[Naruto : Yellow Flash] Chapter 561 - 565

Chapter 561: The Wrath of the Blue Beast

Inside the Konoha camp, Shisui Uchiha placed a hand on Might Guy's shoulder, offering a reassuring pat.

The younger shinobi's expression flickered with emotions—an unspoken struggle between admiration for his father and the weight of others’ perceptions.

Then—

BOOM!

A sudden, powerful shockwave erupted from outside the camp.

The earth split apart beneath their feet, deep cracks spreading out like spiderwebs. Several tents collapsed instantly, their wooden poles snapping like twigs.

The attack came too suddenly—most shinobi barely had time to react.

"What’s going on?!"

Guy immediately flipped backward, landing on solid ground that had not yet cracked.

Not far from him, Shisui had also landed in a defensive stance, his gaze locked onto something in the distance.

Guy followed his line of sight—

And then, his pupils shrank in horror.

A monstrosity had emerged outside the Konoha camp.

A towering, grotesque creature with a monstrous body and a grotesque face loomed over the battlefield.

It had nine closed eyes upon its deformed head, and its massive frame bore strange protrusions—gnarled wooden growths that made it appear even more unnatural.

"What the hell is that?!"

Several Konoha shinobi staggered backward, their voices trembling in fear.

This was not a tailed beast.

Yet its sheer size and aura of dread were no weaker than a Bijū.

Where had it come from?

How had it suddenly appeared here?

Konoha’s high-ranking officers—Uchiha Fugaku, Hyūga Tenki, and Senju Nawaki—stood in formation, their expressions grim. Even for them, the sight of this monstrosity sent shivers down their spines.

Fugaku, the leader of the Uchiha, forced himself to remain composed.

"Do not panic!" he commanded. "All units—"

ROOOOOOAAARRR!!!

A deafening howl erupted from the creature's mouth.

The very air trembled as sound waves rippled outward, distorting space itself.

But this was no ordinary roar.

It carried with it a paralyzing fear, sinking into the very hearts of the Konoha shinobi.

Some froze in place, their bodies refusing to move. Their eyes glazed over in silent horror.

Inside the creature—

A shadowed figure lurked within its monstrous form.

A skeletal old man, his face like a withered tree, watched the battlefield with a sinister smile.

Madara Uchiha.

His gnarled fingers moved through a series of intricate hand seals.

The monster roared once more—

And this time, it raised one of its enormous hands and swung downward toward the Konoha camp.

BOOOOM!

The cracked ground gave way completely, a massive shockwave tearing through the camp.

Dozens of Konoha shinobi were flattened instantly, their bodies crushed into unrecognizable masses beneath the devastating impact.

"Scatter—NOW!"

Fugaku’s desperate shout snapped many shinobi out of their trance.

The camp was too compact—if they remained clustered together, they would be wiped out in moments.

But just as they tried to retreat—

The monster charged forward, rampaging directly into their ranks.

Was this another forbidden jutsu from Kirigakure?

Had the Misty Village, long silent in the global conflict, suddenly revealed an abomination of this scale?

Nawaki gritted his teeth.

"Konoha will not fall here!"

"Water Style: Great Waterfall Jutsu!"

A massive torrent of water erupted from his hands, forming into a towering wave that surged toward the golem-like creature.

Within the beast, Madara let out a low chuckle.

"Hashirama’s grandson?"

He smirked.

"This power is so pitiful."

The monster’s mouth opened wide.

A glowing energy began to swirl within.

Then—

ROOOOOARRRR!!!

A translucent dragon burst forth from its maw, twisting and coiling like a spectral serpent.

"What in the—?!"

Nawaki’s pupils shrank.

The moment the dragon collided with his waterfall jutsu—

BOOOOOOM!

The raging torrent was obliterated instantly, reduced to mere mist.

The spectral dragon surged forward.

For a split second, Nawaki hesitated.

Then—

A chilling, primal fear overtook him.

