"Minato, Yusuke, you're saying this war is Madara Uchiha's doing?" Jiraiya asked, his face grim.
Jiraiya and Tsunade were in Minato's office, a rare visit back to Konoha. The sudden, simultaneous White Zetsu attacks across the five great nations had them deeply worried.
Yusuke and Minato didn't hold back, revealing all their intel to these veteran Konoha figures.
Yusuke replied, "Correct. And for Madara Uchiha, White Zetsu are an inexhaustible resource. We need to find and eliminate him."
Tsunade frowned, "Knowing Madara Uchiha, he wouldn't hide like this."
Yusuke nodded. "I suspect he's preparing something. The White Zetsu's sudden large-scale appearance after months of silence suggests he's ready to make his move!"
Just then, Genma Shiranui, Minato's bodyguard, burst in, terrified. "Everyone, it's terrible! The sky... the sky... you really need to see this for yourselves!"
Seeing Genma Shiranui, usually calm, so panicked, they immediately went to the Hokage building's rooftop.
"This is impossible!" Tsunade exclaimed.
Yusuke and the others were equally shocked by the sight of the sky.
It was night, but the usually starlit sky was completely dark, not a single star visible.
Most terrifyingly, the enormous full moon emitted not a soft white light, but a dark red glow.
The moon's surface displayed concentric ripple patterns, each bearing three tomoe—Madara Uchiha's three-tomoe Rinnegan.
Due to the Ten-Tails' incomplete power, Madara Uchiha could only manifest a three-tomoe blood-red Rinnegan in his forehead, insufficient for a complete Infinite Tsukuyomi.
This giant Rinnegan projected onto the moon wasn't for Infinite Tsukuyomi but to announce the war.
Madara Uchiha's image appeared before everyone in the ninja world. He looked much like he did after becoming the Ten-Tails jinchuriki, but without his forehead protector, and his left hand held a pure black staff topped with a crescent moon.
"I am Madara Uchiha, now comparable to the Sage of Six Paths. This world will be plunged into eternal night. All beings will live in my Rinnegan's genjutsu, never to awaken!"
Madara Uchiha's gaze suddenly shifted. Everyone assumed he was looking into the distance, but only Yusuke and those close to him saw that his gaze was fixed upon Yusuke.
"Yusuke Uchiha, the ninja world's fate ultimately rests in the hands of our Uchiha clan. If you submit now, you will remain the second strongest in the ninja world, and the Uchiha clan will become its true rulers."
"If you choose to oppose me, I will use the Sage of Six Paths' power to annihilate you and the Uchiha clan!"
After Madara Uchiha finished speaking, the illusion slowly faded from everyone's sight, plunging the entire ninja world into a state of profound terror.
If a single individual were to make such pronouncements face-to-face, one might dismiss them as the ravings of a madman.
However, when such pronouncements are delivered through a moon-wide genjutsu to the entire ninja world, there could be no room for doubt regarding the veracity of the claims made.
Gazing up at the colossal, blood-red Sharingan dominating the night sky, Ōnoki, situated within the confines of Iwagakure, murmured to himself, "Is this the end of the ninja world? Is there anyone who possesses the power to thwart such a formidable adversary?"
Kurotsuchi, standing behind him, lacked her usual cheerful demeanor, though she did not succumb to the same level of pessimism as Ōnoki.
"Perhaps, at this critical juncture, there is only one individual who might possess the capacity to prevent this catastrophe."
Ōnoki's eyes brightened. "Indeed, perhaps only his power can save us. Let us hope that he does not succumb to Madara Uchiha's influence, for if he were to submit, the ninja world would truly be bereft of hope."
Kurotsuchi posed a question to Ōnoki, "Grandfather, if you were in such a position, would you choose to submit to Madara Uchiha's demands?"
Ōnoki responded with a cold snort, "Absolutely not! This is unlike any ordinary war. If Madara Uchiha were to succeed in his endeavor, all inhabitants of the ninja world would be condemned to an existence within the confines of a fabricated illusion, rendering their lives no different from death itself!"
