191-195

Chapter 191: The Butterfly Effect Begins 

Nagato's brow furrowed at Itachi's words. Just as he was about to speak, Konan's figure appeared. This left him astonished. What kind of jutsu is this? It's absurd! 

Even Itachi hadn't expected that as his power increased and his visual prowess skyrocketed, his previously uncontrollable genjutsu would finally become obedient. 

And as both of them were lost in thought... 

The white clouds in the sky rapidly began to change. Thunder boomed, and the white clouds quickly turned black, as if they had been "corrupted." The lightning snakes in the sky made Itachi's scalp tingle. He could feel a deadly threat from above. 

"Thank you..." Nagato looked at the somewhat dazed Konan. After scanning with his perception and finding nothing wrong, he softly thanked her. He felt nothing about the thunder in the sky. It was as if nothing could capture his attention. 

Konan, however, saw the anomaly in the sky as soon as she appeared and was somewhat stunned, not understanding what was happening. She had an uneasy feeling. This ominous sixth sense made her scared, and even her thoughts became sluggish. Plus, the lingering dreamlike sensation from escaping the Tsukuyomi space continued to engulf her. 

"Konan, let's go..." Nagato, who was about to leave, noticed Konan was still in a daze and spoke a bit louder. He felt a slight hint of displeasure. Did Konan not want to go with him? Did she want to stay with Itachi? This made him feel a pang of jealousy. 

"Uh... alright... okay..." Konan's ears, which had been somewhat deafened by the roaring thunder, finally heard Nagato's voice when the thunder paused. She quickly responded. 

Nagato saw Konan finally snap out of it and said nothing more. He turned his wheelchair, preparing to return to their hideout. He wondered how long they had been gone, how much time had passed, or if it was still exactly as they had left it. Seeing this, Konan walked forward, gripping the handlebars on the back of Nagato's wheelchair, then turned back and gave Itachi a grateful look. Everything was unsaid. If not for that bad premonition, she would have been very happy. Both of them were fine and had returned... Wasn't that something to celebrate? 

Itachi didn't notice Konan's gaze. He was just staring blankly at the sky. He didn't know when, but the black clouds seemed to be less than a thousand meters away from him now, exerting immense pressure. Of course, this was just humanity's awe and illusion towards nature, like worrying about nothing. But then, he felt a shiver down his spine. 

This was because he felt like he was being watched. An intense sense of danger washed over him. It made him afraid to make any move, not even to blink. He feared that even the slightest wrong move would create an opening, and then he would face a power that could easily kill him. His relied-upon Flying Thunder God, though usable for one or two medium-range teleports at this moment, couldn't give him any sense of security. Because he felt like he was locked on. 

Who knew how long passed, Itachi felt like half a century had gone by before that feeling of a blade at his back slowly dissipated. He let out a slight sigh of relief. His back was already soaked, drenched in his sweat. It just showed how intense it had been for Itachi. 

In a cave, Black Zetsu, who had been looking at his notes, suddenly froze, then his eyes glazed over. After a long while... he felt as if he had just woken from a dream, with an inexplicable memory added to his mind. It seemed to be a scene and memory from that dream. 

"What is this? Why do I feel like I've forgotten some things, yet remember others...?" Black Zetsu's voice sounded faintly; he was utterly confused. The roaring outside was loud, but he had no interest in looking. In his opinion, it was just a downpour. Right, a downpour... In the sky, raindrops finally appeared, pattering down. Soon, it turned into a torrential rain. 

With the feeling of being watched gone, Itachi's relief turned into a heavy heart. He speculated about the owner of that gaze. Several names came to mind: Hagoromo, Isshiki, or even an extraterrestrial visitor... But no matter who it was, he wasn't ready yet. 

By a lake, a man in a straw cloak and hat was fishing. Suddenly, he froze, then his eyes showed a mix of surprise and uncertainty. Just now, he had felt a sensation of being watched. But he couldn't pinpoint who was watching. 

"Izuna! We should leave this place!" The man took off his hat and tossed it aside, revealing a handsome yet domineering face. He shouted. 