His entire body screamed at him to run.

Abandoning his hand seals, he vanished from his position just in time—

Because the moment the spectral dragon entered the Konoha camp—

It passed through the shinobi, and every ninja it touched immediately froze.

Their eyes rolled back in sheer terror.

Then—

A blinding white light erupted from their heads—

And semi-transparent, ghostly figures were ripped from their bodies.

Their souls—

Were devoured.

"WHAT?!"

Not far away, Kato Dan’s face paled as he witnessed the horrific sight.

As a practitioner of the Spirit Transformation Jutsu, he knew exactly what had just happened.

"Their... souls were forcibly devoured!"

He had heard of no such jutsu.

A technique that could tear the soul from a living body—

This was beyond human comprehension.

Nearby, Fugaku’s Sharingan spun wildly as he tried to process the nightmare unfolding before him.

This wasn’t a Bijū.

This was something worse.

Something not meant to exist.

"DAMN IT!"

Fugaku clenched his fists.

They couldn't stop this thing.

They couldn’t even slow it down.

If this continued, Konoha’s forces would be annihilated!

The monster seemed to relish the slaughter.

A dark, twisted pleasure glowed in its horrid expression as it consumed more souls.

Hyūga Tenki gritted his teeth.

"Damn it! It looks so happy!" he growled.

As the golem’s nine eyes slowly began to open, terror spread across the battlefield.

Then—

A deep voice cut through the chaos.

"Eight Gates”

The words echoed.

Several shinobi turned in shock.

The air itself seemed to hum with an unnatural power.

A green aura flared—

Then exploded outward.

"The Sixth Gate... Gate of View—OPEN!"

Might Duy stood at the center of the battlefield, his body glowing emerald.

His face was flushed red, his eyes sharp and unyielding.

Nearby shinobi froze in awe.

This Genin, whom many had mocked for years—

Possessed such overwhelming power?

But Duy was not done.

His aura intensified, surging higher.

The green glow transformed—

Turning into blue steam.

The Seventh Gate—Gate of Wonder OPEN!

A deep, guttural roar erupted from Duy’s throat.

The earth trembled beneath him.

Konoha’s shinobi, who had been frozen in despair just moments ago—

Could only watch.

Then—

In the blink of an eye—

Might Duy disappeared.

And a thunderous impact—

Like the roar of a raging beast—

Shook the battlefield.

Chapter 562: The Burning Time!

"Roar, owl, owl!"

A thunderous roar, like a tiger’s cry echoing through the battlefield, sent shivers down the spines of every ninja present. At that moment, a massive, glowing white tiger head materialized in midair before the monstrous entity that loomed over them.

The tiger’s head wasn’t a physical entity but an illusionary form generated by an overwhelming force.

"Daytime Tiger!"

From within the glowing image, Might Duy's voice bellowed like a war drum, and the tiger’s roar intensified, charging straight at the towering beast with an earth-shaking momentum.

The scene reignited a flicker of hope in the hearts of the nearly despairing Konoha ninjas.

However, their shock deepened. Who among the Konoha forces could wield such immense power?

Not long ago, even the combined might of their strongest Water Release techniques had proven useless against the monster.

"What is this?"

Within the monster’s body, Madara Uchiha’s voice carried a trace of astonishment. Even with his vast experience and knowledge of countless jutsu, he had never encountered such a technique before.

Boom!

The next moment, the ethereal tiger head struck the monster's body, its impact force crashing into it directly. The beast let out a deafening roar of agony as the sheer energy of the attack sent it staggering backward.

The explosion of the tiger's form released a tremendous shockwave, momentarily repelling the monstrous entity and forcing it to retreat.

At that moment, Hyuga Tenki, watching from afar with his Byakugan, spotted a figure descending from midair.

“It’s him?”

The man plummeting was none other than Might Duy—an unassuming Genin who had remained in the same rank for over twenty years. He had been a ninja longer than most, yet no one in Konoha had ever imagined him possessing such terrifying power.

