"What a pity... I wanted to use that opportunity to see if I could hit three targets with one shot."
Izayoi, who had teleported away from the battlefield and used Flying Thunder God to send Hinata and Karin back to Konoha, appeared in an empty place and used the Samsara Eye to stare at the area where Uchiha Madara and the others were, sighing slightly in his heart.
Uchiha Madara, who had just been resurrected and had no eyes, was undoubtedly at his weakest moment.
If the wooden clone could kill him instantly, it might have been possible to explode his entries.
In the end, among the three targets, only Nagato—who was already weakened after using the Samsara Reincarnation Technique—was taken down.
However...
"Although there was no major windfall, the goal of this final battle has been achieved." Izayoi smiled and looked at the personal panel in front of him.
In the points column, the deposit had reached [1007105].
After decomposing the two gold, three blue, and four purple items that exploded from Nagato—totaling nine entries—Izayoi's points deposit finally broke into the seven-digit range.
In the entry column, the red entries headed by [Otsutsuki bloodline] now had "+" signs that could be upgraded.
Izayoi didn't even glance at [Sage's Eye] or [Sage's Body] and directly clicked the "+" next to [Otsutsuki bloodline (red)].
In an instant, the originally red-colored "Otsutsuki bloodline" font grew slightly larger, and the red hue was replaced with a radiant rainbow glow.
Unlike the red and lower entries, the font color for this new tier wouldn't change again.
The rainbow glow shimmered along the characters of [Otsutsuki bloodline], and the (red) label representing the level was replaced with (color), accompanied by its own glowing effect.
In the points column, the figure plummeted from seven digits to just four—[7106].
After the upgrade, Izayoi immediately closed the personal panel to examine if his body had undergone any changes.
The result: nothing changed.
Izayoi wasn't surprised.
It was the same when he had first copied Otsutsuki Toneri's [Otsutsuki bloodline (red)].
Since it didn't take effect immediately, it should follow the same pattern—his body would start to shift over time, breaking through its original upper limit and reaching new unknown heights. The transformation would emerge gradually.
Suppressing his expectations, Izayoi turned his attention toward Uchiha Madara, who now possessed eyes again.
Around Madara floated a dozen bubbles of various colors.
The most eye-catching one shared the same color tier as Izayoi's Otsutsuki bloodline:
[Bloodline Genkai · Rinnegan (color)]
[Six Paths Qualification (red)]
[All-attribute Constitution (gold)]
[Bloodline Genkai · Wood Release (gold)]
[Chakra Control (gold)]
[Otsutsuki bloodline (gold)]
[Ninjutsu Master (purple)]
[Taijutsu Master (purple)]
[Summoning Master (purple)]
[Seal Master (purple)]
[Medical Master (purple)]
[Puppet Master (purple)]
[Illusion Master (purple)]
"Gone..."
Izayoi didn't fix his gaze on the Rinnegan entry but scanned all the entries. The second red-tier entry was missing.
Before Uchiha Madara was resurrected, he still displayed the [Sage's Eye (red)] entry.
But now, that entry had vanished.
It was a talent gained through Impure World Reincarnation—it didn't come with the [Six Paths Qualification (red)].
"When the two poles return to one, you can gain the power of the universe..." Izayoi silently recited the phrase and suddenly understood the disappearance of the [Sage's Eye].
He opened his personal panel again and stared at [Prince with White Eyes (red)].
"In other words, when the Samsara Eye completes its final evolution, will this entry disappear? Then my newly upgraded [Otsutsuki bloodline (color)]—will it evolve the Samsara Eye? If it does, will the [Sage's Eye (red)] and [Sage's Body (red)] entries vanish as well?"
After analyzing this, Izayoi closed the personal panel again and stared at Uchiha Madara's [Samsara Eye] entry.
"The ultimate dojutsu really is a level above red."
Otsutsuki Toneri's bloodline was already extremely high, ranking among the top red-tier entries.
Even the alien Otsutsuki clan acknowledged him as kin. They didn't kill him out of talent appreciation, but simply sealed him.
