The battlefield lay silent as the Five Kage stared in disbelief at the man standing before them. Madara, now alive and mortal, his Rinnegan gleaming with unstoppable power, stood tall amidst the carnage he had wrought. The Edo Tensei was no more—every reanimated shinobi had returned to the afterlife. The Kage had dared to hope their torment had ended. Yet here stood Madara, more dangerous than ever.
"Impossible," Ōnoki muttered, his voice filled with both fear and awe. "The Edo Tensei is gone. You should have vanished with it."
Madara smirked, his arrogance radiating like an oppressive weight. "And yet here I stand. Surprised, old man? Allow me to explain, since it seems none of you have the intellect to grasp what has happened." His voice dripped with condescension as his gaze swept across the Kage.
"Kabuto," Madara began, "was clever in ways none of you appreciated. He infused me with a fraction of Yamato's Wood Release—the pitiful shadow of Hashirama's power. While it was a crude imitation, it granted me enough of Hashirama's Yang chakra to resist Edo Tensei's release. That time was all I needed to absorb Hashirama and take his strength for myself."
The Five Kage stiffened, the weight of his words crashing down on them.
"I doubt any of you truly comprehend what you are witnessing," Madara continued, his tone shifting to mockery. "The Rinnegan is no simple mutation, no fluke of chance. It is the natural culmination of Yin and Yang chakra—of the Sage of Six Paths' legacy. The sharingan, as you all doubtlessly know, is the manifestation of the Sage's mind, his Yin chakra. It was passed down to his eldest son, Indra. The Wood Release, the physical manifestation of the Sage's body, his Yang chakra, went to his youngest son, Asura."
Madara's smirk widened as he gestured to himself. "Indra's reincarnation stands before you. I am his legacy, perfected. And now, with Hashirama—the reincarnation of Asura—absorbed into me, I possess both Yin and Yang chakra. The Rinnegan is mine to command. I am the Sage of Six Paths reborn."
The Kage stared, frozen in awe and horror. Madara's explanation hung in the air like a death sentence. Tsunade broke the silence, her voice grim but steady. "He used the Rinne Rebirth to make himself mortal again," she deduced. "That means he no longer has Edo Tensei's regenerative abilities. He's vulnerable now."
"Vulnerable?" Ōnoki whispered, shaking his head in disbelief. "How is this possible? How can one man wield such power?"
Madara tilted his head, clearly amused. "Did you not hear me, Tsuchikage? I said listen. I won't repeat myself." His Rinnegan flared dangerously, its power palpable. "You, pathetic remnants of a failed system, should feel honored. You are the first, and last, to witness the birth of a god."
With a lackadaisical outstretched hand Madara unleashed Almighty Push. The force of gravity itself exploded outward, leveling the landscape in an instant. Trees splintered, mountains crumbled, and the very air seemed to scream as the Five Kage were hurled in different directions like rag dolls.
Tsunade slammed into the ground, her Strength of a Hundred Seal glowing fiercely as it worked to keep her alive. Blood spilled from her mouth as she forced herself to her knees. Ōnoki, using his mastery of flight, barely avoided being crushed by the debris. Gaara's sand cocooned around him, absorbing the worst of the impact. The Raikage skidded across the ground, his Lightning Armor sparking wildly as he braced himself. Mei melted the earth beneath her with Lava Release, softening her landing.
The Kage regrouped as best they could, but the devastation was overwhelming. Madara stood untouched at the center of the destruction, his arms outstretched as if embracing the chaos. He laughed—a deep, malevolent sound that reverberated across the battlefield.
"You still resist? How amusing. Let me show you the futility of your efforts."
Madara raised his hand to the heavens. His Rinnegan pulsed with blinding light as the sky darkened. The moon trembled in the distance, cracks spreading across its surface.
"Chibaku Tensei," Madara intoned, his voice cold and absolute.
A horrifying sight unfolded before the Kage: a massive chunk of the Moon itself began to break away, drawn by Madara's gravitational pull. The apocalyptic scene sent shivers through even the most hardened warriors. The fragment grew as it descended, gathering debris from the earth and sky until it became a colossal asteroid, its fiery form casting an ominous glow over the battlefield.
With a laugh, Madara used Heavenly Pull, sending the asteroid careening toward the earth.
Tsunade's voice rang out through the mental link she shared with Ino, her tone urgent and commanding. "Ino! Get Sakura here now. We need Team Seven immediately!"
Ino's response came swiftly. "I'm already reaching out, Lady Tsunade. Hold on!"
The Kage scrambled to act. Gaara sent waves of sand upward, creating a massive barrier to intercept the falling asteroid. "It's not enough," he said, sweat dripping from his face as his chakra reserves dwindled. "I can't stop this alone!"
Ōnoki joined him, raising his hands. "Then you won't have to. Earth Release: Ultra-Lightweight Boulder Jutsu!" He lightened the massive sand barrier, allowing Gaara to push it higher.
