Speedrunning Naruto to the Top

"Too bad… I was hoping to take advantage of that moment and maybe 'triple-kill' them."

Izayoi had teleported away from the battlefield and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to bring Hinata and Karin back to Konoha. Now he stood in a deserted area, peering via his Tenseigan at the place where Madara and his associates were located. He sighed softly.

A newly revived Madara—devoid of eyes—would undoubtedly have been at his weakest. If Izayoi's clone had been able to instantly kill him, maybe he could have scored a major drop (i.e., "entry"). But instead, they only managed to assassinate Nagato at his weakest, during the moment he used Rinne Tensei and was already worn out.

Still…

"Though we didn't get a massive one-shot haul, I've achieved my main objective for this final battle." Izayoi smiled as he looked at his personal interface.

The "Points" display now showed [1007105].

By dismantling the nine entries obtained from Nagato—two gold, three blue, four purple—Izayoi's points had finally broken into seven digits and soared past one million.

In his "entries" window, each of his red-tier entries—led by his "Ōtsutsuki Bloodline"—now had a little "+" indicating they could be upgraded. Izayoi didn't even glance at [Sage Eye (Red)] or [Sage Physique (Red)]. He unhesitatingly tapped the plus sign next to [Ōtsutsuki Bloodline (Red)].

In a flash, the originally red text of "Ōtsutsuki Bloodline" increased in size, and the red hue was replaced by a glimmering rainbow glow. Unlike red and lower tiers, where the font color was static, this rainbow sheen continuously shimmered across those characters. The designation (Red) changed into a similarly special-effect-laden (Multi-Color).

Meanwhile, his point total plunged from seven digits to four, leaving only [7106].

After that upgrade, Izayoi quickly shut his personal interface and checked his body for any changes—there were none.

He wasn't surprised. The same had happened back when he first replicated Toneri's [Ōtsutsuki Bloodline (Red)].

Since nothing changed immediately, it might just be like before—over the coming period, his body would begin its transformation, breaking former limits and rising to a level that neither the "Six Paths power" nor anything else could suppress.

So Izayoi set aside his excitement, focusing his Tenseigan again on Madara—now fitted with both eyes.

Over a dozen color-coded "bubbles" floated around Madara, but the most conspicuous was a prismatic-colored bubble, just like Izayoi's now "rainbow" tier:

[Kekkei Genkai · Rinnegan (Multi-Color)]

[Six Paths Aptitude (Red)]

[Full Attribute Physique (Gold)]

[Kekkei Genkai · Wood Release (Gold)]

[Chakra Control (Gold)]

[Ōtsutsuki Bloodline (Gold)]

[Ninjutsu Master (Purple)]

[Taijutsu Master (Purple)]

[Summoning Master (Purple)]

[Sealing Master (Purple)]

[Medical Master (Purple)]

[Puppet Master (Purple)]

[Genjutsu Master (Purple)]

"They disappeared…"

Izayoi glanced briefly at the Rinnegan's entry, but then scanned all of Madara's entries and found no second red-tier listing. Before resurrection, Madara's lineup had displayed [Sage Eye (Red)], but it was now gone—replaced by a brand-new [Six Paths Aptitude (Red)], which he hadn't had in Edo Tensei form.

"'When the two poles unite, one gains the power to command all creation…'" Izayoi recited to himself and realized why Madara's [Sage Eye (Red)] was missing.

He summoned his own interface again and gazed at [Prince of the Byakugan (Red)], muttering, "So once Tenseigan completes its final evolution, will that entry disappear, too? Now that my [Ōtsutsuki Bloodline] is at the newly unlocked tier, it might spawn a Rinnegan as well. Would [Sage Eye (Red)] and [Sage Physique (Red)] vanish if a Rinnegan emerges?"

Finishing that thought, Izayoi closed his interface once more and eyed Madara's [Rinnegan (Multi-Color)]. "So the ultimate dōjutsu truly is above red-tier."

Toneri's bloodline was very advanced within the red tier, possibly at the top. Even the extraterritorial Ōtsutsuki had accepted him as kin, choosing to seal rather than kill him. But Toneri's lineage was a half-blood, lacking horns, so he needed a pure Byakugan transplant to awaken Tenseigan.

As for the pure-blood Ōtsutsuki who can cross interstellar space—some are even born with Rinnegan and other supreme powers—Toneri didn't compare. Toneri's red-tier Tenseigan was not even fully evolved, akin to a "second stage." Meanwhile, with Madara's [Sage Eye (Red)] gone, the conclusion was obvious: once Tenseigan fully matures, it will also become a Multi-Color entry.

At that point, Izayoi's "life level" and potential would break beyond the super-Kage dimension into the "Six Paths dimension."

Unlike Obito becoming Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, or Naruto/Sasuke receiving the Sage's power, or even Toneri implanting borrowed eyes, Izayoi and Madara's eyes were originally their own.

