Birth of the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki

The Ten-Tails Revival Arc spans from chapter 593 to the current. It covers the climax of the Fourth Shinobi World War and the revival of the Ten-Tails, which Tobi and Madara Uchiha plan to use for their Eye of the Moon Plan. This arc is preceded by the Shinobi World War Arc.

The Return of Familiar Faces
Despite Suigetsu giving several vehement and somewhat manic reasons why not to revive Orochimaru, Sasuke is resigned to his decision. Moving to execute Sasuke's orders, Jūgo retrieves some of Kabuto's DNA using his Sage Transformation abilities, much to Suigetsu's disgust. After Jūgo places DNA on Anko's Cursed Seal of Heaven, Sasuke uses the Evil Releasing Method to revive Orochimaru as his conscious remnants exit Anko and regenerate his body from the sample. Retreating behind Kabuto as Orochimaru emerges, Suigetsu sheepishly greets his former captor, who notes that he was abreast of the situation having been able to observe everything from within Anko, further shocking them when he tells them he has no interest in the war that was currently going on. And instead, still had his sights set on Sasuke's body, but was unable to steal it in his current state. Showing him the scroll he was given, Sasuke tells Orochimaru that he want to hear everything from the source, leading Orochimaru to question him if he has wavered from his path of revenge, to which Sasuke denies. Moving over to the immobile Kabuto — which prompts Suigetsu to run to the other side of the cave — Orochimaru drains Kabuto of his chakra, causing Kabuto to revert to original self. Noting to himself that Sasuke had changed since he last saw him, Orochimaru beckons him to follow him to a place he himself knows well.

While analysing the situation before them, the Naruto, Killer B, Might Guy and Kakashi are told by Tobi to bare witness to the beginning of the end once the Ten-Tails is fully revived. Confused that Tobi would be able to do this, Kakashi notes that the war was all for the sake of preventing Akatsuki from attaining the Eight and Nine-Tails and since they still had the beasts, wonders whether Tobi was lying. Remembering what Tobi had said and then the fact that they had used a clone made from its chakra to evade Taka, Gyūki reminds B of this who then notifies his comrades. Speaking to Naruto directly, Kurama notes that its chakra was also present in the Benihisago and Kohaku no Jōhei which the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path had consumed and asks Naruto to let him speak through the boy to personally reveal what it knows to the others. As the fox explains the story behind the two Treasured Tools of the Sage of the Six Paths, the Gold and Silver Brothers and how they had come to attain its chakra after which Kakashi corroborates his story with the intel received from headquarters. With this, Kakashi declares that he would like them to do something before the beast is revived leading Tobi to retort that because Kakashi always spoke so easily, it had led him to live a life full of regret shocking both Kakashi and leading Guy to question Tobi once again, on who he was. Rebuffing this, Tobi told Guy it would make no sense to tell him because he didn't remember faces. Interjecting, Kurama tells them that as Kakashi said, now was the only time to do something about the situation as the Sage of the Six Paths had told them that the revival of the Ten-Tails signalled the end of the world. Answering Naruto's questioning of the Ten-Tails' power, Kurama tells him of the beast's might and the fact that amongst all the names it was known by it was also seen as the progenitor of all that existed in the world. The beast then goes on to state that though even it alone would stand no chance against the beast, it may be possible since Tobi did not possess all of the Eight-Tails and its own chakra. Tobi however rebuffs this stating that he only needed the beast to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi on the world. Switching back with Kurama, Naruto declares his dreams to Tobi with Guy, Kakashi and even B (who disclaims female attributes he values, much to the Eight-Tails' shock) rally behind him. As Tobi launches into another speech, Naruto enters his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode and attempts to land a high-speed Rasengan attack on the statue, but Tobi blocks it with his gunbai prompting Naruto to state that it seems as though he would really have to bash Tobi's mask. Tobi responds noting that there was one thing he could not part with and then declares that he would not let them touch the statue.

Formulating their strategy as Naruto produces a shadow clone, the shinobi agree that the use of feint attacks would be crucial in this battle because of Tobi's abilities. Moving directly towards Tobi, Naruto uses the Super Mini-Tailed Beast Ball while Kakashi asks B to hoist him into the air as he activates his Mangekyō Sharingan. Deciding that it was best to avoid direct contact Guy takes out his pair of Sōshūga. Tobi, wielding his gunbai is able to stave off Naruto's attacks but ultimately has a harder time at things once Guy joins the fray. Using his nunchaku to counter Tobi's gunbai, Guy is able to sent the masked man throttling towards Naruto and his Super Mini-Tailed Beast Ball. Using that opportunity, Kakashi activates Kamui with the intention of ripping the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path's neck off. However, the statue — which by this time was bleeding from the eyes and metamorphosing — is seeming able to nullify the attack which confused Kakashi greatly. As Naruto's attack is about to make contact, Tobi teleports prompting Naruto to sense his intent to anticipate Tobi emerging from the ground in a surprise attack. Dodging the initial attack, Naruto, now separated from the others, has a harder time blocking Tobi's gunbai. Kakashi imbues a kunai with the Lightning Release and once again calls out to B. Launching him across the battlefield, Kakashi easily cuts through a rock that separated him from Naruto and then launches the kunai at Tobi. Forced to become intangible, but not one to give up so easily, Tobi changed the trajectory of the kunai and sends it hurtling towards Naruto. Telling him to ignore the kunai, Kakashi uses Kamui once again to warp the kunai away. Regrouping as the last attack seemingly fails to land, the shinobi wonder how they were going to defeat Tobi. Just then a tiny crack appears on Tobi's mask.

