Ninja World Sasuke's arrogant smile froze, staring in disbelief at the giant Buddha statue, far larger than his Susano'o.
"How… a mere ordinary ninja has power stronger than the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan?"
"Don't fear, Sasuke, we won't lose. Trust me, trust your power!" Imperial Itachi said, controlling his perfect Susano'o with four arms, slashing four sword strikes, cutting dozens of the Buddha statue's arms.
The arms crashed to the ground, each causing massive tremors.
Some initially shocked ninja snapped back. "Quick! Run! If these two monsters really fight, we're in danger!"
The group roared, retreating en masse.
Hashirama, seeing Itachi and the captives, looked serious. "Stronger than Madara's Susano'o… then I can't hold back! Hah!"
Hashirama roared.
A thousand wooden arms shot simultaneously, striking the perfect Susano'o controlled by Ninja World Sasuke and Imperial Itachi!
"Sasuke!" Imperial Itachi roared.
"I know!" Ninja World Sasuke roared back.
Two arms raised high, a shield appeared.
*RUMBLE!*
Hundreds-to-nearly-thousand-meter wooden arms struck the giant Susano'o in succession.
Under terrifying explosion roars, massive mushroom clouds soared.
The ground shook, continuously collapsing.
Shockwaves spread, blowing away slower ninja.
Like ants in a storm, they flew wildly, their terrified screams drowned out.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Far away, twenty to thirty kilometers.
A man in ancient red armor, leading Akatsuki, watched the Susano'o and Buddha statue battle with interest.
"Truly excessive, this is the legendary Ninja God's power…" Edo Tensei Kisame from the ninja world was stunned.
"Aaah! Perfect art! Truly perfect art!" Edo Tensei Deidara was enraptured.
Others were quieter.
Especially Nagato; despite his Rinnegan, seeing the battle, he felt his own smallness.
This made him question if he, with the Rinnegan, was truly the world's savior, harboring such doubts.
'World's savior… divine power, why so weak… such a vast gap with the so-called Ninja God…'
Though bolstered by White Zetsu, restoring much vitality, he admitted he couldn't defeat such foes.
No… not just defeat, he'd likely be easily crushed!
"Other world's Uchiha, unexpectedly strong, possessing Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. But against Hashirama, still lacking. Worthy of being my only rival, Hashirama."
Madara, arms crossed, smiled joyfully at the distant scene.
"Madara-sama, Obito. Watch the other world's Obito closely… Sanbi, barring issues, is still in his body." Black Zetsu reminded.
"Of course, I remember our plan. Help the Rinnegan gather all nine Bijuu; only then can its true power be unleashed, gaining truly invincible strength. Then… the world will be unified, and the Rinnegan's wielder will create a perfect dreamlike kingdom."
Madara, allied with Black Zetsu, smiled faintly.
"Enough, we must act." Ninja World Obito said.
"Then let's move." Madara nodded.
Next moment, they vanished.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
*RUMBLE!*
Terrifying impacts raged, forcing Imperial Obito to abandon attacking, his half-perfect Susano'o's wings shielding him, retreating slowly in the storm.
Unknown how long passed.
"Banshō Ten'in!" A loud roar sounded.
A strong pull yanked Imperial Obito sideways.
He turned, frowning. "Akatsuki rats! Targeting me this time? For Sanbi? But taking Sanbi from me won't be easy!"
Imperial Obito phased intangible.
Entering, he saw a masked man in Kamui space, with another in red armor and long hair, reaching for him. "Banshō Ten'in!"
"What! Besides the rat stealing this world's Sharingan… Madara's here too, with Rinnegan!" Imperial Obito was shocked.
Sanbi, hanging like a keychain doll at his waist, was pulled from his body, flying toward Madara.
Mid-flight, Sanbi screamed in fear: "Waaaaa! No! Obito, help! I don't want to return to Uchiha Madara! Save me!"
Sadly, its cries were futile.
But nearing Madara's hand, Ninja World Obito swiftly grabbed Sanbi first, turning into a vortex and vanishing in Kamui space.
