501-505

Chapter 501: Both Sides Want to Be the Hunter  

The Ten-Tails stood over 600 meters tall.  

Meanwhile, Shinji was only 1.69 meters.  

Standing before such a colossal being, Shinji wasn’t even as large as one of its fingernails. From his position on the ocean’s surface, looking up, all he could see were the seemingly thin yet towering legs of the Ten-Tails’ second form—pillars that reached into the heavens, exuding a terrifying presence.  

At this moment—  

Boom!  

The sky rumbled as dark clouds churned. 

Torrential rain poured down in sheets, cascading from above.  

Time seemed to freeze in this instant.  

It was the moment when a mere mortal lifted his head to lock eyes with a ‘god’—a being wreathed in darkness, its ten massive tails swaying ominously within the mist.  

And yet—  

A faint smile appeared on Shinji’s lips.  

He didn’t know why Uchiha Madara had chosen this path. 

He wasn’t aware that the Ten-Tails in its current form had a flaw. 

He didn’t understand why, despite having a better option, Madara had refused to take it.  

But—  

He had gambled correctly!  

Rather than using the Six Paths Ten-Tails Coffin Seal to ascend instantly to Six Paths level and suppress him outright, Madara had opted to control the Ten-Tails for battle.  

This meant that the method of manifesting the Ten-Tails by devouring the Tailed Beasts carried an unknown defect.  

That flaw had forced Madara into this choice. 

And that choice had given Shinji an opportunity!  

Without hesitation, Shinji immediately bent forward, hands clasped behind his back, and started sprinting across the ocean’s surface, circling the Ten-Tails at high speed. His scarlet Three Tomoe Snake-Pupil Sharingan carved two crimson trails through the misty night.  

With each flash of lightning illuminating the sea like daylight, he meticulously observed the Ten-Tails’ form using Kagura’s Mind’s Eye.  

The Ten-Tails was currently in its second form, the same one he had seen in the original story—a grotesquely emaciated, distorted humanoid figure. From afar, it appeared as thin as a twig, yet its actual size was mind-boggling.  

It had a single head, a single eye, and a single mouth. On its crown, six root-like structures resembling tree seeds protruded, their tips glowing red. Its overall color was a dull brown, similar to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.  

Its greatest hindrance to movement, however, was the grotesque mass on its back—something resembling a bulbous flower bud or seed, seemingly the embryonic form of the Divine Tree.  

Watching Shinji’s relentless motion, Madara—hidden within the Ten-Tails—felt a growing sense of unease.  

Unlike before, when he had fought recklessly, abandoning all caution, Shinji now resembled a seasoned hunter, patiently studying his prey’s weaknesses, waiting for the moment it lost composure.  

Why hadn’t he attacked the Ten-Tails while Izanagi was active?  

Did he see something?  

Regardless, Madara wasn’t about to take chances.  

To avoid unnecessary risks, he commanded the Ten-Tails to lower its massive form slightly, its Six Tomoe Rinnegan locking onto Shinji’s movements.  

Then—  

ROAR!!!  

The Ten-Tails opened its mouth, and a dark-red Tailed Beast Bomb rapidly condensed before launching like a cannon blast!  

BOOM!!!  

A shockwave exploded outward, sending violent tremors across the ocean as the Tailed Beast Bomb hurtled toward Shinji at blinding speed!  

His expression hardened. Without missing a beat, he released Water Release: Water Surface Cutting Technique beneath his feet, gliding atop a towering wave before flipping midair to evade the blast.  

He barely had time to register the massive column of light shooting into the sky behind him, nor the intense pushback from the explosion.  

Instead, he swiftly formed the Ram hand seal, stabilizing his sensory abilities amidst the violent maneuvering.  

His feet danced across the raging ocean, weaving around the Ten-Tails while mentally calculating the speed of its Tailed Beast Bombs, their explosion radius, and the details of its body structure—feeding all this data into a far more intuitive equation.  

BOOM!  

BOOM!  

BOOM!  

BOOM!  

The Ten-Tails unleashed a relentless barrage, seemingly adopting a defensive stance, preventing Shinji from approaching.  

Madara wasn’t appearing. 

He wasn’t using other techniques to restrain Shinji.  

His strategy was simple—gambling. If he hit, great.  

After all, with the forbidden technique Izanagi in play, any damage inflicted on Shinji was meaningless.  

Unlike Danzo and Sasuke’s battle on the bridge, both combatants here fully understood the mechanics and drawbacks of Izanagi.  

