The air trembled with dread as Obito, standing atop the battered remains of the battlefield, spread his arms and began to absorb the Ten-Tails into his body. Chakra spiraled wildly, twisting around him like a vortex of pure malice.

The beast's wailing form was drawn toward him, limbs convulsing as it resisted, but slowly, inch by inch, its immense bulk dissolved into particles of chakra and merged with Obito.

His body shuddered violently. His Bones cracked. Veins bulged like cords beneath his skin. He screamed, not in rage, but in agony.

A sickening crack split the air as his spine elongated unnaturally, stretching and reshaping. Horn-like protrusions pushed from his back. White matter formed jagged armor along his arms and shoulders.

His eyes rolled back, the whites overtaken by void. His skin turned pale and slick, and black orbs emerged across his body.

The Shinobi Alliance froze in horror. What stood before them was no longer just Obito. It was the Jinchūriki of the Ten-Tails.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, Mangekyō Sharingan spinning. "Be careful," he said calmly. "It's begun."

"So, this is it." Anko clenched her kunai tighter.

Kakashi's thoughts raced. 'Just a little more. If Obito loses control… then Black Zetsu will make his move. And everything can proceed as planned.'

Obito's transformation completed with a flash of blinding light. Then silence. He stood still, motionless, almost lifeless. Blank eyes stared ahead.

Kakashi inhaled deeply. His chakra surged. A white grey aura engulfed him, his Snake Sage Mode activating. His pupils turned into slits, and his silver hair rose, crackling slightly. He stood tall, his cloak fluttering behind him.

"Only Sage Mode can harm him now." He said as he looked at Naruto and Sasuke.

Naruto instantly nodded and crossed his fingers in a sign. "Got it!" Emerald-green chakra blossomed around him. Serpent-like patterns glowed across his skin. His eyes turned golden, pupils slitted. "Snake Sage Mode!"

Sasuke's eyes darkened. His own sage chakra began to swirl, black serpentine scales shimmering faintly on his cheekbones. His aura expanded with malicious elegance. "Let's go."

Not far away, Minato observed with a conflicted heart. He had learned of Obito's true identity from Kakashi before the battle. The guilt lingered. Kushina had been furious. But seeing Naruto now, standing beside Kakashi and Sasuke, all in Sage Mode, made him smile faintly.

"Jiraiya-sensei would've thrown a fit," Minato mused. All that effort of wanting to teach toad sage mode… and my son masters the snake's.

But Minato also knew that the relationship between Jiraya and Naruto wasn't that close, as Naruto is Kakashi's disciple and has learned everything from him.

Around them, shinobi murmured as they recognized the transformation. Some gasped. Others stood in stunned reverence.

"Sage Mode…" someone whispered.

"Three of them…" another added.

Obito stirred. His head turned slowly, the blank expression beginning to crack. His fingers twitched. He began to lift into the air.

"Now!" Kakashi shouted.

Using his Mangekyō ability Shukujitsu, he warped himself Naruto, and Sasuke directly behind Obito. At the same moment, Naruto launched forward, forming a massive Rasengan fused with Kurama's chakra, a Tailed Beast Rasengan.

Sasuke summoned a Vanishing Rasengan, concealed by his own dark sage chakra.

Kakashi's Shiden surged with Sage Chakra. His Black Shiden technique pulsed with wild power, once purple, now darkened by sage chakra infusion to an eerie black.

In perfect synchronicity, the three struck.

Obito turned, black orbs forming a defensive wall. But Sage chakra passed through the defense, unstoppable.

The Tailed Beast Rasengan slammed into Obito's back, detonating with explosive force. The Vanishing Rasengan tore through the momentarily vulnerable armor.

Kakashi's shiden blade slashed across his shoulder, slicing deep. Then with a twist, he sealed the torn arm into a special scroll.

Obito fell.

He hit the ground hard, his body convulsing. Screams tore from his throat, human screams, agonized, broken. The chakra in him flared wildly, out of control. The Ten-Tails raged inside him, trying to seize control of his body.

The Shinobi Alliance erupted in cheers.

"He's down!" shouted a jōnin.

"He's weakened! Hit him again!"

But it wasn't over.

On the ground, Obito twitched. His voice became silent. The struggle within was clear, his face twisted between pain and emptiness. Then, like black oil, something slithered onto his skin.

Black Zetsu.

It coiled like a serpent, sliding up his neck and enveloping him from behind.

"Yes… Just as planned," Black Zetsu hissed gleefully.

Obito's eyes glazed over, his limbs falling limp. Black Zetsu's form covered him fully, leaving only half his face visible. "At last."

From a safe distance, Kakashi watched. A small, invisible smile crept onto his face. 'Exactly as expected.'

Black Zetsu's glowing yellow eyes scanned the field. Then they landed on the Madara clones.

"Let's begin," he whispered.

He raised his hand.

"Rinne Tensei no Jutsu!"

As the seal formed, the chakra spiraled. The ice-style Madara clone, still radiating chakra, was enveloped in golden light. His limbs trembled as an old but strong chakra rushed through him.

The Shinobi Alliance watched in horror and confusion.

Kakashi's gaze darted to the Orochimaru clone. The two locked eyes. The clone gave a smug grin. Kakashi nodded.

He waved Sasuke and Naruto over.

"We have to protect something now," he whispered, drawing them close. "Time for the next part."

Naruto frowned. "But we haven't finished!"

"There's no time," Kakashi said, his voice low. "You're the key to this plan. If Madara revives… I need you safe."

"Let's move." Sasuke nodded grimly.

Naruto still looked hesitant, but Kakashi's gaze was firm. Minato appeared beside them in a flash of yellow light.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Take him to the fallback point." Kakashi handed him a pre-prepared seal scroll.

Minato placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder and vanished in a golden shimmer.

Kakashi exhaled, then turned back.

The Madara clone's glow faded. The chakra calmed. The figure slumped, but only for a moment.

Then… it stood.

The aura was different. It wasn't artificial.

It was Real.

The ghost of the Uchiha, Madara Uchiha had returned.

"That brat Nagato finally used it… after all." The revived Madara looked around slowly. His voice rumbled.

Black Zetsu dropped Obito's useless weak body and moved to Madara's side.

"You're back," he said with 'reverence'.

Madara surveyed the field with cold disinterest. His gaze settled on the Shinobi Alliance, then on Kakashi.

He frowned.

"A shinobi with chakra like mine and Hashirama's… and something else."

Then he noticed the two identical Madaras who were still active.

He blinked.

"What… are those?"

"Clones. Constructed with your genetic material." Black Zetsu smirked.

"Hmph mere fakes." Madara scoffed.

Then he extended his arm. A pulse of chakra waved outward, stunning the battlefield with sheer force. The two clones staggered but held their ground.

Not far away, in Obito's limp body, the Ten-Tails' chakra began to emerge. It pulsed, rejecting the failed vessel.

Its monstrous form reformed again in the center of the battlefield.

The Ten-Tails was back, no longer bound by Obito.

Alive and Independent.

The ground shook with its roar.

The sky once again darkened.

The war was far from over.