"Big Brother, go on, do what you must. I think I've reached the realm you spoke of..." A white-haired old man appeared beside the man. The old man wore a green robe, his hands clasped behind his back. His face was weathered and full of wrinkles. And the old man's eyes were completely white! The old man calling the young man "Big Brother" was a bizarre sight that no one could witness. 

"Really!" The young man's face was filled with surprise and excitement at the old man's words. His dark eyes were full of joy. Watching his younger brother grow older day by day, Madara finally couldn't bear it when Izuna turned thirty. He injected his own still-incomplete body cells into Izuna's body. 

And after creating the village with Hashirama, he had been searching for Itachi's figure—the person who had given him immense help yet appeared and disappeared like a ghost. He was waiting, waiting for that man to appear. Itachi told him to grow stronger quickly so he could be his opponent; he would surely come to find him... 

But he never appeared. Finally, one day, he felt the village was boring. He couldn't become Hokage anyway, so he just had a casual fight with Hashirama and faked his death to escape. Izuna, after being injected with the cells, had been unconscious for seven or eight years. Madara had already moved him away. He had been wandering outside, searching for Itachi. His strength had reached a legendary realm, and he also wanted to find Itachi quickly to see what the next path was. 

Finally, one day, he discovered a shocking truth... that Itachi was his descendant! His "Big Brother" was a little kid. While disappointed, he also found it somewhat interesting. At the same time, he began to scheme about the Tailed Beasts, while waiting for his so-called "Big Brother" to grow up, and researching his own way forward. But he was already tired of being on the front lines. So he devised a series of interlocking plans. When he saw Obito... a masked figure appeared in his mind. This was his Rinnegan's prediction ability. Though not strong, it was very reliable. So he tricked Obito to get revenge for past grievances. And at the same time, performed a "cicada shedding" (a feigned death). 

However, he never knew how Itachi went to his time period. Until that day arrived. Itachi was being ganged up on... Just as he wanted to help from a distance... that group of people disappeared. Since then... he had been fishing here every day, sensing the situation in the Land of Wind. 

In a way, history had changed. The moment Itachi told the exceptionally talented Madara about the future path, the future was already altered beyond recognition. And Obito, who originally wanted to kill Madara, also attracted animosity... and was dealt with by Madara himself. If Obito found out the future was truly changed, who knows how he would feel...? Perhaps he wouldn't know what to do either... because even if he killed Madara, others would appear. His fate might still turn out this way. 

And he couldn't appear in his younger self's time... because if his future self and his historical self appeared in the same time period, one of them would suffer irreversible damage... just like the Three-Tails in his Kamui dimension. However, as the saying goes, "Of the Heavenly Dao's forty-nine, one escapes." The general trend cannot be changed, but minor details can be altered, and there is a glimmer of hope. The future and history collide. The destinies of Madara, Izuna, and others were changed due to Itachi's impulsive, or rather, careless actions. But the overall trend still hasn't changed much. Perhaps it was a thought, or perhaps it was destiny. The future will ultimately head in a similar direction. 

Chapter 192: Imminent Catastrophe 

"Train hard..." Madara patted the shoulder of his still elderly younger brother, Izuna, speaking with a hint of helplessness. He hoped Izuna could break through to that next level... Watching Izuna leave, Madara glanced at the uncollected straw hat and fishing gear on the ground. He took off his straw cloak and gave a deep look at this blessed sanctuary. It was time for him to act... Itachi had returned... He had just felt a sense of being observed, so his pawn was due for its final act. If it weren't for his personal interest and some predictions from the Rinnegan, he would never have let an outsider use his Rinnegan. 

After Itachi's return, these amusements naturally became a bit dull. He needed to reclaim his Rinnegan and have a talk with Itachi. Thinking back to the young man decades ago, who acted so arrogantly and forced him to call him "Big Brother," Madara smiled. He found it quite amusing. He wondered what his "Big Brother" would think seeing him still alive... Madara mused mischievously, yet his face remained stern and full of dignity. 

"Six points, Big Brother! You lost again..." Two old men sat facing each other in a pavilion on a mountaintop. The spinning dice in front of the two elderly men, well past their prime, stopped... 

"Damn it, how did I lose again...? And to lose by only one point, that's just absurd!" The losing elder said with annoyance, complaining. 