There was no need for back-and-forth probing.  

Madara wouldn’t chase Shinji mindlessly like a vengeful Sasuke, because he knew it was pointless.  

By contrast, Shinji should have been acting like Danzo—desperate to end the battle before Izanagi expired, crushing the Ten-Tails and forcing Madara to reveal more of his hand.  

But he did the opposite.  

He wasn’t rushing to attack.  

Instead, he allowed the Ten-Tails to bombard him continuously, as if he didn’t care about wasting the remaining duration of Izanagi.  

And, in truth, he didn’t.  

The strategic purpose of Izanagi had already been fulfilled when it sealed away a Limbo Clone.  

With his innate immortality, as long as he avoided reckless damage, even the Tailed Beast Bombs were unlikely to permanently kill him.  

If he revealed his trump card too soon, he’d only be at a disadvantage.  

Both sides had reasons they couldn’t afford to back down.  

Both understood—  

This battle would determine the future of the world.  

Neither made the first move.  

The air was still—the eerie silence before a storm.  

Both wanted to be the one who laughed last.  

Both were waiting.  

Waiting for the other to make a mistake.  

Waiting for the moment they became the hunter.  

The first to reveal a weakness would die.  

Yet, for Shinji, this seemingly repetitive standoff wasn’t wasted time.  

The real life-or-death battle…  

Would begin the moment Izanagi ended.  

Soon—  

After dodging seven Tailed Beast Bombs and tanking three using Izanagi, the five-minute duration silently came to an end.  

Both Shinji and Madara—hiding within the Ten-Tails—narrowed their eyes at the same time.  

Now, the real fight began.  

Shinji’s left eye, his Three Tomoe Snake-Pupil Sharingan, abruptly transformed into a hollow, ghastly white eye.  

At the same moment—  

The Ten-Tails suddenly twisted its grotesque head, lowering its enormous body, its arms pressing into the sea as it opened its massive jaws.  

Whoosh!  

A dark-red Tailed Beast Bomb condensed instantly!  

Simultaneously, its ten massive tails spread out like an impenetrable net, sweeping toward Shinji!  

On his other side, the air subtly distorted—an invisible Limbo Clone appeared, its Susanoo swinging a massive blade down toward him!  

Limbo: Susanoo—Twin Blade Dance!  

A three-way pincer attack, all striking at once!  

Yet—  

Shinji suddenly stopped running.  

He stood still on the water’s surface.  

Then, he raised his right hand toward the incoming Tailed Beast Bomb, fingers outstretched—  

Taking a deep breath, suppressing his fear, his eyes sharpened with unwavering resolve.  

He wasn’t dodging.  

He was trying to catch it.  

Madara’s eyes flickered with confusion.  

"Did this brat… forget that Izanagi is already over?"  

Chapter 502: The Final Battle Begins! Sage Art: Heavenly Line Guidance Technique! 

At this moment,  

Ten Tails, Limbo, Susanoo— 

Madara Uchiha launched three simultaneous attacks!  

However, in this critical moment, Shinji closed his eyes, focusing all his attention on his raised right hand. 

He emptied his mind completely, 

Feeling his slightly rapid breathing caused by tension, 

Sensing the wind stirred by the Ten Tails’ Tailed Beast Bomb as it ruffled his hair, 

He could even feel… 

The very shape of his own soul,  

And within his soul, the dazzling, radiant light. 

That light, flickering yet ever-bright in the silent night, 

Empowering the ordinary, driving the hopeless forward, granting life to those seeking death! 

This light is called... Willpower!  

Shinji's eyes snapped open,  

He raised his left hand and formed the ‘Hitsuji’ hand seal!  

In that instant, as the ominous, dark red Tailed Beast Bomb was about to strike him,  

Veins of Sage Energy surged like pulsating tendons along his arm. With a sudden twist of his right palm, 

A blinding white light exploded from his palm!  

“Sage Art: Heavenly Line Guidance Technique!”  

Time seemed to stand still, and the white light silently erupted, swallowing everything in its path! 

At that moment, 

“What?!”  

Inside the Ten Tails, Madara Uchiha stood up in shock, his expression shifting,  

“The Tailed Beast Bomb... disappeared? This is like that Yellow-Haired Brat from Konoha's technique...  

Flying Thunder God: Guiding Thunder?  

No... that's not it.”  

