A powerful explosion's shockwave shook the Land of Rain, and even the Land of Fire, hundreds of miles away, felt the vibration as if a sudden earthquake had occurred.
Minato, Kakashi, and the others steadied themselves. After enduring the intense tremors, Kurenai asked in horror, "Minato-senpai, what... what on earth is this?"
"..."
Minato's expression became extremely grave.
Minato did not know the origin of this light that had descended from the heavens, but judging by the state of destruction, this was not a light of salvation, but an attack of annihilation and ruin.
Someone was launching a pillar of light from beyond the heavens to attack the Ninja World!
Perhaps his target was Madara.
Such an attack had already exceeded the scope of a Ninja's understanding; this was a power belonging to the gods.
"Could it be heavenly punishment?"
Minato could only speculate as such, while his long-held worldview began to gradually crumble.
If the Rinnegan existed, then the Sage of Six Paths must also exist, and true gods might be patrolling the Ninja World from above.
When they saw a person of great evil, they would unleash divine punishment!
But such divine punishment was surely too cruel! Judging by the shockwave of this explosion, a dozen surrounding towns were likely leveled, with countless casualties!
Was this still a god as benevolent as the Sage of Six Paths?
Perhaps... the essence of a god is coldness!
Minato wanted to go to the center of the explosion to see if Madara was actually dead.
But in the next second, Minato fainted directly.
"Minato-sensei?"
"Minato-senpai!"
Kakashi supported Minato, very puzzled as to why Minato would collapse just like he did.
They were fleeing for their lives; one couldn't just go to sleep whenever they wanted.
Minato's previous condition was very bad; having been attacked by Madara's Susanoo, he wasn't uninjured. He had only been holding on through sheer willpower.
Left with no choice, Kakashi temporarily took over command of the squad. He didn't dare go back to check the center of the explosion.
He could only carry Minato back to Konoha as quickly as possible for treatment.
Fortunately, they encountered a Konoha scout squad commanded by Shikaku. Among them was a high-level Medical Ninja from the Senju Clan...
A crater several dozen miles in diameter had appeared where the beam of light struck.
Because the Land of Rain was rich in water, this crater was slowly being filled by the surrounding water; perhaps it would become a lake in the future.
A long time passed.
In a ruin not far from the crater, Ryou used the Mayfly Technique to lead Konan and the others out from underground.
There weren't many people left in their group.
Ryou and his three Ninja Cats, Konan, Nagato, three members of the Akatsuki, plus two Jonin from Amegakure.
Previously, it was a grand confrontation with over a hundred people fighting; in the end, only these eight survived.
If one more team was eliminated, they'd get a "Chicken Dinner."
"..."
Everyone looked at the desolate world and fell into a deep silence.
"What—what on earth happened?"
Konan's face was pale, and she could barely stand.
Ryou lay on the ground and wailed, "My ancestor! My sage! Blown to bits!"
Madara was dead!
With such a massive attack, no different from a nuclear explosion, Ryou didn't believe that Madara, who was targeted by the Golden Wheel Rebirth Explosion on the ground, could survive.
One second Madara was invincible under heaven, the next second an enemy came from the heavens.
I told Madara not to use hacks, but he wouldn't listen, insisting on cheating like crazy. Now look what happened, he actually got banned!
Nagato, Konan, and the others looked at Ryou with some sympathy.
Now that Madara was dead, Ryou would be all alone from now on.
Without the Rinnegan, how could the Eye of the Moon Plan proceed?
Nagato couldn't help but fall into doubt.
Konan was about to crouch down to comfort Ryou, but Ryou suddenly started laughing amidst his crying.
"Madara is dead! From now on, I am no longer bound by anything!"
"This world is mine! Hahaha..."
At that moment, Ryou stood up and opened his arms to embrace the sky, like a caged bird that had gained its freedom.
"..."
Nagato and Konan withdrew their sympathy and shook their heads; they had still misjudged Ryou.
This guy is just a scumbag!
Ryou turned back and looked at Konan with a lewd smile.
Konan took a step back in fear, and Nagato blocked her path, looking coldly at Ryou.
"Uchiha Ryou, what do you plan to do?"
Ryou gave a perverted smile. "I don't eat beef!"
What did that mean?
It meant that Ryou was no longer under any restraint! He could do whatever he wanted now!
Ryou's Sharingan glared at Nagato. Taking advantage of the moment Nagato was controlled by genjutsu, he approached and absorbed all of Nagato's Chakra.
Nagato immediately collapsed on the ground, becoming like an impotent husband.
"Damn it, what do you want to do to Konan?"
Ryou slowly pressed toward Konan. Konan retreated in fear. "Uchiha Ryou, you bastard, what are you doing?"
Ryou smiled lewdly. "Konan, I'm not in the mood to play some Galgame raising sim with you right now. I just want your body!"
Konan pointed at Ryou's nose and cursed, "You beast! Without Uchiha Madara, you are now the greatest scourge of the Ninja World!"
"Curse me all you want! Either way, you'll be my slave from now on!"
"Kekeke..."
Ryou transformed into a cackling monster and lunged forward. Konan retreated step by step, while Nagato was like an impotent husband.
Candy, with a sweet in her mouth, watched Ryou's beastly behavior speechlessly.
As soon as Madara died, he didn't even wait a second before trying to force himself on Konan.
However, was Madara really dead?
Candy didn't quite believe that Madara would die so easily, even in an attack that seemed like heavenly punishment.
Candy activated her perception, searching the ground inch by inch.
"Uchiha Ryou, don't you dare hurt Konan!"
Daibutsu, Kyosuke, Kie, and the others had now completely seen Ryou's true character. This wasn't a human!
They had just blocked Ryou to protect Konan when, in the next second, Ryou revealed his Sharingan, and they instantly became like puppets.
Ryou looked at the last two remaining Kirigakure Jonin who could still move.
The two Amegakure Jonin looked at Ryou with fawning smiles.
"Ryou-sama, please take your time. We'll go keep watch for you right now!"
After the two Kirigakure Jonin ran off, there was no one left to save Konan.
She threw Paper Shuriken at Ryou. With a wave of his hand, Ryou knocked them away and then grabbed Konan.
Refined in an instant!
"Uchiha Ryou! You beast!"
"Candy, hurry up and hold her down for me. I'm finishing Konan off today!"
Suddenly, Konan stopped struggling. Looking behind Ryou, she froze.
"Uchiha Madara!"
A hand patted Ryou's shoulder. Ryou's entire being went stiff, every cell in his body trembling, feeling as if his strict father was looking at him with a club in hand.
He hurried to straighten Konan's clothes, caring for her like a kind-hearted man.
"Konan, are you hurt?"
"Wretch!" Madara barked coldly.
"Ancestor, you're not dead?"
Ryou knelt down immediately.
"You beast, I'll slaughter you!"
Madara condensed a club formed from Wood Release in his hand and gave Ryou's buttocks a sound thrashing.
Ryou howled in pain, his screams echoing... deep underground.
At this moment, Madara sat on the large hand of the Gedo Statue, which extended wooden tubes into Madara's body to sustain his life.
Madara's condition was very poor; his Ninja Armor had been blown away, and his entire body was heavily injured.
He had even lost an arm; from now on, the tubes could only be maintained through clones.
The one teaching Ryou a lesson on the surface earlier was Madara's Wood Clone, while his main body was healing below.
The Gedo Statue's condition was also poor; its lower half had been blown away.
At the moment of the explosion, Madara had controlled the Gedo Statue to protect himself.
Even so, he had sustained severe injuries.