Naruto: Escape From Konoha

Chapter 140: 136: Susanoo

Chapter 140: 136: Susanoo

Anxiety filled the hearts of Guruguru and White zetsu like a raging wave. Although they remained silent, their tense nerves betrayed their inner turmoil. The sudden turn of events had unfolded so rapidly that it had caught them completely off guard, leaving them uncertain of how to react.

In the midst of this, Guruguru appeared to understand a crucial detail.

"I see, was the previous battle intentional?"

Guruguru despite his dull mind, he still had keen intellect.

While he may not have initially understood the situation, the current circumstances had led him to conclude that the previous battle had been an intricately laid trap by Ruri.

This realization highlighted that Ruri's strategy wasn't just sheer brute force, she was also a tactical genius, cunning in battle and annihilation battles.

"It's too late to understand it now. What's hidden in there?"

Ruri's gaze penetrated the darkness ahead, and she squinted slightly.

After her arrival here, she had sensed an eerie atmosphere shrouding the darkness ahead, one that seemed to pulse with anticipation.

Even in stillness, there was a faint murmur, like a whisper in the shadows.

Guruguru was about to stop her advance, and was beginning to speak, but Ruri's speed outpaced his words.

She used the Body Flicker to move ahead. Guruguru watched in a mixture of concern and shock as Ruri vanished.

By the time Guruguru turned his head, Ruri was already positioned in the heart of the darkness, using her pair of Sharingan to decipher the mystery before her.

Before her stood a huge, shadowy figure, seemingly composed of wood, yet emanating an unsettling chakra that constricted the air. It had a suffocating weight, as if trapped within a deep quagmire.

Standing before the monster, a figure struggled to breathe, the sounds of labored breaths reaching Ruri's ears.

Judging by the rhythm and intensity of the breaths, it was evident that this individual was in a bad condition, their physical condition so weak that even the walking appeared to pose a challenge to them

Not bothered, Ruri pressed forward, her footsteps echoing clearly in the stillness. She stooped her advance at the source of the struggling breaths.

There, a frail, old man with deeply etched wrinkles sat on the ground.

He panted heavily, his white hair cascading down like strands of silk. His palms, once strong, had withered with age.

He wore a tattered, gray-blue robe, bearing visible signs of wear and tear. On this attire, Ruri discerned the iconic Uchiha fan logo.

"A member of the Uchiha clan? Yet I didn't expect to find you in such a weak state. Who are you?" Ruri questioned, her curiosity piqued.

She remained unaware of this old man's identity, but his old age was unmistakable, making even the simplest of movements appear to be a difficult problem.

In response to Ruri's question, the old man, his voice trembling and parched, slowly raised his head.

He revealed a set of three-tomoe Sharingan eyes, mirroring Ruri's own. His lips, chapped and dry, belied his age, with wrinkles etched deeply into his face, like that of the bark of ancient trees.

"I didn't expect the Uchiha to produce an exceptional ninja like you after i left the clan for so many years." the old man said, his words carrying an wave of nostalgia and longing.

As Ruri studied the old man's face, a sense of familiarity began to take root. Although his appearance was aged and unattractive, she felt an uncanny connection to the face before her.

Though she could not recall the specifics, she believed she had encountered individuals of the Uchiha clan who shared this face in the past.

Yet, among the retired elders of the Uchiha clan she was aware of, this particular man did not seem to belong.

Ruri's curiosity was further piqued when she noticed an unusual long-handled weapon nearby.

To the untrained eye, it might not even appear as a weapon, but Ruri recognized it as a weapon recorded within the Uchiha clan—a weapon that had been lost to history.

Bending down, she disregarded the old man's mutterings and picked up the weapon, examining it closely. It possessed considerable weight, taking the form of a round fan with tomoe patterned engravings.

At the opposite end of the long handle, an iron chain extended, terminating in a sharp, sickle-like blade.

"Why do you possess the long-lost Uchiha treasure - The Gunbai?" Ruri asked, her tone tinged with surprise and interest.

Ever since Uchiha Madara's defeat in the battle at the Valley of the End against Senju Hashirama, this mysterious Uchiha artifact had disappeared without a trace.

Ruri initially believed that the weapon might have been hidden by the Senju clan following Uchiha Madara's downfall, with no intention of ever returning it to the Uchiha clan. Yet, to her surprise, she had stumbled upon this legendary Uchiha artifact here.

"My name is Uchiha Madara..."

The old man took a deep look at Ruri then introduced himself, calmly disclosing his identity.

Ruri held the Gunbai and fell silent.

Guruguru who was still anxious, shouted, "Madara-sama!"

"That's enough, idiot. This matter is already concluded; there's no need hiding it."