Noticing a slight crack on Tobi's mask, Guy and Naruto thought that Naruto's last attack had actually hit the mask; however Kakashi disagrees, noting that the type of crack was by a sharper object as he remembered the kunai he warped away with Kamui. As Kakashi came up with a hypothesis on Tobi's ability, Tobi erects a barrier to thwart B's chance strike the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path in midst of its transformation into the Ten-Tails. Once figuring figured out a possible way to attack Tobi, Kakashi details his plans to the others. With B launching them directly at Tobi, Guy starts off unleashing his Sōshūga only for Tobi to avoid it using his dematerialisation ability and predicting Guy's moves with his Sharingan. As a result, Guy loses the Sōshūga and steps away from Tobi's front. Naruto then follows up quickly by launching a Rasengan, which is avoided easily by Tobi, who keeps insisting on the futility of the strategy. However, the Rasengan seemingly disperses before reaching Tobi, followed by a sudden explosion that hits his right shoulder. After being hurled away, the masked man uses his gunbai to stand back up. Tobi then realised that the attack was transported to his right arm, using Kamui, just as he was about to materialise. Realising Tobi's ability now, Kakashi notes that Tobi was not using two separate techniques to dematerialise and warp things away, but a single technique.

Urging Kakashi to explain it in the simplest way possible so that they could readjust their strategy, Guy and the others listen on as Kakashi explains that Tobi's ability to become intangible and absorb things were one and the same. He then explains that when he makes himself intangible, what Tobi actually does is to warp away the part of his body that was being attacked to the other dimension; so while it existed there, all attacks would simply phase through his body. However, since Kamui shares the same dimension, the lightning-enhanced kunai that Kakashi warped away, passed through the "intangible" part of Tobi's body and ended up in the other dimension and scratched the part of his body that was sent there in order to make him appear intangible. When questioned by B how their two techniques were linked to the same dimension, a hesitant Guy began to question Kakashi but the latter cuts across him to ask Tobi directly where he got the Sharingan from. Responding, Tobi reveals he obtained his right Sharingan eye during the previous war at Kannabi Bridge the moment that Kakashi became recognised as the. With Kakashi left speechless by the revelation, Tobi belittles him while perpetrating the Eye of the Moon Plan as the right move for humanity. However, Naruto still refuses to accept Tobi's goal with the intent of not giving up his dreams. Having its jinchūriki let it speak through him to chastise their opponent as well, Kurama tells Tobi that it was entrusted to Naruto, who had befriended him, for the express reason to stop Tobi. Spurred onward, Naruto enters his Tailed Beast Mode and charges at Tobi.

Charging forward, Naruto attacks Tobi using a giant chakra arms which Tobi simply phases through, chiding the boy of thinking that he could defeat him on his own. As Guy tries to snap Kakashi out the shock brought on from Tobi's revelation, they see the masked man send three giant shuriken hurtling towards Naruto from the other dimension. Catching two of them on his tentacles, one of B and Gyūki's tentacles is cut by the third but is stopped by Naruto who retorts Tobi's earlier remark by telling he's never truly alone as he has Kurama and the others supporting him. Now motivated by Guy to act, Kakashi notes that he had to time the next use of his Kamui perfectly, despite Tobi chastising his "borrowed power" and stated intentions of showing him Kamui's true potential.

Acting immediately, Tobi jumps into the air and sends out a number of chakra receivers which pierce B and Gyūki. Warning Naruto not to let them touch him as it sealed off the tailed beasts' power, Naruto creates a shadow clone while being protected by Gyūki. While a clone charged forward with the Rasengan, the original prepared the Tailed Beast Ball. As the clone prepares to attack, Kakashi seemingly warps away the Rasengan again while Tobi — seeing the same attack pattern — decides to attack the clone with one of the stakes, rather than having him go through him. With the clone seemingly dispelled, Tobi phases through the Tailed Beast Ball, and fully enters the other dimension. There, Tobi is shocked to see Naruto and realises that Kakashi had warped the clone there to wait for him. Declaring that he had nowhere to run, Naruto slams the Rasengan into Tobi's face, shattering the mask with Naruto asking his enemy who he is.

