While everyone was discussing whether the First Hokage would be taken by the Ōtsutsuki to be used as a cash cow, Uchiha Hikari quietly crept up beside Nagato.
"Can I leave a mark on you?"
While Uchiha Hikari was asking for Nagato's opinion, her hand had already pressed down.
Nagato naturally noticed this and was immediately speechless: "...What are you trying to do?"
Bai Mo had mentioned Uchiha Hikari to Nagato, so Nagato held no hostility; he trusted her.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have previously allowed Hikari to leave a mark on the Gedo Statue, permitting her to draw the Chakra inside at any time.
But now?
What did Uchiha Hikari mean by leaving a mark directly on his body?
Did she want to drain his Chakra dry?
"Don't worry, my mark isn't as abnormal as the Old Man Senju's mark; it can be removed."
Uchiha Hikari waved her hand, trying to brush it off.
But just then, the surrounding area quieted down, and attention shifted toward them.
"You naturally evil Uchiha Brat, what are you trying to do to the child of the Uzumaki Clan, our ally of the Senju Clan?"
Tobirama was highly vigilant, using a Shunshin to appear in front of Nagato, shielding Nagato behind him.
Nagato was the key to his next "mission," crucial for successfully snatching Uchiha Madara's eyes, so no mistakes could be made.
"Nothing, none of your business."
Uchiha Hikari curled her lips and said nothing more.
This demeanor only made Senju Tobirama even more vigilant.
She hadn't even cursed him as the "naturally deserved Old Man Senju." Based on his years of psychological study of the Uchiha, this child definitely had something nefarious planned!
"You wicked Uchiha Brat, don't tell me you've set your sights on the Rinnegan?"
Tobirama spoke tentatively while keeping his eyes fixed on Uchiha Hikari's eyes.
"Of—of course not."
"That look, that's the feeling of lying! You lied!"
"Big Brother, help me! This brat's strength is extraordinary, especially since she can now absorb the massive amount of Chakra inside the Gedo Statue at any time."
Tobirama noticed Uchiha Hikari's wandering gaze, immediately grew highly nervous, and hurriedly sought help from Senju Hashirama nearby.
"Tobirama, don't be nervous, you must have misunderstood something..."
"I have no misunderstandings about the Uchiha. The Uchiha are sensitive to love and pursue power. Have you forgotten Madara? This Uchiha Brat looks so much like Madara; her heart must be just as wicked as his..."
"Tobirama, I told you to shut up!"
Hashirama roared in anger.
The always-jovial First Hokage was angry.
It was unclear whether it was for Hikari, his beloved Madara, or the Uchiha Clan.
"Stop thinking nonsense. I'm just leaving a mark to prevent accidents."
Uchiha Hikari curled her lips, then stated her intentions.
She was indeed leaving a mark on Nagato because of the Rinnegan, but not because she wanted to gouge out his eyes or anything similar.
She had simply learned that Nagato, who possessed the Rinnegan, could use the Rinne Tensei no Jutsu to revive people.
She trusted Bai Mo, but that didn't stop her from having a backup plan for him.
If anything were to happen to Bai Mo, she would immediately forcibly control Nagato and instantly [create a world that has Bai Mo].
After hearing Hikari's explanation, everyone fell silent.
Valid. That's very Uchiha.
While Nagato was moved that Bai Mo was so highly regarded, he also felt a bit annoyed.
So, his life wasn't considered a life, was it?
However, Nagato wasn't envious or jealous; he only felt gratified.
It wasn't that he didn't have someone who would sacrifice their life for him; it was just that person was already dead.
The others also thought of their respective loved ones and remained silent for a moment.
Regarding Hikari's actions, everyone found them a bit extreme, but not entirely incomprehensible.
"Let's keep watching. They've arrived."
Tobirama sighed, no longer dwelling on the matter, and urged everyone to continue watching the live stream.
The place where Sasuke was currently unconscious was outside a cave where a river flowed beneath a cliff.
Urashiki, meanwhile, came ashore in a different location.
The Second Hokage's previous speculation proved flawed here.
Urashiki did not linger in Sasuke's "tender embrace" to search for him; instead, he sensed the location of Naruto and the others and chose to pursue Naruto.
Bai Mo and Itachi arrived at the place where Sasuke was unconscious.
After staring at the unconscious Sasuke for a moment, Itachi stepped forward, grabbed Sasuke's collar, and dragged him into the cave.
He recalled what Bai Mo had told him on the way.
To distinguish the two worlds more concisely, Bai Mo named that future era after Boruto, calling it the "Boruto Era."
Bai Mo told him that during the Boruto Era, what was weakened was not just combat power, but also mindset, character, and various other issues.
Those who should acquire power at any cost became hesitant.
Those who should explore all unknowns chose compromise.
At sixteen, Sage Mode was a newly learned trump card; at thirty-two, Sage Mode was the only thing he had left to show, forcing him to leave his daughter with a promise—"I'll come back alive"—that he couldn't even guarantee himself.
If the person who traveled through time with Boruto had been Naruto, Bai Mo wouldn't have had the slightest desire to change anything.
Naruto was the type of person who wouldn't turn back even after hitting a wall.
His talent and drive had long been worn away by endless low-level missions.
In fact, wasn't the future Sasuke, who had been assimilated by Naruto, the same?
The only difference between the two was that Sasuke had at least once been different.
Thus, Bai Mo gave Itachi this suggestion.
Bai Mo pressed his hand against the rock wall, and the rock wall inside the cave twisted.
This was the method he obtained after the Ryūmyaku Incident in the Land of Wind concluded.
—It wasn't like his previous abilities, which were purely awakened by special attacks; this one incorporated his own understanding and comprehension.
It was based on the foundation he felt when reinforcing Gaara and Temari.
Coupled with the small-scale version of Tenpenchii—an ability typically only usable by the Ten-Tails—that appeared late in the Gedo Statue's absorption of Ryūmyaku Chakra.
(Tenpenchii: One of the Ten-Tails' abilities, using boundless Chakra to directly influence Natural Energy, triggering natural disasters like earthquakes, lightning strikes, tornadoes, and floods.)
If Bai Mo were to continue naming this ability after Stand names, it could be called "Weather Report," but fundamentally, the upper limit of this ability far exceeded that of Weather Report, which could only conceptually control "weather."
Essentially, this was the application of Natural Energy.
The bad news was that the power of this ability could only be gradually increased by mastering the control of Natural Energy.
The good news was that after Bai Mo helped extract the Ryūmyaku from the Land of Wind, he clearly felt his control over Natural Energy had advanced another level.
This feeling wasn't that his comprehension had strengthened; it was more like nature was actively drawing closer to him.
Furthermore, Bai Mo had learned a similar ability based on the Gedo Statue's "Baofeng Xiru Juejuezi."
Bai Mo usually used Natural Energy, so his normal state was equivalent to other people's Sage Mode.
And only after using this new ability did Bai Mo truly enter his version of Sage Mode, which was [time-limited] and [significantly enhanced his abilities].
This was also his confidence in facing Urashiki and Momoshiki.
As for now... Sasuke slowly woke up inside the cave.
After waking, Sasuke groggily opened his eyes. Upon seeing the familiar scene before him, he was first confused, then terrified.
That's right.
What Sasuke saw was Uchiha Itachi sitting on a stone seat, his Mangekyo Sharingan displayed, and the surrounding environment was the very place where he and Itachi had fought their battle of life and death!
The basement of the Naka Shrine!
"My foolish Ōdoudou, did you enjoy the decade and more you spent inside the Tsukuyomi?"
....
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