In the Senju compound, Butsuma Senju was in discussion with two of the clan's elders about the day's agreement.
"Butsuma, regarding the armor procurement, we old folks are in full agreement with your decision," said one of the elders, an elderly man with graying hair who sat at the head seat.
His sharp gaze exuded an aura of unwavering authority, and the chakra radiating from his body was no weaker than Butsuma's. His tone, however, lacked any courtesy.
"But your plan to meet with the Ōtsutsuki clan carries great risk. The Senju clan is currently at a critical juncture. After this mission, we will undoubtedly become the target of every faction in the shinobi world. The number of guards you can take with you will be limited. What will you do if this turns out to be a trap?"
"Elders, of course I have considered that," Butsuma replied calmly, sitting cross-legged with his hands resting on his thighs.
"I have two reasons for wanting this meeting. The first is to solidify this deal quickly, so our clan can convert our occupation of Musashi's fertile lands into tangible combat power."
That motive was obvious, and both elders were certainly aware of it.
"My second reason is to probe the true strength of the legendary Ōtsutsuki clan."
Upon hearing this, the two elders exchanged glances, already piecing together the implications.
Taking advantage of their moment of thought, Butsuma continued, "Since the time of Asura-sama, our clan has vied with Indra-sama for the rightful succession to Ninshu. Though Asura ultimately prevailed, Indra survived and retreated to Valley of Clouds and Lightning in Musashi, so the conflict was never truly resolved."
His gaze darkened for a moment, but he quickly brushed the thoughts aside.
"Now, though Indra is long dead, his descendants—the Uchiha and Kaguya clans—have grown stronger. They inherited his bloodline and awakened unique Kekkei Genkai. Their ideology still mirrors his: faith in strength, in the strong, and in oneself. In contrast, our Senju and the Uzumaki clan, descended from Asura-sama, inherited large chakra reserves and medical ninjutsu, but no Kekkei Genkai that can rival the Sharingan or Shikotsumyaku."
A heavy silence filled the council room.
As veterans well-versed in their clan's history, they had pondered these issues countless times.
Why had Hagoromo chosen Asura over Indra despite the latter's superior talent?
And what had ultimately secured Asura's victory? They all knew the answer.
"Risk is ever-present, but we need allies—more allies."
Butsuma declared resolutely, "This newly emerged Ōtsutsuki clan, after our recent contact, appears to be a risk worth taking. If this mission proceeds smoothly, our strength will be transformed, and the risk of my action will be minimized. Thus, I intend to take only a few trusted guards."
"This chaotic world will end."
At those words, Butsuma bowed deeply toward the two elders.
"And the one to end it will be the Senju clan. Please, believe in me."
"Ah..."
Both elders sighed in unison. The slightly younger one waved his hand, signaling Butsuma to raise his head.
"For them to boldly claim the Ōtsutsuki name, whether true or not, their strength is surely formidable. What you're doing isn't just for yourself, Butsuma—it's for your children, and the future of our clan's younger generation. Be careful."
"Understood," Butsuma replied, bowing deeply before the two elders. With their complex expressions watching him, he walked out with firm steps.
...
In the Iga castle estate, Satsuki rode her palanquin under the protection of several guards and her puppet-disguised samurai.
After engaging with the Senju, she found her thoughts drifting toward the connection between Asura and Indra. These two clans were critical to her long-term plans.
Over the past few years, her intelligence network had uncovered that the Senju and Uzumaki were descendants of Asura, while in Valley of Clouds and Lightning, the Uchiha and Kaguya clans traced their lineage to Indra.
Though both were sons of the Sage of Six Paths, the disparity in talent between them was immense.
By every measure—strength, ability, seniority—Indra should have been the natural successor to Ninshu. Asura, in contrast, had no grounds to object.
Even the Senju couldn't deny this.
In the shinobi world, power reigned supreme. At that time, Indra was universally acknowledged to be stronger. Even in the anime, Asura only managed to defeat Indra with the help of others.
Was it really as the Sage claimed—all because of "love"?
One person, strong and independent, believed that power could transform the impossible into reality.
The other, lacking in personal strength, relied on the help of others and thus came to value love.
Was the former truly wrong?
And was the latter truly right?
Anyone who pondered this deeply would be baffled by the Sage's decision.
It was tantamount to declaring that no matter how powerful an individual was, they would always be weak compared to collective strength.
In some worlds, this logic worked.
But in this world, Kaguya alone could end everything with Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Pain could flatten Konoha with one technique.
And by the end of Shippuden, it was the few surviving Ōtsutsuki descendants who determined the fate of the entire world.
When individual power reached a level of near-immortality and world-ending potential, the strength of the many was meaningless.
True, Black Zetsu had manipulated the conflict between Asura and Indra, but the Sage's distorted decision had been the real catalyst.
There was more to the story than met the eye.
"This likely ties back to the Three Great Sage Lands."
Satsuki's instincts told her as much.
"That thought is terrifying, Host. Are you suggesting the powers behind the Three Great Sage Lands pressured the Sage into choosing his younger son, deliberately fostering the feud between Asura and Indra so they'd destroy each other?"
The system was clearly stunned.
"What would they gain from that? Didn't they work together to seal Kaguya? And why would the Sage take orders from them?"
Satsuki didn't offer further explanation.
Her hypothesis was rooted in conspiracy, and such theories were nearly impossible to prove. Any further debate would be pointless.
Ultimately, to this world, the Ōtsutsuki and their descendants were invaders.
And in the original anime, how did their legacy end?
The Senju were wiped out, with only Tsunade surviving.
The Uchiha were almost annihilated, leaving only Sasuke and half of his lineage.
The Kaguya clan was completely annihilated.
The Uzumaki were nearly wiped out, leaving only Naruto Uzumaki and Karin Uzumaki.
Was all of this just coincidence?
Think from another angle—what do the Three Great Sage Lands represent?
They are the planet's natural-born forces, embodiments of nature energy.
Meanwhile, the Ōtsutsuki clan were cosmic raiders who had used the Ten-Tails to plunder this world's natural energy, converting it into chakra fruit.
If these two forces had consciousness, what sort of relationship would they have?
Wasn't it the old toad from Mount Myoboku who first appeared and incited Hagoromo and Hamura to confront their mother, Kaguya?
If the Sage of Six Paths was manipulated again by the people of the Three Great Sage Lands, Satsuki wouldn't be surprised. She placed little faith in the intelligence of this world.
But even if the Sage had once more been played by them, that outcome aligned with her own plans.
So she had no intention of intervening. In fact, she welcomed it.
Her attention shifted.
"Has Kiyomaru delivered the scroll yet? Then have Shirakumaru head to Valley of Clouds and Lightning to speak with the Uchiha. It's time to find a buyer for that batch of blades in our warehouse."