Chapter 209: Battle of Uzu (III)

"How are you alive!?!" Danzo asked as he readied his blade, yet the slight tremble in his pupil showed how unnerved he was by the fact that Madara stood before, as in his recollection, the man should have died to the First Hokage.

"Oh? One of Tobirama's brats? I should have wiped you out near the end of the last war. Allow me to correct my mistake." Madara said as he looked at the duo in front of him, yet as he took a single step, a massive barrier appeared around him, with it trapping him inside.

"Madara." Ashina said solemnly as he landed on the ground, him already drawing hundreds of Seals at the same time in the hope of containing Madara immediately.

"Insolent. I told you years ago to stop painting with brushes, Ashina. Otherwise, you would never amount to anything important." Madara said.

He then spat a powerful fireball, with it cracking the barrier that trapped him, after which he blasting through the wall and straight at Ashina.

But, Sakumo and Danzo both moved to guard him, as they knew that Ashina was likely their best chance of eliminating Madara for good.

"Hold him off as long as you can!!" Ashina yelled as created tens of Seal every second.

Sakumo's blade crackled with Lightning as he tried to decapitate Madara, yet the man merely drew his sickle and easily countered it, with the two then beginning a masterful exchange of swordsmanship.

Sakumo attempted a slash to what he perceived was Madara's blindspot, yet the man was able to twist the blade in an unnatural way to block it.

He then delivered a strong kick to the side of Sakumo, with if forcing him back, while at the same time, Danzo Body Flickered behind him with a humming blade.

Madara simply smirked as he unsealed his Gumbai and blocked the attack with its flat side.

"Uchiha Rebound."

The powerful Lightning was blasted back towards Sakumo, with it doing signifigant harm as it practically decimated him, leaving him in tattered clothes while he laid on the ground.

"Uzumaki Sealing Technique: Heaven's Bind!!" 

Ashina's voice resounded over the battlefield, with the Seals surrounding Madara and creating an intricate prison, one that began to shrink as if it wished to crush the Uchiha.

The Seal was one that utilized Chakra to create a tangible construct, one that would constantly shrink by using the users Chakra, and could be capable of ending most Shinobi due to the fact that it was immune to Ninjutsu thanks to it's ability to absorb Chakra.

Ashina then continued reinforcing the Seal, not stopping even as he poured a bit of his own vitality into it, just in the hope of ending Madara once and for all.

The Seal began finally began to seem as if it would crush Madara, yet at that moment, his voice resounded once again.

"Ice Style: Ice Age."

Suddenly, large spears of ice appeared, with one of them piercing straight through the back of Ashina, with his eyes being forced to widen.

"Looks like the Mizukage actually was useful for something. Who would have thought?" Madara said as the Seals began to fade due to Ashina no longer being able to focus on imbuing them with Chakra, with him then taking slow steps towards Ashina.

Madara already possessed Five Hearts thanks to the Techinque he used to sustain his Vitality, with four of them belonging to the Senju or Uzuamaki Jonin who died on missions.

And now, with Kori Yuki's heart, he possessed the ability to use Ice Release, with that being how he was able to take out Ashina.

"You evil v-vermin." Ashina spat while removing the spike from his chest, with him using a Seal to stop the bleeding and enhance his healing.

"Uzumaki always were like cockroaches. You weaklings just don't know how to die gracefully." Madara said as prepared to finish Ashina.

Suddenly, before he could make a move, a Wind Blade came directly in front of him, with him turning towards the source with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you truly think a Shimura could take on someone like me?" Madara asked as if he was legitamately confused by Danzo's actions.

"I am no mere Shimura. I am a student of the Second Hokage, and I studied under the First. I am the Patriarch of the Shimura Clan. I am the leader of the covert operations inside of Konoha, and the man known as the Darkness of Shinobi. Of course I believe I can stop an Uchiha scourge like you." Danzo said as he walked towards Madara.

Most of his Chakra had been expended, and the wounds he had gained throughout the course of the battle were making him quite tired overall.

