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One month later, in the Leaf Village, at Qianyu's private training ground.
Qianyu slowly circulated the power of the Ten-Tails within him, continuously experimenting with different possibilities using Yin-Yang Release. This was the only way he could resist the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
"Qianyu! Big trouble!"
Just as Qianyu was training, Minato's figure flickered into existence beside him, his face etched with urgency. "There's intel! A powerhouse, suspected to be a resurrected Madara Uchiha, attacked the Hidden Cloud! He abducted their two Jinchūriki!"
"Adding the Seven-Tails and Four-Tails Jinchūriki who went missing recently… that makes five Jinchūriki unaccounted for in the shinobi world!"
Minato was frantic. A group of terrifyingly strong individuals was rampaging across the nations, capturing Jinchūriki. Kushina was in grave danger!
"What?!"
Qianyu put on a look of shock at the right moment. His heart, however, remained a placid lake.
After all, he was the one who took the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki. And Rōshi, captured just days ago? Also his handiwork.
The Hidden Mist was also missing two Jinchūriki, though the Fourth Mizukage had sealed the news. That meant only Shukaku's host, Bunpuku, and Kushina remained in the world now.
Timing-wise, Madara Uchiha should be making his move on Suna soon.
After a brief moment of "stunned silence," Qianyu patted Minato's shoulder, his expression turning serious. "This is huge, Minato. Hold down the fort here in Konoha. I need to head to Suna, discuss countermeasures with Shigure and the others."
"Right!"
…
The Land of Wind, Hidden Sand Village.
"Look! What is that?!"
On the high, rock-forged wall, a Suna shinobi rubbed his eyes, staring in horror at the distant sky.
Whoosh!
Before the other guards could react, a massive shadow blotted out the harsh sun. The nearby walls darkened.
"What… what kind of monster is that?! It's even bigger than Shukaku!!"
The Suna guards' eyes bulged. A blue warrior god, tall as a mountain, descended from the heavens. Its menacing Tengu armor spread its wings, cutting off the sunlight, gazing down upon them with divine indifference.
Clatter. Clatter.
Weapons fell from numb hands. Not a shred of fighting spirit remained.
This behemoth was beyond anything they could conceive. Their weapons were like nail clippers before it.
How do you even fight that? Jump up and give it a manicure?!
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"
An alarm shrieked, its sharp wail instantly tearing through Suna's sky.
"Magnet Release: Golden Sand Wild Wave!"
Soon, a tidal wave of golden sand surged from Suna's center. It formed a colossal hand in the air and slammed down toward the giant of light.
"Mere sand. Not even half of my might."
Inside the Susanoo's cockpit, Madara Uchiha snorted. He casually raised a finger.
The next moment, two long swords materialized in the Susanoo's hands. A slight swing. Two intersecting arcs of sword energy howled forth, meeting the golden sand head-on.
Swoosh!
A clear ring of steel. The golden wave split in two. The Kazekage, Rasa, plummeted from the sky. Shigure arrived just in time, catching him.
"Who are you?!" Shigure demanded coldly, setting Rasa down after sensing the Susanoo's staggering chakra. "The Hidden Sand has no quarrel with you. Why attack?!"
"To crush you. What concern is it of yours? Do I need a reason to step on ants by the roadside?"
Madara crossed his arms, gazing down indifferently at the furious Suna shinobi. These insects weren't worthy of knowing his name.
"Earth Style: Sand Rain!"
"Earth Style: Sand Sharp Spears!"
"Wind Style: Great Sickle Weasel!"
"Wind Style—!"
The elite Suna ninja with Shigure formed hand seals. A dense barrage of jutsu shot toward the Susanoo's head.
"Boring. Preta Path: Absorption."
Madara didn't even twitch, maintaining his cool pose. A purple gleam flashed in his eyes. The incoming jutsu vanished like stones sinking into the sea.
That brat Qianyu is late. I leaked the news ahead of time… In his lack of punctuality, he really does take after Hashirama's descendant.
