[Naruto : Yellow Flash] Chapter 556 - 560

Chapter 556: Marked

The battle was fierce!

As the Tailed Beast Ball was unleashed, the Third Raikage charged at Minato, wielding his hell spears. Minato glanced to the side, a subtle smile flickering in his eyes.

His pupils contracted slightly—his opponent’s attack was mere inches away from striking him. At that critical moment, Minato suddenly flipped his body, twisting mid-air in a graceful maneuver.

With perfect timing, he deflected both incoming strikes, his speed surpassing that of his two adversaries. As he completed his motion, he extended his right hand toward the Third Raikage.

The Raikage momentarily caught a glimpse of Minato from the corner of his eye, but he remained unfazed, his confidence unshaken. After all, his legendary Lightning Style Armor had withstood the power of the Rasenshuriken before. What attack could possibly break through?

However, from a different perspective, A—his son and successor—noticed something that made his eyes flicker with intrigue. In Minato's outstretched palm, a faint light shimmered—it was the Flying Thunder God mark!

A scoffed inwardly. Did Minato actually think he could place the mark directly onto the Third Raikage's body? That was nothing short of suicide.

With the Lightning Style Armor’s sheer defensive prowess, the idea of imprinting the mark was laughable. Even if Minato somehow succeeded in placing it, the intense lightning chakra surging through the Raikage’s body would surely destroy it in an instant.

Moreover, any direct contact with the Lightning Style Armor meant that Minato’s flesh would be scorched by the volatile lightning chakra.

Yet, despite all logic, Minato's marked palm landed against the Third Raikage’s left shoulder.

A sharp crackling sound erupted—Shhh!

The moment the Flying Thunder God mark made contact with the Lightning Style Armor, a surge of electricity converged on the spot. But something unexpected happened.

Instead of disintegrating, the mark remained intact. The lightning, despite its aggressive nature, failed to erase it.

The reason?

Minato had imbued the mark with chakra in Sage Mode, using nearly half of his reserves to ensure its stability. The unique composition of senjutsu chakra, which fused natural energy with his own, surpassed the potency of the Third Raikage’s pure lightning chakra.

This made the difference critical—when the mark met the Lightning Style Armor, Minato swiftly withdrew his hand. He observed with satisfaction as the white, jade-like seal embedded itself within the Raikage’s armor, unscathed by the crackling lightning energy.

Even though the Raikage's armor could withstand a Rasenshuriken, it was powerless against a mark that wasn’t designed as an offensive technique.

This entire exchange lasted but a split second. The three combatants momentarily disengaged, taking cautious steps backward.

The Third Raikage and A turned their gazes toward the Tailed Beast Ball still hovering in the distance. Dark veins of energy coiled around it as it absorbed even more chakra.

Their expressions darkened.

Damn it!

Both of them clenched their fists, now fully aware of Minato’s intentions.

Suddenly, the Third Raikage sensed something peculiar. He glanced toward A, their eyes meeting in an unspoken exchange.

A hesitated before turning his gaze toward his father’s back.

His pupils shrank.

“The mark… it didn’t disappear?!” A exclaimed in shock.

At his son’s words, the Third Raikage's gaze snapped toward Minato.

A faint smirk played on the Fourth Hokage's lips.

“The mark of the Flying Thunder God… will never disappear.”

Those words sent a chill down the spines of both the Third Raikage and A.

Minato had successfully marked the Third Raikage.

A realization dawned on the father and son duo—Minato could now teleport to the Third Raikage’s position at any time.

The Third Raikage’s eyes narrowed. With a low growl, he channeled an immense surge of lightning chakra into his back, hoping to erase the seal through sheer energy overload.

But nothing happened.

Minato had poured half of his Sage Mode chakra into the mark—no simple burst of lightning would erase it.

A's muscles tensed. He expected Minato to take advantage of the situation and teleport behind his father for a lethal strike.

But the Yellow Flash did nothing of the sort.

