At that moment, both Six Paths Madara and Yin Kurama were frozen in shock, locked in a silent stare.
"Hahahaha! I knew something felt off, so that was it! The one who fought you just now was just a shadow clone!" Yin Kurama clutched his belly and burst out laughing.
He had felt something strange about Natsuro earlier but had chalked it up to him being unique in some way.
After all, even Yin Kurama had never imagined that a shadow clone could fight on par with someone at the Six Paths level.
Then he recalled something Natsuro had said: "You'll understand soon."Now he got it. He must have already expected he wouldn't be able to defeat Madara, even before the battle began.
"Even knowing he couldn't win… he still refused to give up hope?" Yin Kurama muttered to himself, thinking of Natsuro's final all-out assault. Maybe now, he truly understood what it meant to be strong.
Then, seeing the dumbfounded look on Madara's face, Yin Kurama's mood soared.
"Madara Uchiha, you of all people, caught like this! Hahahaha!"
Madara ignored the taunting. His mind had short-circuited. The person he had battled so fiercely, who had nearly obliterated him, was just a clone?
What kind of clone could have that kind of power? Not even his own Limbo: Border Jail clones could pull that off!
But no matter how much he refused to believe it, reality was staring him in the face.
Madara took a deep breath. Finally, he understood what Natsuro's last words meant…
As much as he hated it, Madara composed himself. He couldn't change the past, but—
Looking at the still-laughing Yin Kurama, his expression darkened. In an instant, black chains wrapped around Kurama, binding him completely. Yin Kurama struggled, but it was useless.
After Natsuro's final attack, not only had the clone exhausted all its power, but it had also nearly drained Yin Kurama's chakra as well. In his current state, Kurama couldn't even launch a single Tailed Beast Bomb.
Of course, Kurama knew the truth, even at full strength, even if he and Yang Kurama merged, they probably still wouldn't last a single round against Madara. The power he'd sensed during the battle between Natsuro and Madara wasn't even in the same league.
Still, Yin Kurama wasn't afraid. In his eyes, this was just a temporary reunion with his other eight old friends. With a clone that powerful, surely Natsuro's real body would be even stronger, and would eventually defeat Madara and release him.
Kurama had absolute faith in Natsuro.
So what was there to worry about?
Madara didn't hesitate. He dragged Yin Kurama into his body with the chains. Now, with both the original and Yin chakra from the Nine-Tails, the previously inert energy became lively and potent.
With this, Madara's power climbed again, his Nine-Tails chakra was now close to 60–70% of the full beast's strength.
Yet instead of celebrating this major power-up, Madara's expression was grim.
If a clone of Natsuro was this strong… how powerful must the real Natsuro be? Had he already surpassed the Six Paths level?
If so, Madara couldn't help but feel like a complete clown. Was there really such a person in this world, someone who reached this height through their own power?
While Madara was still trying to figure things out and attempting to fully restore his vision and summon a fourth Limbo clone—
Back on the battlefield, as the smoke from Natsuro's dispersed clone faded, everyone froze in place.
The emotional whiplash, from utter despair to the realization that it was just a clone, broke many of them. Some didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
A few people had deduced the truth based on Yin Kurama's reappearance, but most still believed the clone was created mid-battle, not that it had been fighting the whole time.
Those few who did realize it… had mixed emotions. Natsuro's clone had reached a level they would never attain in their lifetime. They were glad he was alive… but also felt a tinge of sorrow at their own weakness.
Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of the Allied Shinobi Forces, standing in midair.
He had short black hair, a strikingly handsome face, and his ceremonial robes fluttered gently in the wind. It was Natsuro, his true self.
He floated effortlessly without Magnet Release. Ever since he left the Dragon Vein, he had reached the Six Paths tier and could naturally walk through the sky.
Though, he still thought using the wings of Susanoo made for faster travel.
Now, he looked toward the completely transformed, berserk Nine-Tails. Naruto had fully lost control, cutting himself off from all outside signals, including the fact that he was alive.
"Hm. So… you still have work to do," Natsuro murmured.
He took a single step, and in the next instant, appeared directly before the Nine-Tails' snarling face, placing his hand on its forehead.
The beast tried to roar, but within moments, the rage-filled energy dissipated. The Nine-Tails' body quickly vanished, and Naruto began falling from the sky.
Natsuro caught him swiftly. Seeing Naruto's cracked and torn skin, he placed a finger on his body.
A green light enveloped Naruto, and his skin regenerated instantly.Slowly, Naruto opened his eyes, and saw Natsuro.
"Natsuro? You're not dead?!" Naruto, still groggy, instantly widened his eyes. Tears welled up as he hugged him midair.
"Of course not. You think I'd die that easily?" Natsuro smiled, ruffling Naruto's spiky blond hair like he did when they were kids. "Really now."
"Hehe… I knew Natsuro was the strongest!" Naruto chuckled sheepishly, letting the moment linger.
"Still," Natsuro said, "you need to control your emotions better. If I had died, your berserk state would've weakened you further. What could you have done like that?"
"Uh… well… I couldn't help it…" Naruto mumbled. Truthfully, if it happened again, he'd probably still lose it.
Natsuro paused, then smiled knowingly and knocked Naruto gently on the head.
"Hehe…" Naruto scratched his head and laughed.
Then, Natsuro entered Naruto's inner mind space, where Yang Kurama was sprawled out.
"Hmph. So you've already reached the Sage's level," the fox grumbled, clearly still affected by Naruto's emotions earlier.
