The other ninja trapped by Planetary Devastation were in a similar predicament.
After all, Planetary Devastation was fundamentally a sealing technique—not an execution method. A protective layer of chakra would prevent the victims from being crushed immediately, preserving their lives temporarily.
As long as they were released in time after the battle, it would feel like they'd merely experienced the most powerful sealing technique in the shinobi world firsthand.
Something to brag about for the rest of their lives.
"To think you'd dare let your attention wander in the middle of our fight... You're the most arrogant opponent I've ever faced, boy," Madara Uchiha growled.
Detaching from his Susanoo, Madara's real body, wielding his iconic war fan—the gunbai—lunged toward Kawaki Aoba in a swift and direct assault, furious at being ignored.
Kawaki Aoba glanced briefly at the Chibaku Tensei spheres overhead but gave no verbal reply. Instead, he answered Madara's fury with action—unleashing a Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion in a powerful slash.
You don't want me distracted during battle? Very well—I'll give you my full attention.
Seeing the golden blade coming toward him, Madara's expression sharpened. He knew how devastating the Truth-Seeking Orbs' power was, especially when compressed into the Golden Wheel technique. Without hesitation, he infused his war fan with Senjutsu chakra and braced to meet the attack head-on.
The gunbai, passed down through the Uchiha clan, had the ability to reflect chakra-based attacks. Though legendary in its own right, it paled in comparison to the divine weapons once wielded by the Sage of Six Paths.
Even so, Madara had no illusions of reflecting this attack. Surviving it would be enough.
The clash arrived in an instant. The golden blade collided with the war fan, unleashing a shockwave that rippled through the sky. The fan creaked under the overwhelming pressure, nearly torn apart by the force behind the explosion.
Madara grit his teeth. He could hear the subtle, ominous cracking of something splintering.
No need to guess—his gunbai had reached its breaking point.
If they continued to trade blows like this, Madara would be the one to fall—perhaps literally severed in half by the Golden Wheel.
Elsewhere, his Susanoo continued its fierce duel with the Hundred Transformations Kannon, a technique that mimicked the elegance and fluidity of dance but struck with lethal precision. Though under pressure, it wasn't like Madara to recklessly leave his Susanoo behind.
Kawaki Aoba wasn't Hashirama Senju—he wasn't the type to rouse Madara's emotions so strongly.
Which could only mean one thing: this was all part of Madara's strategy.
He was waiting for his trump card—like when Tobirama Senju once used his own body as bait. So what was Madara's backup plan?
As expected of Madara. His mastery of direct combat and ambush tactics made him a true shinobi—versatile, strategic, and deadly.
But under the cover of max-level Observation Haki, Kawaki Aoba saw through everything.
Madara's stealth was impressive, but it wasn't enough. Not here. Not now.
Through his enhanced perception, Kawaki noticed a faint figure—identical to Madara—emerging behind him, wielding a Black Receiver crafted through the Yin-Yang Release of the Rinnegan.
It was one of Madara's Limbo: Border Jail clones.
The attack was silent, aimed directly at Kawaki Aoba's heart.
Madara probably intended to utter some final, dramatic line.
But Kawaki Aoba had no interest in listening.
Just as the Black Receiver was about to pierce his back, Kawaki vanished, sidestepping instantly. Even the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion was retracted in a flash, causing the real Madara—still straining to hold the technique back—to stumble in mid-air.
Before Madara could regain balance, the golden blade flashed once more—not at Madara himself, but at the clone behind him.
Kawaki Aoba's strike connected. Cleanly.
The Limbo clone was split in half.
A moment of stunned silence followed.
He'd done it. He actually destroyed a Limbo clone.
Kawaki Aoba blinked, momentarily surprised. What about Kamui? Or at least some Senjutsu-enhanced defense, Wood Release, or even Susanoo?
Was the clone slow to react? That seemed unlikely. Madara wasn't the type to be caught so easily.
There could only be one explanation: this particular Limbo clone was a weakened version.
Perhaps Madara had yet to fully awaken the Six Paths-level power necessary to use Limbo to its fullest. That would also explain why he had only summoned a single clone—when canonically, Madara at peak could produce four.
The Rinnegan wasn't in his own socket—maybe he was borrowing its techniques through Sharingan trickery or residual access. If so, the result would be imperfect.
Kawaki Aoba had fought Madara multiple times. By now, he had a good grasp of his ocular abilities.