Mei and the Raikage added their strength. Mei unleashed the ferocious extent of her Lava Release, burning away portions of the asteroid, while the Raikage leapt into the air, smashing through chunks with raw lightning-empowered force.
Tsunade stood at the front, her chakra flowing into the ground. "Strength of a Hundred: Earth Rampart!" Massive stone walls rose to bolster their defenses.
But the asteroid was too massive, its gravitational pull too strong. Cracks formed in their defenses as the Kage poured every ounce of their chakra into holding it back. It wasn't enough.
The battlefield was cataclysm incarnate, the air was thick with chakra and tension. Above, the asteroid loomed—a harbinger of doom that threatened to destroy everything below. Yet, as panic reached its peak, three flashes of light—pink, yellow, and black—pierced the horizon. In an instant, Team Seven arrived.
Naruto landed first, his effervescent red Jinchuriki shroud hissing in anticipation, nine swaying tails behind his form. He gasped as he took in the scale of the calamity unfolding before him. "Holy crap!" he exclaimed.
From the sidelines, Killer Bee stepped forward, giving Naruto a grin. "Yo, kid, glad you could make it. We've got some heavy beats droppin' here!"
Sakura wasted no time, disappearing and reappearing in another pink flash, this time with Yugito Nii in tow. Her mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique, learned from Tobirama and Minato's preserved scrolls, had turned her into the battlefield's fastest medic and a veritable supply chain in herself—and now, a critical player in the unfolding battle.
"We don't have time to waste!" Sakura shouted, looking up at the asteroid. The urgency in her voice brought everyone into focus.
The three Jinchuriki—Naruto, Killer Bee, and Yugito—stood together. Without hesitation, each transformed into their full Tailed Beast forms. Kurama's towering, fiery red figure stood alongside Gyuki, the massive eight-tailed octopus-ox, and Matatabi, the blazing blue two-tailed cat. Their combined presence was awe-inspiring, their sheer chakra shaking the battlefield.
The three colossal beasts began to channel their chakra, gathering it into a single point. The energy swirled and condensed into an orb of terrifying density and size—a Collaborative Tailed Beast Bomb larger than anything the world had ever seen.
Simultaneously, Sasuke activated his perfect Susanoo. Its violet, armored form rose in the image of a spectral god of war, glowing ominously in the dimming light of sunset. Sasuke drew his ethereal bow, forming an Amaterasu-infused arrow. The black flames of Amaterasu licked at the arrow's edge, crackling with unstoppable intensity.
"Ready," Sasuke called out, his tone calm but charged with power.
Naruto, his voice amplified through Kurama, roared, "Fire it, Sasuke!"
Sasuke loosed the arrow, its trajectory unerring as it streaked toward the asteroid. Mid-flight, the black-flamed projectile merged with the Collaborative Tailed Beast Bomb. The combined force of the two attacks careened toward the asteroid, its energy bright enough to turn the rising night into day.
The collision was cataclysmic. The asteroid, which had once seemed unstoppable, shattered into countless fragments. The debris vaporized in a brilliant meteor shower, lighting the sky with streaks of fiery light. The battlefield was bathed in a surreal glow as the threat above was obliterated.
Madara stood unperturbed amidst the devastation. As the last remnants of the asteroid fell harmlessly to the earth, he began to laugh—a deep, menacing sound that sent chills through the onlookers. "So this is what it takes," he mocked, his arms outstretched in triumph. "The combined strength of Tailed Beasts, the strongest Uchiha of his era, and the remnants of the entire Shinobi World… all just to mimic a fraction of my power!"
Before anyone could respond, a swirling vortex of space-time appeared on the barren mountain terrain before them. From it emerged a figure draped in an ominous black cloak. His mask obscured his face, but the voice was unmistakable.
"Tobi," Sasuke hissed under his breath.
Madara turned to the masked man, his tone almost dismissive. "You have my leave to exact your vengeance, Obito."
The name sent a ripple of shock through the battlefield. Obito Uchiha—once thought dead, now revealed as the orchestrator of so much discord—nodded solemnly before stepping forward.
As if in response, a second vortex appeared across the battlefield. From it, Kakashi emerged, his sharingan exposed and his expression heavy with understanding. His eyes locked onto Obito's.
"You've figured out the Kamui, then," Obito said, his voice distant, as though recalling a time long past.
Kakashi nodded, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling within him. "You've been alive this whole time?"
"Alive? No. Not really. I've been dead inside for a long time." Obito let out a bitter laugh, his voice laced with pain.
Without warning, the air around Obito shimmered with chakra, the weight of his presence increasing. He surged toward Kakashi, kunai in hand. Sakura appeared beside Kakashi in a blur of pink light, her three-pronged kunai at the ready.
"Minato-sensei's technique?" Obito murmured, recognizing the kunai and the stance. His voice carried a hint of something—nostalgia, perhaps regret. But it was fleeting. The glint in his sharingan returned to malice as he pressed the attack.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Naruto and Sasuke stood shoulder to shoulder. Kurama's towering form cast a massive shadow, its crimson fur bristling with power. Sasuke's Susanoo stood beside it, a perfect match in size and dominance. Behind them, Gyuki and Matatabi flanked, their tails swaying with barely restrained power.