Before Madara could analyze further, 

In the next moment, 

The dark red Tailed Beast Bomb, just as it was about to hit Shinji, suddenly stalled mid-air. 

Then, with a flash of white light, 

It skipped the space in front of Shinji, 

Reappearing on the other side of him,  

And then—  

It collided head-on with the invisible Susanoo summoned by the Limbo Shadow! 

“BOOM!!!”  

Light and heat burst forth in an instant. 

Using the force from the explosion at his side, Shinji’s eyes gleamed fiercely. He twisted his foot on the ocean’s surface,  

Leaping high into the air, he summoned a colossal sword of lightning, stepping on the massive tails of the Ten Tails as they intertwined and lashed out.  

Swinging the gigantic sword, he severed tail after tail that blocked his path,  

Charging straight toward the main body of the Ten Tails!  

The distance between them closed rapidly! 

Madara Uchiha's gaze sharpened, 

“A frontal assault like this is pointless... What is this brat planning!?”  

Even with that blue-glowing lightning sword, it wouldn’t be enough to cause substantial damage to the Ten Tails. Shinji must be aware of that, 

Yet, he still chose to charge in.  

Madara's eyes narrowed as he commanded the Ten Tails to form another Tailed Beast Bomb, also manipulating it to swing its massive claws to crush Shinji’s escape route, 

Forcing him to face the full brunt of the Tailed Beast Bomb!  

However, 

Seeing this, Shinji’s lips curled into a wicked grin. 

Just as Madara anticipated, he flipped onto one of the giant tails, dodging the Ten Tails’ claws, 

But this movement left him directly in the path of the Tailed Beast Bomb! 

Yet, there was no fear in his eyes.  

His blood boiled, almost igniting, and adrenaline surged wildly. 

The next moment, 

Shinji did something unthinkable—without any defensive jutsu, he leapt straight towards the incoming Tailed Beast Bomb!  

Just like before, 

He formed a seal with his left hand, and his right hand opened wide, reaching out to grasp the Tailed Beast Bomb!  

“Sage Art: Heavenly Line Guidance Technique!”  

His target was precisely the Ten Tails’ Tailed Beast Bomb! 

The technique Shinji was using,  

Sage Art: Heavenly Line Guidance Technique, 

Similar to Flying Thunder God: Guiding Thunder, but fundamentally different. 

Flying Thunder God: Guiding Thunder relies on sealing techniques to create space-time channels for redirecting attacks. In contrast, Shinji’s technique is far more direct. 

Heavenly Line Guidance isn’t classified as a space-time ninjutsu. Instead, it works by ‘threading’ an object along interconnected lines. To prevent the object from colliding with obstacles, it’s typically fired into the sky, relying on its near-light-speed transmission to counteract any loss in distance or trajectory.  

From a god's-eye view, after activation, the technique forms an arc—seemingly straight but actually curving with the planet's shape—connecting two distant points. 

The object then travels along this arc at light speed.  

Without Minato’s expertise in sealing techniques,  

Shinji relied solely on his precise timing and spatial awareness to determine the trajectory, length, and width of this ‘guidance thread.’  

Simply put, 

This technique isn’t about complexity— 

It’s all about execution.  

The object moves at light speed along the thread, but the technique itself isn’t instant; it has a slight delay,  

But if timed perfectly, and the seal remains uninterrupted, 

Then, theoretically,  

Shinji can deflect anything! 

Coincidentally, 

Shinji has mastered the superhuman-level technique: Uchiha Style: String Manipulation Shuriken Technique! 

# At this moment,  

With a wicked grin, Shinji looked straight at the Ten Tails, his gaze piercing through its massive body to where Madara Uchiha was hiding,  

“You old fool, this move can repel any ninjutsu!”  

“Watch closely!”  

Whoosh—! 

The dark red Tailed Beast Bomb vanished into Shinji's palm! 

The next instant, 

The massive sphere, fifty meters in diameter, reappeared right in front of the Ten Tails’ open mouth!  

Simultaneously, Shinji surged forward, 

Swinging his now eighty-meter-long lightning greatsword, 

From high above, twisting his body mid-air, he struck with a powerful, devastating blow!  

“BAM!”  

Like a grand slam in baseball, 

The Tailed Beast Bomb was brutally smashed back into the Ten Tails’ mouth! 

Visible shockwaves expanded from within the Ten Tails’ body, 

“BOOM!!!”  

“ROOOOAAARR!!!”  

