The current shinobi world was not much different from when Satsuki had left—it was still the Warring States period, where battles raged endlessly day after day.
Through the "Giant Tenseigan," Satsuki had communicated relevant information to her human puppet and temporarily entrusted the authority of management to Ranzuki.
Thus, although Satsuki's faction had not undergone any major changes, it continued to develop in an orderly and stable manner.
As the only Heavenly Wheel Reincarnated Puppet besides Satsuki who possessed access privileges related to the Giant Tenseigan, Ranzuki naturally held dominion over the other subordinate puppets.
Over the years of her training, she had changed completely—no longer the clueless little girl who once captured a few rogue ninja and criminals for three days and nights.
After countless life-and-death battles against multiple super S-rank shinobi, her name had long spread throughout the entire shinobi world.
Anyone who had witnessed her technique, "Storm of the Gods," could not help but be shaken to the core.
Because of this, there was hardly a single force in the shinobi world unaware of the Ōtsutsuki clan's "Azure Sky Dragon," Ranzuki.
For this powerful clan that had never directly interfered in worldly affairs, all shinobi families maintained an attitude of reverence mixed with caution.
Although Satsuki had once told her she could use the Tenseigan Chakra Mode, Ranzuki had never used it in her subsequent battles.
For one, her first opponent had been extremely strong.
After all, as the head of the Kaguya clan, he possessed vast combat experience—and what's more, he had awakened an advanced version of the Shikotsumyaku, the [Pseudo: All-Killing Ash Bones]. Such strength placed him among the top elites of the current shinobi world, surpassed only by Hashirama and Madara before their rise.
The second reason was her own stubbornness.
To Ranzuki, ever since the day Satsuki saved her for the first time—though the embrace of her "Mother-sama" was indeed warm and comforting—it also signified that her strength had failed to meet her master's expectations, something Ranzuki could not accept.
From then on, she completely changed her attitude and began to study every aspect of ninjutsu within the castle. Although she could not yet make improvements, the accumulated knowledge greatly enhanced her combat experience. Her growth could only be described as astonishingly fast.
In roughly five years, she not only completed several super S-rank missions but also mastered both the nature and shape transformation of Wind Release.
Of course, this was also because Satsuki's sudden disappearance had forced her to take on the burden of managing the entire Ōtsutsuki faction.
After all, Satsuki's influence had reached deep into the shinobi world—from controlling various daimyō to creating the Hyūga clan and even curing Suzuki Kaguya's inherited bloodline illness.
Now, though the world at large still resembled the chaotic Warring States era, the overall situation was beginning to take clearer shape.
Just as history dictated, the Senju clan of the Forest and the Uchiha clan had become the two dominant powers.
And the conflict between them was now reaching an irreconcilable intensity.
...
"Report!"
"Speak."
Ranzuki didn't even lift her head, still engrossed in the intelligence scroll she was reading.
After five years of growth, she had become a dignified and capable leader. Her once-youthful beauty had fully matured, and the countless battles she had fought had honed her confidence and decisiveness.
The puppet in charge of intelligence stood up and spoke in a calm, emotionless tone: "According to the information transmitted by Lady Satsuki through the Giant Tenseigan regarding the cultivation of 'artificial humans,' the second phase of the Hyūga clan's research has yielded results. The Byakugan Kekkei Genkai can now be stably inherited. Lord Kiyomaru has requested your presence to verify the outcome and issue the next set of orders…"
"As expected of Mother-sama… to think she achieved results so quickly."
As usual, Ranzuki couldn't help praising "Mother-sama" inwardly, her expression showing a joy even greater than if the achievement had been her own.
And truthfully speaking, in this era, creating a bloodline that could stably inherit a Kekkei Genkai within just five years was an astounding feat.
For Ranzuki, who had personally participated in similar projects before, it was truly shocking. If not for her desire to perfect her medical ninjutsu, she might never have wanted to touch such matters again.
After all, she had never received any formal training from Satsuki. Just memorizing all those "meridians" and "acupuncture points" was already giving her a headache—let alone complex terms like "cell culture fluid" and "base excision repair." Those high-sounding words alone were enough to make her brain ache.
If not for this report from the puppet, she might have completely forgotten about those matters by now.
Ranzuki put down the scroll in her hand, rubbed her forehead thoughtfully, and asked, "How many members of the Hyūga clan do we currently have?"
"The final adjustments have been completed. The number of individuals capable of acting independently is twelve."
"How is their strength?"
"Although they have undergone a portion of the prescribed training, these Hyūga prototypes have yet to exhibit any exceptional talent. Aside from the Byakugan inherited from Lady Satsuki, which allows them to see chakra flow and tenketsu points, there is nothing particularly remarkable. Only the first Hyūga prototype possesses combat ability on par with a jonin; the others are still at the genin or chunin level."
Ranzuki pondered silently for a moment.