Madara watched them with cold amusement, his Rinnegan glowing ominously. "The reincarnations of Indra and Asura, standing together," he mused. "How quaint. But do you truly think your combined strength is enough to face me? You're delusional."
Naruto, his voice booming from Kurama's mouth, shot back, "We're not scared of you, Madara! You're just an old relic from the past with too much power for his own good!"
Sasuke, his tone colder, added, "We'll prove that your arrogance is your downfall."
"Good. Show me what you can do. Prove to me that the bonds you cling to are anything more than shackles." Madara chuckled, his laughter filled with cruel confidence.
The battle raged on, and the tension was palpable as Kakashi and Sakura faced Obito in a deadly game of tactics and precision. Sakura hurled a three-pronged kunai, the blade spinning toward Obito with lethal speed. As expected, Obito became intangible, allowing the kunai to pass harmlessly through his form. But Sakura had anticipated this. The instant the kunai passed through, she teleported to it using the Flying Thunder God Technique, her Chakra Sabre igniting with blue light as she swung directly at him.
Obito raised his war fan with uncanny speed, blocking the blow with a resounding clang. He countered by swinging the fan downward, creating a shockwave that forced Sakura back. Before she could recover, he reached out with his Kamui, trying to drag her into the swirling void of his dimension.
Thinking quickly, Sakura teleported back to Kakashi's side, the glow of her tanto fading as she landed gracefully.
Kakashi surged forward without hesitation, Lightning Blade aglow in both hands. He thrust with his left hand, aiming for Obito's heart, but Obito became intangible again, the blade passing harmlessly through his chest. Kakashi's sharingan narrowed.
"Still playing the same tricks," Kakashi muttered, pivoting sharply. He slashed his right hand horizontally, the arc of lightning crackling through the air. At the same time, Sakura unleashed a powerful jutsu she had been preparing, seals along her legs glowing. A column of flaming earth shuriken rose from the ground, spinning toward Obito with deadly precision.
Obito remained unfazed, laughing as the attacks phased through him. "If it didn't work the first time, why not try again?" he mocked, his voice echoing with dark amusement.
Kakashi glanced at Sakura and gave her a subtle nod. She understood immediately, charging forward with newfound determination. The seal on her right hand began to glow, and a blade of crackling lightning erupted from her palm—a technique she had developed, inspired by Kakashi's Lightning Blade but infused with chakra converted into Lightning Nature through use of her Fuinjutsu.
Sakura lunged at Obito, aiming for his chest. Obito once again became intangible, his form fading just as her outstretched palm would have connected. But in that precise moment, Kakashi activated Kamui, transporting Sakura into his and Obito's personal dimension.
Within the Kamui dimension, Obito could not phase out. The Lightning Blade struck true, shattering his mask with an explosion of sparks and chakra. Obito staggered back, clutching his face. The right side of his face was revealed—mangled and grotesque, the pale, plant-like features of White Zetsu interwoven with his own flesh.
Kakashi appeared in the dimension a moment later, his sharingan glowing with intensity. "So that's it," he said, his voice a mix of sorrow and resolve. "You've been using Zetsu's body to survive."
Obito sneered, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. "Survive? No, Kakashi. I've been transcending." His chakra flared as he prepared to strike, but Kakashi and Sakura didn't give him the chance.
Meanwhile, the battle against Madara reached new levels of intensity. Naruto, clad in his fiery red Nine-Tails Chakra Cloak, combined with Sage Mode, fought with relentless ferocity. His movements were blindingly fast, his strikes infused with the raw power of Kurama and Senjutsu energy. But Madara was a step ahead.
Madara dodged Naruto's attacks with almost playful ease, weaving between his strikes with a dancer's grace. Bee and Yugito, both in their nearly identical chakra cloaks, coordinated their attacks with Naruto, but Madara's mastery of the Rinnegan allowed him to predict and counter every move.
Sasuke stood at a distance, his Susanoo towering above him. He fired an Amaterasu-infused arrow, its black flames streaking toward Madara. But Madara absorbed the attack effortlessly, using the Preta Path ability of his Rinnegan. The flames vanished as they touched him, leaving him untouched and smiling.
Suddenly, Madara's expression turned serious. He made a single hand sign, and a Wood Clone emerged from his side. The clone vanished from sight, cloaked by the Rinnegan's unique ability to bend perception. The Kage and Jinchuriki didn't notice as it crept toward Killer Bee.
Bee, in his full Eight-Tails form, was in the midst of an attack when the invisible Wood Clone struck. It pierced his massive body with wooden tendrils, locking him in place. Bee roared in pain as the clone's tendrils latched onto his soul, dragging it forth along with the soul and chakra of Gyuki..
"Bee!" Naruto screamed, rushing to his aid. But it was too late. The Wood Clone smirked as it vanished, its mission complete.
