"So many years have passed. An unchanging ranking among the Three Greats… it's about time that changed."
The corner of Madara's mouth lifted slightly. He raised his right hand, and as his five fingers clenched into a fist, a chilling, tyrannical aura burst forth.
The overwhelming pressure made the Third Raikage and A's hearts pound violently.
"Are all these guys from the Warring States era monsters…?"
The Third Raikage and A exchanged a glance, each seeing the shock in the other's eyes.
It was only his presence, yet it was already this terrifying.
No wonder Madara had been able to contend with Iron Fist back in the Warring States era.
"Huff… Since you want to compete with Iron Fist again, then just go find him. Why come before us father and son instead?"
After a long while, the Third Raikage finally suppressed the shock in his heart and spoke.
"Go find Garp?
Do you think a battle between us is some childish ninja game?
Even your so-called Five Kage have a stage called a ninja war to dance upon.
Let alone us!"
Madara spoke from above, looking down on them.
"Again with this!
These old shinobi from the Warring States era, every single one of them looks down on the ninjas and villages of our time!"
The Third Raikage felt a surge of frustration.
Iron Fist was like this.
Madara was the same.
Perhaps even the man known as Konoha's strongest, and most humble, First Hokage was no different either.
"And what does that have to do with you coming to us?"
A stared intently at Madara below.
"I want you father and son to prepare a stage for me. A stage to welcome the return of Uchiha Madara.
A stage that can carry my dance with Garp.
A stage that will witness me becoming the strongest in the ninja world!"
Madara enunciated every word, his voice filled with an unquestionable authority.
"In a few days, the ninja world might not even have the names 'Raikage' or 'Kumogakure' anymore. Why should I even help you?
Even if Kumogakure and the Raikage have their grudges with Iron Fist, we don't exactly have any good relations with you either.
Back then, you were always devoted to destroying our Cloud Village."
Faced with Madara's imperious attitude, the Third Raikage was rarely this displeased.
Before, he might have endured it.
But now, both he and Kumogakure had entered a countdown to death.
In a few days, they would be sent to the Pure Land by Garp. At this point, even if it was Madara, young Madara at that, he would not bow his head.
"Do you want to live?
Do you want this boy to live?
Do you want Kumogakure to live?"
Madara crossed his arms over his chest, his expression arrogant.
"Save A first…."
The Third Raikage's expression shifted between light and dark.
Cooperating with Madara?
That was nothing short of bargaining with a tiger.
But did he have any other choice now?
Caught between two of the Three Legends, the only option he had was to lean to one side.
"You don't have the power to bargain with me. There are only two paths before you.
Agree to me, and in a few days Kumogakure will still have a slim chance of survival.
Refuse me, and there's no need to wait for Garp to make his move. Today, you, him, and Kumogakure will vanish completely from the map of the ninja world."
Madara chuckled softly and shook his head.
"You said earlier that this is Iron Fist's black blade. From what I see, you simply can't remove this thing at all."
A sneered, his face ugly.
"Such a boring provocation. That is nothing more than the product of Garp casually infusing Armament Haki into it.
It's powerful, yes, but it's rootless, like floating duckweed. Once the Armament Haki on it is exhausted, it will revert to an ordinary tree branch.
What's more, the current me has already mastered something of the same tier, something extremely similar."
As he spoke, Madara revealed a black rod in his hand.
"So long as you're willing to save A, willing to save Kumogakure, I'll give you whatever you want!"
The Third Raikage only needed a single glance at the black rod in Madara's hand to feel an intense sense of threat.
It was as if a voice in his heart was telling him that in the face of that black rod, his strongest armor would be as fragile as paper.
"A wise choice! Go. Contact Onoki, Pakura, and Yagura.
I don't care what methods you use, just persuade them to send troops and besiege Konoha."
Madara dismissed the black rod, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.
"You want to ignite the Fourth Great Ninja War!"
A and the Third Raikage's expressions changed drastically.
"Don't you think the backdrop of a Fourth Great Ninja War is perfectly suited for my dance with Garp?
At the very least, compared to a peaceful ninja world, I much prefer a stage filled with raging flames of war.
After all, when the three of us fought to determine superiority back then, the ninja world was in the midst of the blazing Warring States era.
It's just a pity that Hashirama is truly gone.
If only I could defeat both him and Garp at the same time on such a stage, that would be absolutely perfect."
Madara's tone gained a trace of arrogance, a trace of excitement, and a trace of madness.
But the Third Raikage and A felt a chill in their hearts as they listened.
This… is the Ghost of Uchiha?
To provoke the Fourth Great Ninja War, to make the Five Great Ninja Villages completely tear into one another, all just to create a stage reminiscent of the Warring States era?
This man truly didn't treat ninjas as people, nor did he take the ninja world seriously at all.
...
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