Instead, he raised both hands, palms cupped together, and began forming a sphere of chakra.

A deep humming sound reverberated through the battlefield.

A squinted. Something was off.

The chakra sphere in Minato’s hands was much smaller than a typical Rasengan.

What’s he playing at? A thought.

Given its size, that attack wouldn’t even scratch the Third Raikage’s armor, let alone break through it.

Yet, Minato had dedicated both hands to forming this attack—something he usually didn’t need to do for a standard Rasengan.

"Wait..." A’s eyes widened in realization.

This wasn’t an ordinary Rasengan.

Unlike the Rasengan, which relied on rotation, this sphere remained eerily still.

It was a pure, condensed mass of chakra—a technique that shared similarities with the Tailed Beast Ball currently forming in the distance.

In fact, Minato's chakra sphere appeared even more refined than the Eight-Tails’ attack!

A sharp breath escaped A’s lips.

If Minato could condense chakra to such a degree…

It might be powerful enough to pierce through the Third Raikage’s legendary defense.

The Third Raikage must have realized this as well, because his expression grew even darker.

No matter how much lightning chakra he poured into his armor, the Flying Thunder God mark refused to fade.

“We can’t let him continue!” A muttered, eyes darting toward his father.

The Third Raikage nodded grimly.

A silent agreement passed between them.

Then—

Swish!

The two shinobis surged forward in unison, their bodies wreathed in lightning, their movements cutting through the air like bolts of thunder.

Seeing their approach, Minato suddenly pivoted and sprinted toward the Eight-Tails.

ROAR!

The Eight-Tails bellowed as it continued to gather an enormous amount of chakra, forming its next Tailed Beast Ball.

A’s heart pounded.

Killer B…

He knew that in order to turn the tide of this battle, B had been pushing himself beyond his limits, training relentlessly to master the Tailed Beast transformation and perfect the Tailed Beast Ball.

But Minato noticed something.

The longer the Eight-Tails took to form the attack, the more unstable the chakra sphere became.

From his keen observation, he could tell—this was Killer B’s third attempt at forming a Tailed Beast Ball.

And judging by its erratic energy fluctuations, it was likely his last.

If he failed to launch it now, he wouldn’t be able to muster another one.

Minato exhaled.

His eyes flicked back to the two hurtling toward him, their combined killing intent locked onto him.

Then, he focused on the Third Raikage.

His true target.

A surge of murderous intent burned in Minato’s gaze.

This was his moment.

And he wouldn’t let it slip away.

Chapter 557: The Power of the New Technique

The deep blue chakra sphere in Minato's palm pulsed with immense energy, its color growing darker as it condensed even further. The sheer density of chakra caused the surrounding air to vibrate, distorting the space around it.

But maintaining such a level of compression came at a cost—Minato's chakra reserves were rapidly depleting.

"Bang!"

The battlefield trembled violently once again as the Eight-Tails finally completed its third Tailed Beast Ball and fired it toward the Konoha forces.

Due to its sheer size, the Eight-Tails had been gripping the valley walls for support. But at this moment, it twisted its massive head and parted its jaws slightly.

Killer B’s voice echoed through the battlefield, infused with urgency.

"Brother! His chakra is weakening fast—now’s the time!"

As he spoke, three of the Eight-Tails’ colossal tentacle-like tails surged forward, writhing like massive serpents before wrapping around Minato in a swift entrapment.

"Shhh!"

Simultaneously, the Third Raikage and A launched forward, seizing the moment to attack from both sides, their speed blurring the air around them.

Minato exhaled softly, a faint smile tugging at his lips despite the dire situation.

His chakra sphere was nearly complete, but in this state, he couldn’t use the Flying Thunder God to teleport.

Still, there was no panic in his expression.

"Swish!"

Just as the three enemies closed in on him, two new figures suddenly appeared beside Minato in a flash of smoke—his Sage Mode shadow clones.

These clones had been stationed elsewhere, gathering and refining senjutsu chakra for this precise moment.

