After hearing Funan and Hashirama's rejection, Madara's gaze turned cold, and the next moment he appeared right in front of Hashirama.
[Boom!]
A figure suddenly appeared, blocking what should have been a fatal blow.
"Your speed..."
Madara was visibly shocked.
"Take this!"
Funan opened his mouth and spat out a burst of blood-red flames.
The Truth-Seeking Balls behind Six Paths Madara automatically moved to shield him.
At the same time, the rest of the black orbs transformed into spears and shot toward Funan.
[Boom!]
Funan was forced to retreat.
But while he had dodged, Hashirama wasn't as lucky.
The so-called God of Shinobi was pierced by those black spears and pinned to the ground.
Funan's voice was low. "I'm sorry, First Hokage."
"Don't be ridiculous! If you'd taken that hit head-on, then I would've yelled at you!" Hashirama said with a bitter smile, unable to move. "And really, I should be the one apologizing. I'm not of much help here."
In that moment, Hashirama felt truly powerless.
The difference between Madara and him… was truly overwhelming.
But—
What was truly unexpected—
Was that Uchiha Funan, despite possessing only an Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, was still holding his own.
Not just for Hashirama.
Even Madara, now entangled with Funan once again, was dumbfounded.
What was up with this guy?
The stronger Madara got, the stronger Funan became as well.
"Interesting."
Floating mid-air, Six Paths Madara looked down at Funan, who was calmly staring back from the ground. A smile crept across Madara's lips—and grew wider and wider.
"Hahaha… Hahahaha!"
"Uchiha Funan, you really are fascinating. Let's see how long you can keep this up!"
Funan smiled faintly. "Madara, I'm certain I can outlast you."
"Hmph!"
Six Paths Madara formed a hand seal.
"Sage Art: Yin Release Lightning Dispatch!"
Purple lightning, branch-like in form, shot toward Funan.
Funan casually formed a single hand seal—and dispelled the entire attack.
Six Paths Madara was momentarily stunned.
Funan had simply sent out a single shadow clone—and it absorbed all of the incoming attacks.
Just an ordinary clone—yet it had achieved an unexpected result.
Funan kept his gaze fixed on Madara. His figure moved slightly.
In the next instant, using the Body Flicker Technique, he appeared right in front of Madara and swung a punch straight at his head.
Madara threw his head back, and faint arcs of lightning sparked from his mouth.
"Sage Art: Storm Release Light Fang!"
A laser-like beam of chakra sliced toward Funan.
It was too fast—cut straight through his body in a flash.
[Boom!]
In a puff of smoke, Funan vanished.
"Another shadow clone!"
Madara turned his gaze elsewhere.
Funan stood there, quietly.
Madara's lips curled into a smile.
Funan's hair stood on end. He quickly dodged—
[Boom!]
The spot he had just been standing on exploded from an unseen attack.
Funan's expression turned grim.
An invisible enemy…
He knew what this was.
Limbo: Border Jail!
A Rinnegan-exclusive ability.
[BOOM!]
Just after dodging one attack, another came flying in.
Funan fused Susanoo's armor onto his body and managed to block the strike.
The second one,
Funan silently noted to himself.
He remembered that Madara's Limbo: Border Jail could create a total of four 'shadows'.
[SWOOSH!]
Another strike came barreling toward him.
But the moment it made contact—
[CRACK!]
Susanoo's armor shattered instantly.
"Ugh!"
Funan let out a grunt as he was blasted backward.
The injury wasn't too serious, and thanks to the Nine-Tails' chakra coursing through him, the wound began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Six Paths Madara narrowed his eyes in surprise.
"You actually have regenerative abilities on par with Hashirama."
"But…"
His tone shifted to scorn.
"All that means is you can survive a few extra hits. It won't change the fact that you're going to die."
"Oh, really?"
Funan gave a slight smile.
"Madara, you're pretty confident in yourself, huh?"
Madara's expression was proud.
"I am now the Second Sage of the Six Paths—the true Sage!"
"Oh?"
Funan chuckled lowly.
"Then let me be the Third Sage of the Six Paths."
"…Huh?"
Madara froze.
What did that mean?
Could it be—
Funan's eyes, blood-red, his Mangekyō Sharingan, calmly locked onto Madara.
And then—
Those eyes turned ever so slightly.
A wave of ominous power began to ripple outward.
"This… this power!"
Madara was stunned—and then delighted.
"Funan… Haha, impressive! Don't tell me… Hahaha!"
He broke into uncontrollable laughter.
The thrill of a worthy hunt.
For someone who had become almost invincible, encountering such an opponent—
To most people, it would be terrifying.
But to Madara, it meant something else entirely.
Even if he hadn't gained the upper hand since his revival—
He still wanted to see it for himself: Rinnegan versus Rinnegan!
Inside Funan's eyes, ripple-like patterns began to form.
His Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan was evolving—transforming into the Rinnegan.
[BOOM!!!]
