Chapter 313 – The Shadow of the Ōtsutsuki
Once the true warriors of the Ōtsutsuki Clan descended upon the Earth, there was no doubt — an unimaginably fierce battle would erupt between them and the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Yuta.
The very thought of it made Ōtsutsuki Hamura's heart stir with anticipation.
If the powerhouses of the Ōtsutsuki clan and Uchiha Yuta were to clash and both sides suffered heavy losses, it would be the perfect opportunity for him and his elder brother, Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo, to make their move. When the dust settled, they would rise again as the final victors — the gods who reclaimed the shinobi world.
The image thrilled Hamura. His pale eyes gleamed faintly, filled with suppressed excitement.
But unlike his younger brother, the Sage of Six Paths, Hagoromo, showed no such eagerness. His expression was grave, eyes weighed by centuries of wisdom — and a creeping sense of unease.
He understood something that Hamura did not.
The Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Yuta, had already surpassed every calculation.
Even the Sage of Six Paths himself could no longer measure Yuta's power.
Now, Hagoromo could only hope that the arriving Ōtsutsuki clan would be able to at least shake Uchiha Yuta — just enough to create an opening. Then, when the right moment came, he, the legendary Sage of Six Paths, would step forth once again as the "savior" of the world.
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At that same time, in the Land of Fire, the massive Ninja Alliance stood in silent despair.
Moments ago, they had watched in disbelief as Uchiha Madara's immense aura was shattered — effortlessly — by the Fifth Hokage's overwhelming might.
Now, even the strongest among them — the Fourth Raikage, A (Ay), and the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki — could barely hide the turmoil twisting within their hearts.
They had never imagined that the balance of power could tilt this completely.
Even the reanimated First and Second Tsuchikage, and the Second and Third Raikage, who had been summoned through Edo Tensei, stood frozen in silence.
None of them dared to speak.
Their gazes were locked upon the colossal projection of Uchiha Yuta's chakra, his energy dominating the skies — divine, eternal, and absolute.
They had known he was powerful. But this… this was beyond comprehension.
Neither the Great Toad Sage nor Uchiha Madara had even forced him to fight seriously.
They had been crushed by mere momentum — overwhelmed before the battle even began.
"What do we do now?" someone whispered hoarsely.
"It's over… completely over."
"This time, not only will we lose the war — we might lose our entire villages."
The words spread like poison among the alliance ranks.
The Fourth Raikage A, the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki, and all their reanimated predecessors exchanged heavy, bitter glances.
They could see it in each other's eyes — the same helplessness, the same fear.
It was unbearable.
They had marched upon Konoha with pride, ready to crush it under the banner of unity. Yet before they even reached its gates, their so-called "great coalition" had crumbled.
And they all knew what came next.
If they lost, with Uchiha Yuta's ruthless nature, there would be no mercy.
Kumogakure, Iwagakure, Otogakure — all of them would vanish from the map.
The realization made even these hardened warriors feel sick.
Uchiha Madara, the man who had sworn to lead them to victory… had fallen faster than anyone could believe.
"You bragged so loudly," muttered the Third Raikage, voice full of disappointment, "and yet it was over before it even began."
"Uchiha Madara… that's all you amounted to?"
---
In contrast, joy spread among the reanimated heroes of Konoha.
The First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, and the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, stood side by side, their faces breaking into wide smiles.
Nearby, the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, the White Fang, Hatake Sakumo, and the reanimated Kage of every other village — Kazekage, Mizukage, and even the long-dead founders of other lands — all watched in stunned admiration.
"Konoha has won," Hashirama said softly, his eyes full of relief.
"Konoha has won — and that means the entire alliance of our allies has triumphed as well," Tobirama added.
They had expected Yuta to be strong, but not like this. To crush Madara and the Great Toad Sage without even raising a hand — that was no longer the strength of a man.
That was the strength of a god.
"Hahaha! Madara's finished!" Minato laughed lightly, awe and disbelief mingling in his tone.
"The Ninja Alliance is doomed," Sakumo added, shaking his head. "The Fifth Hokage's power is simply terrifying."
"More than terrifying," Tobirama muttered. "Even the Great Toad Sage and Uchiha Madara have become stepping stones under his feet."
"After this battle," Hashirama said gravely, "Iwagakure and Kumogakure are finished. The Fifth Hokage will never forgive Ōnoki or the Raikage for this attack."
The reanimated Hokage, Kazekage, and Mizukage fell silent. The outcome was clear — no mortal army could stand against Uchiha Yuta.
Even Hashirama, once hailed as the God of Shinobi, could only sigh in admiration.
"Compared to him," he murmured, "I'm no god… merely a relic of an older age."
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And as for the Great Toad Sage, who had already lost his dignity long ago, he could only glare at the sight before him — his expression twisted with humiliation.
This was the same Uchiha Madara who had laughed at him earlier, mocking his surrender.
Now, that same Madara had become a joke himself — crushed by the Fifth Hokage's very presence.
"How ironic…" the Toad Sage whispered bitterly. "He laughed at me… and now look at him."
He looked away, trembling slightly.
There was no longer anything left for him to say.
In this new world, even ancient gods had to kneel before the will of Uchiha Yuta.
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