"...Do I really have a choice?"
Kaguya looked up with a bitter smile, the Rinne-Sharingan in the center of her forehead beginning to rotate.
The Divine Tree slowly shrank, finally attaching itself to her body. The moon in the sky returned to its normal state, and the people who had been wrapped by the Divine Tree landed on the ground, gradually opening their eyes.
The first to wake were naturally the strongest among them—and unfortunately for everyone else, that group was led by Tsunade, followed closely by Maito Gai.
After waking, Tsunade glanced at the still-groggy Gai and gave a brief order: "Watch over them!" Then she dashed toward the Hokage Rock. Instinctively, she sensed that something she wanted was waiting there.
Before long, she arrived at the Hokage Rock and saw Kamizuki Hikari.
He felt both familiar and strange; from Hikari's presence, she sensed an unfamiliarity.
"Hikari?" Tsunade called softly.
Hikari nodded. "It's me. The Great Ninja War is effectively over. And I've retrieved all Tailed Beasts from the shinobi world."
That's right—including half of the Nine-Tails' Yang chakra from inside Naruto, and the Three-Tails' chakra from inside Terumī Mei—Hikari had taken it all back. Without harming their bodies, he had completely stripped away the tailed beasts' chakra.
"Why take back the tailed beasts' chakra?" Tsunade didn't understand.
Hikari pointed at Kaguya. "This is the legendary Rabbit Goddess Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, and she is also the Mother of Chakra. All chakra originated from her. To prevent her from taking chakra from others again, I chose to return the Tailed Beast chakra to her."
"Wait, let me process what you're saying!"
Tsunade found it hard to accept. A legendary god actually appearing before her like this was simply unimaginable.
"You'll have plenty of time to consider this going forward, because Kaguya-sama will be settling in Konoha from now on. You can place her in the Senju clan compound... or the Uchiha clan compound. The Senju and Uchiha both descend from the Sage of Six Paths' children, so taking care of this... elderly lady... is only right."
Elderly lady?
Hearing those words, Kaguya truly wanted to hit Hikari with an Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack—specifically aiming for his face, slapping him dozens of times.
I am only twenty years old! What elderly lady? Is that how you should address me?
"Let's put her in the Senju Clan lands," Tsunade decided after a moment's thought, choosing to keep her close.
"I have no issues. Any place is fine. I just want to see this world that Hagoromo insisted on preserving." Faced with Hikari's overwhelming authority, Kaguya, knowing she couldn't resist, could only choose to comply.
Truth be told, she now felt a sense of peace for the first time in a thousand years.
In the past, Kaguya had feared other Ōtsutsuki clansmen in the universe. Now she no longer did. Even if she recovered her full strength, she still wouldn't be able to defeat Kamizuki Hikari.
And not only could Hikari ascend to Six Paths level himself—he could elevate Yakumo to that same realm. Living in the current shinobi world, even if more Ōtsutsuki arrived later, he could simply kill them.
"Alright, Tsunade, why don't you take Kaguya to see the Senju Clan lands first."
Tsunade obediently left with Kaguya.
The next second, Hikari waved his right hand, and Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chōji, Yamanaka Ino, Hyūga Neji, Tenten, Rock Lee, Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, and Haruno Sakura appeared before him.
"Hikari-senpai?"
Naruto looked at Hikari in surprise. He felt the Nine-Tails inside him vanish without reason, and one moment he was on Mount Myōboku, the next he was on the Hokage Rock. It was simply too surreal.
Hikari said, "Naruto, do you understand your identity now?"
Naruto nodded. "Hikari-senpai, I already learned about my parents from Ero-sennin."
Hikari nodded. "Your parents were people I greatly respected. You can now choose whether or not to bring them back to life. You don't have to answer right away—take all the time you need."
"Thank you, Hikari-senpai!" Upon hearing that Hikari could resurrect his parents, Naruto felt some trepidation in his heart. Since he still had time, he wouldn't rush.
