The colossal battle between the armored Kyuubi and the strength-type Juubi was far more devastating than ordinary people could imagine.
The mere shockwaves of their clash obliterated hundreds of square kilometers around them.
All of Konoha Village, except the Hokage Rock, was completely reduced to rubble, even worse than the Super Shinra Tensei Nagato unleashed last time. Even the high walls surrounding the village were utterly destroyed...
It was just like the historic battle between Hashirama and Madara.
A battle of this level, when unleashing full power, would reshape the landscape and devastate the earth.
Truly terrifying.
But it was clear that, even with the Kyuubi's support, the armored Susano'o was still slightly outmatched by the Juubi.
It should be noted that Madara Edo's armored Kyuubi was barely comparable to the Sage Mode Thousand-Handed Buddha Statue, both considered peak powers just below the Six Paths level.
However, the Juubi's third-form strength type clearly surpassed the Super Kage limit, its raw power entering Six Paths territory. It was even capable of piercing the armored Kyuubi's defenses!
This forced Madara to rely on his speed and more flexible movements to dodge the Juubi's attacks.
As for the giant Bijuudama?
It was a horrifying Six Paths-level destructive force!
Madara wouldn't let the Juubi charge it. The moment he saw it preparing a giant Bijuudama, he immediately disrupted it.
Without relying on Truth-Seeking Orbs' defense, even the Rikudo Sennin himself might not dare to take a Juubi's giant Bijuudama head-on!
Moreover, Nagato wasn't Naruto; he was also adept at various sealing techniques.
If Madara Edo was blasted to pieces by a Bijuudama, Nagato would surely seal him immediately, giving Madara no chance to regenerate and rise again.
Yet, despite being at a disadvantage, Madara wasn't rushed.
The Juubi might be stronger now, but it came at the cost of rationality.
Such a ferocious Juubi—let alone Nagato—even Madara with the Rinnegan might not control it for long.
In other words, though Nagato had the upper hand, within a few minutes, the strength-type Juubi would likely break free from his control, rampaging indiscriminately and even turning on Nagato!
At that point, Madara wouldn't even need to act to claim victory.
But that wasn't what Madara wanted. He always craved thrilling battles, not a coward's approach of hiding and avoiding.
If he chose to dodge out of fear of the Juubi's power, he wouldn't be Uchiha Madara.
Thus, under Madara's control, the armored Kyuubi boldly charged the Juubi, slashing and biting ferociously, attacking like a rampaging beast in armor, growing fiercer with each moment.
This frenzied, bloodthirsty display made Nagato slightly uneasy.
Compared to the abnormals who emerged from seas of corpses and mountains of blood in the Warring States Period, Nagato was, after all, a bit younger...
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In contrast, the sibling clash between Sasuke and Edo Itachi seemed almost comical and childish. Their Susano'o were only a dozen meters tall, not even as large as the Juubi's palm over there.
Itachi also couldn't truly kill Sasuke; he was only trying his hardest to restrain him.
Otherwise, with the Totsuka Blade and Yata Mirror, Sasuke, who had just awakened his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, might not stand a chance against Itachi.
But their fight didn't last long before a group of other Edo ninjas suddenly intervened.
The Second Tsuchikage, Second Mizukage, Third Raikage, Third Kazekage, and Fourth Kazekage.
Five Edo Kage under Kabuto's control surged forward, attacking Sasuke and Kisame.
The battlefield was chaotic. All Konoha ninjas were busy retreating and escaping, and Akatsuki's enemies had just withdrawn, none daring to stay within the Juubi's attack range.
Kabuto seized the opportunity to redirect some Edo ninjas, no longer blocking enemies but rushing here.
To aid in trapping Sasuke, to find a chance to kidnap him!
Under Kabuto's control, they swarmed the heavily injured Kisame, who was no match for them alone, forcing Edo Itachi to abandon Sasuke and rush to aid Kisame.
The remaining Second Mizukage and Third Raikage ganged up on Sasuke.
It wasn't that Itachi didn't care about Sasuke, but he was confident his little brother was now strong enough. With the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, even facing two Edo Kage, he wouldn't be easily defeated quickly.
Compared to Sasuke, Kisame was clearly in greater danger.
Better to kill and seal the enemies on Kisame's side first, then help Sasuke.
No choice.
Currently, Akatsuki's only three living members were Konan, Kisame, and Sasuke. Two were under Edo Itachi's care, and this dead man had to protect them all—truly too difficult!
But Itachi misjudged one thing. If it were just two Edo Kage, it would indeed be hard to capture Sasuke quickly.
But in the darkness, Kabuto was still lurking!
Seeing Edo Itachi distracted, how could Kabuto resist his desire for Sasuke? He seized the chance, slithering out from underground to strike.
Byakugeki no Jutsu!
Kabuto used his most proficient and effective Byakugeki no Jutsu, relying on massive vibrational resonance to disrupt Sasuke's Susano'o.
It pierced through the so-called ultimate defense.
Of course, the current Byakugeki no Jutsu could only fool Sasuke. If it were Madara's level of chakra and Susano'o, it wouldn't budge at all.
Instantly, without the perfect Susano'o's defense, the Third Raikage Edo, a god-speed ninja, turned into a blue light, striking Sasuke with a close-range elbow, sending him flying and severely injured.
"Great, great, great!"
"Sasuke-kun, you're mine!"
Kabuto was ecstatic, pushing up his glasses as he rushed toward Sasuke.
Edo Itachi was still helping Kisame hundreds of meters away, unable to return immediately.
He was certain Sasuke was his—no one could stop him!
A Super Kage-level Kabuto, with two peak Kage-level allies, plus a sneak attack—failing to capture Sasuke would be strange.
Blame everyone for being mesmerized by the 'war of gods and demons' over there, ignoring Kabuto himself.
If it were a direct fight, Sasuke might not have lost so quickly.
Kabuto rushed to Sasuke's side, opening his wide mouth, preparing to swallow Sasuke in one bite, then slip away quietly. But he'd only swallowed half.
*SWOOSH!*
An axe-hand strike, carrying a fierce chakra flash, struck hard, slicing Kabuto's waist!
"What?!"
Kabuto was shocked, the piercing pain of his severed waist sending chills through him.
Glancing aside, he realized it was the Third Raikage Edo who attacked him!
How was that possible?
Wasn't he the one who revived him with Edo Tensei? And he'd strengthened the seal's control—how could he suddenly turn on him?
No matter how strong the Third Raikage was, breaking free from Edo control was impossible!
This made no sense!
After slicing Kabuto's waist, the Third Raikage pressed Kabuto's head, pulling out the half-swallowed Sasuke.
Seeing this, Kabuto instantly understood—the Third Raikage Edo was clearly under Itachi's control!
That bastard could break Edo Tensei's control?
How did he do it?
Edo Tensei was supposed to be immune to all genjutsu! How many more trump cards was he hiding?