The Sage of Six Paths departed, carrying Kakashi's answer with him. He had appeared simply because he wanted to see this young human sovereign for himself.
Now that he had received a response that satisfied him, the worries in his heart were finally laid to rest.
Kakashi Hatake returned to Naruto and Sakura's side.
"Kakashi-sensei, Shion hasn't woken up yet," Naruto Uzumaki said, rushing forward. He looked at the man who had raised him with a gaze full of adoration. Even if he gave it his absolute all, he couldn't have matched the overwhelming power Kakashi had just displayed. Kakashi, however, had done it effortlessly—as if it were nothing more than a casual strike.
"That's right, Master. Shion will be okay, won't she?" Sakura Haruno asked, looking at her teacher with the same reverence as Naruto.
"She's fine. Don't worry." Kakashi reached out and habitually ruffled Sakura's hair. He stepped forward and knelt, placing his palm gently on Shion's forehead.
A shimmering white light radiated from his hand. Kakashi's chakra surged into Shion's body, quickly purging the lingering spiritual remnants of Moryo, leaving behind only its physical power. From this moment on, Moryo's physical strength belonged entirely to Shion. One day, she might even fully master the power of that demon sovereign from a thousand years ago.
Moryo's power appeared evil, but in reality, it was just like the Forbidden Jutsu created by Tobirama Senju. A technique is neither good nor evil; its nature is determined by the one who wields it. The same applied to Moryo's power.
"She'll wake up soon. Now, you two take Shion and head back," Kakashi said, withdrawing his hand and standing up. He looked into the distance, his voice calm.
"Eh? Kakashi-sensei, aren't you coming back with us?" Naruto scratched his head in confusion.
"That's right. Since I'm already out, I might as well resolve a few nuisances. It'll make the trip worthwhile."
The "nuisances" Kakashi referred to were, of course, Nagato, Obito, Hiruko, and Orochimaru. He wasn't the type to play a cruel game of cat and mouse when he had the power to end things. Threats should be dealt with immediately. Although those individuals weren't much of a threat to the current Kakashi, Itachi Uchiha had died because of them. Kakashi had no intention of leaving them a path to survival.
As one of the founding heroes of the Radiant Empire, Itachi's influence was profound. If news of his sacrifice were to spread, it would surely cause instability within the Empire. The fact that he had died at the hands of these few people had crossed a line. This was also why Itachi's funeral had been kept so simple.
"Then, Kakashi-sensei, what are you going to do?" Sakura asked curiously.
"I'm going to handle some trouble. After all, even the best-tempered person can get angry." Kakashi smiled and patted her pink hair. Without another word, he took to the sky, transforming into a streak of white light that vanished into the distance, leaving Naruto and Sakura staring at each other in bewilderment.
Their teacher... had a good temper?
The Hunt
Kakashi moved as a blur of light, flying toward his destination at an unimaginable speed. He shattered the sound barrier, a misty vapor cone trailing behind him. His dark eyes shifted to a brilliant pure gold as he activated Sage Mode. A terrifyingly vast sensory field expanded from him, covering tens of thousands of miles. Not a single blade of grass moving on the ground could escape his perception.
The current Shinobi world was simply too small for Kakashi. If he used his full strength, the resulting destruction would be immeasurable. Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, he generally refrained from going all out.
Following the direction of Ryuchi Cave, which Might Guy and the others had been assigned to attack, Kakashi advanced at full speed. He tore through the clouds, and in less than ten minutes, he was hovering over the entrance to the cave system.
Ryuchi Cave was located in the center of a mountain range. It was currently heavily guarded and surrounded on all sides. Three Ancor Vantian flying fortresses hovered in the sky, while dozens of the Empire's latest humanoid armored suits patrolled the ground. However, Guy, Hayama Shirakumo, and Tenzo were nowhere to be seen.
As Kakashi's perception pierced deep into the mountain, everything inside became clear. Ryuchi Cave reeked of blood and was littered with the carcasses of giant snakes. Under the combined efforts of Guy, Hayama, and Tenzo, the serpents had been utterly defenseless. Even the head of Manda had been severed by Hayama's blade.
