"Truth-Seeking Orb?"
"This thing in your hand?"
Orochimaru stepped forward, examining the long sword in Kawakaze's grasp with curiosity.
Tsunade also approached, placing a hand on Kawakaze's back to check his internal condition.
Only after confirming that there were no abnormalities did she finally relax.
"Yes."
"This is a power that surpasses Kekkei Genkai and even Kekkei Tōta."
"It negates all ninjutsu."
"And I can control it freely."
As he spoke, Kawakaze released the sword. Under his will, it floated into the air and began weaving through the cultivation room with effortless precision.
Though it caused no damage, Orochimaru instinctively shifted his stance as the blade passed near him.
His instincts told him—getting struck by a Truth-Seeking Orb wouldn't just be painful; it would be devastating.
"Is this enough to defeat Madara?"
Tsunade still had her doubts. The sheer power of Madara's Susanoo and Limbo: Border Jail had left too deep an impression on her.
"Hmm..."
"I can hold the upper hand, but whether I can kill him..."
Kawakaze frowned, unwilling to make bold claims.
The Truth-Seeking Orbs were undeniably powerful, but saying they alone could crush Madara was an overstatent.
"At the very least, this is good news."
Orochimaru, ever pragmatic, saw the achievent as sothing worth celebrating.
"Don't get too excited yet—I have another thod."
"If it works, we'll be able to take Madara down for good."
The mont he said this, both Orochimaru and Tsunade perked up.
"Speak," they said in unison.
"I need the power of Shikotsumyaku."
"Is there a way to grant Shikotsumyaku?"
Kawakaze was simply voicing his idea—figuring out if it was possible was up to the two experts.
"Shikotsumyaku is a Kekkei Genkai based on physical constitution," Tsunade said.
"But broadly speaking, like Dōjutsu, it falls under the category of organ-based Kekkei Genkai."
"In theory, it should be possible to transplant and use it imdiately."
"But no one has ever attempted such an experint before."
"We can't predict the risks involved."
Tsunade's analysis was calm and logical, but there was clear hesitation in her voice.
She didn't like the idea of Kawakaze gambling with his body.
Being the first to take such a risk... could very well cost him his life.
"Shikotsumyaku is a fascinating yet dangerous Kekkei Genkai."
"Do you rember the Shikotsumyaku evolution experint you ntioned before?"
Orochimaru glanced at Kawakaze, his mind drifting back to the last recorded result of that experint.
"I rember."
"But you haven't ntioned it much since then."
Kawakaze nodded. He had brought it up the first ti he introduced Kaguya Rinnosuke to Orochimaru.
"Do you know why?"
"The test subject was completely annihilated."
"It turned into nothing but ashes."
"There was no way to stop the process. I tried everything, but in the end, I could only watch."
A rare hint of frustration flickered across Orochimaru's face. It was one of the few experints that had genuinely stumped him.
"Ashes?"
"Yes."
Their conversation was quick, a back-and-forth exchange of facts.
"Then you succeeded."
"Shikotsumyaku evolved."
Kawakaze spoke with certainty. That outco could only an one thing—it was the power of All-Killing Ash Bones.
"Are you serious?"
Orochimaru's eyes lit up. He had written that experint off as a failure, but now, it turned out to be a breakthrough.
"I'm certain."
"Start preparing for the procedure. I'll go get Rinnosuke Kaguya."
Kawakaze turned to leave but was imdiately stopped by Tsunade.
"I don't agree."
She grabbed his hand firmly, refusing to let him go.
"I can say with confidence that Orochimaru succeeded."
"So why are you against it?"
Kawakaze grew anxious. He was doing this for her, after all.
"With the Truth-Seeking Orbs, even if you can't kill Madara, you can at least hold him off."
"As long as he doesn't obtain all nine Tailed Beasts, the ninja world will survive."
"But if you risk transplanting Shikotsumyaku and sothing goes wrong, you could die."
"And if that happens, what hope does the ninja world have left?"
Tsunade had her own concerns. Until she was certain the procedure was safe, she wouldn't let him take such a risk.
"Tsunade has a point," Orochimaru chid in after so thought.
"Kawakaze, you don't need to take such a big gamble right now."
"I promise nothing will go wrong."
"My body is far stronger than before."
"You have to trust ."
Kawakaze knew he had already stepped into the realm of the Six Paths, but Tsunade and Orochimaru simply couldn't comprehend it.
"And how exactly are we supposed to trust you?"
"Shikotsumyaku's evolution is based on cellular fusion."
