Swish—
As Izayoi's words fell, the scene before Uchiha Madara, who was in Six Paths Sage Mode, rapidly rewound—like time flowing backward—shifting from the present to the distant past.
The perspective remained in outer space. But this time, there was no moon—only the sun, other planets, and a beautiful blue world: Earth.
And this time, Otsutsuki Toneri did not vanish into the illusion. He hovered in space with Uchiha Madara.
Uchiha Madara was about to speak, but the words halted in his throat.
Because—two figures flew in from the depths of space.
As they approached, Uchiha Madara's eyes narrowed sharply, his guard immediately raised.
The figures were a man and a woman.
The woman—was the progenitor of chakra, the mother of the Sage of Six Paths: Otsutsuki Kaguya.
But Uchiha Madara's gaze wasn't on her—it was locked on the man ahead of her. Even though this was just an illusion of the past, his presence was overwhelmingly real and oppressive.
Like Kaguya, the man wore white robes, had pale skin and gray hair.
But unlike Kaguya, he had two long, curved horns—like a crown—on his head. His forehead bore a single eyebrow, and beneath it, in place of a third eye, was a golden, wheel-shaped eye with eight pointed triangles circling the pupil—radiating terrifying ocular power.
An unknown eye technique—and positioned at the very center...
Uchiha Madara's heart shook. A name surfaced in his mind.
The two began to speak.
"Is this the planet?" the man asked.
"Yes, Lord Isshiki," Kaguya responded respectfully.
Uchiha Madara's expression shifted. "This guy… he ranks above the Moon Goddess?!"
Izayoi's voice followed: "The Otsutsuki clan is an alien race, born with immense power and near-immortality. They can travel the universe with their physical bodies and become stronger by devouring planetary life."
The scene shifted.
Isshiki and Kaguya descended to Earth.
Above a vast grassland, Isshiki pointed down. A colossal, jet-black kettle appeared and slammed into the ground, kicking up dust.
With a flick of Isshiki's finger, the kettle's black lid shot into the sky and vanished.
Roar...
A terrifying roar echoed. A beast with ten tails, bark-colored skin, and a single blood-red eye burst out of the kettle—like a wild beast finally unleashed.
It didn't attack them—it bowed its head, sniffed the earth, then let out another roar. Its terrifying face even showed excitement.
Then—it lay down, inserting its tails into the ground and resting.
Blue flames drifted in, pouring into its body.
Days passed. The sun rose and set.
The Ten-Tails steadily grew—its body evolving through childhood, adolescence, and finally, maturity.
Meanwhile, Isshiki and Kaguya built a home nearby and guarded the Ten-Tails, not letting any power interfere with its evolution.
Roar...
One day, the Ten-Tails woke with a thunderous roar. Its red eye glowed, and it bared its fangs at Isshiki and Kaguya.
They flew over, bringing with them an unconscious human.
"In less than a hundred years, it grew to full form—and the grassland hasn't withered. This planet has astonishing life energy," Isshiki muttered, his blood-red eye filled with greed. A rare smile spread across his face.
He turned. "Let's begin the sacrifice, Kaguya."
"Sacrifice?" Madara muttered, confused.
Izayoi explained: "The Otsutsuki clan, though long-lived, is not truly immortal. To gain strength, they often travel in pairs, searching for planets brimming with life, then plant the sacred tree and harvest the chakra fruit."
"For the Ten-Tails to become a sacred tree, it must grow into its full form—and consume something."
At that moment, a scene answered Madara's inner questions.
"Lord Isshiki, please wait. I'll plant the reincarnation vessel first," said Kaguya from behind.
But in the next second, she struck Isshiki in the back—sending him flying into the Ten-Tails' gaping mouth.
Caught completely off guard by his loyal subordinate, Isshiki didn't react until it was too late—his lower half was bitten off.
"Kaguya! You dare betray me? Aren't you afraid of the clan's punishment?!" Isshiki roared.
Kaguya sneered, "If I devour the chakra fruit, do you think the clan will kill me over someone already dead?"
"You servant... You know nothing of what it means to stand at the top," Isshiki glared at her. "You think this Ten-Tails is mine? I was sent by the clan to plant the sacred tree. If you don't deliver the fruit, they won't let you go."
With that, the Ten-Tails closed its mouth and swallowed Isshiki whole.
But—just before it did—Isshiki shrunk his body, opened a spatial portal inside the Ten-Tails' mouth, and escaped.
Kaguya's Byakugan seemed to notice. Her face turned grim.
The Ten-Tails, thinking it had devoured its sacrifice, roared again—and transformed into a towering sacred tree.
