Chapter 145: This Is More Like It

Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, Kushina held her breath, staring intently at the center of the explosion. As the dust and mist gradually dispersed, a massive blue figure slowly manifested.

"Crack!"

A striking crack appeared on the back of the Susanoo, but in the blink of an eye it restored itself to its original state, as if the attack just now had been merely a dragonfly skimming the water.

"How is this possible?" Kushina's eyes widened. The Tailed Beast Ball at close range had only produced a single crack? Just then, Madara Uchiha's voice came from the top of the Susanoo: "In this declining Ninja World of today, finally there is someone who can make me get a little serious."

His gaze swept over the people below, the corner of his mouth hooking into a contemptuous smile, "Although it is far from one-tenth of Hashirama's, still, you should feel honored, at least proving that you have the qualifications to stand on this battlefield!"

Madara's hands suddenly began forming Hand Seals, at a speed that was astonishing. With his movements, the entire earth began to tremble violently, as if some colossal thing was about to break out of the ground.

"This is bad!" Hiruzen Sarutobi's face changed drastically, "He intends to use that Technique!"

"Since that is the case," Madara's eyes grew increasingly fanatical, the chakra within his body surging like a sky-reaching tsunami, his voice resounding across the battlefield: "Then let you all have a good look at what is the true All of Creation! The power of the man who once fought me!"

The moment his voice fell, the entire world seemed to be changing. The ground suddenly split open, countless thick tree trunks shot skyward like arrows released from a bow.

Trees grew wildly at a speed visible to the naked eye; in the blink of an eye, a vast primeval forest rose from the ground in the middle of the original plain, completely altering the terrain of the battlefield.

Kushina had no time to react before the surrounding trees suddenly came alive. Thick branches twisted and extended like Giant Pythons, winding toward the Nine-Tails phantom.

"Roar!" The Nine-Tails phantom let out a heaven-shaking roar, swinging its tails trying to block. However, the number of giant trees was simply too many, and they quickly surrounded it completely.

Simultaneously, the trees in the dense forest suddenly burst into countless blossoms. Petals unfurled, and a large amount of fine pollen expanded outward in all directions like mist.

"Not good!" Hiruzen Sarutobi's face changed drastically, he shouted loudly, "This is Paralysis Pollen! You must not inhale it!"

Facing the continuously winding attacks, Hiruzen Sarutobi took a Deep Breath, his whole body erupting with a powerful Chakra Fluctuation.

"Ninjutsu: Gold Staff!"

With a low shout from Hiruzen Sarutobi, the golden cudgel behind him suddenly burst forth with dazzling Golden Light. And at a speed visible to the naked eye it grew wildly, in the blink of an eye transforming into a giant staff dozens of meters long.

Hiruzen Sarutobi gripped the giant staff with both hands, muscles instantly tensing, blue veins bulging. He fiercely spun around, hurling this massive golden cudgel out.

"Whoosh!"

The golden cudgel tore through the air, emitting a piercing sonic boom.

Just as the giant staff was about to collide with the World of Flowering Trees, Hiruzen Sarutobi's hands formed Hand Seals again, shouting in a low voice: "Kunai Shadow Clone Technique!"

In an Instant, one golden cudgel turned into hundreds. Dense masses of golden giant staffs swept out like a metal storm.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Continuous explosion sounds reverberated across the battlefield. Where the golden cudgels passed, hard tree trunks were instantly torn to shreds, countless wood fragments and leaves dancing in the air, as if a rain of sawdust was falling.

The swarm of golden cudgels rotated at high speed, stirring up a violent airflow. The poison pollen was blown away in this powerful airflow, quickly Dissipating into the air.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood in place, sensing the Nine-Tails Chakra continuously surging into his body, seemingly endless, and he couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement inwardly.

"Is this the power of the Nine-Tails?" A look of Disbelief flashed in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes, "Simply unimaginable. Even if I exhausted all the chakra in my body, I probably could not unleash a Ninjutsu of such power."

At the same time, hundreds of golden cudgels whistled toward Madara Uchiha. Madara stood at the top of the Susanoo, a trace of appreciation flashing in his eyes, the corner of his mouth curling up slightly.

"Not a bad attack!" Madara said softly, his hands rapidly forming Hand Seals, movements so fast they were almost invisible.

"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"

The moment his voice fell, the earth suddenly trembled violently. A massive Wood Dragon broke out of the ground, coiling upward. It opened its Bloody Mouth, crashing toward the swarm of golden cudgels.

Wood chips and Metal Fragments flew everywhere. The two forces collided fiercely in midair, ultimately perishing together.

