Tap tap tap!
From within the six opened coffins came the distinctive sounds of footsteps, each with a different rhythm and cadence that spoke to the unique personalities and fighting styles of their owners. The sounds echoed across the moonlit landscape with an otherworldly quality that sent chills through the air.
Soon, six figures of varying heights and builds emerged into view, and White Zetsu observed them with intense curiosity and barely concealed amazement. These were not ordinary reanimated warriors—they represented the pinnacle of ninja achievement and the architects of the modern ninja world.
The leftmost figure carried himself with an air of absolute authority, his serious eyes reflecting the weight of leadership and the burden of founding an entire hidden village. His bearing suggested someone who had made countless difficult decisions and bore the responsibility for the lives of thousands.
Next to him stood an elderly man with extraordinarily long white hair and an equally impressive beard that spoke to his advanced age and accumulated wisdom. Most striking was the hideous scar that marred his forehead, passing through his eyebrows and extending across the entire left side of his face—evidence of some legendary battle that had left its permanent mark.
The third figure was the tallest and most physically imposing of the group, with a dark complexion and rough, weathered features that suggested a lifetime of intense physical training and brutal combat. His massive frame radiated an aura of barely contained violence that made the air around him seem to thrum with potential energy.
The fourth reanimated warrior was the shortest among them, also an elderly man, but his facial features carried a surprisingly kind and grandfatherly expression that seemed almost incongruous with the deadly power he undoubtedly possessed.
These four represented the founding leaders who had established the current structure of the ninja world: the First Kazekage of Sunagakure, the First Mizukage of Kirigakure, the First Raikage of Kumogakure, and the First Tsuchikage of Iwagakure. Each had carved their respective hidden villages from the chaos of the Warring States period through a combination of incredible personal power and visionary leadership.
However, Madara showed no particular interest in examining these four legendary figures. His attention was focused entirely on the two remaining reanimated warriors standing to the right of the group.
The first of these was a white-haired man clad in distinctive blue armor that marked him as a member of the Senju clan. This was Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage, who had been previously summoned through Edo Tensei by Orochimaru during his invasion of Konoha years earlier.
Among all the masters of the Warring States period, aside from Madara himself, only the Second Hokage could be considered truly comparable in ability to the founding Kage of the other major nations. His innovations in ninjutsu development and strategic thinking had shaped the very foundations of modern ninja tactics.
Madara's gaze lingered on Tobirama for only a moment before shifting to focus completely on the final figure—the man with long black hair who stood beside the Second Hokage.
This man wore the same distinctive red armor that Madara himself favored, and his face carried a handsome, clean-featured appearance that seemed to inspire trust and admiration rather than fear. There was something about his presence that made it impossible for anyone to feel genuine hatred toward him, even his enemies.
"Hashirama," Madara said, his voice carrying a slight emotional fluctuation that was rarely heard from the legendary Uchiha. "In the end, I have won the battle between us!"
The person who could evoke such a complex emotional response from Madara was none other than Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage who had brought peace to the chaotic Warring States period, established the village of Konohagakure, and earned recognition throughout the ninja world as the God of Shinobi.
The six Kage standing before him represented the six most powerful individuals in the entire recorded history of the ninja world. To have successfully created and established the five major ninja villages during the turbulent Warring States era required abilities that were truly extraordinary, which explained why Black Zetsu had expressed concern about his ability to control them effectively.
Even with the modifications and enhancements that had been made to their genetic material, these warriors possessed power levels that approached what they had commanded during their lifetimes. Controlling such formidable individuals would be an unprecedented challenge.
"Now I will restore their free will temporarily and then use the genjutsu capabilities of the Rinnegan to weaken their consciousness and make them more manageable," Madara explained, glancing sideways at Black Zetsu.
Black Zetsu nodded with understanding, then turned to White Zetsu with a significant look. "We should withdraw from this area immediately."