Madara stood triumphant, raising a hand. "The Eight-Tails is mine," he declared. The battlefield shook as he summoned the massive Gedo Statue. The colossal figure loomed over the battlefield, its grotesque form emanating a dark, foreboding energy.
With a single motion, Madara used his Rinnegan to seal the Eight-Tails into the Gedo Statue. Gyuki's anguished roar echoed through the battlefield before fading into silence. Bee's massive form collapsed, reverting back to his human state. His breathing was shallow, his life hanging by a thread.
Naruto rushed to Bee's side, his hands glowing with Senjutsu-powered healing chakra. "Stay with me, Bee!" he shouted, pouring every ounce of his energy into saving him. Slowly, Bee's breathing stabilized, but his strength was gone.
Madara looked down at them, his smirk widening. "You're wasting your time, Naruto. This is the beginning of the end. The Nine-Tails will be next."
Naruto stood as defiant, his Jinchuriki cloak blazing brighter than ever. Sasuke stepped up beside him, his Susanoo crackling with energy. Behind them, Yugito remained in her full Matatabi form, her blue and black flames illuminating the battlefield.
The stage was set. The next confrontation between Madara and the last hope of the Shinobi World had begun.
Chapter: The Birth of a New God
Naruto's transformation into Kurama's true form was seamless and radiant. His red cloak shifted, and his chakra solidified into a perfect replica of Kurama's towering fox form. As he took shape, Naruto couldn't help but reflect on how far he had come.
He remembered the moment he and Gamabunta had transformed into a crude facsimile of Kurama, struggling to maintain balance and channel the chakra. Back then, he hadn't even known Kurama's name, let alone his history. "We've come a long way, haven't we, Kurama?" Naruto thought, his voice resonating within their mental link.
"Indeed," Kurama rumbled, his voice deep and steady. "But there's no time for nostalgia, Naruto. Focus. Madara is no ordinary opponent. We fight not just for ourselves, but for everyone."
Naruto nodded internally. "Right. Let's make Gyuki's sacrifice mean something."
Kurama and Matatabi lunged at Madara and his Gedo Statue, their combined might tearing across the battlefield. Matatabi's black and blue flames engulfed the area, roaring with anger and grief for the loss of Gyuki and the near loss of Killer Bee. Kurama, just as enraged, slammed into the Gedo Statue with earth-shaking force, his claws glowing with Senjutsu-infused chakra.
Madara, perched atop the Gedo Statue, deflected the attacks with ease, using his Rinnegan and Wood Release to create barriers and gravitational counterattacks. But the Jinchuriki were relentless, their fury unrestrained. Each attack came faster and harder than the last, forcing Madara to remain on the defensive.
From behind, the Five Kage rallied to support the assault. Gaara's sand surged upward, creating massive tendrils that latched onto the Gedo Statue's limbs, slowing its movements. Mei released a torrent of Lava Release, melting through the statue's outer defenses. Ay charged in with his Lightning Armor, his speed blinding as he struck with devastating force. Ōnoki hovered above, his hands glowing as he unleashed a powerful blast of Dust Release, disintegrating chunks of the statue's exterior.
The combined might of the Kage and Jinchuriki converged in a dazzling explosion of light and power, the sheer force of their attacks shaking the earth beneath them. For a moment, it seemed they might have overwhelmed Madara.
But from the smoke and rubble emerged Madara, unscathed and more imposing than ever. His Susanoo stood tall, a towering colossus of azure chakra armor that dwarfed everyone except the Gedo, the fully transformed Jinchuriki, and Sasuke's own perfect Susanoo.
Madara smirked, his confidence unshaken. "Impressive. But futile. You cannot stop what is already destined."
With a single motion, Madara summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. The grotesque figure appeared beside the Gedo Statue, its monstrous form radiating a dark, oppressive energy. From its mouth, it produced two figures: Sora and Ginkaku, both infused with portions of the Nine-Tails and Two-Tails chakra.
"Within these pseudo-Jinchuriki lies the key," Madara declared, his voice booming across the battlefield. "While I won't possess the Ten-Tails' full strength, I can harness enough of its chakra to reshape this world. Watch closely as I ascend to true divinity."
Madara's Rinnegan flared as he reached into Sora and Ginkaku's souls. Both figures screamed in agony as their chakra was ripped from their bodies and transferred into the Gedo Statue. The statue began to tremble, its grotesque form shifting as it absorbed the chakra. A low, eerie rumble echoed across the battlefield, and the statue began to sprout plant-like appendages.
The battlefield fell silent as the Gedo Statue completed its transformation. Its appearance was now wholly unnatural, its body covered in roots and vines that radiated an otherworldly power. At its center, it produced a glowing fruit, pulsating with energy. Madara reached out and plucked the fruit without hesitation, consuming it in a single motion.
The transformation was immediate. A vast, overwhelming power inundated Madara, his chakra flaring to levels that defied comprehension. His body shifted, his already immense form becoming even more fearsome. The power of the Ten-Tails, even incomplete, coursed through him, merging with his Rinnegan, Susanoo, and Wood Release.
