At that moment, Uchiha Madara's expression shifted abruptly. He had caught Lin Xuan glancing back at him with a faint smile.
That smile—
Damn it, is this kid mocking me?
Madara's face darkened instantly. To him, Lin Xuan's look clearly said: I've already taken down two of them by myself, and you're still messing around over there?
A wave of irritation surged through Madara. He cursed inwardly, Bastard, there is no way I'm letting him finish first!
In that instant, he decided he had to end his battle before Lin Xuan finished off Imu. If he didn't, how could he ever show his face again?
"Die!" Madara roared. His power surged violently as he launched a frenzied assault on Garbus.
Boom!
The rhythm of the battle broke instantly. Garbus's expression twisted in shock; he found himself unable to withstand the sudden increase in pressure. He was forced into a desperate retreat, his defensive line crumbling as he fell into a state of total panic.
Damn it, what's wrong with this guy? Garbus screamed in his mind. He had thought Madara's strength was roughly equal to his own, but he never expected the man to have been hiding this much power.
Finally, with a deafening explosion, Madara's fist connected, shattering Garbus's body. Without giving him a moment to recover, Madara followed up with a final blow, completely obliterating him.
Shortly after, Hashirama Senju finished his own opponent.
Seeing the legendary duo conclude their fights, Nagato and the others grew anxious. They began to unleash their full power, one after another. Eventually, the rest of the group started defeating their enemies, though unlike Madara and Hashirama, they didn't emerge unscathed.
Uchiha Izuna and Tobirama Senju, in particular, were struggling. Since they couldn't enter Six Paths Mode, their overall power was significantly lower. Their Reanimated bodies were already beginning to crack and crumble under the strain of the high-level combat.
Boom!
A fierce attack tore through the sky as Imu swung his giant sword. Void energy erupted, shattering the incoming strike. However, Imu didn't dare stop. He pushed his speed to the limit, diving toward the Holy Land of Mary Geoise below.
He had sensed the deaths of the other "Creators." He knew all too well that if he lingered for even a second, Lin Xuan would catch him and kill him. His only hope was to return to Mary Geoise, where his final hidden trump card awaited. Only then would he have a chance to turn the tables.
Fleeing desperately, Imu finally touched down on the plateau. At that moment, another sharp attack descended from above. Imu's face paled, but he swung his giant sword with everything he had, unleashing a powerful counter-strike.
The two forces collided, creating a terrifying shockwave. The resulting explosion sent nearby spectators flying; many were nearly blown right off the edge of the Red Line.
Imu reached out, and the Ancient Weapon, Uranus—which had been fused within the body of the Long-bearded Elder—suddenly tore free and flew into his hand.
"Sever!"
As Uranus landed in his grip, its scepter-like form shifted, transforming into a long, gleaming sword. Without a moment's hesitation, Imu swung. The power of this strike was leagues beyond anything the Elder had been able to produce.
"Sage Art: Lightning Style: Chidori!"
Lin Xuan plummeted from the sky, his hand crackling with concentrated lightning as he met the sword's arc head-on.
Boom!
The lightning dissipated upon contact. Though the sword's energy beam was weakened, it continued its downward path, threatening to cleave through everything.
Suddenly, Madara appeared from above. He sent his Truth-Seeking Orbs flying forward to intercept the beam. The impact was so great that the Truth-Seeking Orbs were actually sliced in half before the energy finally dispersed.
Madara narrowed his eyes, a hint of surprise flitting through them. "So, that is the power of a so-called Ancient Weapon?"
Lin Xuan remained much calmer. He looked at Imu and asked with a smirk, "Imu, do you really think you can run?"
Imu let out a cold, sharp laugh. "Run? I admit your strength is formidable. We underestimated you, which is why the others died such pathetic deaths."
His panic had vanished, replaced by a chilling composure. "But now, you are the one who should be running!"
Lin Xuan watched him, his smile unfading. "You seem quite confident. Do you really have another card up your sleeve that can kill me?"
"You'll find out soon enough," Imu sneered.
At that moment, the Long-bearded Elder and the Bald Elder quickly disengaged from their skirmishes and retreated to Imu's side. Hashirama and the others also descended from the void, gathering behind Lin Xuan.
Roger, Whitebeard, and the rest of the alliance joined them. The two sides stood in a tense standoff, and for a moment, the battlefield fell into a heavy silence.
The two remaining Elders looked at each other, their eyes filled with a grim, final resolve.
"Lord Imu, please allow your servants to offer one last bit of strength," they said in unison.
Before anyone could react, the two Elders reached out and grabbed the blade of Uranus. The onlookers were stunned—were the Five Elders turning on Imu?
But the reality was far more horrific. The bodies of the two Elders began to liquefy, turning into a glowing fluid that flowed directly into the blade of Uranus.
The weapon erupted with a blinding radiance, and an even more terrifying pressure exploded from the sword.
"Your sacrifice will not be in vain," Imu said deeply, his gaze toward Lin Xuan turning increasingly icy. "I will make sure they are buried with you."
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T/N:
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