"Lady Tsunade..."
"You've ruined ..."
The sun was already high in the sky.
Inside a private suite at the Konoha Inn, chaos reigned.
Shizune glanced at the torn gambling cloak, letting out a deep sigh.
Today, she'd learned a new saying.
"When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer." This saying wasn’t just a cliché after all.
That bastard hadn’t even spared her.
"Anyway, the plan worked, though the price was steep," Tsunade mumbled, her words muffled as she dove into the food on the dining table.
The price was indeed high.
And it was an exaggeratedly "devastating" one at that.
Bastard.
He got off easy.
Tsunade took a sip of sake, narrowing her eyes as she rubbed her belly.
To ensure the Senju clan’s bloodline continued as soon as possible, she had put in a lot of effort this ti.
She’d used practically every tonic available.
Now, all she had to do was wait for news.
The only regret was that...
She hadn't been able to defeat the opponent on her own later, so she had to ask Shizune for help.
And that's why Shizune was now holding an upside-down position.
Hmph.
It was only this one ti.
Becoming the Fifth Hokage's wife openly? She didn’t have the face to do that.
But the "old cow eating young grass" thing? Well, she'd finally achieved that.
Of course.
She had no idea that Kaguya was already a figure from a thousand years ago.
Otherwise, she would probably just lant that she had acted too late.
The true "old cow eating young grass" would have to be Kaguya-senpai.
"Let's go. Ti for a check-up."
Gorging herself to regain her strength, the Hundred Seals finally stabilized.
Tsunade carried Shizune out of the Konoha Inn.
...
In Konoha’s secret research departnt.
Under the watchful eyes of rotating ANBU ninja, a highly dangerous individual was confined within.
Orochimaru.
These days, his life was fairly comfortable.
At least, he never lacked materials for his experints.
There were many in the ninja world who firmly opposed Konoha’s unification plan, and those who did would eventually beco fresh human test subjects.
But today’s research project had barely begun when a heavyweight entered the departnt.
Hakken Yoru, the Fifth Hokage of Konoha.
He entered carrying a mysterious vessel, asking Orochimaru to check if the liquid inside was viable.
It was a strange request.
After an entire morning, Orochimaru finally erged from the lab.
"Hakken-kun."
Holding the test report, Orochimaru bowed respectfully before Hakken.
"Well?"
The curious man scanned the report before asking.
"In terms of single-cycle quality, this is the strongest tadpole I’ve ever seen."
"Undoubtedly a god-tier gene."
Swallowing hard, Orochimaru looked at Hakken with wide-eyed astonishnt.
This guy...
What kind of being was he reincarnated as?
"You’re in excellent health, or rather, you’re excessively strong."
It was difficult for Orochimaru to find the words to express his assessnt. He even considered experinting with this sample, but he knew that would be impossible.
"Oh, as long as there are no issues."
Standing up, Hakken turned to leave.
"But, Hakken-kun."
"Returning to the powerful tadpole form ans the success rate will decrease."
"Your wives need to train harder, or they won’t be able to withstand your power."
Orochimaru said respectfully, wearing his newly fitted eyes.
"However, it’s certain that even the Senju Clan’s physique would struggle without a thousand attempts or so."
"So, don’t worry about how often Tsunade borrows things."
"Even she wouldn’t be able to handle it."
"Spend your infinite life freely. I’ll keep this confidential. You’re on the right track."
With a slight smile, Hakken patted Orochimaru’s shoulder.
"Keep up the good work, Auntie Snake."
...
"Finished sweeping yet?"
After leaving the Research Division, Hakken arrived at the central plaza.
The ground was especially clean today.
It seed Madara Uchiha had discovered the charm of Konoha through the small details of everyday life.
"Not bad."
Adjusting his sunglasses, the punk-style man showed a relieved expression.
A month had passed.
With the Rinnegan, he could tell that the smiles on these villagers' faces were genuine.
The village’s atmosphere had cald Madara’s heart as well.
"In that case, report to ANBU."
"One ninja village is opposing Konoha’s reforms, refusing to obey Konoha’s orders, and even boasting that Konoha is nothing."
"So, clean them up properly."
Patting Madara’s shoulder, Hakken turned and left.
"Can I finally move around a bit?"
Madara took off his glasses, his Rinnegan eyes glowing with an unsettling light.
Reforming the Ninja World wouldn’t be so easy.
Under the overwhelming force of the new Ninja World Alliance—a combined force of a Special Forces Unit from ANBU and elite units dispatched from other villages—many resistors had appeared.
Friendly negotiations had proven ineffective.
So even threatened to destroy Konoha if anyone advanced a single step!
Interesting.
When Hakken first heard this news, he almost laughed out loud.
But after hearing Kakashi’s report, his interest was piqued.
The latest group of rebels was particularly troubleso.
The reason was simple.
These ninjas could fly.
They called themselves the Sky Ninjas!
Hmm.
