Chapter 190: Uchiha Kagami Takes Action
After the Ninja World Tournament, the ninja world's power levels underwent a dramatic upheaval—dubbed "power scaling collapse."
For instance, someone like Kakashi—based on sheer ability—was now on par with what used to be Kage level in the past.
Minato, the Perfect Jinchūriki, boasted power on par with the First Hokage – arguably the strongest Hokage after Hashirama – enough to contend with the old "Dueling Deities" of the Warring States.
Nagato and Shisui, in the latter stages of the Tournament, each displayed power rivaling that of an Edo Tensei–resurrected Hashirama.
Hatake Sakumo (the White Fang) had perfected his blade work;
Orochimaru, in a state of infinite evolution;
Jiraiya, likewise bearing the moniker of one of the Legendary Sannin;
Obito, with dual Kamui Mangekyō plus White Zetsu cells.
And in the new generation, the mightiest among the Uchiha, Sasuke, was on the verge of attaining an Eternal Mangekyō.
…
It was as if, in a world where the standard was level 30, a bunch of level 80 plus had appeared, forming an enormous gulf.
Among this host of powerhouses, two soared at a level of 100—exceeding conventional scale.
Since a thousand years of the ninja world's history, it remained these two brothers at the summit:
Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama.
Their confrontation with the invading Ōtsutsuki likewise revolved around just why they were all battling at this juncture.
Everything pointed back to that individual who rose like a comet and singlehandedly dominated the ninja world:
Uchiha Kagami.
From a young age he became renowned, never once defeated.
His name became nearly synonymous with "invincible."
Perhaps in future ages, people would no longer recall him by name, but revere him by a title akin to the "Sage of Six Paths."
…
Momoshiki recalled Kagami's words—implying it was Momoshiki's destiny to lose to these two reincarnated "brothers."
Momoshiki believed in fate, of course.
His own eyes let him peer into others' destinies; it was an ability to sense threads of cause and effect.
Yet faced with Kagami, his ability had been nullified.
Not because Kagami had come in a clone form or anything—the Ōtsutsuki recognized people by chakra, after all—and that had indeed been Kagami's chakra descending, borrowing Shisui's ocular technique for a physical manifestation.
…
Momoshiki had never met someone or something that concealed the future from him—except for the legendary figure at the top echelons of the clan. Unless…
That one.
He felt foreboding. They had to deal with Uchiha Madara here, then quickly report to the clan's higher-ups.
Yes—he already had a means to handle Madara!
Boom!!
Yet again, Madara hammered Momoshiki away with taijutsu. Momoshiki soared back but swiftly turned, charging once more.
Madara was unruffled, exchanging punches with him, a massive shockwave bursting outward.
Whoosh!
Momoshiki interlaced his hands, materializing a long spear radiating a crimson glow.
Colliding with Madara's black staff (the Shaku-jō), sparks flew.
Momoshiki was no half-baked fighter like Kaguya, specialized only in a handful of jutsu. He was a warrior who had fought and pillaged countless worlds over millennia. His mastery of physical combat far surpassed hers.
What of Madara?
Though he hadn't lived as many centuries, he'd always had equals to fight—an unbroken chain of battles that honed him in ways foreign to the Ōtsutsuki, who rarely found true rivals.
"Your speed and technique are decent," Madara commented, once again succumbing to his old habit of offering critique.
Clang!
The black staff pressed down upon Momoshiki's red spear. Madara smirked.
"But your strength's lacking…not enough."
Momoshiki bared his teeth. "If I had a Ten-Tails at that caliber, you'd have been pulverized ages ago!"
…
"Heh—letting you devour your subordinate was my greatest concession.
You're not childish enough to insist I cast aside my superior power for a 'fair fight,' are you?"
Momoshiki suddenly flashed a vicious grin.
"No need.
Because…"
"You've already lost!!"
Whoosh—
An imperceptible ripple spread; space and time seemed to halt.
Time freeze!!
"Now—strike, Kaguya's will!"
For a split second, Madara broke free of that bizarre stasis.
Slash—
A black hand pierced his chest.
By swallowing the complete Chakra Fruit, that incompetent Kaguya had forcibly acquired the highest "will rank" among the Ōtsutsuki—somehow bridging a dimension of authority beyond. Even a Ten-Tails–empowered Madara with Rinnegan tomoe could not withstand that "higher dimension" infiltration?