Right now, Minato could only sustain three Sage Mode clones at a time without exhausting his own chakra reserves. One was still protecting the Konoha forces in the distance, while these two had now arrived to assist him.

The telltale golden markings and orange eye shadow began fading from Minato’s face—his natural energy reserves had run dry.

But the clones had arrived just in time.

“Senjutsu: Flying Thunder God – Stage Three!”

One of the Sage Mode clones swiftly moved his hands, and in an instant, dozens of blue chakra kunai rained down, embedding themselves all around the battlefield.

At the same time, the second clone placed a hand on Minato’s shoulder.

"Swish! Swish! Swish!"

The moment before impact, all three Minato figures vanished, slipping through the cracks of space at blinding speed.

They reappeared in a completely different location, standing atop a newly placed kunai-mark.

"He escaped again?!"

The Third Raikage and A’s expressions darkened.

They were two of the fastest shinobi in the world, yet no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t catch him.

The Flying Thunder God Technique was simply too difficult to counter.

“There!”

Killer B, still in his Eight-Tails form, was the first to spot Minato’s new position.

Without hesitation, the Eight-Tails' tentacles lashed out toward Minato once again, moving like massive whips to crush him.

But even though Minato was running low on chakra, his two Sage Mode clones were more than enough to intercept the attack.

Of the three adversaries, the only one who posed a real threat to Minato was the Third Raikage.

"Hoo... Hoo..."

Minato’s breath came in sharp, shallow pants. He was reaching his limits.

However—

The chakra sphere in his palms was finally complete.

A deep blue orb, compressed with extreme intensity, flickered ominously in his grasp.

"It’s ready."

Minato murmured to himself, and with that, the two Sage Mode clones dispersed.

His previously weary blue eyes lit up with renewed intensity as his gaze sharpened.

Without flinching, he stared at the tentacle attack approaching him, along with the Third Raikage and A surging toward him.

"Swish!"

At that moment, the dark blue sphere disappeared from Minato’s hands.

A split second later—

The Third Raikage froze in place.

A dark blue orb flashed into existence, hovering directly over the left side of his chest.

"Buzz."

The white-jade-like Flying Thunder God mark on his back flickered faintly.

A wave of instinctual dread shot through the Third Raikage’s nerves.

He attempted to step backward—but found himself unable to move.

An invisible force locked him in place.

A, who had been charging alongside him, immediately skidded to a stop, sensing something was very wrong.

At that moment, the Eight-Tails’ tentacle attack was nearly upon Minato.

Minato narrowed his eyes.

Then—

With one punch, he struck out at the incoming tentacle.

"Boom!"

The Eight-Tails’ appendage was sent flying backward, colliding violently into the valley wall. The force of the impact caused a rockslide, sending boulders tumbling down.

Minato’s sharp gaze then flickered back toward the Third Raikage—his true target.

Hovering just above the Raikage’s chest, the deep blue sphere pulsed ominously.

Minato briefly turned his gaze toward the Tailed Beast Ball in the distance, watching as it was gradually absorbed into the space-time barrier.

The Third Raikage’s face twisted in shock.

"What… What kind of technique is this?!"

His body was paralyzed, but not by external force.

Something far more terrifying was happening—

A portion of his own body was locked within a limited space.

It was as if that small portion of his chest now existed in a separate dimension, preventing him from moving.

He realized something chilling—

The only way to break free from this technique…

Was to sever the trapped portion of his body.

In his decades of war, he had never seen or heard of a technique like this before.

Nearby, A’s face contorted with fury, his bloodshot eyes fixating on Minato.

A sudden voice echoed in his mind, transmitted through a hidden communication technique:

"A, you must retreat with the Cloud forces immediately—return to Kumogakure!"

A’s eyes widened.

"What?! Why?!"

But before he could finish his sentence—

He froze in horror.

The air around the Third Raikage’s left chest began to ripple…

Then, something far worse happened.

The space itself distorted—

And within that distortion…

A portion of the Third Raikage’s chest simply vanished.