"If the subject turned to ash, that ans the body couldn't withstand the evolved Shikotsumyaku's power."
"Can't you see the problem?"
Tsunade may not have been involved in the experint, but she wasn't clueless.
"That was before. I'm different now."
"Help convince her."
Kawakaze tugged at Orochimaru's sleeve.
"Not happening."
"Tsunade isn't wrong."
"If you really want the Shikotsumyaku transplant, I can use your current cells to repeat the experint."
"If your cells survive, then I'm sure even Tsunade won't stop you."
Orochimaru didn't completely reject the idea. Instead, he proposed a solution.
"How long will it take?"
Kawakaze didn't want to wait too long. Seeing Tsunade like this pained him.
"And what difference does ti make?"
"As long as Madara can't take the Tailed Beasts from you, we have all the ti we need."
Before Orochimaru could respond, Tsunade had already given her answer.
"She's right."
Orochimaru, once again, echoed Tsunade's words—because, frankly, she was correct.
"Fine, I'll wait."
"But use a smaller needle this ti."
With no choice but to give in, Kawakaze agreed.
"When have I ever used a thick needle on you?"
Orochimaru feigned innocence, as if he hadn't stabbed Kawakaze with oversized syringes in the past.
"If you do it again, I swear I'll castrate you."
Kawakaze made a slicing motion, his hand flashing dangerously close between Orochimaru's legs.
"Get lost!"
Orochimaru nearly broke into a cold sweat. With an annoyed kick, he sent Kawakaze stumbling back before turning to leave.
"Childish."
Tsunade shot Kawakaze a glare and left the room as well.
Kawakaze glanced at the nine Tailed Beast cells still contained in the cultivation room. After assessing them, he confird that they weren't enough to revive the God Tree. That was a relief.
By the ti he stepped outside, Orochimaru was already prepared with the blood extraction tools.
Whether it was due to Kawakaze's threat or not, Orochimaru refrained from any unnecessary roughness this ti.
After drawing a full vial of blood, both Orochimaru and Tsunade imdiately ushered him out.
With him around, they couldn't focus on their work.
"Alright, alright, I'm leaving. No need to push ."
Kawakaze grumbled as they shoved him out of the lab.
How was it that even after reaching Six Paths level, he was still getting treated like this?
Maybe this power-up wasn't worth as much as he thought.
...
Three days later.
Thanks to the combined efforts of Tobirama and Orochimaru, Nagato finally broke free from Madara's curse seal and was revived through Impure World Reincarnation.
The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was Nonō—her face streaked with tears.
Before he could say a word, she threw herself at him, wrapping him in a tight embrace.
"I'm sorry, I—"
Nagato's words were cut off as a finger pressed against his lips.
"You have nothing to apologize for."
"Sensei promised he would bring you back. The baby and I will both be waiting for you."
Nonō lowered her hand and hastily wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
"The Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique?"
"I believe in Sensei. He'll make it happen."
Nagato was still the sa as ever—placing unwavering trust in Kawakaze.
"If he can't, then he won't have a wife anymore."
Tsunade walked up beside Nagato and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Sensei's wife... you too?"
Nagato turned and froze for a mont when he saw Tsunade.
"Sa as you."
"You died because of the Rinnegan, and I... because of the Tailed Beasts."
"It's all your Sensei's fault. Naturally, he has to take responsibility for fixing it."
Tsunade smiled as she teased Kawakaze. By now, she had fully embraced her situation.
"Fine, fine, bla for everything."
"Since everyone's here, let's move out."
At Kawakaze's command, the group set off toward the Land of Wind.
Orochimaru, however, remained behind, watching them go. He still had experints to finish.
...
"The entire ninja world is on high alert, and still not a trace of Madara."
"Where the hell is he hiding?"
Nawaki's frustration was evident. Every ti he saw Tsunade, it only made him more restless.
"He'll show himself when the ti is right."
"Getting impatient won't help."
"He's in the shadows, while we're in the open."
"Even if we can't find him, sooner or later, he'll co looking for us."
Kawakaze had already moved past his initial frustration. His mindset had steadied, largely because of his newfound strength—his greatest source of confidence.
"Let's hope so."
Nawaki sighed and fell silent, lost in thought.
...
"That story you told about Asura and Indra... was it true?"
After a brief conversation with Tobirama, Hashirama walked over to Kawakaze, his curiosity piqued.
He felt as though everything had been orchestrated by fate.
"It's true."
"Your conflict with Madara was orchestrated by Black Zetsu."
"Madara has likely sealed him away by now."
"From now on, there shouldn't be another cycle of reincarnated Asura and Indra clashing."
