Naruto brought Sasuke back to Amegakure and got him settled.
Obito soon arrived after hearing the news. "How's Sasuke doing?"
"He's out of mortal danger, at least for now," Naruto replied, "but he's still unconscious."
"I see…" Obito nodded.
"Are you free?" Naruto asked.
"What's up?" Obito responded.
"I want you to keep an eye on Indra and Black Zetsu. Just observe—don't get involved. Report anything unusual to me right away. From here on, we're racing against time…"
Obito looked both moved and impressed. "You've really got nerves of steel. The guy who nearly killed Sasuke in one blow—you're actually willing to let him get the Rinnegan, maybe even become the Ten-Tails' jinchuriki. Calling that dancing on a knife's edge doesn't do it justice…"
Naruto shrugged helplessly. "What else can I do? Someone's got to take the fall. Should I throw Sasuke, you, or Madara out there as cannon fodder again? Now that would be truly inhumane."
"Are you heading to the Valley of the End?" Obito asked, not entirely convinced.
Naruto nodded. "It's my promise to Madara."
Obito stared at Naruto's back, then asked sharply, "Tell me, Naruto—if you really lose to Madara, are you honestly ready to hand over leadership?"
Naruto paused, glancing back over his shoulder. "Of course. Everything I do is to protect our future. As long as our ideals are aligned, whoever's most capable should lead."
"Not just Madara—that goes for you, too, Obito. Anyone who shares our vision. If it turns out any of you have more ability and resolve than me, I'll pass the torch without hesitation…"
Obito let out a sigh. "You're confident, I'll give you that…"
Naruto smiled. "Or maybe just arrogant."
Obito chuckled. "Confidence with ability is confidence. Confidence without it is arrogance. I believe in you. Go on… I'll be waiting for good news!"
"Thanks…"
Naruto turned away, vanishing in a flash of Flying Thunder God.
A short while later, Uchiha Itachi came around the corner.
He exchanged a silent nod with Obito, then slipped into the vortex of Kamui.
Itachi stopped outside the room, hand hovering in the air for a moment before he took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
"Sasuke…"
…
Valley of the End.
Naruto landed atop the head of Senju Hashirama's statue, gaze drifting downward to where Madara stood on the opposing statue.
"I'm here…"
Madara stood bare-chested, the face on his chest exposed, fists clenched in black tactical gloves, long hair billowing in the wind.
He slowly raised his eyes to meet Naruto's. "Do we need to confirm the terms of our agreement once more?" he rumbled.
Naruto offered a faint smile. "If you're asking, there's no need to confirm. We're both men of our word. Repeating ourselves would just be a waste of breath…"
"Hmph." Madara snorted, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. "You just sacrificed a lot of your life force for Sasuke. You can rest if you want. I don't mind."
"It's fine. My lifespan's shorter, but it doesn't affect my current chakra or fighting condition…"
"Then let's cut the pleasantries. Let's begin!"
For the first time in his life, Madara raised two fingers before his chest—not for Hashirama, but for someone else—forming the Seal of Confrontation.
"Come."
Naruto smiled back, returning the Seal.
For a moment, the world held its breath.
Then—the wind sharpened.
Sizzle!
Madara'sRinnegan snapped open.
—Limbo: Border Jail!
Whoosh—!
A shadowy Madara from the world of Limbo flashed past like a phantom!
"!" Naruto's eyes narrowed. He dodged in a blur, brushing past the Limbo shadow.
Madara's gaze darkened. "So you really can see my Limbo after awakening the Rinnegan. But what will you do about four of them…"
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
Four Limbo shadows, unleashed by both eyes, attacked in rapid, alternating strikes—almost teleporting.
Naruto dodged as best he could, but could only shield his vitals with his arms, taking the unavoidable hits.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Limbo attacks struck with crushing force, leaving Naruto battered and breathless.
Madara's eyes burned. "Even if you can see Limbo, at best you can dodge. Without Six Paths power, you can't touch them. In other words, Limbo is a burden you can never shake off—it'll keep you too busy to focus on anything else!"
Hum—
The markings of Sage Mode appeared on the Hashirama face on Madara's chest.
Seeing Naruto pressed to his limit, Madara formed hand seals.
—Sage Art: Shinsuusenju Deity Gate!
Whoosh!
A crimson Deity Gate crashed down from above!
Naruto grinned. "Coming in hot, huh? I thought you'd start slow…"
Kurama's chakra arms shot up, bracing the Deity Gate's crossbeam. In that split second, Naruto's right eye flared open!
Whoosh—!
The Deity Gate vanished from above his head!
"Hm?" Madara's pupils shrank. "That's not Flying Thunder God… Could it be his Rinnegan's ocular jutsu?"
Naruto said seriously, "Madara, I'll be straight with you. I know all about your Limbo, but you know nothing about my Rinnegan's powers. To keep things fair, let me tell you what these eyes can do!"
But Madara interrupted, "No need. Figuring out your opponent's abilities is half the fun. Don't spoil my enjoyment, you bastard!!"
Thud!
A Limbo shadow kicked Naruto off the statue's head!
Falling, Naruto laughed. "You're impossible, you know that?"
A Flying Thunder God kunai appeared in his hand.
Madara smirked. "Heh… Trying to get close with Flying Thunder God? You can't throw it far enough…"
Swish!
But in the next instant, something unfamiliar appeared in Madara's peripheral vision.
"Hm?" He snatched it out of the air—another Flying Thunder God kunai!
His eyes widened. "How did this get here?!"
Thud! Naruto flashed out of the kunai, landing a kick that sent Madara flying!
Splash!
Madara rebounded off the water, flipping several times before landing on the surface, ripples spreading.
He looked up at Naruto, now standing atop the statue. His mind raced: First he took out a kunai, then the next instant, that kunai appeared beside me—could it be an ocular jutsu that warps objects, like Sasuke'sAmenotejikara?
Then Madara noticed—the kunai in Naruto's hand had never left it.
No, that's not it! The kunai he took out never left his hand!
He clenched his fist. It's not a teleportation jutsu—it's duplication. He can copy any object he's holding, or even those he's touching indirectly with chakra, and…
Madara looked down at the duplicated kunai in his hand, replaying the strange moment.
The copied object can be placed anywhere he chooses, and… the copy is indistinguishable from the original! It's a real, physical thing!
He looked up again, eyes sharp.
If duplicating objects is his left eye's ability, then erasing the Deity Gate could be the reverse—erasure, the right eye's power. Both are part of the same ocular system, aren't they, Uzumaki Naruto!
"Looks like you've figured out my left and right eye powers," Naruto called down.
"That's right. This is the power of my Rinnegan—called 'Ōmononushi,' the Master of Great Things!"
"Ōmononushi, huh… I see…" Madara mused, thinking deeper. Just like Limbo, abilities that manifest in both eyes often have a combined, amplified effect when used together. Ōmononushi should be no exception…
Madara declared, "Show me—use Ōmononushi with both eyes at once, and come at me with everything you've got!"
"As you wish…!"
Both of Naruto's six-tomoe Rinnegan blazed at once!
—Ōmononushi!!!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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