However, Toneri's bloodline was still mixed rather than pure.
True pure-blooded Otsutsuki possess three traits—the most crucial of which is… horns.
White hair, horns, and white eyes. Only those born with all three qualify as true pure-blood Otsutsuki.
Toneri only had white hair—no horns, no natural white eyes.
To awaken the Samsara Eye, he had to steal an extremely pure Byakugan, meaning his atavism wasn't enough to reach Otsutsuki Hamura's level of self-awakening.
He couldn't even compare to pure-blooded Otsutsuki who can travel across universes and are born with Samsara Eyes and Bloodline Nets—along with divine abilities.
Toneri's red-tier bloodline ranked above [Sage's Eye (red)] and [Sage's Body (red)], but below the as-yet-unperfected [Bloodline Limit · Samsara Eye (red)].
This Samsara Eye had only reached its second fetal stage—it hadn't awakened its full power yet.
Now that Madara's [Sage's Eye (red)] entry had vanished, Izayoi had his answer.
Once the Samsara Eye completes its evolution, it will become a color-tier entry.
By then, Izayoi's life level and potential would surpass the Super Kage level and reach a new dimension—the Six Paths level.
Unlike Six Paths Obito (who relied on Ten-Tails), Naruto and Sasuke (who received Hagoromo's power), or Otsutsuki Toneri (who transplanted eyes), both Izayoi and Madara possessed their own eyes. Their potential could still grow. With enough time and talent, they could rival Otsutsuki Hamura and Hagoromo—even without being Ten-Tails Jinchuriki.
If no levels exist above color-tier, Izayoi could conclude that the color-tier lower limit was ultimate dojutsu like Rinnegan and Tenseigan. The upper limit would be that of the pure-blooded Otsutsuki clan.
Color-tier represents the real different dimension—a plane above red-tier.
But just like within red-tier, there's a large gap between entries like [Otsutsuki bloodline (red)] and [Sage's Eye (red)], the color-tier should also have its own internal gradations.
That difference marks who has ventured further into the realm of the other dimension.
Otsutsuki Hamura and Hagoromo, whether due to limitations or choice, remained bound to this world.
But the pure-blooded Otsutsuki harvest world after world with the Divine Tree—gaining strength, trump cards, and longevity to push further on the path of the higher dimension.
"If the Samsara Eye and Rinnegan are the gate into the higher dimension—ranked at the bottom of the color-tier—then where does my current [Otsutsuki bloodline (color)] stand in that hierarchy?"
Izayoi plucked a strand of black hair and muttered, "Maybe... I'll know after a while."
The scene returned to Uchiha Madara.
"Madara-sama, welcome back." Black Zetsu looked at the newly restored Madara and chuckled hoarsely. "The plan is going very smoothly."
"It's okay, just barely." Uchiha Madara sighed. "Originally, I was going to be revived using the Rinne Rebirth Technique. Nagato had already gathered the nine tailed beasts. I only needed to become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki and cast Infinite Tsukuyomi to sever the karmic ties of this world."
"But Obito played too big a game and got the Three-Tails killed. It'll take time for it to resurrect." Black Zetsu shifted the blame onto Obito, then added, "Also, we never expected hidden secrets from the Six Paths era like the Rinnegan and Otsutsuki clan. If Madara-sama wants to become the savior, you must pass fate's test."
"Hmph, just two cowardly little rats." Madara sneered. "I wanted to use them as an experiment, but they only dared to act when I was weakest. Now they've vanished without a trace. They're nowhere near as tough as hot moms."
"Maybe they were just afraid of Madara-sama's aura." Black Zetsu flattered him outwardly, though inwardly muttering: They're just teenagers… and you're nearly a hundred. Back when you and Hashirama were their age, you were still playing with rocks.
"Madara-sama, the Three-Tails needs time to revive. What's your next move?" Black Zetsu asked.
Madara didn't answer directly. "How is Nagato?"