"Alright, a loss is a loss. For the next three years, you're staying put here quietly. You already said it, we can't interfere with Konoha's affairs anymore..." Tobirama stood with his arms crossed. Although old and his skin like chicken skin, covered in wrinkles, the occasional glint in his eyes was striking, indicating he was no ordinary man. 

"Tobirama, wasn't it just that I didn't let you save our clan members back then? Do you really have to hold a grudge about it even now?" Hashirama said, drawing circles with a branch. 

Tobirama was perfectly happy being Hokage, then Hashirama would periodically send letters, telling him how wonderful and fun the outside world was... Tobirama wasn't one to be lonely... He never really had much interest in being Hokage, but after his brother feigned death by taking it easy, he came back and started plotting again. After a few months, Tobirama was actually convinced by his increasingly fragile acting, and then Hashirama supposedly passed away, changing his identity and gallivanting around outside. Meanwhile, Tobirama was left with the headache of being Hokage... Just when he started to find it interesting, dealing with the Uchiha, his brother tirelessly wrote him letters, talking about the changes in the outside world and the vast sky... It completely shattered his resolve... And that was when the major villages learned of Hashirama's death and were preparing for a large war to redivide territories... 

He repelled the allied forces, and the long-awaited bloodshed left him feeling somewhat weary and increasingly bored. So, in another accidental plan... after a show of entrusting his will to others, he went to find his elder brother... Only to discover that his brother was just bored playing alone and had tricked him into coming along as a playmate... Being stuck with a brother like that was truly frustrating... And this brother was a bit off in the head... He told him not to target the Uchiha clan and that his own clan members should intermarry with commoners and remain in Konoha for a long time. As for the clan members with too much hatred, he told him to manage them strictly. 

Naturally, he ignored it... And when he entrusted his will, he also forgot to mention this matter... Not long after, problems arose. The Senju clan was in trouble; those clan members who held too much hatred and refused to intermarry to preserve the Senju bloodline were about to be wiped out. Tobirama couldn't sit still and prepared to go out, but he was tricked by his brother. He vaguely remembered back then... 

"Tobirama, you can't go. You're already dead; you can't meddle in ninja world affairs anymore..." 

"Big Brother, they're our clan members!" Tobirama, clad in his battle attire, said unhappily, preparing to ignore his crazy older brother... 

"How about this, if you beat me, you go. If you lose... you stay here quietly for three years..." Hashirama held two dice in his hands... Tobirama, remembering his brother's luck, immediately understood his brother's intention. It turned out this big brother was just sticking to his principles; with his brother's skill, he would lose ten out of ten bets, it wouldn't be too obvious that he was throwing the game... So, he misunderstood... 

He lost... Afterwards, he found out that his brother had cheated... So, Hashirama had been sealed by Tobirama ever since... Sealed on this mountaintop, bored out of his mind. Truly loving brothers... 

"Konan, you should go back first..." Nagato, being pushed in his wheelchair by Konan, put his hand on the wheel and spoke to Konan... 

"But..." Hearing Nagato, Konan was confused. But before she could finish speaking, Nagato shook his head. 

"Konan, don't worry, just fly. I'll push my own wheelchair." 

"Go back to the organization first and check on things. I want to go somewhere," Nagato said softly, seeing Konan's puzzled look. 

"Alright then, but hurry back! I can't keep those eccentric guys in line on my own..." Konan looked at Nagato's eyes as he looked back and saw those invincible eyes, and her mood lightened. 

Seeing Konan activate her paper wings and fly away, Nagato gripped the wheels tightly, his heart far from calm... It wasn't until Konan was out of sight that Nagato finally let out a slow breath... Good, Konan got away successfully. I was so nervous just now... 

"Come out..." After Konan left, Nagato felt like he was facing a great enemy, especially since his current state wasn't very good. 

"I let your woman leave. Are you prepared now, Nagato...?" A voice as calm as a lake, yet gentle, resonated. The tone, however, was filled with surging waves. 

"Who are you?" Nagato turned his wheelchair, looking at the handsome man whose aura seemed to solidify around him. Those indifferent eyes made his heart race. What kind of person would possess such eyes? 