The Ten Tails let out a shrill, agonizing scream, its body arching backward, 

At that moment, 

Shinji appeared high above the Ten Tails, his hands clasped together. Blood poured from his right eye as he roared, 

“Now—”  

“I’M GONNA BLOW YOU TO PIECES!!!”  

“Sage Art: Mangekyō Sharingan Technique: Divine Might!!!”  

A storm of chakra exploded behind Shinji!  

A colossal flaming arm emerged from the beam of light behind him,  

Piercing through the ocean below, striking upward!  

The massive hand, covered in blazing armor, seized the Ten Tails by its throat and lifted it into the sky!  

“BOOM!!!”  

Wings of fire spread across the sky!  

Standing six hundred meters tall, a being of myth capable of battling the complete form of the Ten Tails,  

Ultimate Susanoo: War God! 

Has appeared!  

Chapter 503: Tearing the Ten-Tails Apart! The Wrath of Six Paths Madara!  

“What… is that!?”  

Inside the Ten-Tails, Uchiha Madara shot up in shock, his eyes widening in disbelief.  

Staring at the colossal figure that had seized the Ten-Tails by the throat and lifted it effortlessly, he found it eerily familiar—so much so that he dared not acknowledge what he was seeing!  

A towering 600-meter-tall Susanoo, clad in blazing black tengu armor, radiated an overwhelming presence. In its left hand, it gripped a blade of silver light so intense that it seemed to steal the brilliance of the world itself. On the back of its right hand, which held the Ten-Tails aloft, was a crimson, flame-covered gourd. A jade-like heart-protecting mirror adorned its chest plate, and its face was concealed behind a menacing black tengu mask. Two piercing eyes blazed with a radiance as brilliant as the sun, while its long crimson hair danced wildly, resembling both a vengeful demon and an awe-inspiring deity.  

When its feet touched the ground, it was as if a mountain had descended. Its stance was nothing short of divine.  

This… is Susanoo?  

Then what the hell is mine? Some pathetic imitation?  

“How is this possible? That brat was hiding such power!?”  

Clearly, Black Zetsu, who had reclaimed the Rinnegan, either hadn’t had the chance or simply hadn’t dared to share this intel with Uchiha Madara, likely due to Madara’s growing suspicion of him.  

As a result…  

Faced with such a terrifying entity, Madara failed to make the correct decision in that crucial moment.  

Instead, he chose to command the Ten-Tails to tilt its head back and charge up a dark red Tailed Beast Bomb aimed straight at the Susanoo’s face!  

From within the protective mirror on Susanoo’s chest, Shinji's gaze suddenly turned sharp.  

With a swift motion, he raised his hand and slashed downward!  

In response, the Susanoo gripping the Ten-Tails’ throat sprang into action.  

With its free hand, it reached forward, grabbing the dark red Tailed Beast Bomb with its bare fingers—then, with sheer force, shoved it right back into the Ten-Tails’ mouth!  

Its fingers then dug deep into the Ten-Tails’ face, clamping its jaws shut with a cruel, iron grip.  

BOOM!  

A massive, muffled explosion erupted. The Ten-Tails’ body visibly swelled like an overinflated balloon, only to rapidly deflate like one losing air.  

“Impossible!”  

As the violent tremors inside the Ten-Tails subsided, Madara stared in stunned disbelief.  

But before he could react—  

BAM!  

Susanoo, still gripping the Ten-Tails’ throat, swung its other arm back and delivered a devastating punch straight into the creature’s face!  

BOOM!  

The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the sky!  

The Ten-Tails was sent flying, its head twisted into an unrecognizable mess.  

Susanoo, not stopping there, seized both of the Ten-Tails’ scrawny, flailing hind legs and, with a savage yank, ripped them apart like tearing noodles!  

SPLAT! SPLAT!  

The Ten-Tails’ massive legs were torn clean off, spraying foul, brownish-yellow fluid everywhere.  

It collapsed into the sea, letting out an ear-piercing, agonized screech.  

Then, Susanoo raised its colossal 42,000-yard foot and stomped directly onto the Ten-Tails’ abdomen.  

CRASH!  

The impact sent towering waves hundreds of meters high surging across the ocean. The shockwave caused the sea’s surface to tremble violently for miles, generating tsunamis that surged outward in all directions.  

Only now did Uchiha Madara snap out of his stunned state. He commanded the Ten-Tails to raise an arm to block the incoming swing of Susanoo’s silver sword.  

