Chapter 64: The War heats up!

The Kamui Dimension bent and twisted as Obito raised his hand, both of his Mangekyō Sharingan glowing with murderous intent. I could feel it before I saw it—the shift in heat, the flicker of black light—

Amaterasu.

The jet-black flames erupted from nowhere, igniting around me in a vicious spiral. They didn't burn like normal fire—this was hatred given form. They clung to chakra, trying to devour it whole.

But I had prepared for this.

With the Rinnegan, my left eye snapped open fully. My perception expanded—every chakra flicker, every ripple of space, visible and clear. I twisted my wrist and raised my hand, manipulating the pull of gravity around me.

"Shinra Tensei."

The Amaterasu flames blasted away in an instant, torn from my body and hurled into the far void. I didn't wait. My sand launched forward in spiraling lances—dense, razor-edged, forged under high pressure.

Obito leapt back and his chakra surged violently. Behind him, it exploded outward in the shape of a colossal Susanoo—cyan and skeletal at first, then rapidly forming armored plates, claws, and a jagged blade that pulsed with mangled chakra.

I stared into the mismatched glow of his eyes, my own mismatched eyes spinning faster.

Obito's voice echoed through the warped space. "You're not the only one who's evolved."

His cyan Susanoo raised its sword and slashed, distorting the dimension around us with the force of its swing. I reacted immediately, summoning a gravitational field from the Deva Path, drawing the blow off-course with a tug from space itself. Still, the impact shattered a platform beneath me into glittering fragments.

"Banshō Ten'in!"

I activated the pull again—this time on Obito himself. The masked man stumbled forward, his Susanoo resisting the force but faltering just enough for me to act.

My right hand stretched out. "Animal Path—Summoning: Iron Sand Construct."

A giant centipede made of black iron sand burst forth from a distortion in the air, its body reinforced with chakra and laced with sealing formulas. It coiled and charged Obito from behind, striking like a hammer.

He turned—too late.

The construct slammed into his Susanoo, cracking part of its ribcage and flinging Obito through a floating spire of rock. I pressed the advantage, propelling myself forward with gravity bursts, sand whirling at my heels.

But as I closed the distance, his Sharingan flared again.

"Kamui."

His body phased out—the same trick he'd used so many times before.

I smirked, knowing now how the intangibility worked. This time his real body was out and open in reality.

"He cant leave his body out on the battle field for too long…"

My left eye pulsed again, space folding under my feet. I raised my palm, the Sharingan in my hand whirling to life.

"Izanami… not yet." I whispered to myself, keeping it in reserve.

Obito phased back into solidity just as I appeared behind him.

"Too slow," I muttered.

I slammed my palm into his shoulder—gravity imploded in that instant, concentrating on him as the center. His body warped, crushed into a localized black sphere—Chibaku Tensei, point-focused.

Obito howled as the cyan Susanoo tried to re-form around him, but the black sphere consumed everything—crushing, sealing, breaking the flow of chakra.

But still… he resisted.

"Impressive…" his muffled voice growled, his Sharingan burning through the pressure. "But you'll need more than that to end me."

I stepped back, panting lightly, preparing for the next clash.

This fight wasn't over.

But I had him on the defensive now.

The void twisted and screamed under the force of our techniques—sand whirling, Susanoo cleaving, Amaterasu burning, and my Rinnegan surging with raw gravitational force.

Obito's cyan Susanoo barreled forward, sword raised high, chakra roaring like a storm.

I countered with a blast of sand imbued with Deva Path force, knocking the Susanoo's arm aside just enough for me to slip through—straight toward the core.

I could see it.

Him.

Inside the ribs of the spectral warrior, masked and breathing hard, Obito was exposed.

I launched myself forward, cloaked in sand that solidified around my body like armor. His eyes widened behind the mask, and he tried to phase again—too late.

"Got you."

I slammed both hands forward, shattering the ribs of his Susanoo with a concentrated gravity burst. His defenses crumbled, and he tumbled across the floating battlefield with a snarl of pain.

He tried to rise.

I raised my left hand—Rinnegan glowing, energy condensing.

"Banshō Ten'in."

