206-211

*Chapter 206: Repelling Uchiha Madara*

"Ding dong! Synthesis in progress!"

"Ding dong! Synthesis failed. Would you like to try again?"

Shiro smiled wryly. With such a low success rate, failure was inevitable. Still, there was a trace of frustration in his heart.

"Synthesize! Continue!"

"Ding dong! Synthesis in progress!"

"Ding dong! Synthesis successful! (Remaining synthesis attempts: 1)"

"Ding dong! Congratulations! You have acquired the ninjutsu: Black Flame Needle!"

Shiro was overjoyed. With this, no one could dodge in time—even Uchiha Madara!

"Itachi, move!"

Hearing Shiro’s voice, Uchiha Itachi instinctively jumped aside.

Shiro seized the opportunity, forming hand seals rapidly. Dozens of thin needles, burning with black flames, floated around him. The needles were densely packed.

The Black Flame Needles hovered in the air for a second, and the black flames suddenly turned green, giving off a sinister aura.

"Hit him!"

Shiro waved his hand, and dozens of Black Flame Needles vanished.

Madara's pupils contracted. He tried to dodge, but there was no space to escape from so many needles.

Suddenly, he clapped his hands, and a giant Susanoo appeared before the crowd.

All the needles hit Susanoo, instantly igniting it in black flames, turning it into a fireball! Yet, when the flames faded, Madara stood unharmed.

"Your technique is impressive, but it's not enough to defeat me. However, you pose a threat, so I’ll have to kill you first."

With that, Madara charged toward Shiro.

In a single exchange, Shiro felt a powerful force strike him, sending him flying backward.

"Die!"

Madara grabbed a kunai and slashed toward Shiro’s throat.

Just then, Uchiha Itachi intervened, kicking Madara away.

"Uchiha Itachi! I never expected you to become this strong. But you’re still no match for me. If you insist on protecting this boy, you will die!"

Itachi stared intently at Madara, then turned his back to Shiro. "Run! I’ll hold him off!"

"No! Just give me one more minute. Today, we’ll leave Uchiha Madara here."

Hearing this, Madara laughed, clutching his stomach.

"Kill me in one minute? Do you think you're a god? Since you’re so confident, I’ll give you a minute."

Shiro sneered and called up his system.

The Black Flame Needles had enough power and numbers, but against a defensive technique like Susanoo, they still lacked penetration.

Shiro needed to enhance the piercing power of the Black Flame Needles.

And the best attribute for cutting was wind!

However, even wind’s cutting power might not be enough to penetrate Susanoo's armor—unless he added more piercing force.

Taking a deep breath, Shiro recalled a plan he'd had earlier: synthesizing three ninjutsu at once.

Although he’d never tried it before, given the situation, he had no choice but to gamble.

"Synthesize! Black Flame Needle, Rasengan, Wind Cutter!"

"Ding dong! Analyzing synthesis possibilities!"

"Ding dong! Analysis successful!"

"Ding dong! Ninjutsu detected (Black Flame Needle, Rasengan, Wind Cutter). Proceed with synthesis? (Success rate: 0.75%, Failure rate: 98.25%, Mutation rate: 1%) Remaining synthesis attempts: 1."

Shiro twitched. For the first time, he saw that the success rate of a normal synthesis was lower than the chance of a mutation.

Under normal circumstances, he would never attempt this.

Synthesis attempts were precious, not to be wasted.

But this was a life-or-death moment. Shiro had no choice but to risk it.

If it succeeded, he would fight Madara. If it failed, he’d flee!

"Synthesize! I offer up Naruto Uzumaki’s lifelong bachelorhood in exchange for success!"

"Ding dong! Synthesis in progress!"

"Ding dong! Synthesis successful! (Remaining attempts: 0)"

"Ding dong! Ninjutsu mutated!"

"Ding dong! You have acquired the ninjutsu: Black Flame Slash!"

Shiro was ecstatic. He hadn’t expected such a low success rate to actually work.

Shiro began to wonder if he had incredible luck in his previous life.

Now that the synthesis had succeeded, it was time to fight Uchiha Madara.

"Oh? Are you ready already? There’s still time; you can prepare more," Madara mocked as his Susanoo reappeared.

"Since you want to die, let me grant your wish!" Shiro's aura surged. His hands flew through a series of hand seals.

In an instant, countless needles appeared around Shiro. The black flames hadn't fully ignited before they began spinning in place.

A thin wind blade appeared at the tip of each needle, vibrating at a speed almost too fast to see.

"That same technique again? If that’s all you have, you won’t even scratch me!"