No blood. No wound.

Just… nothingness.

Like that part of his body had never existed at all.

A’s stomach twisted with dread.

"Space… is distorting?!"

Minato’s new technique was erasing space itself.

The Third Raikage remained stoic, but in his eyes, the grim realization was clear.

He was going to die.

His voice boomed across the battlefield.

"A! Lead the Cloud forces back—NOW!"

A’s heart pounded violently in his chest.

But Minato shook his head, his voice calm yet firm.

"I can’t let them escape."

He had to crush the Four-Nation Alliance completely—eliminating A, the future Fourth Raikage, and Killer B, the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki.

A’s rage boiled over.

"DON’T THINK YOU CAN KILL US ALL!"

The Third Raikage, sensing A’s fury, did not bother stopping him.

Instead, his voice rang one last time—

"B! Take your brother—AND RUN!"

Killer B gritted his teeth, his massive Eight-Tails form coiling in preparation.

"Tailed Beast Volume Eight!"

Chapter 558: The Death of the Third Raikage

"Tailed Beast Volume Eight!"

Minato’s expression shifted instantly as he saw the Eight-Tails curl into itself.

He had witnessed this technique before.

During a previous battle, Killer B had used a lesser version of this move, where only a few of the Eight-Tails’ tentacles had been involved. Even then, it had completely leveled everything within a dozen meters.

But this time…

B was fully transformed into the Eight-Tails.

The destruction radius wouldn’t just be a few dozen meters—it would wipe out the entire valley and flatten the land for miles.

Minato didn’t hesitate.

At that very moment, the Third Raikage—his body rapidly vanishing into the twisted space—stared at Minato with a grim smile.

"Konoha has indeed won this war…"

"But if you think you’ll keep all three of us here… it’ll cost you dearly!"

Minato’s eyes narrowed.

Something was off.

A split second later, his figure blurred—he teleported to Sakumo, who was currently locked in battle with C.

Without a word, Minato placed a hand on his comrade’s shoulder—

"Swish!"

Both men vanished instantly.

At the same time, one of the Eight-Tails' massive tentacles wrapped tightly around A and C, pulling them close.

The Third Raikage’s body was now almost completely consumed by the twisted space, his final moments at hand.

His voice rang out, filled with both command and finality.

"A… from now on, you are the Fourth Raikage."

"Protect the village!"

A’s breath hitched.

"Big brother…"

"Father…"

Both A and C murmured softly, their voices trembling.

As strong as they were—tears filled their eyes.

Killer B’s tentacles desperately reached toward the fading Third Raikage, but the space continued to distort and consume him.

"B, go!"

The Third Raikage used the last of his strength to shout.

Then—silence.

His chakra signature disappeared completely.

Killer B clenched his teeth but ultimately retracted his tentacles, pulling A and the others close.

"Boom!"

The Eight-Tails unleashed its power.

The eight massive tentacles spun like a hurricane, causing the air to howl violently.

The force first spread to the surrounding cliffs, and within seconds, the entire valley collapsed.

A Mile Away – Konoha’s Position

A massive purple barrier shot into the sky, forming a protective dome over the Konoha troops.

"Four Purple Flame Formation!"

"BOOM!"

A deafening explosion shook the battlefield, the sound echoing for miles.

The largest valley at the border of the Land of Moon—along with everything within a mile—was obliterated.

By the time the smoke cleared, what had once been a valley was now a flat, ochre-colored wasteland.

This was the true destructive power of a Tailed Beast—a force beyond human capability.

The purple barrier surrounding Konoha’s forces gradually faded, revealing the astonished faces of the shinobi inside.

Minato’s shadow clones, who had been maintaining the barrier, disappeared simultaneously.

As the dust and debris settled, the new landscape came into view.

The once towering cliffs were gone.

The battlefield had been completely reshaped.

A stunned silence fell over the Konoha forces as they surveyed the scene.

Many ninjas gasped, their faces pale with shock.