But I wasn't pulling him.

I aimed directly at his eye—the Kamui Sharingan.

The dimension quaked as gravity singled out the ocular chakra signature, twisting and dragging. Obito screamed—genuinely screamed—as his body contorted, his head snapped to the side, and the eye began to tear free.

"NO!!"

His howl of agony tore through the space as blood sprayed across his broken mask and cloak. The eye trembled—resisted—and then with a sickening shhk, it was ripped from the socket, trailing chakra and threads of flesh.

He collapsed forward, clutching his face that was gushing out blood from the hole in the right side of his eye socket, trembling, half-blind. His other Sharingan flickered weakly.

I stepped forward and caught the extracted eye in my palm, staring at it as it bled into my hand, still glowing faintly with power. I could feel it—space-warping energy, raw and unrestrained.

My Rinnegan scanned it.

Still viable.

I focused chakra into my palm, and the space there warped open into a glowing interface window visible only to me.

[Inventory Slot #3: Added – Kamui Sharingan (Obito)]

The eye vanished into the slot in a shimmer of light.

Obito coughed, struggling to lift himself from the ground. "You… bastard…"

I looked down at him, unmoved.

"You misused this gift. You used it to run, to hide, to tear the world apart with illusion and grief."

He didn't respond. Just knelt there, broken, blood dripping through the cracks in his shattered mask.

"Now," I continued, "I'll make sure it's never misused again."

He didn't look up.

And I didn't give him the mercy of comfort.

This war had no time for sentiment.

Only results.

He staggered to his feet, one hand pressed to the empty socket where his Kamui eye had been.

His breath was ragged. "I don't need Kamui to kill you."

He lunged forward, weaving hand seals with trembling fingers, trying to keep the fight alive. I could see the desperation in him now—not determination, but denial.

His remaining Sharingan spun violently, and a surge of fire chakra built in his gut.

"Katon: Bakufu Ranbu!"

Flames surged, but I'd already raised a wall of pressurized sand to extinguish the blast mid-air. I launched forward through the smoke, grabbed his wrist mid-swing, and drove my elbow into his sternum.

He crumpled.

I caught him by the collar before he hit the ground and spun him around into a brutal chokehold, my forearm crushing into his neck as I dragged him to his knees.

"You've lost," I said coldly. "But before I go…"

My left eye opened—the Kamui Sharingan pulsing with ethereal chakra as I channeled it.

"See the truth."

Obito struggled, veins bulging, but he couldn't resist. My eye caught his.

And he fell into the illusion.

Genjutsu World – Within the Kamui Sharingan's Illusion

Obito found himself standing in the middle of a mist-filled forest clearing. Cold, dense, quiet.

Rin stood ahead, frightened and disoriented, surrounded by masked Kiri shinobi. Their eyes were blank. Unfeeling.

Obito watched, frozen.

Then… the mist shimmered.

From behind them, threads of chakra became visible—dark, sickly red lines, connecting the Kiri soldiers to an unseen figure atop a high tree branch.

Obito's breath caught in his throat.

The silhouette stepped forward, its presence suffocating, regal, inevitable.

Madara.

"You never questioned how they were always in the right place," my voice whispered behind Obito, narrating. "How they knew where Rin would be. How they just suddenly implanted the Three-Tails into her."

The Kiri shinobi began to twitch unnaturally.

"They weren't acting on their own. They were under Madara's direct control."

Suddenly, the illusion reversed—time unraveling itself. The Mist shinobi were shown before the ambush, unconscious and twitching, black rods embedded in their bodies.

Nagato's technique. The Six Paths. Used before Nagato even existed.

Madara's voice echoed now within the genjutsu:"They'll kill her, and the boy will witness it. Loss… is the path to hatred. Hatred… is the path to power."

The scene jumped again.

Rin, desperate, crying, begged Kakashi to end her life before the Mist shinobi unleashed her within Konoha.

"I can't—Rin, I can't!"

"You have to. They'll kill everyone!"

She leapt forward. His glowing hand pierced her chest.

Not out of betrayal… but mercy.

He saw her last smile. Her thank you.

He screamed. Again.

