RUMBLE!
An earth-shattering explosion erupted in the center of Konoha Village.
Right after the blast, the demonic-tailed beast Nibi, radiating blue chakra, appeared above the village prison.
The prison that once held high-level criminals collapsed instantly, reduced to rubble.
Terrified prisoners scrambled out in panic.
Many had fantasized about escaping before, but no one expected a breakout like this.
More than half of them were killed in the collapse. The remaining half were swiftly obliterated by the Nibi's tail beast bomb, launched in a sudden burst.
The prison area became a forbidden zone. Even the elite dark ninja forces dared not approach casually, afraid of provoking the wrath of Nibi.
With the seal completely broken, no one below Kage level dared act without caution.
"ROAR!"
The Nibi let out another thunderous roar. Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression darkened as he charged toward the raging tailed beast.
"Damn it! How could the sealing rock be broken? Someone must have done it on purpose. Who…"
"Could it be the Uchiha again?!"
Sarutobi Hiashi followed close behind, unleashing a slash of chakra. Tsunade, Uzumaki Mito, and the elite chunin and dark forces weren't far behind.
Uchiha clan guards quickly arrived at the scene as well, watching from a distance, wary of entering the danger zone near the torii gate.
Seeing the Uchiha presence, a wave of unease surged in Sarutobi's heart. Remembering his teacher Senju's words, he turned back urgently:
"Tsunade, tell the Uchiha to return to their compound and wait for orders!"
Tsunade was momentarily stunned but quickly nodded, "Yes, sensei!"
With a cloud of smoke and dust at her heels, Tsunade ran toward the Uchiha clan.
When the Uchiha heard that Lord Takayama Haru had ordered them back to their compound, confusion and fury spread across their faces.
Even Konoha's leadership still didn't trust the Uchiha clan?
Uchiha Fugaku, a young genius of the clan, was baffled. Why were they being singled out now?
He had always been loyal to Konoha. But how did the village's leadership see them?
Tsunade, the princess of the Senju clan, Haru's top student, and a top authority in Konoha, left the Uchiha no choice.
Grumbling with frustration, the Uchiha returned to their compound, which was still within the village limits.
They could only watch the chaos from afar.
The wind blew gently in the night. Danzo hadn't yet moved the Uchiha out of the village.
Despite this, resentment brewed in their hearts.
Sometimes, evil is born from mistrust.
Back on the battlefield, the fight against Nibi neared its end.
Half-tailed beast Uzumaki Mito, cloaked in Nine-Tails chakra, used her Adamantine Sealing Chains to subdue Nibi completely.
No matter how the beast roared and struggled, it couldn't move.
"Hiruzen, seal it quickly!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned. "Who will be the new jinchūriki?"
This was a beast that had escaped its former host. Mito's physical body was likely at its limit.
Although Sarutobi had earned the nickname 'Ninja Professor' for his proficiency in countless jutsu, his sealing skills were elementary compared to elite-level users like the S-ranked Yefeng Uzumaki Awina.
To reseal the Nibi, they needed a compatible human host.
Without one, the seal would almost certainly fail.
"Wait! The two sealing gates of yew wood — they're still intact! Quickly!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Hurry! My chakra is almost depleted!"
Sarutobi quickly turned, "Where are the two gates?!"
The yew gates appeared, and Sarutobi brought forth a potential host.
She trembled upon seeing the Nibi. Would she again become a jinchūriki?
She had finally escaped the fate of being a human weapon, designed to battle other villages' tailed beasts. Was she to return to that prison?
As Hiashi smiled reassuringly at her, a shadow suddenly appeared behind Uzumaki Mito.
The unexpected arrival shocked everyone.
"Who are you?!"
Sarutobi Hiashi's instinct screamed: Danger!
"Mito-sama, look out!" Sarutobi Hiruzen shouted.
Mito turned and saw an aged face. His left eye was covered by bangs, his right eye a blazing Mangekyō Sharingan. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
An Uchiha?
Who?
Why did he look… familiar?
Mito didn't recognize him immediately.
It had been 40 years. His appearance had changed, aged.
Everyone believed he was dead.
"Summoning Jutsu — Adamantine Staff!"
Sarutobi tried to attack, conjuring a massive golden staff that descended from the heavens.
But the Uchiha moved first. His Sharingan caught Mito in a genjutsu.
In that illusion, she relived the Battle of the Final Valley.
That terrifying Uchiha, clad in armor, mounted the Nine-Tails with his Susanoo, amplifying its power and giving it an impenetrable defense.
In the illusion, Susanoo-armored Nine-Tails ripped through Hashirama Senju's Wood Dragon technique, smashing thousands of wooden hands beneath its power.
The chakra eye of that man—Madara Uchiha—burned into Mito's memory.
She snapped back to reality with a jolt, terror in her eyes.
Madara?!
He was alive?!
Suddenly, she felt a searing pain in her gut.
Looking down, she saw his fingers embedded deep into her Nine-Tails seal.
"Five Elements Unseal!"
BOOM!
The Adamantine Staff missed as Madara dodged.
The Nine-Tails' seal burst open!
"AHHHH!" Mito screamed.
Unrestrained, the evil chakra of Kurama poured out from her.
"Mito-sama!"
Sarutobi rushed in, only to be stopped by a terrifying wall of flames.
"That fire—?!"
"Water Style — Water Formation Pillar!"
He condensed chakra at his throat and spat out a massive water sphere that burst open to douse the flames.
But it wasn't enough.
Though Sarutobi was a master of all elemental jutsu, none of them were top-tier.
Against Madara's overwhelming fire power, even his Water Style was suppressed!
"Haru!"
More dark ninja surged in, casting Water Style attacks at Madara.
"No! Retreat, now!"
Sarutobi's eyes widened. He was at his limit!
The blaze surged higher.
He felt powerless.
When had the ninja world seen such a terrifying old man?
Since the rise of Yefeng, everything had changed.
Sarutobi used a teleportation technique to escape the inferno.
BOOM!
Where he had just stood became a sea of fire. The ninja behind him were all turned to ash.
Hiashi watched grimly as his right arm was burned before he could react.
"Sensei, are you alright?"
Tsunade landed beside Sarutobi and used medical ninjutsu on his burns.
His injuries healed quickly, but his body still trembled.
He looked up at the figure high above and asked, "Who are you?!"
The man looked down proudly, sunlight casting a long shadow behind him.
His Rinnegan, hidden behind his bangs, now clearly visible.
"I am Uchiha Madara."
Behind him stood the two tailed beasts—Nibi and Kurama.
Both opened their eyes—chakra eyes shining ominously.
Everyone on the battlefield trembled.
Sarutobi's voice cracked in terror: "Y-You're Uchiha Madara?!"
Madara smiled faintly.
In a flash, he dodged a sneak attack and grabbed the attacker by the neck.
"You want to dance too?"
End of Chapter