However—  

CLANG!  

Given the Ten-Tails’ second-phase emaciated body, it never stood a chance against a fully armored Susanoo wielding divine weapons like the Totsuka Blade, Kusanagi Sword, Yasakani Magatama, Futsunomitama, and Ame-no-Murakumo.  

One of the Ten-Tails’ arms was severed instantly.  

In this form, the Ten-Tails was thin and frail, designed primarily to incubate the God Tree’s seed. In terms of raw physical combat, it was no match for Susanoo.  

Most of its combat prowess lay in its cataclysmic abilities, its ten tails’ attacks, and its Tailed Beast Bombs.  

But now, not only was Shinji capable of reflecting its Tailed Beast Bombs using some mysterious ninjutsu, but even his Susanoo could physically grab them and shove them back!  

Even Uchiha Madara, for all his arrogance, could not help but grimace at the situation.  

Yet, despite appearances, the Ten-Tails had not suffered irreparable damage. Its body possessed tremendous regenerative capabilities.  

But if this battle dragged on…  

Uchiha Madara’s location within the Ten-Tails’ body would eventually be discovered!  

And once Susanoo got a hold of his true body, even in his temporarily restored state with Senjutsu-enhanced chakra, he would not be able to withstand a direct strike from this monstrosity.  

To turn the tide of battle, there was only one path left.  

He had to ascend to another level.  

He had to become the Jinchūriki of the Ten-Tails.  

He had to become—  

The Second Sage of Six Paths!  

However…  

In truth, Madara was reluctant to absorb this incomplete version of the Ten-Tails with the Six Paths Coffin Seal.  

In his plan, he needed either the Nine-Tails or Shinji to obtain the power he truly desired.  

But…  

He no longer had a choice.  

At that moment—  

“Fine. Very well!”  

Madara’s expression darkened. His teeth clenched so tightly that they creaked. His breath grew ragged. Then, suddenly, his eyes snapped open.  

“Brat… You actually forced me to this point!”  

Pressing his hands together, he coldly declared:  

“Six Paths: Ten-Tails Coffin Seal!”  

As his voice fell, the Ten-Tails’ body began to tremble violently, shrinking rapidly toward a single point!  

From within Susanoo’s heart-protecting mirror, Shinji gasped for breath. Without hesitation, he commanded Susanoo to draw the Totsuka Blade and stab straight at Madara’s exposed position!  

But—  

His sword stopped mid-air.  

A veil of white smoke dissipated—  

Revealing a figure floating in the sky, clad in a flowing white Six Paths robe.  

Long, pure white hair cascaded behind him. A bone-white forehead protector adorned his brow.  

Behind him, two black Truth-Seeking Orbs hovered ominously, while in front of him, one had transformed into a long staff—the very same weapon that effortlessly blocked Susanoo’s colossal 400-meter-long Totsuka Blade.  

Because the Ten-Tails was incomplete, Madara had not obtained the Six Paths Vajra Staff, nor had he formed all nine Truth-Seeking Orbs. His Six Paths abilities were still lacking in several ways—  

Including…  

He had not obtained the fabled “Six Paths Immortality.”  

His expression turned ice-cold as he lifted his head, revealing his purple Rinnegan, his temples pulsing with rage.  

Through gritted teeth, he sneered:  

“Shinji, I had intended to spare your life…”  

“But unfortunately…”  

“You chose wrong.”  

Shinji said nothing.  

In truth, he no longer had the strength to speak.  

His chakra was depleted.  

His eyes were blind.  

His very life force was draining away.  

And yet—  

Even as he hovered on the brink of collapse, he grinned.  

Susanoo's wings flapped, launching him toward a titanic, storm-wreathed black mushroom cloud.  

His bloodstained lips curled into a crimson-streaked, defiant smile.  

Chapter 504: The Butterfly Stirs the Sun!  

Once, a fascinating question was posed to everyone:  

Friend, what can you accomplish in one minute?  

Sixty seconds on the clock, sixty ticks of the second hand on the wall, a butterfly flapping its wings 600 times, the sun generating the equivalent of 546,000,000 hydrogen bombs in nuclear fusion.  

In this limited yet seemingly infinite time, 

What can you do?  

"Heavenly Obstruction Shaking Star!" 

"Wood Style: Birth of the World of Trees!" 

"Wood Style: Birth of the Flowering Tree World!" 

"Wood Style: Wood Dragon Jutsu!" 