Such power was still insufficient for major missions—but as pawns for communication or negotiation with the Senju clan, they would suffice.
If she sent someone too powerful, it would likely make the other side uneasy.
"Bring them here. I have tasks to assign."
Following her order, within moments—using Ryūmyaku chakra's spatial transfer—a group of twelve Hyūga prototypes arrived in the Lunar Castle (officially Satsuki's citadel).
Leading them was one of Satsuki's most trusted aides—Kiyomaru.
In the past few years, he hadn't changed much, except that his materials had been refined, and some of his aging parts replaced. He now served primarily as a logistics officer.
"Lady Ranzuki, all twelve Hyūga members have assembled."
Ranzuki nodded. "Thank you for your efforts, Senior Kiyomaru."
"It is nothing. Serving Lady Satsuki and her kin is our purpose."
After the brief exchange, Ranzuki turned her gaze toward the twelve Hyūga clan members who had entered.
In her observation, there were no particularly outstanding individuals among them in terms of bloodline ability. However, since their personal strength was limited, each was accompanied by an autonomous combat puppet of the Kiyomaru Type II series—mechanical humanoids similar to those once used in Rōran.
Yet, their appearance felt strangely familiar to Ranzuki.
Although their DNA had undergone deliberate recombination, these Hyūga prototypes still inherited Satsuki's cellular traits. Even if diluted, their overall facial features bore the unmistakable lineage of Satsuki's blood.
Whether male or female, all of them wore simple combat armor—and without exception, all had long, straight black hair.
Among them, the strongest individual—the first artificial human of the Hyūga lineage—was a handsome young man with sleek, long black hair (reminiscent of Neji).
"With this level of strength, as long as they avoid direct involvement in large-scale clan wars and remain cautious, there should be no major problems."
Activating the Tenseigan Chakra Mode for a moment, Ranzuki examined the bodies of the Hyūga prototypes in detail.
What she saw revealed several hidden issues.
"In order to maintain and preserve the Byakugan as a Kekkei Genkai, most of the body's nutrients and chakra are directed toward the eye's development. However, since the development process was artificially weakened, their chakra pathways are underdeveloped, limiting their capacity for large-scale chakra output. As a result, their overall chakra levels remain low…"
Hearing this, Kiyomaru added from the side, "Thus, this clan has a higher demand for external chakra absorption. The greater the innate talent and purity of the Byakugan, the higher the consumption required. However, since they lack Lady Satsuki's Ōtsutsuki chakra, they are incapable of awakening the Tenseigan."
Ranzuki deactivated the Tenseigan Chakra Mode and nodded slightly. "That's sufficient."
Seeing their discussion conclude, another puppet stepped forward to report.
"The Senju clan recently engaged in another large-scale battle with the Uchiha, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides. They've requested we send a representative to renegotiate the terms of our ninja tool trade."
"Hm…"
Upon hearing this, a rare smile appeared on Ranzuki's face. "It's been a while since I've gone out myself. I suppose I'll take these Hyūga clan members and pay them a personal visit."
...
Several days later, somewhere on the shinobi continent, the once clear and bright sky suddenly gathered with gusts of wind and thunder.
Accompanied by flashes of lightning and deafening roars, a space-time gate abruptly opened, and from within, a figure wreathed in terrifying black lightning slowly emerged.
"It feels like it's been a long time since I last came back here."
"In truth, it hasn't been that long, Host. You've simply experienced too much since then."
The one who had crossed time and space to return was none other than Satsuki Ōtsutsuki. After her trials across two different worlds, she was no longer the same as before.
However, even so, she had not returned to the shinobi world unprepared.
Satsuki had not forgotten that her previous world transfer had been a forced one, orchestrated by the system itself. According to its explanation, the cause was her own power exceeding the upper limit that the Naruto world could sustain—an act that had directly attracted the attention of a certain "Greater Will."
Uncertain of the nature or strength of this "Will," Satsuki prudently decided to wrap herself in a Dead Line Boundary. By doing so, the infinite distance would effectively contain her energy, preventing any detection by external means.
Of course, she could not rule out the possibility that this Will was so powerful it could directly pierce through the Dead Line Boundary.
If that were the case, then Satsuki would have no choice but to activate the dimensional channel once again and escape to another world.
Fortunately, her system had grown immensely stronger after traveling through several worlds and acquiring the Akasha Records.
Now, things that even Satsuki could not confirm could be analyzed and verified by the system through special means.
"Host, it seems that being cannot detect your presence. As long as you maintain the Dead Line Boundary, your movements here should not cause any problems."
"That's good."
"Would you like to return home first, Host?"
"No need for now." Satsuki shook her head lightly. "There's nothing in this world that poses any threat to me anymore—and Ranzuki has been managing things quite well."
Now that her level had reached near that of an enlightened being, Satsuki found herself detached from most of her previous arrangements within this world.
After all, if she truly wished to destroy the entire shinobi world now, it would only take a single thought.