Seeing Madara’s smug grin, Shiro sneered and waved his hand. The countless needles shot toward Madara.

"Pointless! That technique can’t pierce my Susanoo!" Madara began to speak but suddenly realized that the needles were drilling into Susanoo, spinning as they slowly penetrated it.

"Impossible!"

Madara’s calm demeanor shattered, and fear appeared on his face.

He clapped his hands, releasing a massive wave of chakra to push outward.

"I wasn’t just standing idle for this minute!"

As soon as Shiro finished speaking, a hand shot up from the ground.

The hand, black as ink, grabbed Shiro’s leg and tried to pull him underground.

Shiro frowned. He had focused entirely on Madara and hadn’t noticed any activity underground.

But using Earth Release’s Decapitation Technique to sneak up on him was wishful thinking. Shiro immediately spun in place.

"Rotation!"

His chakra surged, flinging the black hand away.

When he stopped spinning, he activated his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan to look for Madara.

But Madara had already disappeared.

"Itachi, where’s Madara?"

"He ran. I couldn’t stop him!" Itachi said, filled with guilt.

Shiro shook his head helplessly.

Uchiha Madara, one of the strongest ninja in the world—if he wanted to flee, no one could stop him.

Now that Madara had left, Shiro finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Madara was like a god among men. Surviving an encounter with him was enough to satisfy Shiro.

Next up, he needed to absorb the power of the Dragon Vein.

As long as he had the Dragon Vein’s power, Madara would return eventually. So, he had to be ready!

"Itachi, in the name of Shiro, I call for a Five Kage Summit!"

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 207: The Five Kage Summit*

In the office of the Village Hidden in Sound, the once barren and sparsely populated Land of Sound was now packed with ninjas.

Upon closer inspection, the ninjas were divided into several factions.

At a glance, they were the ninjas from the Five Great Shinobi Villages.

"Where's that brat Shiro? Tell him to come out now! I need to settle some scores with him!" Tsunade crossed her arms, visibly irritated, her eyes scanning the room for his figure.

Standing beside Tsunade was an elderly man with white hair, wrapped in bandages, indicating recent injuries.

"If Shiro called for us to hold this Five Kage Summit, he'll definitely show up," the old man said.

Tsunade shot Jiraiya a glare.

"We haven’t even settled our own score yet. He better be fine, or those injuries of yours will be the least of your problems!"

At her words, Jiraiya shivered and took a step back.

In most situations, there might be some wiggle room. But when it came to anything involving Shiro, it was a big deal. Even with Jiraiya’s close relationship with Tsunade, he doubted he could escape unscathed.

"Tsunade-sama, will we really see Shiro here?" Hinata Hyuga asked, looking hopeful.

Tsunade’s expression softened as she looked at Hinata.

"Don’t worry. That kid’s become a big deal. With just one order, ninjas from all five nations have gathered here. He’s not someone who would easily get into trouble."

Hinata blinked and then nodded firmly.

"Oh? So that’s the new Mizukage from the Mist Village? She looks so young. I think she also issued a bounty on Shiro. I didn’t expect the Water Country to show up here," Jiraiya muttered, glancing at Tsunade.

"Fire Country issued a bounty on Shiro too, multiple times, and we were the first ones to show up," Tsunade replied coolly.

"Shall we go check things out?" Jiraiya suggested.

Tsunade nodded slightly, turning to look at Jiraiya.

"With your injuries, maybe sit this one out. Hinata, come with me."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama!"

Elsewhere, Mei Terumi and Mizukage's aide, Chojuro, wandered through the crowd, searching for someone. However, despite their efforts, they couldn’t spot him anywhere.

Instead, they found themselves face to face with a brewing confrontation, tension hanging in the air like gunpowder.

"Well, well, if it isn’t the Hokage. What brings you to me today?" Mei asked, her tone sharp.

"Oh, nothing much. Just wondering what my Shiro did in the Water Country to make you put such a hefty bounty on him?" Tsunade shot back.

At her words, both Mei and Chojuro frowned, eyes filled with hostility.

"Your Shiro? That’s rich. Didn't the Leaf Village issue multiple bounties on him too? I’m sure I haven’t forgotten that," Mei retorted.

"We had our reasons..." Tsunade started but trailed off.

Though Tsunade had been reluctant, the bounty had been decided by the higher-ups of Konoha. To deny it openly would only invite criticism later.

"And what were those reasons?" a dark-skinned woman wearing glasses interjected. Behind her stood the Raikage, A.

"Mabui, are you jumping in too? Didn’t the Cloud Village also issue a bounty?" Tsunade said, raising an eyebrow and glaring at her.