"Uchiha Madara." Madara said with his arms crossed, his tone flat. Yet, it was like a thunderclap echoing in Nagato's heart. Especially the aura emanating from Madara; it was so oppressive that even his breathing became difficult... What the hell is this? Can someone tell him why there's another Madara? And this Madara... Just a few words and a look, and he felt his heart pound, strangely awestruck, daring not to meet his gaze... He possessed the eyes of a Sage! 

"Another person claiming to be Uchiha Madara..." Nagato's heart was already filled with dread, but years of leadership allowed him to appear less flustered. Even if his heart was like the surface of the sea, rippling constantly, almost boiling, unable to suppress this turmoil. 

Madara did not answer Nagato's words. It seemed he was tired today and didn't feel like talking much. Or perhaps, to him, Nagato was just a pawn about to be discarded, so why bother with more words? 

It seems like Nagato is in for a rude awakening, doesn't it? What do you think will happen next, now that Madara has truly made his move? 

Chapter 193: Hashirama, Madara 

"Why are you looking for me?" 

Madara's aura made Nagato incredibly wary. His current state wasn't ideal, and if he could avoid it, he truly didn't want to start a fight. He had a premonition that once this battle began, he was basically done for. Cultivators reaching a certain level often develop this kind of sensing – an upgraded version of the average person's sixth sense: danger perception. 

Madara looked at Nagato and fell silent. Bullying a junior was certainly not his intention. 

"Are those eyes comfortable to use? It's time they returned to their rightful owner..." Madara didn't beat around the bush; he spoke plainly. His opening words were a bombshell. 

And upon hearing Madara's words, Nagato instantly bristled. He had suspected that these eyes weren't quite right, but hearing it from the man in front of him, he actually believed it. Even if he didn't want to, he just believed it. And his past suspicions were finally confirmed. But then, he became bewildered. If he lost these eyes, what would he have left...? Nothing at all... If he didn't have this power, how could he protect Konan? How could he revive Yahiko? 

"..." 

"Can you tell me, why me?" 

After a moment of thought, Nagato quickly began recovering his chakra. There was no way he was giving them back; he could only speed up his chakra recovery to see if he could escape. He had a premonition that he was no match for this man. The man's oppressive aura was too strong; he had never felt it from anyone before this man appeared. 

"Because your physique is good enough to handle these eyes, that's all. There's no other reason," Madara said calmly, looking at Nagato. His eyes were placid, yet filled with utter indifference. Having lived to his age and reached his level of power, besides Izuna and Hashirama who could slightly stir his hardened heart, nothing else could make him feel a ripple of emotion. 

"Just because of that...?" Nagato, despite having suspected it, still looked bewildered after hearing Madara's answer. He saw an even more brutal and dark side of this world, making it difficult for him to breathe for a moment, feeling immensely uncomfortable. 

"Alright, I've used you for so long, telling you the answer is compensation, I suppose..." 

"Tell me your answer." Madara grew impatient, his brow furrowing slightly. He hadn't spoken this much in a long time, and it felt uncomfortable. 

"My answer..." Nagato murmured. 

"Ultra Almighty Push!" Nagato, who was halfway through his sentence, suddenly exploded, unleashing an Almighty Push that consumed a massive amount of his life force. Knowing he couldn't drag this out any longer, he could only opt for a sudden attack. He also figured that if his eyes belonged to the opponent, then the opponent's combat strength would surely be greatly reduced... Maybe he could even kill the opponent and become the true owner of these eyes! Nagato thought to himself, his Rinnegan glowing purple. Let Nagato surrender? Impossible! 

"Impressive power..." 

After the massive repulsive force, the sand, drenched by the heavy rain, was pushed down more than ten meters. The distant sand dunes were blasted apart, and there was no longer any raised ground nearby. Just as Nagato stared intently at the dust-filled area ahead, preparing to see how this "Madara" was doing, a faint voice came through... 

It was very soft... yet it felt like a heavy hammer, striking Nagato's heart. 

His most powerful technique... ineffective? How is that possible? 