With such power, her perspective on everything had grown detached and transcendent.
"If not home, then where shall we go?"
"I think I'll visit the Uchiha clan's settlement."
In the blink of an eye, her figure vanished from the air.
When she reappeared, she was already at the outskirts of the Uchiha clan's domain—located within the Land of Iron, not far from the Senju's stronghold in Iga Castle.
Ever since the great border war five years ago, the Uchiha clan had been forced to relocate here.
Technically, this area still fell under Satsuki's control, though she could no longer recall the name of the local lord who governed it.
It wasn't an important figure anyway, and his authority over the Uchiha was negligible, so Satsuki had long dismissed him from her thoughts.
At this moment, she walked leisurely down the streets of the Uchiha settlement, her demeanor calm and composed—just like an ordinary person.
But to describe her as "ordinary" would be a grave understatement.
With her flowing black hair, golden eyes that shimmered with divine brilliance, and the ruby gem embedded in her forehead, every detail of her appearance exuded otherworldly beauty. Her attire and the sacred aura surrounding her only further enhanced her extraordinary presence.
Her allure transcended mortal limits—her beauty was no longer something that belonged to the human realm.
Even among the Uchiha clan, known for their abundance of handsome men and beautiful women, Satsuki stood out like a goddess descending among mortals.
Whether shinobi, townsfolk, or farmers, all who saw her were involuntarily captivated at first glance.
Her presence was so radiant, so overwhelming, that those around her instinctively held their breath and froze where they stood.
The street, already quiet to begin with, became utterly silent as she passed. Even those who had been quarreling moments before stopped mid-argument, rendered speechless. Some rubbed their eyes, wondering if this ethereal vision before them was merely an illusion conjured by genjutsu.
Had this been the Satsuki of old, she might have concealed her identity or hidden herself behind a carriage to avoid such excessive attention.
But now—her attitude toward such matters had completely changed.
In fact, instead of being bothered by potential trouble or the possibility of some foolish insect daring to provoke her, Satsuki actually felt a faint sense of mischievous anticipation.
And sure enough, after wandering aimlessly through the area for a while, she encountered a small incident.
It wasn't the kind of situation where someone tried to pick a fight or stage a cliché "bandits harassing a woman" scene.
After all, this was the Uchiha clan's territory—shinobi from the clan patrolled everywhere, maintaining order and security. The moment Satsuki appeared, her presence had already been marked for observation.
Not because she seemed dangerous, but because her appearance alone screamed of noble lineage and high status. A solitary woman of such bearing was, by default, a person of interest.
This didn't surprise Satsuki in the least. In truth, hiding from her perception was impossible for anyone in this world.
From her perspective, all the observers lurking in the shadows were indistinguishable specks.
Still, when the ones who appeared before her turned out to be the most prominent brothers of the Uchiha clan—Madara Uchiha and Izuna Uchiha—she was slightly taken aback.
It wasn't their strength that surprised her—merely the coincidence of meeting these two.
"Two Uchiha shinobi," she said calmly, her tone steady and without a trace of fear. "To what do I owe the honor of being stopped?"
Her composure and unshakable confidence immediately drew the brothers' attention. It was rare, after all, to meet someone who could meet their gaze without the slightest hint of intimidation—especially a woman.
Madara stood with his trademark war fan strapped to his back, his long hair partially covering one eye, arms folded across his chest in silence.
In such diplomatic encounters, he usually served as the "silent enforcer." Otherwise, with his temper and sharp tongue, most conversations would end in a fight within minutes.
Izuna, standing beside him, was the gentler of the two.
"I'm Izuna Uchiha, and this is my elder brother, Madara Uchiha," he said politely. "For now, the two of us are in charge of maintaining order within the clan's domain…"
After introducing themselves, Izuna glanced around before asking cautiously, "Are you here alone, miss?"
"Just call me Satsuki," she replied lightly. "And yes—I came alone."
Upon hearing that, Izuna frowned slightly, sensing that this woman's background was anything but ordinary.
Madara, on the other hand, was far more direct. Without a word, his Sharingan flared to life.
"What business do you have with the Uchiha clan?" he demanded.
Though not yet the legendary figure who would one day rival the First Hokage, Madara already carried the aura of a formidable warrior.
Judging by the reverent and fearful glances from nearby clan members and townsfolk, it was clear that the Uchiha brothers already commanded great respect and authority within their territory.
Of course, none of that mattered to Satsuki.
"I merely have a small commission I wish to discuss," she said evenly, completely unfazed by his gaze.
Then, meeting Madara's Sharingan directly, she added with a faint, teasing smile, "On my way here, I heard many claim that the Uchiha are the strongest clan in the shinobi world… so I thought I'd see for myself."
Her tone carried a deliberate hint of provocation. "Surely the famed prodigies of the Uchiha aren't so thin-skinned that they can't handle a little curiosity… are they?"