She never expected Shiro to have so many connections among the high-ranking officials of various nations.

"Unlike you all, I had a... more intimate encounter with Shiro," Mabui responded casually.

The moment she said that, the female ninjas around her immediately tensed, eyes turning hostile as they looked at her like she was an enemy.

Mabui awkwardly cleared her throat and glanced at Chojuro with a displeased expression.

"He used the transformation jutsu to disguise himself as you," Mabui clarified.

Chojuro raised an eyebrow, then smiled with pride.

"Intimate encounter? Well, when we were in the Land of Earth, I slept beside him for three whole days!" Kurotsuchi said smugly, hands on her hips.

All eyes turned to Kurotsuchi, and the female ninjas, who had been enemies moments before, suddenly found themselves united, glaring at her.

However, as they looked at her long legs, some felt a twinge of envy.

"Three days? Bold of you to say! I recall something happened in your Land of Earth involving Shiro," Hinata Hyuga, who had remained silent until now, spoke up, her sharp eyes scrutinizing Kurotsuchi.

Kurotsuchi suddenly felt as though her entire body had been laid bare under Hinata's gaze, as if she had no secrets left.

"Well, that’s true. We in the Land of Earth are very grateful to him. But honestly, I’m not entirely sure what happened back then," Kurotsuchi admitted with a hint of regret.

If things hadn’t turned out the way they did, who knows what might have happened between her and Shiro?

After that incident, Kurotsuchi had cried for a whole week at home. It was only when she heard news of Shiro that she finally calmed down.

When word got out about this Five Kage Summit, she had dragged the Tsuchikage, Onoki, to the Land of Sound, eager to see Shiro in person.

"He saved the entire Land of Wind!" Temari announced, slamming her giant fan into the ground, her eyes proudly scanning the other women.

If she had known how many people cared about Shiro, she wouldn’t have valued him so much. But Shiro had nearly sacrificed himself for the Land of Wind.

From that moment on, she had made up her mind—no matter how powerful he was or what his status was, nothing else mattered.

"Shiro is the hero of the Land of Wind. No one can take him away! From now on, he’s the Wind Country’s symbol of hope!" Temari declared.

For a moment, the women all glared at each other, sparks flying where their eyes met.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya, Onoki, Chojuro, Gaara, and A could only exchange helpless glances.

Whenever that man was involved, it was best to stay out of it. Any interference would only lead to injuries—perhaps even worse.

"Look, even Nadeshiko Village's leader, Shizuka, and the Priestess Shion from the Land of Demons have arrived. This Five Kage Summit is turning out to be unprecedented!" one of the men exclaimed.

"I heard both of them found lifelong partners. Could it also be that brat Shiro?" another added.

"Impossible!"

As they spoke, Shizuka and Shion walked in, casting hostile glares at the group of women.

"No way! Is it really that brat?" Onoki muttered.

"That boy is a total playboy. I can’t let Kurotsuchi be with him!" Onoki declared.

"You think what you say matters?" the four men replied mockingly, eyeing him.

Just as the women were on the verge of confrontation, the hall finally fell silent.

Members of the Akatsuki, dressed in their signature black cloaks with red clouds, stepped forward and loudly announced, "The Five Kage Summit is now officially beginning!"

Immediately, all eyes turned toward the entrance in anticipation.

"Shiro, are you finally going to show up?" one of the women whispered eagerly.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 208: Bloodbath

Shiro slowly walked out.

The moment he stepped outside, countless eyes locked onto him.

Among those gazes, one radiated a murderous intent so strong that Shiro instinctively stopped in his tracks.

"You bastard! You actually had the nerve to come back alive!"

Shiro trembled all over. Just from hearing that voice, he knew it was Tsunade.

Tsunade was the last person Shiro wanted to face right now.

Back then, he left without a word, and shortly after, news of his death spread.

Shiro could easily imagine how devastated Tsunade must have been.

As Tsunade's fist was about to land on Shiro, Uchiha Itachi suddenly appeared in front of him. With a single hand, Itachi redirected Tsunade’s iron fist, causing it to smash into a nearby wall, leaving a massive hole.

Shiro awkwardly smiled.

Ever since Shiro had cured Itachi’s illness and reconciled the brothers’ feud, Itachi had become fiercely loyal to him.

Itachi knew deep down that if he wanted to prevent war, the only way now was through the man standing before him.

"Sister Tsunade, I had no choice. If I didn’t fake my death, it would have complicated my future actions."

Tsunade’s eyes remained fixed on Itachi, a trace of wariness rising in her heart.

"Shiro, you've really got some guts now. Found yourself quite a powerful ally, huh?"

