Because Uchiha Obito's explanation had been vague, and there wasn't a precise spatial coordinate to work with, Kaede couldn't use the Tenseigan to open a direct portal to Nagato's location.
But that didn't stop him from heading there.
He didn't need to arrive at the exact spot. As long as he used the power of the Tenseigan to open a portal somewhere near Kumogakure, he could simply ascend into the sky, then, using his ocular power, locate Nagato directly.
However, the moment he rose into the upper clouds, he realized there was no longer a need.
He had sensed the Ten Tails' chakra.
That chakra was impossible to conceal.
Even from the farthest corners of the ninja world, the Ten Tails' presence stood out clearly, like a blazing beacon in the darkness, one that hung in the sky like a second sun.
"Looks like you managed to get the jump on me."
Kaede glanced toward the direction of Kumogakure with a calm gaze, then plummeted straight down, falling directly toward Uchiha Madara's location.
At this moment, he could clearly sense the immense power residing within Madara's body.
"Let me see for myself, just how strong you are in your Six Paths Mode."
He murmured softly.
The Tenseigan's brilliant blue glow flared in his eyes. Nine Truth-Seeking Orbs emerged in front of him, revolving rapidly in his palm. They began to merge and twist, finally forming a radiant golden blade.
Golden Wheel Reincarnation Sword!
Kaede grasped the glowing blade with both hands and, without hesitation, brought it crashing down toward Madara below.
Madara's Rinnegan caught every motion in crystal clarity. His eyes narrowed, and the Truth-Seeking Ball in his hand instantly melted down into a black, spiraled form.
Sword of Nunoboko!
He raised the dark, spiraled blade and swung it upward to meet Kaede's descending strike. At nearly the same instant, Kaede brought his golden sword down.
The gleaming Golden Wheel Reincarnation Sword clashed against the pitch-black Sword of Nunoboko with a resonant, ringing note.
Clang!!
The echo of that single note rang across the world.
For a heartbeat, the entire world fell silent, as if some unseen ripple had expanded outward from the point of contact, vanishing beyond the edges of existence.
In that moment…
Time itself seemed to freeze.
Whether it was Minato, the First Raikage, or anyone else present, all of them clearly saw Kaede's figure, emerging from the golden light above, sword in hand.
They saw the two combatants, Kaede and Madara, suspended midair, locked in place, their swords clashing, frozen as if preserved in crystal.
No one could move.
Even though they saw it, none of the onlookers could do anything. It was as if space had congealed, and time itself had halted.
No one knew how long that silence lasted.
Perhaps a moment.
Perhaps an eternity.
Then,
A streak of white light burst from the clash point between the two swords. Like the rising sun, it rapidly expanded outward, engulfing the world in blinding white.
BOOOOMMMMM!!!!
An explosion beyond description erupted from the epicenter where Kaede and Madara clashed.
Black Zetsu, closest to Madara, was obliterated in an instant, his form shattered and scattered to who-knows-where. The Fourth Raikage, the First Raikage, and the others nearby were sent flying like leaves caught in a hurricane, tossed helplessly into the sky.
One strike.
Heaven and earth shattered.
From afar, the entirety of Kumogakure seemed to collapse inward at the point of impact, like soft clay pressed by an invisible finger.
The surrounding land rippled like liquid, waves of twisted terrain spreading violently in all directions.
The Raikage and the others were swept up by the blast, their voices drowned in the roar. They were flung a great distance before finally slamming to the ground.
And then,
The blinding white light that had consumed the heavens finally began to fade.
Kumogakure was gone.
In its place was a massive crater, as if a meteor had struck from the sky. For dozens of miles in every direction, the land was devastated, reduced to chaos and ruin.
At the center of it all, hovering in midair, stood the two figures: Kaede and Madara.
They were not at the bottom of the crater, but suspended high above, still locked in their sword clash.
Crack!
A sharp sound split the silence.
From the point where the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Sword met the Sword of Nunoboko, cracks began to appear in Madara's black blade, spiderwebbing outward.
Kaede's golden blade also faded away, dissolving into motes of light before transforming into a single dark Truth-Seeking Blade in his grasp.
He lifted it casually.
Crack.
A fine fracture appeared on Madara's forehead guard, the part that extended from his left temple across his brow like a headband. It split neatly in two.
A thin black line ran across the crown of his head.
"Six Paths… power?"
Madara stared at Kaede, who hovered above him. He slowly lowered his arm, and the broken Sword of Nunoboko reformed into his Truth-Seeking Ball.
The dark line across his scalp shimmered and vanished.
"The Rinnegan's ocular power, combined with the Ten Tails… You really do possess power close to the Sage of Six Paths. Even my Golden Wheel Reincarnation Sword couldn't fully break through."
Kaede's voice was calm as he looked at Madara.
Swish!
Madara vanished.
When he reappeared, he was floating in the air dozens of meters away, facing Kaede directly. His pupils contracted slightly. A flicker of emotion passed through his eyes.
"Your eyes… they're similar to the Rinnegan in power? So even though you're not of the Uchiha clan, you've obtained such strength. I underestimated you."
Tenseigan.
Six Paths power.
Madara could clearly sense it, though Kaede's chakra was slightly weaker than his own as the Ten Tails' Jinchuriki, it was still on the same level.
And those deep blue Tenseigan eyes…
Their chakra and visual power were eerily close to the Rinnegan.
A dojutsu on par with the Rinnegan.
A Six Paths Mode body.
Truth-Seeking Orbs and Six Paths Senjutsu.
No doubt about it, Kaede was now his equal.
After a moment of silent tension, a gleam flickered in Madara's eyes, a rare trace of excitement.
He hadn't expected that even after gaining the power of the Six Paths, he would find a worthy opponent who could still challenge him.
"To gain such power in this era… you've already surpassed Hashirama. Among all the shinobi I've ever faced, no one is more formidable than you."
With that, Madara held his staff horizontally at his side, a faint thrill in his expression.
"Come."
"I'll be your opponent!"
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Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria