"Shin kun, I'm here."
Uchiha Mikoto, now standing on the surface of the moon, could feel Uchiha Shin's presence intensifying. It was as if he was right in front of her, yet frustratingly out of reach.
Uchiha Shin, bound by the ancient seal, also sensed the strengthening connection.
"Good… very good. From here on, it's all up to you, Mikoto."
He channeled his energy, guiding her towards the seal with precision. At the same time, he continuously funneled his chakra into her body—not for communication, but for protection. If another unforeseen crisis arose, like the reappearance of Otsutsuki Hamura, he could temporarily take control of Mikoto's body for a swift counterattack.
Under his guidance, Mikoto reached the place where Uchiha Shin had once been sealed. Otsutsuki Hamura, monitoring the situation, felt much calmer than before.
In his eyes, Uchiha Mikoto was just a woman with no means of breaking the [Six Paths: Chibaku Tensei]. If such a powerful seal could be undone so easily, his mother, Otsutsuki Kaguya, would have freed herself long ago.
"Speaking of Mother… I've been feeling uneasy lately."
Hamura muttered under his breath. A persistent sense of dread had been gnawing at him, though he couldn't pinpoint the cause.
Pushing the thought aside, he turned his attention toward the Earth. By observing the souls flowing in from the Pure Land, he remained informed about the current state of the world.
The Third Great Ninja War had raged on for over a month now.
To Hamura's surprise, the war was not unfolding as he had expected. Even with Uchiha Shin's absence, the Land of Fire remained an indomitable force.
As the primary food supplier of the continent, the Fire Nation had cut off trade routes, depriving other nations of essential resources. Meanwhile, their forces engaged in fierce battles along the borders, effectively maintaining a stalemate.
The war was in their favor.
"How is this possible? Shin disappeared, yet the Land of Fire stands strong?" Hamura's brow furrowed in frustration.
Beside him, the Sage of Six Paths—Hagoromo Otsutsuki—watched calmly.
"Brother," Hagoromo spoke, his voice firm. "You misunderstood something from the start.
Shin may have ruled with an iron grip, but he was never a mere tyrant. He was a true king—one who could lead and inspire others.
Even in his absence, those he left behind will carry out his will."
His words rang with undeniable truth, leaving Hamura silent.
Hagoromo sighed. If only Shin hadn't tampered with Kaguya's seal, he would never have supported Hamura's actions. If things had gone differently, this war might have been the last. But now… the future was uncertain.
Neither brother paid much attention to Mikoto, who sat cross-legged on the moon, deep in focus.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Shin was elated. Mikoto was finally at the perfect location—the place where the connection was at its peak.
"Excellent. This is where it's the clearest and strongest."
He began experimenting step by step, utilizing his [Death Prediction] ability to calculate every possible failure. Each time, he filtered out any method that could lead to his demise.
"Shinjun, are you planning to be reborn through me? It kinda feels like I'm a mother already."
Mikoto placed a hand on her stomach, smirking playfully.
The anticipation in her voice made Shin groan internally.
"What the hell, Mikoto?! I'm not gonna crawl into your damn womb and have you give birth to me!"
Suppressing his irritation, he patiently explained his resurrection plan.
Floating beside him, Otsutsuki Kaguya listened intently, a soft smirk on her lips. The man who had conquered her was finally making his move.
As for Black Zetsu? That traitor had long been erased from existence. Kaguya barely even remembered him anymore.
A man like Shin was far more reliable.
For the first time in millennia, Kaguya felt at ease—content to let someone else bear the burdens of war.
Her expression didn't escape Shin's notice. He recognized that smug, lazy look anywhere.
It was the same one Tsunade wore whenever he handled the paperwork for her.
"Damn it… I finally understand how she felt."
If Tsunade knew his thoughts, she would be laughing her ass off.
Back on Earth, Tsunade was indeed hard at work managing the war effort. Mei Terumi sat across from her, both women tirelessly sorting through battle reports and dispatching orders.
"159 signal towers destroyed," Mei noted grimly. "The enemy's clearly trying to cripple our intelligence network."
"Three fronts active. We have the upper hand against the Wind Country. The Earth and Lightning Countries, however, are pressing hard. Reinforcements needed."
"Other nations have caught wind of Shin's disappearance. They're gathering intel."
"The Akatsuki is making moves—gathering rogue shinobi to fight for the highest bidder."
"Another organization, Kara, has emerged, with unclear affiliations."
Yuki and Pakura rushed in, arms full of reports from the battlefield.
"Deploy two more of Orochimaru's satellites. We need full coverage over the continent."
"Contact Ryuchi Cave. Summon the Dragon Princess prototypes to reinforce the frontlines."
"Keep a close watch on those monitoring Shin-sama. I want to know their every move."
With the Fire Nation at war against three major powers, smaller nations had been dragged into the conflict as well. Most had no choice but to oppose the Land of Fire—if they allowed Shin's empire to win, their own sovereignty would be in jeopardy.
This wasn't just a war between shinobi. It was an all-out continental conflict.
Samurai, mercenaries, rogue ninjas—everyone was being pulled into the bloodshed.
Only the distant island nations remained untouched… for now.
Within the first month alone, casualties had soared past tens of thousands—dwarfing the death tolls of the First and Second Great Ninja Wars.
Two months flew by.
The Fire Nation had stabilized its defenses, but the enemy's strategy had changed. The truth had spread.
Everyone knew now.
Uchiha Shin… was missing.
Support my Patreon 🫡
--------
Dear Readers
Join Patreon for Complete Novel (240 Chapters) and 100 Early Chapters
https://www.patreon.com/dd44
--------
Bonus Chapter - 100 Power Stones