Outside Konohagakure, Sasuke, Orochimaru, and their party arrived at the Uzumaki clan's ancestral shrine, retrieving a Shinigami mask. They then proceeded to the Uchiha shrine, the place where the Sage of Six Paths left his stone tablet, preparing for Edo Tensei.
Jugo infused Sasuke with cursed seal senjutsu, forcing out all the Zetsu from his body. This was the Zetsu's spore technique, originally used by Obito to monitor Sasuke.
Next, Orochimaru donned the mask and summoned the Shinigami. The Shinigami let out a cackling laugh, then cut open its own belly with a blade.
The souls of the three Hokage were released, along with Orochimaru's arms. Orochimaru was confused as to why one soul was missing, but this was not the time to dwell on it.
He immediately used Zetsu as a sacrifice, employing Edo Tensei to resurrect the previous Hokage. He then transferred himself into a Zetsu body using the Body Reincarnation jutsu, as summoning the Shinigami required a sacrifice.
Soon, Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, and Hiruzen Sarutobi, the three Hokage, reappeared.
Orochimaru was confused, as only the Fourth Hokage was absent. However, this time Edo Tensei was not being used for combat, so the absence of one inconsequential person did not matter.
Sasuke stepped forward, coldly questioning Hiruzen Sarutobi about the events involving Itachi. Hiruzen revealed the truth of everything. Tobirama found the Uchiha clan's extermination to be normal, while Hashirama felt sympathy.
Sasuke already knew these things; he merely wanted to hear the Third Hokage personally acknowledge them. Afterwards, Sasuke asked Hashirama and Tobirama to explain what ninjas and villages were.
Hashirama, being kind-hearted and always treating the Uchiha with gentleness, sat down and began telling Sasuke about the past, starting with the animosity between the Senju and Uchiha.
...
On the battlefield, Naruto was consumed by self-blame, holding Neji's lifeless body in silence.
Above, Obito continued to assail Naruto's spirit with words.
Konan suddenly appeared beside Naruto and slapped him awake: "Stand up, Naruto. Nagato and I entrusted our hope to you. Instead of blaming yourself, stand up and save the other ninjas."
"This Byakugan user was willing to sacrifice himself to save you, just as Yahiko was willing to sacrifice himself for Nagato and me. Those who are saved have no right to be dejected; they should carry on the will of the deceased. Have you forgotten what Nagato told you before he died?"
Naruto suddenly stiffened. He thought of his parents, who had entrusted the Nine-Tails to him before their deaths, hoping he would one day defeat the masked man. The Nine-Tails also berated him from within his body.
"You are not fighting alone; I am here too! If you continue like this, I will defeat you and take over your body!"
In the mental world, Naruto stared blankly at the Nine-Tails: "Thank you... Kurama, my most important partner!"
In the real world, Naruto stood up abruptly, his eyes fierce as he glared at Obito: "My most important partner lives forever in my heart! This world will absolutely not be destroyed by you!"
Then, Naruto transformed into his Nine-Tails Mode, reached out, and patted Konan's hand, transferring the Nine-Tails' chakra to her. Naruto could now alter the Nine-Tails' chakra and bestow it upon others without losing control.
"This is... Nine-Tails' chakra!" Konan looked at the reddish chakra enveloping her, feeling an inexhaustible power coursing through her.
Naruto then used his shadow clones to distribute his chakra across the battlefield, which instantly turned crimson.
Obito felt an inexplicable irritation at the sight and prepared a Tailed Beast Bomb, aiming it at the Ninja Allied Forces below.
Suddenly, a peculiar kunai was thrust into the ground, and the Tailed Beast Bomb, about to be fired, vanished. The next moment, a golden-haired man in a Hokage robe appeared on the battlefield, holding a red-haired woman in his arms.
"Well done, Naruto! We are proud of you!"
"Fourth Hokage-sama? Kushina-senpai! How can..."
Naruto stared at the figures in surprise: "Dad... Mom... Why, how did you suddenly..."
Minato interrupted Naruto, looking ahead: "We were Edo Tensei'd by your friend. Now is not the time to talk."
"Minato-sensei... Kushina-nee..." Obito looked at the two ninjas below, his eyes turning cold.
"Obito! You've grown! But have you honored Rin by abandoning your Hokage dream? Rin always wanted to protect the paths you and Kakashi walked!" Kushina began lecturing Obito, just as she did when she was alive.
Kakashi was also very surprised to see his master and mistress, hoping Kushina could awaken the Obito he once knew.
"Shut up! You are always a step too late. When we were surrounded, when Rin died, and even now, you are too late. This world's ninja system created all of this. Everyone dies! And I will reshape this world!"
Obito pointed to Neji's corpse beside Minato, a subordinate of the Hokage. How could Minato, who couldn't even protect his subordinates, be a Hokage? What was the point?
"Obito, stop! It's not too late to turn back now!" Minato shouted, trying to persuade his student to come to his senses.
Obito refused to listen and directly controlled the Ten-Tails to seal off the Ninja Allied Forces, creating a cage. The Ninja Allied Forces were like birds in a cage, destined to share Neji's fate.
"Enough, Dad. We will defeat him and save the world." Naruto formed a Rasenshuriken in his hands and led the others as they flew towards Obito and Madara.
The red chakra in the air, like a bird, sliced through the Ten-Tails' tails, shattering the cage and soaring into the sky.
Seizing the opportunity, everyone severed Obito and Madara's control over the Ten-Tails, knocking them down.
However, Obito and Madara laughed. Without their control, the Ten-Tails would go completely berserk, and its primary targets would be the Nine-Tails and Eight-Tails.
"You shouldn't have severed them..."
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
"Fire Style: Exploding Wind Dance!"
Obito and Madara simultaneously used their fire style jutsu to attack the Ninja Allied Forces. Seeing this, Naruto clapped his hands, using the chakra cloak he had been granted to firmly shield everyone.
Minato watched all this, filled with pride as his son had grown into an extraordinary ninja.
However, the Ten-Tails had begun to rampage. Its roars alone could scour the surface of the land, lightning constantly struck from the sky, and enormous tornadoes swept across the battlefield.
The Nine-Tails quickly warned Naruto that this was the Ten-Tails' natural disaster, literally meaning the sky and earth would collapse.
Karin immediately activated her Susanoo, protecting Yugito and Fū. As for the others, Karin paid no mind.
Naruto continued to use his chakra cloak to protect everyone. Konan used her spatial folding to shield those around her. In such conditions, it was difficult even to stand steady, let alone protect more people.
After a while, the Ten-Tails ceased its rampage, but its body began to change again. A red flower grew from its mouth, and it started to condense an enormous Tailed Beast Bomb.
Kakashi was about to use Kamui to teleport away, but Obito was waiting for this moment. He appeared before Kakashi, and together they entered the Kamui dimension.
Minato knew that if this Tailed Beast Bomb hit, the Ninja Allied Forces would be annihilated. Before the Tailed Beast Bomb could fully form, Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport himself to the sea.
However, even an incomplete Tailed Beast Bomb caused a powerful explosion, sending seawater surging onto the battlefield.