Such a powerful technique; almost no one could withstand it, except for Itachi's monstrous giant and his Flying Thunder God, which allowed him to escape. But this man in front of him hadn't dodged or used any other means. He had simply taken the hit head-on... This was ridiculous. How could there be such a powerful person in this world? Or rather, he was no longer human... He was a true god. 

The sandstorm raised in the air drifted into the distance. The surrounding sand settled back down, forming a flat sandy ground. Uchiha Madara stood motionless in place, a peculiar black shield in front of him. At this moment, Uchiha Madara's entire body was stark white, and he was clad in a white robe, with individual magatama symbols on its collar. Four small black orbs floated behind his back, slowly rotating, looking exceptionally extraordinary. 

"He changed his clothes in the middle of a fight? And what's with that skin color...?" Nagato was utterly bewildered. 

Compared to the commotion here, the Land of Waves was a bit boring. Naruto and Sasuke were ganging up on Zabuza. Suddenly, Sasuke, who was attacking Zabuza, froze, his body trembling. A faint sense of fear welled up in his heart—an instinctive fear from deep within his body. And the two tomoe spinning in his eyes immediately evolved into three tomoe. His powerful kekkei genkai directly evolved... And it didn't stop there; his physique was rapidly strengthening. Sasuke felt his body unable to move, and the continuously surging power left him bewildered, not understanding what was happening. 

Zabuza, who had been pushed back by the duo's coordinated attacks, suddenly felt the pressure lighten. For some reason, one of the brats suddenly stopped fighting, leaving him confused. But he wasn't about to miss this golden opportunity; he kicked Naruto's fist, using Naruto's momentum to fly backward. Naruto saw this and didn't stop him; instead, he looked at Sasuke. He had naturally noticed Sasuke's unusual state. And an unknown power within him also became a bit more active. 

"To think that the wills of Indra and Asura have been sent into the cycle of reincarnation again..." In the Pure Land, the Sage of Six Paths murmured, looking at Naruto and Sasuke. His voice was very faint, but his expression was incredibly serious. Constant reincarnation was the destiny of his two sons, but their current incarnations hadn't died, yet his two sons' wills had entered a new cycle of reincarnation—this was highly unusual. It left him somewhat bewildered. However, the Rinnegan's predictive abilities were limited, and he didn't know exactly what had happened. Moreover, it had happened too long ago. Thoughts surged in his mind, and he channeled some energy into Naruto and Sasuke's bodies, enhancing their strength. After all, it looked like something big was about to happen. Naruto and Sasuke were his pawns. If the pawns were too weak, they wouldn't be able to change anything, and that was something he couldn't tolerate. 

"Madara's chakra signature? After so many years of dormancy, why would Madara appear now?" In a mountain pavilion, the two who had been meditating on ninja arts opened their eyes. Hashirama's somewhat clouded eyes radiated a sharp gleam. It was a light filled with happiness, excitement, nostalgia, and anger. 

"Big Brother..." 

"Don't you dare stop me, or I'll punch you!" Just as Tobirama began to speak, before he could finish, Hashirama's relaxed skin quickly filled out, and he swiftly returned to his prime. His glare at Tobirama was especially imposing. 

It seems things are heating up now that Madara's made his grand entrance! What do you think will happen next, with the Sage of Six Paths getting involved and Hashirama ready to throw down? 

TChapter 194: Nagato's Setback, A Battle of Different Leagues 

Seeing Hashirama like this, Tobirama's heart was a mix of emotions, damn it... 

"Train hard here... strive to break through the Kage-level limit before your lifespan ends," Hashirama said softly to a somewhat bewildered Tobirama. To avoid putting too much pressure on his younger brother, he had always suppressed his own life force, letting his body age naturally, just like Tobirama's. Now that Madara had appeared, he couldn't sit still anymore... He wanted to go out and play... His current state was his prime, and he was also worried Madara might not recognize him, which would be a bit awkward... 

"Oh..." Hearing his brother Hashirama's words, Tobirama could only respond with a touch of dejection. He was basically in the same state as Izuna now. However, he wasn't really in the mood to cultivate; he spent his days looking around, unable to settle down. He felt a bit tired... 

But now that Madara had appeared, his thoughts changed. Madara was Tobirama's lifelong rival! If he died of old age, his older brother would surely be played around with by Madara. Thinking this, Tobirama felt a surge of energy. He was ready to break through this Kage-level bottleneck. The motivation instantly returned... 

