madara grabbed Adult Kakashi's hand and spoke in a low voice.
Adult Kakashi had already suffered enough; he didn't want him to kill his friend again.
Wave Water Gate was about to say something, but the Six Paths Madara interrupted him.
"What do you think of me? My life and death are not for you to decide."
"Impure World: Reincarnation!"
The Six Paths Madara formed hand seals, preparing to use the last of the Six Paths power within him to revive the ninjas who had sacrificed themselves in the war.
Didn't he understand the gravity of his actions?
Having committed so many evil deeds, he no longer deserved to live in this world. Only the Reincarnation Jutsu, capable of reviving the dead, could lessen his sins.
But it would only lessen them, not erase them entirely.
The evil he had done over the past decade was too great, and the number of people indirectly harmed was too vast. Even the Reincarnation Jutsu couldn't possibly bring back everyone who had died because of him.
Moreover, even if everyone were to be revived, it wouldn't undo the sins he had committed.
Wave Water Gate was revived, but Naruto's childhood hardships wouldn't disappear because of it.
"What are you trying to do?"
Madara lunged towards the Six Paths Madara, but Naruto stopped him.
"This is the Rinnegan's Reincarnation Jutsu. Brother Madara, you must want to use your life to revive the ninjas who died in the war."
"Naruto, having witnessed Nagato's use of Sage of Six Paths: Rebirth, instantly recognized that Six Paths Madara was about to perform the same technique."
Recalling Madara's voluntary surrender of the Tailed Beasts, Naruto surmised that Madara might be seeking redemption, similar to Nagato.
"Madara, it seems you've found yourself again," Hinata sighed as she approached.
Her guess proved accurate; Madara hadn't entirely forgotten his initial intentions.
Unfortunately, Madara's realization came too late.
Madara remained silent, closing his eyes and nodding, silently gathering his chakra.
"Now, the only enemy left is the Impure World Reincarnation of Uchiha Sasuke," Madara said, stroking his chin.
While they were engaged in battle, Sasuke didn't sit idly by, but he was held back by Senju Tobirama and couldn't join the fight.
"Let's go, Madara. We'll seal that bastard," Naruto called out.
After reviewing Madara's memories, Naruto's hatred shifted from Madara to Sasuke.
Just as Madara had controlled Nagato, he had become this way due to Sasuke's influence.
"No problem, but you need to give me some chakra first. I'm running low," Madara readily agreed.
This battle was the most exhilarating one Madara had ever fought, as he didn't need to worry about chakra depletion, and Naruto was there to provide it when needed.
"That's easy," Naruto said, patting Madara and Kakashi on their backs, causing the Tailed Beast Chakra to flare up around them again.
Led by Naruto, a group of powerful fighters began moving towards Sasuke's battlefield.
Although Madara, having lost the Nine Tailed Beasts, was severely injured and couldn't even move, he was still guarded by a group of ninjas, including Namikaze Minato, due to his previous strength.
Just as Madara was about to complete the Sage of Six Paths: Rebirth, Kurotsuchi invaded his body from underground, changing the target of resurrection to just Uchiha Sasuke.
"Kurotsuchi!" Madara's face contorted in disgust, but having just suffered a severe injury, he couldn't resist Kurotsuchi's control.
"I can't let that guy make a fool of us!" Madara roared inwardly, using his willpower to expand the scope of the Sage of Six Paths: Rebirth, resurrecting not only Sasuke but also randomly reviving fallen ninjas on the battlefield.
He had intended to revive the Impure World Reincarnated Kage to fight against Sasuke, but he couldn't make such extensive modifications. If he could have, he wouldn't have been forced to revive Sasuke.
Boom!
"Finally, things are back on track," Sasuke's mouth curled into a smirk as he was brought back to life.
Senju Tobirama, witnessing this, attempted to use Wood Style Ninjutsu to suppress Sasuke, but Sasuke used his ninjutsu to immobilize him.
Tobirama and Sasuke had just exchanged injuries, and Tobirama, despite being impaled by the Black Rod, managed to seal Sasuke with the Myobatsu Gate.
However, Sasuke, empowered by his resurrection, broke free of the restraints, and the Black Rod on his body wasn't removed in time.
Taking advantage of Tobirama's immobility, Sasuke absorbed his Sage Chakra, enhancing his strength.
"What the hell? How did Sasuke come back too?" Madara furrowed his brows, struggling to comprehend the current situation as he watched Sasuke 'play dead' alongside some of the ninjas on the battlefield.
Logically, given the circumstances, Madara shouldn't have switched sides to Sasuke.
According to Madara's memories, their relationship was rather ordinary.
Sasuke treated Madara as a mere tool, and Madara had always been plotting against him.
It was surprising they hadn't clashed sooner; Madara shouldn't have resurrected Sasuke.
"Undoubtedly, 'you' have a problem," Kakashi said, gripping Yamaibane tightly as he seriously analyzed his mistake.
Madara's voluntary surrender had made him a bit lax; he should have been more cautious.
"Fire Style: Ash Concealment Technique!"
Sasuke, aware of the numerous powerful fighters present, knew it wasn't wise to engage in a direct confrontation before retrieving his Rinnegan. He spat out a large amount of dust and quickly vanished from the battlefield.
"Lord Sasuke, I've brought your eyes," said a White Zetsu that emerged from Sasuke's side.
Sasuke quickly grabbed the Rinnegan from the White Zetsu and implanted it into his eye socket.
"Just one? But it's enough to deal with these beasts," Sasuke said, feeling the power of the Rinnegan and breaking into a broad smile.
He had been very old when he first activated the Rinnegan and hadn't had the chance to use it at full power.
Now, he finally had the opportunity.
"Why don't we let Sasuke and Shizui fuse?" Madara suggested after some thought.
Fusion was energy-consuming, and he and Kakashi had just separated. Neither could use the fusion earrings again for a while.
Shizui and Nagato had a mediocre compatibility, and Might Guy wasn't suitable for fusion earrings. After some consideration, Madara thought Sasuke and Shizui might be a good match.
Sasuke possessed Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, and Shizui had one Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan as well. Their fused ninja would undoubtedly have formidable eye power.
"Why bother with an old relic? It's easier to kill living people than Impure World Reincarnated ninjas. And my name is Sasuke, not 'old man'!" Sasuke rejected Madara's suggestion and charged at Sasuke with his sword.
"The stench of milk still on your breath, and you dare to speak so boldly?" Sasuke watched as Sasuke approached, his arms crossed, staring at him with the Rinnegan.
"Rengoku!"
Just as Sasuke neared Sasuke, about to swing his sword, an unknown force struck him, sending him flying backward and crashing to the ground.
Boom!
Madara scratched his head, momentarily speechless.
Had Sasuke always been this brave?
(End of Chapter)
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