After Uchiha Madara flew away from Konoha, he landed upon a cliff on a towering mountain. Shortly thereafter, the space beside him rippled like stones falling into a mirror-lake, then warped into a fist-sized black hole.
Madara's wood clone and Uchiha Obito emerged from the black hole in midair.
Obito pulled off his mask, then took out a vial containing a three-tomoe Sharingan from his body. Without hesitation, he dug out his already-blind left eye, and forcibly implanted the three-tomoe Sharingan from the vial into it.
Because the left half of Obito's body was composed of Hashirama's cells, his vision instantly returned to normal.
Seeing Madara reclaiming his own wood clone, Obito asked in puzzlement, "Why did you specifically take that priestess's chakra? She's so weak—how can her chakra be of any help to you?"
"I'm not too sure myself." Madara shrugged with a chuckle. "But certain things, even if not strong, can be crucial keys."
He clapped his hands together and said, "That Miko (priestess) power… it's a fragment of the key to opening the dimensional door."
Finishing these words, Madara pressed his palms together and spoke:
"Sage Mode—open!"
A blue aura materialized out of nowhere, surging outward to inward and fusing into Madara's body. Yet no red pigmentation appeared at the corners of Madara's eyes. If his upper clothing were removed, one would see that on the left side of his chest—where the Hashirama face had grown from the transplanted cells—red Sage markings had now emerged.
After instantly opening Sage Mode, Madara did not lower his clasped hands but rather assumed a grave expression, activating Yin Release to merge the sage chakra within his body with that Miko power.
All at once, Madara's Rinnegan radiated a brilliant purple glow. Its terrifying ocular power sent chills into Obito with just a glance, forcing him to hastily take a few steps back.
"What…what was that just now?" Obito felt cold sweat trickling down, alarmed. "Why did just one glance make me feel like my soul was about to be torn away?"
"Tch…"
As for Madara, he felt a burning heat in his palm, reflexively gasping in a breath of cold air.
Normally, even if he were pierced by dozens of arrows or had a blade run through him—he would hardly blink. As long as it was not instant death, any wound for a seasoned shinobi could be endured. Yet now, that burning pain compelled Madara to gasp. Clearly, the scorch did not target his flesh alone, but rather…his very soul.
Madara lowered his gaze to his hand, finding that somehow a white sun-like seal had appeared in his palm. At once, a massive trove of new information poured into his mind, and an unfamiliar energy replaced his sage chakra plus the priestess power inside him. Indeed—this was Six Paths Sage Chakra.
"So it's transmitted via the Rinnegan…"
Observing Madara's every move from not too far away, Izayoi silently noted:
During that moment when Madara maintained his hands pressed together, Izayoi vaguely perceived the shadow of the Sage of Six Paths on the other side of Madara's body. It was very evident that the Sage of Six Paths was using some hidden method—through the Rinnegan or something deeper—to deliver Yang-based power, perfecting Madara's final weakness and awakening his complete Six Paths strength.
Staring intently at Madara, Izayoi beheld over a dozen bubbles appear around him. Previously, Madara had one [Multi-Color] trait and one [Red] trait, but now, an additional four red traits had emerged:
[Sage Body (Red)]
[All-Attribute Constitution (Red)]
[Chakra Control (Red)]
[Bloodline Limit · Wood Style (Red)]
Seeing that, Izayoi felt neither alarm nor despair—he was, rather, delighted:
"Sure enough, it's just like me."
Indeed, once Izayoi could switch into Six Paths Sage Mode unaided by priestess chakra, three of his own traits had also advanced: All-Attribute Constitution, Chakra Control, and Wood Style. Now, Izayoi possessed two Multi-Color-tier traits and six Red-tier traits.
Precisely as he had anticipated: having mastered the strongest jutsu, Truth-Seeking Orbs, demanded all-seven-natures at their utmost refinement, plus top-grade chakra control, and the assistance of Yin-Yang Release to unify them. Hence the synergy had elevated All-Attribute Constitution and Chakra Control to Red status.
Now, with the Sage of Six Paths forcibly granting Madara the same synergy, Madara's newly awakened powers matched Izayoi's experience:
An ordinary shinobi's foundation was replaced by a Sage Body (Red).
Full-attribute synergy for forging high-level ninjutsu soared to All-Attribute Constitution (Red).
Chakra flow discipline soared to Chakra Control (Red).
And for offensive synergy, Madara's transplanted Wood Style likewise turned Red.
"It's the same as what Naruto and Sasuke once received," Izayoi thought inwardly. "But the old man's way of bestowing it differs. This is definitely no ephemeral hand-me-down. Madara is now truly in the same league."
Still, the Sage of Six Paths had not personally manifested, presumably to remain hidden from Izayoi's own detection. After all, if the Sage were to appear in front of Madara, given Madara's intelligence, he might realize the Sage was interfering with the living world. Then this "partnership" might sour.