Some exhaled in relief, thankful that they had been protected from the blast.

This wasn’t the first time they had witnessed the devastation of Tailed Beasts.

During the battles in the Land of Rain, the Four-Tails had transformed the battlefield into a sea of magma, even creating a volcano.

Now, the Eight-Tails had done something equally terrifying—it had turned an entire mile into a barren wasteland.

It was this sheer, overwhelming power that made Tailed Beasts the ultimate weapons of the Five Great Nations.

Standing at the edge of the battlefield, Minato closed his eyes for a moment, extending his chakra senses.

But he found nothing.

Killer B…

He had already suppressed his chakra signature, making himself and his allies impossible to track.

Minato exhaled slowly.

His orange Sage Mode markings gradually faded as he returned to normal.

Then—his gaze locked onto a specific direction.

"Swish!"

He vanished.

Moments later, he reappeared in front of the Konoha forces.

In his arms—

The lifeless body of the Third Raikage.

A sharp gasp rippled through the Konoha ranks.

Several shinobi instantly recognized the fallen leader.

Then—a roar of voices erupted.

"The Third Raikage is dead!"

"The strongest man of the Five Great Nations…!"

"Konoha has won!"

The months-long war between Konoha and the Cloud Village at the border of the Land of Moon was over.

The Third Shinobi War had reached its conclusion.

And the final victor—was Konoha.

The battle-weary shinobi let out cheers of victory, the sound of their celebration echoing across the battlefield.

But—

Amidst the cheering, Minato remained silent.

His face showed no joy.

Beside him, Hatake Sakumo and Suzuka both noticed his expression.

Suzuka furrowed her brows.

Minato should have been happier than anyone—this was his dream.

To protect the village.

To protect his comrades.

Yet—something was weighing on him.

Hatake Sakumo, however, understood.

Minato’s mind wasn’t here.

He was thinking about—

Kakashi and Rin.

Even though Konoha had won, those two were still in danger.

Minato clenched his fists.

If he could, he would have teleported to the Mist battlefield immediately—to save them.

But the war wasn’t fully over yet.

He needed to wait.

Cloud’s forces still had to retreat officially, and he had to oversee the transition.

For now—he had to endure.

Even if the waiting tore at him.

"Senior Sakumo," Minato said at last, his voice steady.

"Send a team to return the Third Raikage’s body to Kumogakure."

"Also, report our victory to Lord Hokage immediately."

Hatake Sakumo nodded.

He knew Minato wanted to finish this quickly—so he could leave for the Mist battlefield as soon as possible.

And on that scarred battlefield, the victorious cheers of Konoha shinobi continued to rise…

Elsewhere – Darkness

"I'm sorry, Rin…"

A faint, regret-filled voice echoed in the abyss.

Obito’s wandering consciousness clung to those words, the guilt consuming him.

He didn’t know how long he had been in the darkness.

But something had changed.

Slowly—his senses began to return.

He took a shallow breath, inhaling the cool, damp air.

Then, his eyes slowly opened.

The first thing he saw—

A hunched figure sitting in the shadows.

Watching him.

Chapter 559: A Shift in Power

The border of the Land of Grass.

After several intense battles, Iwagakure’s defensive line in the Land of Grass had been continuously pushed back by the Konoha forces, eventually reaching the very border of the country.

Despite this, Iwagakure persisted. After all, with the war having reached this critical stage, even the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, had personally entered the battlefield. However, his efforts had been entirely contained by the Third Hokage, and Iwagakure’s Four-Tails Jinchūriki had barely survived a deadly encounter with Uchiha Yoruki.

Anyone with eyes could see that Iwagakure was now only capable of defense; they no longer had the strength to mount a counterattack.

Konoha Camp.

"Hokage-sama! A battle report has arrived from the Cloud Ninja front!"

A Konoha ninja rushed into the command tent, clutching a tightly sealed scroll. With a swift bow, he handed it over to the Third Hokage.