Shiro could only smile helplessly.

Clearly, Tsunade was still angry, and her calm demeanor made her even scarier than before.

"Sister Tsunade, I was wrong. I promise I’ll inform you next time, no matter what!"

"You brat! Your actions nearly got me killed!"

Jiraiya hobbled out with a cold snort.

Shiro couldn’t help but laugh when he saw the bandages wrapped around Jiraiya.

"Lord Jiraiya, who were you peeping on this time to get beaten up so badly?"

Jiraiya’s anger flared up at those words.

If he weren’t injured, and if Tsunade wasn’t standing right there like a tigress, he’d have already given Shiro a good lesson.

"Shiro-kun, I’m just glad you’re okay."

Shiro turned toward the soft voice, seeing a blushing Hinata, clearly excited.

It looked like she had a lot she wanted to say, but the words got stuck in her throat.

At that moment, an arm hooked around Shiro, followed by the feeling of something soft pressing against him.

"You rascal, I knew you wouldn’t die!"

"Lady Mei, what are you doing!" Suigetsu glared at Mei like a little kitten protecting its food, ready to bite at any moment.

"Oh, Suigetsu, you don’t get it. Shiro doesn’t like to make the first move, and with such an excellent man, if you don’t act fast, you’ll regret it later."

"Lady Mizukage, isn’t that a bit beneath your dignity?" Mabui gently adjusted her glasses, her friendly smile barely hiding the underlying menace.

"Step aside. Shiro is going to be the man of the Tsuchikage. What do you think you’re doing, pawing at him like that?" Kurotsuchi snorted as she walked over and pushed Mei aside, then wrapped her arm around Shiro’s.

"Tsuchikage’s man? You’re not even the Tsuchikage yet! Besides, I helped Shiro-kun bathe!" Temari stepped up, hooking Shiro’s other arm, a smug smile on her face.

"You're not the only one! I’ve done that too!"

At this moment, Suigetsu coughed twice and raised her hand slightly.

"I’ve kissed Shiro-kun."

Suddenly, Chiyo, Naruto, Rock Lee, and Itachi all coughed at the same time.

Then, a priestess appeared, flanked by a few supporters, and slowly walked forward.

"Kissed? Shiro and I have done more than that! We even have a contract," Shion said, pulling out a scroll as proof.

"What’s a kiss compared to that?" Nadeshiko Shizuka scoffed as she entered, surveying everyone. "Shiro-kun and I are engaged."

Instantly, everyone’s gaze shifted to Shizuka.

"Prove it! Show us your evidence!"

"Of course, I have evidence! My mother made a pact with Jiraiya of the Leaf—his disciple was destined to marry me. So, you all better back off from my Shiro!"

Jiraiya, who had been quietly watching, suddenly found himself the target of several deadly glares.

If looks could kill, Jiraiya would’ve been torn to shreds already.

"Jiraiya, how come I never heard about this?" Tsunade asked with a cold smile, cracking her knuckles as she slowly approached Jiraiya.

Jiraiya’s hair stood on end.

He knew very well that this time, it wouldn’t be just a few months of bedrest—he’d be lucky to avoid lifelong disability.

"Tsunade, let me explain! I didn’t know it would come to this back then!"

Jiraiya started backing away, but after a few steps, he realized he was surrounded.

Suddenly, Jiraiya vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Reverse summoning jutsu? Jiraiya, you can run today, but you can’t hide forever!"

Shiro gulped and slowly began inching backward.

If this Five Kage Summit wasn’t going to help deal with Uchiha Madara, staying here would definitely be the death of him!

Shiro regretted calling this Five Kage Summit in the first place.

But just as he took a few steps back, he felt himself bump into something soft, and the force bounced him forward.

"Shiro! Where do you think you're going?"

Shiro’s face twitched as he looked up, only to be blocked by two large “mountains” in front of him. He couldn’t see anything beyond them, but the green robe was unmistakably Tsunade’s.

"I... um... I need to go to the bathroom. Let’s talk later!" Shiro turned and tried to run, but Mei had already blocked his path.

"Little Shiro, the bathroom isn't that way."

Shiro tried to change direction, but he realized he was completely surrounded, with no way to escape.

Desperate, Shiro shot a pleading glance at Itachi.

But Itachi closed his eyes, making it clear he wanted no part in this.

At that moment, Shiro wanted to cry.

This Five Kage Summit was supposed to be about discussing how to deal with Madara, not how to deal with him!

In this kind of bloodbath, things were bound to go south quickly.

"What are you all planning to do to my husband?"