"Yang Kurama," Natsuro said, "do you want to stop being a creature of hate and evil?"
"Huh?" Kurama froze.
After a short conversation, its contents unknown, Kurama eventually nodded.
Natsuro smiled, satisfied. "Then if Naruto loses control again, I'll leave it to you."
"Hmph. There aren't many people who could enrage him that much… and those that can aren't likely to die so easily," Kurama scoffed.
Natsuro chuckled and didn't say more. As he was leaving, he suddenly heard Kurama's voice,
"Leave it to me."
Quiet, but clear. Natsuro couldn't help but shake his head, still the same tsundere fox.
Back in the real world, Natsuro turned to look at Sasuke. Sasuke had recovered, and his Rinnegan no longer showed the tomoe. Perhaps if he had truly died, Sasuke would've awakened the tomoe Rinnegan.
"Is this fun for you?" Natsuro asked, a subtle grin tugging at his lips.
At that moment, Sasuke's voice was full of dissatisfaction, his first time expressing discontent with him. After all, due to the special nature of shadow clones, not even the Byakugan or Sharingan could see through them, and naturally, his Rinnegan couldn't either.
"It's alright. I wouldn't call it playing around… just doing something I found interesting," Natsuro replied, seeing the confused look in Sasuke's eyes.
"After all, Sasuke, your path includes someone ahead of you for you to chase, and someone beside you, Naruto, walking with you as a companion. But I…" Natsuro turned his gaze to Six Paths Madara, who was watching them without making a move.
Natsuro could tell Madara was still restoring his power. But what he wanted was to fight the Six Paths Madara at his peak, not one who had lost part of his strength. Otherwise, the battle would be boring.
"I want a worthy opponent… and a battle where I can go all out."
Natsuro chuckled. "Unfortunately, the further I walk down this path, the fewer people there are who can stand as my rival. I've even considered becoming the enemy of the entire world, that might make things more interesting."
This statement sent a chill down the spines of everyone present, especially those outside of Konoha. With Natsuro's strength, if he ever truly turned against the world… who could stop him?
After thinking for a moment, the answer was clear: no one.
Thankfully, whatever the reason, Natsuro had not chosen that path.
"So even though it was just a clone just now, it still represented me, and that kind of battle is a little… intoxicating," Natsuro said with a smile.
Sasuke stared at him for a long moment. Then, a look of realization appeared on his face, followed by a helpless smile.
"If that's the case, then I'll work hard to become your opponent."
"And me too!" Naruto jumped in, shouting loudly.
"Alright." Natsuro nodded with a smile. Then his gaze landed on Sasuke's Rinnegan. "Did you feel that power just now?"
Sasuke hesitated, then nodded. Although it had made him feel a bit uncomfortable, it was undeniably a higher-tier power…
"Good. Remember that feeling. Beyond the Rinnegan, there is a higher level of power," Natsuro said.What he was referring to was, of course, the Rinne Sharingan, the ultimate form, with nine tomoe. He wanted to see if Sasuke could reach that level on his own.
"Got it." Sasuke nodded seriously.
Natsuro nodded back. Suddenly, a spatial ripple appeared in front of him, and he reached out and pulled someone through it.
It was none other than Kakashi, still in the Kamui dimension healing himself, when Natsuro yanked him out.
Kakashi was stunned, staring at him, completely baffled as to how he'd done that. One moment, he saw a hand, and the next, he was pulled out without even a chance to resist…
He quickly scanned his surroundings and spotted Six Paths Madara, seemingly resting and recovering. His pupils shrank.
Why is Madara here? Where's Obito?!
"Obito's dead. I killed him," Natsuro said flatly, healing Kakashi's injuries completely in the next moment.
Kakashi froze, then a look of both sorrow and relief crossed his face. He nodded slowly.
"Thank you… Your medical ninjutsu is beyond divine now, Hokage-sama…" he said in amazement, seeing his wounds vanish entirely. Was this really something medical ninjutsu could do?
Natsuro didn't respond, because this wasn't ordinary medical ninjutsu. It was Yang Release, the power of life itself.
Then, he stretched out his hand again, and another spatial ripple appeared.
Back where Obito's body lay, a matching ripple formed. Soon, a hand emerged from the portal, and Natsuro pulled Obito's corpse through it.
"Hokage-sama?" Kakashi looked confused. Why bring back Obito's body?
Natsuro didn't answer. Instead, he took Obito's remaining Rinnegan and extracted its power. Then, he pressed it into Kakashi's intact right eye.
Kakashi quickly realized what Natsuro was doing. He wasn't sure whether to resist or accept it, but in the end, he sighed and let it happen.
A moment later, Kakashi opened his eyes.
Now, both of them had turned jet black.
Then, with a brief focus of his chakra, a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan appeared.
"This is…?" Kakashi's eyes widened. He could choose to deactivate the Sharingan now?
How did Hokage-sama do this? This was way beyond anything he could understand.
"It's just a little modification," Natsuro said with a smile, responding to Kakashi's shock.
Natsuro was capable of many things now.
Unlike other Six Paths-tier beings who gained their power from the Ten-Tails or the Sage of Six Paths himself, Natsuro had climbed to this level step by step. His control over his own power was perfect, he knew exactly what he could do.
Next, if he helped Kakashi with some Hashirama cells… then the strongest version of Kakashi would finally emerge.
Arise Dual Kamui Kakashi!
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