"Hikari-senpai, can you help me resurrect my parents too?" Sasuke asked urgently.
He had lost his parents at a young age. If he could see his brother again—and now even bring back his mother and father—there would be no regrets left in his life.
Having at least some master-disciple bond with Sasuke, and resurrecting Fugaku and Mikoto being a simple matter, Hikari agreed directly. "Yes."
"Hikari-senpai, I don't need my parents resurrected, but could you help me improve my strength? I don't ask for too much, just enough to casually beat Shikamaru and Chōji." Ino stated her request, causing Chōji and Shikamaru beside her to roll their eyes.
Stupid woman, we train too, you know. Just you wait, we'll give you a beating later.
Well, they only thought about it. After all, Ino was the little princess of the Ino-Shika-Chō trio. If Shikamaru and Chōji beat her up, even without Yamanaka Inoichi saying anything, their own fathers would show them why the flowers are so red.
"You'd be better off going home to sleep and dream about that. Work on your own strength yourself. Power obtained through others can also be taken away by others. Only the strength gained through your own hard work is true strength."
"Tch, fine, don't give it then." Ino understood the principle, but she still felt a bit indignant.
"You twelve are Konoha's future. From now on, you must train hard. Although the battle in the shinobi world is over, it doesn't mean there won't be wars in the future. To protect Konoha, do your best!"
"Of course, as your senior, I can't not give you a gift. Consider this chakra my blessing for you!"
Hikari waved his hand, and balls of light formed in the air, flying towards the twelve young heroes present.
These chakra spheres looked the same, but their essence was completely different. For example, Naruto's emphasized Yang Release, allowing him to better develop the potential of the Uzumaki clan.
Sasuke Uchiha naturally received Yin Release, helping him better master the Sharingan. Sakura's was also Yang Release, enabling her to better master medical ninjutsu.
For the Ino-Shika-Chō trio, Shikamaru and Ino received Yin Release, while Chōji got Yang Release.
Hinata and Neji, both from the Hyūga clan, received Yang Release chakra.
Lee and Tenten also received a bias towards Yang Release, with a bit of Yin Release added.
Shino and Kiba also received Yang Release, increasing their chakra reserves and physical constitution.
Most importantly, the chakra Hikari gave them wouldn't directly transform into their power, making them the strongest in the shinobi world. They needed to continuously train to unlock this power.
Simply sitting on it wouldn't work.
"Children, Konoha's future depends on you. Do your best!"
"Wait, Hikari-senpai!" Ino, seeing Hikari and Yakumo about to disappear, anxiously ran forward. "Senpai, are you leaving us?"
Hikari shrugged. "Of course not. It's just that I'm very tired now. Konoha's future must rely on you young people. I believe the Seventh Hokage will emerge from among you. Do your best, kids!"
"Hahaha, I will definitely be the Seventh Hokage!" The one shouting excitedly was, of course, Naruto.
"Why not the Sixth?" Sasuke retorted defiantly.
"The Sixth will obviously be Kakashi-sensei," Naruto replied.
"What? Kakashi? How is that possible..."
Watching the lively twelve, Hikari reached out, took Yakumo's hand, and slowly disappeared. As for where he went, need you ask? Of course, to the Senju Clan compound.
As one of the only two areas in Konoha with large, unoccupied territories nowadays, and not wanting to choose the Uchiha Clan lands, it was perfectly reasonable for Hikari to reside in the Senju Clan.
"What are you doing here?" Tsunade asked curiously, seeing Hikari arrive shortly after.
Hikari looked up at the sky, his face etched with weariness.
"Konoha's future belongs to the young. An old man like me should just retire."
"Coincidentally, my older brother wants to turn the Kamizuki family into the Kamizuki clan. With the heavy burden of reviving the clan entirely on my shoulders, I have no choice but to work hard!"
"So, I'll be in your care from now on!"
(The End)