Naruto: Manipulation-Chapter 181: Welcome Back to the Living World, Lord Madara

Battle... Battle...

This was clearly Kabuto's blind spot.

In fact—

This wasn't something he ever had experience in.

Kabuto had always had a clear understanding of what he was capable of. When it came to combat, he never thought of himself as strong—he only aimed to be able to protect himself.

But now...

It seemed he truly needed to study it seriously.

At least so that, next time he faced Kage-level opponents, he wouldn't make such amateur mistakes.

And now—

The tide of battle had turned against him.

The situation looked grim—there was seemingly no hope of seizing Uchiha Sasuke. Second Tsuchikage Mu alone clearly wasn't enough.

On Orochimaru's side stood not only Sasuke, but also Uchiha Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki. The reanimated Fourth Mizukage Yagura and Fourth Kazekage Rasa were also rapidly regenerating.

From any angle...

Orochimaru's side now possessed five Kage-level forces.

Kabuto had only one left—Mu.

But—

A small twist hit the battlefield!

The moment Sasuke laid eyes on his brother, his face twisted with pure rage, fury blinding his reason.

"Itachi!"

Sasuke lunged, kunai in hand, slashing at his brother's throat.

However...

The attack was laughably weak.

Itachi didn't even bother to glance. With effortless precision, he caught Sasuke's wrist mid-air.

Crack!

A brutal twist dislocated Sasuke's wrist, the kunai clattering to the ground.

"Argh—!"

Sasuke screamed in pain.

Yet—

His older brother showed no sympathy. Seemingly annoyed by the noise, he released Sasuke's arm and drove a fist deep into his gut.

Thud...

Sasuke's mouth gaped in silent agony, and the pain spread through every nerve in his body. He collapsed, gasping on his knees.

"...Haa... ah... haa..."

Wide-eyed and trembling, Sasuke knelt wordlessly, his breath ragged.

"A bit harsh for your little brother, don't you think, Itachi-kun?"

Orochimaru chuckled as he observed.

"So this is Itachi's little brother?"

Kisame tilted his head, grinning.

"Hard to see what's so special that both Lord Shigen and Obito are fighting over him."

"Focus on the enemy,"

Itachi cut in, shaking his head. He turned his gaze toward Mu, analyzing the next move.

From what he'd seen—

Mu's abilities were tricky. He could fly and vanish—this would not be an easy opponent.

Still...

It didn't matter.

Itachi's goal was to delay, nothing more.

The longer they kept Mu tied down, the more likely Konoha's forces would arrive. The less chance Sasuke would escape.

And that prediction was accurate.

Mu's flight and stealth made him a difficult target. Orochimaru and Kisame had no easy way to pin him down.

Their only option—

Was to wait for a clean strike.

But just as they couldn't quickly defeat Mu—Mu couldn't beat them either.

The battle quickly deadlocked.

"What a pain..."

Kabuto, controlling Mu, narrowly dodged a massive summoned sword from Orochimaru's mouth, then destroyed Kisame's Water Dragon Jutsu.

"I thought two Kage-level summons would be enough..."

"But oh well..."

"Combat was never my thing."

"Fighting should be left to those who enjoy it."

Kabuto's voice turned mocking, even as he rebutted Orochimaru's earlier scorn.

"Orochimaru-sama, we are reanimators."

"Victory lies in the ones we summon, not ourselves..."

"..."

Orochimaru's eyes darkened.

What was that supposed to mean?

Kabuto still had more summons hidden?

What had this man looted in secret while working under him?

How many Kage-level corpses had he stockpiled?!

Then—!

Mu landed in the distance.

For the first time, the calm, calculating reanimator showed smugness and levity. His tone held a touch of amusement, even mockery—as though he already saw this battle in his favor.

"Well then..."

"Our warm-up is over."

"Before the true battle begins..."

"On behalf of Lord Shigen, I must ask—just one last time."

Kabuto's voice grew cold, ominous.

"Are you all... truly prepared to betray Lord Shigen—and betray Akatsuki?"

"Hah..."

Kisame bared his sharp teeth, grinning.

"Trying to recruit us again on Shigen's behalf?"

Though he respected Shigen, Kisame placed his faith in Obito's promises.

"Looks like your collection gave you some confidence..."

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, uneasy. But behind him stood the reformed Yagura and Rasa.

Flanking him—

Were Kisame and Itachi.

No matter how he analyzed it...

Kabuto had no reason to be this confident. Even if he reanimated five Kage, victory was uncertain.

So what exactly had he brought out?

Mu raised a hand, his tone final and chilling.

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"Summoning Jutsu!"

A summoning seal erupted on the ground!

A coffin emerged from the smoke!

Orochimaru smirked coldly.

He knew Edo Tensei's weakness—and struck.

"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

As he hurled a shuriken, it split into dozens, all aimed at the still-forming coffin.

"Foolish..."

Orochimaru sneered, mocking his former assistant.

"Kabuto, battle isn't a child's game. That coffin won't even open before—"

Boom!

The coffin lid blasted off!

As if the reanimated soul inside couldn't wait another second—

A surge of overwhelming chakra exploded outward, kicking up a towering dust cloud and consuming the shadow shuriken entirely!

The seal was complete.

This reanimated figure could no longer be stopped.

"Such immense chakra..."

Kisame, usually unshaken, looked grave.

He could feel the terrifying power approaching.

"No way..."

"This is like..."

Orochimaru's eyes widened.

The only time he'd felt this...

Was when he summoned the First Hokage.

"..."

Itachi remained calm—but subtly stepped between Sasuke and the source of the chakra, shielding his brother.

Clack.

A black-gloved hand rested on the coffin edge.

The figure within...

Was about to emerge.

"Welcome back to the living world..."

Kabuto, speaking through Mu's body, spread his arms wide. His voice dripped with reverence—and joy.

He didn't care that the summon might overpower him.

He smiled as the figure rose from the coffin, his words ceremonial:

"It is my great honor to welcome you back on behalf of Lord Shigen..."

And then—

He spoke a name.

A name that instantly froze every warrior present.

"Lord Madara."

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Powerstones?

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