When Obito stepped onto the arena, he immediately drew the attention of the Allied Shinobi Forces.
To the Allied shinobi, this mysterious masked man was unforgettable. From the night of the Nine-Tails' attack, to Kirigakure's Bloody Mist policy, to the assault on the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki, all of it was tied to him.
At first, everyone suspected the masked man was Madara Uchiha. He had long used Madara's name to act.
It wasn't until the real Madara Uchiha appeared that they realized the masked man wasn't him. From that point, speculation about his true identity became chaotic.
Some suspected he was Uchiha Setsuna, an elder of the Uchiha clan.
Some went further, believing he was a Uchiha leftover from the Warring States era.
Others even speculated he was Madara's blood descendant, left behind in the shinobi world.
After all, if the First Hokage left behind a bloodline, how could his rival Madara Uchiha have lived alone and untouched by romance? Nothing in the shinobi world forms a stronger bond than blood.
Staring at the masked man on the stage, Kakashi wanted to step forward and ask if he was really Obito.
Ever since awakening Kamui, Kakashi had already reached his own conclusion about the masked man's identity, but part of him still clung to hope, needing the answer from Obito's own mouth to truly let go.
After all, it was hard to connect the innocent and pure-hearted Obito with the masked man standing before him.
After much hesitation, Kakashi didn't speak. First, he no longer had the right to challenge; second, he still hoped to persuade Obito to turn back, not to provoke him further.
Obito noticed Kakashi's hesitation and cursed him as a coward.
Someone who didn't even have the courage to step onto the stage and face him was unworthy of being his opponent. Such a coward didn't even deserve to exist in the world of Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Just as the Fourth Raikage was about to step forward, a tremor rumbled from the distant ground.
The massive disturbance instantly drew the attention of the Allied Forces, halting the Fourth Raikage mid-step. They all turned toward the source of the quake, their expressions shifting to disbelief.
A towering statue had appeared on the horizon.
It was larger than Madara Uchiha's Susanoo, larger than the nearby mountains. Every step it took sent tremors rippling through the earth like small quakes.
"What is that?" a shinobi asked.
"That's likely the body of the nine Tailed Beasts, the legendary Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Legend says it's the husk of the Ten-Tails. If you use it to gather all nine Tailed Beasts, you gain the power to destroy the world."
Byakuya, who had appeared among the Allied Forces, offered the explanation.
But even without Byakuya's words, every shinobi present could feel the overwhelming power inside the statue. It was a force far greater than that of the Eight-Tails or Nine-Tails, greater than all the Tailed Beasts combined.
The chakra radiating from it distorted the air and blurred the light.
Ōnoki seemed to realize something and frowned, looking toward Byakuya.
"Leader Byakuya, could this be the complete form of the Demonic Statue?"
Byakuya nodded.
"It's nearly complete. Just one final step remains before it becomes the Ten-Tails. It seems my true body must be in a dire situation, likely facing an attack from Madara Uchiha. But since I still exist, that means the original me isn't dead. This Fourth Great Ninja War is far from over."
These words made the Kage-level shinobi sigh in relief. They looked warily at both the Demonic Statue and the Madara Uchiha beside them, thoughts heavy in their hearts.
From what Byakuya described, the Madara here was likely just a clone.
Which meant the battlefield of tens of thousands of Allied shinobi wasn't the true battleground of this war. The real fight had already taken place, hidden behind the scenes of their tournament-like games.
Byakuya and Madara Uchiha might have already been clashing in the shadows for days, none of them had realized it.
As the Demonic Statue drew closer, the shinobi could finally make out the figure standing atop it, Nagato.
The crowd erupted in shock.
Wasn't Nagato a leader of Amegakure? Why was he now helping Madara Uchiha?
Then they remembered: Nagato had been attacked half a month ago. He must now be under someone else's control. Still, it was their first time seeing his Rinnegan with their own eyes.
"That's the Rinnegan, the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths from the legends."
"The Rinnegan can actually control the Demonic Statue. Could the Sage of Six Paths really have existed? Was he its original master?"
"If Madara Uchiha wields the Sage of Six Paths' power, how are we supposed to fight him?"