The old Hokage’s gaze flickered slightly as he accepted the report. He knew very well what kind of person the Third Tsuchikage was. With Iwagakure at a clear disadvantage, it was obvious that their forces no longer had the capital to compete with Konoha.

Yet, despite their dire situation, Ōnoki was still holding on. The reason was clear—he had a backup plan.

And it certainly wasn’t Sunagakure. The Sand Ninja were the weakest among the five great ninja villages; they could barely sustain themselves, let alone support another nation’s war efforts.

That left only one possibility—Kumogakure.

The Third Hokage’s eyes darkened. He knew how fearsome the Third Raikage was. A man capable of going toe-to-toe with the Eight-Tails in a direct battle was not someone to take lightly.

Even so, he wasn’t worried. The reason was simple—Namikaze Minato.

Minato had already surpassed the previous generations of Hokage. There was no doubt in the old man’s mind—right now, Minato was Konoha’s strongest force.

But even with Minato on their side, the power of Kumogakure could not be underestimated.

With that in mind, he slowly unsealed the scroll and unfolded it. His sharp, experienced eyes scanned the contents.

For a moment, despite his usual calm and composed nature, his pupils contracted in shock.

Then, just as quickly, his old, wrinkled face lit up with joy.

A moment of stunned silence followed.

The commanders gathered in the tent all furrowed their brows in confusion.

What could possibly make the Hokage react like this?

The Third Hokage took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly as he looked around at his assembled shinobi.

"The Third Raikage is dead!"

The words fell like thunder.

A stunned silence spread across the room.

Everyone was frozen in disbelief.

Then—

"What?!"

Jiraiya's loud exclamation shattered the silence. His shock was evident.

This news was too much—too unbelievable.

The Third Raikage, a man known for his overwhelming power, was dead?

A ninja of his level was considered one of the strongest in the entire world—killing him should have been nearly impossible.

Had this news come from any other source, they would have dismissed it as a ridiculous rumor.

But this was coming directly from the Third Hokage himself.

That meant it had to be true.

The tent fell into deep contemplation.

Standing at the edge of the gathering, Uchiha Yoruki’s expression shifted subtly. After a brief pause, he raised his gaze toward the Third Hokage and asked, his voice carrying a hint of complex emotion,

"The one who killed the Third Raikage... was Namikaze Minato, wasn't it?"

In today’s ninja world, the only person capable of such a feat was Minato Namikaze—the same man who had once severely wounded Hanzo of the Salamander.

All eyes immediately turned back to the Hokage.

A small, knowing chuckle escaped from the old man’s lips. He gave a slow nod.

"Yes."

A moment of silence passed.

Then—

"That kid is getting more terrifying by the day..."

Jiraiya sighed, but the pride in his voice was unmistakable.

His student—his brilliant student—had risen to the pinnacle of the ninja world.

A triumphant air filled the room.

The death of the Third Raikage spelled inevitable defeat for Kumogakure.

And with Kumogakure’s downfall, the entire battlefield would shift.

The Third Great Ninja War, which had raged on for over half a year, would finally see its victors emerge.

Konoha had won.

"Spread this news immediately to all battlefields!"

The Third Hokage’s command was clear and urgent.

There was no need to prepare—no need to strategize.

This news was a bombshell. The sooner it reached enemy ears, the sooner the war would end.

"Yes!"

The messenger who had brought the report was so overwhelmed with excitement that his voice cracked slightly.

Without hesitation, he bolted out of the tent at full speed.

Inside, the tension that had gripped the room for months finally eased.

The war... was over.

The news of the Third Raikage’s death would soon spread across the world. The remaining forces of the other nations would have no choice but to retreat.

Konoha had emerged victorious.

For the foreseeable future, Konoha’s strength would surpass that of the other four great nations.

And as for Minato Namikaze...

He was still young.

At just twenty-something years old, he still had over a decade before he would reach the peak of his abilities.

What heights could he reach then?

The Third Hokage couldn't help but wonder.

