"As expected, it's red steam... Hahaha! You should still be able to continue dancing, right?"
"Come on—keep entertaining me!"
After stabilizing Susanoo's complete form, Leo's face was filled with a wild, battle-hungry excitement.
At the same time, the parts of Susanoo that had been shattered by Evening Elephant (Xi Xiang) were rapidly restored. As Leo's mind stirred, his chakra and Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan surged with immense energy.
"Damn it… even this isn't enough?"
From afar, Tsunade gritted her teeth. Her hands trembled as she watched the battle unfold.
Might Guy had already opened the Eighth Gate—the Gate of Death! And still, even with this ultimate power, they couldn't do anything to that monster... Uchiha Madara—no, Leo.
So this is the true power of the legendary shinobi, the so-called demon of the Uchiha, Madara.
"Just how strong were Grandfather and the First Hokage to suppress a monster like this?"
Tsunade felt a rare sense of helplessness. As one of the Sannin, as the current Hokage, she had faced down countless threats.
But never anything like this.
Leo, standing tall within the towering Susanoo, was an overwhelming force of nature—terrifying and unstoppable.
"This level of fighting is just..."
Nearby, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura stood frozen. Their mouths hung slightly open as they witnessed a battle that far exceeded the scope of their understanding.
They had heard of powerful jutsu.
But this?
This was on a different plane altogether.
Whether it was Leo's complete Susanoo or Might Guy's Xi Xiang, the sheer scale and intensity of the clash made it seem more like a battle between gods than ninjas.
"Unbelievable…" Naruto muttered.
Sasuke, his Sharingan spinning rapidly, could barely keep up with the movements. "This is what true power looks like…"
Even Sakura, despite having seen incredible battles during the war, was left speechless.
The three young Konoha shinobi could only watch in awe as the titans clashed.
The enemy, Leo—formerly known as Uchiha Madara—stood as a towering god of destruction. The massive, glowing blue figure of Susanoo behind him exuded dominance.
"This… is the power of legends," Hyuga Hiashi said quietly as he watched the battlefield. "If this is what we're up against... then all of us together still wouldn't be enough."
Even the Byakugan felt insignificant before the radiant power of the Eternal Mangekyō.
"Hayate… I'm sorry. I can't even avenge you."
Mao Yue Xiyan dropped to her knees, tears welling in her eyes. She gazed up at the colossal form of Susanoo, and her fists clenched in futility.
There was nothing she could do.
Leo was too strong—far beyond what she or any of the Konoha shinobi could ever hope to defeat.
Yūhi Kurenai, Shikamaru, Ino, and Chōji stood near Asuma's fallen body, sorrow and rage heavy in their hearts.
Leo had already killed Asuma Sarutobi... and Akimichi Chōza. He had single-handedly become an enemy of the entire Hidden Leaf.
And yet… he still couldn't be stopped.
"If Evening Elephant won't kill him… then I'll have to use my final move."
Might Guy, body soaked in blood-red steam, stood once again—fists clenched, his bones creaking with every movement.
The strain of the Eighth Gate was unbearable.
But he stood tall.
"HAHAHA!" Leo laughed madly from inside Susanoo. "YES! GOOD! MARVELOUS!"
For the first time in a very long while, Leo felt his blood boiling. This wasn't a one-sided slaughter. No—this was a fight. A real fight.
Someone was finally forcing him to go all out.
"Guy…" Kakashi's eye trembled with emotion as he looked at his best friend.
He knew what was coming.
And he knew what it would cost.
Might Guy had chosen to risk his life—not for glory, not for fame, but to protect Konoha.
And he would die for it.
"Let's do this!!"
Might Guy took a deep breath—and then, he bent forward.
Zuuuhhhh—!!
A vortex of red chakra burst from his back. It condensed, forming the massive shape of a dragon's head, its mouth gaping wide in a primal roar.
"Teacher Guy…?" Lee's voice trembled as he watched the scene unfold.
"This is... the Eight Inner Gates Formation…"
"The ultimate move—Night Guy!!"
ROOOAAARR—!!
The blood-red dragon howled, shaking the sky and earth with its fury.
BOOOOM—!!
An explosion of force radiated in all directions, tearing apart the battlefield and forcing onlookers to brace themselves from afar.
"W-Was there a technique even stronger than Evening Elephant?!" Tsunade gasped, her eyes wide in disbelief.
"The pressure… this is it."
Kakashi, still watching from a distance, felt a pang in his heart.
"This is the move that will end it… but at what cost?"
Night Guy—the ultimate taijutsu move. A strike so powerful it twisted space and time itself. It would hit faster than light and harder than any technique known.
"This is Guy's final trump card," Kakashi said, voice full of both awe and sorrow. "But with it, maybe… just maybe, he can bring that monster down."
"Go, Guy!! Destroy him!!" Anko roared, unable to contain her emotions.
"Guy, you're the pride of the village!! We're counting on you!" Tsunade shouted.
All eyes were on him now.
Might Guy—forever underestimated, forever dismissed—was about to show the world the true power of hard work.
BOOM—!!
The dragon behind him surged with power, growing even larger and roaring louder than before.
"This strength..."
Leo, inside Susanoo, grinned.
"I acknowledge it. Of all the opponents I've faced, I'd like to call you the strongest in taijutsu."
Yes—even more than Hashirama, even more than any enemy he'd fought in his past life.
Because at this moment… Leo felt something he hadn't in a long time:
The fear of death.
But that fear only excited him more.
"Night Guy!!"
The next moment, Guy fused with the blood-red dragon. The two became one, a blazing comet of red energy shooting toward Leo at unimaginable speed.
Leo tried to react.
He tried to swing Susanoo's blade and shield himself.
But—
"…The space… is distorting?!"
Leo's eyes widened.
Just like in the original timeline, space around him warped. It compressed and twisted, locking Susanoo in place.
He couldn't move.
Leo looked down at the battlefield and saw the rippling distortion in the air, the effect of Night Guy's raw power compressing space itself.
"No wonder... no wonder Susanoo won't respond!"
And then—
ROOOAAARRRR—!!
Night Guy appeared before Susanoo's face, his foot pulled back, glowing with unrestrained energy and death.
To be continued...