Madara mused, bored, as he piloted the Susanoo forward.
He could flatten Suna in minutes. But to wait for Qianyu to arrive for their "final showdown," he had to kill time here.
Truth be told, in the first few days after regaining his power, Madara had been exhilarated. Eager to make the world his dance floor, to clash with the era's strongest.
But after the Cloud battle, he realized it. The modern shinobi world had no worthy opponents. No one merited his full strength.
"Boring. Truly boring. Best to enact the Infinite Tsukuyomi soon. Unify this dull world. No strife. No barriers…"
"Puppet Technique: Three Treasures Suction Crushing!"
Just as the Susanoo stepped into the village, three white-clad puppets leaped from the wall. A powerful suction force targeted the Susanoo's head, visibly forming a whirlwind.
"Oh? Somewhat interesting."
Madara glanced at Chiyo controlling Chikamatsu's Ten Puppets. He saw through her "little trick" instantly. A rare flicker of amusement crossed his face.
"A secret skill combining suction and repulsion? Coincidentally, I know a move or two myself. Let's test it… Susanoo: Almighty Push!"
Madara barked. The Susanoo raised an arm. A terrifying repulsive force erupted.
The suction from the Three Treasures Suction Crushing was nothing before it. The Ten Puppets, capable of destroying nations, were mere toys before the Susanoo.
BOOM!
Chiyo and nearly a hundred Suna ninja were blasted away. Nearby buildings crumbled. A clearing appeared instantly in Suna's heart.
"Susanoo: Dance of the Twin Blades!"
The Susanoo, wielding two forty-meter blades, ignored the pitiful attacks raining on it. Swing after swing. It carved a path deep into the village, heading straight for Bunpuku's prison.
"Shigure! Brother Rasa! I'm here!"
Just as Suna's defense crumbled, a streak of white light cut across the sky. It landed before the groaning Shigure and Rasa.
"Oh? Finally!"
Madara's spirits lifted. His eyes snapped toward the voice. There he was. Qianyu.
"This farce can finally end. Hmph. Let me show you, you arrogant junior, the true power of the Rinnegan."
Madara formed hand seals. Two more arms sprouted from the Susanoo's back. All four arms, mirroring Madara, formed three different seals. A forbidden technique, usable only by the Rinnegan.
"Tengai Shinsei!"
The clear, cloudless sky darkened. A meteor, over a kilometer in diameter, plummeted from the heavens. Its shadow, blotting out the sun, engulfed the entire Hidden Sand.
"Th-that's…!"
The Sand ninja stared skyward, eyes glazed with despair. Agonized wails rose.
"How can such a terrifying jutsu exist?! We're not even in the same dimension!"
"It's a calamity! Heaven itself has abandoned Suna!"
"Lord Kazekage! What do we do?! We can't dodge that!"
Just a glance at the colossal rock hurtling down made their legs buckle. The thought of escape didn't even form.
Unless they knew space-time ninjutsu like Qianyu, they had no hope of fleeing the impact zone.
"Despair. This is the power of Madara Uchiha… The power of a god! Hahahahaha!"
Madara laughed maniacally, looking triumphantly at Qianyu. He wanted to see the brat's next move.
His previous caution was due to lacking the Rinnegan's power. Now, with godly strength restored, this move wouldn't be so easy to handle!
Whoosh!
Under the gaze of Suna and Madara, Qianyu shot into the sky. Like a mayfly shaking a tree, he charged the giant meteor.
"Earth Style: Super Light-Weight Rock Technique!"
Qianyu pressed one hand against the meteor's underside. He stopped its descent effortlessly. He almost did a bicep curl out of habit.
"… URRRGHHHHHH!"
He caught himself. Too fake. He quickly switched to both hands. Mimicking Ōnoki from the original storyline, he let out a strained, desperate roar. He looked ready to be crushed any second.
"Hang in there, Brother Qianyu!"
"White Flash! You can do it! Beat that monster!"
"Hold on!!"