"Despite being ambushed by Otsutsuki Toneri, he survived after using Rinne Rebirth. His chakra is drained, but with Hashirama cells and White Zetsu cells, plus his Uzumaki and Senju bloodlines, he'll recover. Though his strength might not return to former levels."
"As long as he lives, it's fine," Madara smiled, then looked up at the sky. "Black Zetsu, do you think I can fly to the moon with the Complete Body Susanoo?"
Black Zetsu's face froze. He quickly advised with a smile, "If it were your Impure World Reincarnation state, maybe. But better to be cautious now."
He wanted to beg Madara not to risk suicide—after all, it took him a thousand years just to forge a second pair of Rinnegan.
So Black Zetsu assured, "There must be a space portal leading to the moon in the Ninja World. With your superior eye power and the White Zetsu army in the Outer Path Demon Statue, we'll definitely find it."
"Then I'll leave it to you, Black Zetsu."
"Leave it to me, Madara-sama."
And with that, the final battle came to a close.
In less than a day, the sequence of events spread throughout the Ninja World.
At the start of the year, the leader of Akatsuki and Otsutsuki Toneri had fought with no clear winner. People expected a rematch, maybe several, until one side perished.
But unexpectedly, the second round turned out to be the final one.
And not just between two, or three—but four combatants.
The Akatsuki leader fought a mysterious Wood Release ninja of Konoha, both displaying identical techniques. Their battle lasted a full day and night.
Toneri's puppet army ambushed the Hidden Rain Village. The Akatsuki leader used Impure World Reincarnation to summon hundreds of powerful souls to fight the puppets—another day and night of brutal combat.
Then Toneri appeared again.
The Wood Release ninja and Akatsuki leader somehow restored their chakra and summoned the Outer Path Demon Statue.
The chaos was beyond understanding.
But the winner wasn't any of those three.
It was a man long thought dead: Uchiha Madara.
When his name spread again, the world trembled.
Not the benevolence of the God of Shinobi—but the terror of the Asura of the Ninja World.
"Where's Izayoi?"
Back in Konoha, Tsunade asked Hinata and Karin, "Didn't he come back with you?"
"Izayoi-kun said he was going on a mission," Hinata said, looking conflicted.
"Idiot. What mission now?" Tsunade snapped. "With his strength, I'd give him my Hokage hat right now. After fighting Akatsuki's leader for a whole day, who would object to him being a jonin?"
"Can you contact him? Tell him to return now. The village is in crisis."
"No," Hinata and Karin shook their heads in unison.
Tsunade sighed and sat down. Looking at the compiled information, her expression darkened.
"Uchiha Madara... Why is a battle of the new age being decided by a relic of the old?"
"Shouldn't Impure World Reincarnation have flaws? With the Akatsuki leader's strength, he should've easily controlled Madara. Why did he resurrect him and give him the Rinnegan?"
"And why did Jiraiya's idiot student target Izayoi instead of Otsutsuki Toneri?"
"What is their plan?"
She slammed her fist on the desk, cracking it.
Just then, a familiar voice floated in.
"I'll go gather some intel."
Tsunade glared at Jiraiya standing at the window. "Get lost. If you want to die, I'll send you to the Pure Land myself. With two super-class fighters and an army of powerful reanimated ninja, even scouting is suicide. Izayoi's Wood Clone and Flying Thunder God are far better for recon."
Jiraiya looked embarrassed.
If not for Izayoi, he could've claimed he didn't trust anyone else.
But with someone like Izayoi—who not only had advanced wood clones but also mastered space-time ninjutsu—his actions would seem utterly foolish.
After venting on Jiraiya, Tsunade reassured herself:
"Izayoi must know something. During his battle with the Akatsuki leader, Toneri even sent Danzo's puppets to help. That means Toneri doesn't want this chaos either."
"If Madara and the Akatsuki leader really have a conspiracy, Toneri won't just stand by. If Izayoi and Toneri join forces, maybe—just maybe—they can stop them."
"For now, we wait for Izayoi to return. And meanwhile, send invitations to the other villages. We're holding a Five Kage Summit."