As he spoke, Madara's body began to glow faintly, the light radiating like a soul ascending to the heavens.
Ōnoki let out a long breath of relief and said with a smile,
"Excellent, the Edo Tensei has finally been undone!"
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Release Song Technique!"
Madara opened his mouth, unleashing four blazing dragon heads made of roaring fire that shot toward the group.
Kiyosuke was just about to rise, but Mei Terumī stopped him.
"Water Style: Water Formation Pillar!"
A massive surge of water erupted upward, intercepting the fiery dragons. But one of the heads broke through.
Ōnoki quickly gathered Dust Release and instantly disintegrated the fire dragon into nothingness.
He chuckled. "Don't underestimate me, boy."
Madara stood upon the water's surface, looking down at them.
"Go back and tell the caster this—Forbidden Techniques should never be used recklessly, especially Tobirama's."
A sudden sense of dread struck Tsunade. Seeing Madara forming hand seals, she shouted,
"Edo Tensei—Release!"
The glow around Madara's body vanished in an instant. His soul fused completely with the vessel again—no longer showing any sign of ascension.
The hearts of the Five Kage sank into despair.
"Impossible! How can you use Edo Tensei yourself?!" Ōnoki exclaimed in disbelief.
Kiyosuke spoke calmly, taking over the conversation.
"To make sure he could be revived, he must've planned far ahead. I'd guess when he faked his death, he had White Zetsu or Black Zetsu bring him Tobirama's Edo Tensei. It was all a contingency—so that if he couldn't come back through the Rinne Rebirth, he'd still have another way."
Edo Tensei had one fatal flaw—if the resurrected person was powerful enough, they could ignore the caster's control. Hashirama and Madara were prime examples.
As long as they knew the seals, they could free themselves and become independent—immortal beings with limitless chakra and eternal youth. Monsters that could no longer die.
Madara smiled faintly.
"You're right. I anticipated being brought back this way, so I made some preparations. Tobirama's talent for creating Forbidden Techniques was truly unparalleled in his era."
Even Madara had to admit it—Tobirama's genius was frightening.
Back in the early days of Konoha, while managing state affairs, Tobirama had still found time to invent several Forbidden Techniques. Though Hashirama sealed them all away, their power was undeniable.
Even if Madara himself looked down on them, he couldn't deny their effectiveness.
"This is the price of misusing Forbidden Techniques," Madara said quietly. "Trying to control a power beyond your grasp."
He swept his gaze over the gathered Kage.
"Well then, how will you face me now? Show me what you can do."
...
Meanwhile—
In a dim underground cavern, Obito's single eye had turned ashen-gray.
"Using Izanami on him… don't you think that's letting him off too easy?" he said coldly.
Before him stood Kabuto, fully transformed into Sage Mode. A serpentine head sprouted grotesquely from his abdomen.
"It is letting him off lightly," said Kiyosuke's shadow clone. "But I still need to make use of him for now. The Edo Tensei may have been released, but that doesn't matter when it comes to Madara. What we need next are more allies."
"What do you mean?" Obito asked, frowning. "Even with Edo Tensei undone, Madara won't disappear?"
"Of course not," Kiyosuke replied. "If he were that easy to deal with, he wouldn't be Uchiha Madara. I'm just preparing for the battles ahead. Even I can't handle someone with an immortal body forever."
His chakra was limited—he couldn't possibly fight on equal terms with someone whose chakra was endless. It was impossible.
His main body was now focused on delaying Madara's advance to the battlefield.
But Kiyosuke wasn't done yet—he still wanted to gather more living forces.
He approached Kabuto, shaking his head slightly.
"Search for yourself in your dreams," he said softly.
Then he plucked a small piece of flesh from Kabuto's body and walked toward the captive Anko.
Anko had been assigned by Konoha to locate Kabuto but had ultimately been captured. Kabuto had absorbed the remnants of Orochimaru's power from her body.
However, the Cursed Seal's power still lingered. Which meant—Orochimaru could still return.
Kiyosuke helped Anko sit up and pressed the flesh fragment against her Cursed Seal.
"Reverse sealing!"
He pulled with his hand, and a massive serpent emerged from her body.
As the snake opened its jaws wide, Orochimaru crawled out from within, alive once again.
"Well, well... I never expected you, my disciple, to be the one to revive me," Orochimaru said with a cold smile.
"Orochimaru?!" Itachi's eyes widened. He'd known that man wouldn't die so easily—but even after sealing his soul, this?
Kiyosuke, however, had already expected it. Orochimaru's tenacity was infamous; ordinary methods couldn't kill him, much less a mere sealing.
He had countless backups waiting for resurrection. As long as the opportunity arose, he would always return.
Kiyosuke dispelled the serpent and leaned Anko gently against the wall. Then he turned to Obito.
"Give me the mask," he said.
Taking it, Kiyosuke handed it to Orochimaru.
"You know what to do next. Don't make me repeat myself—I've got work to do. There's still a battle raging outside. Bring these ones back and head to the battlefield."
He hadn't revived Orochimaru just for Edo Tensei—he already knew the technique himself.
Orochimaru's power, however, was something he couldn't afford to lose.
Orochimaru accepted the mask with a smirk.
"It seems you've been preparing for this moment all along, Kiyosuke. I'm curious—where did you get your information?"
"Just deduction," Kiyosuke lied expressionlessly. "I'm doing this for the future. If we fail, we'll end up like those White Zetsu."
The Infinite Tsukuyomi would trap people in a dream world of their desires, eventually turning them into White Zetsu-like husks. Kiyosuke had no intention of sharing that fate.
"I see… very well. I'll cooperate, Kiyosuke-kun," Orochimaru said with a knowing smile, then turned to Obito.
"Obito-kun, bring me four White Zetsu."
Obito glanced at Kiyosuke, who nodded in confirmation. Obito immediately warped away, returning shortly after with four bound White Zetsu.
Orochimaru nodded in satisfaction. He placed the mask on his face—and suddenly screamed.
His arms spread wide as a cold, oppressive chakra filled the entire cave.
Obito and Itachi stared tensely at the apparition forming behind him, while Kiyosuke felt its presence distinctly.
"So… this is the Shinigami?"
"Yes," Kiyosuke replied with a nod.
Shinigami lifted its blade once again and slit open its own stomach.
Three glowing souls flew out into the air.
Blood gushed from Orochimaru's abdomen as the exchange took place.
It was the same ritual as before—Kiyosuke had once used the life of a Sound shinobi to bargain with Shinigami.
But Orochimaru... had found a way to cheat the system.
"Edo Tensei!!!"
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