Everyone turned to see a woman standing at the entrance, accompanied by Orochimaru and two others.

"And who might you be?"

"Me? I’m Karin, Shiro’s wife! Ever since he saved me, I’ve been his!"

By now, Shiro felt like he was drowning in tears.

As if the crowd wasn’t big enough already, Karin had to join the chaos. There was no way he’d make it out of this unscathed today.

Thinking about it now, staying single would’ve been the safer choice.

At least then, he wouldn’t be fearing for his life!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 209: Uchiha Madara Attacks

Shiro sat at the round table, feeling frustrated. After an hour of chaos, the women finally calmed down.

However, his face was swollen in several spots, and there were still some smudged lipstick marks on his cheeks, making him look rather disheveled.

Shiro coughed twice, trying to compose himself.

"I gathered everyone here today mainly because of the Dragon Vein issue."

As soon as he mentioned the Dragon Vein, everyone perked up and looked toward Gaara.

"It seems there was an agreement long ago that no one should touch the Dragon Vein, and if anyone does, they'll face an attack from the other nations!" Ōnoki said coldly.

Gaara looked a little uneasy.

Even though he had revealed the location of Rōran's ancient city due to a genjutsu, the other nations wouldn't care about the details—only the outcome.

If things weren’t handled properly, even if the Wind Country didn’t face an all-out attack, they would still pay a hefty price, which the current Wind Country simply couldn’t afford.

"Actually, half of the Dragon Vein is inside me."

Shiro spoke calmly, but his words made the entire room freeze.

"Kid, do you understand the consequences of saying something like that?" A glared at Shiro, a hint of killing intent in his eyes.

Before A could do much more, Mabui slapped him on the back.

"Let Shiro finish!"

Ōnoki glanced sideways at his granddaughter Kurotsuchi, thinking that if he had spoken up earlier, his fate would’ve been no better than A's.

Shiro gave a grateful look to Mabui before continuing, "At the time, Uchiha Madara tried to seize the Dragon Vein, but I managed to get half of it. He’ll come for the rest sooner or later, which is why I’ve called for the Five Kage Summit—to protect me and to deal with Madara."

"Uchiha Madara? Isn’t he someone who died a long time ago?" Tsunade frowned. If it weren’t Shiro saying this, she would’ve punched him by now.

Madara was a figure who could rival Senju Hashirama—her own grandfather. If he was alive and had the Dragon Vein, he’d be terrifying beyond imagination.

Ōnoki’s face darkened. Among those present, only he had truly encountered Madara.

His terror wasn’t something ordinary people could comprehend, especially now that he had the Dragon Vein.

"That’s right, Madara used the Dragon Vein’s power to fully revive himself, and his plans are extremely dangerous!"

At that moment, Gaara’s expression turned grim.

After struggling for a few seconds, he stood up, and the sand behind him began to swirl, lifting him off the ground.

Shiro frowned and quickly looked toward Temari.

"Who rescued Gaara?"

"He came back on his own…" Temari replied, looking puzzled. She couldn’t understand why Shiro was asking such a question.

"Damn it! He’s been controlled! Save Gaara, now!"

As soon as Shiro spoke, Itachi jumped into action, but before he could move far, several white figures appeared.

"White Zetsu! It’s Madara, isn’t it?"

"That’s right, it’s me. And thanks to you, Shiro, for gathering so many Tailed Beasts for me! I’ll take them now!"

Madara shouted, and suddenly Killer Bee, Gaara, and Naruto were lifted into the air.

From Mei Terumi’s chest, a scroll flew out.

"One-Tail, Three-Tails, Eight-Tails, Nine-Tails—all together now!"

Madara laughed maniacally as he clapped his hands. The three of them began to have their chakra forcibly extracted.

"We can’t let him take the four Tailed Beasts!"

Shiro summoned the Blade of the Wind God and flew into the air.

But before he could get far, more White Zetsu clones leapt at him, pulling him back down.

"Damn it, why are there so many White Zetsu?"

Though the summit was attended by top-tier fighters, they were vastly outnumbered.

Everyone was trapped in the room, unable to help.

At that moment, the four Tailed Beasts were extracted, and the three people fell to the ground, their fate uncertain.

With a wave of Madara’s hand, all nine Tailed Beasts appeared.

*Ding Dong! Task options triggered!*

1. Run away! (Reward: 3 synthesis attempts)

2. Fight! (Reward: Advanced Sage Body)

Shiro looked at the first option and couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

Madara had already gathered all nine Tailed Beasts. Even if he could run, where would he go?

Once Madara fused the Ten-Tails and unleashed Infinite Tsukuyomi, Shiro would be doomed either way, becoming just another of Madara’s pawns.

