A single Majestic Destroyer Flame had practically routed the allied forces. Under the absolute, overbearing power of his Fire Style, Uchiha Madara radiated a terrifying pressure that seemed to suffocate the very air.
With Madara closing in, Hagoromo Suzumi had no path of retreat. She gripped the Amanonuhoko, channeling a violent surge of wind and lightning.
From a distance, Shiraishi watched with genuine curiosity. "The functions of that spear are quite impressive. It can summon storms and manipulate the weather at will."
"A pity her opponent is Uchiha Madara," the Snake Queen remarked. "Using the Amanonuhoko like a mere weather vane is a tragic waste of its potential."
As the supreme weapon of the Sage of the Six Paths—a divine artifact of the Heavenly Way—its true form and power were clearly beyond the reach of the current Hagoromo clan.
If it were used purely for environmental bombardment, it would actually be inferior to the other Sage tools like the Banana Fan or the Seven Star Sword.
Suzumi's desperate assault was, in Madara's eyes, utterly fragile. Growing impatient with the interference from Reto and Queen Sari, a surge of scorching chakra erupted around him.
Fire Style: Dragon Flame Song Technique!
Four massive fire dragons surged from all directions. An advanced evolution of the Great Fire Dragon, these beasts lunged with gnashing teeth and exploding sparks. Reto attempted to summon a sand shield, but it was forcibly torn open, a fire dragon lunging straight for his throat.
Just then, a thin layer of sand with a metallic luster swirled up from the ground, blocking the lethal strike for Reto.
Who moved?
That level of sand manipulation was superior even to the three main sand-using clans of the era. Were the two "spectators" finally stepping in?
Because Shiraishi and the Snake Queen were watching like tigers stalking prey, Madara hadn't committed his full focus to the trio before him.'
Of the four fire dragons, the last one was aimed directly at a Hagoromo member standing dangerously close to Shiraishi's position.
The dragon incinerated the youth instantly, but its momentum didn't fade—it roared toward Shiraishi and the Snake Queen.
"Of the four, this one is the strongest. Madara doesn't trust us," Shiraishi noted.
Seeing the Snake Queen's amused "spectator" expression, Shiraishi sighed and activated his Sage Mark. Amidst a shimmer of water membranes and blue butterfly afterimages, he effortlessly neutralized the dragon's heat.
Madara's eyes flickered with a hint of surprise. The depth of Ryuchi Cave is truly unfathomable. A mere human attendant following that old snake possesses such formidable Sage power...
Queen Sara was not so lucky. The right side of her face was scorched, her screams echoing through the ruins as she glared at Madara with eyes full of pure, unadulterated hatred.
"Damnable monster!"
Suzumi, barely offsetting the dragon's force with the spear, suddenly found Madara standing directly in front of her. His Sharingan had long since shifted into the Eternal Mangekyo, glowing with a predatory crimson light.
To end the fight quickly, Madara threw a punch imbued with raw, tyrannical force. Hundreds of talismans instantly swirled around Suzumi, releasing a dazzling, kaleidoscopic light. This was Hagoromo's signature defense, a shifting maze of seals that had frustrated many a foe.
But Madara didn't flinch. A pillar of flame erupted around him, incinerating the talismans before they could even trigger.
He destroyed them before the activation sequence completed? Is his hand speed even human?
"Is this the extent of the Hagoromo's pride?" Madara sneered.
Nearby, a Uchiha shinobi cleaved through a Hagoromo clansman's skull, shouting with feverish devotion, "Your talismans are impressive, but before Lord Madara, they are nothing more than scrap paper!"
Over the last three years, the Hagoromo had been hunted so ruthlessly by the Senju and Uchiha that their elite were gone.
Only children and the elderly remained. Unlike Hashirama, Madara believed in pulling weeds out by the roots; no one was spared mercy for their age.
In fact, Senju Tobirama had insisted that Madara lead this final purge instead of Hashirama. The Senju wanted the Uchiha to be the executioners of this blood debt.
For a village to be founded, the first Hokage had to be seen as a merciful savior. By keeping Madara's hands soaked in blood, Tobirama ensured that Madara would never be a viable candidate for the leadership of the village.
Tobirama had convinced his brother that Madara wanted to shoulder this burden to "help" Hashirama. The "great wisdom appearing as folly," Hashirama simply smiled and agreed, happy to have a brother and a friend to share his troubles.
Mercy was necessary for the vision. Executioners were necessary for the reality.
Hagoromo had to go. Their talismans were a threat, and their spear was too dangerous. By erasing the symbols of their power, Tobirama intended to ensure history forgot they ever existed.
This massacre served as a warning to the Hyuga and other clans: join Konoha, or share the Hagoromo's fate.
"The blood debt between the Hagoromo and the Leaf didn't end here," Shiraishi whispered. "The rebellion of Kinkaku and Ginkaku in the future is just the continuation of this slaughter."
Back in the center of Roran, Suzumi was coughing up blood. Faced with Madara's relentless pressure, even the divine spear couldn't hold the line.
As she watched more of her kin fall, she finally bit her tongue. Her blood transformed into intricate seals across her skin, and the six whisker-like marks on her face grew pronounced—the symbol of the purest Sage bloodline.
If we cannot escape, Madara, then we go to hell together!
The Amanonuhoko exploded with terrifying radiance. Under a shroud of crimson chakra, a massive blood-red flow of energy surged toward Madara—an attack that felt as if the Heavenly Sword itself had regained its soul.
"Foolish."
Madara didn't dodge. His Eternal Mangekyo spun, and his Susanoo manifested into its second form. Massive blue magatama gems condensed in the air.
Yasaka no Magatama!
The gems were hurled like colossal shuriken. The impact was like a star collapsing; the explosion shattered Suzumi's desperate charge, sending her and the spear flying. They crashed into the dirt directly in front of Shiraishi and the Snake Queen.
Madara didn't immediately move toward the spear. The Magatama had pierced Suzumi's chest in multiple places, ending the fight.
Dying, she clutched the Amanonuhoko with a white-knuckled grip, refusing to let go. As the leader of a dying titan, she lacked the talent of Hashirama or Madara, but her spirit was unbroken.
Then, Madara snorted. His eyes focused with a terrifying, mirrored ripple.
In an instant, the scene "reset."
Suzumi was indeed dead in the distance, but the Amanonuhoko she had been holding was gone.
Shiraishi, meanwhile, stood there with a casual air, though the spear was clearly now in his possession. Several Hagoromo corpses had also vanished.
Madara crossed his arms, his eyes like those of a hawk watching a thief. He ignored the dying screams around him and stared straight at the Snake Queen and Shiraishi.
"To use illusions and petty theft in front of these eyes... should I interpret this as a provocation, O Sage of Ryuchi Cave?"
In the law of the battlefield, the spoils of the loser belong to the victor—the Hidden Leaf. Shiraishi's behavior was a direct slap to the face.
"This has nothing to do with me," the Snake Queen laughed, stepping back with effortless grace. "He is acting on his own initiative. I remain strictly neutral."
She had sold Shiraishi out without a second's hesitation.
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed. Claim early access on Patreon: Patreon.com/kazama677
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:💬 10 reviews ignite 1 bonus chapter🔷 60 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.