With memories of their old friend from their days at the Academy to Chūnin Exams and later the former's promotion to jōnin, Kakashi and Guy recognise the face of the unmasked ninja to be that of their old comrade Obito Uchiha. Shocked by this revelation, Kakashi and Guy started asking the once masked man whether he truly was Obito, but upon seeing his Mangekyō Sharingan, Kakashi noted that there was now no doubt about it. However, Obito reiterated his point that it was insignificant what they called him, and all that mattered to him was his Eye of the Moon Plan. Kakashi had a flashback to the time when Obito died, and then asked whether he had survived the cave in. This led Naruto to ask them who the person in front of them was. Guy answered that he was a former classmate of theirs who supposedly died during the Third Shinobi World War. Kakashi, still in shock, asked Obito that if he had survived then why had he not made this fact known until now. Obito retorts that whether he survived or not was unimportant. However, if Kakashi really had to have an answer to why Obito had done what he did, it was simply because Kakashi had let Rin die. Even more devastated by this response, Kakashi asked him if he was going to blame him for it. Obito answered that he did not see any point in blaming this "useless" reality which would "disappear" soon enough.

Obito's Dogma
Naruto tried to rally his sensei, telling him that right now, Obito's plan needed to be stopped and that he would listen to the story later. Obito used the Fire Release: Blast Wave Wild Dance technique sending a giant vortex of flames towards his opponents. Kakashi, unable to register what was happening, simply stood there despite Guy calling out to him. Naruto, however, intercepted the attacks with Kurama's tails. Before any side could act further, they were interrupted by Madara's appearance on their battlefield. Standing beside the younger Uchiha, the legendary shinobi remarked that Obito seemed to be having fun, much to the onlookers' surprise as they wonder what had happened to the Kage.

Madara casually replies that the Kage are "not okay", each having been critically wounded in their attempts to stop him. Obito returns the gunbai to Madara, which he uses to block a volley of chakra receivers Naruto sends flying at them and repel Naruto's Super Mini-Tailed Beast Ball. All the while he lectures Obito, both for imitating the Ten-Tails' revival before capturing the Eight and the Nine-Tails and for reincarnating him through the Impure World Reincarnation instead of using Nagato's Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique as planned. He decides to make the best of the situation and moves to capture the Eight and the Nine-Tails in hopes to seal them in Demonic Statue of the Outer Path with the time they have left.

Madara leaves Guy and Kakashi to Obito. Kakashi takes this opportunity to question Obito about what happened to him. After the events of the Kannabi Bridge, Obito was found and rescued by an aging Madara. Madara tended to his injuries and, though he had to amputate Obito's arm, he restored it and the damaged half of his body with parts from a Zetsu. Obito was grateful for Madara's help but was adamant about returning to his team-mates: Kakashi and Rin. Time passed as he recovered and began to rehabilitate under the watch of two Zetsus: White Zetsu and a spiral-faced Zetsu. One day, White Zetsu returned to the hideout and alerted Obito that his comrades were in danger, surrounded by Kirigakure shinobi. With the aid of the spiral-faced Zetsu forming a suit to reduce his physical limitations, Obito rushed to help them. Upon arrival, he found Kakashi's hand running through Rin's chest. As Rin died, it caused Obito's Sharingan and the one he gave to Kakashi to become Mangekyō Sharingan. While Kakashi passed out, an enraged Obito slaughtered the Kirigakure ninja. He looked upon Rin's dead body and, devastated by her death, concluded he must be in hell.

This events changed Obito and gave him resolve to change fate by destroying the world and create a new one where Rin still lives. Remembering the Zetsus' discussion over Madara's plans to create just such a world, Obito decides to become Madara's apprentice to achieve that goal. Over time, Madara imparted Obito with all that he knew: the legend of the Sage of the Six Paths, the Eye of the Moon Plan, and all the necessary steps to bring the plan to fruition. He then infused White Zetsu with a part of his mind, completing his creation with the Black Zetsu persona. Madara then took himself off of life support, dying so that he might be brought back at the planned juncture. Left with Madara's name to take as his own, with Zetsu by his side, Obito spent the following decades setting the pieces in place with his meeting with Nagato who was vital to Madara's resurrection. Inspired to cause the Nine-Tails' Attack on Konoha after overhearing Kakashi, Obito fully embraces his new ideals when he confronted his former mentor Minato Namikaze.

Kakashi vs. Obito
In present time, when Madara attempts to have him see things his way, Naruto declares that he is Minato's son and would not be persuaded by him. Noting that he was being lenient because Naruto was a true jinchūriki, declares no longer hold back. Creating an enormous wooden dragon, he notes that it had been used by Hashirama Senju in the past to bound the Nine-Tails, which prompts Naruto to manifest Kurama's body in Tailed Beast Mode to fight it. Asking Obito why he chose to follow someone like Madara, the Uchiha notes that all that was left was for him and Kakashi to have their final battle as he had nothing left to say to him.