But the White Snake Sage and the Three Snake Princesses were gone.
Did they get word and flee in advance? Kakashi mused. He had no intention of revealing himself to the troops below, so he immediately set off for his next target.
With his speed and sensory range, it wouldn't take long to scour the entire Shinobi world from end to end. Kakashi acted like a human radar, patrolling the skies until he finally located his targets in a town on the sea.
Nagato was there.
The name of this maritime town hadn't changed even after the Empire's unification. It was known as... Hozuki Castle.
Strictly speaking, this city was a massive prison. Before the Empire was established, it was a high-security facility used by various villages to hold the most dangerous criminals. More importantly, hidden within Hozuki Castle was a treasure belonging to Hagoromo Otsutsuki: the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
It was a Six Paths Tool far more powerful than the Seven Star Sword or the Amber Purifying Pot. Sealed within it was a demon from a millennium ago: Satori.
Since Nagato's chakra appeared here, it was undoubtedly the work of Black Zetsu. If necessary, they could release Satori as a trump card.
As his sensory web instantly enveloped Hozuki Castle, Kakashi identified everyone inside: Nagato, Obito Uchiha, Black Zetsu, the White Snake Sage, the Three Snake Princesses, Hiruko, and even Orochimaru.
"Heh. They're all here. Saves me the trouble of hunting them down one by one." A cold sneer played on Kakashi's lips.
The Gathering at Hozuki Castle
The prison was now completely under the control of Black Zetsu and his associates. In the warden's conference room atop the highest building, several figures sat around a table. A tall, red-haired man sat at the head, his gaze calm as he watched the newly returned Obito Uchiha.
Everyone else was also looking at the top-tier expert who had returned from the Pure Land and personally slain Itachi Uchiha. Black Zetsu had already revealed Obito's true identity to Nagato and, using his millennium of manipulative experience, had successfully convinced the hate-filled Nagato to join the Eye of the Moon Plan.
"I didn't expect the Reanimation Jutsu to have such an effect—giving the resurrected person power they shouldn't have had by a twist of fate," Nagato said, his gaze steady as he looked at Obito's eyes.
"That's because the White Zetsu used to revive Obito was specially prepared," Black Zetsu explained calmly. "It didn't just contain a massive amount of Hashirama's cells; it also included a specialized formula."
Obito looked at Nagato, his brow furrowing slightly. Nagato no longer looked like the withered, skeletal man on the verge of death he once was. His red hair was vibrant, his eyes burned with intensity, and his tall frame filled out his black cloak with red clouds. He clearly possessed a robust, healthy body now.
"I didn't think Black Zetsu would give you so many Wood Style cells," Obito remarked, seeing through the secret of Nagato's restoration.
"These are necessary measures if we are to overthrow the Radiant Empire," Black Zetsu said. "We must seize every bit of power we can. Otherwise, we cannot face them."
Because others were present, Black Zetsu didn't speak too plainly. However, Obito understood his meaning and didn't argue. In fact, he had gained a certain level of respect for Black Zetsu's capabilities. Nagato's transformation was surely the result of Black Zetsu's ideological grooming. If the Eye of the Moon Plan succeeded, Black Zetsu would deserve the primary credit.
"I don't have much time," Obito said, pulling up a chair. "I'm not caught up on the situation. What is our current status?"
As with the previous reanimations of Tobirama Senju and the others, those brought back by the Reanimation Jutsu had a time limit in the living world. If they stayed too long, the body would eventually collapse. Obito could likely maintain this form for a year at most.
"To be honest, the situation is very grim," Hiruko chimed in. Currently, they were essentially at war with the entire world. The Radiant Empire had countless experts, and their modernized military was becoming increasingly powerful. To escape the Empire's pursuit, the White Snake Sage had even been forced to abandon the serpents of Ryuchi Cave.
"This is all the people we have?" Obito frowned as he looked around the room.
Besides Orochimaru, Kagura, the Three Snake Princesses, and Hiruko—who had all been present during the fight with Itachi—there were only the White Snake Sage and Nagato. To take down Kakashi with this level of power...
"Not quite. We have an outside ally," Nagato said calmly.