This level of strength was comparable to the legendary Sannin themselves!

"Dad?"

Among those watching in disbelief was Might Guy. He recognized the figure immediately and felt his entire being tremble.

Never in his life had he imagined that the forbidden technique his father had passed down to him could unleash such devastation.

"Is that Senior Duy?"

Standing beside Guy, Shisui Uchiha muttered under his breath. His usual calm composure wavered for a brief moment before he clenched his fists and whispered,

"See, Senior Duy is a great ninja."

The monster, having been pushed back by Duy’s strike, now bore visible injuries.

Cough.

Inside its core, Madara Uchiha let out a light cough, his expression darkening. His cold, indifferent gaze grew even more menacing.

"They actually managed to wound the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path... The Konoha shinobi are proving to be troublesome."

His voice dripped with lethal intent. In the next instant, his fingers blurred into a series of rapid hand seals.

"Roar!"

The colossal golem let out a furious howl, clearly enraged by the previous attack.

A short distance ahead, Might Duy stood, his breathing heavy but his will unshaken.

"My attack wasn’t enough?"

Duy’s sharp gaze flickered as he assessed the situation. He had unleashed the full force of the Seventh Gate, yet the damage inflicted on the golem remained insufficient.

At this rate, he had only one option left.

Meanwhile, the golem, having shaken off the damage, prepared to unleash another devastating attack. Its gaping maw began forming a terrifying energy mass, aiming directly at Might Duy, the man who had just injured it.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Before the golem could strike, a group of figures rushed forward from behind Duy.

They were the Hyuga clan’s elite shinobis!

In perfect synchronization, they assumed battle stances, their hands moving in precise, practiced motions before they unleashed their combined attack.

"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!"

A barrage of invisible chakra strikes erupted from their palms, distorting the air itself as they surged toward the golem’s mouth.

Boom!

The Hyuga's attack struck true, disrupting the energy build-up within the beast’s maw and momentarily halting its offensive.

Yet, that was all they managed to do.

With a deafening crash, the golem retaliated, its gargantuan arm swinging downward, targeting Might Duy once more.

"Rotation!"

The Hyuga ninjas scattered around Duy formed multiple dome-like chakra shields, colliding head-on with the descending arm.

The impact shook the battlefield. Though they successfully deflected the attack, several Hyuga shinobis collapsed, their defenses shattered. Blood seeped from their mouths as the sheer force of the collision left them severely injured.

"We’ll hold the line! You must retreat!"

Hyuga Tenki, the leader of the Hyuga forces, barked the order, his voice unwavering.

If they lost their will to fight and succumbed to fear, none of them would survive. But if they stood together, even against overwhelming odds, there remained a glimmer of hope.

"Roar!"

The golem let out another monstrous howl, its massive maw once again filling with swirling energy.

"Eight Trigrams Palm!"

The Hyuga shinobis launched another desperate attack.

Yet, before their strikes could land, a chilling sight unfolded.

From the golem’s body, hundreds of tiny, transparent serpentine creatures slithered out, forming a barrier in front of its mouth.

In a terrifying display of power, the spectral creatures absorbed the Hyuga's attack, nullifying it completely.

Then, from the golem’s mouth, a soul-devouring dragon slithered forth—an ethereal, spectral beast capable of stripping souls from living bodies.

It moved faster than before.

Hyuga Tenki barely had time to react before the dragon engulfed him and several other Hyuga shinobis.

Their souls were wrenched from their bodies, dragged into the spectral beast’s core before vanishing into the golem.

"Scatter!"

Might Duy’s voice roared across the battlefield.

The remaining Hyuga fighters obeyed instantly, dispersing in every direction.

Yet, the dragon twisted and turned, ruthlessly hunting down those who were too slow.

It was then that a figure stepped forward from the Konoha ranks.

"Spirit Transformation Technique!"

Kato Dan’s soul separated from his body, soaring toward the golem.