"Obito! You…" Madara frowned.
Imperial Obito, seeing this, left Kamui space, chasing Ninja World Obito.
Ninja World Obito reappeared in the ninja world, flying toward Nagato, shouting: "I got Sanbi! Nagato! Stop that guy, then summon Gedo Mazo!"
Nagato, seeing Imperial Obito charge, unsuspectingly unleashed Shinra Tensei.
Imperial Obito, wary of Madara in Kamui, didn't phase, getting blasted back.
Ninja World Obito reached Nagato, handing over Sanbi.
As Nagato nearly took it, his body froze, White Zetsu inside controlling him!
Obito swiftly gouged Nagato's eyes with his right hand, replacing one regular Sharingan with a Rinnegan.
Before continuing, Black Zetsu crept onto his body, controlling him too.
Kamui space slowly opened, Madara mocking Obito: "Obito, ambition alone isn't enough. Without power, you won't succeed. Challenge me? Do you have the ability? Don't forget, all White and Black Zetsu are mine."
"Damn… so close…" Ninja World Obito raged inwardly, struggling, thinking of Rin to gain strength.
But mid-thought, an image of another world's Rin, happily with Kakashi and their son, flashed in his mind.
It stopped him cold, like a man rising only to be struck hard at his vital point.
Madara seized the moment, joining his hands in seals: "Rinne Rebirth Technique!"
Ninja World Obito's Rinne Rebirth activated, his body collapsing.
Madara wasted no time, pressing the seized Rinnegan into his eye sockets.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
At this moment, the clash between Hashirama, Imperial Itachi, and Ninja World Sasuke ended.
The Supreme Buddha's thousand arms were destroyed, and in exchange, Imperial Itachi and Ninja World Sasuke's Susano'o were tattered.
Village ninja, blown back by the impact, some gravely injured, lay immobile, others stood trembling.
They looked at Hashirama, Itachi, and Sasuke in the center.
Their expressions were horrified. "Such terrifying power…"
"It seems evenly matched… we might still struggle to win."
Ninja world hearts pounded in fear.
"A mere Hokage has such power!" Ninja World Sasuke, panting, was dissatisfied.
"He's Hashirama; even in the Empire, such power ranks among the strongest below the Six Paths, nearly unmatched… holding our own is already good. His technique must drain massive Senjutsu; he can't use it soon." Imperial Itachi said.
"After that… the fight may need to be left to others."
Suddenly, another roar and loud shout came from afar.
"Gedo Mazo!"
*BOOM!*
Under a massive earth quake, a withered monster appeared on the battlefield, drawing all eyes.
Imperial Obito shouted: "Things are bad. This world's Madara used Rinne Rebirth to revive and took Sanbi."
"What! Sanbi taken? How? That rat?" Imperial Setsuna flew skyward, shouting unhappily.
"Madara? You came too! Great, we can fight side by side again!" Hashirama said joyfully.
"Madara? That Ninja Asura? His power matches the Ninja God! Perfect! We'll win this time!" Ninja world ninja were elated.
Smiles plastered their faces.
Only Konan's face was grim, seeing Nagato lying with empty eye sockets. "Nagato!"
"Nagato!" Jiraiya noticed, shouting: "What happened? Madara took your Rinnegan? Why, at this point, is Madara still causing trouble! What's he thinking!"
"Nagato's the prophesied child! Does he want to fight the entire Empire alone? Impossible! Only united do we have a chance!"
"Prophesied child? Nonsense. Did you know both Rinnegan originally belonged to Madara-sama? He merely entrusted them to Nagato temporarily. When did they become his?" Black Zetsu sneered, his expression smug.
'Soon! So soon! Once Madara absorbs Juubi, activating Infinite Tsukuyomi, then… Mother will revive! Mother, I miss you so much!'
"What! Rinnegan were Madara's?" Everyone hearing this was shocked.
"Madara! What are you planning!" Hashirama shouted, sensing something amiss.