"So, you are Hyuga Mirai, the so-called heretic of the ninja world, according to the Six Paths."
Madara Uchiha struggled to suppress the unease in his heart, forcing himself calm as he spoke to Mirai.
"What defines a heretic? Popular opinion? Then you should be the heretics. Twenty million civilians in the ninja world lived well under my rule, yet you revived from the Pure Land just to destroy their lives. If it's about strength, I received the tomoe Sharingan from the Six Paths. How can you call me a heretic?"
No sooner had the last word left his mouth than Mirai appeared before his Susanoo, moving so fast that even Madara's Rinnegan could not track him.
He saw only Mirai pause briefly, then spin and deliver a kick. Madara's pupils constricted as an irresistible force lifted his hundreds-of-meters-tall Susanoo into the air.
Crack, crack, crack.
His eyes stung. Madara couldn't maintain the Susanoo, which shattered midair into debris.
'Shattered with a single kick? Such power… I must find a chance to use my Rinnegan jutsu.'
Madara barely thought this when he felt a hand clamp around his neck. The next moment, he was yanked and slammed into the ground.
Boom!
He crashed into the earth over ten meters deep. The right leg he had transplanted from Zetsu snapped instantly.
Spitting blood, Madara had no strength to even raise his hand after just a few exchanges. His body ached, bones nearly seventy percent shattered from the fall.
Even Hashirama Cells would take considerable time to heal such injuries.
'The heretic the Six Paths spoke of… is this him?' Madara wheezed.
Having fought hundreds of battles, he had never felt so powerless. Even against Tsunade, he could remain calm, using the Outer Path Avatar to absorb most damage and drain her chakra.
Now, he felt utterly helpless.
'Kicked the Susanoo to pieces… what kind of monster is this? No wonder the Six Paths wanted me and Hashirama to cooperate, and that space ability too.'
Before he could finish, Mirai stepped through a spatial portal and spoke.
"What else did the Six Paths say? If you honestly reveal your information, I might spare your life."
Madara felt no hope, only rage. Since his revival, aside from reclaiming the Rinnegan and sealing Black Zetsu, he had suffered setback after setback. He failed to steal Hashirama's yang power or Sage chakra and had been beaten by Hashirama's granddaughter.
Rely on mercy to survive? Never!
"Don't underestimate me! I am Madara Uchiha!"
Rinne Tensei.
Madara lifted his head, glaring with his Rinnegan. Four shadows split from him, attacking Mirai instantly.
"Truly ungrateful…"
Mirai raised his hand slightly. Four gray bones grew from his palms and shoulders, then shot out, piercing Madara's shadows.
The Bone Killing Technique, a bloodline art, could destroy Rinnegan shadows when ninjutsu and sage techniques could not.
"Ugh!"
As the shadows vanished, Madara groaned. Pain surged through his Rinnegan, worse than any sealing technique. He would not be able to use Rinne Tensei for a long time.
"I hope your stubbornness keeps you alive," Mirai said, leaving a Divine Pursuit Orb behind before returning to Tsunade via Yomi Birasaka.
Tsunade, seeing Mirai, asked in confusion, "You—?"
Boom!
The pit Madara had created erupted in a massive explosion, its flames and shockwave covering miles. Mirai had thrown the Outer Path Avatar into the spatial plane of Amatsu-Mikado and used the orb to shield himself and Tsunade, protecting them from the blast.
The Divine Pursuit Orb, made from high-density chakra of the seven Natures of Yin-Yang, contains the power of all things. Fully released, it could obliterate life within dozens of kilometers or sink a small island.
Mirai restrained the orb's power, sparing Konoha from full devastation. Even so, the force was more than enough to overwhelm Madara.
Even Six Paths-level warriors dare not endure the orb's explosion directly. Madara, only partially entering Six Paths, could not create such a device.
When the shockwave subsided, Tsunade asked, "Is he dead?"
"Not yet. Still alive… but soon."
Mirai saw Madara buried under rock. His chakra flames had not extinguished, and the transplanted Hashirama Cells kept him alive despite grievous injuries.
Mirai clapped his hands. The fractured earth trembled, raising massive stone pillars to lift Madara from the depths.
"What are you going to do with him?"
Tsunade crossed her arms. "He's a threat. Better deal with him directly."
Madara nearly destroyed Konoha; Tsunade had no tolerance for him. If he escaped, only Mirai and she could stop him. Eliminating the threat now was best.
"Don't worry. He won't cause trouble anymore."
Mirai created a clone, which approached Madara, removing his Rinnegan.
Seals were applied, leaving him powerless to resist.
"This pair of eyes is his trump card—the tomoe Rinnegan. Each has a unique jutsu. I'll test it later."
Mirai stored Madara's eyes, which could later be used to create a loyal subordinate of great power.
"As for Madara, let your grandfather deal with him, then secure him."
"My grandfather… he's here?"
Tsunade turned toward Konoha, seeing Senju Hashirama approaching shortly.
He examined Tsunade and said with relief, "Tsunade, glad you're fine. That commotion was worrying…"
"Grandfather, I had the upper hand. Trust your granddaughter—I am the Fifth Hokage."
"Hah."
Tsunade, embarrassed by Mirai's teasing, scowled. "Why are you laughing?"
"Just happy the ninja world will soon be at peace," Mirai said, shrugging.
Hashirama ignored them, seeing Madara barely breathing. Sighing, he said, "I'll check on Madara. Tsunade, you two head back."
Tsunade nodded to him. "Understood. Return quickly, grandfather."
She and Mirai flew back to Konoha.
Although Madara attacked, village damage was minimal: a few unstable houses collapsed, no casualties. Terrain changed slightly, with the village gate destroyed and a deep pit several hundred miles away.
Near Konoha, Tsunade suddenly stopped. She formed hand seals, absorbing her chakra into the Hyakushiki Seal, turning pale as if gravely injured.
Mirai widened his eyes in disbelief. "Tsunade, feigning illness before your leader? Don't underestimate me."
"I'll rest just two days. If forced to handle paperwork day and night, I might collapse."
Tsunade clasped her hands, pleading. Kabuto had been pressuring her with Konoha's welfare, world peace, and villagers' happiness. Continued stress could truly make her ill.
"This is your fault. You promised an assistant, yet delayed like Orochimaru."
Mirai didn't admit forgetting, or Tsunade would demand leave or indulgences. He replied, "Kabuto might still see through this. His medical skill is high."
"As long as you cooperate silently, it'll work."
Tsunade was confident. Apart from Mirai and Orochimaru, few knew the human body better. Her act was convincing, undetectable even by instruments.
To sell it further, she rested her arm on Mirai's shoulder, pretending chakra exhaustion.
Mirai patted his forehead, sighing. "You're too committed. Three kilometers from Konoha, at this pace, it'll take two hours."
Tsunade's laziness was legendary, but understandable—managing an entire country's affairs was exponentially more work than a village.
"I'll cooperate this once. If Kabuto sees through it, it's on him."
Mirai lifted Tsunade like a patient, flying toward Konoha.
"Don't worry, no one will notice anything amiss," she stammered. Her body stiffened momentarily, then relaxed—no struggle.
After all, it was acting. Kabuto would be convinced.
(End of chapter)
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