Chapter 364: Meeting Kaguya Otsutsuki Again, and Uchiha...
In the Land of Earth, the Rock Severing Mountain Range stretched endlessly across the land like a massive dragon. The towering peaks, straight and sharp as swords, pierced the sky, making anyone standing there feel insignificant by comparison.
However, at this moment, the presence of two figures in this majestic landscape commanded all attention, reducing even the grandest mountains to mere background.
"Why has the Amenominaka disappeared?"
The cold voice of Kaguya Otsutsuki, clad in her familiar attire, echoed through the mountain range.
An identical cold voice, tinged with caution, responded, "It's because of Hagoromo Gengetsu's Heavenly Absolute Order."
"Oh? Is that the person you mentioned?"
"Yes."
"I'm curious about what kind of individual could make someone like you—'me'—so wary."
"He's here. See for yourself."
As the final words fell, a black portal opened above the Rock Severing Mountain Range. A foot stepped out, and Hagoromo Gengetsu emerged from the other side, walking on air.
"We meet again, Kaguya Otsutsuki," Hagoromo Gengetsu's gaze first fixed on the nearest Kaguya before shifting to another person.
A hint of surprise appeared on his face as he spoke, "Uchiha Madara."
Standing opposite Kaguya Otsutsuki, the man who had been fighting her was indeed Uchiha Madara.
Noticing the abundant Six Paths chakra within Madara—more than the combined amount possessed by Naruto and Sasuke—Hagoromo Gengetsu's eyes flashed with understanding.
According to this world's timeline, Madara had not died but was instead working in the shadows, orchestrating his successor and the future Moon's Eye plan. It seemed the Six Paths Sage had found him and revealed the true nature of the Moon's Eye plan.
As a result, the current scene unfolded, where Uchiha Madara, still the reincarnation of Indra, had allied with the two Six Paths Sage to confront Kaguya Otsutsuki.
From what Hagoromo Gengetsu could sense, one portion of the Six Paths chakra within Madara belonged to the Six Paths Sage of this world, while the other, much smaller portion, was from the original Six Paths Sage, who had partially returned his chakra to his mother and lost the rest during the time-space transition before breaking free.
Not just the Six Paths Sage, but Kaguya Otsutsuki had also merged.
The Kaguya standing before Hagoromo Gengetsu was a fusion of the two Kaguya Otsutsukis. The stronger of the two was the one from the original world, who had absorbed the Ten-Tails and some planetary chakra. In contrast, the Kaguya of this world seemed to have had little time to act before being dragged into the current battle.
"It seems you've been quite busy while I was away," Hagoromo Gengetsu remarked with a smile, surveying the scene.
"So, you are Hagoromo Gengetsu?" Uchiha Madara, now rejuvenated by the power of the Six Paths, crossed his arms and scrutinized Hagoromo Gengetsu.
"I've heard that in your world, you, I, and Hashirama were equals during the Warring States period. Yet I was defeated by you in every way, even losing the Rinnegan to you? Hmph!" Madara snorted in disdain.
He stopped his appraisal and locked eyes with Hagoromo Gengetsu, declaring, "The Madara of that world was a disgrace, unworthy of the name Uchiha Madara. I was regretting that this world had no one named Hagoromo Gengetsu."
"Now that you're here, perfect! I'll show you what it means to be the true Uchiha Madara!"
Indeed, in every world, Uchiha Madara was always overwhelmingly confident. Hagoromo Gengetsu simply responded calmly, "The Madara of that world did not have the Six Paths Sage to warn him."
Madara's expression turned icy. Hagoromo Gengetsu, unfazed, withdrew his gaze.
Though Madara's appearance was unexpected, the situation was still under his control.
For beings at the Six Paths level, one plus one never equaled two.
"So, are you ready to die?" Hagoromo Gengetsu asked as he extended his hands from his sleeves, just as he had done in the desert of the original world.
"I'll return that question to you!" Madara shot back, stomping his foot in midair. Without waiting for Hagoromo Gengetsu to act, he attacked first.
Limbo: Border Jail!
Four shadows instantly appeared beside Madara. After truly ascending to the Six Paths level, these shadows, despite their limitation of being visible to those with the Rinnegan, were now just as powerful as the original Madara.
Effectively, five Uchiha Madaras attacked simultaneously.
Having learned about Hagoromo Gengetsu from the Six Paths Sage, Madara, with his far superior combat experience compared to Kaguya Otsutsuki, decisively struck at this moment. The Heavenly Absolute Order was still being released, and the Shinra Koushi no Mikoto was ineffective against physical attacks. If not now, when?
At the same time, Kaguya Otsutsuki, fully aware of Hagoromo Gengetsu's strength, also turned her focus toward him, joining forces with her former adversary, Madara.
As Hagoromo Gengetsu watched the familiar scene of these two powerful opponents closing in from both sides, a smile curved his lips. "Then... let's do this!"
Boom!
The heavens shook.
As the greatest forces of two worlds clashed, the earth convulsed, and countless peaks crumbled.
Animals living within the mountain range fled in terror, forming a massive stampede as they desperately tried to escape.
Among them was Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, who had no time to react before he and his recently extracted Five-Tails were hurled far away by a powerful shockwave.
After a series of tumbles, Han and the Five-Tails finally regained their footing. Trembling with fear, the Five-Tails refrained from attacking Han, even returning some chakra to him to help them both survive the impending danger.
"Damn it! What the hell is happening?"
Completely bewildered, Han glanced back, only to be struck by another fierce shockwave.
"That... is..."
Han barely caught sight of figures fighting before he and the Five-Tails were sent flying once more like cannonballs.
When he finally got up again, he knew he couldn't stay in that place any longer. Along with the fleeing animals, Han and the Five-Tails sprinted away as fast as they could.
"How terrifying! I never imagined human power could reach such a level!" Han had never thought there would come a day when he, as a Jinchuriki, would not even qualify to watch a battle.
With the mountains collapsing behind him, Han pushed himself to run faster than ever, determined to inform the Third Tsuchikage of the situation.
But even without Han's report, the residents living near the mountain range in the Land of Earth had already felt the tremors and witnessed the collapse of the mountains.
Ordinary people believed the gods were angry, while the passing Iwa-nin sensed an unimaginable chakra and quickly paled, rushing to report to their village.
It wouldn't be long before the events at the Rock Severing Mountain Range were known to Iwagakure and, eventually, the entire Shinobi World.