Limbo: Border Jail was indeed formidable—nearly broken—but like all techniques, it had its limits.
There was another possibility too: if Nagato's chakra had been overused recently, it might've weakened the Rinnegan's full potential. After all, Madara only regained one Rinnegan after reclaiming it from Obito.
Whatever the reason, one truth remained:
At this moment, Kawaki Aoba was invincible.
Facing Uchiha Madara, Kawaki Aoba spoke again. Now that he had confirmed his strength could indeed suppress the legendary Uchiha, he grew even more arrogant.
"Uchiha Madara—the so-called Asura of the Shinobi World—I should thank you. Until today, I only knew I was strong, but I didn't know how I measured up to you... or to those Akatsuki monsters. But thanks to this fight, now I do."
Kawaki Aoba's tone was so smug and disrespectful, it made even bystanders want to beat him senseless.
Madara's expression darkened, his brow twitching with anger. Yet, he didn't retort. Perhaps because, on some level, even he recognized there was some truth in Aoba's words.
Madara remained silent, his Sharingan spinning coldly. Kawaki Aoba didn't press the attack—he knew better. As long as Madara retained access to Kamui, he could retreat at will. Unless Aoba could land a decisive blow or disrupt the eye technique entirely, it was impossible to finish him off.
A Kamui Mangekyō...
Elsewhere, Obito phased back into reality using his Kamui. Despite wielding both of his Mangekyō Sharingan—and thus complete control over the space-time technique—his intangibility had limits.
Obito chose not to remain in his personal dimension. His pride wouldn't let him.
Madara had called him "trash" more than once. That wound stung deeply. Even if Madara himself had suffered defeat this time, Obito refused to accept his own uselessness. Not now. Not when he was so close to completing the Eye of the Moon Plan—to creating a dream world where Rin was still alive.
Kawaki Aoba's power was overwhelming. If they failed to retrieve the two Tailed Beasts from Konoha now, the opportunity might never come again.
Counting on Madara...?
"Tch. So this is the 'Asura of the Shinobi World'? Getting humiliated by a brat... Pathetic," Obito muttered, shaking his head in disappointment.
Nearing Konoha, Obito paused. He could feel the chakra-infused barrier surrounding the village. He tried slipping through in his intangible form—but it was no use. The barrier disrupted spatial ninjutsu. Not even Kamui could bypass it.
Clicking his tongue in frustration, Obito looked for alternatives. But space-time barriers weren't something he could just unravel with brute force.
Then, he noticed a staggering figure in the distance.
A survivor from the battlefield...?
Obito melted into the shadows, watching quietly.
The shinobi was bleeding, limping—clearly injured. But instead of hiding somewhere safe, he approached the barrier. Odd.
Why risk returning now? Why not wait until the battle died down?
Obito narrowed his eyes. Could this be a trap?
His doubts grew as he observed the ninja pull out a chakra-inscribed token and channel energy into it. A warm golden glow enveloped the man—then, with no hesitation, he ran straight through the barrier.
He actually passed through...!
Obito barely had time to process the scene before instinct took over. He phased in, killed the injured shinobi with a swift strike, and grabbed the glowing token from his limp hand.
Breathing heavily, Obito stared at the object in his palm, his mind racing.
Why did I act so rashly? Did I really believe this was my only chance?
But Konoha's interior defenses were layered. If he entered, he might not be able to use Kamui at all. Worse, if this was a trap, it would be suicide.
Then, a voice rang out in his mind. Soft. Familiar.
"Obito."
His Mangekyō flared open wide.
"…Rin?"
Eyes sharp with alarm, Obito scanned his surroundings.
That voice… it was hers. It had to be. I'd never mistake it.
But Rin was dead. He had seen her die—by Kakashi's hand, no less. The girl he had loved was gone.
So how could she be calling to him?
A genjutsu? Is someone trying to manipulate me?
Then the voice came again, warm and gentle.
"Obito isn't a fool... he's just not obviously smart."
"I believe in you. Obito will become an amazing shinobi."
It was Rin's voice.
His Sharingan trembled, flickering with doubt. A haze spread across his vision—confusion, then something else.
"Rin… You're watching me from the afterlife, aren't you? You're encouraging me…"
"I'm not the weak kid I used to be. I have power now. Power beyond even the Kage."
"Just wait, Rin. I'll create that perfect world… a world where we're all together. No war. No pain. No death."
"In that world... everyone will live in peace. In happiness."
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