In his mind, Minato was already beginning to rival the legendary Senju Hashirama—the God of Shinobi.

Unlike Hashirama, who was born with the powerful Senju bloodline and the unique Mokuton, Minato had come from an ordinary background.

No powerful clan. No legendary bloodline.

Just sheer talent and dedication.

Initially, the Hokage had thought Minato would simply be the next Hatake Sakumo—a prodigious shinobi and Konoha’s shining light.

But he had been wrong.

Minato had surpassed them all.

Step by step, he had climbed to the very top of the ninja world.

And now...

His reputation in the village even surpassed the Hokage himself.

The Third Hokage exhaled slowly.

When the war finally ended, he would pass on the mantle.

Minato would become Hokage.

And when that happened—

He would surpass all those who came before him.

"One more thing," the Hokage said, his gaze sharp.

"Send an urgent message to Kirigakure. Demand that they immediately release Hatake Kakashi and Nohara Rin. If they refuse... they will face the consequences."

He glanced at Jiraiya, his expression firm.

According to the reports, this was the only request Minato had made.

Kakashi was one of Konoha’s rising stars, and Rin was a medical-nin with great potential—Tsunade herself had acknowledged her abilities.

Whether it was for Minato, for their talents, or for Konoha’s future—these two must be rescued.

Konoha would exert unwavering pressure on Kirigakure.

And they would do it with the toughest attitude possible.

Meanwhile, deep in a dark underground cavern, an old man sat in eerie silence.

His eyes gleamed as he stared at the sleeping figure of Uchiha Obito.

His hands clenched into fists.

"Minato Namikaze..."

A dangerous glint flashed in Madara Uchiha’s eyes.

Minato had just disrupted his plans again.

His killing intent surged.

A cold, deadly whisper escaped his lips—

"It seems that now, we can only inflict some heavy damage to Konoha before we can continue with our plan!”

Chapter 560: A Father's Shadow

"What should I do?"

White Zetsu clung to the damp, rocky walls of the underground cave, his tone laced with uncertainty. In all the time he had been alive, he had never seen Madara Uchiha like this.

Madara’s gaze was dark and piercing, his crimson Sharingan gleaming ominously.

"We can't reveal too much of our hand just yet," he muttered. "That means we won't attack Konoha’s forces in the Land of Grass or the Land of Rivers. I am not completely certain that I can wipe them out."

He knew that, as of now, his strength was still insufficient. The enemy forces in those regions included some of Konoha’s strongest shinobi—Tsunade, Orochimaru, the Third Hokage, Jiraiya, and others. Engaging them directly would be unwise.

Thus, if he was to strike at Konoha, it would have to be at the border of the Land of Fire.

Unlike the other battlefields, this one lacked Konoha’s top-tier fighters, but it was still home to some of their strongest clans. The Uchiha and Hyūga elite were stationed there, along with key figures like Hyūga Tenki and Senju Nawaki.

If he could crush them, it would inflict a severe wound on Konoha.

Madara’s expression sharpened.

"I will link myself to the Gedo Statue," he said. "I’ll sign a spiritual contract with you, and then you will reverse the summoning jutsu to send me directly to the battlefield."

He narrowed his eyes.

"With its power, no one there should be able to survive."

This attack wouldn't be enough to completely eliminate Konoha's dominance, but it would buy him time—and right now, time was what he needed most.

"If necessary, reveal Kakashi and Rin’s identities to Mei Terumi."

His voice was calm, but the killing intent boiling within him had reached its peak.

It wasn’t just that Minato Namikaze had repeatedly foiled his plans.

It was that Minato had grown too strong.

At this moment, there was no shinobi alive who could match him.

Not since the Warring States period had there been a ninja who could rise to such heights at such a young age.

In fact—

Even Madara himself, at Minato’s current age, had not been this strong.

If Minato was allowed to continue growing...

He could become a true threat to everything Madara had worked toward.

But no matter how strong Minato became—

It wouldn’t matter.

