Chapter 264: Can Only Choose Mutual Destruction
Uchiha Dali awoke from his meditative state, slowly opening his eyes.
Looking around at the empty, void-like extradimensional space, he let out a helpless sigh.
Perhaps it was because Ōtsutsuki Isshiki's power had already reached a level close to that of a god that the divine sealing technique he cast had imposed such a powerful effect on this entire space.
No matter how Uchiha Dali tried to break it, up until now, he had been unable to escape this predicament.
As long as the seal here remained unbroken, then no matter how advanced his space-time ninjutsu might be, he would not be able to leave this cursed place.
"This is troublesome… I didn't expect that guy to have hidden this card."
Uchiha Dali shook his head again with a bitter smile.
At the same time, worry inevitably crept into his heart. He had no idea how the situation in Konoha was unfolding right now.
Knowing Uchiha Madara's personality, there was no need to guess—he would definitely seize this opportunity to attack the village.
But what was even more concerning was Jigen. With Ōtsutsuki Isshiki in control of his body, his power was far more terrifying than Madara's.
"Forget it, the ninja world will have to fend for itself…"
Uchiha Dali shook his head hard, pushing all distracting thoughts aside.
He once again began to focus on comprehending more sealing techniques.
As long as he could undo this divine seal, then it would be Isshiki's turn to suffer next.
"At the very least, I'll make you taste what it's like to be trapped in one place with no way out!"
Uchiha Dali ground his teeth in thought.
...
With Sarutobi Hiruzen's support, Uzumaki Nagato once again unleashed Chibaku Tensei in an attempt to seal Uchiha Madara.
He believed that this time, pouring in his life force to summon power approaching that of the gods, he should be able to successfully trap this terrifying enemy.
But to everyone's shock, Madara shattered Nagato's seal with ease once again.
The massive sphere, over ten kilometers in diameter, exploded violently in midair.
Madara, cloaked in a towering chakra avatar hundreds of meters tall, emerged completely unscathed. His face was filled with fury, and his gaze toward Nagato turned sharp and chilling.
"Your ability will always be a nuisance."
"It seems I'll have to reclaim my eyes first."
Madara looked down coldly at Nagato below, his words more of a warning than a statement.
Nagato's heart clenched the instant he heard it, as if a terrifying, invisible pressure had fallen upon him.
"He's too powerful."
Yahiko's expression grew grim.
Never had he imagined that even Nagato's godlike sealing technique—cast at the cost of massive chakra and life force—would fail to bind Madara.
A being like this, wielding such overwhelming strength, was nothing short of despair.
"Young ones, don't you dare give in so easily!"
"You are the ones the Fourth Hokage placed his hopes upon!"
Hiruzen turned back, giving Yahiko words of encouragement.
Yahiko's heart trembled, and in that instant, a new flame of resolve was lit within him.
"That's right. If we don't stand against Madara, then who will protect this world?"
"This is the expectation and trust that the Fourth Hokage has placed in us!"
"Let's go, Yahiko!"
Nagato declared, preparing once more to take the fight to Madara.
Yahiko nodded firmly and charged alongside him, the two splitting left and right to launch a coordinated assault.
Hiruzen, of course, didn't remain idle. Without hesitation, he began forming hand seals.
"If that technique can't seal Madara, then this old man has no choice but to use that one…"
The thought weighed heavily in his heart as his hands moved swiftly through the signs.
But just then, a mocking, sinister voice drifted from behind him:
"If you use that technique, you'll die too, won't you?"
"Don't you want to see what a true world of peace would look like, teacher?"
Startled, Hiruzen turned sharply, only to see Orochimaru's sinister smile.
"Orochimaru, you should know that only this technique can deal with Madara!"
"They need your assistance!"
Hiruzen spoke in a low, resolute tone.
Then he resumed his seals.
The jutsu he referred to was also a sealing technique—an extremely powerful one—but its price was his own life.
That forbidden technique was called the Reaper Death Seal.
By using one's body as a medium to summon the Shinigami, the target's soul would be devoured and permanently sealed, never to reincarnate.
If used successfully on Madara, not only could it end the current crisis, but it would also permanently prevent him from ever being revived again.
"Orochimaru, if you won't help, then at least stand aside!"
Hiruzen had nearly completed the seals, ready to unleash the jutsu while Nagato and Yahiko kept Madara busy.
By this time, the two had already clashed with Madara directly.
Both of them had reached a power level surpassing that of Kage, and together they were able to keep Madara—still short of his peak strength—from overwhelming them.
Yet Madara held an advantage none of them possessed: his chakra and stamina were nearly limitless, and his regenerative ability was far beyond imagination.
In a prolonged battle, victory would inevitably be his.
"Rather than that technique, I have a better way to deal with Madara, hehe…"
Orochimaru turned his head toward Hiruzen, his sinister smile widening.
In fact, both their exchange and the hand seals Hiruzen had already formed had long since drawn Madara's attention.
When he realized that Hiruzen was attempting the Reaper Death Seal, even Madara began to feel a trace of unease.
Chibaku Tensei was his own Rinnegan ability, so he understood its flaws and possessed the power to brute-force his way free of it.
But the Reaper Death Seal was one of the Uzumaki clan's most powerful techniques. Against that jutsu, even Madara could not be sure he could escape.
"I absolutely cannot allow him to use that technique!"
Weighing the risks, Madara immediately abandoned counterattacking Yahiko and Nagato, charging directly toward Hiruzen instead.
Seeing Madara redirect his assault, Hiruzen's pupils contracted sharply.
With the resolve of one prepared to die, he focused his chakra—but quickly demanded of Orochimaru beside him:
"What way do you have?"
"Hehe…"
"Though this move may offend certain individuals, it's a necessary measure. I believe that great one will forgive me."
Orochimaru's grin widened as he brought his hands together with a clap.
With a resounding bang, a figure appeared before him.
(Support me and read ahead on Patreøn: patreøn.com/craxxtranslations. Thank you for your support!)