Obito's scream tore through the illusion.

And yet the genjutsu didn't stop there anyways.

The ground shifted—a cavern, dimly lit by chakra lamps. Madara watched from the shadows as White Zetsu whispered reports, displaying footage through spores.

"He's arrived," the Zetsu said.

Madara nodded. "Good. Let him see the blood."

And in the next moment, Obito's younger self barreled into the clearing… too late.

The memory and the truth collided. 

Obito fell to his knees as the pieces clicked together.

He looked up at me—present-day Gaara—standing over him in this illusionary space.

"He planned everything." My voice was low, cutting.

"You think you chose this path? You think the world did this to you? No. Madara Uchiha did."

"He made you his weapon before you even knew what you were fighting for."

Rin's body vanished.

The mist faded.

And Obito was left kneeling in a silent clearing with nothing but truth around him.

Back in the Kamui Dimension

He gasped and convulsed in my grip, his chakra wildly unstable. Blood and tears poured from his remaining eye.

"Rin… Rin…"

I released him. He slumped to the ground like a puppet with cut strings.

"You wanted the truth?" I said quietly. "Now live with it."

He didn't speak.

I turned my back to him, opened a vortex, and stepped through.

The portal sealed behind me with a final shimmer of chakra.

And Obito remained, alone, broken, and blinded in the void of his own making.

Third Company Battlefield – Amidst the War

The battlefield was chaos. Third Company was locked in a grueling clash with a swarm of White Zetsu. The enemy's most dangerous trick wasn't sheer numbers—it was deception.

Each Zetsu had the uncanny ability to perfectly mimic any shinobi it touched, down to the exact chakra signature. Confusion ran rampant. Allies turned on one another. Trust fractured. The body count climbed.

Amidst the blood and mud stood the unlikely duo—Jiraiya and Orochimaru, legends of the Sannin.

"This is getting out of hand, wouldn't you say, Jiraiya?" Orochimaru muttered, slashing through a Zetsu that had taken the form of a Cloud shinobi.

Jiraiya scowled. "Tell me about it. These freaks can copy chakra now? It's more than transformation—they're indistinguishable. One wrong move and you end up stabbing your comrade."

Orochimaru chuckled, pulling his kunai free from another fallen mimic. "Hmm. A shame. If you ask me, it's simpler to eliminate everyone. No more guessing. Allies, enemies… corpses don't lie."

Jiraiya turned, aghast. "Are you serious?! These are our people, Orochimaru! We can't just—!"

That's when blood spattered the air.

Jiraiya blinked in shock. A kunai had nearly struck him—from behind. But it never landed.

Another Orochimaru stood behind him, hand skewered through the fake's wrist, stopping the slash mid-swing.

"The hell are you doing, Jiraiya? Quit gawking and kill this thing already," the real Orochimaru hissed.

Jiraiya didn't hesitate—a Rasengan exploded into the imposter's chest, launching it into a twisted heap.

He exhaled… then immediately turned back toward Orochimaru, another Rasengan charging in his palm.

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow. "Oh, now what?"

"How do I know you're the real Orochimaru?" Jiraiya asked, narrowed eyes full of suspicion.

"Tch… Do you seriously think another Zetsu would bother saving you?" Orochimaru snapped, annoyed. "Use your head for once."

Jiraiya didn't budge. "The last one talked exactly like you. Creepy, vague, heartless… Honestly, it was convincing."

"Hmph. A fair point," Orochimaru conceded. "Still, I'd rather experiment on these things than kill them outright. Such fascinating subjects..."

He licked his lips, eyes glittering with mad curiosity. "But I'm just a clone. My real body's busy handling Kabuto."

That sealed it.

Jiraiya lowered his Rasengan and gave a half-laugh. "Yep… that's you, alright. No one else would say something that disturbing with such pride."

"Glad we've re-established trust," Orochimaru said dryly.

"But we are going to have a long talk after this war about your ethics," Jiraiya muttered as he cracked his knuckles. "Just a heads-up."

Orochimaru smiled, completely unfazed. "I never claimed to be a moral man. I'm only here because the Infinite Tsukuyomi is insanity incarnate. Don't mistake that for redemption."