A massive Tailed Beast Bomb came crashing down on Madara's body.
He was forced to activate the Rinnegan's ability to absorb ninjutsu, absorbing the entire bomb in one go.
"…Huh?"
Funan was surprised, too.
Naruto?
That form…
Six Paths Sage Mode?
Already?
It was none other than Final Form Naruto.
With Truth-Seeking Orbs swirling behind him, he used Body Flicker to appear beside Funan, wielding a black staff in hand. He stared coldly at Madara and shouted: "Madara! What are you trying to do to Funan-aniki?!"
"This brat…"
Madara stared intently at Naruto.
A string of question marks popped into his mind.
This brat… even after being seriously injured, how could his strength have increased so much, even with healing?
Something's not right.
Very not right.
"You brat… do you really think you're a match for me?" Six Paths Madara let out a light chuckle. "I can see your power has grown—but the gap between us is still vast."
"Is that so?" Naruto grinned. "Maybe I'm not enough to take you down by myself. But that's fine—because I've never fought alone."
Madara's gaze shifted toward Funan.
Adding that bastard into the mix… now that was troublesome.
He might've awakened as well… Wait—!
Madara suddenly froze.
Someone else had appeared beside Funan.
Sasuke.
One eye closed, the other wide open—his Mangekyō Sharingan locked coldly onto Madara.
Madara went quiet for a moment, then said, "Naruto, when you said you weren't alone… were you talking about this kid?"
"Who else?" Naruto shot back.
Madara: "…"
Where exactly does Funan fit into this?
Or are these two brats just that full of themselves?
"Funan!" Tobirama arrived by Funan's side and lowered his voice. "These two kids…"
That made it the third time.
This was the third time Naruto and Sasuke's power had suddenly surged beyond reason.
And this time… it was especially outrageous.
Tobirama could feel it—power beyond even that of his older brother, Hashirama.
Funan waved a hand dismissively. "Focus on the fight. We'll talk afterward."
"You do know something, don't you?"
Tobirama wasn't one to let things slide easily.
From the very start, Funan had been acting strangely.
And Tobirama didn't like it.
"I do know a bit more than you," Funan replied. "If I'm in the mood, I'll fill you in later."
"Hmph."
Tobirama snorted.
[Crack!]
The ground beneath Naruto's feet began to fracture and crumble.
He spoke softly, "Funan-aniki, step aside and take a breather. A guy like this… doesn't need the Hokage of Konoha getting his hands dirty."
"Wow, little Naruto's all grown up now."
Funan looked genuinely moved, eyes nearly brimming with tears. "But seriously, just you and Sasuke? You two think you've got this?"
"Of course!"
Naruto shouted with renewed vigor, like someone had just lit a fire under him. "I'm going to be Hokage, remember?"
"Then I'm counting on you!"
Funan nodded heavily, voice firm. "Naruto really has grown up. Now you're a ninja strong enough to carry the weight of Konoha."
"I… mmph—!"
Naruto had just opened his mouth to say something else—only to get smacked aside by Sasuke.
"What the hell, man?!" Naruto glared at him. "Sasuke, you hit me!"
"Shut up. Damn right I did."
Sasuke's chest rose and fell sharply—he was seething.
You actually believed that?
Fine. Sure, this unserious Uchiha says a lot of things that sound trustworthy, but what he just said? No way in hell!
Rely on just him and Naruto to take down Uchiha Madara?
Sasuke wasn't confident—not at all.
He trusted his own strength. But Madara? That monster was on a whole different level.
And Funan? With power like that? Why was he even considering stepping aside and letting them go in first?
If you're so strong, why don't you go one-on-one with him?!
Why are you dragging me into this?!
"Hokage-sama!"
Minato had also walked up to Funan, looking helpless as he said, "My son… sometimes his mouth moves faster than his brain. Please don't tease him like that."
Funan offered a sly, almost mischievous smile.
Naruto, still defiant, was promptly silenced with a slap from his father.
That got him to behave.
"You think you're all that now, huh? Just cause you got a power boost?"
Minato's brow furrowed sharply. "Look around you! Look at what this battlefield's become! And yet… how many lives has Konoha lost so far? You know why that is? Because every step has been under Hokage-sama's control!"
Naruto and Sasuke both glanced around.
The wreckage—those monstrous impacts carved deep into the terrain—put things back into perspective real fast.
"Alright then!"
Funan clapped his hands together, forming a hand seal, and smiled.
"Naruto, Sasuke—you take the lead. I'll support from the side. We're ending Uchiha Madara, fast!"
His tone left no room for doubt.
People turned to look.
Something had shifted in Funan's demeanor.
Up until now, it had felt like he'd just been… playing around.
Or maybe he'd been following some plan of his own.
But now?
Now, he looked serious.
Why?
Because of how strong Madara had become?
Many were left wondering.
---
I will post some extra Chapters in Patreon, you can check it out. >> patreon.com/TitoVillar
---