Madara threw back his head and laughed, the sound diabolical and triumphant. "At last! The power of the Sage of Six Paths is mine! I am the Jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails!"
His aura exploded outward, a wave of pure chakra that shook the heavens and the earth. The Kage and Jinchuriki were forced back, struggling to withstand the oppressive force of Madara's presence.
"This is it," Kurama's voice rumbled within Naruto's mind. "He's no longer just a man. He's become something far worse."
Naruto gritted his teeth, his determination unwavering. "Doesn't matter. We'll take him down, no matter what."
Sasuke, standing beside Naruto in his perfect Susanoo, spoke calmly. "This power… it's beyond anything we've faced. But together, we can still win."
The stage was set. Madara, now a god in his own right, stood against the combined might of the Jinchuriki, the Kage, Sasuke, and the whole world.
The battlefield was armageddon incarnate. The Allied Shinobi Forces, the last hope of mankind, faced an insurmountable enemy. Madara had unleashed a veritable army of Wood Release clones, each one cloaked in the glowing, ethereal armor of their azure Susanoo. The clones fought with merciless precision, their power rivaling the strongest shinobi on the battlefield. Against this overwhelming might, shinobi fell in droves, their sacrifices a testament to the courage and desperation of their cause.
Everywhere, shinobi fought not just for their lives but for their friends, their families, their villages, and the future of humanity. Neji Hyuga was among them, his Byakugan glowing as he maneuvered across the battlefield. He fought valiantly, fending off the Susanoo's attacks with his gentle fist techniques. But then it happened—an ethereal sword, wielded by one of Madara's clones, struck toward Tenten and Lee. Without hesitation, Neji threw himself into its path, using his body as a shield.
"Protect everyone," Neji whispered, his words barely audible over the sounds of battle. His lifeless body crumpled to the ground, leaving Tenten and Lee frozen in grief, their hearts breaking as they realized what had happened.
Nearby, Choza Akimichi, the elder of the Akimichi clan, stood at his full expansion size, his colossal body grappling with one of the Susanoo-clad clones. Despite his immense strength, the clone overpowered him, piercing through his defenses with its sword. Before Choza could recover, Amaterasu—the inextinguishable black flames—engulfed him. He screamed in agony as the flames consumed him, his massive form collapsing to the ground as he sacrificed himself for the next generation of shinobi.
Elsewhere, Inoichi Yamanaka fought alongside the allied forces, his mind jutsu providing crucial tactical support. He saw the danger before Naruto did—an azure Susanoo lunging toward Naruto's blind side with its sword raised. Without hesitation, Inoichi used his chakra to propel himself forward, intercepting the attack. The sword pierced him through the chest, but his sacrifice gave Naruto the precious seconds he needed to counterattack.
"Live, Naruto. Protect my daughter" Inoichi muttered, blood trickling from his lips. "You're our last hope."
His body fell lifeless to the ground, and Ino, connected to him through their mental link, felt his presence vanish. Her scream of grief pierced the battlefield, but there was no time to mourn. The battle raged on.
At the heart of the battlefield, Naruto, still in his perfect Kurama form, fought with unrelenting fury. Kurama's claws tore through the Susanoo-empowered clones, but for every one that fell, another took its place. Beside him, Matatabi, the Two-tails, roared, her blue and black flames scorching the ground as she fought with equal ferocity.
"Yugito!" Naruto called out. "Let's hit him with everything we've got!"
The two Tailed Beasts began to charge their chakras, forming a Combined Tailed Beast Bomb that radiated with unfathomable power. The orb of condensed energy grew larger and larger, glowing brighter than the sun. Together, Naruto and Yugito unleashed the devastating attack, hurling it toward Madara with the hope of turning the tide.
But Madara was unshaken. His Rinnegan glowed ominously as he raised his hand. With a simple Heavenly Push, Madara repelled the Combined Tailed Beast Bomb. The attack veered off course, hurtling toward the horizon. It struck the largest mountain in the Land of Lightning, and the resulting explosion vaporized the mountain in an instant. The shockwave rippled across the battlefield, knocking shinobi off their feet and leaving a crater where the mountain had once stood.
Madara stood atop the carnage, his perfect Susanoo looming over the battlefield like the shinigami. "Is this all you can muster?" he mocked, his voice resonating with cruel amusement. "Your struggles are meaningless. This world belongs to me."
Naruto staggered, the weight of Madara's words pressing down on him. Around him, shinobi fell one after another, their courage no match for the overwhelming power they faced. Kurama's voice echoed in his mind. "Don't waver now, Naruto. We've come too far to give up."
"I'm not giving up!" Naruto shouted, his determination igniting anew. "We'll stop him! We have to!"
Matatabi growled beside him, her flames burning brighter. "We fight for Gyuki. We fight for everyone!"
The remaining shinobi regrouped, their faces etched with resolve despite their exhaustion and grief. The battle wasn't over—not yet. As long as they still stood, there was hope.
But Madara, now wielding the power of the Ten-Tails and his army of Susanoo-shrouded clones, seemed unstoppable. The fate of the world hung in the balance, and the final clash was fast approaching.