"Sage Art: Wood Style: True Thousand Hands!"  

Watching as the majestic Susanoo carried Shinji, soaring like a butterfly towards the pitch-black mushroom cloud crackling with lightning,  

Seeing those ghostly pale eyes, 

That face shrouded in death, 

That wicked smile revealing blood-tinged white teeth,  

Uchiha Madara, who had obtained the power of the Six Paths, ascended to a new plane of existence, becoming the second Sage of Six Paths in history.  

Yet, inexplicably—  

A sudden, uncontrollable fear surged within him, 

His heart felt submerged beneath an endless ocean, sinking deeper and crushed by an unfathomable weight, giving birth to an indescribable—  

Palpitation!  

"What is he trying to do? He's exhausted his chakra and his ocular power. At this point, why is he still struggling?!"  

Madara's expression twisted unconsciously, his pale face contorted with rage. Veins bulged across his forehead as he panted heavily, attempting to suppress the anxiety, his gaze locked on Shinji's resolute back.  

"Does he intend to use the celestial phenomenon to wield that Sword of Thunder?" 

"Repeating the same trick?"  

"Even with that kind of attack, enhanced by natural energy, it's impossible to break through the Truth-Seeking Ball's defense. But... why do I feel this way? Damn it, what is he planning?!"  

"Whatever he's planning!" 

"I can't let him get there. Absolutely not!"  

At that moment, 

Madara frantically unleashed a barrage of techniques, desperately trying to bring down Susanoo from the sky before the impending crisis could unfold, preventing his foe from reaching the mushroom cloud!  

However, 

In an overlooked corner, right under his nose, the surface of the ocean rippled faintly.  

"——Boom!!!"  

Innumerable massive vines burst from the ocean, reaching towards the sky! 

They attempted to seize Susanoo, who flew toward certain death like a butterfly, preventing him from approaching the lightning-wreathed, pitch-black mushroom cloud!  

High above,  

A meteor, far surpassing its original form and empowered by the Six Paths' strength, a colossal kilometer-wide rock, tore through the sky, hurtling downwards!  

Against this mythical and awe-inspiring scene, 

Susanoo flapped its wings with the courage of a legendary gladiator, 

Ripping through Wood Dragons, trampling vines, 

Swinging swords!  

Swinging swords!  

In his left hand, the Sword of Kusanagi; in his right, the Sword of Totsuka—one silver, one red—each over 400 meters long, slashing out arcs over a kilometer wide, cleaving the descending meteor into four massive chunks.  

Drawing circular strikes, he hurled the two sacred swords, obliterating the oncoming wave of a thousand massive wooden palms!  

Then,  

Breaking through the countless fragments of stone, the wings roared with sonic booms, propelling him like a falcon soaring through the skies! 

Closer and closer to the mushroom cloud!  

"Gah!"  

Inside Susanoo's protective chest plate, Shinji's face turned deathly pale as he collapsed, blood pouring from his mouth. Yet, he gritted his teeth and persevered,  

Raising his head amidst the blood, he lifted his hand, 

Passing the last flicker of lightning dancing within his palm!  

"Boom!!!"  

Flaming wings shook the heavens as Susanoo raised its right arm high,  

The faint lightning coursed through his heart, flowing to his palm, 

Almost touching the mushroom cloud!  

In that instant,  

As if responding to this tiny yet exalted spark, the enormous, near 10,000-meter-wide pitch-black mushroom cloud erupted with a dazzling radiance, as brilliant as the sun!  

The light grew brighter and brighter!  

Illuminating the night, the raging lightning illuminating the world!  

However—  

"Sage Art: Storm Release: Light Severing!"  

A slender purple blade of light, no thicker than a thread, slashed upward!  

Susanoo, standing 600 meters tall, was cleaved in two by this purple blade, less than a millimeter thick, 

Shattering with a thunderous crash!  

The mushroom cloud, which had been on the verge of a catastrophic explosion,  

Suddenly—ceased!  

All that remained was a shattered heart mirror, the crimson Magatama of Yata floating in mid-air,  

Uchiha Madara slowly descended before it,  

Coldly gazing down at the kneeling, blood-spitting, vacant-eyed Shinji, 

His face darkened as he mercilessly swung his arm, 

Three Truth-Seeking Balls behind him shot forth without hesitation!  

"Die!"  

