With the combined efforts of the Allied Shinobi Forces, and under the precise command of Nara Shikaku at headquarters, the battlefield had finally come under control.
Ohnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, seized the right moment and crushed the Second Tsuchikage with a decisive blow. The sealing team immediately rushed forward, binding the enemy without hesitation.
"Tsuchikage-sama is as formidable as ever! Your strength hasn't diminished at all!" Terumi Mei praised sincerely.
"Where!" Ohnoki groaned, wiping sweat from his brow. "I've nearly thrown my back out again!"
Though he complained, his heart swelled with pride. He had defeated not only a Kage of the previous generation, but also his own master. Did this mean he had finally surpassed them?
As for Terumi Mei and the other shinobi nearby? They had provided support, but the decisive strike had been his alone.
Terumi Mei smiled faintly, thinking to herself. He's certainly proud, but no matter how strong he is, hasn't he still been beaten to the ground by my husband before? She kept the thought to herself, and was just about to praise Ohnoki further when an indifferent voice cut across the battlefield.
"Ohnoki of the Two Scales! You've grown quite a bit. Even capable of defeating the Second Tsuchikage!"
The voice froze Terumi Mei in place. Whoever dared to call Ohnoki a "child" could only be a shadow from generations past. Trouble was brewing again.
But she failed to notice Ohnoki's reaction—his expression drained of all color, panic seizing him as cold sweat poured down his brow. That voice was one he could never forget. A voice that haunted his nightmares.
Slowly turning, Ohnoki beheld the towering figure standing atop the battlefield: long black hair flowing, arms crossed, gaze filled with disdain.
Uchiha Madara.
"It's really him!" Ohnoki's pupils constricted sharply, his heart sinking. "This… this will be troublesome."
Taking to the air, Ohnoki forced himself to confront him. "Impossible… I remember when you fought Lord Hashirama, your body turned completely to ash. How could you be summoned back?"
Madara smirked. "Naturally, I left contingencies."
"Contingencies?" Ohnoki sneered, though unease gnawed at him. "What does it matter? You're still being manipulated by someone through Edo Tensei."
He tried to mask his fear, forgetting for a moment just how terrifying Madara truly was.
"Hmph. Do you think mere Edo Tensei could bind me? How naïve." Madara's gaze sharpened. "And you dare speak to me in that tone? Have you forgotten the fear you once felt beneath my killing intent?"
Before Ohnoki could respond, Madara leapt down, hands flashing through seals.
"Let me remind you of my power"
"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"
A massive torrent of fire erupted from Madara's mouth, spreading into a blazing inferno that swallowed the battlefield. The searing heat warped the very air, scorching the land for dozens of meters around.
The shinobi forces in the distance gasped in horror.
"This—this is Fire Style!?"
"No, it's a sea of fire! Unbelievable power!"
Even at such a distance, they felt their hair singe from the heat.
And this was Madara's power at its weakest—merely testing the limits of his reincarnated body. Yet the devastation was overwhelming.
Allied Shinobi Forces Headquarters
At command, a giant sensory water sphere suddenly rippled violently.
A sensory ninja stiffened, eyes wide. "What is this!? This chakra… it far exceeds the Kage-levels we've faced before!"
He quickly reported the reading to Tsunade and Kaito.
The Hokage frowned. "The Kage of the past were already strong, but this chakra… it surpasses them all. Who could it be?"
Turning to her companion, she asked sharply, "Kaito, judging by your expression, you already know."
Ayanami Kaito crossed his arms. "Who else could it be? After me, no Kage who has mastered Yin–Yang Release could be reincarnated. The only one left… is Uchiha Madara, from the same era as your grandfather."
"What!?" Tsunade's voice broke in shock. "You're saying Uchiha Madara has been revived?"
Confirmation arrived a moment later from the front lines:
"Uchiha Madara has appeared on the battlefield! Engaging the Third Division!"
The name alone was enough to freeze the entire command center. A suffocating dread filled the room. Everyone here was elite, and they all knew the legend of Madara—Hashirama Senju's eternal rival, the god of battle.
"Damn it!" Tsunade slammed her fist onto the table, shaking it but not breaking it. Her teeth clenched in fury. She shot Kaito a glare. "You really guessed it!"
Snapping orders, she barked, "Send immediate reinforcements from the First, Second, and Fourth Divisions to support the Third!"
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" the ninja replied, rushing to carry out her command.
Kushina stepped forward. "Tsunade-sama, let Kaito handle this! He's not doing anything here. And hasn't he defeated Madara once already? If he did it once, he can do it again!"
Tsunade shook her head firmly. "No! Kaito's mission is to protect you. If he leaves, who will keep you safe? The masked man—Obito—still hasn't revealed himself. If he targets you, Sharingan is the perfect weapon against your tailed beast. We cannot risk it."
Her voice hardened with finality. "Besides, all five Kage are already on the field. We will handle this."
Kaito smirked faintly, shrugging. "Fine. Then Madara is yours. I won't interfere."
Though his tone was casual, his eyes held calm confidence. Madara was not yet a Ten Tails Jinchūriki, and even with the Rinnegan his power remained far from absolute. To Kaito, there was nothing to fear.