The narrative splits into two.
On this side, Lin Nan's wood clones, respectively, followed Naruto and Uchiha Itachi to different battlefields.
Uchiha Itachi had not yet reached his destination.
However, Naruto's side had already encountered "Uchiha Madara" in the jungle, who was sent to intercept them!
This Madara is not that Madara; this is Uchiha Madara (Fourth Shinobi World War), referred to as White Mask.
In essence, it's Tobi, the imposter and inferior version of Madara, also known as Toobi.
One person, yet several identities.
Let alone identities, he had changed his mask three times.
First, the tiger-striped mask during the White Zetsu phase; then the spiral mask of Akatsuki, and now the three-tomoe white mask.
Behind the White Mask were the reanimated bodies of six Tailed Beast hosts, who were the jinchuriki carrying the Tailed Beasts in their lifetime. Even in death, they were reanimated to continue as empty shells, finding no peace even in death.
Crucially, both the White Mask and the jinchuriki had one Sharingan and one strange spiral Rinnegan in their eyes.
Tobi's charge fueled by love had reached a critical juncture, his mask seemingly symbolizing his progress.
Now, the hosts of the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails were together. As long as he could capture and complete them, gathering all nine Tailed Beasts, he could summon the dragon...
Bah, he could summon the Ten-Tails.
This was also the main objective of the Fourth Shinobi World War.
You might ask why the One-Tail isn't here?
The One-Tail's jinchuriki died, but he has come back to life!
In the forest, both sides met. Lin Nan, as an old acquaintance, naturally spoke first!
"Yo Aibe, sasuburi dana (Partner, long time no see!)"
Standing on a thick tree trunk, facing each other, Lin Nan showed a friendly smile to the White Mask.
The White Mask's mission was to intercept Naruto and Killer Bee, but upon seeing Lin Nan, he was clearly surprised and intrigued.
"That bastard Kabuto!" a low, gritted curse.
"Is this Uchiha Madara?" Naruto quietly asked Lin Nan.
Lin Nan nodded, "At least for now!"
"What do you mean 'for now'?" Naruto scratched his head.
"Toobi, he was my partner in Akatsuki, you know?"
"Yeah, I do?"
"He wore the spiral mask then, and now he wears the white mask; since he's always worn a mask, who knows if it's really Uchiha Madara?" Lin Nan looked at the White Mask with a teasing smile.
His smile was full of hidden meaning, as if to say, I've seen through you.
Such a smile made the White Mask rather uneasy.
"Little Lin, it's best you don't get involved in this mess. Don't say I didn't warn you!"
The White Mask's tone was grim, "Otherwise, I don't mind killing you a second time!"
Hearing this, the smile on Lin Nan's face froze slightly. He chuckled wryly, "You called me 'senior' before, and now 'Little Lin.' Alas... things have changed!"
"You were the one who killed Mr. Little Lin?" Naruto stared intensely at the White Mask, and at that moment, a fierce aura erupted from him, and the Nine-Tails' savage and violent chakra flowed out.
The White Mask sneered, "So what? Even in his Edo Tensei body, he was just clinging to existence. I don't mind sending you to hell to reunite!"
Naruto was about to speak when the White Mask continued, "Don't worry, everything in this world will go with you. After all, a world of despair has no value in existence."
"You..."
Naruto was about to speak but was interrupted by Lin Nan's outstretched hand. Perhaps he was about to say, "What are you barking about!"
"Toobi, Uchiha Madara? After spending so much time together, it's impossible for us to have only hatred between us! Although I don't know your true identity now, I still sincerely advise you: the sea of suffering is boundless, and the final outcome of your long-planned schemes may not be what you imagine!"
Lin Nan said this somewhat inexplicably.
The White Mask let out a cold snort. He was now consumed by madness and essentially wouldn't listen to anything.
"I have no identity, nor do I wish to live as anyone! If you must say, I am the second Sage of Six Paths, the sole existence now!"
The White Mask spread his arms, exuding an imposing aura.
Damn, he's even quoting the ultimate move?
Then why waste words? Let's fight!
With a wave of the White Mask's hand, the six reanimated jinchuriki behind him charged towards Naruto and the others.
"Come on, Toobi! We will fight one day!"
Lin Nan simply said this, his body neither dodging nor retreating. The jinchuriki did not attack Lin Nan but rather charged towards Naruto and Killer Bee.
The jinchuriki were all controlled by the White Mask, indicating that he clearly wanted to fight Lin Nan as well.
"I know your abilities, but can you replicate the power of the Six Paths? Senior!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the White Mask flickered and appeared before Lin Nan. Beneath his mask, two completely different eyes stared directly at Lin Nan, and he swung a uchiwa fan down.
Lin Nan stepped back, but his body suddenly froze, and then he was uncontrollably pulled towards the White Mask.
"Universal Pull?"
Lin Nan was somewhat bewildered. In the original story, the White Mask had abandoned these basic Rinnegan skills.
Lin Nan had originally thought the White Mask had only transplanted a Rinnegan and thus hadn't mastered these abilities, but it seemed that was not the case.
Perhaps in the original story, he simply disdained to use them.
After all, compared to him, the Rinnegan was merely a tool to control the Tailed Beast hosts; his primary offensive methods were still his own Sharingan.
The Tailed Beast hosts had the same eye configuration. Another reason might be that the Sharingan's effectiveness in basic combat was clearly superior to the Rinnegan.
Having been partners for so long, Lin Nan was not surprised that the White Mask knew his weakness.
That's right, among the three great kekkei genkai eyes of the shinobi world, Lin Nan only possessed the Sharingan, so he could only copy Sharingan's dōjutsu.
The Rinnegan and Byakugan required eyes as a prerequisite, but Lin Nan didn't have them. Therefore, even though he could copy the techniques, he couldn't use them.
Even before Pain invaded Konoha, Lin Nan had wanted to copy Pain's "Shinra Tensei," but it ended in failure, and Lin Nan understood the problem.
Now, the White Mask was using the Rinnegan against him. While Lin Nan was surprised, it was also within reason.
"Die, Senior!"
After pulling Lin Nan closer, the White Mask put away his uchiwa fan. From his other palm, a long black staff suddenly extended and jabbed towards Lin Nan.
"Caw..."
There was no sound of flesh being pierced, only the cry of crows.
Lin Nan's figure then dispersed into several crows and flew away.
"Itachi's crow substitution jutsu?"
The White Mask seemed to sense something, looking into the distance, and murmured again, "So that's how it is!"
"Caw caw caw!"
The caws of crows sounded again, slowly converging on the tree trunk, and Lin Nan's figure reappeared.
"Universal Pull!"
The White Mask opened his palm towards Lin Nan again. Dark light flashed, and Lin Nan's body was once again involuntarily pulled forward.
However, the next moment, the White Mask saw Lin Nan's friendly smile and the single, strange spiral eye.
"Masaka (Impossible)?" The White Mask's expression changed.
"Shinra Tensei!"