Arc Length: Chapters 657-699
The final chapters continue the fight after Tobi's defeat which culminates with Madara fully reviving due to hijacking Tobi's attempt to use Rindou Tensei, which in turn, causes the successful activation of the Infinite Tsukuyomi jutsu. However, Madara ends up getting betrayed by Black Zetsu who forces Madara out of the picture to make way for the resurrection of Princess Kaguya Otsutsuki.
After Kaguya's defeat, the arc concludes with Naruto and Sasuke finally having their long-awaited duel.
- Adaptation Expansion:
- The anime goes into more detail about Kaguya's life on Earth before she consumed the fruit of the Divine Tree, also showing her Start of Darkness and how Hagoromo and Hamura would eventually rebel against Kaguya and seal her away, and how Kaguya would create Black Zetsu just as she's defeated by her children.
- The anime also gives more details about Asura and Indra's life as children, how Asura would become his father's successor after inspiring cooperation among the people, and how he would eventually clash with Indra, and how this would start the generations-long feud between their descendants and reincarnations.
- And I Must Scream: Black Zetsu reveals that the Infinite Tsukuyomi is a jutsu that not only draws the chakra of the world's populace into one place, but is also a way to create the soldiers for Kaguya's army. Meaning that over time, the humans trapped in the genjutsu and bound to the God Tree will eventually transform into White Zetsus once their personalities and defining features are drained away.
- Back from the Dead: Madara is fully revived thanks to hijacking Tobi's jutsu.
- Big Bad: Madara... at first. He starts off as the main villain but he is backstabbed by Black Zetsu who turns out to be the will of Princess Kaguya, who is resurrected making her the real Big Bad of the arc
- After Kaguya's defeat, all seems well and done until Sasuke reveals his sudden intentions of taking over the world setting himself up as the final Big Bad of the entire series.
- Combat Breakdown: After Naruto and Sasuke exhaust every one of their techniques, the battle degrades into a fist fight. It eventually culminates in both characters using their signature attacks, the collision of which destroys their arms.
- Dangerous Forbidden Technique: The Eight Inner Gates once again. This time, Guy opens all eight of them just to try to defeat Madara. While he does succeed in dealing serious damage in the end, Madara's healing factor negates that and Guy's body is burnt to a crisp. He only survives thanks to Naruto restoring his life force.
- Didn't See That Coming:
- Princess Kaguya being the real Big Bad of the series and the one pulling the strings. It borders on the
Ass Pull line considering it came about with little foreshadowing. Princess Kaguya's existence wasn't even revealed until forty or so chapters ago. - Obito dying and passing on both Sharingan to Kakashi...so now Kakashi can use Perfect Susano'o! This one turns out to be temporary.
- Princess Kaguya being the real Big Bad of the series and the one pulling the strings. It borders on the
- The Dog Was the Mastermind: Zetsu, the minion character who only seemed to be answering at the apparent Big Bad's beck and call? He's not working for Madara, he was using him to revive Kaguya.
- Foreshadowing: The only foreshadowing we have of Princess Kaguya's true role in the story is when the Infinite Tsukuyomi activates and her silhouette overlooks the landscape with a visible Slasher Smile on her face. It was mentioned earlier that she herself had used the technique in her efforts to stop all wars.
- Heel–Face Turn: Obito and Kabuto both join the good guys after rethinking their lives.
- Hijacked by Ganon: Madara ultimately uses Tobi's resurrection jutsu against him to revive himself.
- Then Madara is (literally) backstabbed by Black Zetsu, who is the manifestation of Princess Kaguya's will instead of his own.
- The Man Behind the Man: Chapter 678 implies (if not outright states) that Princess Kaguya Otsutsuki has been manipulating Madara since the very beginning.
- Then it's soon revealed that Black Zetsu wasn't Madara's will personified to aid his plans, but the other way around — Black Zetsu is Kaguya's will.
- Reincarnation: Sasuke and Naruto are revealed to be the current chakra incarnations of the Sage of the Six Paths' older and younger sons respectively. Not only that, it's revealed that the brothers' chakra has been constantly reincarnated throughout history — the chakra reincarnations of the previous generation are revealed to be Madara and Hashirama respectively.
- Take Over the World: Sasuke's definition of being "the Hokage" is that he can rule in the shadows while the world focuses all their anger and hatred toward him. The only way he can get the world to hate him so much is by killing all the Kage, the Tailed Beasts and Naruto.
- Sealed in a Person-Shaped Can: Madara and Obito each temporarily become the host of the Ten Tails.
- Wham Episode: Firstly, Madara is truly revived and secondly, the Tailed Beasts, including the Nine Tails, have been taken, meaning Naruto will die soon if something isn't done. Then he proceeds to impale Sasuke and put him on death's door.
- Chapter 678 reveals that Madara wasn't the one pulling the strings. He is (literally) backstabbed by Black Zetsu, who reveals himself not to be a manifestation of the will of Madara, but instead the will of Princess Kaguya, the first chakra user and the mother of the Sage of the Six Paths.
- After Kaguya is defeated and Black Zetsu is dealt with, you'd expect that to be the end right? Wrong, Sasuke turns to Naruto and tells him that he intends to permanently seal away the tailed beasts and kill the 5 Kage while they're defenseless and start a revolution that will change the foundation of the ninja world, setting him up as the final Big Bad and the duel to the death between the two that had been set up since the original series.
- In the Whammiest Episode in the whole series, Sasuke and Naruto finally, finally have their rematch. It ends with Naruto just barely winning, and both Sasuke and Naruto both lose one arm. Alongside this, Sasuke finally concedes that he was wrong, and admits that he was jealous of Naruto due to being able to move past his loneliness where he never could. Yes, after all the shit he's pulled, Sasuke ultimately makes a permanent Heel–Face Turn and becomes The Atoner.
- Your Princess Is in Another Castle!: As mentioned above, after Kaguya and Black Zetsu are defeated, Sasuke decides that he should start a revolution to Take Over the World. Naruto isn't going to have any of that, and he will kill Sasuke himself if it means ensuring peace.