Because once Madara’s plan succeeded, there wouldn’t be a single shinobi in the world who could stop him.

White Zetsu’s figure slowly disappeared into the cave walls, leaving Madara alone.

He turned his gaze to the nearby stone bed, where a young Uchiha Obito lay in deep slumber.

"Keep him asleep until I return."

His scarlet eye slowly closed.

The ground around Obito rippled like water—then fell still.

The Land of Fire’s Border – Konoha’s Coastal Front

Following the last surprise attack by Kirigakure, Konoha had doubled its defensive measures along the coast.

It had been quiet since then—no sudden assaults, no hidden assassins, not even a trace of movement from the distant sea.

Even so, the shinobi of Konoha remained on high alert.

At the center of the camp, two figures stood out from the rest.

They weren’t clad in the standard Konoha uniform. Instead, both father and son were dressed in bright green tights, their unmistakable outfits drawing amused glances from those around them.

Yet they paid no mind to the stares.

Instead—

They were walking upside down.

Balanced only on two fingers of each hand, they moved in perfect synchronization, unfazed by the curious eyes watching them.

"Three thousand eight hundred and ninety-five..."

Might Duy muttered as they neared the camp’s entrance.

Beside him, his son, Might Guy, looked increasingly uncomfortable.

"Dad, everyone is staring at us," Guy grumbled. His face was flushed, his embarrassment obvious.

Might Duy, however, simply turned to his son with a serious expression.

"Training is a difficult and serious endeavor, my son," he said. "The most important thing is self-discipline! If you allow yourself to be distracted by the opinions of others, you will never reach your full potential!"

Guy’s expression twisted.

"Enough already!" He flipped upright, landing firmly on his feet. His patience was wearing thin.

"You always talk about self-discipline, but after twenty years, you’re still just a Genin!"

His voice rose slightly in frustration.

Despite how much he respected his father, he couldn't deny the harsh reality.

To most people, a Genin was merely a stepping stone—a rank meant to be outgrown. Almost every ninja eventually advanced to Chunin.

Yet, for over twenty years, his father had remained a Genin.

And now, even Guy himself had surpassed him—he was a Chunin.

Hearing his son’s words, Might Duy’s expression shifted ever so slightly.

For a moment, a tense silence hung between them.

Then, slowly—

Duy smiled.

Raising his thumb, he gave his signature "nice guy" pose.

"Whether one is a Genin or a Jonin, it doesn’t matter," he said gently. "As long as we are protecting Konoha, that is enough."

His voice was filled with sincerity—a sincerity that only made Guy’s frustration worse.

"That’s not the point!"

Guy clenched his fists.

"People laugh at you, Dad! How can you just ignore it?!"

His voice was angry—but beneath the anger, there was pain.

Then—he turned and ran toward the camp, unable to face his father any longer.

"Guy..."

Duy's smile faltered, his usual optimism dimming for just a moment.

Hidden behind one of the camp’s tents, a figure silently stepped forward, blocking Guy’s path.

Guy froze.

Looking up, he saw a familiar face.

It was Uchiha Shisui—one of Konoha’s most promising young prodigies, and the same opponent he had faced during the Chunin Exams.

Shisui’s gaze was calm, yet piercing.

"I think your father is a great ninja," he said simply.

Guy’s eyes widened slightly.

Shisui continued.

"But does it really matter what I think?"

He leaned in slightly, his voice steady.

"You already know he’s a great ninja, don’t you?"

Guy’s lips parted, but he found himself unable to answer.

Because deep down—

He knew that Shisui was right.

No matter how much people laughed at his father—

Might Duy never wavered.

And neither would he.

The coastline was still.

But beneath the surface, the earth rippled like water.

Slowly, a massive pitcher plant emerged from the ground.

It unfolded.

From within, White Zetsu stepped forward—his smile twisted and feral.

Forming a series of seals, he pressed his palm to the ground.

A chilling whisper echoed through the air.

"Reverse Summoning Jutsu."