Just before the spectral dragon could reach the Konoha forces, Dan’s incorporeal form infiltrated the monster’s body.

In that instant, the golem froze.

"He knows forbidden soul techniques?"

Madara narrowed his eyes slightly. The golem had momentarily lost control.

"But… with such a weak soul, is he just throwing his life away?"

The very next moment, an immense force ejected Dan’s soul from the golem’s body. His incorporeal form flickered, growing faint and unstable.

The spectral dragon lunged back, swallowing his soul whole.

A chilling silence fell over the battlefield.

In mere seconds, two of Konoha’s commanders had been slain.

Besides Might Duy’s initial attack, none had even been able to wound the golem.

The flickering hope in the hearts of Konoha’s ninjas was once again extinguished by the sheer terror before them.

Tears of frustration welled in Uchiha Fugaku’s eyes. His Sharingan, spinning wildly, reflected his growing despair.

But his sorrow alone was not enough to awaken greater power.

Under the golem’s overwhelming might, thousands of Konoha shinobis felt like mere ants.

"It’s over. We’re doomed," Guy whispered, his legs giving out beneath him. Beside him, Shisui gritted his teeth, his thoughts turning to a certain blond figure—a man who had once seemed like a savior.

But that was only a fleeting hope.

"Guy!"

Might Duy’s voice cut through the despair.

"Be a real man! This isn’t over yet!"

He turned to the younger generation—Shisui, Asuma, and the many young shinobis of Konoha.

"You are the future of this village."

"I will become the fuel to light your path."

With a determined gaze, Duy took his final stance.

"The Eighth Gate… Gate of Death… OPEN!"

Chapter 563: The Eight Gates Formation!

"The Eighth Gate—The Gate of Death….OPEN!"

Might Duy's voice thundered across the battlefield, his expression stern and unwavering.

All around him, the Konoha ninjas froze, stunned by his declaration.

No one truly understood what the "Gate of Death" entailed, but an ominous sense of finality filled the air.

"Dad!"

Might Guy’s voice cracked with panic. Beside him, Shisui Uchiha turned, confusion evident in his eyes.

"The Eighth Gate… the Gate of Death? What does that mean?"

Inside the monstrous Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, Madara Uchiha, who was connected to its core, observed Duy’s transformation through the beast’s vision.

All of Duy’s chakra was converging toward his heart.

Madara's sharp eyes immediately caught the vulnerability in this process.

"This moment—it's when his defenses are at their weakest!"

Not hesitating for even a second, Madara formed rapid hand seals, commanding the golem to attack.

"Roar!"

The monstrous entity let out a fearsome bellow. From its gaping maw, a soul-devouring dragon emerged, its transparent form coiling and twisting like a phantom as it rushed toward Duy.

At that exact moment—

Whoosh!

A crimson vapor erupted from Duy’s body, swirling like a fiery inferno.

The sheer force of the energy expelled from him instantly shook the air, creating shockwaves that rippled outward.

A terrifying aura, suffocating in its intensity, blanketed the battlefield.

Duy head snapped up, and his burning eyes locked onto the incoming spectral dragon.

Then—he moved.

Faster than the eye could perceive.

He roared like a beast, his fist launching forward at a speed beyond comprehension.

Boom!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sheer pressure of his punch compressed the very air, creating consecutive explosions as it tore through space.

A shockwave detonated midair, striking the spectral dragon head-on.

The monstrous apparition, which had previously devoured the souls of Konoha’s elite shinobis, let out a mournful wail before—

Bang!

It disintegrated into nothingness.

Gasps echoed across the battlefield.

"The soul-devouring dragon… was destroyed!?"

The monstrous golem recoiled in agony, staggering backward from the impact.

Its massive chest, once seemingly invulnerable, caved inward from an invisible force.

It all happened so fast that the watching ninjas could hardly comprehend it.

By the time they processed what had occurred, the golem had already stumbled several steps, each footfall creating massive craters in the earth.