The battle raged in the strange, disjointed reality of Kakashi and Obito's Kamui dimension. The air was heavy with tension, and the battlefield was marked by the glowing forms of Sakura's Flying Thunder God kunai scattered around. The only sounds were labored breaths drawn and the occasional clash of weapons. Kakashi, battered but resolute, stood opposite his former friend—his mirror image, his greatest regret. Sakura, her White Light Chakra Sabre gleaming, stood by Kakashi's side, her tattooed seals glowing faintly as she prepared to teleport at a moment's notice.
Kakashi wiped the blood from his lips and assessed his opponent, his sharingan narrowing. "I need to know something, Obito," he said, his voice steady but pained. "Why? Why did you do this? Why did you betray everything you stood for?"
Obito's face twisted in anger, his voice erupting like a thunderclap. "You know why!" With a ripple of distorted space, a futa shuriken appeared in Obito's hand. He hurled it at Kakashi with deadly precision, but before it could connect, Sakura deflected it with her glowing white sabre.
Obito growled as the weapon dissipated. "You were always the perfect one, Kakashi! The prodigy. The genius. Promoted before anyone else. You even had Rin! But you killed her!"
Kakashi's expression hardened, though his voice softened. "I didn't mean to kill Rin," he said. "She jumped in front of my attack. She made me do it to protect the village."
"That's bullshit!" Obito roared, charging forward with a flurry of kicks. Kakashi deftly deflected each strike, his movements fluid despite the weight of the conversation. "You always had everything, Kakashi! And now you're trying to justify murdering the one person I cared about?!"
Kakashi's guard faltered as his guilt surfaced, his sharingan flickering. "She made a choice, Obito. To protect everyone. I didn't want to—"
"Get your head in the game, Sensei!" Sakura shouted, teleporting to Kakashi's side just in time to block a fatal blow from Obito's war fan. Sparks flew as her White Light Chakra Sabre absorbed the impact. She glanced at him, her green eyes blazing. "We're not here to relive the past!"
Snapping out of it, Kakashi refocused, nodding at her. Sakura surged forward, the glowing seals on her arms illuminating the dreary Kamui dimension. She sent a torrent of water spiraling toward Obito, forcing him to dodge. He sidestepped effortlessly, but the battlefield was becoming increasingly difficult for him to maneuver as Sakura strategically teleported between her kunai.
The fight slowed as Obito hesitated, standing a short distance from them. His breathing was labored, his once-certain movements now burdened by lingering doubt. Kakashi took the opportunity to press forward with words rather than blows.
"Obito, you said Rin was the reason. But it wasn't just her, was it? It's Madara," Kakashi said. "What did he do to you?"
Obito's sharingan narrowed as painful memories flooded his mind. "He saved me," Obito admitted, his voice strained. "He found me after you left me for dead. He rebuilt me—with Zetsu's help. He told me everything. About this world, about its lies. About how broken it is." He clenched his fists, his voice growing darker.
"And so I became his pawn. I used Nagato to create the Akatsuki, to gather the tailed beasts, and to bring him back to life. But it was never enough. The real Madara… the one you all fear… he died long before Sasuke was even born."
"Madara is out there now," Obito said bitterly, his voice filled with anger and resignation. "But he is no longer the man I once admired. He's a demon, a monster. And I let him use me."
Sakura stepped forward, lowering her sabre slightly. "Obito, listen to yourself. You said Madara used you. That means you're not beyond saving."
Obito's hollow laugh filled the air. "You think I can be redeemed? After everything I've done? I've killed countless people. I destroyed everything I touched. Redemption isn't for people like me."
"That's not true. Naruto… he believed in Nagato, even after everything Nagato did—he destroyed our village. And Nagato chose to believe in Naruto in the end. You're not so different from them." Sakura's gaze didn't falter.
Obito froze at her words, his mind spinning. Sakura stepped closer, her tone soft but resolute. "Naruto doesn't believe anyone is beyond saving. He'd forgive you. He'd believe in you. So why can't you believe in yourself?"
For a moment, Obito was silent. The air in the Kamui dimension seemed to still as he lowered his war fan. His shoulders sagged, and the rage in his eyes dimmed, replaced by something far more vulnerable. "It's too late for me," he said quietly. "I've gone too far."
"It's never too late." Sakura shook her head.
Obito looked at Kakashi, his gaze filled with regret. "You were always my foil, Kakashi. Everything I wanted to be. Everything I hated. But you're right. I've made too many mistakes." With trembling hands, he reached for his left eye, the last remnant of his sharingan. "Take this," he said, his voice quiet. "If there's any chance of stopping Madara, it's with you."
Kakashi's breath caught as Obito fell to his knees. He knelt beside him, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Obito…"
"It's all I can give," Obito said, his voice weak but sincere. "Stop him. Save this world… the way I couldn't. You always were the hero, Kakashi…"
Sakura stepped forward, her hands glowing with chakra. She performed the sharingan transplant with careful precision, transferring Obito's eye to Kakashi. As the process completed, Kakashi's newly gained sharingan flared to life, glowing with renewed power.