Their upper limit could keep ascending, so long as they had sufficient lifespan, talent, and wisdom—ultimately approaching the power of Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki (the Sage) or Hamura Ōtsutsuki without needing the Ten-Tails.

If nothing surpasses this new "rainbow" tier, Izayoi surmised that is indeed the top—the Tenseigan or Rinnegan being the threshold, and pure-blood Ōtsutsuki possibly reaping even greater heights within the same dimension.

"Multi-Color rank" means stepping into a true "other dimension" that dwarfs the red tier. But just as the red tier itself contains wide variations, the rainbow tier likely does, too—some advanced or less advanced.

For instance, Hagoromo and Hamura remained stuck on Earth, while other pure Ōtsutsuki roam galaxies harvesting God Trees. They went further down that "other dimension" path.

"If Tenseigan and Rinnegan are the entry to that dimension, what rank is my own [Ōtsutsuki Bloodline (Multi-Color)]?" Izayoi mused, plucking a strand of black hair. "Perhaps I'll find out in a while."

Returning to Madara:

"Lord Madara, welcome back," Black Zetsu hissed, seeing Madara fully restored to prime condition. "Our plan has gone beautifully."

"Barely acceptable," Madara responded with some emotion. "Originally, I was supposed to be revived by Rinne Tensei at a time when Nagato had already collected all nine Tailed Beasts. I'd become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki and cast Infinite Tsukuyomi to sever the chain of fate."

"We had no choice," Black Zetsu insisted. "Obito bungled things, leading to the Three-Tails' death and forcing us to wait for its revival. None of us foresaw that from the Sage's era there existed Tenseigan or a 'Ōtsutsuki clan' lineage. If you truly wish to be the savior, you'll have to face these trials."

"Tch, two cowardly kids," Madara sneered. "I wanted to experiment on them, but all they did was ambush me at my weakest, then scurry off. They're nowhere near Hashirama's level."

"Maybe they sensed your presence," Black Zetsu flattered him, secretly rolling his eyes. After all, those two are in their teens, while Madara's nearly a century old. You yourself were "just skimming water" at their age. But outwardly, Black Zetsu smiled. "Lord Madara, with the Three-Tails still dead for a bit longer, what's your next plan?"

Madara didn't reply immediately, but asked, "What's Nagato's condition?"

"He had plenty of chakra left to cast Rinne Tensei, so if not for Toneri's ambush, he might still be fighting now. Though his chakra was drained, he's a handpicked Rinnegan host: awakened both Uzumaki and Senju blood, plus Hashirama cells, giving him remarkable vitality. So if Tobi fuses with him again and the Gedo Statue supplies some White Zetsu or Hashirama cells, Nagato can recover. But not to that former level," Black Zetsu added.

"As long as he's alive," Madara said. He gave a slight grin, gazing at the blue sky. "Black Zetsu, do you think if I used Perfect Susano'o, I could fly to the moon?"

Black Zetsu went blank, then forced an awkward smile, urging caution: "If you were still Edo Tensei, you might have unlimited chakra. But as a mortal, it's a bit risky."

He wanted to cling to Madara's leg and beg him not to do something so insane. Black Zetsu had spent a thousand years setting up this second pair of Rinnegan. He didn't want to see Madara kill himself. "Don't worry, Lord Madara. There must be a spatial passage to the moon. With your Rinnegan outclassing Nagato's, plus an army of White Zetsu inside the Gedo Statue, I'm sure we can find that portal."

Madara turned back. "Then I'll leave that to you, Black Zetsu."

"Of course, Lord Madara."

With that, the "final battle" ended. Within a day, its story was compiled and circulated throughout the ninja world. At the year's start, everyone had known the war between the Akatsuki leader and Ōtsutsuki Toneri's Sage Eyes was unfinished.

They expected a second or third round, continuing until one of them died, presumably. Instead, the second round turned out to be the final—and it wasn't just those two, or even three, but four protagonists!

First, the Akatsuki leader unexpectedly targeted Konoha's Wood-Style user. The latter somehow fought the leader one-on-one for a day and night.

Meanwhile, Toneri's puppet army assaulted Amegakure, prompting Nagato to use Edo Tensei—developed by Konoha's Second Hokage—to summon hundreds of famous or infamous powerful dead to fight Toneri's puppet army.

Another day-and-night conflict erupted with heavy losses. Then, just when everyone thought Toneri would swoop in as the finisher letting the final strike, the Wood-Style user and Nagato restored themselves to full power via some unknown means, and the rumored monster "Gedo Statue" arrived—a beast apparently stronger than a Tailed Beast Bomb. At that point, nobody could guess how things would wrap up.

But everyone was sure the winner would be one of three: the Akatsuki leader, the Konoha Wood user, or Ōtsutsuki Toneri. Soon they were proven wrong—the victor was actually "the Shinobi Shura who'd been dead for decades"—Uchiha Madara!