White Zetsu appeared confused for a moment before the implications became clear to him. If Madara intended to weaken the will of the six legendary Kage, he would first need to fully restore their consciousness and fighting capabilities to their peak levels.
Even with all of his power, Madara could not hope to subdue these six individuals instantly or without a tremendous struggle. The battle that was about to unfold would be of such magnitude and intensity that anyone caught in the vicinity would likely be killed or seriously injured by the collateral damage.
Therefore, both Black Zetsu and White Zetsu began slowly sinking into the ground, using their unique abilities to escape from the combat zone before the fighting could begin in earnest.
Just as they were completing their withdrawal, Madara began forming hand seals once again. As the complex sequence was completed, the previously empty, lifeless eyes of the four founding Kage and the Second Hokage suddenly brightened with the spark of true consciousness.
After completely regaining their free will and awareness of their surroundings, the four founding Kage all displayed expressions of confusion and disorientation. However, the Second Hokage, whose sensory abilities had always been exceptionally acute, was the first to notice their current circumstances and identify the source of their reanimation.
His eyes immediately fell upon Madara, who stood watching them with calm anticipation, and his expression shifted to one of horror and disbelief.
"Madara!?" Tobirama exclaimed, his voice carrying a mixture of shock and growing alarm.
"This is... Edo Tensei?" he muttered, examining his own reanimated body with the analytical mind that had made him such a formidable ninja and innovative researcher.
Since the Impure World Reincarnation technique had been his own creation, he could identify its effects and limitations immediately upon experiencing them firsthand.
As the reality of their situation became clearer, the other four Kage began to react as well, their expressions shifting from confusion to shock as they recognized the legendary figure standing before them.
"Brother!" the Second Hokage suddenly exclaimed as he noticed another figure beside him who had also been resurrected through Edo Tensei but had not yet regained his full consciousness.
The sight of Hashirama's still-vacant expression filled Tobirama with both relief that his brother was present and concern about why he remained in a controlled state while the others had been given their freedom.
"What exactly is happening here?" the First Mizukage demanded, his voice carrying both authority and barely contained anger at finding himself resurrected against his will.
At this moment, Madara finally chose to address them directly. He looked specifically at the Second Hokage as he spoke with cold indifference. "Tobirama, you should have realized by now that the one who performed the Edo Tensei technique this time was me."
Tobirama stared at Madara with a grim expression, his analytical mind racing to understand the implications of what he was witnessing. "This man is not a reanimation like us," he said through gritted teeth.
"How did he manage to return to life? What technique could have accomplished such a thing?"
Of course, Madara had no intention of explaining the complex circumstances that had led to his resurrection. Instead, he shifted his attention to the four founding Kage who stood beside Tobirama.
"You have been granted the opportunity to appear in this world once again because I require your power to accomplish my ultimate objective," he announced with the casual arrogance of someone who viewed even legendary figures as mere tools to be used.
"What objective?" the First Kazekage asked, his voice carrying a note of dangerous curiosity.
"To destroy the five major ninja nations that you established with your own hands," Madara replied, his expression suddenly becoming ferocious and filled with malevolent satisfaction. "And beyond that, to destroy the entire world and every human being who inhabits it!"
The moment these words left his mouth, the expressions of all five conscious Kage changed dramatically. The scope and audacity of what Madara was proposing went beyond mere warfare or political conquest—he was describing nothing less than the complete annihilation of everything they had worked to create and protect.
"What kind of insane joke is this!?" the First Raikage roared, his famous temper erupting instantly.
His eyebrows shot upward as violent chakra began radiating from his body in visible waves. Dark lightning coursed across his form, creating an aura of barely controlled destruction that made the air itself seem to crackle with electric potential.
"All five of you should attack me simultaneously," Madara said with the casual confidence of someone who had no doubt about the outcome of the battle to come.
His personality had always been too proud and impatient to waste time with extended conversation when action would serve his purposes more effectively.