Inky lines slowly spread across Madara's body.
Expressionless, Madara turned his head to see Black Zetsu:
Scheming for a thousand years had borne fruit. The momentum of final victory created a compulsion to spill it all.
"Madara… I'm not your will.
I am the will of Kaguya!!
Everything I guided you to do was for resurrecting the Rabbit Goddess!"
"Though we failed to gather all the world's chakra, you at least suffice as a vessel for Mother now!"
Madara remained unmoving, as though some unseen force held him in place.
Momoshiki and Black Zetsu simultaneously burst out laughing.
"Well done, Kaguya!!"
Black fluid gradually covered Madara's form.
Momoshiki snickered brutally, "Whatever your crimes, we can put them aside. We'll discuss them with the elders after we kill Uchiha Kagami—"
…
"Who are you calling?" Madara murmured coldly, never once showing alarm.
Black Zetsu felt something off.
He could sense his Yin–Yang Release had invaded Madara, yet…
Where was Mother's mind?
Why had she not manifested?
In principle, a Kāma is an Ōtsutsuki's compressed data for rebirth.
Kaguya was sealed without time to implant a Kāma in the Sage, so she'd severed off Black Zetsu as a vessel for her "revival data."
Now, Black Zetsu had inserted it into Madara. Kaguya should have revived.
But…
Nothing happened!
Madara's eyes lowered, lips curving in a silent laugh.
"…You're expecting something?"
"Black Zetsu, do you know…
Even before reanimation, the Sage warned me about you.
Sure enough, the power I gave you shouldn't let you pull out a Dōjutsu rod like that."
The unstoppable impetus to brag after success was universal.
"Originally, I'd wanted to expel you entirely, but Kagami told me—"
Madara let out a menacing grin, making Black Zetsu quake in terror.
"That you were prepared as my final bit of strength.
Now I see what he meant…"
Madara slowly raised his palm; Black Zetsu realized something was very wrong and tried to separate from Madara, only to find himself the one unable to move.
His hand settled upon Black Zetsu's head.
"I'll take Kaguya's abilities for myself."
Roar!!
A black torrent flooded in, all of it merging into Madara's body.
Crack…
The ridgelike plating on Madara's forehead split, revealing a line, akin to a closed vertical eye.
Without opening, it unleashed an oceanic surge of dreadful ocular power—like a mighty torrent.
…
Momoshiki acted immediately, whirling around to dash for battered Urashiki, who was pinned by the unstoppable onslaught from Hashirama's Great Buddha.
Worn and battered, Urashiki looked up to see Momoshiki approach, thinking rescue had come:
"Momoshiki, help me!"
But an immense gravitational pull seized him.
Urashiki took it to be Banshō Ten'in, so he willingly gave no resistance, drifting into Momoshiki's arms.
At close range, he realized something was off.
"Wh-What are you doing with that hand?"
Kechi Kō! Lian Dan?
Wait—Kechi something… "We do not devour fellow clan members! You can't do that to me— I'm pure-blooded Ōtsutsuki, not just a retainer like Kinshiki!
I haven't even implanted a Kāma yet!
What are you…
Momoshiki, how dare you—!"
In a flash of savage devouring, Urashiki was converted into a giant Chakra Fruit, bigger than what Kinshiki had produced.
Momoshiki, however, didn't swallow it.
He clapped his palms together, shattering the Fruit.
The scattering lumps coalesced into a hexagram array—Mandala.
Now that events had spun so dire, simply contacting the elders was too late.
Only by sacrificing a pure-blooded Ōtsutsuki could they forcibly channel the "god's" power across space-time!
A bizarre array radiated terrifying red glow…
For an instant, Madara didn't remain idle. He launched a furious assault:
Sage Style: Yin Release—Lightning School!
Deep purple lightning rained upon the sixfold array—no effect.
Momoshiki, palms pressed together, voice solemn:
"God's Descent!!"
Boom—
Space-time shattered like glass.
From the hexagram array, an unfathomably mighty energy poured into Momoshiki.
Heaven above lost all color, replaced by raw whiteness. A horrifying surge of chakra broke out—enough for Madara to raise an arm to shield his eyes.
Meanwhile, from the Land of Fire in Konoha, a black–crimson slash parted the sky.
Upon that slash, a long silhouette stood:
Uchiha Kagami
…making his move.