July 1, Year 62 of Konoha.
On this day, Konoha was very lively.
Because the second half of the Chunin Exam had started again.
These past few days, Konoha had seen many unfamiliar faces — all of them Genin from various countries.
On their foreheads were headbands from the Hidden Cloud Village, Hidden Rock Village, Hidden Mist Village, and even the Hidden Rain Village.
Since the five great nations signed the alliance agreement, although the five great ninja villages still held grudges, they no longer excluded each other.
In the past, Konoha and the Hidden Sand Village were allies and would send invitations to each other for the Chunin Exam every year.
Now that the five great nations were all allies, naturally they had to send invitations to one another.
And to avoid giving the Hidden Rain Village an excuse to go to war, the five major ninja villages even tacitly agreed to send invitations to the Hidden Rain Village as well.
Nagato also didn't slap them in the face — he sent Hidden Rain Genin to participate each time.
At first glance, it looked like the five great villages and the Hidden Rain Village were getting along well.
But everyone knew this peace was as thin as a piece of paper — it could be torn at any time.
When that happened, a war even greater than the past three ninja world wars would erupt.
Fortunately, Konoha had Izayoi, and the other villages had their own super-powered ninja — otherwise, the Genin of the major villages wouldn't even dare raise their heads in front of Hidden Rain's Genin.
So in this year's Chunin Exam, two Genin took all the spotlight.
One was Hinata Hanabi — the second person to take the Chunin Exam alone after Uchiha Itachi. She graduated early, came from a wealthy family, and was Izayoi's only disciple.
The other was Hydrangea — Konan's student from the Hidden Rain Village. She was skilled in space-time ninjutsu and became a super rookie with her "Opening Technique: Paper Blowing Snow."
This Hydrangea was the second Animal Path of the Six Paths of Pain in the original story.
As Hydrangea's teacher, Konan had naturally come along to Konoha.
"Konan..."
Looking at the cold and beautiful queen who had just dropped off her disciple and walked out of the ninja school, Jiraiya — tasked with monitoring her — had a complicated expression.
Konan, who had already let go of the knot in her heart, smiled and greeted him: "Long time no see, Jiraiya-sensei."
Seeing that familiar smile, Jiraiya seemed to return to the Second Ninja World War, remembering those three years with the three Yahikos. He choked up and couldn't speak for a long while.
After a while, he finally smiled hoarsely, "You're alive... That's great!"
Konan didn't feel sad thinking of Yahiko, and kept smiling. "Nagato actually wanted to come see you too, but he's the leader of the Hidden Rain Village. If he came without an invitation, it might cause misunderstandings."
"Hahaha... That kid's still so shy and gentle."
Jiraiya immediately understood that Nagato had abandoned his extreme path, and he laughed.
Then he smiled at Konan. "You've grown up... Interested in having a drink with your teacher?"
"Okay." Konan nodded with a smile.
So master and disciple walked toward the tavern.
In the sunlight, the area around them seemed to shimmer with a mirage.
Konan, now a mature woman, seemed to turn back time and become that tender, simply dressed girl once more.
And Jiraiya, though already middle-aged, seemed to return to his youth — with the same attitude and smile.
The sunny day slowly clouded over. The two of them walked and talked, just like old times after shopping.
...
On the edge of a traditional building—
Izayoi, having dropped Hanabi off at the exam room and returned home by teleportation, was training as usual.
Though Izayoi sat cross-legged, he wasn't sitting on the wooden floor — he floated in mid-air.
Around him floated nine black orbs. They looked ordinary, but even Kagura's Mind Eye couldn't sense any chakra inside.
Only Izayoi himself and Six Paths-level powerhouses could feel how terrifying the energy within those black orbs was.
Izayoi formed a meditation seal with his hands, closed his eyes, and seemed to merge with nature. No matter how sharp one's perception, even the Uzumaki clan's Kagura Mind Eye couldn't sense his chakra.
