The battle had finally come to an end, and the entire land was devastated.
Konoha's forces frantically searched the ruined battlefield for any surviving comrades.
But with little success.
In the face of the natural disaster-level destructive power of the tailed beasts, the strength of ordinary ninjas was simply too insignificant.
"If you hadn't arrived in time, Konoha's troops might have been completely wiped out," Minato said, approaching Rei.
Rei slowly exited his combat mode.
His towering height of seven meters gradually shrank down, until he returned to his original height of 1.9 meters.
Even so, he was still half a head taller than Minato.
Kato Dan also rushed over.
Although Rei and Minato were much younger than him, the achievements of this "golden duo" far surpassed his own.
Thus, Kato Dan didn't dare act overly familiar.
"Once we return to Konoha, the Hokage will definitely reward you heavily," Kato Dan said to Rei with a smile.
Rei waved his hand indifferently.
"Credit doesn't matter. Besides, Uncle Third Hokage doesn't have any money to give right now anyway."
At this, both Minato and Kato Dan's expressions darkened.
If it hadn't been for the Fire Daimyo drastically cutting Konoha's funding, they wouldn't have had to take such high risks.
It was this very shortage that forced Rei to plunge deep into the battlefield alone.
And if Rei's strength had been even a little weaker, he wouldn't have made it back this time.
While they were speaking, Kakashi and Rin came running over.
"Teacher Rei, Obito—" Rin began, her voice trembling.
After all, Rin was a girl, more emotional by nature.
The moment she saw Rei safe, she couldn't hold back and burst into tears.
Although Kakashi was also deeply saddened, he managed to maintain a calm appearance.
"Teacher Rei... Obito was struck head-on by the Five Tails while trying to protect us..." Kakashi said stiffly, recalling Obito's foolish smile and falling into silence.
Rei frowned slightly.
Would Uchiha Madara really go to the trouble of staging an "accident" with two tailed beasts just to abduct Obito?
It seemed Obito was indeed a crucial part of Madara's plan.
Of course, if in the process the two tailed beasts could wipe out Konoha's forces, Minato, and others—it would be an added bonus for Madara.
Unfortunately for him, Rei's timely arrival had shattered that scheme.
Rei placed his palm gently on Kakashi and Rin's heads.
"Don't worry. Obito isn't dead. He'll come back," Rei said calmly.
As one of Madara's most important pawns, there was no way Obito would be allowed to die so easily.
Hearing this, a light immediately returned to Rin's eyes.
"Really?" she asked hopefully.
Rei smiled and nodded.
"Of course. When have I ever lied to you?"
"Then... when will he come back?" Rin asked again, her voice full of longing.
Her heart was torn.
After all, she was a ninja—a life of partings and death was something she had long been prepared for.
But this was different. This was Rei saying it.
Although Rei often acted nonchalant and carefree, on the battlefield he had never once let down the students he protected.
Because of this, Rin instinctively believed: Obito might really still be alive!
Rei looked at her meaningfully and said:
"Maybe... when you're in danger, your king will appear by your side."
Kakashi remained silent, his brows tightly furrowed.
Given his understanding of Rei, if Rei said Obito was alive, then there was a very high probability it was true.
But if Obito was alive, why hadn't Teacher Rei rescued him directly?
Why speak in such a vague, comforting way?
Yet Kakashi ultimately said nothing.
He trusted that Rei had his own reasons for doing so.
Minato hesitated to speak as well.
After being teammates with Rei for so many years, he understood Rei's character better than anyone.
Since Rei said it this way, then Obito was definitely not dead.
Rei noticed Minato's uncertainty and proactively explained:
"Didn't I have you plant a Flying Thunder God mark on them earlier?"
To guard against Uchiha Madara's schemes, Rei had instructed Minato to plant Flying Thunder God marks on Obito, Kakashi, and Rin beforehand.
Minato's eyes lit up in realization.
As long as the mark wasn't activated, it would remain indefinitely—and it was incredibly well-hidden, almost impossible to detect.
In fact, in the original events, the mark Minato left on Obito lasted for over twenty years without ever being discovered or fading away.
Minato closed his eyes and carefully sensed it.
The mark was moving—rapidly and steadily—away from them.
Minato hurriedly looked at Rei:
"Should I activate it now?"
If he activated it, Minato could instantly appear next to Obito.
Rei shook his head.
"No rush."