Obito gave a faint smile, his body flickering as the strain of his actions caught up to him. "Kakashi… you were always my hero."
And with that, Obito's body collapsed, fading into nothingness, leaving only silence in the Kamui dimension.
Back in the real world, Madara stood atop his perfect Susanoo, surveying the battlefield with disdain. His laughter echoed across the destruction. "You can bring as many heroes as you like," he sneered. "It won't change a thing."
The battlefield was a wasteland of chaos and despair. Madara's indiscriminate massacre knew no bounds, and the Allied Shinobi Forces fell like leaves in a storm. The towering figures of Susanoo clones crushed everything in their path, their ethereal weapons slicing through shinobi with merciless precision.
Omoi, the Cloud shinobi with mixed loyalties, was the first to fall, crushed under the massive foot of a Susanoo. His last thoughts were of protecting his comrades, but there was no time for goodbyes. Ao of the Mist, the experienced sensor ninja, met his end next, severed by a spectral sword that glowed with the cold light of death. And then, in a final act of heroism, Darui, the stoic leader of the First Division, threw himself into a sword strike to shield Sasuke and Yugito from certain death. The blow that killed him was swift and brutal, his body collapsing as his comrades screamed his name.
Amid the chaos, one of Madara's Wood Clones struck with lethal efficiency, ensnaring Yugito. She screamed as her Tailed Beast, Matatabi, was wrenched from her body, the extraction leaving her broken and near death. Naruto, pushing himself beyond his limits, managed to save her life with his Senjutsu-powered healing jutsu, but her body clung to life only in a fragile, febrile state. Each breath was a struggle, and even with Naruto's efforts, her survival was uncertain.
Sasuke, his face contorted with rage and grief, stood over Yugito's body. His Eternal Mangekyōu sharingan flared, and he screamed into the void. "MADARA!" The sky itself seemed to respond to his fury as he unleashed his most devastating attack. Black Lightning Kirin, a thunderous dragon of pure energy, roared toward the nearest Madara clone. The lightning burned through the air, splitting the heavens as it descended.
Naruto, still in his Kurama form, added his own attack to Sasuke's. Sage Art: Earth and Water Rasengan Whirlpool, a spiraling sphere of elemental power, joined the assault. The combined force obliterated the Susanoo-clad Wood Clone, reducing it to ashes.
But no victory lasted long in these dark times. Another clone stepped forward, identical in power and intent, taking its fallen comrade's place. It was endless—an unrelenting tide of destruction.
Madara, now empowered by the Ten Tails, had grown even stronger with the addition of Matatabi's chakra. His presence was overwhelming, a black hole of despair that consumed everything in its wake. Only Kurama, Naruto's companion, remained as the last Tailed Beast. And even Kurama's time was running out.
Naruto fought valiantly, his perfect Kurama form pushing past its limits. Drawing on Senjutsu and the Wood Release abilities he had inherited from Hashirama's chakra, Naruto tore through dozens of Susanoo clones. His claws, fangs, and spiraling Rasengan left destruction in their wake. But for every clone he destroyed, two more seemed to rise, their relentless assault slowly overwhelming him.
Exhausted, Naruto fell to the ground, Kurama roaring in defiance as they were dogpiled by Susanoo-enveloped clones. Despite their immense power, they could not fight forever. With a triumphant smirk, Madara's true body stepped forward. His Rinnegan gleamed with malice as he extended his hand.
"Kurama," Madara intoned, his voice like thunder. "Return to me."
The chakra chains of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path latched onto Kurama, wrenching him from Naruto's body. Naruto screamed, his body writhing in agony as Kurama was forcibly extracted. The fiery red fox chakra dissipated, leaving Naruto pale and broken, his body barely holding on thanks to the lingering strength of his Six Paths Yang Chakra. Even so, his life hung by a thread.
Madara towered over Naruto's collapsed form. "It's over," he declared, his voice cold and absolute. "You will be healed by my world—a perfect world. The Infinite Tsukuyomi will end this pointless struggle."
Madara turned his gaze to the sky, to what remained of the shattered moon. With a single hand sign, his Rinnegan glowed, casting the Infinite Tsukuyomi against the reflection of the moon's light. The heavens themselves seemed to warp as the massive Tree of Life, sprouted from the remnants of the Gedo's body, enveloped the battlefield.
The Tree of Life extended its roots and branches, ensnaring everyone in its grasp. Shinobi across the battlefield were captured, their bodies suspended in pods of chakra. Their struggles ceased as the genjutsu took hold, casting them into a world of dreams—perfect, peaceful illusions that masked the horrifying reality.
Madara stood at the base of the tree, his Ten Tails Jinchuriki form glowing with unholy power. He watched as the world succumbed to his will, his laughter echoing across the desolate battlefield. "This is the world I promised—a world without pain, without suffering. A world where none of you will ever fight again."
