Longevity, no matter which world you place it in, is a pursuit shared by all of humanity.And in the world of Naruto, where short lifespans are the norm, that pursuit becomes all the more fervent. Ordinary people don't live long, and the lifespan of a ninja... is likely even shorter.
So the lure of immortality that Natsuro dangled before them was nothing short of a powerful weapon, one that few could resist.
Natsuro waited for quite a while, watching as most of those before him finally came back to their senses.
Yet even if their minds had returned, the blazing heat in their eyes, the heavy breaths they drew, and the subtle shift in their attitudes could not be undone.
To this, he simply chuckled softly, no longer bothering to say more. After all, one must retain at least some air of mystery.
He then looked to the sky and said, "One final matter, something I learned while fighting Kaguya Ōtsutsuki."
At this moment, everyone's attention was riveted on Natsuro, eager to know what other bombshell he might drop.
"That is..." Natsuro paused slightly, then continued, "The Ōtsutsuki clan… they are not native to our world. They are extraterrestrial beings."
As his words fell, the crowd, who had already experienced more than a few shocks, thought they had become numb to surprises. Yet when he said it aloud, they were stunned all over again.
Was this the first time they were hearing that the origin of chakra was from beings not of this world?
No one had ever imagined such a thing.
Natsuro went on, "So, as I said before, chakra is something they brought to us. But it was meant for themselves, not for us."
By now, many began to piece things together. If that were the case, then the families Natsuro had mentioned earlier… could they carry extraterrestrial blood?
No wonder those clans had such high average strength.
"Of course, that's not the main point I want to make. What I want to say is…" Natsuro smiled as he spoke, "Kaguya told me that in the future—maybe in a few years, or maybe decades—the Ōtsutsuki clan will return to this world."
After hearing this, many widened their eyes. The damage a single Kaguya did to the world had already been immense, what kind of upheaval would an entire clan bring?
And many understood quite well, that kind of change would definitely not be a good one.
If that time truly came, how would they resist the Ōtsutsuki clan?
At this moment, most of them couldn't help but look toward Natsuro. Though they didn't want to admit it, when they considered that possibility, he was the first person who came to mind. Perhaps, when that day comes, only he would be able to lead them in resisting the Ōtsutsuki invasion.After all, handing the world over to one of their own was still better than letting aliens take it.
But another possibility existed, that he was lying, all to make them pin their hopes on him again, making it easier for him to unify the world.
Natsuro didn't say much more. This time, he didn't leave them much time to think. He simply snapped his fingers, drawing everyone's attention back to himself.
"That's all I have to say. Whether you believe it or not, you should understand, I have no need to lie to you," Natsuro said casually, then revealed a wicked smile.
This time, his voice was no longer gentle, it echoed thunderously through the heavens and the earth:
"So, if you wish to resist me, go ahead and raise your banners high. Form your alliances, shout your slogans, sacrifice your lives, and uphold your ideals... Come, and stop my advance, if you can..."
After speaking, Natsuro's laughter seemed to echo across the very skies.
Then, he snapped his fingers again, and this time, not only did he vanish, but so did all the Konoha ninjas beneath him.
Only the ninjas and samurai from the other five nations remained, exchanging glances, unsure of what to think.
"Damn it!"
At that moment, the Fourth Raikage's body trembled with rage, and he punched the air furiously, unable to find the words to express himself.
"What should we do next?" Ōnoki muttered as he seemed lost in thought.
"What else can we do? Obviously, we have to form an alliance and fight that damned Sixth Hokage!" the Fourth Raikage roared.
"Heh… that's not so certain," Ōnoki suddenly sneered.
"What did you say!?" the Fourth Raikage glared at him angrily.
"What did I say? The Sixth Hokage defeated Madara Uchiha and the legendary Kaguya. That alone proves he's even stronger than them. Madara and even Obito Uchiha were already beyond our comprehension. So what kind of power must someone have to defeat them both?" Ōnoki countered.
The Fourth Raikage found himself unable to argue, he understood all too well. Every time he thought about it, a sense of helplessness weighed him down.
"And don't forget, Konoha doesn't just have Natsuro. There's also Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha. Each of them is an insurmountable obstacle for us…" Ōnoki added.
"Uzumaki… Uchiha…" the Fourth Raikage murmured, his face darkening.
"Exactly. The descendants of the Ōtsutsuki clan, their bloodlines are mostly in Konoha's clans. And after this Fourth Great Ninja War, our forces are already more than half gone. Do we really have the strength to resist their advance?" Ōnoki sighed.
Konoha had suffered casualties too, and not few, but as long as those people remained, Konoha would always be a threat.
"So what, are you saying you want to join Konoha now?" the Fourth Raikage growled.
Ōnoki fell silent at that, his thoughts drifting elsewhere. After all... they had once considered joining Konoha, until Madara ruined that possibility.
Now that Madara was dead, that obstacle no longer existed.
And most importantly, no one could understand just how strong the lure of immortality was to an old man already with one foot in the grave. It was a temptation that could shake his very core.
Sure, the method for training in the Path of Natural Energy might eventually spread, but by then, who knew if he'd still be alive?
Yet at the same time, Ōnoki didn't want to hand over the village he had spent decades building… He was torn.
The Fourth Raikage also had a shadow over his heart, he still had Killer Bee. How much longer could his younger brother survive?
And right now, perhaps only Natsuro could save him.
But the Fourth Raikage was filled with resentment, anger, and a deep sense of helplessness.
Because, unpleasant as Ōnoki's words were, they were true.