The five legendary Kage exchanged quick glances, each reading the determination and resolve in the others' expressions. Although they were still struggling to fully understand their current situation and the circumstances that had led to their resurrection, they could confirm one crucial fact with absolute certainty.
They had to eliminate Madara here and now, or the ninja world would face a threat of unprecedented magnitude. The man before them possessed both the power and the motivation to carry out his apocalyptic vision, and no force currently active in the ninja world would be sufficient to stop him if he was allowed to complete his preparations.
As warriors who had lived through and survived the chaotic Warring States period, the founding Kage understood better than anyone else just how formidable Madara's capabilities truly were. They had witnessed his power firsthand during that era of constant conflict and bloodshed.
Throughout that entire period of history, only one man had ever been considered Madara's equal in combat—Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage who now stood among them in a controlled state.
So even when Madara arrogantly declared his intention to fight all five of them simultaneously, none of the legendary Kage dared to harbor any feelings of contempt or overconfidence. They knew that underestimating Madara Uchiha would be a fatal mistake.
Shhh!
A faint flash of lightning energy lingered in the air where the First Raikage had been standing, but the man himself had disappeared completely in an instant. His speed was so tremendous that even experienced fighters would have difficulty tracking his movement.
Swish!
Almost simultaneously, the figure of the Second Hokage also vanished from his original position, leaving behind only the slightest disturbance in the air to mark his passage.
"Hehe," Madara chuckled softly, completely unsurprised by the sudden disappearance of these two opponents.
The Second Hokage had once held the title of the fastest ninja in the world, his speed enhanced by innovative techniques that allowed him to move faster than the eye could follow. Without relying on space-time ninjutsu, the First Raikage's natural speed was actually even greater than Tobirama's, enhanced by his clan's legendary Lightning Release techniques.
However, compared to the man who was currently known throughout the ninja world as the Yellow Flash, both of their movements seemed relatively sluggish. Minato's mastery of space-time manipulation had redefined what speed meant in ninja combat.
The Second Hokage and First Raikage had not fled the battlefield—instead, they were executing a coordinated pincer attack designed to limit Madara's mobility and force him into a defensive position where the other Kage could exploit his reduced maneuverability.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!" the First Mizukage called out as he completed his hand seal sequence.
He opened his mouth and released a massive torrent of water that swept forward with the force and volume of a river falling from the heavens. The scale and power of the technique was truly impressive, creating enough water pressure to submerge not only Madara himself, but the cave behind him and the entire mountain as well.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!" Madara responded without hesitation, employing one of his most devastating fire-based techniques.
The flames that erupted from his position were equally magnificent in scale, creating a wall of superheated air and combustion that was no less impressive than the Mizukage's water technique. When the two opposing elements collided, they created a tremendous explosion of steam and vapor.
The meeting of water and fire produced an enormous cloud of mist that began to spread rapidly across the battlefield, reducing visibility to nearly zero.
"Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique!" the First Mizukage added, further enhancing the concealing properties of the vapor.
"You want to interfere with my perception and vision?" Madara murmured, recognizing the tactical purpose behind the combination of techniques.
He could feel his visual acuity and sensory awareness gradually diminishing as the enhanced mist filled the air around him, creating perfect conditions for ambush attacks from multiple directions.
Boom!
At that exact moment, a massive shadow suddenly appeared directly above Madara's position. The sheer size and weight of the approaching object seemed to compress the air itself, creating tremendous pressure that made breathing difficult.
"Earth Release: Mountain Technique!" the First Tsuchikage announced as his devastating jutsu reached completion.
"This is completely ridiculous," White Zetsu muttered from his concealed observation position, staring in amazement at the artificial mountain that had materialized within the mist.
The technique had created a stone formation that was nearly identical in size to the natural mountains that surrounded the battlefield, and this massive object was now plummeting toward the earth with enough force to reshape the entire landscape.
There was no doubt that this represented the true power of the First Tsuchikage—a demonstration of earth manipulation on a scale that defied normal understanding of what ninjutsu could accomplish.