Led by Rasa, the despairing Suna ninja rose. They waved their fists, screaming their lungs out for Qianyu.
Without exaggeration, that defiant figure in the sky was now seared into every Sand ninja's heart.
"Huff. Should be about right?"
Seeing the atmosphere peak, Qianyu exerted a little more force. The meteor's fall slowed. Then stopped. Hovering in mid-air.
"Hell yeah! He actually stopped it! I thought we were dead for sure!"
"The White Flash lives up to his name!"
"Wahh! We're saved! Lord Qianyu, I'll marry you!"
Deafening cheers erupted. Suna ninja hugged, cried, laughed.
"Not bad, not bad. Madara played his part well. I'll get him an extra chicken drumstick later."
Savoring the adulation below, Qianyu was pleased with the show's effect. He began descending, carrying the massive rock toward the desert outside the village.
Then he spotted Pakura in the crowd. A mischievous grin. He winked at her. Mouthed a silent phrase.
"Pakura. See how awesome I am?"
Pakura's pale face flushed crimson instantly. "Bastard! Who wants to see your… hmph!"
"That damn brat!"
Hearing the cheers below, watching Qianyu descend like a hero, Madara saw red.
He hadn't expected Qianyu to stop the Tengai Shinsei so easily. This spoiled his plan to teach the kid a lesson. Made him look bad.
"So. What will you do about the second meteor, Qianyu?" Madara's voice was ice.
"(⊙ω⊙)!NANI?!"
Qianyu's brain stuttered. This wasn't in the script! We were supposed to pull our punches! This old fossil was ad-libbing! And stealing his line?!
"Old man! That's MY line!"
Qianyu glared daggers at Madara inside the Susanoo.
"Heh. Possession is nine-tenths."
Madara smirked. He raised a finger. Pointed upward. A taunting look.
BOOM!
The next instant, under the horrified gaze of the Sand ninja, a second meteor—far more massive than the first—slammed down. It crashed onto the meteor Qianyu was holding with lightning speed.
"Madara Uchiha! I'll remember this!"
Qianyu gnashed his teeth. The old coot did this on purpose! He'd "struggled" so hard with the first one. Now with a bigger one on top? He had no choice but to "fail"!
Damn. I recreated the famous scene from the original plot. And I got stuck with Ōnoki's role. Qianyu cursed inwardly.
CRUNCH!
A tremendous crash. For about two and a half seconds, Qianyu "struggled" heroically under the twin meteors. Then… he followed them in a terminal velocity free-fall, smashing into the ground outside Suna.
"Qi… Qianyu!"
The color drained from Pakura's face again. Her eyes reddened. Ignoring her comrades, she tried to rush past the Susanoo toward the impact crater.
"Hmph!"
Madara snorted. After a moment's hesitation, he didn't stop her. If the first meteor couldn't hurt Qianyu, the second probably wouldn't either.
Annoying the brat was one thing. But harming his woman? The kid might go berserk, jeopardizing the Moon's Eye Plan.
"Whew…"
Seeing the meteors land outside the village center, Shigure sighed in relief. But Suna's crisis wasn't over.
He glanced at the demoralized troops behind him. His face was grim.
Even Mother and Qianyu were no match for Madara. Who could possibly stop him now?
"His target is likely the One-Tails… Go! Bring Bunpuku here! Now!"
Moments later, Shigure made his decision. Exchange the tailed beast for the village's survival.
"Yes, Lord Shigure!"
Soon, the aged monk Bunpuku was brought from his cell, presented before the towering Susanoo.
Whoosh.
Under everyone's tense, anxious stares, the Susanoo's footsteps halted. It stopped before Bunpuku.
"Hmph. You're more sensible than that stubborn old fool, Retto. Good. I'll take the Jinchūriki."
Madara raised his right hand. A pull. Bunpuku flew up, landing in his grasp.
Whoosh.
With one last displeased glance at Qianyu "playing dead" under the meteors, Madara piloted the Susanoo skyward. It vanished over the horizon.
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