Obito and Kakashi continue their battle, with the former unleashing a barrage of shuriken only to be stopped by Kakashi's wall of earth. As Obito slips through the wall, Kakashi continues to ask him why and to ask him if it is related to Rin, to which Obito tells him to shut up. Obito then warps Kakashi to the other dimension, but his victory is short lived, as Kakashi returns using Kamui. In the meantime, Madara's Wood Dragon begins absorbing Kurama's chakra, causing Naruto's Tailed Beast Mode to falter. Obito begins to overwhelm Kakashi, bringing him to his knees. Madara uses Wood Release to bind Killer B and Might Guy, then begins to activate his Susanoo to finish things up on the battlefield. Resolved, Naruto notes that the Uchiha's ideals annoyed him to no end and, creating a shadow clone, he is able to stop both Obito's shuriken and Madara's Susanoo Sword from making killing blows on Kakashi and Guy. Hearing Naruto's words that he would protect his friends, Kakashi and Guy both spring into action with the former using Lightning Cutter to destroy Obito's other shuriken and Guy using Daytime Tiger to attack Madara. Turning to his former friend, Kakashi tells Obito that he still remembered what he had taught him in the past and what he could do now, was protect Naruto.

As Obito questions Kakashi's resolve, the Copy Ninja's sentiments are echoed by Guy who is severely weakened. Seeing this, Gyūki notes that all Konoha-nin liked to act tough before taking advantage of the loosened grip of its wooden restraints and warning Naruto that the Wood Release binding could suppress a tailed beasts power. Obito uses his own wood technique to attempt to restrain Naruto while he attacked Kakashi, but is sent reeling by Naruto's intercepting headbutt. Gyūki then decides to attack the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path before its transformation into the Ten-Tails is complete, leaving Obito to Naruto. Naruto declares that he can see Obito's suffering face, though Obito counters by saying it is Kakashi who is truly suffering. As Naruto notes that he had to do something for Kakashi who was worn out, Kurama switches places with Naruto and throws the Copy Ninja at Obito. Though he warps Kakashi to the other dimension, Obito learns too late that Kurama revitalised Kakashi with its chakra so he can attack Obito in the other dimension whenever he uses Kamui to dodge Naruto's attacks. With Obito wounded as Kakashi returns to the real world, Naruto joins Killer B in combining their Tailed Beast Balls to create a massive sphere to fire it on the barrier containing the Demonic Statue. After the explosion, they note that the statue's chakra vanishes, causing Kakashi to question whether this is the end. However, the revived Ten-Tails appears from the clearing smoke, prompting Obito to declare that it is was indeed the end of this world. Elsewhere, though disappointed that the Eight and Nine-Tails were not captured in time, a recovered Madara notes that they should begin their plan.

The Allied Shinobi Forces vs. The Ten-Tails
Shocked to the see the Ten-Tails before them, Naruto surmises that they must have been tricked as he was unable to sense the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path's malevolent chakra. However, Kurama tells the young man that it was impossible to sense the beast in the Tailed Beast Mode as the beast had neither feelings nor ideals and was akin to natural energy and that using Sage Mode to sense how powerful it was would be a different matter. Meanwhile, Obito and Madara relocate atop the beast at it attaches its tendrils onto them. Obito notes that he would like to commence the plan immediately, but Madara is more in favour of testing out the beast's power. As Naruto's attempt to gauge the Ten-Tails' power in Sage Mode ends in Naruto realising that it was indeed truly immeasurable, Kurama asks Gyūki to hand him Might Guy and Kakashi so he could restore their chakra. Taking command, Kurama devises a battle strategy to face the beast launching a continuous stream of Tailed Beast Balls, which culminates with Gyūki seemingly being decimated by the Ten-Tails' Tailed Beast Ball, but it was later revealed that Kakashi had warped it away while being launched by Naruto along with the latter's clone overhead the Ten-Tails where Kakashi released Gyūki to aim a Tailed Beast Ball. But the attack was flicked back at him, leaving Naruto's shadow clone and Kakashi open for an attack. After the clone successfully pushes Kakashi out of the way, Obito reflects on how much Naruto was like himself before the Ten-Tails' attack disperses the shadow clone and sends Gyūki flying.

At their limits, Kurama and Gyūki tell Naruto and B to buy them some time while they generate more chakra for use. As the opposition notices this, and his team-mates already somewhat incapacitated, Naruto prepares to create more shadow clones which Madara chides him for, calling him incompetent. Kakashi also echoes these sentiments and Obito goes on to explain to Naruto that numbers will not change anything as he laments that all shinobi like the youth are powerless and would eventually become like him one day. This causes Naruto to lash out at Obito once again stating his dream to become Hokage which leads Obito to tell him that he would make him the Hokage inside the Infinite Tsukuyomi as he has the Ten-Tails prepare to fire a Tailed Beast Ball to obliterate Naruto and his allies in one blow.

