Akira finally turned toward Minato, then toward Itachi and Shisui, who were still locked inside their towering Susanoo—each over 150 meters tall. He exhaled softly and spoke:
"Hey, Madara… how about this? Minato steps out. Itachi and Shisui too.
Just you and me."
Madara blinked once, then nodded.
"It's fine by me."
Minato, who had been struggling against a giant more than twice his size, heard those words and let out a long, relieved breath.
The only reason he had lasted this long was because he could now use his Nine-tails Mode.
With Akira's Mangekyō Sharingan—well, Akira's clone's Mangekyō—canceling the Flying Thunder God entirely, Minato had been forced to rely purely on brute strength.
So the moment he heard he could withdraw, he didn't hesitate.
Itachi and Shisui—still wielding the spectral might of two Uchiha ghosts—also nodded silently. They had already confirmed the Strength of Madara and their own strength so they felt they had no need to continue fighting.
And just like that, the battlefield emptied.
The match became a pure 1v1.
Akira versus Madara.
---
Less than an hour had passed since the game began, yet everyone watching from outside finally understood the truth. Even the most clueless observer could tell now:
This was never a football match.
This was a controlled war—a peaceful duel between two worlds. A display of strength between the two worlds.
Obito's death made it fully clear.
If Akira had wished to, he could've slaughtered every remaining player except Hashirama and Madara in just a few attacks.
He could even summon his future self using his Mangekyō and end the match instantly.
People wondered at first why he didn't.
Why didn't he simply crush them all from the beginning?
But now they understood.
'Sasuke vs Sasuke had not been a petty ego clash—it was a demonstration of each world's pride, and the Sasuke from Akira's world had won.
Kakashi vs Might Guy wasn't a random duel—it was another comparison of worlds, and once again, Akira's side prevailed.
Hashirama and Nagato's match looked philosophical, but when Nagato suggested stepping out, Hashirama accepted. Not out of weakness—but because he recognized Nagato's conviction and strength.
Yatagarasu vs Naruto wasn't a friendly game either—it was another display of power.
And Akira's side won again, leaving Naruto injured and shaken.
Piece by piece, every battle had shown the same conclusion—
Akira's world was stronger.
Much stronger.
And now, finally, the strongest of both worlds stood face-to-face.
If Akira won here, he would take the Ten-Tails.
Their world would lose.
And they all understood: they would have no choice but to accept it.
Because Akira hadn't won through deception or cheap shortcuts.
His victories over Sasuke, Might Guy, and even Naruto weren't the result of a lone tyrant overpowering the weak — he fought fairly, without belittling anyone.
He had fought with a team—
a team of monsters, each stronger than their worlds strongest. This displayed the overall level of both worlds.
And so, as the dust settled and the field grew silent…
the last match began.
---
Just when Akira and Madara were preparing to clash for the final point, an anomaly rippled across the battlefield.
A massive surge of chakra — ancient, dense, and overwhelming — erupted outside the arena.
Both Akira and Madara turned.
An old man floated in the air, cross-legged, wearing sage robes and carrying a calm, timeless aura. His eyes glowed with a pair of rippling Rinnegan. His presence alone seemed to silence the world.
Akira instantly understood who he was.
The Sage of Six Paths.
The son of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.
Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki.
But Akira didn't flinch.
Even if Hagoromo had appeared in his prime, Akira knew he could defeat him — and if not, he could at least escape with his own world's members.
Either way, there was nothing to worry about.
So Akira simply watched.
Hagoromo's gaze shifted from Akira to Madara. After a moment, he spoke:
"I find this match… unfair to you."
Madara raised an eyebrow.
"You cannot use the full power of the Rinnegan due to your imperfect reincarnated body," the Sage continued.
"So I shall grant you a chance — a true chance — to represent this world."
He lifted his staff and tapped the ground.
A ripple of chakra spread across the air, and from the heavens a massive pillar of green light descended upon Madara.
Akira didn't interfere.
He was interested… and confused.
Interested because he wanted to see how strong Madara would become.
Confused because he wondered:
Would Madara still have a Rinnegan after resurrection?
After all, in the original Naruto, Madara had to steal his eyes back from Obito.
But now, one Rinnegan was destroyed by Akira, and the other was inside Obito's Kamui dimension.
Would Madara be resurrected blind?
Would his power actually weaken?
As if reading his mind, Hagoromo's voice echoed:
"Do not worry. I am creating a new Rinnegan for him… since the original ones no longer exist."
Akira felt a thread of chakra link Hagoromo to Madara — and felt the Sage's aura steadily weakening.
Akira wasn't surprised.
If Hagoromo could simply create a Rinnegan casually, he wouldn't be a "sage." He would be a god. And there would've been no need to seal Kaguya — just arm a dozen Rinnegan users and destroy her.
Moments passed.
The green light finally vanished.
Madara stepped out — reborn, uncracked, and whole.
And in his eyes shone not a normal Rinnegan, but a six-tomoe Rinnegan, equal to Akira's own.
Akira smiled.
Of course the Sage of Six paths had waited.
He didn't appear in the beginning when Akira's side had two Rinnegan and four Mangekyo users.
He didn't appear when Akira's team had one Rinnegan and two Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
He appeared now — at the final duel, when only Akira and Madara remained.
Cheap tricks.
But Akira welcomed it.
It only made the fight more exciting.
Madara flexed his new power, eyes blazing.
"Akira Uchiha… let us have a true battle."
Akira smiled back.
But before answering, he glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi.
With a gesture, a Truth-Seeking Orb shot forward, expanded, engulfed Hiruzen completely, and then shrank back down.
The Third Hokage vanished without a trace.
" Grandpa HOKAGE !!!!"
" Lord Third!!!! "
" Monkey!!!"
Akira ignored others reaction and looked at Madara.
"Now it's interesting."
He lowered his stance, eyes glowing.
"Come, Madara.
Let's begin."
---