"A bunch of fools… cough cough cough… from start to finish, you were mere pawns in Black Zetsu and Madara's cunning plan. The Jinchuriki in the Empire's hands? All lies, you idiots… but it doesn't matter now."
"With Madara gaining the Rinnegan, the power of nine Bijuu… he's unstoppable. Now… let the light of Infinite Tsukuyomi illuminate the earth… Rin… I'm coming…"
Ninja World Obito lay before Madara, speaking softly.
His voice was faint but heard by some approaching ninja.
Among them was Minato, who, hearing the familiar voice, said unconsciously: "You… you… Obito? Our world's Obito!?"
"Minato-sensei, finally recognizing me? Yes, I'm Obito, Uchiha Obito." Ninja World Obito said weakly.
His voice held relief and mockery.
"Obito…" Ninja World Kakashi, appearing dozens of meters away, looked disbelieving. "You… weren't you long dead? Why?"
"Heh… I died long ago, what remains is just a spirit… now, it's almost time to vanish… Rin… I'm coming…" Ninja World Obito muttered, not directly answering Kakashi.
"He really didn't die… Obito from both worlds, both loving Rin. But Rin loves Kakashi—what's that got to do with you?" Imperial Setsuna approached, looking at Ninja World Obito with disgust, his words shattering Obito's defenses.
"Cough cough cough… What are you talking about? Your world's Rin… and my Rin, no connection at all! That's just a fraud… cough cough…" Ninja World Obito struggled to retort, coughing incessantly.
"Trash, the Uchiha who caused the Kyuubi chaos in this world was you, right?" Imperial Setsuna asked again.
These words made Ninja World Minato and Kakashi's eyes narrow, their expressions serious.
"Yes, that was me… cough cough…" Ninja World Obito coughed.
"Obito… why…" Minato's face darkened, hoping Obito would deny it; the Obito before him felt so alien.
"Obito… why do that?" Ninja World Kakashi took a deep breath, steadying his trembling heart to ask.
"Why… didn't I already say?"
"Since Rin died, the real Obito died too, leaving only a spirit… a spirit seeking revenge on the whole world… everyone in the world should go to hell to join Rin…" Ninja World Obito said.
"Obito, you damn bastard!" A furious roar sounded.
Kushina, her red hair flaring, charged at Obito, aiming to crush him with one punch.
Madara casually raised a hand, a Shinra Tensei blasting her back. "Hey… woman, don't attack my people recklessly. Though this Obito's a bit foolish, even trying to oppose me in the end, he served me for years. At least I'll leave his body intact."
Madara looked haughty, his Rinnegan eyes full of pride.
"Damn Madara!" Kushina gritted her teeth.
"Madara! Answer me! What exactly do you want!?" Hashirama asked again, his tone stern.
"Do what? Bring eternal peace to this chaotic world, of course… and to achieve this… power is essential! Come, swallow this, complete your final evolution…" Madara handed the Sanbi doll to Gedo Mazo.
The statue roared crazily, expanding and transforming.
Seeing this, everyone felt inexplicable dread.
"What's this… I've got a bad feeling!" "Madara… never a good guy, who knows what he's up to now." Some who knew Madara looked grave.
"Do you know what's happening?" Tsunade asked the Empire's people.
"This is Gedo Mazo, Juubi' husk. By absorbing the nine Bijuu's chakra, it can revert to its true form. The process is cruel, requiring the nine Bijuu's sacrifice. The Empire didn't do that, but undoubtedly, once Juubi revives, its power far surpasses the Kyuubi…" Imperial Kakashi answered.
His voice, not low, was heard by many.
Expressions changed again.
Jiraiya looked shocked. "Impossible! Absorbing nine Bijuu… you mean this monster before us has absorbed all nine? Nagato… you lied to me all along?"
"Hehe… foolish teacher… only realizing now? Yes… I lied to you… we just wanted your strength to hold off the Empire, to seize the final Sanbi…"
"With Gedo Mazo gathering nine Bijuu, the reborn Juubi will unlock the Rinnegan's true power… you can't defeat Madara… this world's end is fated…"
"Though I couldn't finish it, as long as the goal's the same, it's fine, Yahiko…"
Nagato's empty eyes bled, White Zetsu detaching from his body, weakening him further.
He felt he'd soon meet his beloved brother.
"Damn it! Damn it! Minato! Let me go! I'll crush that bastard's head, and Obito's too!"
"Naruto! My little Naruto! How is he now!" Kushina screamed, struggling.
In Kyuubi mode, Minato looked helpless.
"How is he? Dead, of course… a Jinchuriki without a Bijuu has only a dead end." Nagato said flatly.
"Damn you! I'll kill you and Obito!" Kushina screamed hysterically.
"Damn it! Bee!" The Fourth Raikage was furious too.
"Damn Jiraiya, damn Akatsuki! You deceived us!" Other village ninja glared angrily at Jiraiya and Nagato.
"Madara… why? Why deceive everyone? What's your true goal! Tell me! Or else…" Hashirama pressed, his expression growing hostile.
"Brother, shut up. That evil old Uchiha ghost is full of deceit; only you'd truly believe him." Tobirama said coldly.
"Madara…"
"Huh! Hashirama, you're too naive. But Tobirama, compared to your brother, you're no different—puppets in my plan from start to finish." Madara mocked.
Tobirama's expression soured.