However, when the Ten-Tails fires its Tailed Beast Ball at them, the shinobi are shocked to realise that the beast had missed. Just then, from above, Ino, Hinata, Hiashi and a few others arrive and it is revealed that Ino was able to shift the blast after taking control of Obito for a split second. Immediately, the Aburame use the Insect Jamming Technique, and the Kirigakure-nin shroud the battlefield in mist to stop them from being sensed. Shortly after this, the entire Allied Shinobi Forces arrive at the battlefield, causing the Sensing System Technique bubble to distort, and Naruto announces that they were no longer a disorderly crowd before announcing a new technique — The Ninja Alliance Technique, which is the strongest technique that ever existed in the shinobi world and that it could win against the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

Despite the swell in numbers of their opponents, Madara and Obito note that their efforts were still futile and that even after this war, history would only repeat itself and they would end up in this very same predicament. Naruto chastises them both noting that when there was a difference of opinion in a group, the majority vote beats all. Accepting his premise, Obito simply notes that they would make their decision after exterminating the majority: The Alliance itself. Using this time Shikaku, through Inoichi's telepathic ability, is able to relay the strategy he had formulated with the entire Alliance. With this, the Alliance launch their strategy, the first attempt to slow down their targets by blinding them which was executed by the Kumo-nin with C and a few others using the Lightning Illusion Flash of Lightning Pillar technique followed by Darui and other Storm Release bearers using the Storm Release: Laser Circus technique. Secondly the Suna-nin use the Wind Release: Air Current Wild Dance to manipulate the dust from the previous attack to obscure their opponent's vision once again, adding it to what remains of the Insect Jamming Technique and Hiding in Mist Technique from earlier to completely impair the opponents' sensory skills. Following this, Kitsuchi and a group of Iwa-nin sink the beast into a hole allowing his daughter and other Lava Release bearers to cover the beast in quicklime which was mixed with water by the Kiri-nin. Finishing off, members of the Konoha Sarutobi clan hardened the mixture using Fire Release. This leads Madara to state how surprised he was that shinobi from different countries were able to pull off such a perfect combination. Shikaku informs them that they have to defeat Madara and Obito while the Ten-Tails was still restrained recommending the Logistical Support and Medical Division to coordinate with Naruto to exploit Obito's weakness and telling all shinobi who were skilled in taijutsu to deal with Madara.

As various shinobi as well as techniques bear down on the two Uchiha, Madara realises that they were being targeted this time. He notes, however, that in order to do that, the Alliance would have had to stop the Ten-Tails first. With this, a powerful blast sends the incoming shinobi flying away and the fully-matured Ten-Tails emerges from the pit. While the medical teams move out to tend to the injured, Shikaku, Inoichi, Ao and the others discuss what was happening on the battlefield. Now finding it even harder to control the beast, Obito and Madara use Hashirama's cells in order to fortify their control over the beast as the former agrees with the legendary Uchiha that it was time they showed the Allied Shinobi Forces true despair. As the beast fires off a Tailed Beast Ball, Kitsuchi is able to deflect its course using Earth Release underfoot the beast. A second Tailed Beast Ball is launched which detonates in a nearby lake and a third which Hiashi notes, destroys an entire town in an instant. Initially believing that the towns where the civilians were, was now unsafe, the fourth Tailed Beast Ball which is launched is noted to be heading straight for HQ as Shikaku surmised. As Inoichi asks for directives, Shikaku tells him that the only thing they could do was what they were assigned to until the very end, and for what appears to be the final time, Inoichi patches Shikaku through to the entire Alliance as the genius Nara passes on his final strategy to defeat the enemy. Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Madara exclaims that they were finally able to get them with the Tailed Beast Ball, justifying the deaths of the Alliance's "head" was a simple war tactic.