Kawakaze was confident that Sasuke and Naruto would grow into close friends.
Both had suffered through tragic childhoods in the original tiline, but this ti, things would be different.
"If Black Zetsu had never interfered... do you think Madara and I would still be the way we were back then?"
Hashirama wasn't sure if he was asking Kawakaze or simply speaking to himself. His gaze drifted toward the distant sky.
"You would."
Kawakaze's response was firm. Madara couldn't be defined as simply good or evil.
He and Hashirama had shared the sa dreams, and without Black Zetsu's influence, they might have remained lifelong friends.
Hashirama and Madara—their dynamic had long been a fan-favorite pairing among Naruto enthusiasts, Kawakaze included.
But in the end, none of that mattered.
Now, he had no choice but to kill Madara.
There was no alternative.
"No point in wondering about what-ifs."
Hashirama let out a faint sigh. Before Kawakaze could respond, soone grabbed Hashirama by the ear.
"What now?"
"Having isn't enough?"
"Do you need another beating?"
Mito's sharp tone caught Kawakaze off guard.
This completely shattered his previous impression of her.
Yet, judging by Tobirama's lack of reaction, Kawakaze realized—this was just how Mito was.
She simply restrained herself around younger generations.
"Let go, let go!"
"Don't go making false accusations!"
Hashirama's eyes darted around, and the surrounding shinobi wisely turned away, pretending not to notice.
"False accusations?"
"'No point in wondering about what-ifs,' huh?"
"Anything else you'd like to say?"
With every word, Mito delivered a swift kick, smashing the legendary image of the God of Shinobi into pieces.
...
Their journey to the Land of Wind continued in this noisy, chaotic fashion.
When they finally arrived at the eting point, they successfully rendezvoused with Rasa and the others.
The mont Kakuzu saw Hashirama standing beside Kawakaze, he instinctively took a few steps back.
Even though he had ntally prepared himself, standing face to face with the First Hokage still made him nervous.
He silently cursed himself—why had he been so obsessed with money back then?
"Thank you for coming."
As the current Hokage, Minato stepped forward and greeted Rasa.
"If this was just a Konoha problem, I wouldn't be here."
"But I have my children to consider."
Rasa's tone was cold. He had never had much fondness for Konoha.
But reality was what it was, and over the years, he had co to accept it.
Beside him, Sasori stood silently, his gaze fixed on Sakumo for a long ti.
He understood well—revenge was out of the question.
...
"Sasori, right?"
"Co here. I have a gift for you."
Kawakaze gestured for Sasori to approach, his expression carrying a hint of kindness.
If Sasori was willing to be here, then Kawakaze didn't mind giving him a surprise.
"Lord Kawakaze."
Sasori's greeting was stiff.
Understandable, considering Kawakaze had killed his great-uncle, Ebizō.
"Summoning Jutsu."
With a series of hand seals, Kawakaze slapped the ground.
A mont later, a coffin appeared, erging from a cloud of smoke.
"This is...?"
Sasori stared at the coffin in confusion.
Then, as the lid fell open, revealing the face inside, his eyes instantly reddened.
"Grandmother..."
His voice trembled as he spoke.
And in that mont, Chiyo's eyes fluttered open.
"...Sasori?"
Even though he was grown now, she recognized her grandson instantly.
"It's , Grandma."
Sasori stepped forward and embraced Chiyo tightly.
Kawakaze watched the scene unfold and let out a satisfied smile.
In the original tiline, this grandmother and grandson had ended up killing each other.
Yet here, they were reunited.
Kawakaze had never once felt guilty about what had happened to Sakumo or himself—war had always been this cruel.
Right and wrong were aningless.
Only strength and weakness mattered.
...
"Kawakaze Hatake. And you, Sakumo Hatake."
"Don't think this ans I forgive you."
Chiyo let go of Sasori and pointed first at Kawakaze, then at Sakumo.
"Hmph."
Sakumo snorted, clearly uninterested in Chiyo's words.
"We don't need your forgiveness."
"Just spend ti with your grandson."
Kawakaze remained calm as he replied.
"Thank you, Lord Kawakaze."
Sasori understood exactly what this ant.
He was well aware of the Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique.
Chiyo's revival wasn't a simple reanimation—it was a true second chance.
"No need to thank ."
"Consider it paynt for your assistance."
Kawakaze wasn't shaless enough to accept gratitude.
After all, his older brother had killed three of Chiyo's closest relatives.
"I will do my best."
With that, Sasori took Chiyo aside.
They had been apart for far too long.
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