[Thank you lordarcan, Andre Jiles, oleg shayko, Luis, Ayomide Salami, and Maggal Antedosan, Reddsaint, Raven yip, Big Mike, Sabo and more for Joining the Patreon!
Joining the Patreon, even at the lowest $3 membership, gives you access to over 70+ Advanced Chapters! Join now and read Continuously!]
~~~
Time flew by swiftly. In the blink of an eye, a few days had passed.
The fact that the Moon had a third cut off and a colossal battle broke out on the lunar surface caused a tremendous sensation in the ninja world.
Everyone was discussing whether the person who cut the Moon was Ōtsutsuki Toneri or Madara Uchiha.
No one suspected it was Izayoi or Nagato, because among the four known super-spec ninja, the two of them were somewhat weaker in comparison.
Especially Nagato—he had already lost his Rinnegan to Madara Uchiha.
As for Izayoi, if he could really manage to slice the Moon, then in the finale of that "Endgame Battle," he would have been the biggest winner rather than Madara.
Due to the climactic fight of the "New-Gen God of Shinobi" (Nagato) and the "Moon-Dweller" (Toneri)—and the showdown between the puppet armies and the Edo Tensei legions—everyone came to regard both the Tenseigan and the Rinnegan as surpassing Mokuton.
Particularly with the mythical aura of the Sage of Six Paths, the might of the so-called "Sage Eyes" was ingrained even more deeply into people's minds.
Many believed that the Moon must have been cut by Ōtsutsuki Toneri, since among the "two great Sage Eyes," the Tenseigan's abilities remained most mysterious.
Yet some held that Madara Uchiha must have been responsible. After all, older folks from the Warring-States era remembered the legend of Susanoo. Allegedly, just meeting Susanoo's gaze meant certain doom. With the power to reshape the land, that force might well slice through the Moon.
So each camp had its own reasoning.
But as none of the principals came forward to clarify, it remained one of the world's most profound mysteries.
From this incident, Toneri and Madara's renown soared even higher.
Regardless of who actually split the Moon, the outcome of that battle caused no fatalities. That meant among them, one could slice a heavenly body, while the other could endure such a force—demonstrating equal power.
In the eyes of the ninja world, both their strengths are now ranked at the Sage of Six Paths level.
According to myth, the Sage of Six Paths created the Moon. No one knew for sure if that story was true or false. Yet now, everyone witnessed the Moon being cut in two—practically a "re-creation" of a godlike feat.
Likewise, among the four recognized super-spec ninjas, Nagato and Izayoi were thought only to have "map-altering" might, while Madara Uchiha and Ōtsutsuki Toneri had "world-breaking" power. Their relative weights were crystal-clear.
These past few days, the top officials of the Five Great Nations had lost much sleep. Whether the Five Kage or the daimyō, all kept jolting awake from nightmares. The daimyō in particular had zero appetite for entertainment or lavishness.
In older wars, no matter how big the conflict, it never touched these elites. Because after both Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha passed on, the Kage were recognized as the mightiest in the world. Yet none of those Kage possessed the strength to rewrite landforms.
Someone like Sakumo Hatake, or Orochimaru, or even many S-Class rogue-nin, could challenge a Kage's level, but still be worn down by an army.
Even if their side lost a shinobi world war, no one could completely annihilate a Great Nation or its hidden village; the daimyō would pay reparations, but keep their thrones.
Now, however, the threat of rewriting continents or outright destroying celestial bodies had begun to loom. This severely rattled the daimyō's hold on power.
If Izayoi wanted, he could overthrow the daimyō of the Land of Fire. The same for Nagato. As for Madara or Toneri—one possessed powers that, from the people's viewpoint, could easily decimate the entire world.
At the mere possibility of such devastation, those used to a life of luxury and rank were understandably shaking in fear.
Meanwhile, as the only recognized super-spec ninja within the "Five Great Shinobi Villages," Izayoi's influence soared almost to the level once held by Hashirama Senju.
Regularly, the daimyō's officials would come to Konoha to negotiate "increasing military funding," yet each visit ended in vain, accompanied by constant hints that if Tsunade would swiftly pass the Hokage title on to Izayoi, they would willingly bolster the benefits for Konoha.
At first, Tsunade did not catch their drift. Only after Nara Shikaku's explanation did she realize their intention and found it laughable.
She sometimes joked about it when going to Izayoi's place to mooch food and drink.
As for truly stepping down—currently that is impossible. The Land of Fire's daimyō yearned for security, hoping Izayoi would become Hokage. But Tsunade felt that though he was outstanding, he lacked certain qualities needed to manage the entire village.
She did not know Izayoi was "Ōtsutsuki Toneri," nor that he had experiences spanning two lifetimes; to her, he merely possessed monstrous combat power but still needed more leadership seasoning.
Izayoi himself had no particular craving for the Hokage seat. His willingness to be "Sixth Hokage" was mostly for Hinata's sake—that she might share the status of "Hokage's wife."
His real objective, from start to finish, was escaping the limit of mortality. Tsunade's not handing over the office yet suited him fine; he was happy to keep playing a bit longer.
With the "Moon Incident" over, everyday life for Izayoi and Hinata's trio returned to normal.
Hinata and Karin would continue assisting Tsunade in the Hokage's office, while Izayoi took Hanabi on missions beyond the village—strengthening the bond between brother-in-law and sister-in-law.
Since only Hinata's trio and Hiashi knew Izayoi's secret—indeed, that he had cut the Moon—he let Izayoi do as he pleased.
