Chapter 88: Madara's Overwhelming Power

Yahiko looked at his fallen comrades on the ground, fists clenched tight, his whole body trembling.

These people were all partners gathered together for the ideal of peace, yet in the blink of an eye they had been cut down. He gritted his teeth, anger igniting in his eyes.

"Bastard!" Yahiko roared, his voice filled with suppressed anger.

Nagato and Konan exchanged a glance, tacitly nodding. The three instantly scattered, swiftly moving around Madara, forming a triangular encirclement.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"

"Paper Shuriken!"

Countless sharp paper pieces swirled in the air, like a white whirlwind, carrying the intertwined tornado of water and wind, rushing straight at Madara.

Boom! A huge explosion sound resounded all around, air waves sweeping out, stirring up clouds of smoke and dust. Thick smoke rapidly spread out, blocking everyone's vision.

Taking advantage of the moment vision was obscured, Yahiko shouted loudly: "Retreat! He's not someone you can handle!"

The Akatsuki members, hearing this, though unwilling in their hearts, also understood their strength was far from enough, and began to swiftly retreat backward.

Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan warily watched the center of the smoke-filled area, ready at any moment to respond to a possible counterattack.

Suddenly, a low voice came from within the smoke: "Just this much ability? Truly disappointing."

As the words fell, the smoke and dust gradually dispersed. The three stared wide-eyed, watching the scene before them in disbelief.

A huge shield woven from thick trees stood erect before Madara, having blocked the joint attack just now entirely. The shield's surface had some charring and cracks, but its overall structure remained intact.

"This is... the First Hokage's Wood Release?" Yahiko cried out in alarm, his voice filled with shock.

Konan at this moment also stared wide-eyed: "How is that possible? Wasn't Wood Release already lost?"

Madara smiled coldly, hands rapidly forming Hand Seals: "Since you're so curious, then let you have a good look."

"Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!"

In an instant, the ground began to shake violently. Before Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan could react, they saw the surrounding ground suddenly split open, countless thick trees rising from the ground like bamboo shoots after rain.

In the distance, the Akatsuki members who had just retreated suddenly heard a huge sound coming from behind. They turned to look, only to see a sea of trees spreading toward them at an astonishing speed.

"Run!" a member shouted in terror. But it was too late.

The trees extended their branches like living things, instantly entangling those members who hadn't escaped far. Terrified cries rose and fell, yet were quickly drowned by the sea of trees. In the blink of an eye, those members disappeared into the dense branches and leaves.

Although due to the limit of Madara's chakra, the range of Deep Forest Emergence was only less than one kilometer, for Akatsuki it was already shocking enough.

Yahiko stared wide-eyed, watching the rapidly growing trees all around. He gritted his teeth, shouting loudly: "Be careful!"

The three swiftly reacted, forming Hand Seals almost simultaneously.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

"Water Release: Water Blade Slash"

"Paper Cutting Technique!"

However, these Ninjutsu before Madara's Wood Release were like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. The trees grew at an even faster speed, easily breaking through their defenses.

"Angel of Paper." Konan shouted low.

Her body suddenly turned into countless paper pieces, scattering in the air. She barely dodged the entangling branches, flying to a high place.

Yahiko and Nagato weren't so lucky. Thick branches like giant pythons instantly wrapped the two tightly.

"Ah!" Yahiko cried out in pain. A sharp branch pierced into his shoulder, fresh blood dripping down along the branch.

Nagato struggled with all his might, but to no avail. The branches tightened more and more, nearly strangling the breath out of them. "Yahiko! Nagato!" Konan shouted from the air, her voice filled with anxiety.

Madara stood in the center of the sea of trees, looking down at the two trapped, smiling coldly: "Just this much ability, and you want to change the world?"

Madara walked slowly toward Nagato, the trees seemingly spiritual as they parted a path for him.

"Means of peace?" Madara sneered, his voice filled with mockery, "You really think relying on these weak means can stop war?"

Nagato raised his head with difficulty, staring straight into Madara's eyes: "Even so... we have to try."

Madara shook his head, a trace of disdain flashing in his eyes: "Naive. This world never has true peace; only the strong have the qualification to speak of peace."

He continued forward, steps steady and powerful: "Your method is doomed to fail. Only by possessing powerful strength and standing at the peak can one truly master this world's peace."

As Madara's words fell, a sharp sound of breaking air suddenly rang out. Countless paper pieces rapidly rotated in the air, turning into sharp shuriken, shooting toward Madara.

"Stop!" Konan's voice came from above, her hands rapidly forming Hand Seals, controlling the trajectory of the Paper Shuriken.

Madara seemed to have anticipated this, he unhurriedly raised his right hand, forming a single seal.

"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Release Song!"

In an instant, a huge fire dragon surged out from Madara's mouth, roaring as it charged toward the sky. Scorching flames instantly engulfed all Paper Shuriken, turning them to ash.

Konan's pupils sharply contracted, before she could even react, the fire dragon had already broken through the Paper Shuriken defense line, diving straight at her.

Her body instinctively wanted to dodge, yet she found the flames came too fast, not even enough time to fully unfold the Angel of Paper ability.

"Be careful!" Yahiko shouted with a torn throat, yet could only watch helplessly as this scene unfolded.

"Ah!" A pained scream rang out. Konan's body was wrapped in flames, like a burning butterfly, falling from the air.

Thud! Konan fell heavily to the ground, flames still burning on her body. She rolled in pain, trying to extinguish the flames on her body, but to no avail.

"Konan!!!" Nagato and Yahiko shouted simultaneously, their voices filled with anger.

Madara paced toward Nagato, every step filled with intimidation. He reached out his hand, slowly approaching Nagato's eyes.

"The power of these eyes can create true peace." Madara's voice was low and magnetic, as if narrating a beautiful future, "In the Infinite Tsukuyomi world, everyone will live in the life they dream of. No war, no hatred, only eternal happiness."

"Bastard!!"

Right at this moment, Yahiko suddenly erupted with an astonishing power. Branches broke inch by inch under his struggle; he violently broke free of the bindings, charging at Madara with reckless abandon.

Madara seemed to have anticipated this, without even turning his head he raised his other hand. In an instant, a sharp branch shot out from his palm, like an arrow leaving the bowstring, stabbing toward Yahiko.

"Puchi!"

The branch instantly pierced through Yahiko's chest. Fresh blood spurted out, drawing a dazzling arc in the air.

"No! Yahiko!" Nagato let out a heart-rending scream.

He watched Yahiko fall, watched Konan struggle in the flames. All of it was like the most terrible nightmare, yet it truly happened before his eyes.

Nagato's pupils contracted violently, the light in his eyes gradually fading. He felt his soul as if being torn, something deep within his heart collapsing.

"Why... why did this happen?" Nagato murmured, his voice filled with trembling disbelief.

Just as Madara's fingers were almost touching Nagato's eyes. Suddenly, an invisible power erupted from within Nagato's body.

"Boom!"

A tremendous sound shook the entire Space. Madara was caught off guard, his body instantly blasted away by a powerful repulsive force. He flipped several times in midair, landing steadily, a flash of surprise in his eyes.

(Chapter End)