Jiraiya sighed. "Well, at least you're self-aware. That's more than I can say for Kabuto."

The earth rumbled.

Fifty White Zetsu emerged from the treeline, forming a loose circle around the Sannin duo.

"They want a piece of us, huh?" Jiraiya said, smirking as he crouched into a stance.

"Shall we show them why that's a mistake?" Orochimaru asked, gathering chakra as snakes coiled around his arms.

Jiraiya grinned. "For once, I like the way you think."

The Sannin leapt forward—two legends, shoulder to shoulder, tearing into the enemy with overwhelming force.

The Zetsu didn't stand a chance.

Madara's Arrival – First Company Battlefield

Madara descended from the sky within his towering Susanoo, landing with a thunderous crash that cracked the earth beneath him. Dust billowed outward as he emerged, the gleam of anticipation in his eyes unmistakable.

Adrenaline surged through him. This—this was what he had been waiting for.

First Company stood before him: an elite group of shinobi, carefully selected for their strength and experience. To Madara, they were nothing more than a warm-up. He wanted to savor this.

"Let's see what you've got," he said calmly.

Madara clapped his hands together and dozens of Wood Style clones sprouted into existence, each one immediately cloaked in its own humanoid Susanoo. Their armored forms glimmered with ominous chakra, a perfect counter to the numerical advantage First Company had.

With a satisfied smirk, Madara gave the silent command—and the clones charged.

The battlefield erupted into chaos as the First Company scattered to face the clones individually, leaving the real Madara standing across from the one person he had been aching to fight for decades:

Hashirama Senju.

"Let's settle this once and for all, Hashirama," Madara growled, brandishing his scythe.

Hashirama stood tall, sorrow flickering in his eyes as he summoned a chakra sword. "Are you certain you won't reconsider? I've said it before—I'd rather not fight my best friend again."

Madara rolled his eyes. "Shut up and fight."

"…Have it your way," Hashirama said with a sigh before charging forward.

Their weapons clashed with a deafening crash, echoing through the battlefield like thunder.

Elsewhere – Gai, Tsunade, and Mei vs. a Madara Clone

Tsunade, Mei, and Gai had taken on one of the Madara clones, but the Susanoo armor made getting close nearly impossible. For now, they were on the defensive.

"Any ideas on how to break through this thing?" Mei asked, dodging another swing from the clone's massive blade.

"That depends," Tsunade said, flipping backward. "Do either of you have something strong enough to shatter its Susanoo?"

"I might," Gai said, his brow furrowed with intensity. "But I'll need time—someone has to distract it."

"You're sure it'll work?" Mei asked.

"The power of youth burns within me. I will not fail!" Gai replied, fire blazing in his eyes.

Tsunade and Mei exchanged a quick nod before facing the clone.

The Madara clone scoffed. "What do you think you weaklings can do? You'll only serve to entertain me."

He swung his blade toward them with incredible speed—but that's when Tsunade's seal flared to life.

"CHAAAA!" she screamed, driving a chakra-infused punch into the Susanoo's sword, shattering it and disabling both arms in a single blow.

"Now!" Tsunade yelled.

Mei leapt forward, hands flashing through signs. "Lava Style: Magma Ball Jutsu!"

A massive sphere of molten lava burst forward, crashing into the Susanoo. The impact was powerful—but when the smoke cleared, the clone still stood, its armor cracked but intact.

"Pathetic," the clone mocked. "Your fiery little rock didn't even dent me. What now?"

Mei smirked. "Now? Now I sit back and enjoy the show."

The clone's expression shifted—confusion, then alarm—as he sensed the sudden spike of chakra behind him.

He spun around—too late.

Gai stood there, blue steam radiating from his body, his fingers locked in the Tiger seal.

"Seventh Gate: Gate of Wonder… OPEN!"

"Daytime Tiger!"

The air collapsed inward from the sheer pressure of Gai's punch, forming a massive shockwave in the shape of a roaring tiger. The technique struck the Susanoo clone with explosive force, shattering the armor completely and sending the clone flying back into the dirt.