Amidst the devastated battlefield of the Green Reef,  

Those who had survived the shockwaves of this Six Paths-level battle looked to the sky,  

From their vantage point, they could only see a massive mushroom cloud burning a hole in the sky,  

Underneath that cloud, 

Two figures—one yellow, one red—clashed like deities of legend, their every move capable of shattering mountains and summoning tsunamis!  

"That’s Shinji's Susanoo! It has his color, like fire!"  

Terumi Mei’s pale face revealed a faint smile, her eyes gleaming with joy.  

Beside her, Hozuki Mangetsu scoffed, muttering, 

"Looks small, huh? I remember his flame giant being much bigger."  

Meanwhile, Sasori’s calculating gaze measured the scene, realizing, 

"That Susanoo is... 600 meters tall!"  

As he recalled the chakra consumption of his own creations, he whispered worriedly, 

"With that scale, how is he powering it? Can his chakra... really hold out?"  

At that moment,  

A thin purple blade extended nearly 10,000 meters from beneath the mushroom cloud, 

Effortlessly slicing the blazing figure of Susanoo apart!  

"——BOOM!!!"  

Thunder roared,  

The stormy sky opened up, releasing a downpour.  

The majestic flaming figure in the sky was shattered by the purple blade, its fate unknown.  

Like a fallen phoenix, like an eagle with broken wings.  

Raindrops pelted the shattered battlefield below, echoing with a haunting, mournful lament.  

Terumi Mei’s emerald eyes widened in disbelief, 

"No... No..."  

She collapsed to her knees, her heart sinking as if filled with icy lead.  

Beside her, 

Kakuzu, dressed in a black robe and mask, clenched his fist under his cloak, 

His hand secretly moving to his side pouch.  

Until—  

His hand rested on a container of green liquid, inside of which floated two Sharingan with crimson three-tomoe patterns.  

Kakuzu finally exhaled a deep, heavy breath.  

Chapter 505: Betting on Life!  

The Uchiha Clan, 

Naka Shrine.  

The workers who had been repairing the shrine’s roof during the day had long since packed up and left. Silence enveloped Naka Shrine, broken only by the sound of the Naka River flowing from south to north and—  

Thud—  

A clear, crisp sound echoed as a deer, having drunk its fill, slipped on the riverbank.  

This tranquility was soon shattered by the sound of hurried footsteps.  

Thud, thud, thud.  

“Elder! I think I finally understand the principle behind this technique!”  

Panting heavily, Shisui ran up to the wooden platform extending over the Naka River, excitement written all over his face as he reported his progress to the old man before him.  

“Before, I focused too much on swordsmanship and neglected the true core of this S-rank forbidden sword technique—the importance of the Fire Release Chakra Mode!”  

“That’s why I couldn't grasp it before.”  

Upon hearing this youthful yet determined voice, Uchiha Setsuna raised an eyebrow but didn’t even bother turning his head.  

Seated cross-legged at the pier, he idly held a bamboo fishing rod—one without a hook or bait, just a simple line dangling into the water. His lifelessly pale eyes stared into the shimmering moonlight rippling across the Naka River.  

Setsuna remained silent.  

“Elder, what are you looking at?”  

“A joke.”  

“What joke?”  

“You.”  

His words were brief and cutting. Setsuna let out a cold chuckle and spoke indifferently, 

“Go back. You’ll never master this technique.”  

Bathed in moonlight, Shisui trembled at the declaration. Clenching his fists, he asked unwillingly, 

“Elder, why?”  

“I’ve already mastered every technique in that scroll except for the Fire Release Chakra Mode. If this is about clan politics, you don’t need to worry. With Shinji around, the clan is more united than ever.”  

“I want to be like Shinji—to gain the power to protect the clan!”  

Setsuna shook his head. “Wrong.”  

“What’s wrong?” Shisui asked in confusion.  

“The other day at the clan meeting, you mentioned an old man who gave you some incredible insights. Regarding Fire Release, you said you’ve had new realizations, and you believe that if you keep training under me—”  

“The old man you met… did he have a face that looked like the whole world owed him eight million ryo?”  

“Huh?! Uh… well, if you put it that way… maybe? No, wait—I mean, that old man’s Fire Release was truly powerful!”  

Shisui was startled at first, then hesitantly nodded. However, he quickly waved his hands, as if feeling guilty for badmouthing someone behind their back.  

Setsuna merely sneered.  

“He doesn’t know a damn thing.”  

“Huh?” Shisui blinked in confusion. 

“Elder, you know that old man?”  

