At the same time, in a shadowy cave—
Obito stood quietly, arms crossed, as the glowing candles flickered against the stone walls.
"I didn't expect this guy's presence alone would shake the entire battlefield…" he said, a note of respect in his voice.
Across from him, Yakushi Kabuto smirked as if being complimented.
"Of course," he said confidently. "The Demon of the Cloud. This is a man even the so-called God of Shinobi feared."
He adjusted his glasses, the glint matching the smugness on his face.
"It wasn't easy to locate his remains hidden in the depths of Cloud Shinobi's most guarded vaults. But my efforts paid off."
"With him on our side, this war is already won."
For Kabuto, Zaraki Kenpachi was more than just a powerful corpse—he was the ultimate weapon. With Kenpachi under his control, even Uchiha Madara might become irrelevant.
"Still…" Kabuto mused, forming a seal with his hands, "rumors are just rumors. Let's see the truth for ourselves."
"Show me the strength of the man who crushed an era."
Meanwhile, on the battlefield—
"Don't fall back!!" Temari shouted.
"We can win—even if he's a monster from the Sengoku era!"
The Ninja Alliance surged forward. Thousands of shinobi from every village had set aside generations of rivalry and bloodshed.
They rushed Kenpachi's position with resolve.One man—no matter how strong—couldn't stop them all.At least, that's what they believed.
But then—
Kenpachi blinked.
The pressure in his mind was… gone.
He raised an eyebrow, then chuckled lowly to himself.
"So... you released the leash."
"Did you really think I'd take your side just because I was killed by Konoha?"
He cracked his neck, the faintest grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"You fools really don't understand a thing."
From the dunes, Kakuzu appeared.
But the voice that emerged wasn't his.
"Kenpachi-sama," Yakushi Kabuto spoke through the puppet's mouth. "Before you stands the Ninja Alliance—those who betrayed and destroyed you."
"Now, show us your full strength. You've been given a vessel far superior to the one you died with—infused with the First Hokage's cells."
"You are stronger now than you've ever been."
Kabuto's voice was filled with anticipation. From his lair, he trembled with excitement.
"Let the Sengoku era's greatest warrior rise again."
But Kenpachi gave him a sideways look.
"Stronger than I was?"
"Funny. You've never even seen me at my peak."
The Ninja Alliance kept advancing.
"Is he seriously talking during a battle?!"
"He's not even reacting. Is he mocking us?!"
Anger mixed with anxiety. But they knew the truth—this was no ordinary opponent. Even a body under Impure World Reincarnation, he radiated dominance.
"He'll definitely come for us," a shinobi muttered. "He'll want revenge…"
They braced themselves.
Kabuto licked his lips.
"Yes… show me, Zaraki Kenpachi…"
But then—
SWOOSH!
Kakuzu's head flew through the air, cleanly severed.Kabuto's connection was instantly severed.He froze.
"Wha—?!"
SHUNPO.
Kenpachi vanished in a blur of speed, appearing beside Sasori in less than a heartbeat.With no words, he lifted his massive jagged Zanpakutō and swung.
"Drink."
BOOM!
A golden wave of sword pressure exploded outward—like a tsunami of raw power.
Before Sasori could react, the blast tore through his puppet body, splitting him in half.
And his Impure World body—refused to regenerate.
"What...?"
Kabuto stared, dumbfounded.
But Kenpachi didn't pause.
SHUNPO again.
He appeared in front of Deidara, who instinctively tried to retaliate.
"C4: Garu—"
SLASH!
A second wave of golden pressure ripped through him, silencing his technique mid-word.
Deidara's body, despite being under Impure World Reincarnation, didn't recover.It crumbled, disintegrating into dust.
Not even a trace remained.
The battlefield fell silent.
The reanimated forces—both ally and enemy—froze.Even the Ninja Alliance stood in stunned disbelief.From their hiding place, Kabuto and Obito stared, speechless.
"What… is this power?" Kabuto muttered.
"Why did he strike us?!"
He was supposed to hate Konoha, wasn't he?
But instead, Kenpachi was slaughtering the reanimated army—his own supposed allies.
Even more terrifying than his actions was what they represented.
Sasori. Deidara. Kakuzu. All obliterated.
Not just defeated—erased.
Obito narrowed his eye.
"That sword…"
He was no stranger to Impure World Reincarnation—but never had he seen someone able to prevent regeneration. That shouldn't be possible. Not unless—
"That blade severs the soul itself…"
Kenpachi stood once more, his Zanpakutō dripping with golden light.He cracked a grin.
"I don't fight for your little wars."
"I fight… for fun."
He turned toward the advancing Ninja Alliance, who had now fully halted.
They weren't afraid of dying.They were afraid that dying wouldn't even matter.