Kurotsuchi responded with a knowing smile, "Given that even you, Grandfather, would refuse to yield to Madara Uchiha's demands, what are the chances that he would choose to submit?"
The individual whom Ōnoki and Kurotsuchi referred to as "he" was, of course, Yusuke Uchiha.
Beyond Ōnoki and Kurotsuchi, the ninjas of all other factions within the ninja world harbored the same sentiment, placing their final hopes upon Yusuke Uchiha, the individual who bore the title of the strongest ninja in the world.
Yusuke Uchiha, meanwhile, was lost in thought.
Madara Uchiha's possession of two Rinnegan implied that he had already subdued Orochimaru. However, the fact that Madara Uchiha had managed to become the jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails despite lacking half of the Tailed Beasts' power was a puzzle that Yusuke Uchiha found himself unable to immediately resolve.
Upon the rooftop of the Hokage building in Konoha, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Genma Shiranui directed their gazes towards Yusuke Uchiha, who was immersed in deep contemplation, their expressions etched with profound concern.
Should Yusuke Uchiha, in a moment of weakness or misguided judgment, choose to capitulate to Madara Uchiha's demands, the entire ninja world would be irrevocably lost.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation and the palpable tension in the air, Minato Namikaze turned his gaze towards Yusuke Uchiha, addressing him with a reassuring smile, "It appears that, on this occasion, you alone possess the capacity to save the ninja world.
However, rest assured that we shall not stand idly by and permit you to confront this formidable foe alone. I shall immediately summon the most powerful ninjas currently residing within Konoha to join you in confronting Madara Uchiha."
Having collaborated closely with Yusuke Uchiha over the course of several years, Minato Namikaze held an unwavering belief in his abilities and unwavering trust in his judgment.
Upon hearing Minato Namikaze's words, Jiraiya and the others realized that their initial reactions had been tinged with a degree of unwarranted distrust towards Yusuke Uchiha, and expressions of shame and embarrassment washed over their faces.
Jiraiya, ever the jovial and optimistic individual, erupted into a hearty laugh, offering a sincere apology to Yusuke Uchiha.
"My apologies, Yusuke! How could I possibly harbor such doubts about the world's foremost ninja? It was my own shortsightedness that led me to such an erroneous conclusion! Upon our triumphant return following the defeat of Madara Uchiha, I pledge to drink three cups of sake as penance for my transgression!"
Yusuke Uchiha responded by shaking his head, "The task of confronting Madara Uchiha is one that I am fully capable of undertaking independently. The nature of my fire-based abilities is such that they pose a significant risk to those in close proximity, and for this reason, I have never fully unleashed their true potential. Should other individuals be present during the conflict, I would be unable to fight with complete freedom."
Upon hearing Yusuke Uchiha's explanation, a wave of astonishment rippled through the assembled individuals. It was only at this moment that they realized that Yusuke Uchiha had never truly engaged in combat at the peak of his abilities.
Tsunade sighed deeply, "In your presence, I find that the title of Sannin truly holds no significance whatsoever."
Jiraiya responded with a booming laugh, "At a time such as this, it is of paramount importance that Yusuke Uchiha's strength be at its zenith. As for matters of power and reputation, I have never given them much thought. I am, after all, merely a humble novelist!"
"Now that Madara Uchiha has projected his Rinnegan onto the surface of the moon, I can utilize his dōjutsu as a guide to locate him. However, you must remain vigilant. I suspect that Madara Uchiha will not merely deploy White Zetsu against the five great ninja villages, but may also resort to the Edo Tensei technique," Yusuke Uchiha cautioned, before a Gen'yūmaru crow descended upon his shoulder.
With the emergence of a spatial vortex, Yusuke Uchiha instantly utilized his spatial warping abilities to teleport to the location indicated by Madara Uchiha's dōjutsu.
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