Chapter 311: White Zetsu Battle Armor!

Chapter 311: White Zetsu Battle Armor!

White Zetsu Tobi paused slightly, but the sense of obedience cultivated over a long time made him execute the command immediately.

Inside the skeletal Susanoo, White Zetsu Tobi's strange, single-eyed spiral face suddenly opened up like flower petals. The intersecting spiral patterns split in the air like terrifying tentacles, revealing empty air within.

It was obvious that a special individual like White Zetsu Tobi had completely abandoned the normal physiological structure of a living being. Although it had a humanoid form, it had no human organs.

At the very least, it had no brain.

But at this moment, despite lacking a brain as a central nervous system, an inexplicable force still controlled White Zetsu Tobi's strange, pale body.

White Zetsu Tobi's petal-like head aimed at Old Man Madara's nearby head, and the two performed a "docking" in the biological sense.

Starting from the head, White Zetsu Tobi's body seemed to slowly, but actually quickly, "fit" itself over Old Man Madara's body.

The scene was just like some mutant monster devouring a human body, and in a "head-to-toe" fashion.

This scene, enough to make an ordinary person's sanity drop and lose their mind, also made Nara Keisuke, in the shadows, frown deeply.

He wasn't disgusted by the fusion process. A little "man-eats-man" scene was nothing. It couldn't shake Nara Keisuke's battle-hardened sensibilities.

What truly made Nara Keisuke feel uneasy was the "fusion" of Old Man Madara and White Zetsu Tobi!

White Zetsu Tobi having the ability to "fuse" was not beyond Keisuke's expectations.

In fact, this very special White Zetsu individual's abilities and power level absolutely far exceeded its "peers."

If one were to use a more professional title to describe Tobi, it should be "Child of the Divine Tree"!

(In the Jin no Sho [Databook 4], Tobi has a dedicated page, describing him as: "Born from the Divine Tree, a child of chakra full of mysteries.")

During the Fourth Great Shinobi War, White Zetsu Tobi, by controlling Yamato, single-handedly (Yamato: ?) held off the Allied Shinobi Forces, and even brought out a wood-style golem.

This was not something an ordinary White Zetsu could do.

White Zetsu Tobi could fuse with certain individuals, thereby augmenting their, or rather both of their, comprehensive strength!

But, Tobi fusing with Old Man Madara was completely beyond Keisuke's expectations.

In his view, Old Man Madara's life was like a candle in the wind. As long as the connection to the Gedo Mazō was cut, he would certainly die. The "kill" just now had proven this point.

If not for Izanagi's revival effect, Old Man Madara would already be reporting to the Pure Land!

Old Man Madara and the Gedo Mazō were completely bound.

Nara Keisuke was certain of this.

Without the Gedo Mazō's chakra supply, Madara couldn't live for three seconds.

But what if... another creature could replace the Gedo Mazō and supply Madara with chakra?

The core traits of the chakra provided by the Gedo Mazō were "Divine Tree" and "Hashirama cells."

And White Zetsu Tobi, as a specially crafted individual, was also composed of "Divine Tree" and "Hashirama cells."

What the Gedo Mazō could provide, Tobi could also provide.

'I never even considered the possibility of Madara and Tobi fusing!'

Amidst his shock, a faint trace of regret flashed in Keisuke's mind.

'If I had known, I should have finished off Tobi in the gap while Madara was reviving!'

Keisuke knew he couldn't reverse time. He quickly suppressed his regret, stopped the [Water Severing Wave], and began forming seals for another S-Rank jutsu.

So what if Old Man Madara fused with Tobi?

It wasn't like he had no backup plans!

With Keisuke's tactical acumen, he could see at a glance why Madara chose to fuse.

Although Tobi's chakra quantity couldn't compare to the Gedo Mazō, Tobi had an advantage the Gedo Mazō absolutely did not: he was alive, and he could move!

Old Man Madara's critical lack of mobility would be effectively supplemented by this "White Zetsu Battle Armor."

In fact, this was the very reason Madara gave the order.

His connection to the Gedo Mazō had surely been seen through.

After that "death," the enemy could definitely see how important those inconspicuous "IV tubes" were.

These wooden pipes were his fatal weakness!

Even the experienced Uchiha Madara couldn't constantly watch those long, thick pipes behind him during combat. The fight just now proved that. If he focused elsewhere, his attention on his back would lapse.

Not to mention, Madara still hadn't figured out Keisuke's location.

The effect of the [Shadow Invisibility Technique] was too absurd!

