"Nani?"
A wave of shock rippled through the onlookers as the Demon Mother Tree's words echoed across the battlefield.
Except for the Ancient Weapons, nothing could truly harm it?
In other words, no matter how much punishment the tree endured, it could regenerate in the blink of an eye. It wasn't just an advantage; it was a cheat code. How were they supposed to fight something that simply refused to stay broken?
As the initial shock faded, Roger and the others turned their gaze toward Lin Xuan, their curiosity piqued. How would he respond to such a despairing revelation?
To their surprise, Lin Xuan didn't look defeated. There was no desperation in his eyes, no denial, and certainly no sign of the "arrogance" the tree might have expected. Instead, he simply let out a long, weary sigh.
"What a pain," he muttered to himself. "Do I really have to open the final Gate of Death? Actually, forget it. That's too much trouble, and I'd probably have to burn a ton of Reputation Points just to put my body back together. Not worth the cost."
He turned his head toward Uchiha Madara and the others, who had been lingering on the surface of the sea. "Madara! How much longer are you guys going to take? If you don't step in now, I might actually accidentally kill this thing for good!"
Madara and his group had been huddled together since Lin Xuan first engaged the tree, seemingly channeling some massive technique. Hearing Lin Xuan's shout, Madara let out a sharp, cold snort.
"Hmph. It's ready. Just sit back and watch us make this thing dance!"
But before the legendary Uchiha could make his move, Obito chimed in with a smirk. "President, I've got to tell you something. Madara's been grumbling this whole time about how he can't let you hog all the glory. He was rushing us so hard he actually messed up the rhythm a few times. That's why it took so long!"
Madara's face darkened instantly. He cast a murderous glare at Obito, but the younger Uchiha didn't even flinch.
"President," Obito continued playfully, "you really need to keep an eye on this guy. He's a bad influence. Honestly, you should probably just release his Reanimated soul right now."
"Obito! Shut your damn mouth!" Madara's eyes were practically spitting fire.
If Lin Xuan actually released his soul, he'd be sent straight back to the Pure Land. How was he supposed to cultivate or "dance" if he was dead again? He knew exactly what Obito was doing—trying to get rid of the competition so he could finally surpass him in strength.
Lin Xuan couldn't help but chuckle at the bickering. He hadn't expected Obito to turn into a whistleblower the moment he got the chance.
"Alright, alright. Since you're ready, I'll leave the rest to you. I was getting a bit lazy anyway—er, I mean, I wanted to give you guys a chance to show off."
Lin Xuan coughed into his hand, nearly admitting he was bored with the fight. He retreated to their side, giving them an encouraging "don't let me down" look.
Madara rolled his eyes. He knew exactly what Lin Xuan was thinking, but he didn't care. He had been itching for a real fight with the Mother Tree.
Seeing Lin Xuan retreat, the Demon Mother Tree interpreted the move as an attempt to escape. Thousands of jagged vines surged forward like a tidal wave, intent on dragging him back.
"Hmph. Move out!"
Madara barked the order as he surged into his Six Paths Mode. Simultaneously, Hashirama, Obito, and the others linked their auras with his. Their forms blurred, turning into streaks of light that flowed directly into Madara's body.
In an instant, Madara's presence exploded. His power spiraled upward at a terrifying rate, his physical form shifting and warping under the sheer pressure of the combined energy.
BOOM!
With a casual flick of his wrist, Madara sent a shockwave forward. The encroaching vines didn't just break—they disintegrated into ash before they could even get close.
"Whoa, a fusion?" Lin Xuan blurted out, genuinely impressed.
He knew they had been preparing a trump card, but he hadn't expected this. It reminded him slightly of the fusions from the Dragon Ball world, though he knew the mechanics were different. This was likely a fruit of their intense training on Namek—a technique they had forged themselves.
Suddenly, a face sprouted out of Madara's shoulder, giving Lin Xuan a start. It was Obito's head.
"President, this is a new Rinnegan ability Madara cooked up," Obito explained. "It allows him to anchor all of our power into his own body. The only downside is that this grumpy old man gets to be the pilot!"
"Obito, your insolence is reaching new heights!"
Madara's face twisted in annoyance as he reached over and physically shoved Obito's head back into his shoulder.
Lin Xuan laughed. It seemed that since Rin Nohara had been brought back, Obito was slowly returning to his mischievous childhood self. He was becoming a bit of a handful.
Still, the aura radiating from the fused Madara was formidable. Even Lin Xuan felt a slight prickle of pressure.
"An interesting technique indeed," Lin Xuan noted, leaning back to enjoy the show.
Madara gave a curt nod, his gaze fixed on the towering tree.
"Now," Madara said, his voice dropping into a low, dangerous tone. "Let's see if this thing can keep up with the beat."
In a flash of light, he vanished, reappearing instantly at the heart of the Demon Mother Tree's defenses. The dance had begun.
----------
T/N:
You'll also get 5 extra chapters just for being a free member!
Access 40 chapters in advance on my Patreon: [email protected]//allbluestories