The clone's body trembled as it began to dissipate. "Impressive… I didn't expect you three to take out a clone with no casualties," he admitted. "Now I truly can't wait to fight you all myself."

And with that, the clone vanished in a puff of smoke.

The trio stood together, catching their breath. Their victory was hard-won—but temporary.

They all knew it.

There were still dozens of clones on the battlefield, and the real Madara had yet to lift a finger.

But for now, they'd celebrate the win—and steel themselves for what came next.

Gaara & Darui vs. Madara's Clone

Gaara's sand clone stood firm beside Darui as the two shinobi defended against the relentless strikes of Madara's clone. Thanks to Gaara's Sand Shield and their combined speed, neither had suffered damage—but they were locked in a frustrating stalemate.

"No matter what we throw at him, that Susanoo isn't budging," Darui muttered, ducking behind the swirling defense of sand.

"Hey, Kazekage… any chance we can pull the clone out of that thing?" he asked, peering through the dust.

Gaara narrowed his eyes. "I might be able to drag him out with my sand—but only for a moment. He'd recover quickly… unless I used my Rinnegan."

Darui shook his head, a faint smirk playing on his lips as Black Lightning began coursing over his arms.

"A moment's more than enough."

Gaara glanced at him, momentarily surprised—then he returned the smirk and gave a nod.

With a wave of his hand, Gaara let the Sand Shield collapse, then launched a massive tidal wave of sand directly at the Madara clone.

"Do you really think that sand can hold me, little Jinchūriki?" the clone sneered. "You're mistaken."

The Susanoo raised its blade and smashed through the sand wall effortlessly—but then the clone felt something clutching at his legs.

Too late.

Thin tendrils of sand had coiled around his ankles, and in an instant, he was ripped cleanly from the Susanoo's chest cavity, landing hard at Darui's feet.

Darui didn't hesitate.

"Lightning Style: Black Panther!"

A fierce crack echoed as a snarling panther of pure black lightning surged forward, slamming into the clone. Electricity crackled violently as the Madara clone let out a grunt—before exploding into ash and smoke.

The battlefield fell quiet for a moment. Gaara and Darui let out synchronized sighs of relief.

"That was close," Gaara muttered.

"Too close," Darui agreed, brushing sparks off his sleeve.

They were just about to rush off to aid Ōnoki—who was still fending off a clone alone—when something caught their eye.

Ōnoki was already flying toward them, looking… oddly composed.

The old Reanimated Tsuchikage hovered down, glancing briefly at the scorched ground where the clone had fallen.

"It seems you two didn't need my help after all," he said with a satisfied nod.

Both Gaara and Darui stared at him, stunned.

Ōnoki raised an eyebrow. "Why are you looking at me like that? You really think I couldn't handle a simple Wood Clone?"

"It's not that," Gaara replied carefully. "We just… weren't expecting you to finish it so fast."

And without dying, Darui added silently.

Ōnoki chuckled. "My Particle Style made quick work of the Susanoo. The rest was child's play."

Then his tone hardened.

"Now stop gawking and let's go. The real Madara is waiting—and the First Hokage can't handle him alone."

With that, the old man turned and flew off toward the center of the battlefield.

Gaara and Darui exchanged one more look of disbelief before shaking their heads and following close behind.

Madara vs. First Company – The Turning Point

Madara was thoroughly enjoying his battle with Hashirama. The two had exchanged countless high-level techniques—yet neither bore a scratch.

Of course, it wasn't just thanks to their formidable healing. They were both reanimated, impervious to conventional damage.

Madara had already summoned his Perfect Susanoo, while Hashirama countered with his Wood Dragon and Wood Golem. The battlefield shook under the might of their titanic jutsu. Now, after their most recent clash, the two legendary shinobi stood apart, breathing heavily as their techniques momentarily powered down.

Hashirama offered a faint smile as he noticed something.

"It seems your wood clones have all been dealt with, Madara. You underestimated them," he said calmly.

Madara scoffed, his lips curling into a smirk.

"I wasn't underestimating anyone, you idiot."

Hashirama raised an eyebrow. "Then why send the clones at all?"

