Three days later.
Outside the rocky cliffs of Iwagakure, the hidden village in the Land of Earth, Uchiha Madara stood alone.
The air was dry. The wind sharp. Dust and grit swirled around his cloak as he looked down at the village nestled among the jagged peaks — unimpressed.
"So this is it? Iwagakure… Looks more like a collection of rocks than a village."
Madara scoffed.
Even in its infancy, Konoha had radiated cohesion, spirit. But this? This was barely held together with stone and ambition.
From his vantage point, he could see the sparse infrastructure, the hastily erected towers, the ninja patrols moving beneath like ants. This was a place still being shaped — still vulnerable.
It was perfect.
Just as Kai appeared behind him, silent as ever.
"You really came," Kai said, hands tucked in his sleeves.
Madara didn't glance at him. "I said I would."
"No second thoughts? You're about to take on an entire hidden village — alone."
"Iwagakure isn't worthy of being called a village yet. I'm doing them a favor. This… is a mercy."
Kai chuckled. "A mercy, huh? And if things go wrong?"
"They won't."
Madara's voice was iron. Absolute.
Kai leaned casually against a boulder. "Good. I'll just be watching, then. If you die, I'll… consider saving you for the sake of our cooperation."
Madara didn't dignify that with a response.
Inside the Village
An alarm echoed across Iwagakure — a shrill, rhythmic screech that shattered the quiet morning.
In moments, ranks of shinobi mobilized. Hundreds leapt from rooftops and out of barracks, quickly forming ranks outside the main gate.
They were already waiting.
After all, Mu and Ōnoki had delivered the warning three days ago: Uchiha Madara was coming.
Even so, the sight of that lone figure atop the cliff chilled their blood.
And then, another silhouette appeared — floating.
First Tsuchikage Ishikawa rose into the sky using Light-Weight Boulder Jutsu, hovering at a safe distance from Madara.
He scanned the area.
Only two figures.
One cloaked in indifference. The other radiating killing intent like a second sun.
"So, he really came…" Ishikawa muttered. He narrowed his eyes at Kai. No headband. No chakra signature worth mentioning.
'An observer? Or something more?'
For now, his attention returned to the real threat.
"Uchiha Madara," Ishikawa called out. "There is no need for bloodshed between Iwagakure and Konoha. You still have time to—"
"Spare me the lecture."
Madara's voice thundered down the cliffside, cutting him off cold.
"You had your chance. You hid behind your apprentice. Behind diplomacy. And now you think you can bargain with me?"
Ishikawa frowned. "If this is about Konoha's politics—"
"This has nothing to do with Konoha," Madara snapped. "I represent only myself. This is Uchiha business."
"…Then what do you want?"
Madara smirked, eyes glowing red.
"To see how well your little rock garden burns."
Without warning, Madara formed seals.
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
A blazing jet of fire shot from his mouth, piercing the sky in a narrow, lethal beam.
Ishikawa's eyes widened as he narrowly dodged, the edge of his robes catching fire as the beam carved a molten scar into the cliffside behind him.
"Such range…!"
He countered immediately:
"Earth Release: Rock Cannon!"
Jagged boulders launched from his mouth, each one expanding mid-air before crashing toward Madara like stone meteors.
But Madara didn't flinch.
He simply raised his Gunbai — the Uchiha Flame Fan — and swatted them away with ease.
The shockwave from his swing cracked the air.
More jutsu followed.
"Earth Spear!"
"Stone Dragon!"
"Earth Pillar Spears!"
The sky was filled with earthen attacks, each one layered atop the last. Ishikawa was no slouch — he'd risen from the chaos of the Warring States and unified the Land of Earth under one banner.
But Madara… was Madara.
He leapt high into the air, hands flashing through seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
The world turned red.
A sea of fire erupted, blotting out the sun. The flames roared, cascading downward like an inferno from the heavens.
Ishikawa had no choice.
"Earth Release: Rock Armor!"
"Earth Golem!"
He formed a towering giant from earth and clay to shield himself and his men — but the fire melted through it like wax.
Stone cracked. Flame surged.
Ishikawa roared as the heat scorched his skin, even through layers of jutsu.
And then—
"Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"
A second wave.
Even larger. Even hotter.
It wasn't just fire anymore. It was a cataclysm.
The giant golem shattered under the impact. A wave of fire rolled outward, igniting everything in its path. Trees, rocks, steel. It didn't matter.
It burned.
Ishikawa was hurled into the rock wall below like a ragdoll.
"Lord Tsuchikage!"
Chaos erupted.
Dozens of Rock shinobi charged forward, some trying to reach their leader, others trying to hold the line.
They were swallowed by the flames.
Finally, a deep voice echoed from the inferno:
"Stay back!"
Ishikawa launched himself from a rising platform of earth, burned and battered, but still conscious.
He panted heavily, his face covered in soot, beard half-scorched.
"That... power..."
He'd heard of Madara's flames, but experiencing them — surviving them — was something else entirely.
It was like fighting a wildfire with bare hands.
Madara's silhouette appeared above, descending from the sky like a divine punishment.
He laughed.
"A little more interesting than I expected. But still—"
He extended his hand.
"You'll all have to do better."
The Sharingan spun.
"Come. I'll take you all on."
The Uchiha stood alone against thousands.
The sky cracked with heat. The air shimmered from the flames. The battlefield — no, the stage — was set.
And so began the dance of madness.