"This world has no concept of victory," Tobi said, grinding his heel into Naruto Uzumaki's back. "Your hope… is just an illusion. The light you believe in is meaningless. People put their faith in figures like the Hokage, Tsuchikage, Mizukage, Raikage, and Kazekage. But in the end, they all died and vanished. That's why Konoha carves every Hokage's face into stone—to serve as a warning for future generations."
"You're pathetic," Naruto muttered from the ground. "How could I lose? How could I possibly lose to someone like you who believes in nothing?" A ninja's fight is a clash of wills—a high-stakes gamble where belief surpasses life and death. But tonight felt different.
"The conviction your parents left you before they died, and your determination to fulfill their unfinished dream—it's all worthless," Tobi said. More pieces of his mask fell from his face. "I'm tired of people like you thinking that having some half-baked idea and hoping others follow it will make the world better. I'm sick of those so-called 'heroes' hiding behind gravestones, making pathetic excuses when they fail."
"At least I'm not a coward like you, too scared to openly admit what you've done. You'd rather watch the world burn and turn the survivors into mindless puppets," Naruto gritted his teeth against the searing pain in his shoulder. The Black Receiver in Tobi's hand had pierced through his shoulder.
"I will free this world from suffering once and for all. Just like with your mother, I'll let you live long enough to witness it. I'll witness your transformation firsthand. I'll show you the truth. When you finally understand, I'll release you from this decaying world. I'll grant you freedom inside the dream of Infinite Tsukuyomi."
"A dream? You actually call that a dream?" Naruto tried to rise again, but was forced back down. His fingers brushed the sword hilt, yet he lacked the strength to grip it tightly.
Tobi's mask cracked again, revealing the grotesque scar running across his right face.
"I can be merciful too, Naruto. After all, you're still just a child—not yet grown into a true man. Letting you endure this pain feels almost cruel. But you'll understand. I'll make sure you do. Use your imagination. Picture it clearly. Imagine a place where the people you love never suffer or feel pain again…"
"My imagination…" Naruto murmured, his vision blurring.
"B." The words of the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki suddenly surfaced in his mind—those words spoken last time they were on the sea surface heading toward the Land of Fire. They had discussed B's chosen weapon and how it possessed unique Yin-Yang properties.
"If Yin-Yang energy allowed the Sage of Six Paths to create the world, why not try using it to transform your sword? Don't waste that power!"
[Yin Release allows dreams to take form, while Yang Release can transform illusions into reality. Combined, they can give birth to life itself—something completely unprecedented. This is the true transformation ability of the Millennium Blade.]
"Let me see something new!"
"Well then, why not?" Naruto muttered to himself. "I'm already drained... I don't care anymore how much chakra this will consume."
He steeled his resolve and decided to bet everything in one go. He lifted his head, gripping the Millennium Blade that pierced through his wound with all his might, and raised it before him.
[Millennium Blade: One — Materialization...]
As the sword erupted in blinding white light, Naruto poured his willpower into it. What did he need most at this moment? First off, clothing—he was nearly naked, soaked, blood-stained, and burned. Second, armor strong enough to support his body, since he was certain his spine had suffered serious damage.
In an instant, the Millennium Blade erupted in blinding white light, shattered into countless pieces, swirled around Naruto's body, and reformed around him.
Tobi was momentarily stunned by the sudden turn of events. He quickly dodged aside, yanking out the Black Receiver impaled in Naruto's shoulder, leaving the wound freely bleeding.
"What the hell is this?" Perched atop a distant rock spire, Tobi stared at the newly armored Naruto in disbelief. "What exactly is this?!"
It was a classically styled gray armor composed of countless overlapping plates that covered his torso, shoulders, thighs, and forearms. His hands were sheathed in razor-sharp clawed gloves, his shins protected by greaves, and his head covered by a helmet that left only his eyes and mouth exposed. Emblazoned on the chestplate was the Uzumaki clan insignia, while the black sealing formation flickered intermittently across various sections of the armor.
Naruto snapped his eyes open, gasping as he pushed himself up from the ground. Feeling the snug fit of the armor, he looked down at his hands, then gazed at his reflection in the water. He looked... like a mechanized war god.
"You're welcome," the Nine-Tails' voice reverberated within his mind.
"You?" Naruto asked.
"More accurately, it's Sage Mode, but since I'm the one controlling it, you could say it's my doing. How does it feel?"
"Fast," Naruto thought. He couldn't even feel the armor's weight—it was as if it weren't there at all. "Lighter than a feather… Wait." He frowned slightly, reaching under the armor on his left shoulder, slowly pulling out a bloodied Black Receiver and tossing it onto the ground.
"Impressive," Tobi muttered, eyes narrowing as he tried to decipher what had just occurred. "This isn't the same technique you used to defeat Kakashi. It's different… There's been a change. I remember that version could only cover your calves and forearms."
"I put my imagination to full use," Naruto replied, ignoring the wounds continuously bleeding beneath the armor. "As I lay there on the ground, I imagined the future you desire—the truly horrifying one. If everything went perfectly without a single twist, where's the excitement in that?"
"So I ignored your dumb idea and went with something more practical, like what you're seeing now."
Tobi rolled his eyes and made a hand seal.
"Am I supposed to be scared? Just because you changed outfits, do you really think you've got a better shot than before?"
"Exactly," Naruto said.
Once again, it bears repeating—Sage Mode enhances everything.
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