Even Hinata, with her Byakugan, could only see his figure — not the chakra within him.
Just like the Byakugan couldn't see natural energy at all.
Only those who had mastered the Ultimate Eye Technique and Sage Mode could see how terrifying Izayoi's current state was.
For example, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto, who were both training Sage Mode, still looked toward Izayoi's house with trembling eyes. Even after seeing it many times, they couldn't help but feel overwhelmed.
"Just activating Sage Mode, and the natural energy of the whole area is flowing toward him. Is this guy the son of nature?"
"Like a whirlpool — the natural energy concentration here is even stronger than Mount Myoboku!"
They exclaimed.
If they hadn't awakened Sage Mode themselves, they would still be unconvinced and discouraged.
But now that both Sasuke and Naruto had become ace-level combatants, they no longer thought of catching up to Izayoi.
Because no matter how hard they tried — they couldn't catch up.
After all... how can a water tank compare to the sea?
The Sage Chakra they extracted with all their strength was like a tank of water.
Izayoi's was like an ocean.
Just being in the same village made it easier for them to absorb natural energy than normal — even that was a benefit brought by Izayoi's presence.
This showed just how massive the gap between them really was.
Izayoi was now using Yin-Yang Release to create something from nothing and give form to life — injecting natural energy into every cell in his body, aiming to transform all 130 trillion cells into containers of physical energy, spiritual energy, and natural energy.
Once he achieved this, his Sage Body (red) would be sublimated into a Sage Body (color).
This body type could even be passed down like a bloodline limit.
This was a conclusion Izayoi had reached after months of training.
Because now, he could enter Six Paths Sage Mode without borrowing Shion's power.
The only difference between regular Sage Mode and Six Paths Sage Mode is the word "Six Paths" — meaning the power of the Six Paths.
Naruto lacked that, but Izayoi, who had both Otsutsuki bloodline (color) and the Rinnegan (color), had it all.
All he needed to do was transform his Sage Body (red) into the colored version, and then use the chakra beads of the Rinnegan to extract the energy within his cells to create Six Paths Sage Chakra.
Izayoi's current Six Paths Sage Mode was achieved this way.
It's just that too few of his cells had completed the transformation — so his stamina in that form was limited.
At this moment, while still transforming cells, Izayoi suddenly opened his golden eyes.
Looking at Uchiha Madara, who had appeared in his courtyard, Izayoi said calmly: "What are you doing here?"
"This is Six Paths Sage Mode?"
Madara stared at Izayoi's current state, his Rinnegan watching the energy flowing inside his body, and exclaimed: "This quality and quantity of Sage Chakra... even that woman can't compare. And this thing..."
Staring at the Truth-Seeking Orbs floating around Izayoi, Madara's eyes were filled with fear and caution. He immediately activated Limbo: Border Jail — placing shadows to his front, back, left, and right to guard against sudden attacks.
His Rinnegan saw that those black spheres contained energy many times more terrifying than the Tailed Beast Bomb.
These orbs were similar to Otsutsuki Toneri's creation-type energy balls — except Izayoi's were destruction-type!
Seeing Madara recognize them at a glance, Izayoi's eyes flashed. He tentatively asked: "You've been to the temple in the Land of Demons too?"
"Of course. And I got something you left behind," Madara said with a smirk. "Too bad you don't have the Ultimate Eye Technique — you didn't realize what kind of treasure you missed."
"What treasure?" Izayoi asked, though he was actually relieved.
It seemed Madara didn't know he was Otsutsuki Toneri. The Six Paths Sage hadn't met him directly — only used the vanished altar to give Madara something.
Under the Six Paths Sage Mode's perception, Madara didn't have any special new energy — likely he'd only been given knowledge, not power.
Perhaps a deeper truth of the world, or an inheritance of the Sage?
He didn't seem hostile to Izayoi. Could it be the Sage's real target wasn't him?