Madara's smirk deepened. "Two reasons. First—to buy us some alone time. I wanted to fight you one-on-one again without interruption. And second…"

His Rinnegan gleamed faintly.

"…so I could analyze the techniques of your allies."

Hashirama's expression hardened as realization dawned, but before he could speak, Madara's body relaxed, as though he'd already won.

"This has been a fun dance, Hashirama. But it looks like our alone time is over."

As if on cue, reinforcements arrived—fast and fierce. Tsunade, Mei, and Gai were first to land, followed closely by Minato, Naruto, Tobirama, and several reanimated Kage, including Hiruzen and Ōnoki. The battlefield was now filled with high-caliber shinobi.

Gaara's sand clone stepped forward, addressing Madara with a voice like shifting earth.

"Give up, Madara. Your clones failed, and now you're surrounded. There's no outcome here where you walk away victorious."

Madara chuckled at first, low and quiet—but soon, it grew into a loud, manic laughter that echoed across the battlefield.

"Surrounded? Perhaps," he said. "But that's exactly where I wanted you."

His Rinnegan flared, and before anyone could react, Madara raised his palm toward Hashirama.

"Universal Pull."

Hashirama's eyes widened as he was violently yanked through the air toward Madara, unable to resist the gravitational force. Madara's hand latched onto his throat, halting his momentum.

"You…!" Hashirama choked, as he felt his chakra rapidly drain away.

"Madara's absorbing his chakra!" Tobirama shouted, alarm flooding his face. The moment filled him with an eerie sense of horror.

Without hesitation, he drew his blade and surged forward.

"Don't let him fully absorb my brother's chakra!"

The rest of First Company leapt into action alongside him, but Madara only smirked and tightened his grip on Hashirama's throat. Then, with his free hand, he focused a pulse of chakra.

"Almighty Push."

A massive shockwave erupted, sending everyone flying like ragdolls.

Madara then resumed absorbing Hashirama's chakra. The bark-like cracks of Edo Tensei began to crawl across Hashirama's body as he writhed. When Madara had drained all he could, he finally let go—only to slam a chakra receiver into Hashirama's back, pinning him to the ground.

The God of Shinobi lay still, immobilized.

With Hashirama neutralized, Madara's attention shifted. His gaze locked onto the battlefield beyond.

"The Tailed Beasts… They're next."

He bit his thumb and began forming the hand signs for a summoning jutsu—but he was quickly cut off by a powerful surge of chakra.

Naruto and Minato, both cloaked in their glowing Bijuu forms, rushed in with twin Rasengan aimed straight at his chest.

Madara's eyes flicked to them, unimpressed. He raised both hands and, with perfect timing, absorbed the jutsu with his Rinnegan.

Then, with a mere thought, his Susanoo reappeared—its massive arms sweeping forward and sending the father and son crashing backward.

Madara exhaled calmly, his power growing by the second.

"This battlefield... is mine now."

Orochimaru & Jiraiya – The Hunt for Kabuto

Orochimaru and Jiraiya had just led their forces to victory against the wave of White Zetsu and reanimated shinobi opposing them. However, the battle wasn't truly over—not until the Edo Tensei was released and the trapped souls of the fallen shinobi were freed.

Orochimaru closed his eyes, focusing intently as he reached out with his chakra-sensing abilities. It didn't take long.

He felt it—a concentrated and ominous chakra signature, tucked away in a cave not far from their current location. The energy was intense and focused, positioned almost perfectly equidistant from all major battlefields.

A suspiciously strategic location.

"Too perfect," Orochimaru murmured to himself. "Almost like Kabuto wants to be found."

As if summoned by the thought, a small garden snake slithered up to him and coiled at his feet. Orochimaru bent down, picked it up, and listened as it whispered the coordinates—exactly where he had suspected.

He turned to Jiraiya, a rare glint of excitement in his eyes.

"Come on, Jiraiya. I'm certain Kabuto is in that cave. He should be facing off against my main body—and hopefully, Itachi as well. If we can force him to undo the Edo Tensei…"

He paused, his voice growing colder, more assured.

"Then we'll converge on Madara. I don't care how powerful he is—there's no way he can stand against the combined strength of every shinobi alive."