But he would never allow an evil like Madara to endanger Konoha, as it went against everything he stood for.

Danzo paused when he walked past Sakumo, the man still unable to recover from the rebound of his attack due to the damage it did to his nerves, yet he was still alive.

"Sakumo. I declare you as the successor to The Root. Plans in case of my death are in Hiruzen's possession, so he will have no issue with it. Ensure that Orochimaru sticks on the path of making the Village strong and always prosperous. And always support Tsunade, for she is the greatest hope for the Village since Lord Hashirama. You brats and your White Lotus can do alot of good." Danzo stated, though he then continued walking towards Madara.

"H-How did you kn-" "I am called the Darkness of Shinobi for a reason. Of course I would know everything that happens in my home Village." Danzo cut off Sakumo's question while continuing to walk.

Arriving directly before the man, Danzo seemed to be about to stab Madara, yet even he was surprised when the sword went into Danzo's own chest.

"Allow me to show you the peak of a craft that I have perfected: Juinjutsu." Danzo spoke with a cruel smile.

A seal appeared on the chest of Danzo, with Madara suddenly feeling great danger as he attempted to retreat.

Yet at that moment, two hands appeared from the ground and grasped Madara's ankles, with it being a Shadow Clone that Danzo prepared in advance.

"I'll see you in Hell, Madara!!" Danzo spoke his last words as the Seal activated, with four symbols forming around them from his blood.

The Seal then spread, with it forcing everything around them to be drawn in and Sealed inside the corpse of Danzo.

Danzo showed no trace of fear in his eyes, his determination so resolute that death meant very little for him, especially when he was prepared for it at every moment.

In terms of regrets, Danzo hated he couldn't achieve his ambition of bringing peace to Konoha or the world, yet he felt that his ambition would be accomplished under the new generation, especially Tsunade, as they embodied what it meant to be Shinobi.

'I finally beat you, Monkey. I wonder if you and the others will be sad after my death. I'll miss all of you. I won't miss the paperwork. But I finally get to rest. I leave the remaining work to you, old friend.' Danzo thought, as he went into the afterlife with a smile, content with his sacrifice.

~Konoha~

Hiruzen suddenly felt a strange sensation come over him, with him looking up from his desk, yet not discovering anything.

Just then, two seperate Shinobi burst into the room, with them giving equally alarming reports.

"Lord Hokage!! We just recieved word that Madara Uchiha has appeared on the Mist battlefield!!"

"Lord Hokage!! It was reported that Lord Jiraiya's home was attacked and the eyes of one of his children was stolen!!!"

Hiruzen could only stand alarmed as the pieces in his mind clicked together, with him throwing off his Hokage robes to reveal his battlesuit.

"Prepare all remaining forces in Konoha to follow me!!" Hiruzen said, ready to join the battle against a threat such as Madara.

~Land of Grass~

As Kagami travelled to the Land of Water, he felt a slight tremble in his step as a strange feeling over came him.

'Hold on, Danzo, Sakumo. We're coming.' Kagami thought.

~

Sakumo stood up with the help of his blade, while he stared at the crater before him, with their being no sign of either Madara or Danzo.

Ashina helped himself up by the use of his Chains, with them both seeing that they needed to help their troops deal with the White Zetsu that they were battling against.

"What a terrifying technique. I guess even ants can be dangerous if underestimated." A voice sounded, with both Ashina and Sakumo being stunned by it.

"Oh? Looks like play time is over." Madara said as he was revealed, his clothes tattered and one of the two Sharingan in his eyes being greyed out.

But, a black slime like creature appeared from the groud and handed two objects to Madara, with him placing them inside of his eye sockets.

"Nothing beats having your own eyes!!" Madara exclaimed in joy as he looked at Ashina and Sakumo, the sheer Chakra coming from his eyes being enough to paralyze them both.

But, just as things seemed hopeless, an Uzumaki bathed in Orange Flames arrived on the battlefield, with Mito staring down Madara while Ashina was healed by Tobirama.

A fated battle between an Uzumaki and an Uchiha was about to commence.