Could they really resist Natsuro?
At this moment, it wasn't just Ōnoki harboring such thoughts, even the relatively young Mei Terumī had no strong desire to resist.
After all, she had been the one who suggested surrendering the most times during the original war with Madara. Her conviction had never been particularly firm.
Now, Mei was muttering to herself. Though not old, she—as a woman—was especially concerned about age.
Especially since she still hadn't married…
She had noticed something others hadn't while Natsuro was still present: his skin. It was the best she had ever seen.
She distinctly remembered that his skin had always been good, but now, it was perfect. Even better than hers had been in her youth.
She couldn't help but wonder: Could the "Path of Natural Energy" he spoke of… also preserve one's youth?
That would make sensem if you lived much longer, surely aging would be delayed, too.
At this point, Mei almost seemed surrounded by a dark, fiery aura. Her bodyguard Ao broke into a cold sweat behind her, unsure what madness his Mizukage was now plotting.
"Gaara, what should we do?" Temari couldn't help but ask.
Gaara stood frozen, staring at the place where Natsuro had vanished. Only after a long silence did he respond.
"I didn't expect him to make such a choice..."
"Yeah… I never thought his ambition would be this vast," Kankurō chimed in with a solemn nod.
Gaara closed his eyes, recalling scenes from the past, and said, "If it's him… it's still better than letting the whole world live in an illusion."
As he thought back to everything he had experienced within the Infinite Tsukuyomi, Gaara couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat, even now.
To be honest, if Natsuro hadn't defeated Kaguya, he might have chosen to willingly sink into that illusion himself…
That sense of utter helplessness, the inability to resist, was truly terrifying.
As for Natsuro's ambitions of unification, Gaara recalled the flourishing scenes within Konoha.... Perhaps it was worth putting their faith in him.
More importantly…
If they don't believe, what would that mean? Leading their entire village to certain death?
"…Yeah, I get it." Kankurō nodded in agreement. No other village knew Natsuro better than the Sand.
Even now, there were still many people within the Sand Village who regarded him as an invincible deity.
And after this war, their fanaticism would likely only grow stronger.
Coupled with the Sand's inherently weak position… Kankurō let out a long sigh.
Did they really have a choice?
At this point, it wasn't just the Kage of each village thinking it through, even the ordinary shinobi, civilians, and political elites were all deep in discussion.
Only, each group had different perspectives.
In general terms...
The ordinary people's choice was easiest to understand.
They didn't really care who ruled them, and Natsuro's promise was more than tempting, he had even saved their lives.
So among this group, support for him was the strongest.
Next came the shinobi...
Because they were the only ones who truly understood Natsuro's overwhelming power. To them, resisting him seemed no different from courting death.
Finally, there were the political elites, those in positions of power....
Their stance was the most predictable. No matter the reason, none of them wanted to be pushed off their thrones and Natsuro's actions undoubtedly threatened to overturn everything they had built.
That was something they could not accept.
At the same time, they were desperate to know the secret of immortality.
It was driving them mad.
They racked their brains trying to figure out how to gain eternal life without losing their status.
But all of that had nothing to do with Natsuro anymore.
Because he had already done everything he could, he had laid bare the threat of death, the temptation of gain, and the presence of a common enemy.
With these cards played, he believed the results would be significant, but he also knew: it wouldn't be smooth sailing.
From here on, it would all come down to war, iron and blood.
He had tried to minimize casualties beforehand, but that phase was over.
Once the war began, there could be no hesitation.
The only goal would be to conquer quickly and crush all resistance.
...
At this moment, Natsuro and Ino were walking down the road home.
After returning to Konoha with the village's ninja, he knew that many people would want to see him.
But he didn't meet with anyone.
He simply left a message in everyone's minds, "Meeting tomorrow in the council chamber." Then, he left.
"Surprised?" Natsuro looked at Ino and asked.
"Yeah, a little." Ino nodded.
She still hadn't quite come to her senses. She had thought her boyfriend would become Hokage of Konoha... but now, it seemed he might actually become ruler of the entire world.
And she… She might be transforming from the Hokage's wife into the consort of the world's ruler.That shift in identity left her a bit dazed.
Then, Ino hugged Natsuro's arm, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she said, "But if it's you, I know you can do it."
Natsuro chuckled, rubbed Ino's head, and said, "This year, I turned seventeen."
"Mmm…" Suddenly, Ino's face flushed red, she understood what he meant.
"In just one more year, we can get married," Natsuro sighed. Thankfully, in this world the legal age for marriage was eighteen.
He wouldn't have to wait another two years.
"Mhm," Ino leaned against Natsuro's shoulder with a blissful smile.
...
Before long, Natsuro brought Ino back to that familiar home and knocked on the door.
Soon, Shinai opened it wearing an apron. Seeing Natsuro and Ino, she smiled warmly and said, "Come in, come in! You've both worked so hard through the Fourth War, you must be starving. Dinner's almost ready. Tonight, I made all your favorite dishes."
"Hehe, awesome! After all that fighting, I'm starving to death…" Natsuro scratched his head with a grin and walked in with Ino.
Ino quickly cleaned up and went to help Shinai in the kitchen.
Natsuro flopped down onto the sofa, savoring the moment.
This home… It had never changed, no matter what happened.
Shinai had never once questioned anything Natsuro did.
She would support him unconditionally, no matter what path he chose, even if what he did wasn't entirely noble.
But as Natsuro looked at this familiar, peaceful scene before him, he smiled.
This is enough.
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Next Chapter: Spreading Natural Energy