"That's godlike power. How could ordinary people like us possibly oppose a god? Honestly, maybe Infinite Tsukuyomi isn't so bad."
"I've long given up on cruel reality. Dying in a dream might not be so terrible."
Under the influence of the Demonic Statue's chakra, the Allied shinobi began to waver. Facing such overwhelming strength, their resistance seemed meaningless. Surrendering suddenly felt like the more reasonable option.
The jōnin all sensed this shift. Their expressions darkened, they too had started feeling the oppressive atmosphere.
But as veterans of countless battles, they quickly shook off the chakra's influence, gathered their strength, and began preparing for the upcoming war.
Still, doubts lingered in their hearts. Could they really win in the end?
The Demonic Statue pressed forward… and as anxiety rippled through the Allied Forces, Yahiko stepped forward after a long silence.
"I am Yahiko from Amegakure," he called out. "I know many of you have no confidence in defeating Madara Uchiha or the Demonic Statue. Some of you may even think it's better to just surrender and accept Infinite Tsukuyomi. Laugh if you want, but I've thought that way too.
But think about it, do any of you truly believe there's such a good thing in the shinobi world? Would Madara really let us enjoy such a dream without a price? And for the sake of future generations, wouldn't that be too irresponsible of us? If a beautiful world is truly possible, then it must be one we create together."
Yahiko's words seemed to possess a kind of magic, lifting morale considerably. It wasn't just his eloquence, deep down, no one truly trusted Madara. No one believed such a perfect world could be real.
Tsunade and the others were also stirred by these words, and all eyes turned to Byakuya.
Though the one here was just his shadow clone, as long as Byakuya remained, the Allied Shinobi Forces still had hope. They could still defeat Madara Uchiha.
Byakuya looked at Tsunade and the others and smiled.
"Hokage, Tsuchikage, are you ready to join me in facing the Demonic Statue and Madara Uchiha?"
Tsunade and the others nodded firmly and followed behind him.
The seven of them vanished using Body Flicker Technique and reappeared on a mountaintop, surrounding Madara Uchiha and the masked man.
Madara Uchiha glanced at them and sneered.
"All the Tailed Beasts are already in our hands. You still think you can resist?"
Tsunade stepped forward and said, "Even if our chances of winning are slim, we still want to try."
Madara Uchiha chuckled and said meaningfully, "Tsunade, you do have a bit of Hashirama's spirit. But even if Hashirama himself were resurrected, he still couldn't stop the Eye of the Moon Plan. You have no idea how powerful we really are."
"Let me tell you this: the Fourth Great Ninja War only started as a game between me and another collaborator. And as for who that person is, you should be very familiar with him."
"We're very familiar?" Tsunade, Ōnoki, and the Fourth Raikage were all confused.
But Sasori of the Red Sand, Terumī Mei, and Zabuza seemed to realize something. Their eyes involuntarily shifted to Byakuya. After all, both Sunagakure and Kirigakure had once fallen under Akatsuki's control and were well aware of the organization's ambition to take over the entire shinobi world.
After a brief moment of silence, Tsunade impatiently said, "Madara Uchiha, enough with your nonsense. The Allied Shinobi Forces stand united. As for your so-called collaborator, we have no idea who it is."
Before she finished speaking, Tsunade charged at Madara with a punch. Her monstrous strength, capable of splitting mountains, shattered his body, revealing it to be a mere log. The masked man also vanished from the mountaintop. They had both retreated.
From the sky, Ōnoki shouted down, "Madara and the masked man are heading toward the Gedō Mazō! It looks like we have no choice but to fight it. This battle will be tougher than any we've faced before!"
"Save the speech, you old fossil! You might fear Madara, but I sure as hell don't."
Fresh from defeating his father, the Fourth Raikage glared at the distant statue. His eyes burned with fury. The appearance of the Gedō Mazō meant that his brother, Killer Bee, had already fallen.
As his older brother, and as the Fourth Raikage, he had to avenge Killer Bee.
Having made up his mind, the Raikage dashed down the mountain toward the Gedō Mazō, with Byakuya and the others following close behind.
Twenty kilometers... five kilometers... one kilometer...