Now that it was clear Uchiha Madara wouldn't harm Obito —
Not only would he not harm him, he would even transplant Hashirama's cells into Obito, letting him awaken Wood Style and develop new abilities.
Why rush to bring Obito back?
Wouldn't it be better to let him sponge a little more from Madara first?
As long as Rei ensured Rin's safety, Obito wouldn't turn evil.
Since Rei said so, Minato naturally wouldn't act on his own.
"I'll hide the mark for now. Let me know when you need it."
"Understood." Minato nodded without saying more.
Kato Dan asked, "What are you planning to do with these two tailed beasts?"
He looked at the two collapsed tailed beasts on the battlefield.
And of course, the sitting one — Rei's Summoning Beast, the Two-Tails.
Rei weighed the mace in his hand and said casually:
"Of course make them my Summoning beasts. If they don't agree, I'll just beat them to death with a stick!"
Under the silent stares of Kato Dan and Minato, Rei walked over to Five-Tails Kokuō.
"You want to be my Summoning beast?" Rei asked bluntly.
Kokuō blinked his huge eyes, looked at the Two-Tails, glanced at the mace in Rei's hand, and finally let out a helpless sigh.
"...Fine. I agree."
Rei smiled with satisfaction.
The Two-Tails raised her head proudly, acting like a senior who had joined earlier.
After all, it was a bit embarrassing for a tailed beast to be forced into a contract.
Now that the Five-Tails joined too, she felt she could finally regain some face.
Rei used the contract technique taught to him by the Third Hokage.
A huge magic circle enveloped both him and the Five-Tails.
The Five-Tails lifted a hoof and gently tapped the circle. The contract ceremony was complete.
After the Five-Tails, Rei turned his eyes to the beaten and half-dead Four-Tails.
He drove his mace into the ground with a heavy thud.
Then he knelt down and asked, "Hey, Monkey King, what's your decision?"
"I, the Monkey King, will never be a slave!"
The words had just left his mouth when Rei smashed him flying with a stick.
After sending him flying a dozen more times, Rei asked again:
"What about now?"
The Four-Tails, lying on the ground with a swollen face and bruises, faltered:
"I... I'll do it..."
"That's more like it." Rei nodded, satisfied.
After lifting the seal on the Four-Tails, he signed the contract again.
This scene left Minato and Kato Dan completely dumbfounded.
Was this... still a tailed beast?
A nation's strategic weapon being bullied and forced into signing contracts?!
Only the Two-Tails happily laughed at the Four-Tails, as if saying:
"See how wise I was, surrendering early to Master Rei!"
Rei clapped his hands and led the team back to Konoha.
Minato and Kato Dan exchanged glances.
With this, didn't Konoha have four tailed beasts now?
They saw the shock in each other's eyes.
Iwagakure's Tsuchikage definitely wouldn't let this go.
Meanwhile, at the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth—
Under a thick, ancient forest,
A massive and eerie statue sat silently.
The statue had ten eyes, each the size of a house.
Its enormous palms were stretched out, fingers floating like massive platforms.
Beneath the statue sat an old man with white hair.
His eyes were closed, and his face was deeply wrinkled.
He wore a white robe.
Time seemed frozen here, everything deathly quiet—
Until a frivolous voice broke the silence.
"Lord Madara! We've brought back the boy you wanted!"
White Zetsu popped out of the ground with a whoosh.
Black Zetsu immediately scolded:
"Lower your voice! Don't disturb Lord Madara's rest!"
White Zetsu scoffed,
"Lord Madara won't get mad at me. Only Lord Madara can understand the beauty of my bullshit!"
As they bickered, the old man slowly opened his eyes.
Deep darkness spread from them, with faint blood-red light emerging—
It was just a normal Three Tomoe Sharingan.
But from Uchiha Madara's gaze, it carried pressure as deep as the ocean.
That was Uchiha Madara's terror.
Even a normal Sharingan could unleash devastating power in his hands.
Madara shifted his gaze to Obito, who lay riddled with injuries.
Half of Obito's body was crushed.
Only his eyes remained intact.
With a thought from Madara, the massive statue behind him extended a branch, gently wrapping Obito's body.
A surge of life force began pouring into him.
White Zetsu muttered, "Can this guy really be saved?"
Madara remained silent.
Black Zetsu answered coldly:
"If he's someone chosen by Lord Madara, he will survive."
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