The Naruto movie arc Bonds had detailed them extensively.
They were a ninja village using advanced technology.
They didn’t seem to think highly of Konoha.
Hakken didn’t fully understand the specifics.
But since they could fly...
Madara’s Perfect Susanoo would finally co in handy.
As for Hakken, he had recently been planning to teach the Twelve Strong, helping the younger generation grow faster.
He couldn’t be bothered to leave Konoha and travel far to handle this problem.
This issue was perfect for Madara Uchiha.
He couldn’t understand why Madara would lose to Zero-Tails Void.
After a brief explanation, Hakken arrived at Konoha’s Hokage Rock.
Since becoming the Fifth Hokage, he seed to enjoy standing there, looking out over Konoha whenever he could.
He also gained so understanding of why Hashirama Senju had chosen peaceful thods to achieve harmony back then.
Probably.
He was afraid of war spreading, dreading the thought of the people in this village dying along with it.
Reaching out, a scroll fell into Hakken’s hand.
This scroll had been found in the palace of Kaguya’s Ice and Snow Realm.
It recorded the Otsutsuki clan mbers who would eventually arrive on Earth.
Otsutsuki Kinshiki, Otsutsuki Kinshiki, and Otsutsuki Urashiki!
Hakken wasn’t worried about these three.
In the future storyline, whether it was Kinshiki, Kinshiki, or Urashiki, all of them would be defeated.
What required serious attention were Jigen and Kawaki from the Kara organization in the later plot.
“Still can’t sense his presence?”
The beauty appeared in his arms as Hakken wrapped his arms around her slender waist and asked.
He.
Isshiki Ōtsutsuki.
A thousand years ago, another mber of his clan who ca to Earth with Kaguya, controlling the second Ten-Tails. But unlike Kaguya's fully realized God Tree, Isshiki Ōtsutsuki sealed himself and halted the Ten-Tails' growth. This was ntioned in Boruto.
After a millennium, the Ten-Tails within Isshiki Ōtsutsuki still remained in its juvenile form.
“I can’t sense him.”
A flicker of worry crossed Kaguya's eyes. Her original attack on Isshiki Ōtsutsuki had been intended to secure control of Earth for herself alone.
But Isshiki Ōtsutsuki's power was imnse. He dodged her fatal blow, shrank his body, and survived. The Ōtsutsuki Clan shared a unique bond, but Kaguya could not sense Isshiki’s presence now.
Hakken had deliberately dispersed his spiritual pressure to search, but found nothing.
If nothing unexpected happened, they should be waiting for the right mont in the space that concealed the Ten-Tails—the inner barrier. To sense where their opponent was hiding, Hakken would need to strengthen his power further. The stronger he beca, the stronger Kaguya would also grow. Then locating their target’s space would be no problem.
The fact that they hadn’t revealed themselves despite the turmoil in the Ninja World indicated that Isshiki Ōtsutsuki was still recovering. So there was no need to rush.
The Kinshiki trio hadn't arrived either. Therefore, now was the ti to focus on improving their strength. There was nothing to worry about.
Endless sword swings.
But before training, one issue had to be resolved. With a swift motion, Hakken drew the Divine Cry and leaped forward.
Though their search for the Kara Organization's base had yielded no significant leads about Isshiki Ōtsutsuki’s whereabouts, it had led to another fascinating discovery. The weakest link connecting the real world to the Pure Land!
Hakken had an eerie sensitivity to souls, a trait granted by his template as the Shinigami, Zaraki Kenpachi. This was especially true after Orochimaru had released Hashirama and Tobirama from Edo Tensei that day, leaving a mark on their souls deliberately.
Hakken flew at top speed and landed on a small island at the center of the ocean.
This island was located at the border between the Land of Water and the Land of Lightning—or, more precisely, it was the ruins of the forr Uzumaki Clan.
“The imprint disappeared right here.”
Surveying the tranquil surroundings, Hakken gripped his Zanpakutō, took a deep breath, and slashed horizontally through the air.
Swish!
The space before him began to warp. A fissure slowly opened in front of him. It was pitch-black inside, but in that instant, Hakken sensed a myriad of soul auras—two in particular stood out, their power overwhelming.
Ōtsutsuki Hamura and Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo.
No mistake.
Stepping into this realm beyond life, Hakken scanned his surroundings. It was a gray, hazy expanse. Wandering spirits drifted aimlessly.
Before him, two incomplete souls floated in the air, staring at him. Their eyes were filled with shock, uncertainty, and confusion.
They seed to be questioning why a living person would enter the Pure Land. And this person carried the aura of their mother.
Originally, they had co to investigate the cracks appearing in the Pure Land, but now they fell into silence.
This silence... Especially after Hakken summoned Kaguya, it turned into wariness.
“Well, that saves the trouble of searching for you.”
The fissure behind them had vanished.
Hakken conjured a chair out of thin air and sat before them. Kaguya gave the pair a cold glance before quietly leaning against the man's chest.