Setsuna didn’t answer. He continued watching the Naka River in silence. After a long pause, he finally spoke,  

“Go back. You will never master this technique. I’m not joking.”  

“You don’t need this technique to become strong. If you truly wish to protect the clan, what you need to train and develop is—”  

“Your eyes.”  

“Why? Why can’t I learn it? Shinji could!”  

Faced with Setsuna’s repeated rejection, Shisui bit his lip and pressed on stubbornly.  

However, instead of anger, Setsuna simply let out a helpless chuckle.  

“Kid, there is no such thing as an ‘S-rank forbidden sword technique.’”  

“The first page of Uchiha-ryu: Dance of the Solar Eclipse is the Fire Release Chakra Mode.”  

“The moment you first saw this technique and hesitated—choosing to focus on the later contents instead—you had already made your decision.”  

“And at the same time, the technique chose you.”  

“There are two paths.”  

“This is a choice that directly questions your heart.”  

“The so-called ‘S-rank forbidden technique’—there is no such thing. The scroll marks Fire Release Chakra Mode as A-rank only to reduce your fear of it. That ranking is a lie.”  

At this, Setsuna suddenly scoffed, as if amused by something, then continued with an air of disdain,  

“The techniques that follow? It doesn’t matter whether you learn them or not. They’re just remnants pieced together by the first user, Uchiha Naka—a hodgepodge of Fire Release and swordsmanship.”  

Shisui stood there, frozen in place, his mind blank.  

After a long silence,  

He lowered his head, clenching his fists.  

“Elder… I want to become like Shinji.”  

“But… does this mean I’ll never get to see the world the way he and you do?”  

“Hahahahahaha…”  

Setsuna suddenly burst into laughter—laughter filled with sorrow.  

“If you can’t always treat betting your life as the highest priority in battle, then you’d best not try to become someone like him!”  

He abruptly turned, his ghostly pale eyes locking onto Shisui with an icy glare. His voice was chilling as he warned,  

“And you’d best not wish to see the world we are destined to witness!”  

“This forbidden technique’s price—”  

“When both Sharingan eyes lose their light, when you fall into darkness, when you sink into the reversed current of the rift between worlds—what you will see will shatter everything you thought you knew!”  

“Even if you escape, you will spend your entire life drowning in regret, agony, and helplessness!”  

Under this oppressive, ice-cold gaze—one filled with indescribable sorrow—Shisui found it difficult to breathe.  

It was as if he could feel it.  

As if he had caught the faintest glimpse of that abyssal world.  

A chilling sensation surged up from the soles of his feet, spreading through his entire body.  

He stood frozen.  

Meanwhile, 

On the battlefield of the deep sea, where the sky had been pierced by an ominous black mushroom cloud—  

Uchiha Madara hovered before the Yasaka Magatama, gazing coldly at Shinji, who knelt inside the artifact, coughing up blood.  

Three Truth-Seeking Orbs shot forward, forming the Totsuka Spear, driving straight into the Yasaka Magatama!  

Crack!  

Crack!  

Crack!  

Dense cracks spread violently. Even a divine weapon could not withstand the sheer power of a single Truth-Seeking Orb—capable of reducing mountains to rubble!  

Boom!  

Madara suddenly flashed into the shattered remains, seizing Shinji by the throat and lifting him into the air.  

“You nearly succeeded.”  

“But…”  

Gazing into Shinji’s eyes with his purple Rinnegan, Madara’s voice echoed icily,  

“This is the difference between the Six Paths and mere mortals!”  

However—  

At that moment,  

Madara’s pupils shrank sharply.  

“You… aren’t real!?”  

“Cough… ha… ha…”  

Despite being strangled, Shinji grinned viciously.  

“…Idiot.”  

Forcing out those two words from his crushed throat, his head suddenly lolled to the side. His life force began vanishing at an alarming rate.  

Madara’s heart pounded violently. He crushed Shinji’s throat completely, letting his body fall limply to the ground—only for it to dissolve into a lifeless serpent corpse.  

Shinji…  

Had never piloted the six-hundred-meter-tall "final trump card" Gundam himself.  

A terrible premonition swelled in Madara’s chest.  

“Hiding his real body with Susanoo to obscure my Rinnegan’s detection… replacing himself with a snake clone…”  

“When did he—”  

Madara’s mind raced. Within half a second, he replayed every detail of their battle.  

“The very beginning!”  

“He bet his life on it!”  

(End of Chapter)