The lair was silent, save for the sound of clashing steel and the occasional grunt of exertion. Naruto's blade met Madara's with a resounding clang, his muscles straining as he tried to match the ancient Uchiha's overwhelming strength.
"Is this the best you can do?" Madara sneered, parrying Naruto's attack with ease. "For someone with the Nine-Tails and my tutelage, I expected more."
Naruto gritted his teeth, his Sharingan spinning wildly as he tried to anticipate Madara's next move. "I'm just getting started, old man!"
Madara smirked, stepping forward with a brutal counter that sent Naruto flying across the cavern. He landed hard, the impact jarring every bone in his body. But before he could rise, Black Zetsu emerged from the shadows.
"I have news," Zetsu said, his voice dripping with intrigue.
Madara's eyes narrowed as he straightened. "Speak."
Zetsu held up a small vial with a strand of blond hair inside. "I went to Konoha, as you requested, to uncover the boy's ancestry. What I found… is remarkable."
Naruto struggled to his feet, wiping blood from his mouth. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Zetsu chuckled darkly. "Your lineage, Naruto Uzumaki. On your mother's side, you are the grandson of Kushina Uzumaki, the daughter of Arashi Uzumaki, who was the son of Ashina Uzumaki, the first Uzukage. A line of unparalleled strength and mastery of sealing techniques."
Naruto blinked in surprise, his mind reeling.
"And your father…" Zetsu continued, "was Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage. His mother, Tsunade Senju—yes, the Fifth Hokage herself—was the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju. Your great-grandfather's brother, Tobirama Senju, sired another child, making you a descendant of both the First and Second Hokage. A direct heir to the greatest ninja in history."
The words hit Naruto like a hammer. His lineage was one of power, legacy, and royalty—and the Leaf had treated him like dirt.
Madara's grin widened as he observed the rage building in Naruto's eyes.
"They knew," Naruto growled, his voice shaking with fury. "They knew who I was… and they still treated me like I was nothing. Like I was a tool to protect their worthless village!"
The air around him thickened with chakra as his Sharingan spun wildly, the tomoe merging and morphing into a new, intricate pattern—a nebula-like design that pulsed with power.
Madara raised an eyebrow. "So, the Mangekyō awakens."
Naruto's body trembled as a massive, skeletal arm erupted from the ground, forming a black-and-white Susanoo around him. His left eye wept blood as white flames burst forth, consuming the air around him. His right eye bled as well, releasing a wave of uncontrollable genjutsu that surged outward.
Madara and Zetsu stood firm, their experience shielding them from despair, but the genjutsu was like nothing they had encountered before. Twisted images of war, death, and madness filled their minds—worlds burning, endless bloodshed, and the cries of the damned.
White Zetsu screamed in terror, his form writhing as he tried to resist the overwhelming assault. Black Zetsu remained silent, his will unshaken but his expression grim.
"This… is no ordinary Mangekyō," Madara muttered, his voice betraying a hint of awe.
Naruto's chakra surged again as another ability activated. His body flickered, becoming intangible. A rock hurled by Madara passed through him harmlessly, eliciting a grin from the elder Uchiha.
"So, you can phase through attacks now," Madara said. "Impressive. But such power comes at a cost."
Naruto collapsed, his body unable to sustain the strain of his awakened abilities. Blood pooled beneath him, his breath ragged as he fell unconscious.
Madara stepped forward, kneeling beside the boy. His grin was wide, his mind racing with possibilities. "Zetsu," he said, his tone sharp. "We need to make him even stronger."
Zetsu tilted his head. "What do you suggest?"
Madara's eyes gleamed. "My brother's eyes are within my sockets. They are eternal, but my original eyes… they still exist. If we replace Naruto's eyes with mine, he will inherit not only his abilities but mine as well. The combination will make him unstoppable."
Zetsu hesitated but nodded. "Very well. I'll prepare the procedure."
Madara extracted his original eyes, placing them carefully in Naruto's sockets. As the nebula pattern of Naruto's Mangekyō merged with the Uchiha design, a new pattern emerged—a swirling, radiant amalgamation of their powers.
Madara leaned back, watching the boy rest. "You are no fool, Naruto. That false mask you wore in the Leaf… it's gone. You are a true shinobi now—a weapon of unparalleled destruction. With you, my plans will become reality."
Black Zetsu lingered in the shadows, his thoughts turning to his own schemes. This boy may prove to be the perfect vessel…
As Naruto lay unconscious, his body adapted to the new power within him. The lair was silent once more, but the air was charged with anticipation. Naruto Uzumaki was no longer a mere boy—he was a harbinger of a new age, and the world would tremble before him.