The smoke and dust had not yet fully dispersed when the Susanoo already made its move. The long blade in its hand flashed with cold light, slashing straight down at the Nine-Tails phantom. The Nine-Tails phantom reacted extremely fast, its dual Claws suddenly lunging out, clamping tightly onto the blade.

"Boom!"

Two massive energy bodies collided with a crash. The Shockwave stirred up instantly leveled the surrounding trees to the ground.

Madara's eyes flickered with excited light, "Again!" He shouted in a low voice, the Susanoo's movements suddenly changing. Its right leg fiercely lifted, like a giant hammer smashing ruthlessly toward the Nine-Tails' abdomen.

"Bang!" With a huge sound, the Nine-Tails phantom was kicked flying by this unprepared-for strike, drawing a long arc in the air.

Kushina let out a muffled groan, feeling a burst of severe pain. She forcibly endured the pain, controlling the Nine-Tails phantom to adjust its posture in midair. The Nine-Tails phantom's claws fiercely dug into the ground, plowing out several deep grooves, finally stabilizing its figure.

Not waiting for the Susanoo to pursue, the Nine-Tails phantom fiercely turned its head, a pitch-black Tailed Beast Ball instantly condensing in its mouth.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

A string of Tailed Beast Balls whistled out like Shells, heading straight for the Susanoo.

Madara let out a cold snort, controlling the Susanoo. That massive energy long blade flashed like Lightning.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Blade and Tailed Beast Ball collided, emitting Deafening impact sounds. Every strike was incomparably precise, deflecting the Tailed Beast Balls one by one. The deflected Tailed Beast Balls exploded in the distance, setting off a chain of violent explosions. The entire battlefield seemed to have turned into a sea of fire.

However, this could not stop Madara Uchiha's advance. The Susanoo stepped on the flames, pressing closer step by step, getting nearer and nearer to the Nine-Tails.

Just at this Critical Moment, Minato's voice suddenly rang out in the minds of Kushina and the Third Hokage: "No! Attacks like this fundamentally cannot shake him! We must concentrate all our power and launch a final strike! Kushina, release all of the Nine-Tails' chakra!"

"Okay!"

The moment the words fell, the Nine-Tails phantom abruptly halted its steps. A terrifying Chakra Fluctuation erupted from within its body, the surrounding ground instantly pressed into a deep pit.

"Roar!" The Nine-Tails phantom howled at the sky, opening its Bloody Mouth. A mass of pitch-black energy sphere began condensing in its mouth. As the energy continuously gathered, the Nine-Tails phantom's body actually began to slowly wither, as if all its power was converging into that Tailed Beast Ball.

"I'll help you." Minato pressed his hands together, continuously extracting Senjutsu Chakra and pouring it in.

Simultaneously, the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi formed Hand Seals. Five clones instantly formed around him, and then five nature transformations of chakra continuously output, winding around the surface of the Tailed Beast Ball, emitting crackling explosion sounds. With the three people's all-out output, that Tailed Beast Ball expanded at a speed visible to the naked eye. In the blink of an eye, it had already reached a diameter of hundreds of meters. The pitch-black sphere's surface flickered with multicolored light. Terrifying Energy Waves caused the ground to continuously sink.

Watching the opponent's offensive about to reach its peak, Madara Uchiha stopped his steps. He stood in place, arms crossed, a trace of playfulness flashing in his gaze, as if waiting for something.

Madara's voice rang out, carrying a hint of interest, "It seems you are prepared to stake everything on one throw. Good, then let me see your resolve!!"

The moment the words fell, that massive Tailed Beast Ball finally reached its limit. The Nine-Tails phantom fiercely threw its head back. The energy sphere in its mouth was instantly compressed to the extreme, then shot out with the force of a landslide and tsunami.

"Boom!"

A blinding Light Pillar tore through the sky. The entire heavens were dyed a dark red by this terrifying energy. The Tailed Beast Ball formed from the fusion of Senjutsu Chakra, Yin-Yang Release, and Five Elements Release — its power simply exceeded everyone's imagination.

Facing this world-destroying strike, Madara Uchiha not only showed not the slightest fear, but appeared exceptionally excited. He stood atop the Susanoo's head, his Pupils reflecting that blinding light.

"Hahaha! Good! Good! Good!" A near-fanatical smile surfaced on Madara's face, his whole body trembling slightly from excitement. "This is more like it!"

The Next Second, Madara Uchiha's hands fiercely clasped together. The Susanoo's movements instantly became violent.

That massive energy long blade burst forth with blinding blue light. Energy on the blade surged wildly, emitting a teeth-aching hum.