Or was the Sage using Madara to test him?
What's there to test?
Izayoi pondered this deeply — until a sudden realization almost made him twitch.
Could it be... because he had horns, the Six Paths Sage mistook him for a foreign Otsutsuki?
Or maybe he knew about Otsutsuki Isshiki... and suspected Izayoi was his reincarnation vessel?
Izayoi didn't know the exact reason, and didn't really care.
The Sage's early involvement was a surprise — and being suspected of standing on the opposite side brought some pressure.
But since Izayoi's goal was to break free of the limits of life, he was destined to clash with the Sage sooner or later.
Now that the Sage was helping Madara, Izayoi was excited.
With the Six Paths Sage Mode and Truth-Seeking Orbs, Izayoi had taken a huge step into a higher plane.
It would now be harder to force Madara's colored entry to explode.
And if Madara had grown stronger — even better.
So Izayoi stared at him with a blazing gaze.
But because of his majestic golden pupils, Madara couldn't see through his thoughts. He just smiled smugly. "This treasure suits your current state. Want to trade for it?"
"What is it, and how do I trade?"
"Let me absorb your current chakra, and I'll give it to you. Your state isn't perfect yet. With the other half of the inheritance, you could fully master Six Paths Sage Mode."
"You think that's possible?" Izayoi sneered. "If you get my chakra, you might gain perfect power instantly. Who knows if what you give is real or fake?"
Madara didn't explain. Instead, he changed the subject and asked: "Do you know the Rabbit Goddess?"
"Huh?" Izayoi was genuinely stunned.
Weren't we just talking about the Sage's inheritance? Why bring up the Rabbit Goddess now?
"Seems your 'ally' didn't tell you the truth of this world."
To Madara, Izayoi's surprised expression showed ignorance — and that gave him relief.
That arrogant 'god' on the moon clearly disdained joining hands with mere humans.
The rumor of Izayoi and Otsutsuki Toneri teaming up? Fake news.
This kid, who had power comparable to Kaguya and inherited the other half of the Sage's strength — could be his ally.
So Madara crossed his arms and said proudly: "You're just another frog in the well. Let me show you the truth of the world."
With that, Madara activated the powerful ability of the Rinnegan, attempting to drag Izayoi into an illusion world.
But the next second... an awkward scene occurred.
The invisible eye power tried to penetrate Izayoi's brain via his five senses — but before it could even touch him, it was bounced away by an invisible force.
Just like hitting a wall of Shinra Tensei.
"..."
Both of them fell silent.
Especially Madara — standing there with crossed arms and a smug face — now felt like a complete clown.
He hadn't felt this embarrassed since childhood.
"Heh..."
Izayoi sneered mercilessly: "This is the power of the Sage's Eye? Doesn't seem so special. And you want me to cooperate with you?"
"Ngh... Ngh!"
Madara, suddenly possessed by Uchiha Sasuke's energy, flushed red and shouted, "If you want to know the truth of the world, then let me pull you into the illusion world!"
"I really can't help you." Izayoi shook his head, helplessly stabilizing the Six Paths Sage Chakra in his body.
This time, the Rinnegan's power finally succeeded in dragging Izayoi into the illusion world.
After watching the "truth of the world" shown to Madara, Nagato, and Obito — Izayoi's face looked... odd.
Good lord... was this some kind of boomerang?
Why did Madara show him this?
After the scene ended, Madara appeared in the illusion world, stretched out his hand to Izayoi, and said:
"Izayoi, come and save the world with me!"
"..."
If this illusion world weren't fake — if he weren't just a product of chakra — even with Izayoi's mental strength, he probably wouldn't have held back from laughing.
His life had gone too smoothly. He couldn't even recall any tragic memories.
And Madara's actions and lines... were just too funny.
The villain turning into a savior, inviting the actual big boss behind the scenes to "save the world" with him...
Izayoi had never seen such a scene — not in this life, or the last.