Though Chōji tries to console him over his father's death, Shikamaru reminds him and Ino that they are in the middle of a war and must focus on carrying out Shikaku's final strategy. Only Naruto was unaware of Inoichi and Shikaku's deaths with the others' attempt to explain interrupted by the Ten-Tails resuming its attack. Leaping into action, Neji and Hiashi are able to deflect the beast's attack with everyone beginning to praise the Hyūga clan. Hiashi tells Naruto that he must focus in this fight while explaining to him that death is a possibility in war, adding that Shikaku and Inoichi were willingly to die for their children. Neji echoes his uncle's sentiments, referring to his own father's sacrifice, before he, Hiashi, and Hinata state their intent to protect Naruto to their last breath. Meanwhile atop the Ten-Tails, which is slowly resisting their control, Madara and Obito discuss how to proceed with their plan. However, as he is only an reanimated corpse and can not become the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki, Madara needs Obito to sacrifice himself to become a living being once more. Taking advantage of his ancestor's dilemma, and wanting to put the Allied Shinobi Forces in further despair, Obito has the Ten-Tails attack again. As the attacks are being deflected by the Hyūga, Kitsuchi builds his chakra in preparation to use his signature technique. With the beast's hand itself bearing down on the group, Hiashi uses the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Wall Palm to deflect it. The beast then uses a pin-point attack which Hiashi realises they could not deflect in time. As Hinata throws out her arms to protect Naruto, Neji actually intercepts the attack. Naruto calls for the medics, Neji notes that it was already too late and that he will die within minutes. As Hiashi looks on in horror and Hinata cries openly, Naruto questions why a genius from the Hyūga clan would throw away his life for him, and Neji, who notes that he finally understood his father's feelings, states that it was for that exact reason that he did it: because Naruto called him a genius and that he choose to die for those he cares for. With this, the Byakugan-sealing juinjutsu on Neji's forehead disappears, confirming his death. Taking delight in Naruto being shocked, Obito attempts to shatter Naruto's self-confidence and drag him in his way of thinking.

However, Hinata slaps Naruto out of it while telling him that if his life is connected with everyone who shared his beliefs and are willingly to sacrificed themselves for him, he should not give in to despair and have Neji die in vain. By that time, as Killer B manages to cripple the Ten-Tails by lodging his Tailed Beast Ball into its mouth as it is about to fire, Naruto thanks Hinata for staying by his side and takes her hand while entering Tailed Beast Mode. Infusing some of Kurama's chakra into Hinata's body, Naruto creates shadow clones to do the same with the rest of their allies.

Empowered by Kurama's chakra with their attacks strengthen, the Allied shinobi fight back with Akimichi clan members restraining some of the Ten-Tails' tails. Remembering their fathers' final words, Ino takes over Obito's body to veer his attempted Wood Release technique off course before Shikamaru leds his Nara clan kinsmen in restraining the Ten-Tails. By that time, Team Guy make their way to the deceased Neji with Rock Lee mourning his friend's death. Despite Obito mocking Guy's words of comfort of keeping those in your heart as a curse, Kakashi and Naruto rebuff this notion, the latter telling Obito that ninja are meant to endure such pain and will keep Neji in his heart even if it becomes an actual curse. As Naruto infuses Lee with some its chakra, Kurama ponders his jinchūriki's ability to match his own chakra with that of the different shinobi and considered the youth to have surpassed his parents. Though Madara decides to help Obito in breaking the Nara clan's restrains, they are respectively severed from the Ten-Tails's tendrils by Lee and Naruto before the Uchiha are forced to the ground.

The Past Revealed
Elsewhere in Konoha, though sensing Naruto's chakra as it was being given, Sasuke instructs Suigetsu and Jūgo to press onwards with Orochimaru before they arrive to the Uzumaki Clan's Mask Storage Temple. Though it was actually a detour, Orochimaru took one of the masks with Suigetsu unnerved by Orochimaru's choosing. After Sasuke breaks away from the group to survey the village from a high point, he and his group arrive to their destination: the remains of the ruined Naka Shrine. There, Orochimaru dons the mask which invokes the Shinigami as it binds itself to him.

While explaining his actions, Orochimaru slashes the Shinigami's stomach open to release the souls of those it had consumed. Though the act mortally wounded him, Orochimaru regained his hands so he can now use Impure World Reincarnation as he has Jūgo use his natural energy to activate the six Zetsu spores Obito had planted on Sasuke to monitor him. With two held down by Jūgo and Suigetsu, before transferring his being into the latter's restrained White Zetsu, Orochimaru uses the remaining four as sacrifices to reincarnate the ones Sasuke needs his answers from: Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Minato Namikaze.

After the Senju brothers are formally introduced to Minato and learned of their blood relative Tsunade serving as the current Hokage, they and Hiruzen thinking it to be another attempt to destroying Konoha, Orochimaru clarifies his reasons for being them back to life. Shocked of Orochimaru's reason and that Sasuke know full story of the Uchiha clan massacre, he reveals that everything the youth has learned up to this moment is true. Not surprised, Tobirama berates the Uchiha clan until Orochimaru points that his actions in life set them down that path by placing them in charge of the Konoha Military Police Force and separating them from the rest of Konoha. When Hashirama demanded why his brother did it, Tobirama explains that the Uchiha treasured love above all else and that through the despair of losing someone dear they gain the Sharingan and eventually evolve them. However, using Madara and the love he had for his brother as an example, Tobirama reveals that the same despair can also madden the user. He concludes that all had he done was an attempt to use the Uchiha's cursed heritage in a positive way and cannot be blamed their self destructive nature. Hearing enough, Sasuke turns his attention to Hashirama to ask him what the meaning behind the village and ninja is.