"Ha!"

Accompanied by a roar, Madara controlled Susanoo, swinging that massive energy greatsword, slashing fiercely at the howling Tailed Beast Ball.

And just at the moment the two were about to collide, a yellow figure suddenly appeared beside Madara Uchiha.

"What?!"

Madara's pupils contracted sharply, a look of disbelief flashing across his face.

He whipped his head around, only to see Minato Namikaze had appeared within arm's reach at some unknown time, his right hand firmly gripping Madara's arm.

"Could it be... the mark left behind during the previous Sage Art explosion?" Madara's voice could not hide his shock.

"This is the Flying Thunder God: Spiraling Technique."

Minato uttered in a low voice, and the instant his voice fell the two figures vanished.

The next moment, Madara Uchiha appeared directly in front of that massive Tailed Beast Ball.

Madara stared wide-eyed; facing the Tailed Beast Ball right before him, he clearly realized it was already too late to absorb it.

Right at this critical moment, Madara's eyes spun rapidly, and four illusory figures suddenly manifested around him.

"Boom—!"

An earth-shaking explosion suddenly resounded across the entire battlefield. Blinding white light, as if the sun had suddenly descended to the surface, instantly devoured everything within a radius of hundreds of kilometers.

Terrifying shockwaves spread in all directions at unimaginable speed.

The mushroom cloud produced by the explosion rushed straight into the clouds, dyeing the entire sky an eerie dark red. Violent airflow formed a gigantic vortex high in the air, dark clouds pressing down, lightning flashing and thunder rumbling, as if doomsday had arrived.

The shockwave spread in all directions at astonishing speed, instantly sweeping over distant Konohagakure.

A hurricane-like shockwave suddenly swept across Konoha. Houses collapsed, trees were uprooted, villagers clutched their loved ones in terror, staring dumbfounded at the gigantic mushroom cloud on the horizon.

Their eyes were filled with shock and deep fear, as if witnessing the arrival of the end of the world.

Meanwhile, within Konohagakure's barrier, Danzo stood at a high vantage point, gazing grimly at the astonishing explosion in the distance, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

"Worthy of someone who once fought the God of Shinobi." Danzo snorted coldly, "The Uchiha Clan, truly a bunch of dangerous lunatics, never brought any benefit to Konoha."

At this moment Danzo held a secret letter in his hand, intelligence just sent from the Land of Earth, stating Madara Uchiha's target was only the Tailed Beast, and he would not strike at others.

"That fool Hiruzen Sarutobi." The corner of his mouth curled slightly, "Sacrificing the Nine-Tails this pawn, in exchange for Konoha's stability, might not be a bad choice."

"Since Hiruzen Sarutobi cannot tell priorities, let you lot charge at the front; whether victory or defeat, it is all my opportunity."

He walked to the window, once more looking toward the distant continuing explosion, ambition flashing in his eyes: "When this battle ends, Konoha will inevitably need someone like me even more to lead it into the future."

………………

Meanwhile, in a remote corner of Konohagakure, a green figure was racing toward the direction of the distant explosion. That person wore a green tight suit — it was Maito Dai.

"Dad! Wait!" Urgent footsteps and shouts came from behind.

Maito Dai's steps faltered; he turned and saw his son Might Guy chasing up, panting heavily.

"Guy, how did you get here?" Maito Dai asked, his voice carrying a hint of surprise.

Might Guy braced his hands on his knees, gasping for breath, looked up at his father: "Dad, what can a Genin like you do going there!"

Maito Dai fell silent for a moment, then suddenly revealed a radiant smile: "Guy, do you still remember what I taught you? A ninja's worth lies not in rank, but in the fire of will he burns! Even a Genin can bloom with the most dazzling light!"

"But, Dad" Might Guy's voice suddenly turned trembling, a trace of fear flashing in his eyes, "The Eight Gates will"

Before he could finish, Maito Dai cut him off. Dai placed his hand on his son's shoulder, an inexplicable light shining in his eyes.

"Guy, ninja are born to protect. Perhaps today is the time for me to burn my youth!"

The moment his voice fell, a powerful chakra suddenly erupted from Maito Dai's body; emerald-green energy rose like flames, distorting the surrounding air.

"Dad!" Might Guy shouted, tears welling in his eyes.

Maito Dai gave his son one last look: "Guy, believe in Dad, and believe in yourself too; youth is an everlasting flame! This is our ninja way!"

Finished speaking, he abruptly turned, his figure shooting toward the distant battlefield like an arrow, leaving only a green afterimage.

(Chapter End)