However, Madara dismissed Guruguru's concerns

Ruri directed her gaze towards the man who had identified himself as 'Madara'.

She raised the Gunbai in her hand and said, "This weapon is magnificent, and it shall be mine in the future. Besides, judging by your current state, I doubt you can still dance anymore, or can you?"

Madara remained silent. Indeed, Ruri's assessment was accurate—given his current condition, he was incapable of using a weapon for combat.

Suddenly, the ground ruptured, and multiple White Zetsu emerged from various directions, launching an attack on Ruri. Without even turning around, she swiftly swung her arm, using the Gunbai the air sliced through, and the White Zetsus heads rolled, landing before Madara.

Madara's didn't blink his eyes from the beginning to the end, his expression remaining stoic. He watched with indifference as the White Zetsus met their death at Ruri's hands.

Ruri, with her fingers caressing the Gunbai, marveled at her newfound weapon. She felt a deep satisfaction with obtaining it.

It reminded her of her previous encounter with the Third Hokage, during which her lack of a weapon had left her at a disadvantage. Now armed with this weapon, she wouldn't feel as vulnerable if confronted by the indestructible ape again.

"Alright, we can now continue with our discussion." Ruri said returning her attention to Madara.

"Are you doubting my identity?" Madara asked.

Ruri responded calmly, "No, it's not a matter of doubt. It's merely unnecessary surprise. If you aren't Uchiha Madara, then you are merely acting under the name of 'Madara' and acting as a puppet. However, if you truly are Uchiha Madara, your era alongside Senju Hashirama has long since passed."

Ruri stared at Madara with her Sharingan, and said seriously.

"So?" Madara responded, without getting angry, rather impressed by Ruri's ambition, which mirrored his own.

Madara acknowledged the innate desire for power that defined the Uchiha clan, himself included. Those with exceptional abilities naturally sought greater power, aiming for the ultimate power beyond the Sharingan.

"You're correct. However, there's one thing that's wrong. While the era between Hashirama and me may have ended, the world still stays in that era—a chain that cannot be severed. I... desire to cút off all the causes and effects of this world."

Madara spoke in a low voice.

Ruri's rude words failed to faze Madara.

He continued to expound, speaking in his low voice. "You, who have awakened the Sharingan and trained your pupil power to this level, should understand something profound. Despair, frustration, sorrow, hatred... This world is cursed. Regardless of the happiness humans may experience, they ultimately find themselves ensnared in hardship and suffering. This chained 'vortex' no one can escape from it."

Madara continued "This world is unfair, it is also a contradiction caused by reality. Victors claim everything, while losers lose it all. These causes and effects remain inexorably intertwined."

"And i want to sever these causes and effects to change this sad world... What are you doing?" Madara suddenly asked.

Madara came to a stop when he uttered those words as he saw Ruri's approaching him.

Ruri didn't respond with words but swiftly reached behind Madara.

There was a distinct snap.

"Uh, uh, uh..."

Madara struggled to catch his breathe, his expression contorting in pain. It was as if he were drowning, with each breath becoming more difficult. Muffled sounds escaped his lips, but Ruri couldn't piece together a coherent sentence from them.

Madara lowered his head, his hands hung limply at his sides, his back against an unseen object in the darkness. His gaze appeared vacant, and his breathing gradually faded.

"Madara, Madara, Madara-sama... he's dead..." Guruguru and the White Zetsu were shocked.

Madara, once regarded as a god in their eyes, had died without dignity. He had died at the hands of his own clan's descendants. This funny turn of events left them feeling bewildered.

"You killed him?" Guruguru's tone trembled, a mix of fear and anger in his voice. He found it difficult to believe that Ruri had killed Madara so easily.

"Isn't it obvious? This old man was too long-winded, and I couldn't make sense of what he was saying. I hate it when people lecture me with their long talks." Ruri replied with an inpatient expression..

While she didn't know what Madara intended to convey moments ago, she knew that if he continued speaking, it would consume valuable time. Furthermore, she had no interest in philosophical words.

"Now, it's your turn." Ruri said, her red eyes scanning Guruguru and the White Zetsu.

Finally understanding their dire situation, Guruguru and the White Zetsu found their path back obstructed by Yu, who glared at them with ferocious eyes.

Just as Ruri was about to make her move, an intensely cold presence emanated from behind.

Ruri was startled and turned around to discover that Madara's body had vanished into thin air. In its place, an enormous, ugly, and terrifying creature loomed in the darkness, emitting eerie and shrill sounds.

In that moment, Ruri felt a shiver down her soul.

She cautiously retreated.

"Ruri-sama? What's that?" Yu also appeared startled, his body seemingly electrified, causing his hair to stand on edge.

"I don't know." Ruri replied, her gaze fixed on what lay ahead, a little hesitant.