After calming down Tobirama when the Second Hokage learns Sasuke's reason for hearing the First's answer to determine Konoha's fate, Hashirama explains the answer would be a long one. When he tells Hashirama to make it brief, Orochimaru reveals Madara's revival and plan. This surprises the Hokage, Hashirama lamenting about the war as he, Tobirama, and Minato sense it, though the Fourth Hokage is relieved that his son has gained control of the Nine-Tails. His former teacher demanding him to release them from his control so they can fight Madara, Orochimaru states that it depends on Sasuke's choice upon hearing Hashirama's answer: using the Hokage to destroy the village if the youth is not satisfied. Though Orochimaru has Hashirama's cells to keep the other Hokage under his control, as he displayed with a defiant Tobirama, Hashirama easily broke out of Orochimaru's control. Sitting down to answer Sasuke's question in the hopes the young Uchiha would not follow in Madara's footsteps, Hashirama begins his story first with the events that occurred in the Valley of the End before telling Sasuke how he and Madara first became rivals.

The flashback begins with Hashirama and Madara clashing once, before jumping back to their respective sides. Madara then uses Kurama and makes it form a Tailed Beast Ball. In response, the Hashirama first uses Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique to restrain the Nine-Tails, while using Wood Release: Wood Human Technique to use the Tailed Beast Ball as a counter. Before the Ball could hit Madara, he materialises Susanoo and equips it to the beast. After releasing the defence he created to protect himself from the backlash of the attack, and briefly admiring his rivals ability, the First Hokage then uses Wood Release: Hotei Technique to both counter Madara's Susanoo Sword and restrain the beast. However this fails as the Uchiha cuts at the technique itself, slicing through the peaks of some mountains in the process. In an attempt to cause as little collateral damage as possible, Hashirama lures the Uchiha to the coast. In response, Madara uses a Tailed Beast Ball in combination with Susanoo's sword and launches it at his opponent, which Hashirama responds by using Summoning: Quintuple Rashōmon to redirect the attack. The Hokage then pleads to Madara to stop this, with the Uchiha bluntly refusing, thus forcing the Senju to enter Sage Mode and use Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands.

As the two foes clash, we go further into the past to see a young Madara trying to skip a stone on water to make it reach the other side of the creek, and failing. Then a stranger joins in and succeeds on his first try, thus revealing Hashirama Senju's and Madara Uchiha's first meeting.

As Madara and Hashirama continue their conversation by the riverside, the banter between them is cut short when a body washes up near them. Moving to check the corpse out, Madara comes to realise that Hashirama is a shinobi as he stood atop the water. Upon further inspection of the body, Hashirama realises that it belonged to a member of the Hagoromo clan and he, and Madara decide to leave the riverbank. Heading back home, Hashirama is informed that Kawarama had been killed on the battlefield, and as they stood by the graves with his youngest brother Itama openly weeping, Hashirama questions his father about the fact that innocent children were being sent on the battlefield to die. Affronted by this, Hashirama's father hits his son telling him that saying such things were an insult to Kawarama's memory who had died a proud shinobi on the battlefield. Unable to agree with this, Hashirama decries these actions further, but before his father can hit him again, Tobirama intervenes offering that Hashirama was grieving and pleaded for their father's forgiveness. Later, the three brothers spoke of bringing peace to the world. Some time later on the battlefield, Itama would lose his life after being confronted by five members of the Uchiha clan. Affected deeply by the loss of his brother, Hashirama went back to the riverbed when he met Madara again, who caught him crying. At first, Hashirama refuses to share the reason for his shedding tears, but he eventually explains that his little brother Itama, had died. When asked if he had any siblings, Madara answers he is one of five brothers, then correcting he was one of five brothers. After Madara finally manages to skip the rock to the other side, the two talk about the death of their relatives and Madara offers words of comfort about a better future.

Hashirama and Madara continued to meet in this manner by the riverside where there sparred with one another as well as talked about the future. During this time, the two grew closer as friends and worked on improving their weaknesses, all the while not revealing their last names. On one occasion, Madara almost let slip that he was an Uchiha, nearly bragging about the visual prowess which he wielded, as Hashirama feverishly talked about creating a village where the elders would watch over the children who would be brought up to be strong and not carelessly sent to war to die. Hashirama also spoke about creating a system by which shinobi were assigned missions which played to their strengths and skill sets, after both young men relived the loss of their siblings. Creating a greeting method the two boys skipped their rocks across the river to one another until they met again, however, upon returning to the Senju compound, Tobirama informs his brother that their father wanted to speak with him. Revealing that he had tailed them upon their father's request, Butsuma tells his son that the young boy he had been spending his time with was an Uchiha who had killed several of their strongest clansmen on his own. Coaxing his son, Butsuma told Hashirama that he was to gather intelligence on the young man and report to them, else he be seen as a traitor for his actions. Faced with the only other option to kill Madara, the pair met up by the river and, at Madara's behest, skipped their rocks across to one another as a greeting. Reacting, the two boys immediately bid each other farewell, having told one another that a trap had been laid for them. However, both Butsuma and Tajima Uchiha appear on the field accompanied by their sons Tobirama and Izuna respectively. Both Hashirama and Madara who were in the process of fleeing look on as the two sides greeted one another — no love lost between the pair.

