"This... this can't be real?"
Facing a meteor vast enough to engulf the entire battlefield, the ninja army had lost their will to fight. Weapons slipped from their hands, falling silently into the soft sand.
Just as despair shrouded everything, fate intervened. Two figures materialized on the battlefield, their presence starkly foreign among the ninja world's inhabitants.
One of them — unremarkable in appearance — launched a simple straight punch skyward. In that instant, the devastating ninja technique that could have ended the war vanished completely. The shock of this feat rivaled Madara's initial appearance.
A single thought resonated through every mind present.
Such a monster — friend or foe?!
"Impressive!" Madara's bewilderment gave way to an excited smile.
Since his rise during the warring states era, only Hashirama Senju had shown such might. Now, another had appeared.
To think there existed masters beyond even Hashirama's caliber!
"Well then, can you block the second one too?" The ripple patterns in Madara's eyes swirled with growing excitement.
As he spoke, an even larger shadow loomed over the desolate battlefield, and despair once again gripped the ninjas' hearts. Such was the instinctive response of all living beings when confronting nature's fury.
⤫ Hadō #90: Kurohitsugi ⥤ Black Coffin! ⤬
The calm, gentle voice barely carried through the meteor's violent descent — only Akira beside him could hear it.
But what followed would be forever seared into everyone's souls.
Endless black currents erupted magnificently from the two figures at the center, like an ocean turning upside down, instantly engulfing the enormous meteor. The black coffin towered like a mountain peak in the sky, its crushing pressure making it difficult for the ninjas to breathe, as if invisible hands gripped their throats.
Space itself convulsed violently. Powerful gravitational forces raged within, reducing the massive meteor to nothing — not even dust remained.
When the darkness dissipated, the sky returned to its pristine azure state. The terrifying meteor that had threatened countless lives had vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.
"Ah... ah..."
"Was that the same monster's power as before?"
"I've never seen such a technique!"
"Who are they?"
The ninja army, still recovering from the crisis, stared fearfully at the two pure white figures hovering in the sky like deities, their eyes wide with awe.
Madara, however, showed no fear at all. Instead, his ripple-patterned eyes blazed with chilling enthusiasm!
Finally — an existence worthy of fighting him!
"Akira, from your expression, you seem to understand this world." Aizen said, having effortlessly obliterated the second meteor.
"Sort of, I know a bit." Akira grinned, "To put this world's history simply: it's a tale of filial piety. The wars, the suffering — all of it stemmed from one son's devotion to his mother."
Aizen pondered thoughtfully. Despite knowing him for many years, he still couldn't grasp this man's nonsensical ramblings.
He sighed, "So what are your thoughts on this?"
Akira pointed at Madara below, "Right now it's not about what I think, but rather what that dancer has planned for us. We won't be able to leave for a while."
Aizen glanced at the red-armored man's enthusiastic expression, his lips curling slightly.
That familiar look reminded him of Grimmjow from Hueco Mundo — equally battle-hungry. Such people, when encountering someone like Akira, could never contain themselves.
With this in mind, he said calmly, "Let me correct you — it's you, not us."
Akira: "?"
Aizen, have you betrayed me?!
"A new world must hold many secrets." Aizen continued, "Since you're unwilling to tell me in detail, I'll explore it myself."
Akira stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Truth be told, he understood his adopted son better than the young man understood himself. These words made it obvious that Aizen had developed an interest in the ninja world. Explaining everything would only diminish his enthusiasm.
For a scientist, exploration itself is a form of enjoyment.
This world also had a scientist; surely the two would find common ground. The image of a certain depraved scientist flickered through his mind — Orochimaru rivaled Mayuri in perversion.
"Alright then." Akira nodded and turned his gaze downward.
High above, with winds howling around them, their conversation remained private.
Two passionate gazes met in midair, seeming to spark against each other as tension filled the dust-laden atmosphere. Akira descended from the heavens, spread his hands wide, and his deep voice resonated across the turbulent battlefield:
"The ninja world has become defiled again."
Madara: "?"
Something seemed off about this newcomer.
"Are these the new generation's mighty warriors?" Madara asked the Second Tsuchikage "Mū" beside him.
In a distant hideout, Kabuto Yakushi, shrouded in his cloak, frowned in confusion. These two strangers weren't in any intelligence reports — he'd never seen them before.
Could they be hidden masters of the ninja world?
The thought of the three great sage regions gave Kabuto an uneasy feeling.
Under his control, Mū shook his head and replied:
"We have no information about them. Given Ōnoki and the others' reactions, they're likely not allied with the ninja army. They must be unknown third parties — powerful beings drawn out by this war."
Madara nodded, dismissing these concerns. Their identity no longer mattered.
No time for speculation — fight first, talk later!
He brought his hands together, wild chakra coursing through his body, then thrust them forward.
⤫ Mokuton Hijutsu: Jukai Kōtan ⥤ Wood Release Secret Technique: Nativity of a World of Trees! ⤬
Massive vine-like trees burst from the earth's grip, surging forth with unstoppable force, ripping open the ground. The already devastated battlefield became even more horrific to behold.
Another terrifying scene unfolded like a natural disaster. Under Gaara's orders, the ninjas scattered in all directions, completely routed — all discipline vanished.
"Damn it!" Naruto gritted his teeth, his face twisted with frustration.
They had believed their combined attack technique would defeat Madara in one strike, sealing him away and ending this devastating war.