"Madara-sama, Juubi is ripe. Please absorb its power and become the supreme being." Black Zetsu urged cautiously, his heart pounding.
"It's time for the next step. Juubi… become my power." Madara muttered.
The massive Juubi below began merging into Madara's body, transforming him.
He became a figure in a white robe, with long white hair, tomoe patterns under the collar, holding a black 'iron staff,' with several black orbs floating behind him.
"This chakra is immense… I can feel Madara now is worlds apart from before." Hashirama said, sweating coldly.
"I feel it too… this form is extraordinary…" Tobirama's expression was grim.
"This is the Six Paths form recorded in the Empire, indeed worlds apart from ordinary people. This is tough… unsure if his current power is early or mid-stage Six Paths."
"If early stage, we might have a chance together, but mid-stage or higher, no matter how many ordinary people, it's futile…" Imperial Raikage A said gravely.
"Oh? You know this form? The other world is indeed strong. Six Paths form, correct. Early and mid-stage? Test it with your power." Six Paths Madara said arrogantly, his right hand waving, a black orb transforming into a sharp black arrow, flying at Imperial Raikage.
Imperial Raikage's pupils shrank, his body dodging lightning-fast, narrowly escaping.
"Not bad, dodging one Truth-Seeking Ball. How about two?" Six Paths Madara said, another Truth-Seeking Ball flying from behind.
The balls obliterated everything in their path, trees vanishing, horrifying onlookers.
"Quick! Attack Madara! Don't let him keep attacking! Brother won't last long!" Imperial Killer B shouted in fear, wielding eight swords, charging at Six Paths Madara. Nearing, he aimed for consecutive eight-sword slashes, but Madara easily parried with his staff, sending him flying hundreds of meters.
"Madara! You deceived everyone! Whatever you plan, I must stop you!" Hashirama shouted, giant wooden gates falling from the sky, but before nearing, another Truth-Seeking Ball destroyed them.
"Hashirama, you now make me lose interest!"
"I'm no longer the old Madara! I'm a god! A true god! Like the Sage of the Six Paths!"
"Banshō Ten'in!" Six Paths Madara's arm waved.
Hashirama was pulled by an irresistible force, flying toward him.
"Sage Art: Goemon!" Jiraiya, furious, spewed Senjutsu flames with his two toads.
"Don't be arrogant! Just a Six Paths being, think we haven't seen one?" "Dust Release – Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"
Imperial Deidara and several Tsuchikage simultaneously used Dust Release against Six Paths Madara.
"Useless!" Six Paths Madara didn't dodge; all attacks nearing him were absorbed by his Rinnegan.
"Impossible! In an instant… even Dust Release…" Ninja world people were shocked.
"Flying Thunder God Technique!" Minato and Tobirama used Hiraishin, appearing behind Six Paths Madara.
"Shinra Tensei!" The next moment, a massive repulsive force exploded.
Thousands of square meters of ground upheaved, all approaching ninja blasted back.
Edo Tensei shattered into paper scraps, living ninja lay coughing blood, gravely injured, some losing limbs, combat power gone.
"Too strong… is this the Six Paths form… not something humans can oppose!" Ōnoki, lying on the ground, struggled to lift his head, seeing Madara now, his memories flashing to childhood, seeing his foe… no! The power gap now was greater than then!
Madara now was clearly beyond human defeat!
"Madara's so strong." Hashirama's fragmented voice was bitter.
"Indeed strong… then, maybe he'll attack the Empire's Uchiha and Sasuke… Sage of the Six Paths, please ensure Madara kills those bastards!" Hiruzen prayed inwardly.
The situation was out of control; this was his only chance for revenge.
"Still some standing? How unsightly. Limbo: Border Jail!" Six Paths Madara glared.
Those still standing fell one by one, even Ninja World Minato pinned by a black rod, draining the last Yin Kyuubi.
Six Paths Madara, feeling his power grow, covered his face, laughing wildly: "Hahaha… this is the Sage of the Six Paths' power! I'm now invincible! Anyone before me is an ant! Hahaha…"
"You from the Empire… think of something…" Ninja World Tsunade, anxious, looked at Imperial Kakashi nearby.
"Pointless… Madara's Six Paths surpasses ordinary Six Paths. Our strength isn't enough. Now, we can only follow his orders and await true Empire experts' reinforcements." Imperial Kakashi said helplessly.
"How did it come to this! Foolish Jiraiya! If not for your idiocy, how could this happen!" Ninja World Tsunade glared angrily at Jiraiya, who bowed his face to the ground, ashamed and speechless.
"Madara-sama, you can now activate Infinite Tsukuyomi. No one in this world can stop you! Your wish will finally come true!" Black Zetsu urged cautiously, his heart racing.
"It's time for the final step. These ninja world people are like ants to me; playing with them further is boring." Six Paths Madara said, summoning the Divine Tree, flying skyward to activate the final Infinite Tsukuyomi.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Holy Land.
The Sage of the Six Paths sat cross-legged, observing the real world, sighing unconsciously: "Unexpectedly, it's reached this stage… the other world, the Empire's people, lost too. Then, must I act myself?"
"No… I swore before, I can't meddle in human affairs. So… let Ashura and Indra's reincarnations act…"
"Hmm… what's that?" The Sage was about to pull Naruto's dead soul into his space but saw the Ryumyaku in the human world, a beam of light soaring skyward.