Once that name spread, both ninja and civilians across the land were terrified. Unlike the noble "God of Shinobi," Madara's title as "Shinobi Shura" was earned by blood. He was once the co-protagonist with the God of Shinobi in ending the Warring States era, the only one who could match Hashirama, the final villain of the Valley of the End.

When Ōnoki read the name, memories of being humiliated as a young man came flooding back. "How did things turn out this way?" he asked in disbelief. "Edo Tensei, but apparently fully resurrected… The Rinnegan can do that? Why did the Akatsuki leader offer up his own eyes?"

Ōnoki couldn't parse it—this all transcended his understanding. Fourth Raikage and Chiyo, similarly perplexed, felt the same. Chiyo had dabbled in developing a reanimation jutsu but never finished, so the notion of a true "Resurrection Jutsu" was unheard of.

But the real shock was that the resurrected man was Uchiha Madara, and the one performing the resurrection was the new "God of Shinobi." They apparently joined forces, putting them at odds with the Five Great Nations.

Imagining those two unstoppable powers as enemies made the Kage shiver. They promptly commanded their envoys to reach out to other major villages, pushing for a Five Kage Summit to coordinate their response.

…

"Where's Izayoi?" demanded Tsunade in Konoha, looking at Hinata and Karin. "Didn't he return with you?"

"He said he'd be off on a mission," Hinata answered, giving a strange look.

"A mission? Now? With that power he holds, I'd be ready to step aside and give him the hat. No one would argue about promoting him to jōnin after his day-long clash with the Akatsuki leader," Tsunade said, frowning. "Do you have a way to contact him? Get him back immediately—this is critical for defending the village."

"No," Hinata and Karin said in unison.

With no alternative, Tsunade sighed and reviewed the intel they'd compiled. Anger and apprehension flitted across her face. "Uchiha Madara… Why is this new era entwined with that relic from the old times? The Edo Tensei by my grand-uncle was supposed to have weaknesses. Someone of the Akatsuki leader's caliber should've controlled him easily—how is he resurrected at full power, and why hand over his eyes? And why did Jiraiya's students target Izayoi instead of Toneri? What are they plotting?"

Frustrated, she smashed her desk, cracks splitting under her fist. Just then, a familiar voice reached her.

"I'll go gather intel," said Jiraiya, who'd appeared at the window.

Tsunade glared at him. "Get lost! If you want to die, I can punch you straight to the Pure Land. Even ignoring their two super-tier fighters, a horde of reanimated monsters is no joke. If it's intel we need, we have Izayoi's Wood Clones and Flying Thunder God. You charging out to die accomplishes nothing."

Thus reprimanded, Jiraiya's dashing facade crumbled into awkwardness. Without Izayoi, Jiraiya might have insisted that only he could do the job. But with Izayoi in Konoha, possessing advanced Wood Clones, Wood Transformation, and a high-level Flying Thunder God, there was no sense in risking Jiraiya's life for reconnaissance.

Having chewed him out, Tsunade sighed: "Izayoi must know something. While he was fighting Nagato, Toneri even sent Danzo's puppet to help him, so Toneri doesn't want this new situation either. Once Izayoi liaises with him, Madara and that leader are done for. Now I just have to wait for Izayoi's reply and, in the meantime, summon a Five Kage Summit."

~~~

[Author's Note]:

It seems there's quite a bit of controversy about the new ranks, so the author is posting the rank settings here.

At first, the tiered ranks were divided into six colors: White, Green, Blue, Purple, Gold, and Red.

— For Purple and below, the maximum talent ceiling is at most Kage-level strength, with the upper extreme represented by the Five Kage.

— For Gold-tier entries, the upper limit is "Super Kage." Note that it's just the upper limit of Super Kage, not someone like Hashirama (who has a Red-tier entry, the "Sage Body"), capable of injuring a Ten-Tails Jinchūriki and Edo Tensei Rinnegan Madara—an extreme Super Kage. Representatives of Gold-tier include the Six Paths of Pain, Edo Tensei Nagato, Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan Sasuke, and Perfect Jinchūriki Naruto.

— For Red-tier entries, the lower limit is already Super Kage and the upper limit is Six Paths level. However, there are various kinds of "Six Paths." Representatives include Six Paths Obito, Rinnegan-revived Madara, and single Rinnegan Sasuke.

The author mentioned twice before, during the "Tenseigan Awakening" arcs, that the fully evolved Tenseigan is definitely above Red-tier.

The new "Color" (multicolored) rank, according to the author's setting, has a potential lower limit starting at Six Paths level and an upper limit on par with the Otsutsuki Clan.

A defining feature is having horns. The lower-limit example is Otsutsuki Toneri, who transplanted eyes and could enter a Tenseigan Chakra Mode with horns; Six Paths Naruto, whose Six Paths Sage Mode has horns; Six Paths Madara, who also had horns… Madara's Rinnegan is deemed "Color-tier" because his natural talent allows him to reach that Color-tier baseline.

He possesses dual Rinnegan, seven types of chakra nature transformations, can fully learn Six Paths Sage Mode, and even become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki.

~~~

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