Footsteps approached.

Slowly emerging from the darkness was an old figure with long gray hair.

His Sharingan had transformed into a pale hue, and in Ruri's eyes, the drastically changed appearance of Madara was a surprise.

"Though I used some tricks to buy time, I finally caught up." Madara stated. His voice, though still aged, was no longer as weak as before.

"Impossible, why aren't you dead?"

Ruri couldn't fathom how Madara had survived. His vital functions should have stopped entirely at that moment.

With a sigh, his wrinkled face displayed a sense of inner turmoil.

"To be honest, I didn't want to resort to this forbidden jutsu, but sometimes, it comes in quite handy. Since you were unaware of its existence, it presented an advantage for me."

With thin fingers, Madara removed the whitened Sharingan with a snap and retrieved a glass bottle from his pocket. He soaked the Sharingan in the bottle and replaced it.

The vibrant Sharingan began spinning.

"Forbidden jutsu?" Ruri frowned

"It's called Izanagi." Guruguru joined in, having rushed over to Madara's side.

He patted his chest in relief and exclaimed, "It's truly incredible, Madara-sama. I thought you were genuinely gone. Well, technically, you were, and then you resurrected using Izanagi. It's indeed a remarkable jutsu."

Guruguru appeared to understand Madara's plan, primarily because Madara's earlier weakness had been so convincingly portrayed that even his confidant had been deceived.

Madara had been indifferent when Ruri took his exclusive artifact. In hindsight, it might have been a deliberate ploy to buy time, given the immense importance of that weapon to Uchihas.

Madara had anticipated that Ruri would seize the weapon, thus creating a delay.

"What kind of jutsu is Izanagi?"

"You haven't heard of it? Hmph, it's a forbidden jutsu that convert any damage suffered into a dream. A jutsu that can freely shift between dreams and reality. Even among the Uchiha clan, not everyone can know and learn the secrets of this ultimate doujutsu. Although, each use of Izanagi permanently blinds one of the Sharingan."

Guruguru replied with a triumphant laugh.

"Guruguru, You speak too much nonsense." Madara rebuked, his frown revealing his dissatisfaction.

If not for these fools, he wouldn't have found himself in this dire situation, worse than when he feigned death at the Valley of the End. He had even reluctantly cast aside his exclusive weapon to divert Ruri's attention, all to secure more time for his preparations.

Madara's serious dissatisfaction only fueled Guruguru's mischievous smile. Guruguru then enveloped Madara within his hollow body, revealing the lone Sharingan in the process.

"Though it will be but for a brief moment, I'll let you, the younger generation, witness it firsthand—recognize your own powerlessness and the pitiful insignificance of it all. Behold, and learn the true name of Uchiha's power!"

Madara wrapped within Guruguru, unleashed a dreadful pupil power through his three-tomoe Sharingan, radiating a blood-red light. His chakra surged visibly, its huge presence felt by all.

"Ruri-sama!" Yu sensed an impending catastrophe.

The cold air seemed capable of freezing everything, rendering everything motionless within this space.

Ruri momentarily stiffened, seemingly losing her soul, her breath forgotten. The murderous aura in the air paralyzed her, leaving her unable to move. Was this the power of Uchiha Madara?

Without hesitation, Ruri and Yu retreated. She didn't know Madara's intentions, but her gut told her that staying any longer would lead to disaster.

Madara stood on the spot, watching Ruri's retreat but refraining from pursuing her.

All resistance was futile.

"The pursuit of humanity in this world is to be tormented by the suffering accumulated in reality. I will help you liberate yourselves from the chains of this helpless world."

Though the cave's limited space forced the colossal blue chakra giant to crouch, its imposing figure still dwarfed Guruguru's wooden constructs— both the man and dragon. The giant drew its blue chakra long sword, emanating a blossoming blue light that illuminated Ruri's face.

No intricate maneuvers or hand seals were required to manipulate the chakra. A single strike initiated and ended the technique.

The cave began to crumble, burying everything in its path beneath rocks. A deep sword slash stretched into the unknown, piercing through the entire mountain range and extending into the surrounding forest.

The remnants of a red chakra scattered before Madara's Sharingan.

"Is that..... Susanoo?"

Madara withdrew his Susanoo, and Guruguru lay lifeless on the ground, his body ashen as if his soul had left his body. His chakra and vitality had been nearly drained by Madara.

Madara retrieved the red chakra fragment and crushed it in his hand, transforming it into a red speck of light that dissipated into the air.

"This was the important information Guruguru wished to convey, isn't it? Though it may not be Susanoo, it resembles a creation condensed from senjutsu chakra. An impressive young lady."

With those words, Madara coughed and slowly retreated into the darkness.

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