"So strong!"

Shock and disbelief were written across every face.

Among them were Konoha ninjas who had known Might Duy for years—some who had mocked him for remaining a Genin for decades, some who had dismissed him as weak.

But now—

This man.

This "eternal Genin" was displaying power beyond even the legendary Sannin… beyond even the Hokage!

"To think… this level of strength can be achieved through pure taijutsu alone!"

Uchiha Fugaku, his Sharingan spinning wildly, muttered in awe.

Through his keen vision, he could see it clearly—Duy’s attacks were purely physical.

But they were so powerful that they compressed the air itself, turning each strike into an invisible cannon blast.

"How… how can a man become this powerful using only taijutsu?"

This level of strength defied the understanding of conventional shinobi.

Inside the golem, Madara Uchiha’s blood-streaked lips curled slightly, his aged face betraying an expression of pure disbelief.

"I… coughed up blood?"

His old, withered fingers trembled as he wiped away the crimson stain.

For the first time in decades—he was shocked.

As a shinobi who had witnessed the mightiest shinobi throughout history, Madara had never encountered someone who could wield this level of power using only their fists.

Even at his peak, he had never seen a taijutsu user capable of rivaling him.

Yet, standing before him was a man who could not be ignored.

"This… this power… even in my prime, I would have been forced to take him seriously."

More than that—this "eternal Genin" standing before him felt even more dangerous than the Yellow Flash, the man currently feared across the five great nations.

Duy exhaled, watching as the golem staggered.

The attack had worked, but…

"I’m not sure I can completely defeat it."

Turning his head, he called out toward Fugaku, his voice urgent.

"Retreat! Take the army and retreat!"

Fugaku didn’t hesitate. He gave a firm nod before shouting,

"All Konoha forces—fall back!"

The stunned ninjas snapped back to reality, immediately following orders.

They obeyed not because of Fugaku’s command—

But because it was Duy who had spoken.

The only man capable of facing the monster before them.

"Guy, we should go too," Shisui said, his gaze filled with admiration as he watched the crimson-coated figure standing defiantly before the beast.

He turned to leave but noticed that Guy was frozen in place.

His face was filled with sorrow.

"Guy…?"

Guy’s lips trembled as he stared at his father’s back. His voice barely escaped his throat.

"This power… he earned it with his life."

Shisui’s breath caught.

"For those who open the Eighth Gate of the Eight Gates Formation… the only outcome… is death."

Inside the golem, Madara’s expression changed slightly.

His scarlet eyes sharpened, his vision zooming in on Duy’s body.

"The chakra around his heart… it's diminishing."

Madara was a man who had walked the battlefield for decades, a shinobi with knowledge unparalleled in the shinobi world.

His experience told him one undeniable fact—

For a man to wield this kind of power, there had to be a cost.

His Sharingan observed every minute detail.

Duy’s chakra, focused at his heart, was shrinking.

His life force was fading.

The blood-red flames surrounding him weren’t just an aura—they were the embers of a man burning away his own existence.

Madara’s lips curled into a knowing smirk.

"So… this is the price you pay."

By now, Fugaku and the Konoha forces had begun retreating.

Duy exhaled, relieved that they had moved to safety.

Swish!

In the next instant—he vanished.

A streak of crimson light shot through the air.

Even Madara's Sharingan struggled to track his movement.

"What!?"

"Evening Elephant."

"First Step!"

Duy appeared above the golem in the blink of an eye.

His fist, coated in compressed air, descended like a meteor.

Boom!

The moment it connected, a beam of pure force erupted downward.

The golem’s massive legs buckled.

The earth beneath it shattered.

The colossal beast collapsed, its body half-embedded in the crater.

"Second Step!"

Duy’s figure blinked in front of the golem’s head.

Another devastating punch tore through the air.

The golem—already struggling to rise—was sent skidding backward, carving deep trenches into the battlefield.