Jiraiya blinked, snapping out of his thoughts, then gave a sharp nod.

"Right. Let's end this."

With the battlefield behind them and purpose driving them forward, the two legendary Sannin sprinted toward the heart of the enemy's control.

Toward Kabuto.

Toward the end of the Edo Tensei.

[Timeskip – The Cave Entrance]

Jiraiya and Orochimaru's clone made their way through the war-torn forest toward the cave that had once held the chakra signature of Kabuto Yakushi. But before they could enter, they stopped in their tracks.

Walking toward them from the shadows of the cave were three figures—Orochimaru's main body, Kabuto, and Itachi Uchiha. Kabuto's steps were slow and careful, like someone recovering from a fog. Orochimaru's true form walked with his usual composed swagger, and Itachi, strangely enough, moved as if partially spent. One of his Sharingan eyes was completely blank.

Jiraiya's brow raised in mild surprise."Wow… is this your disciple, Orochimaru? He looks… weird."

Orochimaru rolled his eyes, though his expression showed more fatigue than annoyance. Kabuto noticed it—but what confused him was the lack of malice in Orochimaru's gaze. That wasn't the Orochimaru he used to know.

"Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto began hesitantly, "where do your allegiances lie now? Are you a shinobi of Konoha again? Are we… loyal to the Leaf?"

Orochimaru chuckled softly, a smirk forming on his lips."I wouldn't go that far. I hold no loyalty to Konoha. But I am opposed to Madara—and it just so happens that the goals of the Allied Forces and I align. For now."

Jiraiya glanced sideways at him and scoffed mentally.'He's so full of crap. He knows he's leaning back toward Konoha—but I guess Madara is the excuse he tells himself.'

"I was needed," Orochimaru added, voice cool, "to ensure you released the Reanimation Jutsu."

Kabuto bowed his head in silent understanding. After all he'd experienced—especially under the Izanami—he no longer had the pride to argue with Orochimaru."Of course Lord Orochimaru, I'll release it immediately. Oh, and since we're on the side of the Allied Forces now; I guess I should return this" 

He then gestured, and from the cave, a clone emerged carrying an unconscious figure covered in slime—Anko Mitarashi.

Jiraiya's expression hardened. "What the hell?!"

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, silently asking 'Why?'

"I needed more of your chakra from her curse mark," Kabuto said quickly. "Besides… she attacked me first."

"It doesn't matter," Orochimaru replied, tone suddenly sharp. "Undo the Jutsu. And return my chakra. I'll be heading to confront Madara once this is finished."

Kabuto nodded obediently. "Yes, Lord Orochimaru."

As Kabuto moved to perform the hand seals, Jiraiya sidled closer to Orochimaru, keeping his voice low.

"That was… surprisingly easy. What did you do to make this kid so loyal to you?"

Orochimaru's eyes glinted as he gave a faint smirk."I gave him a purpose… and kept him safe when no one else would. In return, he offers me unwavering loyalty."He glanced at Kabuto for a brief second. "Not a bad exchange, wouldn't you say?"

Jiraiya folded his arms."So you're like a foster father… who experiments on all his foster kids?"

Orochimaru gave no reply. His silence was answer enough.

As Kabuto finished the hand signs, the tension in the air shifted. A wave of chakra pulsed through the battlefield—the Edo Tensei had been released.

Itachi stepped forward then, his gaze distant. The blankness in his one eye was haunting.

"It's done," he said, voice calm but hollow. "The Edo Tensei will unravel shortly… but Madara remains."

[Battlefield – Moments After Kabuto Releases Edo Tensei]

Madara stood firm amid the smoldering battlefield. Dust swirled around him as Naruto and Minato, both cloaked in their Bijuu chakra, charged in again with a double Rasengan. His Rinnegan eyes narrowed—not in alarm, but mild annoyance.

He swatted away the Rasengan with his Perfect Susanoo's armored hand, sending both father and son skidding backward through broken earth and scattered flames.

But then…A pulse.

A wave of unnatural stillness swept through the land. The air grew thinner. Chakra signatures—dozens, hundreds of them—began to flicker and fade across the battlefield.