But they hadn't expected their opponent to unleash the Tengai Shinsei, a technique powerful enough to annihilate the entire ninja army. Without those unexpected individuals' appearance, they would have suffered catastrophic losses.
"Stay calm, Naruto." A weary Gaara said as he approached, "We can't tell if they're friend or foe. Acting rashly would only disrupt this delicate balance. Right now, what we can and should do is—"
"Wait!" Ōnoki cut in, "Though I may be old and frail, my memory hasn't failed me. I've never seen those two before."
As his words fell, countless thick vines surged toward the figure in the sky, dense as a tropical rainforest descending from above.
Madara had no patience to inquire about their identities.
"You remind me of an old acquaintance." Akira's lips curled up, his snow-white teeth gleaming coldly in the sunlight. As his arms spread wide, an overwhelming pressure erupted.
⤫ Genshiki-ryū: Ikkotsu ⥤ Origin Style: Single Bone! ⤬
His straight punch shot forth, power surging through his fist like an erupting volcano, instantly obliterating the sea of trees. The massive aftershock spread outward, sending wooden debris raining across the battlefield.
One strike, then another!
Mū's eyes widened, unable to hide his shock. If the earlier deflection of Tengai Shinsei could be considered chance, this display definitively proved their power.
Someone perhaps even more terrifying than Madara at his peak!
Or rather... A true God?
Akira stood amidst the rain of debris, leaving them as stunned as when he had destroyed the Tengai Shinsei with one punch.
Madara, who had been dancing untouchably through the battlefield moments ago, was now being effortlessly handled by this stranger.
Was this what they called the cycle of karma?
Akira stared straight at the figure before him and grinned, "Madara, is this really all you've got?"
Madara's pupils trembled before he regained his composure, his lips curling into a smile: "Interesting".
Nearby, Aizen's expression turned peculiar as his Reiatsu swirled around him. Hearing the name "Madara" reminded him of his undercover days with that person in the Wandenreich. Back then, he had used the same name.
"How many secrets does this guy have?"
As he pondered this, the two contrasting figures had already begun their second round of battle.
A massive blue giant rose from the ground, four sturdy skeletal arms appearing at its sides, each wielding a sword that gleamed with ethereal light.
Without hesitation, as Madara's eyes widened, the Susanoo swung forward with a mighty slash. The air split along the blade's edge with an ear-splitting sound.
Yet despite such a fearsome attack, Akira hadn't moved an inch. Under countless shocked gazes, the fierce blade collided with invisible air, producing an earth-shattering boom — as if the sword had struck an impenetrable armor.
Akira stood beneath the Susanoo's blade, grinning at Madara, "Can't even muster the strength to cut someone, yet you still want to dance? Madara, you've done your best."
Circles of golden ripples appeared behind him, emanating sharp intent as sword tips radiating intense heat and crackling lightning emerged slowly. The thunder and flame swords, like a barrage of cruise missiles, painted the sky with brilliant trails. Their roar shook heaven and earth, igniting pillars of magnificent light.
The Susanoo, renowned for its defense, crumpled like paper before this terrifying assault, barely withstanding the first wave before becoming riddled with holes. In an instant, an even larger Susanoo rose from the ground, covered in sturdy armor, raising its defenses to maximum to weather this onslaught.
"You've actually managed to interest me!" Madara's gaze grew more intense as he called out:
⤫ Mokuton: Kajukai Kōrin ⥤ Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees! ⤬
Massive vines like giant serpents crawled beneath the ground, and as they rose, exotic and enormous flowers bloomed. Great clouds of yellow pollen burst from the flowers, blanketing the entire battlefield.
With curious interest, under Aizen's silent gaze, Akira released his Reiatsu defense and took several deep breaths.
Akira smacked his lips and commented, "Pretty sweet, though it gets a bit cloying if you inhale too much."
Madara: "..."
He was now questioning what kind of being he was actually fighting. He had planned to use this chance to draw his opponent's attention, but this unexpected reaction left him at a loss.
⤫ Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku ⥤ Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation! ⤬
Madara pushed aside his scattered thoughts and refocused on his opponent, attempting to affect him by igniting the forest of trees. This would help him identify his opponent's weaknesses.
Since the battle began, Akira had proven himself to be nearly perfect in combat. His mastery of both defense and offense ranked him among the finest warriors the ninja world had ever seen.
Such an opponent demanded extreme caution — one wrong move could lead to a repeat of the Valley of the End.
As Akira stood in the sea of flames — unscathed and seemingly oblivious to the danger — Madara's expression hardened. Nearly limitless chakra surged within him, concentrating in his eyes.
The Susanoo erupted upward, its blue light solidifying layer by layer until it towered above the mountains like an imposing war god.
Its overwhelming presence bore down upon the battlefield, leaving the ninja army breathless and stunned before its terrifying form.
This manifestation rivaled the earlier Tengai Shinsei in its intimidation. With brilliant wings folded at its back, the Susanoo — under Madara's control — gripped its sword handle and drew its massive blade with deliberate slowness.
"Only Hashirama has ever defeated me." The heavy words echoed across the battlefield like an immutable truth.
Cold eyes locked onto the figure below as crimson light blazed in the Susanoo's gaze.
Draw sword, strike!
From ground to sky, savage light erupted with violent force, engulfing the entire battlefield. The earth split and collapsed, dust clouds billowed upward, and mountains crumbled to nothing.
It was as if the apocalypse itself had arrived!