"ROAAAAARR!!"

Blood spewed from the golem’s mouth.

Inside, Madara coughed violently, fresh blood staining his clothes.

For the first time since the war began—

The legendary Madara Uchiha…

Felt fear.

Chapter 564: Night Guy

At that moment, fear flashed in Madara’s eyes.

For decades, the name Uchiha Madara had stood alongside the legendary Senju Hashirama as a symbol of power—an untouchable existence in the ninja world.

And now, for only the second time in his life, he felt fear.

The first time had been during his fated battle against the First Hokage in the Valley of the End.

Even back then, Madara had anticipated his defeat, so he had devised a contingency plan—faking his death and secretly executing his grand design.

But this time…

This time was different.

This was an unexpected crisis—one he had never foreseen.

A battle that should have been effortlessly won had been turned upside down—all because of one man.

A man no one had ever considered a threat.

A nobody in the eyes of the world—Might Duy.

And yet, this unknown Konoha shinobi was now strong enough to make even Uchiha Madara feel the looming shadow of death.

Madara was not afraid of death itself—he had long accepted that he was but a mortal.

But to die here?

To die before realizing his lifelong plan?

To have all his schemes, his decades of preparation, wasted?

Unacceptable.

But in his current state, he was powerless to resist.

"Third Step!"

"Fourth Step!"

"Fifth Step!"

Duy’s relentless assault continued, his strikes falling like a storm of destruction.

With each devastating blow, radiant beams of pure force slammed into the monstrous golem.

And then—

BOOM!

The colossal beast that had once struck terror into the Konoha forces was sent flying through the air.

Its enormous body hurtled backward—toward the distant sea.

The impossible had happened.

A mere human had just launched a tailed beast-sized monster into the sky.

Konoha’s retreating forces turned, catching sight of the unbelievable scene.

"The monster… it’s been—"

"It’s been sent flying!"

Hope surged in their hearts.

The same monster that had brought them despair was now being tossed aside like a ragdoll.

But while the others felt relief, Shisui and Guy were gripped by grief.

They understood the price Duy had paid for this power.

Might Duy had sacrificed his life to buy them time.

Shisui clenched his fists.

Guy had told him about the Eight Gates Formation—how he had barely survived when they fought during the Chunin Exams.

But never had he imagined that taijutsu possessed a forbidden technique of this magnitude.

Duy had willingly burned his own life force to protect them all.

—

BOOM!

The massive golem crashed into the earth near the shoreline.

The sheer impact shook the land, sending tremors across the battlefield.

Even the nearby sea quaked, its surface disturbed by massive tidal waves.

Upon impact, five deep craters formed on the golem’s body—clear marks of Duy’s relentless assault.

It lay there, its enormous limbs twitching, unable to rise.

Inside the golem, Madara spat out more blood.

His breath came in ragged gasps.

"R-Roar…"

The golem let out a weak, hollow groan.

Both it and Madara were now crippled.

Madara struggled to form hand seals, his fingers trembling.

The lifeline connecting him to the golem pulsed weakly.

"Damn it… Even the golem took this much damage…?"

Though it was merely an empty vessel, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path possessed an immense life force.

Even now, it should have been unstoppable.

But Duy had shaken even that unbreakable resilience.

Madara’s body felt weak.

His very life force flickered like a candle about to go out.

Only the golem’s connection was keeping him alive.

Madara’s expression twisted into rage.

He peered through the golem’s vision, focusing on Duy.

He saw it—the chakra in Duy’s heart had nearly vanished.

The cost of this forbidden power was undeniable.

It had pushed Duy beyond his limits.

Madara exhaled heavily.

"He doesn’t have much time left."

—

Duy staggered, his muscles aching under the immense strain.

The blood-red vapor surrounding him flickered—its once roaring intensity dimming.

His body was reaching its breaking point.

His vision blurred slightly as he looked at the golem—still alive.

"It’s not dead yet."

His voice was barely above a whisper.