Their speed was incredible, and in no time, they arrived at the Gedō Mazō. The closer they got, the more overwhelming its presence became.
Even without unleashing any powers, this terrifying statue had the sheer force to rival a tailed beast.
And if it could fire Tailed Beast Bombs? A single ordinary beast bomb could wipe out a mountain or a village, and one from the Gedō Mazō might destroy an entire nation.
Just as the tiny figures of Tsunade and the others were preparing to strike, a figure blocked their path, leaving everyone frozen in shock.
"Leader Byakuya, you're... unharmed?"
Seeing him, both Tsunade and Ōnoki felt momentary relief. But that feeling quickly turned to unease. Why was Byakuya unscathed? And why was he stopping them?
The Fourth Raikage was the first to speak. He growled, "Byakuya, how did you protect Killer Bee and the others? Why are you here with the Gedō Mazō, and standing in our way?"
Byakuya smirked, snapped his fingers to dispel the wooden clone, then sighed and said, "I'm standing here to stop you from getting yourselves killed. None of you are any match for the Ten-Tails. Might as well surrender peacefully and avoid any unnecessary bloodshed."
"What is the meaning of this?"
Tsunade stared at him in disbelief. "Do you have something to do with Madara Uchiha? Weren't you supposed to be my grandfather's successor? Why would you side with him?"
Byakuya's expression darkened. He sneered, "The so-called successor of the Senju clan, other people might believe that, but you? A descendant of the Senju? You seriously believe Hashirama and Tobirama would leave you anything worth passing down?"
"Then how do you explain the Wood Style? And the Senju's monstrous strength?"
Byakuya laughed mockingly.
"The Wood Style came from Black Zetsu, obviously. As for the strength… maybe I do have Senju blood in me. But can't the Senju work with the Uchiha? The first person to do that was your own grandfather, the First Hokage."
Tsunade was momentarily speechless. She hadn't believed the "successor" story at first. It was Byakuya's actions that had gradually earned her trust and convinced her that he truly represented a legacy.
But in the end, it was all a façade. She'd been deceived again.
The Fourth Raikage glared at Byakuya and growled, "So you're saying you killed Killer Bee and Naruto?!"
Byakuya shook his head and gave a chilling smile.
"I didn't kill them. I just extracted the tailed beasts from them. With their vitality, they should survive for a day or two more."
"Brainless Raikage, if you're willing to kneel and beg, maybe I'll let you see him one last time…"
After finishing his taunt toward the Raikage, Byakuya turned his attention to Ōnoki.
"Ōnoki, old friend. Remember how we once teamed up against Konoha? You thought you were getting a great deal out of Amegakure and the Leaf… But Akatsuki is not the same as Amegakure. Over the years, while you were busy squabbling with Konoha, Akatsuki quietly unified the smaller nations. That's what made our tailed beast hunt so efficient.
Sure, it was Madara who captured Four-Tails and Five-Tails, but it was me who sealed them into the statue, who watched the Jinchūriki die from losing their chakra."
Ōnoki, usually calm and composed, turned visibly furious.
Byakuya didn't stop there. He went on to mock Kirigakure and Sunagakure, ensuring he thoroughly provoked all five Great Ninja Villages.
Even Madara Uchiha and the masked man, watching all this, couldn't help but think: this guy's unhinged.
They had waged war to gather the tailed beasts and realize the Eye of the Moon Plan, an eternal peace for the shinobi world. But Byakuya seemed to be driven purely by revenge against the five villages.
After all, there were rumors that a coalition of four major villages had orchestrated Uzushiogakure's destruction. And Konoha, its supposed ally, had stood by and done nothing.
Given that history, it wasn't surprising that Byakuya harbored such deep hatred.
Having mocked everyone, Byakuya turned his gaze to Madara and the masked man, then back to the assembled Kage. With a sinister look, he said, "If you want to get close to the Gedō Mazō, then let's fight, a battle to the death. Let me, the last orphan of the Uzumaki clan, face off against the leaders of all five Great Ninja Villages."
Byakuya smirked, "Just like back then… only this time, the ones at a disadvantage are all of you."