So, the only option left was to fight!

With the Advanced Sage Body, Shiro could instantly enter Sage Mode, enhancing his combat abilities by several levels.

Combined with half of the Dragon Vein, he might actually stand a chance!

"I choose option two!"

As soon as the selection was made, Shiro felt his chakra multiply, and all of his abilities improved significantly.

He knew he had to end the battle quickly.

If Black Zetsu said anything to Madara about summoning Kaguya, the situation would spiral out of control.

"Finally ready! Let me show you my improved Edo Tensei!"

Orochimaru sneered and clapped his hands, summoning coffins from the ground.

One by one, ninjas emerged from the coffins.

"Madara? I didn’t expect to see you again!" Hashirama Senju spoke slowly.

Madara’s eyebrows furrowed, but upon seeing the cracks on Hashirama’s body, he laughed dismissively.

"Hashirama, I wonder how much strength you have left. I’m at my peak now!"

Hashirama turned his head toward Orochimaru, smiling as he asked, "You again, little guy. How much power do I have this time?"

Orochimaru chuckled bitterly.

"Since you were revived through my Edo Tensei, it’s impossible for you to regain your full strength. You can only use about fifty percent."

"Fifty percent, huh? That might not be enough to deal with Madara, but with all these people here, nothing’s certain yet," Hashirama said without much confidence.

At that moment, Shiro stepped forward, his eyes glowing green.

"If I restore your full power, can you defeat Madara?"

Hashirama paused, then smiled confidently.

"Of course! I defeated him before. But what’s the point in saying that? I can only use half my strength, so beating him is nearly impossible."

"Fine, I’ll restore you to full strength."

"Hmm?"

Before Hashirama could react, Shiro stepped forward and kissed him on the lips.

(End of chapter)

Chapter 210: The Battle of the Century

Hashirama Senju's eyes widened. This kind of thing never happened while he was alive, and he couldn’t believe someone would take advantage of him after his death.

And even if someone were to take advantage of him, Hashirama didn’t want it to be this little guy in front of him.

Thinking of this, Hashirama quickly pushed Shiro away and then spat on the ground.

"What on earth are you... huh?"

As soon as Hashirama broke away, he noticed something different about his body.

Although he had been reanimated, giving him the appearance of being alive, his body still felt as cold as ice. However, the cracks on his body were visibly healing, and his skin even had the texture of flesh and blood.

Hashirama wasn’t a fool; there was only one explanation for this. That kiss from Shiro had significantly boosted his life force.

"Kid, do it again!"

Without giving Shiro a chance to respond, Hashirama leaned in for another kiss.

Tsunade's eyes went wide in shock.

She could somewhat accept Shiro kissing Hashirama, but Hashirama kissing Shiro back? That was totally unacceptable.

Doing this right in front of her, Tsunade, as Hashirama’s granddaughter, was completely at a loss for what to do.

Nearby, Madara Uchiha had also stopped, his brows furrowing. No one knew what he was thinking.

But at that moment, Hashirama’s body began to change significantly.

The cracks in his skin rapidly healed, and his long-stilled heartbeat resumed.

"Does this mean I’ve been revived?"

Hashirama looked at his hands in disbelief. At first, he thought Shiro's kiss had only boosted his strength, but he never imagined it would actually revive him.

Feeling the changes in his body, Hashirama became certain: he had been brought back to life!

Even if the person who reanimated him died, he would no longer vanish.

"Kid! I have a brother—I'd like you to help him too."

Shiro wiped his mouth and gave a bitter smile.

While he had a vast life force, it wasn’t infinite. To replenish it, he needed to draw it from other living beings. It was essentially an equivalent exchange.

However, it wasn’t like giving one year of life force would allow Hashirama to live for a year.

Right now, Hashirama's body might look fine on the surface, but through the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Shiro could see that it was still a bottomless pit.

The large amount of life force he had just transferred wouldn’t last more than a few days before Hashirama would be meeting the Shinigami again.

But for now, it was enough to get through this battle.

"Revived, huh? I never expected this kid to have such an ability!" Madara Uchiha smiled faintly, his face brimming with battle spirit.

"Hashirama, let's fight!"

Madara clapped his hands, causing his chakra to surge, and the long-dormant Susanoo once again roared with battle intent.

At the same time, Hashirama's face filled with confidence.

"Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands!"

A massive wooden Buddha statue burst from the ground, its back bristling with countless arms.

"Madara, you're too strong. Today, I will definitely seal you away!"

Inside Naruto’s belly, a certain fox shivered and curled up tightly, too scared to even breathe.

