Today, Ōnoki is seventy-nine years old.
This is an age nearly unimaginable for a shinobi, especially one still active. He's more than ten years older than Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzō—undoubtedly a living fossil of the shinobi world. Only the previous Mizukage could be considered a peer.
In his many decades of life, Ōnoki endured countless hardships.
But what he rembered most clearly—and what remained the greatest humiliation in his heart—was not the destruction of Iwagakure by Yami, but a painful experience in his youth.
At the ti, he had followed his master, the Second Tsuchikage, to Konoha to sign an alliance agreent and retrieve a tailed beast. But what awaited him there was unimaginable humiliation.
Uchiha Madara's condescending gaze and arrogant words infuriated the young and proud Ōnoki.
Yet, Madara's strength left no room for resistance. Even the toughest rock would crumble before a true Shura.
With a single glance, the master he respected the most, Mu-sama—who had created a bloodline stronger than any kekkei genkai—collapsed to the ground. When Ōnoki tried to rise again with his "Will of Stone," Madara's sheer killing intent left him unable to even form hand seals.
That look… it was like he was staring at a bug.
If Yami was like a god, naturally standing above the rest and looking down from the clouds, then Uchiha Madara was a demon who crushed people's spirits and left them with no hope.
It took Ōnoki several years to recover from that humiliation, clinging to the pain of nearly dying with the Second Mizukage.
He had thought he would never see that terrifying man again in his lifeti.
But now, what did he see?
Ōnoki's face was full of disbelief, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"How could it be… Uchiha Madara? How could it be Uchiha Madara?!"
Inside the conference hall, aside from the footsteps of the two intruders, the room was dead silent. The remaining three Kage stayed calm, their guards standing on high alert. The smaller village representatives had already retreated to the corners of the room.
Hearing Ōnoki's muttering, Terumi i and Gaara could no longer stay composed.
Uchiha Madara?
Wasn't he killed at the Valley of the End?
Even if he hadn't died then, he should have died of old age long ago. How could he appear here?
"Ōnoki, have you gone senile? What Uchiha Madara?!"
A spoke with irritation, but Ōnoki ignored him. His eyes were locked on Madara, who frowned slightly in contemplation, saying nothing.
Finally, Madara relaxed his expression.
"Oh, it's you, brat…"
"The red-nosed kid who followed Mu back then has grown so old he's barely recognizable. Ti really flies. So… Ōnoki, tell , are you still clinging to that ridiculous Will of Stone? If you are, I'll crush it again."
Uchiha Madara gave a genuine smile.
After all, this might be the only familiar face left in this era.
Was this really Uchiha Madara?
"No, he's not alive!"
Gaara noticed sothing abnormal—vacant eyes and cracks on his face.
Word by word, Gaara said, "Impure World Reincarnation."
"You're only realizing that now?"
Madara wasn't surprised his identity was exposed. In fact, he thought their reactions were too slow.
"Though this body is a bit weaker than my pri, it's more than enough for this era."
After hearing Gaara's words, Ōnoki observed carefully again. Once he confird this was indeed a reincarnated body, he cald down and asked deeply, "That cloak… it's the Akatsuki's."
"So you're being controlled by the Akatsuki?"
"Is this Orochimaru's doing?"
"You ca at just the right ti. We were about to settle things with the Akatsuki. Did your group capture our Four-Tails Jinchūriki? And what's the aning behind attacking several small nations one after another?!"
The main purpose of this Four Kage eting was to address Konoha's threat. The Akatsuki was the secondary topic.
But before they even reached that point, the problem walked right in.
"Hey, don't get worked up."
Madara remained silent. Obito stepped forward instead.
"Although Madara-sama is summoned with Impure World Reincarnation, no one can control him…"
"The Akatsuki was originally created by Madara-sama's will. His goal was indeed to gather the tailed beasts. But now, the Akatsuki has been corrupted and turned into a weapon of Konoha."
Before they could even digest the previous revelations, their expressions changed again.
"Are you serious?!"
Gaara scoffed. "It was your people who extracted Shukaku from . Naruto and Sasuke were the ones who saved . Don't try to shift the bla to innocent people!"
"Innocent? Hahaha!"
"Kazekage, you're too naive."
Obito laughed wildly, then stared at Gaara. The Sharingan under his spiral mask radiated a chilling power.
"Who do you think is responsible for the recent destruction of cities and nations?"
"So mbers of the Akatsuki betrayed Madara-sama and beca Konoha's dogs. Use that brain of yours. Sasori and Deidara were captured by Konoha, yet here they are again."
"Yes, we need the tailed beasts. But Konoha has been disguising themselves as Akatsuki mbers and secretly collecting them. The Six-Tails, Two-Tails, even the Eight-Tails—they were all taken by Konoha!"
The most dangerous intelligence is the kind that's ninety percent truth and ten percent lies.
Obito quietly shifted the bla for capturing the Eight-Tails onto Konoha. anwhile, Kisa had already infiltrated the Land of Lightning to "recapture" the full Eight-Tails.
Gaara's face darkened. The other Kage also wore grim expressions.
Konoha was already a massive threat. If they added several S-rank Akatsuki rogue ninja to the mix…
"And you? Who are you really, masked guy?! Why do you have a Sharingan?! What's your goal in coming here?"
"...Konoha," Madara replied flatly.
"Uchiha Madara, you want to ally with us against Konoha?"
Terumi i looked at him like he was telling a bad joke, her expression hard to describe.
