Sage of the Six Paths - Rikudo Sennin

The Sage of the Six Paths, Rikudo Sennin was a legendary god-like figure who founded the arts of ninjutsu and created the ninja world. He defeated the Ten-Tails in battle and sealed the beast within his own body, thus becoming the very first jinchuriki.

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The Sage of the Six Paths was a man who sought peace by spreading his wisdom across the world. He was exceptionally wise, as he was able to bring about a great change to the world by simply disseminating the principles of chakra and his religion. He also seemed to care a great deal for the tailed beasts when they were still with him; he gave them each a name as a sign of their individuality, and told them that no matter how far apart they grew, they would always be together, and would someday be led down the right path. In return, the tailed beasts showed respect and adoration for the Sage. Kurama even shed a tear at the thought of his imminent passing, suggesting that the beasts might even have viewed him as a sort of father-figure.
 
Though not a great deal is known about all the skills the Sage possessed, he is widely accepted to be the most powerful shinobi of all time, having been the only person to defeat the Ten-Tails: a being that was revered as a god, causing the Sage himself to be seen as a god. The Sage was also revered as the man to first understand the very nature of chakra itself. This wisdom, combined with his kekkei genkai, the Rinnegan, allowed the Sage to create the first modern ninjutsu.
With such powers at his disposal, the Sage obtained a great following, as men and women from across the world strove to learn from his teachings. As the Sage's disciples grew continuously greater in number, it led to the creation of ninja clans, and later, ninja villages.

It is impossible to overestimate the Sage's effect on the course of the ninja world's development. As the first true ninja, he created the ninja world, revolutionised it, and left it forever changed. The Sage was shown carrying two objects. One was what appeared to be a katana in his hand, whilst the other was a shakujo � a Buddhist ringed staff which is meant to be used in prayer. As time passed, the Sage ultimately faded into legend. His bloodline was divided into the descendants of his two children, which would eventually form the Senju clan � and through distant relations the Uzumaki clan � and the Uchiha clan.

As a result of Madara Uchiha acquiring and integrating Senju DNA into his body, the Rinnegan would later resurface. Though he noted nothing happened initially after the DNA integration, when he neared the end of his natural lifespan, the dojutsu finally awakened. With that, Madara Uchiha managed to undo the Sage's seal on the vessel of the Ten-Tails by summoning it from the moon and formulated the Eye of the Moon Plan to become the Ten-Tails' new jinchuriki.

Obito and Madara

As Madara arrived on the battlefield, Naruto, Kakashi, Guy and B were all shocked to see the legendary shinobi before them, leading them to wonder what had happened to the Kage. As Madara and Obito casually carried on their conversation, Madara noted that the Naruto in front of them was also a clone. Madara tells the jinchuriki that the Kage were probably not doing well much to the latter's enragement. Elsewhere, Tsunade, who had been split into two, managed to summon Katsuyu. Katsuyu was distressed at Tsunade's condition and immediately wanted to piece her back together.

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However Tsunade told the giant slug to bring the other Kage to her as there might still be time to save them. Back on the battlefield, Obito returned Madara's gunbai to him in time for the famed Uchiha to block a volley of chakra receivers which Naruto had sent flying at the two of them. After hearing the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, Madara asked Obito why he started the plan half-way through without the Eight and the Nine-Tails being captured and deemed his actions as hasty.


He also accredited the manner in which he was brought back to the world of the living as being due to Obito's haste and questioned him about what had happened to Nagato and the Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique that was supposed to bring him back. Upon hearing that they wanted to use his fellow disciple in this manner, an enraged Naruto moved to attack them with a Super Mini-Tailed Beast Ball. Madara, however, blocked the attack and sent the force back at the clone, expelling it.

Concluding the the fact that the young Uchiha must have a plan, Madara moved to capture the Eight and the Nine-Tails, leaving Obito to deal with Guy and Kakashi. Kakashi used this opportunity to question his old friend about what had happened to him and Obito had a flashback of being heavily bandaged and stitched together in a place that an old and wizened Madara referred to as being between the land of living and the dead.

Obito The Ten-Tails' Jinchuriki

To commemorate the 45th anniversary of Weekly Shonen Jump a special full-colour edition of this chapter was published as an exclusive for the premium digital issue of Weekly Shonen Jump No. 33 and the official English release of the chapter.

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The shinobi watch on in confusion as the Ten-Tails vanishes from the battlefield. As the shinobi sought answers, Hiashi watched on with his Byakugan, and Sakura asked Hinata, what she had seen. It is revealed that Obito, had in fact initiated a sealing technique, which allowed him to absorb the Ten-Tails into himself, making him the beast's new jinchuriki. Emerging in his new form, Naruto goes on to confirm that Obito was able to resist Madara's control and had instead been using a different technique than the one to revive him.

Meanwhile, Killer B confirms with Gyuki that the Ten-Tails had not reached its final form but had instead been sealed within Obito. Hashirama then attempts to restrain Obito, but Obito's new power proves too much for the technique which had been restraining the beast itself prior. In response, Obito generates four chakra arms, and then proceeds to rip apart the barrier erected by the four Hokage. Upon seeing this, Hashirama warns the other shinobi of Obito's power while Minato pleads for Obito to stop which is responded to by Obito sounding out his own name with some confusion.

As the three other Hokage relocate to where Obito is, Hashirama openly declares that Obito is stronger than he, which both Hiruzen and Tobirama affirm. As Madara prepares his own "trump card" hoping that Obito did not notice him before then. While the Hokage discussed the situation, Obito takes the First and Second by surprise, ripping through their bodies.