"No! I don't want to come out. The outside is way too scary!"

The Susanoo clashed violently with the True Several Thousand Hands, the impact shaking the earth.

At that moment, Shiro finally understood why battles between Kage-level ninjas were said to be world-shaking. The battle between Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju was like a fight between Ultraman and a kaiju.

It seemed like, for some reason, Hashirama was starting to fall behind. He was gradually being pushed back, his forehead already slick with sweat.

"This is bad! Madara has absorbed chakra from the Ryūmyaku (Dragon Vein), making him much stronger! At this rate, Grandpa is going to lose!"

When it came down to it, high-level ninja battles were all about chakra. Trading moves was something only chunin and jonin did; when you reached the level of Madara and Hashirama, it was all about chakra!

And with Madara having absorbed the immense chakra of the Dragon Vein, defeating Hashirama was well within Shiro's expectations.

However, Shiro didn’t rush to aid Hashirama.

The priority right now wasn’t the outcome of their battle, but locating Naruto Uzumaki and the others.

If the nine tailed beasts were truly brought together, and the Ten-Tails revived, along with Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, the situation would become much more dangerous than it was now.

Black Zetsu, sensing Shiro’s arrival, couldn’t help but frown.

Shiro's power had already reached beyond Kage-level. Even if Madara Uchiha fought him, there was no guarantee of a win. On top of that, Shiro's aura had just surged again.

With a monster like that coming for them, Black Zetsu knew trying to stop him was like an ant trying to hold back a flood.

"Stop him!"

At Black Zetsu’s command, all the White Zetsus halted their attacks and turned toward Shiro. Like mindless zombies, they rushed at him.

Shiro frowned.

White Zetsus were easy to deal with, but when there were enough of them, it became a whole different challenge.

Especially since they didn't care about their own lives and charged at him recklessly.

“Damn it, die already!”

Shiro roared, his hands flying through hand seals.

"Lightning Release: Thunder Prison!"

Thunder Prison was one of Shiro's earliest evolved jutsu combinations, but by now, it had become far more powerful.

Each arc of lightning was as thick as a bowl, gouging deep trenches into the earth. The grasslands above were instantly incinerated by the intense heat, leaving nothing behind but ash.

The White Zetsus charged headlong into the Thunder Prison. They didn't even have time to scream before being reduced to dust.

"This can't be!"

Black Zetsu looked on in disbelief.

He knew Shiro was strong, but he never imagined he'd be this strong.

At this point, only Madara Uchiha could possibly suppress him.

"Madara, come stop Shiro!"

Madara furrowed his brows. He was finally about to defeat Hashirama, and now they wanted him to turn away and face a new, equally formidable opponent. He wasn’t happy about it at all.

But the priority was still the tailed beasts. Reluctantly, he braced himself for the fight.

"Itachi, hold him off!"

Uchiha Itachi rushed forward, his Susanoo standing in Shiro's way.

“You can’t go any further!”

“I am the progenitor of the Uchiha clan, and you dare to block me?!”

“No matter who you are, today you’re not getting through.”

"Then don’t blame me! Die!"

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 211: Call Me Daddy*

Madara Uchiha sneered coldly, and the power of his Susano'o kept rising, far surpassing Itachi Uchiha's.

However, Itachi showed no intention of retreating. His Susano'o raised the Totsuka Blade and slashed with all its might.

The Totsuka Blade, being a legendary weapon, was something even Madara dared not take head-on.

Madara was incredibly fast, though, and quickly bypassed Itachi, charging directly at Shiro.

"Well done, now leave the rest to me!" Black Zetsu exclaimed in ecstasy, swiftly absorbing the tailed beasts.

In no time, all nine tailed beasts were extracted, merging into a single entity.

"This isn't good!"

Shiro furrowed his brows.

After forming the Ten-Tails, the next step would be summoning Kaguya Otsutsuki. Even though she's a bit of a naive character, with Madara on her side, everyone present would be doomed.

But right now, Shiro was entangled with Madara and couldn't free himself.

"Mother! Awaken!"

Black Zetsu howled to the sky, causing the entire ninja world to tremble.

A force that blotted out the sun enveloped the ninja world, and a figure slowly rose from the earth.

"It's too late."

Shiro smiled bitterly.

The main characters hadn't fully grown yet, and there was no one in this world capable of opposing Kaguya Otsutsuki.

At this point, Madara stopped his assault, frowning as he looked at the woman in the sky.

"Black Zetsu, what is the meaning of this?"

"The meaning? I simply used you to resurrect my mother!"

Madara's face turned an ugly shade of red.

