Against Uchiha Madara, who possessed the Rinnegan, ordinary power was ineffective.
Even Ōnoki's Jinton (Dust Release) would struggle to land a hit on him.
If one wanted to contend with Madara, aside from the power of the Six Paths, only Mokuton (Wood Release) and the Sharingan could stand a chance.
For the past few years, Tsunade had been training her Wood Release, while Mikoto had been refining her dōjutsu (eye power).
Their original goal, of course, was to enhance their combat abilities to better maintain peace in the shinobi world.
The powers of Wood Release and the Sharingan had been granted to them by Orochimaru long ago, so they never had to rush their training.
And now, their opponent was Madara, the most naturally gifted shinobi in the history of the Uchiha clan.
Even the way he wielded Susanoo was unique.
By using the deep roots of the massive trees buried underground, he could create Wood Release clones beneath the surface and have those clones activate Susanoo from below.
This tactic allowed him to strike with unexpected precision.
Just now, had Tsunade and Mikoto's power not undergone a qualitative transformation, that attack wouldn't have been so easy to evade.
Fortunately, both of them had extensive battle experience, allowing them to narrowly escape.
Madara's Susanoo immediately entered its fourth form.
A towering blue chakra giant, now complete with legs!
The colossal warrior wielded a massive silver-white lightsaber, radiating an awe-inspiring presence.
In contrast, Mikoto's Susanoo was completely different from what one might expect.
Hers took the form of an oni warrior clad in feminine armor.
The spectral warrior was entirely pink, holding two gleaming silver rings in its hands.
Each ring, one in each hand, seemed to possess properties similar to Madara's silver-white lightsaber.
"A Mangekyō?"
Sensing the power Uchiha Mikoto exuded, Madara was visibly intrigued.
"I didn't expect a woman among the Uchiha's descendants to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"Enough talk." Mikoto's tone was unwavering. "You're not leaving here until Lord Orochimaru arrives!"
With a resolute gaze, she tightened her grip on the weapons under her control.
Though the pressure from Madara was immense, after years alongside Orochimaru, she had long since developed unshakable confidence.
"Orochimaru? Again with Orochimaru?"
Madara frowned slightly before his expression shifted into an exhilarated grin.
"Hah… The more I hear about this man, the more interested I become."
Even before his death, the name Orochimaru had been spoken to him countless times.
And now, after his resurrection, it was still the name he heard most often?
"According to the intel, Orochimaru helped this woman awaken her Mangekyō Sharingan."
Zetsu suddenly emerged next to Madara, offering his report.
"Helped awaken it? What do you mean?"
"He used scientific methods, eliminating the need for sacrificing loved ones."
"What?"
Madara's expression darkened.
Scientific methods?
A memory flashed through his mind, the moment before his death when he had crushed a small metal insect.
Relying on technology?
Could it be that that person back then was Orochimaru?
Madara's memory was impeccable. Even decades later, he recalled events with absolute clarity.
Boom!
While they spoke, a deafening explosion erupted across the battlefield.
The ground trembled as Madara's blue Susanoo dragged its lightsaber across the earth, carving a massive chasm in its wake.
"This Uchiha Madara… his power is absurdly overwhelming!"
A voice from outside the battlefield commented in mild astonishment.
Upon hearing it, Minato immediately turned his head.
His face lit up as he recognized the newcomer.
"Sensei?"
Jiraiya strolled over in his usual carefree manner, wooden clogs clacking against the ground, a massive scroll slung across his back.
Rasa and Mei greeted him with polite smiles.
Ōnoki and the Fourth Raikage acknowledged him with a brief nod, an unspoken gesture of familiarity.
After all, Jiraiya had lived in this city for two years. They all knew him well.
"Relax, I just came to watch the show."
Jiraiya waved off their reactions before shifting his gaze to the battlefield, where Tsunade was locked in combat.
"By the way, this is the first time I've ever seen Tsunade use Wood Release."
"Same here," Minato agreed.
"But what surprised me even more was just how strong Mikoto-senpai is!"
Jiraiya crossed his arms. "Orochimaru must have done a lot of experimenting on them."
After a pause, he scratched his white hair with frustration.
"Damn it… I'm so jealous of that bastard Orochimaru."
Minato blinked in confusion.
"…Jealous?"
He clearly had no idea where Jiraiya's thoughts had suddenly leapt.
Jiraiya ignored him, his expression suddenly looking rather pitiful.
"That damn snake… I could tolerate him having wives, but Tsunade not stopping him?!"
His voice wavered. "This isn't the Tsunade I know!"
Jiraiya looked like he was on the verge of tears.
For him, Tsunade allowing Orochimaru to be with multiple women was the biggest heartbreak he had endured since moving to the Frost Country.
How had Tsunade, once so headstrong and prideful, been tamed by Orochimaru to this extent?
Jiraiya was both envious and bitter.
Minato awkwardly scratched his head.
"Oh… I see…"
Even at a time like this, his teacher was still thinking about something so trivial?
What a carefree mindset.
But at that moment, a particular image flashed in Minato's mind, a figure with vibrant red hair.
…Uzumaki Kushina.
She had been his dream girl.
Ever since Kushina and Orochimaru left Konoha, he had felt a lingering emptiness.
But what could he do?
Back when they were in Konoha, Kushina would always run off to Orochimaru's house whenever she had free time, leaving him with no chance to get close to her.
And after she left the village, she never returned.
If anything, this was what bonded him and Jiraiya as master and disciple.
Both of them had their dream lovers stolen.
They were, in a way, kindred spirits in suffering.
Boom!
Another thunderous explosion shook the battlefield.
At the end of the day, Madara's clones were just that—clones.
Even though they could use Susanoo, their combat prowess was far inferior to the original.
Of the two Wood Release clones he had created, one was now completely immobilized by Tsunade's massive entangling branches.
The other was ensnared by Mikoto's chakra rings, locked around its neck.
After being pulled to the ground, several deep cuts had already broken through its defenses.
"There's still a chance!"
Madara folded his arms, standing firm.
"Since you say that he will be coming, then I won't leave."
He spread his hands apart and formed a new series of hand seals.
Immediately, from the tree trunks at his feet, countless identical figures began emerging.
"Another round of Wood Release clones?"
"Damn it, the number this time is insane!"
"It's fine." Tsunade cracked her knuckles.
"I'll wipe them out in one move!"
***
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