So we were the targets after all?
Ōtsutsuki Hamura and Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo exchanged a look.
The already deathly silent space grew even more solemn.
Having observed the Ninja World's developnt through chakra, they were sowhat aware of its current state.
Unsurprisingly, the man who had won over Mother was none other than the reincarnated Ashura from Edo Tensei—the Hakken Yoru of his mories.
As a departed spirit, and with the chakra he had left behind, Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo could interfere little with the Ninja World's developnt.
But after the ergence of the Edo Tensei technique, he discovered a new frontier.
The reincarnation of Ashura had seen many things. After examining his soul, Hagoromo beca fully aware of Hakken Yoru. The man who knew everything.
“Mother...”
He looked at the docile Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.
Rikudō Sennin struggled to utter the word “mother.”
He couldn't comprehend Hakken Yoru's actions. The ninja world was indeed at peace now.
But why had he released Mother?
Sooner or later, the Infinite Tsukuyomi would descend upon the world again, plunging the ninja realm into catastrophe once more. This was his understanding.
“Shh.”
Seated in his chair, Hakken raised a finger to his lips. A soft “shh” conveyed his stance.
“You'd do well to refrain from calling her ‘Mother’.”
Kaguya, too, offered little response to the Rikudō Sennin, rely casting a cold glance at her two unfilial sons. A glance.
It seed a matter of differing principles.
Hakken Yoru had always believed filial piety outweighed greater righteousness.
Besides, these two unfilial sons hadn't given Kaguya any chance to explain before launching into battle.
Was this worthy of being called human?
"Yagami, I know you."
Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki's expression grew grave.
“You changed the ninja world, but you shouldn't have released Mother.”
“You have no idea what kind of disaster this will cause.”
“Shut up.”
With a snap of his fingers, the Zanpakuto plunged into the ground.
Under the absolute control of the Land of Divine Cry, these two souls couldn't resist Hakken Yoru's Zanpakuto.
“You, who are essentially chakra, have no right to speak such words.”
“The ninshū doctrine you founded was built on mutual trust and understanding.”
“But regarding this very principle, have you yourself lived up to it?”
Hakken narrowed his eyes, gazing indifferently at Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki before pointing at Kaguya.
“Do you understand her?”
“Do you know the ultimate purpose behind creating White Zetsu?”
“Did you ever truly try to understand and talk with the mother you created?”
Probably not.
Hakken sighed deeply.
“The Ninja World you know is rely a nursery to others. Yet this foolish woman ultimately chose to stand with Earth, forging weapons to fight the invaders.”
“The thod was clumsy, but it was an effort.”
“Unfortunately, good intentions led to bad outcos. Without distinguishing between right and wrong, you blindly believed Gamamaru's words and concluded that your mother had beco greedy.”
“And... if she's powerful, what's wrong with being greedy?”
“Ultimately, the goal remains protecting the ninja world.”
“What kind of person would rather trust others than their own mother?”
“Are you so certain that after trying to understand Kaguya, she wouldn't join you in strategizing against future enemies?”
Drawing his sword to point at Uzumaki Hamura and Uzumaki Hagoromo, Hakken's face was as cold as ice.
“Hmph, everyone in this world is a hypocrite.”
“Enough. Let's focus on the task at hand.”
“Now, as your father, I reclaim the chakra within you!”
The Katana flashed with light, instantly binding the two defenseless souls.
This was a battle against souls. Moreover, his own chakra was a higher-tier power, fused with spiritual pressure, spiritual energy, and Senjutsu.
Hakken had never regarded them as a threat.
His sole reason for coming to the Pure Land was this:
To eradicate any future possibility of the Sage of Six Paths discovering Naruto and Sasuke's spiritual space, then manipulating them into sealing Kaguya.
To eliminate the last remaining factor capable of stirring chaos!
That was his true purpose.
Chakra withdrawn.
Two distinct patterns appeared on Hakken's hands.
One moon, one sun. His pale blue Tenseigan eyes grew even more intense.
“Though you've missed your chance to apologize to Kaguya, you shall beco enslaved souls within my blade.”
“This ending... is fair to you both.”
Swish!
With a light swing of the Zanpakutō, the space before him cracked once more.
He ca quietly, and he left quietly.
He disturbed none of the other souls within the Pure Land.
As if he had never been there at all.
...
Konoha Training Grounds.
Sasuke and Naruto, locked in combat, froze simultaneously.
“Did you feel it?” Naruto asked urgently.
“Yeah. It felt lighter for a mont. And so power is growing.”
Sasuke clenched his fist, puzzled.
“Sasuke, Itachi wants you to co.”
At that mont, Uchiha Shisui beckoned to Sasuke from afar.
...
A few minutes later, on that familiar training ground, two n stood together.
Itachi Uchiha and Sasuke.
The Mangekyō slowly took shape.
Itachi Uchiha seized Sasuke's throat.
“My foolish little brother...”
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