Chapter 026: Hashirama: Madara, Why Do You Have the Rinnegan?
"Should I use the Future Card again?"
The Fourth Raikage hesitated. The Future Card was undoubtedly valuable, but he didn't have to use it immediately. The sooner he used it, the sooner he would reveal some things to others, which might not be advantageous. Delaying its use would delay any exposure. However, using it early could help him identify future crises sooner and give him more time to prepare.
"Continue!"
The Fourth Raikage decided.
Buzz!
The Future Card was activated again, and the livestream room once more displayed a scene.
This time, it was a battlefield surrounded by numerous shinobi. Among them were the Fourth Raikage, Fifth Hokage Tsunade, Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumi, Third Tsuchikage Onoki, and Fifth Kazekage Gaara.
[Kakashi: These are probably the Five Kage! And that... is that Uchiha Madara? How is he here?]
[Tsunade: Is this Reanimation? Did Orochimaru summon Madara?]
[Fourth Raikage: There are also ninjas from the Five Great Shinobi Villages around us. It seems the Five Great Shinobi Villages have formed an alliance to combat Madara and another force.]
[Killer Bee: Ow, I get it now! Orochimaru must be the mastermind. He used Reanimation to summon Madara and a bunch of other ninjas. He plans to destroy the Five Great Shinobi Villages and dominate the world!]
[Fourth Kazekage: My son, Gaara, is present in both this and the previous scene. It looks like Gaara will become the Fifth Kazekage!]
[Gaara: That has nothing to do with you!]
[Temari: Gaara, don't talk to Father like that.]
[Gaara: Hmph!]
...
"Orochimaru is going to resurrect Madara in the future? And judging by his performance, Madara's abilities seem to be nearly fully restored. That must mean the sacrifice was of high quality!" Orochimaru mused. However, he didn't currently have such a sacrifice. Otherwise, the battle to kill the Third Hokage would have been much easier, and he could have even destroyed Konoha.
[Fourth Raikage: From the image, it looks like my arm is still missing. This event must take place after the previous one.]
[Third Tsuchikage: Then why didn't Tsunade show up in the previous event instead of Danzo?]
[Jiraiya: Could it be that Tsunade was busy with something else and couldn't attend?]
[Mei Terumi: The affairs of Konoha are too complicated for me to guess.]
At this moment, Danzo was also feeling conflicted. He had assumed that Tsunade must have died in the future, which would have allowed him to become Hokage. But now it seemed that wasn't the case!
In the image, the Five Kage continued their assault on Madara, but they were still completely overwhelmed. Madara's power was fully displayed in this battle, each of his strikes tearing through the earth and devastating the battlefield.
During the battle, to counter Naruto's Sage Art: Super Massive Rasengan, Madara was forced to activate the Rinnegan, absorbing Naruto's attack.
[Hashirama: Madara, how do you have the Rinnegan?]
[Madara: Why should I tell you?]
[Hashirama: And why do you have my Wood Release abilities?]
[Madara: Who knows?]
[Naruto: Was that me just now? I've become so strong! What was that move? It looked so cool! Also, my whole body was glowing—what was that state?]
[Kurama: That's Sage Mode combined with the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode. Naruto, it seems you'll eventually go to Mount Myoboku to learn Sage Mode and successfully master it.]
[Fourth Hokage: I trained in Sage Mode at Mount Myoboku.]
[Jiraiya: Me too!]
[Naruto: Dad, and Pervy Sage, you all trained in Sage Mode at Mount Myoboku? I want to go there too!]
[Great Toad Sage: Naruto, you're welcome anytime.]
...
In the Pure Land.
Madara frowned. The Future Card had exposed his secrets. Even though he was shown in an Reanimation state, his Rinnegan and Wood Release were revealed. Hashirama, who had died when Madara still had the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, never knew Madara had acquired the Rinnegan or Wood Release. He would certainly be suspicious.
[Nara Shikaku: Madara must have implanted Hashirama's cells to gain the Wood Release abilities. For example, Captain Yamato survived being injected with Hashirama's cells and obtained Wood Release powers. But this procedure isn't perfect yet; Yamato is the only one who survived. I think Madara likely used a similar method to fuse with Hashirama's cells and acquire Wood Release.]
[Hashirama: What? You guys have been experimenting with my cells? Madara, I'm certain you didn't have Wood Release when I fought you. Don't tell me you mastered it in the Pure Land, because that's impossible.]
[Tobirama: Big Brother, the answer is obvious. Madara didn't die back then. Did you personally retrieve his body?]
[Hashirama: No, I was also severely injured. After confirming his death, I hurried back to Konoha to heal, but I didn't last much longer and eventually died!]
[Tobirama: Brother, it seems Madara didn't die back then. But he did die eventually, given that he was resurrected with Reanimation!]
...
In the Hidden Rain Village.
Nagato and Konan had also confirmed the situation.
"Konan, it seems the masked man who contacted us isn't the real Uchiha Madara!" Nagato said.
Konan replied, "We had suspected he was a fake Madara, and this battle further confirms that the real Madara is long dead. So who is he?"
"Maybe someone trained by Madara. But regardless, even if he isn't Madara, our plans remain unchanged. We just need to be cautious of him," Nagato cautioned.
"Understood!" Konan responded.
Back in the livestream room, Madara stopped speaking. Although his secrets were mostly exposed, he simply refused to admit them. At this point, the more he said, the more he would reveal.
Soon, the image showed Madara going on a rampage, slaughtering countless ninjas. Despite the combined efforts of the Fourth Raikage, the Third Tsuchikage, and others, they only managed to shatter Madara's Susanoo, but it didn't change the tide of battle.
At the crucial moment, Reanimation was released, and Madara's soul seemed ready to return to the Pure Land.
[Tobirama: Reanimation has been released. It looks like the summoner encountered a problem. From what I can see, the Fourth Raikage doesn't appear to be in immediate danger.]
[Kakashi: There must be another twist!]
[Fourth Raikage: Regardless of what happens next, Orochimaru must be eliminated. If he really resurrects Madara with Reanimation, it will spell disaster for the entire ninja world!]
In the image, Madara forcibly severed his connection with Reanimation, refusing to return to the Pure Land. The battle continued!