"So it's not purely to target me—though that was my suspicion," Izayoi reflected. "If the Sage had deemed me an external threat from the Ōtsutsuki clan, he'd have told Madara directly. And Madara would come at me openly with the Sage's backing. So the old man must have a bigger plan or greater worries."
"I can't fathom his exact motive, but…all the better. My goal remains to transcend mortality. So let's see how they proceed."
…
"So this is the power of Six Paths Sage Mode?"
Feeling that new force, Madara's eyes wavered:
"No wonder that brat left me with an impression overshadowing even Ōtsutsuki Toneri. Nagato's or Hashirama's Sage Mode is nowhere near this dimension—this is an entirely different plane!"
Merely by entering it, Madara sensed every life signature in the shinobi world, not just shinobi but also civilians and creatures. He felt that he could even unite his chakra with them if he wanted, stepping forth to "touch" those life signatures. If so, something unimaginable might occur. This was only the enhanced perception. In terms of raw might, Madara believed he could now crush Hashirama's Great Buddha or even his own Perfect Susanoo with a single punch.
In short, everything about him had soared by an entire dimension. He possessed so much chakra that he no longer feared Tenseigan's absorption. With complete synergy of Yin and Yang, this was the crest of Six Paths power.
"Round Two…begins now!" Madara said with a grin. He shot into the sky. Having mastered Six Paths Sage Mode, he could freely fly, and the chakra cost was negligible—far less than maintaining Perfect Susanoo.
So Madara resolved to start where he had once been defeated: not using the space-time corridor, but literally flying to the moon.
Soaring upward, Madara quickly manifested black orbs from the newly gained knowledge swirling within his mind. Nine desk-sized black spheres hovered behind him—these Truth-Seeking Orbs capable of obliterating all creation.
"I knew he'd come to reclaim his dignity." Izayoi lightly smirked. "He's heading for the moon once more."
With that, Izayoi signaled his wood clone guarding the Yin Kyuubi. Soon, that clone also opened up Six Paths Sage Mode combined with Tenseigan Chakra Mode, scanning the entire moon's vicinity. Confirming that no spirit forms were secretly lurking, Izayoi canceled his own mode, performed a Wood Transformation to disguise himself as Ōtsutsuki Toneri, then teleported to the moon.
Standing inside a palace he'd shaped with Tenseigan orbs, Izayoi retracted the Toneri puppets. Seated upon the throne, he closed his eyes and waited for Madara.
No more than half an hour later, Madara appeared in that temple. Seeing him, Izayoi teased:
"Just got your Six Paths powers, and you can't wait to reclaim your pride?"
"You don't seem surprised," Madara replied, curious. "Could your eyes see even my new powers?"
"Which proves your eyes are but the eyes of a loser," Izayoi retorted, entering Tenseigan Chakra Mode. He raised a black orb brimming with universal destructive might, gazing haughtily: "You poured so much effort into obtaining what I easily wield. This is the difference between pure blood and a mongrel."
Madara gave a grave look:
"Have you always been so strong, or did you just become stronger?" He paused. "You once said your 'Ōtsutsuki clan's duty is to watch and judge the Shinobi World. When the Shinobi World becomes unsalvageable, you exterminate it and remake a new planet and new humanity. So how do you judge a world? Is it truly the moment I become the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki?"
Izayoi merely smirked:
"When did monkeys ever imagine the gods might fear a monkey turning demigod? If your Ten-Tails' jinchūriki forms the threshold, I could obliterate the Nine-Tails or one Jinchūriki, you'd never unify them. That's hardly our standard, you see."
Madara observed him quietly:
"Could it be there's a threat greater than the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki?"
Seeing Izayoi's eyes widen slightly, Madara said,
"So that's how it is."
"How did you guess?" Izayoi asked, crossing one leg elegantly in interest.
"A kid told me something," Madara said. "If your standard hinged on me becoming the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki, you'd have destroyed the world long ago. Or you'd only need to kill or remove one tailed beast. But you didn't do that."
"He concluded that you must have a trump card that surpasses even Ten-Tails' jinchūriki."
After hearing that, Izayoi revealed admiration. Madara thus felt more certain:
"Then there must be a threat even greater than the Ten-Tails, right? So, what is it?"
"Among monkeys, you truly are top-tier," Izayoi praised without scruple. Then, after verifying with his clone that no spirit forms lingered, he gave Madara a mischievous grin:
"I once mocked the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki as a 'false god.' So, can you guess what stands above a false god?"
Madara's face turned somber. Before he could speak, Izayoi simply said:
"Previously, I showed you a fabricated 'world's truth,' lacking a prologue. Now let me show you the real truth of this world!"
~~~
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