"You know too much."
Surprise flashed across Naruto Uzumaki's face as he sent a giant golden chakra claw reaching for the Susanoo. The blue Susanoo swung its blade, cutting the massive claw in half.
Madara Uchiha stood on the Susanoo's crystalline head, looking down at Naruto, who was enveloped in a golden chakra cloak. "The Nine-Tails' power is much weaker than before," he said coldly.
"Even if Kurama only has half his power left, he can still defeat you!" Naruto scoffed. He clapped his hands together and shouted, "Wood Style: Wood Golem Jutsu!"
A towering wood golem erupted from the ground beneath Naruto's feet. The golden chakra cloak immediately flowed from his body, enveloping the golem and turning it into a giant golden figure.
The corner of Madara's eye twitched. He tapped his arm. "So, you've obtained Hashirama's Wood Style? Hmph, how interesting. Wood Style: Armored Wood Golem!"
With a roar from Madara, another towering wood golem shot up from the ground. The blue Susanoo instantly broke apart, re-forming as pieces of armor that fitted onto the wood golem, making it look even more imposing than Naruto's.
The golden wood golem and the blue wood golem collided.
Sand and stone flew everywhere. The surrounding Konoha ninjas had to retreat, leaving the battlefield to the two strongest people in the ninja world.
"Is that still the power of a ninja...?"
Every Konoha ninja seeing the golden wood golem for the first time wore an expression of shock and confusion, staring blankly at the battlefield.
The golden wood golem threw a punch at the blue one. Madara was fearless. A giant blue chakra blade appeared in his armored golem's hand, and it slashed down fiercely toward Naruto.
"Spiral Dance Umbrella!" Naruto let out a low, cold shout.
A giant, golden, spear-like weapon materialized in the golden wood golem's hand, blocking the chakra blade. The earth trembled. No one could have imagined that the battle between these two would be so intense. Ordinary ninja couldn't even hope to get involved.
What was even harder to imagine was that this was just their opening exchange.
The battle raged for two days and two nights without stopping, the battlefield shifting all the way from the gates of Konoha to the Valley of the End.
Naruto was very familiar with Madara's power. He knew the man, with his Rinnegan, had yet to unleash his full strength. After all, in the future Fourth Great Ninja War, a revived Madara would defeat the entire Allied Shinobi Forces and all nine Tailed Beasts with just a single Sharingan.
Of course, it wasn't that he was that strong on his own. Honestly, Naruto thought, if Might Guy hadn't gone with Jiraiya to attack the Rain Village, he probably could have opened the Eight Gates and kicked the current Madara to death.
Naruto couldn't understand Madara's state of mind, coming to Konoha now to capture the Tailed Beasts with only a pair of Rinnegan.
"The warm-up ends here," Madara declared, cracking his knuckles and offering Naruto some rare praise. "As expected of Hashirama's successor. In terms of Wood Style ninjutsu alone, besides Hashirama, no one can match you."
"Oh." Naruto was unmoved by the praise. Instead, he said softly, "I thought you would hide like a rat after you were revived."
"Hmph!" Madara's face filled with contempt. "After Hashirama died, there is no one in the entire ninja world who can be my opponent. Why should I hide?"
"That doesn't seem very wise," Naruto noted, tilting his head. "Appearing before me with only a pair of Rinnegan... I can't quite figure you out. Madara Uchiha, did you come here seeking death, finding life meaningless after your revival?"
The implication was subtle but clear. Even without Might Guy, the current Madara was no match for Konoha's combined forces. His chances of winning against Naruto, the Fifth Hokage, were even lower.
"You have a sharp tongue!" Madara quickly clapped his hands together and unleashed a massive torrent of flames at Naruto. "Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
"..." Naruto extended his hand, covering the flames, and sighed softly. "This really is karma... Sealing Jutsu: Devour!"
The fire-style chakra was quickly absorbed into Naruto's body. He remembered how, in the Fourth Great Ninja War, Madara had used his Rinnegan to absorb Naruto's Sage Art: Massive Rasen Shuriken, beating him down completely. Now it was his turn to absorb Madara's ninjutsu.
"Is that... the ability to absorb chakra, just like the Rinnegan?"
Madara froze for an instant, staring at Naruto's hand as the flames disappeared. Then, a smile spread across his lips.
"Then have a taste of this!"
Madara suddenly raised his finger. The blue wood golem simultaneously clapped its hands, forming a hand seal. The smile in Madara's eyes was undeniable as he looked at Naruto. "Brat, how are you going to absorb this jutsu?"
A giant meteor began to fall from the sky. It was one of the Rinnegan's signature jutsu: Shattered Heaven.
Naruto remained fearless. It wasn't the first time he'd seen it. Under his control, the golden wood golem raised its hand, and a giant chakra cyclone gradually formed in its palm. A brilliant sphere of chakra energy shot out from the golem's hand, piercing the falling meteor and shattering it to pieces.
The young Hokage calmly retracted his hand, glanced at the surprised Madara, and said softly, "Madara Uchiha, stop testing me. I know more about the Rinnegan's abilities than you do."
Madara didn't believe him. He just sneered, "I am the second person to possess the Sage's Eyes since the Sage of Six Paths."
"Is that so?" Naruto's face remained calm as he continued. "Then that's quite a coincidence. The Rinnegan I cultivated should be the third pair of Sage's Eyes in the ninja world, right?"
He was talking about Itachi Uchiha's Rinnegan.
Madara's expression changed drastically. He stared at Naruto, his gaze lethal. "That brat named Itachi... you helped him awaken the Rinnegan? How could you know this secret?"
"No wall is perfectly soundproof." Naruto reached out as if to catch a wisp of the gentle breeze, his eyes fixed on the Black Zetsu always attached to Madara. He said suddenly, "It would be very interesting to reveal some secrets... Don't you think so, Mr. Black Zetsu?"
Black Zetsu: "..."
As a mastermind who had schemed for a thousand years, Black Zetsu felt a flicker of panic. Naruto wouldn't call it out for no reason, right? But it forced itself to remain calm. Don't panic... Could someone else possibly know its secret?
The young Hokage looked between Black Zetsu and Madara. "Since you can't escape today anyway," he said softly, "it's better for everyone to speak frankly."
Madara's expression was unreadable. He glanced coldly at the Black Zetsu on his body. "Black Zetsu is my will. Could he have something to hide from me?"
-----
Bonus Scene
Madara: I have the second Rinnegan in the ninja world!
Naruto: I cultivated the third Rinnegan in the ninja world!
Madara: I am a founder of Konoha!
Naruto: Oh, I'm the last Hokage of Konoha.
Madara: ???
Hashirama: ???
Tobirama: ???
Minato: ???
Naruto: Why are you all so confused?
Hashirama: What did you mean by that just now?
Naruto: After I kill Madara, take the Gedo Statue, and revive the Ten-Tails, I'll be immortal. There won't be any Sixth or Seventh Hokage...
Hiruzen: Naruto, how can you be so greedy for power!
Danzo: Monkey, what right do you have to talk about others