Knowing full-well that their power was more or less evenly matched, in order to gain the upper-hand as the four of them clashed, Butsuma, and Tajima — again thinking along the same lines — decided to target Izuna, and Tobirama respectively, hoping to use the shock of a parent losing a child before their very eyes as a method to gain an advantage. However their attacks were stopped by Hashirama, and Madara who had turned in time to see, and prevent what was about to happen. Seeing the attack on his brother as an unforgivable act, Madara declared that they had reached an impasse, noting that their dreams would die there. Determined to fight Tajima enquired whether or not Madara was prepared to take them on, but Madara noted that Hashirama was stronger than he was, and the outcome would not be in their favour. As they prepared to depart, Madara noted that the next time they would see each other was on the battlefield as Uchiha, and Senju. Thus began the non-stop battling between the two, and soon, the two would inherit the leadership of their respective clans. During one such battle, Tobirama fatally wounded Izuna on the battlefield. Despite the fact that Hashirama once again attempted to broker peace between the two clans but, in refuse, Madara left the battlefield with his injured brother. In time, the fact that the Uchiha were inferior to the power of the Senju became abundantly clear and defectors began to come to the Senju side. The next time they met on the battlefield, Madara had acquired the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and noted that his brother had died from the wound Tobirama had inflicted on him. Despite his new-found power, Madara was still defeated, but Hashirama, still seeking peace halted Tobirama from killing the Uchiha and asked Madara if the two of them could not settle it like they used it. To this, Madara noted that they had lost his trust and the only way to regain this was for Hashirama to kill himself, or his brother.

Though the others found this demand ludicrous, Hashirama, who had already shed his armour, was intent on honouring Madara's request. Before committing to the act, Hashirama had his clansmen swear that the feud between them and Uchiha would end. However, before Hashirama can impale himself, Madara stops him, noting that his resolve to commit the act was enough. With this, the two clans entered into a truce, and the vision the two men had as children began to come to fruition. As their relationship started to mend, on one of their meetings atop what would become the Hokage Monument, Hashirama told Madara of his intentions to make him the village leader which would be called the "Hokage". It was also here that Madara engineered the name for the village: Konohagakure. Their time together is cut short however when Tobirama comes to retrieve his brother, noting that the daimyō delegation were on their way. Upon hearing of Hashirama's intents, Tobirama noted that his brother could not go around making unilateral decisions as their father had and that such decisions were to be left up to democracy. Though Hashirama feared their meeting was eavesdropped on, he accepted his brother's words. As predicted, Hashirama was elected to lead the village, and while he explained to Madara that he wanted him to inherit the title of Second Hokage, Madara noted that his fate, and fearfully that of his clan was already sealed. Telling Hashirama a little of what was etched into the tablet kept in the Naka Shrine, Madara declared that his dreams now differentiated from those of Hashirama. having defected from the village, Hashirama and Madara went back to battling one another, and at what would become their ultimate and final battle, Hashirama — resolute in protecting what had become his dream alone — killed Madara, impaling him through his back with a sword.

Back in present day, Hashirama explained to Sasuke that he did not know how Madara had survived the encounter because he was certain he had killed his friend at the Valley of the End. Heavy-heartedly, Hashirama explained to Sasuke his dreams and vision of what purpose a village should serve as well as his belief that shinobi were persons who endured to achieve the goals, but depending on what they chose as their goals, it could change them. With Hahirama's response, Sasuke reflected on how Itachi was the only Uchiha who has followed Hashirama's Will of Fire. Tobirama rebuffs the young Uchiha's statement as he revealed that one of his subordinates, Kagami Uchiha, shared his ideals as well. He then goes on to the shortcomings of his brother and himself for being too soft and too harsh respectively. Hiruzen also states that Kagami's son, Shisui Uchiha, and he had also shared Hashirama's ideals stating that he was the most indulgent for letting Danzo take on the darkness of the village. Minato disagrees to Hiruzen's statement as he regretted not being able to live up to his expectations as a Hokage. With the discretion from each of the Kage, Orochimaru questions Sasuke's path. After reflecting how Itachi and the village are connected, Sasuke decides to protect Itachi's will by entering the battlefield. Much to the joy of each Kage, Karin rejoins the group after forgiving Sasuke. With each Hokage standing atop their respective stone carvings, the group prepares to confront Madara in the the world's "Final Battle."

Chapters