Blue flames again gathered toward it from all directions, and it grew even larger.
The scene changed again.
A portal opened on a desolate land, and the half-bodied Isshiki fell out, on the brink of death.
A passing monk saw him and approached. But before he could help, Isshiki shrank again—entering the monk's head through his ear.
The monk's face went blank and he walked off like a puppet.
Kaguya searched for Isshiki everywhere, but never found him.
The sacred tree eventually bore the chakra fruit.
Then followed the familiar events: Kaguya became the goddess of chakra, ended humanity's wars, and was worshipped.
But this time, Madara saw more details.
He finally understood why someone with Kaguya's power created Infinite Tsukuyomi, the White Zetsu Army, and birthed the Sage of Six Paths and his brother.
It was because she feared Isshiki had survived.
She aimed to eliminate any human who could be parasitized by him, allowing only a select few to reproduce.
The White Zetsu Army and the Sage brothers were her insurance—tools to fight her own kind if they ever returned.
Unexpectedly, her sons thought her plan violated nature's harmony—and sealed her away.
Uchiha Madara watched, dazed.
As the illusion ended, he looked at Izayoi and asked, "Isshiki Otsutsuki... he's still alive?"
"No."
"Why are you so sure?"
Izayoi pointed at his own eyes, then at Madara.
"The Byakugan, Sharingan, Rinnegan, and Tenseigan all originate from the Otsutsuki clan and the sacred tree."
"The Sharingan is often seen as a mutation of the Byakugan, but it's actually an evolution. Same for the Rinnegan. Even pure Byakugan users—if their purity reaches Otsutsuki levels—can awaken unique ocular powers."
Madara paused, thinking. "Is that why the Byakugan girl awakened Kamui?"
Izayoi nodded, smiling. "Each evolved eye has exclusive techniques. So, why do you think I—born in the future—know so many past secrets, even tiny details?"
Madara's expression froze, then widened.
"You mean your exclusive eye technique is—?"
"Yes." Izayoi replied confidently. "My Tenseigan doesn't just monitor the ninja world—it can see the past."
Madara's mind reeled. All his doubts were resolved.
He had wondered how Izayoi knew so much—down to appearances and details of people long gone.
He had assumed it was Otsutsuki Hamura's memories, passed down for generations.
But now he knew—it was Izayoi's own power.
Those black orbs weren't his eye techniques. They were standard products of the Six Paths Sage Mode and Truth-Seeking Orbs.
Izayoi's unique eye technique was a supporting ability—to see the world's history.
Suddenly, Madara asked, "Every eye technique has a flaw. Your technique can't perfectly see all of the past. There must be limits."
Izayoi smirked. "Do you think I'd tell you—?"
Then he interrupted himself. "Let me ask you: when you pee, if someone's watching behind you, can you still go?"
Madara's face flushed red. He nearly threw a Truth-Seeking Orb in fury.
But Izayoi smoothly changed the topic: "Do you know why I allowed you and Izayoi to obtain the Six Paths Sage Mode?"
"Why?" Madara asked.
"For the first time," Izayoi said, "I admit the Six Paths Sage had value. His mode, formed from combining nature energy and the Six Paths' power, has its uses."
"Anyone who masters it can perceive the flow of all life, ignore all barriers, and locate strong beings quickly—unless that being escapes this world."
"Samsara Eye and Sage Mode each cover things the other can't."
Hearing that, Madara resumed his old style. "If your target is Otsutsuki Isshiki, then how about we join forces? We kill him—and you don't have to destroy the world."
"You think I told you all this to recruit you?" Izayoi rested his cheek on his hand, gaze calm. "No—I'm thanking you. You gave me the last puzzle piece."
"As long as I absorb your chakra—I can awaken my own Six Paths Sage Mode."
Condensing a Truth-Seeking Orb, Izayoi grinned evilly, like Itachi.
"When the Samsara Eye Chakra Mode stacks with Sage Mode, my vision and perception will cover Earth itself. I'll find all the remnants... and from them, get the coordinates of the alien Otsutsuki clan."
"So even a 'god' has ambition," Madara muttered. Then, with a twisted smile: "Let's do this, then!"
He launched his Truth-Seeking Orb. Izayoi countered instantly.
Swish—
Two brilliant white beams collided and merged.
The artificial sun above exploded with intense white light.
When the light faded—darkness fell over the moon.
The sun, built with advanced barriers that even Susanoo couldn't destroy, was gone—erased entirely.
This was the Seeking Truth Orb—seven chakra nature transformations fused into one—pure destruction. A ninjutsu, but not part of any bloodline.
It was the strongest ninjutsu.