Madara paused.

"…So… it's been released," he said quietly, almost to himself.

Cracks began to form along his arms, his body glowing faintly with the telltale light of Edo Tensei release. A cruel smile spread across his face.

"Hmph. I suppose Kabuto couldn't hold on for that long after all."

Naruto gritted his teeth. "It's over, Madara! You're done!"

Madara chuckled darkly as he looked down at his hands."Over?" he echoed. "No… this form may fade… but do not confuse that with defeat."

Before anyone could move—a sudden warping sound rang out through the battlefield. Like space itself was folding inward.

A dark spiral expanded in the air behind Madara.

Gaara's main body had arrived.

Madara turned slowly, sensing the anomaly.His smirk began to fade.

"You…"

Without a word, Gaara lifted his hand—a black vortex forming in his left Eye.

Kamui.

In a flash of distortion, Madara's torso was sucked violently to the side—ripped cleanly in half by the dimensional pull. His legs collapsed to the ground as the upper half of his body vanished into Kamui space—then, a moment later, was spat back out, dropping to the ground like a ragdoll.

The battlefield fell silent. Naruto stared in disbelief.

"Gaara? What the hell was that, but it is about time you arrive anyways?!"

Minato's gaze locked on the Sharingan in Gaara's eye. "That's… Obito's Kamui…"

Madara's torso reattached to his legs with a sound like cracking bones and snapping flesh, the eerie glow of Edo Tensei sealing his body whole once again. Dust clung to his armor, and for a long second, silence reigned.

He looked toward Gaara—his one Rinnegan now sitting ominously in the boy's right eye socket.

Madara's expression darkened. Then, his voice cut through the tension like a blade.

"Pathetic."

His tone was sharp and venomous, not directed at Gaara—but behind him.

"To think… I entrusted the Eye of God to a weakling like Obito. I asked you to stall—distract—buy time for my plan to unfold. And what did you do?" He took a slow step forward, his voice rising like thunder.

"You were outwitted by a boy with the weakest tailed beast! Defeated by a shinobi who talks about friendship in the middle of battle so quickly!"

His glare shifted to the creeping mass of Black Zetsu, slithering awkwardly along the edge of a nearby rock.

"And you…" he spat. "The so-called will of Mine. You allowed Nagato's Rinnegan—my Rinnegan—to be stolen right under your nose."

Madara's chakra flared, black tendrils of malevolence seeping from his form as his Susanoo flickered into being behind him.

Black Zetsu slithered from a nearby crevice, having just returned from a failed skirmish elsewhere. "It wasn't our fault. He caught us off guar—"

"Silence," Madara snapped. "You and Obito have proven to be utter failures. Every move you've made has only benefited the enemy."

He then stared into Gaara's Rinnegan with sharp disdain.

"Giving my power to a jinchūriki whose greatest strength is sand? What a disgraceful use of such an eye."

He exhaled through his nose. His fury seemed to collapse in on itself. His gaze steadied.

"…Tch. No matter."

The wind blew between them. He stared at Gaara with an unnerving calm.

"I will simply take it back."

Naruto stepped forward, cloak burning brighter."You're not laying a finger on him, Madara."

Gaara remained calm, his voice even."You talk too much, Madara. This eye sees everything—and it sees your end."

Madara chuckled softly. "Big words, coming from corpses in waiting."

Without another word, Naruto and Gaara's chakra exploded outward—synchronized like twin storms.

From Naruto, the blazing orange of Kurama's chakra layered with glowing markings of perfect KCM Sage Mode.

From Gaara, the golden sand of Shukaku mixed with the ethereal patterns of Rinnegan Sage Mode—a new, stable form powered by both perfect jinchūriki control and ocular power.

The earth beneath them cracked from the sheer pressure.

The two stood shoulder to shoulder—one burning like the sun, the other swirling like a desert storm.

Madara's expression twisted with a mixture of irritation and excitement."…Interesting."

His Susanoo flared to life again—bigger than before, its armor jagged with rage.

"If this is how you wish to fight… then come. I'll remind you all why I was feared as a God of War."