Seeing Tobirama actually being obedient, a hint of joy flashed in Hashirama's eyes. He didn't have much obsession with cultivation or many thoughts about the length of his life. However, if Madara wasn't dead, he certainly wouldn't die... He didn't want to leave Madara alone in this cold world... After all these years, the rift in Madara's heart should have disappeared by now... Perhaps they could fight side by side now... 

"What is this...?" Nagato's mouth was slightly agape, his eyes wide, a look of utter disbelief on his face. A deep sense of powerlessness corroded his mind, and he even forgot how to fly... He genuinely couldn't think of any way to deal with the Madara in front of him... It was too absurd... 

"Truth-Seeking Orb... It's a shame you possess the Rinnegan yet can't perceive its true power... But then again, there isn't another Uchiha Madara in this world." Madara looked at Nagato's expression with satisfaction. Although he no longer indulged in such trivial feelings of superiority, it still felt incredibly good... 

Madara's words left Nagato silent. The true power of the Rinnegan, huh...? He had to pay a price just to use the Rinnegan normally... How could he perceive it? Was he supposed to risk his life for it? No one could know the frustration in Nagato's heart. He looked blankly at the world behind Madara... Perhaps he wouldn't see it again in the future... 

"I can spare your life. You can put on a pair of ordinary eyes and still see," Madara said faintly, seemingly sensing Nagato's inner thoughts. Although this brat was a bit of a letdown, he had still managed to spread the fearsome reputation of the Rinnegan. Hearing Madara's words, Nagato gave a bitter smile... If he lost this power, what meaning would his life have? Nagato looked at Yahiko beside him, lost in thought, as if a thousand years had passed in an instant... 

"I have one more technique..." Nagato spoke softly, his chakra and life force rapidly being drained from his body. A black sphere condensed in his hand... It was the Chibaku Tensei... His movements were slow, as if he were using it for the very first time... 

What was his mood when he first used such a powerful jutsu? Perhaps he was full of vigor... Thinking he was a god in this world... But now, it was mostly bitterness, wasn't it? The debt collector had come knocking... And he was completely no match for this debt collector... To use the opponent's eyes to try and defeat the opponent, how ridiculous was that? 

"Oh, that thing, huh?" Madara looked at the black sphere in Nagato's hand, lost in thought. He didn't possess that technique... He understood the principle of the technique and could probably perform it, but the intensity wouldn't be very good. It wouldn't be as interesting as his own Tengai Shinsei. 

The black sphere, in Nagato's deep eyes, shot into the sky like a meteor. "Chibaku Tensei!" Nagato's pale face gained a temporary flush of color, like a final surge of life. The heavy rain was instantly sucked into the black sphere, and the surrounding thousand meters turned into a world without rain... like two different worlds compared to the pouring rain outside. Madara stood calmly in place, arms crossed. It was as if an invisible umbrella shielded him, and his clothes remained completely dry. 

The black sphere ascended, piercing through the accumulated black clouds and thunderclouds, revealing a circular opening of light. The land beneath this opening was illuminated as if by a scorching sun... But when this suction began to intensify... the rampaging thunder dragons began to stir, as if provoked. The wet sand on the ground was pulled upwards, flying into the sky... Nagato felt helpless; this was a desert, so his Chibaku Tensei would be greatly diminished... But what else could he do...? Beginning with the Rinnegan, ending with the Rinnegan, perhaps that wasn't so bad... 

Through the Deva Path's eyes, Nagato looked deeply in the direction Konan had left... That day was also a day of heavy rain... That day, Yahiko died... Today was also a rainy day... And he, too, had reached the end of his path... "Konan, you must live well. If you can, find an ordinary person to marry... Then raise a family and enjoy the simple joys of a normal life..." Blood spilled from Nagato's mouth; he didn't look at the Chibaku Tensei in the sky. The thin film over his head flickered continuously, then dissipated. His body was being drawn into the Chibaku Tensei... He wanted to be buried by his own technique... 