Although Madara had lost before, he had never been deceived like this.

Fury boiled within him, and Susano'o leaped high, slashing toward Kaguya Otsutsuki.

Kaguya remained calm, raising her right hand and pointing at Madara.

Madara, along with his Susano'o, immediately froze in mid-air before being hurled backward, crashing heavily to the ground.

"This world is filthy and corrupt. It's time to start over," Kaguya whispered softly. She raised her hands, and the world's chakra began rapidly converging.

As the chakra gathered, it became so dense it was no longer like air—it thickened into a fog, tangible enough to be grasped by hand.

Such dense chakra could easily give rise to several Kage-level ninjas if cultivated.

But none of the ninjas below were happy.

The woman causing all this was preparing to destroy the entire world!

"Madara, let's team up!"

Hashirama Senju helped the fallen Madara to his feet, looking at him with intense emotion.

Madara was taken aback but then burst into laughter.

"Fine, we'll team up one more time! And afterward, we can see who's truly the strongest!"

Hashirama smiled helplessly before turning his gaze toward Kaguya in the sky.

"Attack!"

A massive wooden statue of a thousand hands and Susano'o both charged at Kaguya.

Kaguya snorted, and her Byakugan activated instantly.

The two giant figures began disintegrating at an alarming speed.

"This! How is this possible?!"

Everyone watched the battle above with despair.

Two legendary figures of the ninja world couldn't even stand up to one attack from Kaguya. No matter how many ninjas were left, they'd just be lambs to the slaughter.

"Is this how the world ends?"

"I can't accept it... My wife is still waiting for me at home."

"I just want to see my daughter one more time."

Ninjas began dropping their weapons, staring blankly at Kaguya in the sky.

For the first time, they felt utterly powerless.

"Everyone, don't give up! I believe in Shiro!" Hinata Hyuga shouted at the top of her lungs.

"That's right! Shiro will save us!"

"Yeah, Shiro can definitely do it!"

"Maybe that guy Shiro really can pull this off!"

...

Shiro glanced at the hopeful looks from the women and couldn't help but smile wryly.

Kaguya Otsutsuki was practically a god. As much as he hated to admit it, he had no confidence in defeating her.

But this battle was a matter of life and death, so running wasn't an option.

"Think fast, think fast! How did those guys defeat her?"

"Reverse Harem Jutsu!"

Although Shiro didn’t know the Reverse Harem Jutsu, he did have the Paradise Technique!

With that thought, Shiro hurriedly flew toward Kaguya.

"Mother, that guy is dangerous! Kill him now!" Black Zetsu warned.

Hearing this, Kaguya slowly turned her gaze toward Shiro.

Suddenly, Shiro was frozen in mid-air, and the Wind God Armor on his Susano'o began to dissipate.

Shiro didn’t panic; instead, he smirked.

"Paradise Technique!"

His Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan spun rapidly. Kaguya, standing proudly in the sky, paused for a moment, and Shiro instantly felt the pressure on him vanish.

Just as he prepared to charge again, he was immobilized once more.

"Damn it, she broke my genjutsu in a second?"

Shiro lost all hope as his Wind God Armor disintegrated bit by bit, and his body drifted slowly toward Kaguya.

"How could this be? Even Shiro can't beat her."

"Is the world really going to end?"

Black Zetsu's grin grew wider. He had wanted to kill Shiro for a long time after all the disruptions to his plans.

But now it was all over. With Kaguya, the ninja world was invincible!

"Mother, kill that brat!"

Before Black Zetsu could finish his sentence, Kaguya swatted him away with one slap.

"Is that how you speak to your father?"

Black Zetsu was dumbfounded, staring at Kaguya as she lovingly wrapped her arms around Shiro.

He was sure that if he said another word against Shiro, Kaguya would destroy him.

Shiro, regaining his senses, saw that Kaguya's attitude had completely changed.

At first, she had been cold and proud, looking at him like an insect.

But now, she was like a shy girl, nuzzling against his chest.

It seemed the Paradise Technique had worked wonders!

"Could you... not destroy the world?" Shiro cautiously asked.

"I’ll do whatever you say!"

Shiro was ecstatic. He had saved the world with just one sentence.

"Then, could you let me down?" he asked again.

This time, Kaguya fell silent for a few seconds before replying, "I’ll agree to anything else, but not this. I’ve decided you won’t ever leave my sight for the rest of your life!"

Shiro’s face twitched.

Though he had saved the world, he had sacrificed himself in the process.

A woman like Kaguya, sealed for eons, was more than he could handle.

"Nooo!"

(End of Book)

(End of Chapter)