[Hmm?]
[Grandson-in-law?]
[Naruto... Naruto Uzumaki.]
"The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?"
Madara Uchiha narrowed his eyes slightly.
In fact.
He has already clashed with Naruto once.
Although extremely brief.
[But it left a deep impression on Madara Uchiha.]
Even the plans have changed.
He wouldn't feel any pressure facing Hashirama Senju.
However, if facing another opponent, he is no less formidable than Hashirama Senju.
[Even more powerful...]
[An opponent possessing the Rinnegan and the strongest tailed beast, the Nine-Tails.]
One plus one is far greater than two.
[so. ]
[After Madara Uchiha sensed Hashirama Senju's chakra.]
[I've decided to deal with one of them first.]
Even knowing that Naruto Uzumaki might arrive soon.
But...
He's feeling a bit annoyed now.
Because I'm hooked.
I want to have a good game with my best buddy whom I haven't seen in years.
The result is that too much time is wasted.
[This led to Naruto Uzumaki arriving at the battlefield.]
[but. ]
Now that things have come to this...
Madara Uchiha had no reason to be afraid or intimidated.
[He simply gave a faint smile.]
"Others beat the young to punish the old."
"How come when you see it, it becomes 'the elder was beaten, and then the younger one appeared'?"
[Upon hearing this.]
Hashirama Senju simply smiled.
[Seeing his best friend Hashirama Senju still laughing so carefree.]
Madara Uchiha was furious.
[Because I sensed the presence of the Rinnegan.]
Madara Uchiha roughly guessed Naruto Uzumaki's identity.
Therefore, the plan has been changed. The intention is to first obtain the Gedo Mazo, and then use it to begin collecting the Tailed Beasts.
[Even with the last remaining Nine-Tails chakra, it's possible to summon the Ten-Tails ahead of schedule.]
[At that time, he will become the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki.]
[Reaching the level of the Sage of Six Paths.]
And so, everything has settled down.
This clearly demonstrates that after sensing the Rinnegan aura during Naruto's reverse summoning...
Madara Uchiha still had many reservations.
After all, even at its peak, the Impure World Reincarnation technique was still just Impure World Reincarnation, not a true physical body.
Just then, Madara Uchiha opened his mouth.
[BOOM—!!!]
[The next moment.]
A loud bang sounded from behind.
Madara Uchiha paused for a moment.
A familiar feeling.
[This is...]
Madara Uchiha looked at his best friend Hashirama Senju's undisguised smile.
[And a fleeting hint of tension on his face.]
Madara Uchiha frowned deeply.
[He slowly turned around.]
[Looking at that familiar demonic statue of the Outer Path.]
Madara Uchiha's heart sank to the bottom.
"The Demonic Statue of the Heretic."
"It seems my perception was correct."
[It can summon demonic statues of heretics.]
[Only the Rinnegan!]
The identity of the person who came was already self-evident.
Madara Uchiha slightly raised his eyes.
[After confirming that it is indeed the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.]
[Look upwards.]
[And there it was, above the head of the demonic statue of the heretic.]
A figure was looking down at him from a high vantage point.
Long, golden hair danced in the wind.
[A handsome face that looks somewhat familiar.]
The smile that curved his lips seemed somewhat familiar.
Madara Uchiha narrowed his eyes slightly.
["oh?"]
["swirl?"]
"Naruto Uzumaki?"
"Blonde hair...you do resemble the Fourth Hokage somewhat."
"They're father and son, aren't they?"
[Hahaha~]
Hashirama Senju laughed heartily.
Then he choked on his own laughter.
[A persistent cough.]
But he still struggled to get up.
"Naruto, I'm counting on you."
"No... could you please do me a favor, Grandpa?"
"Grandpa, what do you want to say?" Naruto's lips curled into a slight smile, his signature gentle grin playing on his lips.
"Don't kill Madara, Grandpa still has something to say to him."
"I believe in Grandpa. Grandpa can let him know everything, and after he knows everything, he will definitely make the right choice."
"Look at Madara's Susanoo and Wood Release. If he followed Grandpa, he'd definitely be very useful in the future!"
Naruto nodded slightly.
In fact, he had already guessed what Hashirama Senju would say.
[However. ]
These words, however, were interpreted differently by Madara Uchiha.
His face instantly turned grim.
Kill yourself?
[It's true that he's wary of this nine-tailed brat who possesses the Rinnegan.]
But not out of fear!
I don't believe I'll lose in a one-on-one situation!
[It's just that it doesn't have a physical body yet.]
The Rinnegan is subject to too many restrictions.
In comparison, Naruto Uzumaki, who possesses a physical body and has awakened the Rinnegan himself, will undoubtedly have a significant advantage.
After Hashirama Senju finished speaking, he ignored everything else.
[He smiled and waved at Naruto.]
He immediately started limping and ran outside.
Madara Uchiha was still pondering something.
Naruto suddenly said:
"This must be the medium for reviving the Ten-Tails—the Gedo Mazo, right?"
"You want this?"
"I've brought it to you."
"If I'm not mistaken, you were planning to use this against Grandpa, weren't you?"
Madara Uchiha: "..."
[I'm really annoyed.]
However, it's quite touching to hear Naruto actually call Hashirama Senju "Grandpa."
He still felt it was somewhat unreal.
"Can you take it?"
Madara Uchiha: "..."
[Hahaha~]
Hashirama Senju's laughter drifted from afar.
Madara Uchiha closes his eyes.
A slight upturn at the corners of his mouth.
It seems my intuition was correct.
[The blond-haired kid in front of me.]
He's truly a young man.
[Young and impetuous.]
Arrogance is normal.
[My past self.]
[Even more arrogant than the young man before him.]
"Don't you know who I am?"
"No, you should know."
"Should I know?" Naruto retorted.
"Completely fooled by the contents of the stone tablet."
Madara Uchiha frowned slightly; the implication was clear.
On one hand, this young man already knew about the existence of the Uchiha clan's stone tablet and had even deciphered it.
On the other hand, there is likely a major secret being concealed.
Otherwise, Hashirama Senju wouldn't have said those things.
"Actually, it was before I grew up."
"You, Uchiha Madara, and your great-grandfather, Senju Hashirama, the God of Shinobi."
"They are all beings I deeply fear."
"I even constantly transform you into imaginary enemies in my mind."
"What I see today... I was right about what I thought before."
[Buzz—]
[While speaking.]
A layer of blue chakra covered the Gedo Mazo beneath Naruto's feet.
[The Third Power: Susanoo!]
Madara Uchiha's pupils suddenly contracted.
[Looking at that familiar blue chakra cloak.]
He could hardly believe it.
[This is...]
What's going on?!
Why does this kid... have my Susanoo?!