"Right... And this..." Nagato's body, which had lifted off the ground, paused. He suddenly remembered an old companion... After performing a quick hand seal, the Gedo Mazo appeared... He and the Deva Path stood side-by-side on the Gedo Mazo... as if they were going to face death with Yahiko. 

Madara calmly watched this scene without moving. It seemed he wanted to grant Nagato's wish... But then he was stunned; Nagato actually reached towards his own eye sockets. Nagato's words made his eyes burn with fury. 

"Since you gave me the Rinnegan, I'll take it with me... to bring a perfect end to the so-called Eyes of the Sage..." Nagato spoke calmly... preparing to gouge out his eyes... 

"Brat, how dare you!" Madara's body floated into the air, rushing towards Nagato like lightning... A flicker of emotion appeared in Nagato's eyes... 

This is my last resort... If it fails, it really is over... Nagato, seeing that Chibaku Tensei was useless, had already planned his final move... His previous actions, expressions, and demeanor were all a pretense. His goal was to make Madara show an opening, to leave that shield... However, he truly had no information on those Truth-Seeking Orbs... he had no idea how to attack them... He wondered if those small spheres would be difficult to deal with... As Madara's distance closed, Nagato's eyes remained calm. But his mind was rapidly calculating. 

What do you think Nagato's final plan might be, now that he's cornered Madara? 

Chapter 195: The Last Stand, Itachi Panics... 

As Madara's distance closed in, Nagato's chakra rapidly mobilized within him. 

"Chakra Dragon!" 

The summoned Gedo Statue spewed out a massive purple energy mass, forming a dragon-shaped energy blast that lunged towards Uchiha Madara. He wanted to absorb Uchiha Madara's chakra for a desperate counterattack! Since Madara's chakra and techniques were so powerful, he would just drain Madara's chakra and use it for himself, empowering his own techniques. 

The world wasn't peaceful yet; he didn't want to die. Yahiko hadn't been revived; he didn't want to die. Konan hadn't gotten married; he didn't want to die. In short, he still didn't want to die. He wanted to live, to become the true master of the Rinnegan! 

At this moment, Nagato's expression turned ferocious. Uchiha Madara had taken the bait; there was no need for him to pretend anymore. Although the intel he had gathered wasn't much, and his techniques were basically useless against Madara, he still wanted to give it a shot. 

Nagato could clearly hear the strong beating of his own heart, giving him endless power. 

"Oh, is that so...? That's a bit interesting..." Madara suddenly smiled when he saw Nagato's sneak attack. The corners of his mouth curled upwards, and his eyes glinted. Madara's body floated; hitting him was impossible. Even without the Rinnegan, Madara's innate dynamic neural senses gave him supreme combat instincts. 

"Is that right?" Nagato's spirits soared at Madara's words. The dragon head, which had flown past Madara, suddenly reversed, turning around. 

"Let me borrow some chakra." Nagato spoke, unconsciously mimicking Madara by using what little chakra he had left to amplify his voice. 

Madara tilted his head slightly, his eyes shifting to the corners, checking with his peripheral vision. He saw the Chakra Dragon had turned around and closed his eyes. A fraction of a second later, his eyes opened... Silver vertical pupils appeared in his ordinary black eyes, and his body once again blurred into a shadow, his speed increasing even further. And it wasn't just his speed that increased... 

Madara, already completely white, was now covered in a sacred, silvery glow. 

"Ultra Almighty Pull." Seeing Madara's attention diverted, Nagato initiated his preliminary plan. Chakra and life force rapidly evaporated. The sphere, already over a thousand meters in the sky, wobbled precariously. With Nagato cutting off its chakra supply, its gravitational pull became negligible. The Thunder Dragon in the sky, sensing the pull disappear, fiercely charged towards the massive sphere, electricity flickering. The newly re-formed black clouds created a momentary burst of light in the once again hazy sky. 

Madara's lips curved into a slight smile. The black orbs vibrated rapidly, forming into a long spear in front of him. Madara gripped the spear without hesitation and threw it directly, without aiming. Accompanied by Nagato's pull, the spear's speed surged. Streaks of afterimages and gusts of wind appeared in the air, reaching Nagato in the blink of an eye. 