In the eyes of the entire ninja world, the Hyūga clan's once-lingering anxieties were gone. As father to the fiancé of an ascendant "Shinobi God," Hiashi wore a daily flush of satisfaction; he walked as though a breeze followed him, quite the winner in life.
Other clan heads with daughters ground their teeth in envy, cursing behind his back: "He just lucked into dogshit fortune!"
…
Meanwhile, In Land of Rain
In a certain idyllic countryside outside of Amegakure, near a clear, babbling stream lay a wooden cabin.
Here, Konan was pushing Nagato's wheelchair along the stream, chatting about old times.
Konan's cool, beautiful face wore a rare, gentle smile. She had always been the member of the trio with no specific ambitions—just a faint desire to return to the place where she and the two boys, plus Jiraiya, had once lived for three years, and carry on quietly. But she had long shelved that desire for Yahiko and Nagato's sake. Unexpectedly, Nagato shared the same thought.
Konan's delight was plain.
Suddenly, Nagato raised a hand for her to stop, eyes fixed on the nearby grove, then turned and spoke quietly:
"Madara, come out."
Konan's expression tensed. She manifested faint paper outlines on her body, braced for a fight. She feared that Madara had come to kill them both after all.
Sensing Konan's unease, Nagato softly reassured her:
"Konan, no need to worry—he means no harm to us."
At that, Madara stepped out from the woods. Konan was still wary, but Nagato's words lessened her vigilance.
Sure enough, Madara offered a token of praise:
"Your perception's improved, Nagato. I'd assumed your carefree life would dull your strength."
Then he lamented, "But it's a pity you're unwilling to transplant new eyes. If you did, plus uniting with Tobi, you'd surpass all but Hashirama. Even that brat from Konoha wouldn't stand a chance."
Nagato only shook his head with a faint smile:
"I'm fully content as is. Nothing to regret. Ever since awakening from my dream, I parted with my ambitions, and it's as though a great weight has lifted—my Sage Mode is even closer to the natural order."
Madara nodded in acknowledgment:
"Your sensory ability now rivals Mito's."
In the Warring-States era—apart from Hashirama Senju—only Tobirama and Mito had left a real impression on Madara.
After Mito became the Nine-Tails jinchūriki, no Kage or first-rank shinobi could top her in that First Great Ninja War. She never had to display that power, but she overshadowed them in potential.
None of Madara's compliments stirred Nagato's emotions. He simply smiled. Then:
"You came today—why?"
"I want you to teach me Sage Mode," Madara said straightforwardly. "Also, I'd like you to come help me in Konoha."
Nagato paused, then shook his head:
"I can teach you Sage Mode, but as for going back to help—forget it. I'm done with the ninja path."
"Don't be so quick to refuse," Madara said. "I've uncovered some secrets on the Moon."
"Watch them, then decide."
With that, Madara's Rinnegan glowed, releasing powerful Yin Release chakra, injecting illusions into Nagato's mind. Soon Nagato beheld the same historical illusions Madara had once seen on the Moon—Kaguya, the God Tree, and the truth behind Infinite Tsukuyomi, plus Black Zetsu's identity.
Like Madara, Nagato gasped upon learning "Infinite Tsukuyomi only spawns White Zetsu," and that "Black Zetsu was the child of Kaguya."
He also saw how Black Zetsu had attached via the Gedo Statue's tubes to Madara's body—just as Madara had.
As the illusions concluded, Nagato's expression grew heavy. Madara asked quietly:
"What's your decision?"
"Are these all real?" Nagato returned the question.
"You mean the first part or the second?"
"Both."
"As for the first—I'm uncertain," Madara admitted with some confusion. "Even I am lost right now. But I won't abandon the Eye of the Moon Plan, because I must see its truth with my own eyes. If it's real, I'll drop my original aims. If not, I'll carry on.
"As for that second half? I'm sure it's real. That attitude of his—aloof and condescending—didn't seem feigned."
Once more Madara pulled Nagato back into illusions, showing him their confrontation:
"That guy surely won't let me become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki so easily. I have to sharpen my strength, gather strong allies, and foster powerful subordinates. I refuse to let him destroy our world!"
When the illusions ended, Nagato used his Sage senses to probe Madara for a moment. Then he gave a slight grin:
"Alright, I'll return and help you."
Madara reciprocated with a faint smile:
"Welcome back, Nagato."
…
"Madara-sama, where do we go next?" Black Zetsu asked from upon Madara's body.
Madara studied a map in his hands, replying:
"Looking for certain ruins—I'm not sure exactly where."
"Couldn't we White Zetsu handle searching for them?" pressed Black Zetsu.
"Those sites might only appear in my Rinnegan," Madara said meaningfully. "I'm merely a wood clone anyway, same as you're just an embodiment of 'my will.' A bit of effort doesn't matter, right?"
"Heh… Indeed," said Black Zetsu with a hollow laugh, though inside he grew ever more uneasy. Madara evidently continued to distrust or even watch him. Possibly Madara was orchestrating secrets from him.
Realizing the "final crisis" was slipping from his grasp, Black Zetsu felt stifled and vexed. He cursed the day Obito had bungled the Three-Tails, leading Madara's revival to deviate from plan. So near, yet so far, from resurrecting his mother. He chafed at the loss of control and could only mutter inwardly: "Damn you, Uchiha Obito!"
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— This Fanfic is Completed in Patreon!