As he spoke, a small figure appeared on the conference table in a puff of white smoke. At the sight of the figure, the White Snake Sage, who had been feigning sleep, opened her eyes.
It was a toad.
"I see. I didn't expect Mount Myoboku to get involved," the White Snake Sage sneered.
"Ever since that war three years ago, when we refused to let Jiraiya summon us, we became enemies of that Hokage," Fukasaku said with a hint of melancholy. This was the Great Toad Sage's decision; he had no power to interfere.
The White Snake Sage was about to retort when her expression suddenly shifted. Not just her—Nagato, Obito, Orochimaru, and Hiruko all turned pale.
A massive chakra had descended upon the castle.
As this chakra blanketed all of Hozuki Castle, the very air seemed to turn viscous. Those within the prison who lacked sufficient strength even found it difficult to breathe.
"Who... is this?" the White Snake Sage asked. She had never seen Kakashi in person and did not recognize his chakra.
"It's... Kakashi," Obito said, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He turned and strode out of the conference room, looking up at the sky where Kakashi made no attempt to hide his presence.
Beneath the blue sky and white clouds, the sea breeze stirred. Clad in a white robe adorned with golden flames, his longish white hair fluttering in the wind, the man's cold, handsome face was framed by eyes like molten gold.
This was... the strongest man in the world.
"Obito, it's been a long time," Kakashi said calmly from high above. Obito's expression flickered.
"You don't seem surprised by my existence at all," Obito said, looking up at the man with a complicated gaze. This was once his best friend, but fate had forced them to stand on opposite sides.
"Should I be?" The gold in Kakashi's eyes faded, returning to a deep black. A sense of familiarity that made Obito's heart skip a beat washed over him. It was the same gaze from all those years ago—a look that made Obito's heart throb with agitation, making him want to destroy the eye that had taken his place.
"I never revealed my identity, no matter the time or place," Obito said in a low voice. Whether it was the night of the Uchiha coup or the Great War three years ago, he had never unmasked himself. But after the fight with Itachi, he had begun to suspect something was wrong. Kakashi might have known his identity for a long time.
Kakashi didn't dwell on Obito's words. Instead, he looked at the figures emerging behind him: Nagato, Hiruko, Zetsu, Orochimaru, the White Snake Sage, the Three Snake Princesses, and... Kagura.
"So, this is my clone? How clumsy," Kakashi remarked, his voice cold as his gaze fell upon the woman who shared seventy percent of his facial features.
"Hehe... after all, compared to you, anyone would seem clumsy and pathetic," Orochimaru replied calmly. Even though Kakashi was belittling a masterpiece he had poured his heart into, Orochimaru showed no anger. He spoke as if he were simply stating a fact.
Kagura watched the man in the sky in silence as he critiqued her. Is this... my father?
Kakashi had no intention of reminiscing further. He slowly descended toward the open plaza of Hozuki Castle. As he landed, seven figures—excluding Black Zetsu and Kagura—instantly surrounded him, encircling their most formidable enemy.
"I originally intended to deal with you all later, but you've touched upon my bottom line," Kakashi said, looking at the restored Nagato. "I have no choice but to resolve this now."
"Why do you sound so high and mighty?" Nagato's gaze was ice-cold. For three years, he had wanted to kill Kakashi every single moment.
The Leaf killed his father. The Leaf killed his mother. The Leaf conspired with Hanzo to kill Yahiko. The Leaf killed Konan.
And this man had the nerve to claim his side represented peace...
"High and mighty? Not at all," Kakashi said, stepping forward. The terrifying chakra within him materialized into a physical form, flowing over his body like pure white flames. The faces of those surrounding him changed instantly. This level of power...
Nagato listened to Kakashi's words as if they were a joke. He thought of the fires of war, the sacrifices, the battlefields, and the innocent lives lost. How could a bastard who allowed Jiraiya to flood the Land of Frost just to win a war have the face to talk about justice?
"What is justice?!" Nagato roared. "What is righteousness?! Are you proud of a peace built upon the bones of countless innocents? Do you look down and say, 'Look at the great work I have achieved? The world cannot survive without me?'"
"That ugly face of yours... it's truly disgusting!"