Chapter 226: Uchiha Madara's Return!
Uchiha Madara never imagined that he would lose to Ishihara again. He thought that after becoming a ghost and absorbing a considerable amount of Shukaku's chakra, he would finally be able to crush Ishihara.
Yet, contrary to his expectations, he was defeated once more—this time, in an overwhelming manner!
Madara now realized that during their previous fight, Ishihara had been holding back his strength.
Back in the afterworld once again, a sense of desolation washed over Madara.
Perhaps there's always someone stronger out there?
But just as this thought crossed his mind, he suddenly felt dizzy.
When he regained consciousness, he noticed something was very wrong with his surroundings.
"Is this the afterworld? Why does it look like this?"
Madara gazed around at the bright scenery. It felt no different from the Shinobi World.
Did the afterworld completely change while I was out cold?
In reality, the Sage of Six Paths had secretly pulled Madara out of the afterworld.
He still needed Madara to act as a counterbalance to Ishihara. There was no way he would allow Madara to simply die and remain in the afterworld.
Madara quickly realized that he hadn't returned to the afterworld at all—he was back in the real world!
Shocked, Madara wondered, What's going on? Why am I back here?
He looked around in confusion.
Was it the will of the afterworld's master who refused to let me enter? Or… does someone want me to do something in the living world?
Regardless of who it was, Madara felt as if an invisible hand was manipulating his fate.
"Looks like I'm still not strong enough if someone can control my destiny so easily," he muttered, clenching his fists.
This time, he decided to keep a low profile and focus on building his strength. He absolutely would not face Ishihara again—not until he was fully prepared.
Ishihara is simply too powerful. Until I'm certain I can win, it's best to stay away.
---
Kirigakure, Ishihara's Laboratory
"So, someone really did pull him out." Ishihara mused, his eyes narrowing.
"Fine, I'll give him a chance. If he doesn't come to me willingly, I'll bring him back myself."
Forming hand seals, Ishihara performed a special jutsu designed for long-distance communication.
He had placed a mark on the Ghost King before, and this technique allowed him to transmit his intentions directly through it.
---
Elsewhere
"Ghost King-sama! This is all the latest intel from the Shinobi World!" a ghostly subordinate reported respectfully.
"Good, good. You've done well—hmm?"
The Ghost King's pleased expression abruptly darkened.
The ghost before him froze in panic before dropping to his knees, trembling.
"Ghost King-sama, I don't know what I did wrong to anger you so! Please, punish me as you see fit!"
His survival instincts were in overdrive, but the Ghost King didn't even spare him a second glance.
This wasn't about the ghost's report—he had just received Ishihara's message.
"This has nothing to do with you. Leave."
"Yes, Ghost King-sama!" The ghost fled, relieved.
The Ghost King sat back on his throne, deep in thought.
"What now? Should I go back and let myself be locked up and dissected again? Or should I cut off the mark inside me and disappear?"
The real question is—can he still find me if I remove it?
He hesitated. He knew Ishihara had definitely planted a mark on him. That's why he had chosen to stay far from the main ghost settlements, hiding in this remote location.
"Forget it! I'm done running. I'll erase the mark and relocate. Being Ishihara's lab rat is a death sentence anyway. I'm the Ghost King—the strongest ghost! Given time, I can surpass everything!"
With his resolve firm, the Ghost King's body began to tremble violently.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion echoed through the air.
But since he was a ghost, the blast caused little physical damage.
Outside, nearby ghosts felt the shockwave.
"Did someone just self-destruct?"
"Who would dare do that here? Aren't they afraid of angering the Ghost King?"
"Wait… was that explosion from the Ghost King's location?"
"No way! The Ghost King wouldn't self-destruct, would he?"
"We need to check! If something happened to the Ghost King, we're in deep trouble!"
"Yeah, I heard Ishihara had him trapped and experimented on for ages. If he snapped and self-destructed, it wouldn't be that surprising!"
A large group of ghosts rushed toward the Ghost King's palace.
Meanwhile, deep within the ruins, the Ghost King's essence—now scattered spiritual energy—began to slowly gather and reform...