"Almighty Push..." Weakness momentarily intensified. A repulsive field appeared, powerfully striking the spear. Nagato tilted his head, dodging the spear that had directly pierced through the repulsive field. Then, the gravitational pull resumed, and even increased slightly. Nagato was fighting with two bodies simultaneously. 

Madara frowned slightly as his spear's speed was reduced by the repulsive field and then dodged by Nagato. But the spear subtly turned around, heading for the back of Nagato's head. Madara frowned and quickly conjured another spear in his hand, throwing it towards Nagato. This time, however, it was just a casual toss. Yet, under Nagato's gravitational pull, its speed rapidly increased, becoming incredibly fast. 

The sound of rushing wind came again. Nagato didn't understand what trick Madara was pulling. Didn't his attack just fail? Why is he using that move again? Is Madara a paper tiger? Nagato thought to himself. 

Before he could figure it out, Nagato was almost upon him. Just as Nagato prepared to use the same trick again, his expression changed... There's one behind me too! 

The sense of crisis from behind made his scalp tingle. Nagato instantly understood what was happening. The Planetary Devastation in the sky was pierced by the Electric Dragon, and sand mixed with raindrops fell. Under the electric glow, the sand glittered, as if golden rain was falling. 

Nagato felt as if his surroundings had frozen. His mind was frantically calculating: the time for the Chakra Dragon to hit Madara, the time for the spears to arrive, the time for Almighty Push. Right now, the incoming attack from behind could only be dealt with by instinct. Time was critical, and Nagato couldn't think of any good ideas. And Madara, with the Sage Mode boost, made the usually infallible Almighty Pull sluggish, and its pulling speed became very slow. Almighty Pull had become a soft crowd-control ability, just waiting for the Chakra Dragon to hit. As for the spear flying towards his front, he had already seen it clearly and could block it. 

As for the one behind him... Nagato tilted his head to the left. His speed became very slow, and sharp pains shot through him, making Nagato almost groan. The spear passed by his ear, the wind from it piercingly loud. Blood splattered under his Rinnegan. He knew he had dodged it... Otherwise, he would have been dead by now. 

Seeing Nagato, who he expected to defeat quickly, pull off such extreme moves right in front of him, Madara felt a surge of excitement. How long has it been? How long since I last danced? He was almost unable to restrain himself! However, without his Rinnegan, he couldn't quite "dance" as well. His body was also getting a bit old; it wouldn't be good if he pulled a muscle. It was a pity his Rinnegan wasn't there; he couldn't use some of his techniques, otherwise, this fight shouldn't be so difficult. 

Madara's hand, enveloped in chakra, grabbed another Truth-Seeking Orb. It transformed into a shield. Since the opponent was so focused on that dragon-shaped energy body behind him, even though he felt no danger, he didn't want to take the hit. So, he'd block it. If a Truth-Seeking Orb, created with Six Paths Senjutsu and chakra nature transformations, couldn't block it, then what was the point of a Truth-Seeking Orb? 

Nagato watched wide-eyed as Madara created another shield, feeling a wave of helplessness. It seems there's really no way... The Chakra Dragon wasn't invincible... Although it was ethereal and powerful, his opponent was Madara, and he had that mysterious Truth-Seeking Orb. These were techniques he had never even heard of. He had no idea what could break that shield. 

Perhaps Itachi might know a way to counter it... Unfortunately, Itachi stopped being his friend a long time ago. He was no longer his comrade... Nagato himself had given him up. Sometimes he really envied Itachi... Even though Itachi personally killed his entire clan, why did he live so carefree? Why did he possess such immense power, yet feel so exhausted every day...? He really wanted to rest properly... 

Meanwhile, Itachi, who Nagato was thinking about, was watching the battle from not too far away. At this moment, he was utterly bewildered, his eyes glazed over. What happened to the parallel world theory? Is Madara here for revenge from a parallel world? He's so fierce, he's using Truth-Seeking Orbs... He's in Six Paths Mode and has Sage Art enhancements; he can fully create Truth-Seeking Orbs now! 

Itachi was currently contemplating where he could hide. After all, he was the man who forcibly held a sword to Madara's neck and made him his subordinate! Now, Madara, that subordinate, had grown powerful and domineering!