Despite the five crushing blows, the monster still lived.

Konoha’s forces had successfully retreated.

His mission was accomplished.

But if he allowed this creature to survive, it would one day return to haunt Konoha again.

He could not allow that.

He had to end it.

Duy’s white, pupil-less eyes narrowed.

His breath was ragged.

Blood trickled from the corners of his lips.

And then—

He roared.

"HAAAAAAAH!!"

The blood-red aura surrounding him suddenly expanded.

The sheer force distorted the air—warping the very space around him.

Madara’s eyes widened.

"This power… it’s even stronger than before!?"

Madara had calculated Duy’s lifespan was nearly exhausted.

But this—

This final attack—

It would be far beyond anything before it.

And given the golem’s current condition…

If it took this one last hit…

It would be completely destroyed.

Duy’s body glowed with a terrifying crimson light.

The blood-red aura around him solidified—forming the outline of a massive dragon’s head.

A low, primal roar echoed from it.

Madara—once feared as an immortal shinobi—

Felt a shiver of fear.

He rapidly formed hand seals, attempting to summon himself away.

But the golem was too damaged.

His connection to it was too slow.

His chakra was not enough.

Duy moved.

Faster than lightning.

Faster than thought.

A streak of crimson death tore across the battlefield.

A burning dragon raced behind him, leaving a trail of destruction.

Duy focused all his remaining strength into his right leg.

His final attack.

The ultimate technique of the Eight Gates.

"Night Guy!!"

"ROAR!!"

Duy leaped.

The battlefield shook as a dragon’s roar exploded into the heavens.

Madara’s pupils shrunk.

He could see it.

The ferocious crimson dragon bearing down upon him.

And in that moment—

He realized.

This was it.

This was the end.

Madara roared, refusing to accept it—

But the blood-dragon’s head filled his vision.

And at the final moment—

Duy’s heart stopped.

His body froze midair.

The blood-red aura began to fade.

And as his consciousness slipped away…

Chapter 565: The Price of Power

In mid-air, the crimson aura surrounding Might Duy faded rapidly, and the chaotic, distorted space around him gradually returned to calm.

Inside the already battered Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, Uchiha Madara was momentarily stunned.

“Hoo… hoo…”

He gasped heavily, his ferocious, aged face contorting into a manic smile.

"Hahahaha! The heavens have not abandoned me!"

Madara burst into wild laughter. If Might Duy had unleashed that final, devastating attack, both he and the statue would have perished.

However, just before that moment arrived, Duy's body had already reached its limit. The Eight Gates Formation granted him immense power, but in return, it consumed his very life force.

This was not Madara’s luck at play—it was simply the price of ultimate power. Even Duy’s resilient body, capable of opening the Eighth Gate, could not withstand its effects.

Above the golem’s head, the ferocious blood-red dragon head slowly dissipated, and the charred, twisted remains of Duy’s body plummeted to the ground.

Madara’s gaze fell upon the lifeless corpse of Might Duy. His eyes flickered with murderous intent, pupils constricting slightly as he made his decision.

“Boom!”

The golem raised its massive palm and slammed it down with full force. The earth beneath its weight collapsed, and under its crushing force, Might Duy’s body was reduced to a pulpy mess.

"Roar!"

The golem let out another guttural growl before its enormous form began to tilt. With a loud crash, it fell forward, causing the ground to tremble beneath its weight.

Although Duy had failed to unleash his final strike, his five consecutive Evening Elephant blows had left the golem critically damaged, rendering its form unstable.

Inside the statue, Madara, who had been teetering on the edge of death, coughed up foamy blood.

Behind him, the tubes connected to the golem writhed and pulsed, gradually restoring some of his vitality.

For now, the golem was too weakened to continue its rampage against the Konoha army.

“Tch… damn it.”

Madara cursed under his breath, his expression darkening. He raised the golem’s remaining hand and glanced at the crushed remains of Might Duy.