Naruto's broken body lay at the edge of the tree's reach. His vision blurred as he struggled to hold onto consciousness. "Kurama…" he whispered weakly, reaching for the empty space where his companion had once been.
Sasuke, bloodied and battered, crawled toward him. His Susanoo had been shattered, his chakra reserves nearly depleted, but he refused to stop. "Naruto," he said, his voice hoarse. "We're not done. Not yet."
Sakura and Kakashi emerged into a world blanketed in eerie silence. The scene, once roaring with chaos, was now a grim monument to despair. The Infinite Tsukuyomi had ensnared everyone, its roots spreading from the Tree of Life, enveloping the survivors in pods of dreams and illusions. Madara stood at the center of it all, his form a radiant, ethereal white.
The transformation was complete. Madara's flowing robes, adorned with tomoe, and the truth-seeking orbs spinning lazily around him, gave him the appearance of a deity. His Rinnegan glowed with a divine intensity, and the chakra of the Ten Tails coursed through his being. In death, Madara had achieved a form of godhood he had never known in life.
Sakura glanced at Kakashi, her voice trembling. "What do we do now? How do we even fight him?"
Kakashi's gaze was heavy as he looked at his surroundings, at their friends—those who still lived—trapped in wooden prisons, their bodies suspended in an eternal dreamscape. He clenched his fists, frustration and sorrow warring within him. "We can try to wake someone up," he said, his voice low but steady. "Maybe my Mangekyōu sharingan will be enough."
He knelt before one of the pods, placing his hands on the surface. The sharingan in both of his eye sockets glowed brightly as he channeled his chakra. But no matter how much power he poured into his efforts, it wasn't enough. The dream held firm. He stepped back, defeated, and glanced at the pods again. "I just… I just hope the dreams are good."
Elsewhere, in a realm neither here nor there, Naruto and Sasuke stood shoulder to shoulder. The world around them was strange, ethereal—a space that seemed to exist outside time and reality. The air shimmered with chakra, and the ground beneath them felt more like energy than solid matter.
Naruto looked around, scratching the back of his head. "Is this my dream or yours?" he asked, grinning despite the dire circumstances.
Sasuke groaned, pressing a hand to his face. "Must be yours," he replied. "In mine, you wouldn't be talking to me."
"Oh?" Naruto tilted his head, his grin widening. "What would I be doing?"
Sasuke turned away, his neck tinged red. "Leaving me alone."
Naruto laughed, throwing his hands behind his head. "So where are we, then? If this was my dream, there'd be ramen everywhere, and Ino would be scantily clad, serving it up!"
Before Sasuke could retort, the air shifted. A vast presence, both physical and spiritual, filled the space. The two turned to see an enormous figure materialize before them. He stood tall, his otherworldly form glowing with a serene yet powerful energy. His long staff, adorned with the crescent moon, rested in his hand, and his Rinnegan eyes bore into them with a mix of wisdom and compassion.
Hagoromo spoke, his voice deep and calm, carrying the weight of centuries. "Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha. You stand before me as the reincarnations of my sons, Asura and Indra. For generations, the two of you, and those who came before you, have been trapped in a cycle of hatred. But you… you have done what none before you could. You have broken that cycle."
The Sage paused, his gaze softening. "I am Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths, the founder of ninshū and the ancestor of all shinobi. My brother, Hamura, and I once defeated our mother, Kaguya, the first Jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails. But her legacy continues through Madara and the calamity he has unleashed."
Naruto blinked, his grin replaced by a rare moment of seriousness. "Wait, wait… you're the guy who started all this ninja stuff? And this… Kaguya was your mom?"
Sasuke frowned, his sharp mind piecing things together. "You're saying Madara's power comes from the same source as yours?"
Hagoromo nodded. "Indeed. The Ten-Tails is the embodiment of destruction, and its chakra now fuels Madara. But you two… you represent something far greater. The will to protect, to connect, and to rise above hatred. For that, I commend you."
He extended his hands, his chakra flowing toward them. "I will grant you each a portion of my power, the power of the Six Paths. Use it to undo the damage that has been done and to protect the future of this world."
Naruto and Sasuke felt the energy flood their bodies, their chakra surging to new heights. Hagoromo smiled faintly, pride evident in his gaze. "You have my faith and my power. Now go, and save the world."
The light of the Sage's power engulfed them, and in an instant, Naruto and Sasuke were back in the real world. They reappeared just as Sakura and Kakashi were kneeling before their pods, desperately trying to wake them up. The sudden burst of chakra startled the two, and they turned to see their comrades standing tall, their presence like a beacon of hope.
"About time you woke up," Kakashi said, a faint smile breaking through his exhaustion.
Naruto grinned. "Sorry for keeping you waiting, Sensei. But we're back now."
Sasuke's Rinnegan activated, its power radiating as he stepped forward. "Madara won't win. Not this time."
Sakura, her sabre igniting in white luminescence, stood beside them, determination burning in her eyes. "Then let's finish this. Together."
Team Seven was reunited, their strength renewed, and their resolve unshaken. The final battle was at hand.