If the Rinnegan were still here, Madara might have been able to see through it. But a mere three-tomoe Sharingan...

Even if Madara spun his tomoe until sparks flew, he couldn't see through the [Shadow Invisibility Technique].

Without being able to confirm the enemy's location, rather than leaving those chakra-transporting pipes exposed, it was better to sever the connection to the Gedo Mazō himself and eliminate this fatal weakness!

His body was old, but his combat sense hadn't dulled. How could he tolerate his weakness being exposed?

Tobi's chakra was low in quantity, but not in quality. And Madara's body also had Hashirama cells. From this perspective, their "fusion" could achieve a "1 + 1 > 2" effect.

After ensuring he could survive on Tobi's chakra supply, a ruthless glint flashed in Madara's eye.

He actively manipulated Tobi's body to sever the connection with the Gedo Mazō.

The next moment, he, in his new, younger, more agile body, immediately used another ninjutsu.

Not an attack. A protection.

"Summoning Technique: Release!"

Poof!

With a huge puff of smoke, the massive, hideous Gedo Mazō vanished from the Mountain Graveyard.

The purple flame the enemy had shown was terrifyingly strong against Wood Release. And the enemy had repeatedly targeted the Gedo Mazō. If that attack hit the Gedo Mazō, this big guy would likely be taken out...

The Gedo Mazō was crucial to Madara's most important plan.

Without it, all his subsequent plans would die in the womb.

Forget the "Infinite Tsukuyomi," even the preliminary plan of collecting the Tailed Beasts would stop.

Without the Gedo Mazō, where would he find a "husk" to hold all nine Tailed Beasts?

Without the Ten-Tails, how could he become the second Sage of Six Paths? And cast the "Infinite Tsukuyomi" to bring peace?

The Gedo Mazō's importance was above all else. Except for his own eyes.

Back when his life was ending, his Indra chakra and the Asura chakra from Hashirama's cells fused, resonating to produce the true power of the Sage of Six Paths: the Rinnegan.

(After awakening the Rinnegan, Madara's left eye, which had gone blind from using Izanagi at the Valley of the End, also successfully became a Rinnegan. But his Eternal Mangekyo left eye was not restored by this, and remained blind.)

Thanks to the Rinnegan, the "Sage Eyes" that belonged to the Sage of Six Paths, Uchiha Madara successfully broke the seal and released the husk of the Ten-Tails.

Specifically, after awakening the Rinnegan, Uchiha Madara summoned the Gedo Mazō from the moon!

Now, Uchiha Madara's Rinnegan had been transplanted to Nagato.

Without these "Sage Eyes," many of Madara's techniques could not be used.

But sending the Gedo Mazō back to the moon was still possible.

He would send the Gedo Mazō back to the moon, and wait to re-summon it when needed.

Even if this battle was lost, his chosen successor, Nagato, could use the transplanted Rinnegan to summon the Gedo Mazō and continue the plan.

In short, the Gedo Mazō must not be lost.

Just as Old Man Madara sent the Gedo Mazō away and prepared to focus on the enemy...

...a square cube of chakra completely enveloped him and his "White Zetsu Battle Armor." A fluorescent white light illuminated his withered, ancient face.

"This is..."

Old Man Madara's left eye widened slightly. A horrifying feeling welled up in his heart. The skeletal Susanoo surrounding him no longer provided any sense of security.

"Ōnoki, that little brat..."

[Dust Release: Detachment from the Primitive World Technique]!

Nara Keisuke silently activated the Kekkei Tōta he had been preparing. The fluorescent white light symbolizing [Dust Release] flashed in the Mountain Graveyard and vanished.

Inside the cube, the deep blue Susanoo and Old Man Madara, wearing his "White Zetsu Battle Armor," were instantly destroyed by this attack, reduced to the tiniest molecules in the world.

If this were Madara in his prime, his Perfect Susanoo, or the even stronger "Majestic Attire: Susanoo," could not be dealt with by Keisuke's [Dust Release: Detachment from the Primitive World Technique].

Even if Keisuke was squeezed dry, he couldn't use a [Dust Release] that covered several hundred meters!

But this Old Man Madara and his skeletal Susanoo had no way to resist [Dust Release: Detachment from the Primitive World Technique].

Under Dust Release, all are equal.

The panel popped up another notification.

[You have killed the A-Rank Ninja Battle Mission target one time!]

[You have obtained one A-Rank Secret Ninja Scroll!]

'Seriously... Again?!'