After all, Uchiha Madara was one of Konoha's founders, the ancestor of the Uchiha clan.
Their village had just been wrecked by the Uchiha, and now Madara wanted to team up against Konoha?
Madara naturally understood what they were thinking.
"After I left Konoha, that place ceased to have anything to do with , even the Uchiha clan."
"You're a dead man. Why should we cooperate with you?" A asked harshly.
Madara only sneered. "Cooperate? You overestimate yourselves. You're just a bunch of stragglers. I only need you to stall the Konoha shinobi."
"Arrogant!"
The Raikage erupted in fury. Blue chakra surged from his body with crackling arcs, and in a flash, he appeared in front of Uchiha Madara, swinging his fist.
Madara wasn't angry. In fact, he looked pleased.
He was never good at talking, which is why he was always defeated in argunts with Hashirama. Not even one of his clan had followed him when he left Konoha.
He preferred reasoning with his fists.
A blue skeletal structure appeared over his body. A's punch landed, cracking the ribs, but before the fractures could spread, two skeletal arms smashed down on his head.
Boom!
A's body was forced into the ground, both legs crushed into the floor.
"Do you want to dance too?"
Madara looked down at the Kage with amusent, a playful smile on his face.
"Then co at . Show whether you have the strength to even stop Konoha's foot soldiers."
"Though I'd love to give you a passionate kiss, I really can't bring myself to kiss that arrogant face of yours. Never mind. Consider this my greetings."
Terumi i's red hair fluttered, her lips parting as a viscous, highly corrosive acid surged forward.
"Lava Style: Acid Sli!"
She now had a decent understanding of Susanoo's defensive tiers. At this skeletal level, it couldn't block her Lava Style.
"Kitsuchi, take your n and fall back. This isn't a battle you can be part of."
Even though Kitsuchi was now Tsuchikage, Ōnoki wouldn't let him face Uchiha Madara.
It was also a good ti to show the minor nations the true strength of the Four Great Nations.
"Yes, Father!"
Kitsuchi obediently led the smaller village representatives to safety. The other Kage also ordered their guards to withdraw.
The acid dripped onto Susanoo's bones, slowly but steadily dissolving them.
"Not bad. To bear the title of Kage, you must have so skill."
Madara raised his brows slightly. As he spoke, muscular tissue and basic armor appeared on Susanoo, greatly enhancing its defense.
He ford two jagged lightning-shaped spears and casually waved them.
Boom!
The hall collapsed in an instant. Seizing the mont, A pulled himself from the floor and retreated beside Ōnoki and the others.
"Your speed is decent, but your strength is pathetic. What's the point of moving so fast if you're just running to your death?"
Madara's taunt cut deep. Terumi i and A's chakra surged again.
"Bastard! Even if you are Uchiha Madara, don't underestimate the power of the Kage!"
"I'm just stating facts. How's that an insult?"
Madara tilted his head slightly, seemingly puzzled by A's fury.
"If you think I'm looking down on you, prove wrong. If you can't satisfy , you're not even qualified to slow down Konoha's cannon fodder. I'll kill you all right here."
"Let's go together."
Ōnoki raised a sphere of Light Release in his hand.
"You dare, you resurrected corpse! How dare you interfere in the world of the living?! Dust Style: Detachnt of the Primitive World Technique!"
A blinding pillar of energy fired at Susanoo, but Madara released Susanoo just in ti and dropped to the ground to dodge.
"There are very few jutsu in this world I bother dodging. Besides Hashirama, only your once-proud Dust Style made move. You've grown, Ōnoki."
"See that? Uchiha Madara isn't invincible. Even he has jutsu he fears. We can win this!"
Ōnoki used the truth to raise morale.
Among the Four Kage, Ōnoki had the strongest will, experience, and raw strength.
Sand bound Madara's ankles. Gaara pulled with one hand, drawing Madara toward him.
A capitalized on the mont. His entire right arm glowed with chakra.
"Lightning Style: Lariat!"
A beam of light shot toward Madara.
Bang!
Madara raised both arms and blocked, using the impact to shatter the sand grip and land firmly on the ground, skidding a short distance.
Once steady, Madara extended his hand.
"If Yami weren't waiting on , maybe I'd play with you all a little longer. But I'm not in the mood."
"Almighty Push!"
His Sharingan shifted into the Rinnegan.
A powerful shockwave blasted the Four Kage back. With just one hand seal, a sea of flas burst forth.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
Terumi i quickly countered.
"Water Style: Water Formation Wall! Water Style…"
Before she could finish the next jutsu, she was yanked forward by gravitational force.
Madara's whip kick hit her squarely in the gut. She coughed blood and flew back.
This battle was not like in the original tiline, where Madara played with the Five Kage to test them.
Now, he had no intention of dragging things out or relying on his undead body to win.
He would crush them with overwhelming strength.
Susanoo returned, this ti in its half-body form.
The scale of destruction rapidly expanded with each blast.
Terumi i was the first to fall, her chakra exhausted. A followed soon after, his close-range techniques rendered useless under Madara's Genjutsu. A single grab from Susanoo broke dozens of bones in his body.
As the smoke cleared, Madara walked forward slowly.
"Ōnoki, to be honest, among the Four Kage, only you're worth my attention. Without you, they wouldn't have lasted this long."
"Uchiha Madara…" Ōnoki lowered his hands. "Give one reason to believe you're truly against Konoha."
"If not, even if I die here, I won't let you walk away!"
(To be continued.)
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