After a brief moment of silence, a twisted smile returned to his face.

Might Duy’s intervention had prevented him from annihilating Konoha’s forces completely, but the village had still suffered severe losses. Hyuga Tenki and Kato Dan—two key figures—were now dead, along with Might Duy, whose hidden strength had proven formidable.

His battle prowess, especially after opening the Eight Gates, had undoubtedly placed him on par with the legendary Sannin.

“It should be enough.”

Madara made a quick calculation in his mind, concluding that the life force the golem had transferred to him was sufficient to perform a reverse summoning and escape.

Yet, even with this in mind, a lingering sense of unease gripped him.

Things had not gone entirely according to plan.

First, Namikaze Minato had disrupted his initial strategies. Then, Might Duy had nearly cost him everything.

Duy’s power was terrifying, but ultimately, he had burned himself out and perished.

Minato, on the other hand, was different. His current strength posed a significant threat, and what troubled Madara even more was the unpredictable nature of his potential.

Once his plan came to fruition, Madara resolved to eliminate Namikaze Minato at all costs.

"Just wait."

He murmured to himself before forming a series of hand seals. With a loud bang, a dense cloud of smoke erupted at the coastline’s edge.

The golem vanished, leaving behind a battlefield littered with destruction.

Meanwhile, under the cover of Duy’s sacrifice, the Konoha forces had retreated into the dense forest. Even from this distance, the tremors and echoes from the battlefield could still be felt.

The shinobis had heard the dragon’s roar—a sign of Duy’s final technique—but then, abruptly, everything had gone silent.

Fugaku Uchiha, leading the remaining forces, ordered a halt. He turned to the sensory ninjas.

"Gather information. Find out what’s happening on the battlefield."

The sensory ninjas concentrated, but the battlefield was too far away—beyond their perception range. They couldn’t determine the outcome.

After a long silence, Fugaku’s frown deepened.

“We need to go back and assess the situation.”

He swiftly selected a dozen skilled Konoha ninjas, including Hyuga clan members and sensory specialists.

However, hesitation clouded the eyes of many. The golem’s rampage had been terrifying—none of them wished to face it again.

"Remember, our mission is to hold the coastline. If we retreat any further, we’ll be giving the enemy unrestricted access to the Land of Fire!"

Fugaku’s voice was steady but firm. He, too, had yet to recover from the shock of what had transpired.

Hyuga Tenki and Kato Dan had been near his level in strength, yet they had been wiped out in an instant. He knew that had he been in their place, his fate would have been no different.

But even so, he could not afford to turn back.

Not out of personal pride, nor out of Uchiha arrogance—this was about duty.

Behind them lay the civilians of the Land of Fire. As long as he stood, he would not allow the war to reach them.

"Commander, Uchiha Shisui requests to join the operation!"

A young figure stepped forward and bowed deeply before Fugaku.

Beside him, Might Guy’s son, Rock Lee, did the same. Fear still lingered in their eyes, but their determination burned brightly.

Fugaku let out a small chuckle.

"Very well. I approve."

He then turned to Nawaki Senju.

"I’ll leave this area in your hands for now."

"You’re the leader. Let me go instead," Nawaki insisted, clenching his fists.

Guilt weighed heavily on his heart. He had watched helplessly as his comrades fell—first his mentor’s disciple and now Might Duy.

His grandfather, Hashirama Senju, had founded Konoha and ended the Warring States era.

Since childhood, Nawaki had aspired to be like him. But today, he realized just how far he still had to go.

He was not yet worthy of his grandfather’s legacy.

"It’s precisely because I’m the leader that I must go myself," Fugaku responded, placing a firm hand on Nawaki’s shoulder.

"Send a report to the Hokage immediately. Make it as concise and urgent as possible."

"Move out!"

With that order, Fugaku, Shisui, Rock Lee, and the other selected ninjas disappeared into the night.

Back at the coastline, as the waves settled, distant figures began to emerge from the mist.