Last Time .....
These words resonated with all the ninjas. Hashirama and Kakashi looked pensive and remained silent, their faces reflecting unspoken emotions.
Obito, Itachi, and Sasori silently hid their faces in the shadows, concealing their emotions. Everyone had their own pain, their own breakdowns, unwilling to reconcile with themselves, and finding it difficult to reconcile with the world.
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Minato remained silent. He had watched as someone rose smoothly from humble beginnings to become Hokage, married Kushina Uzumaki, a woman from a prestigious ninja family, and achieved great success in his youth, both in career and love. He ultimately sacrificed himself for Konoha and Kushina. His life could undoubtedly be called heroic. But was such a seemingly perfect life truly without regrets?
At this moment, Kaguya's appearance brought everyone back to their senses. Kakashi was particularly familiar with this scene, because next, Sakura punched Kaguya, and Naruto and Sasuke simultaneously pressed the sealing seal of the sun and moon.
Kakashi had mentioned this before, so everyone felt a sense of déjà vu about the scene. However, unlike reality, as Sakura Haruno had said, Sasuke and Naruto successfully sealed Kaguya, sending her and Black Zetsu back into the sky, becoming the second moon.
Then, Hashirama, Tobirama, Minato, and Madara watched with some strange expressions as they, within the Tsukuyomi, bid farewell to Naruto and Sasuke after the war with Kaguya ended, before releasing the Impure World Reincarnation.
But just when everyone thought the war was over, they saw Sasuke refuse to release the Infinite Tsukuyomi, instead challenging Naruto to a duel, wanting to settle things once and for all.
"What is Sasuke trying to do by not releasing the Infinite Tsukuyomi?" Tobirama immediately complained.
"Hmph, so the destined duel between Indra and Ashura is inevitable?" Madara mocked.
Hashirama, however, remained hopeful. "No, I believe Naruto will bring Sasuke back. He'll do a better job than I did."
Hashirama looked at Madara with melancholy. Killing his best friend with his own hands was his eternal regret, even if he didn't regret it.
Kakashi smiled bitterly. "If I hadn't known it was the Infinite Tsukuyomi, a fake, I really think Sasuke would have done this after sealing Kaguya."
Itachi sighed. "I shouldn't have distrusted Sasuke and only thought about solving my own problems. Now I've driven Sasuke to another dead end."
Sakura, inside the Tsukuyomi, tried to stop him, confessing her true feelings to Sasuke, but was ignored. She was knocked down by Sasuke's Heart-Piercing Genjutsu and even mocked by him for having no reason to play any love games with Sakura.
Looking at Sasuke's face, almost identical to his own in his youth, Izuna felt a sense of revelation, a sense of mystery revealed. He raised an eyebrow.
"So, Haruno really did like Sasuke. A heartfelt confession, only to be killed. Even if it was a genjutsu, it's still a bit much. I'm starting to seriously doubt if this Infinite Tsukuyomi is a self-created illusion. Otherwise, what girl in love would dream of being cruelly rejected and killed?"
This was indeed a point that didn't hold water. Obito, just thinking that even within his Infinite Tsukuyomi, Rin still loved Kakashi, and he could only hopelessly love her, felt that such a world was too hopeless, utterly devoid of happiness.
Sasori had known for a long time that Sakura was pursuing Sasuke; after all, she fought desperately to extract information from him. He just hadn't expected it to be more than just camaraderie, but also love.
Itachi hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself. He thought Sakura was quite nice—beautiful and the Fifth Hokage's student. Wouldn't she be a good sister-in-law? Is Sasuke doing this because he's not planning to revive the Uchiha clan? Or does he have someone else he likes? No, this is the Infinite Tsukuyomi, so it's not real, Itachi kept telling himself.
Kakashi again felt that this was entirely possible in reality; the Infinite Tsukuyomi was incredibly realistic and perfectly captured everyone's personality.
Hashirama thought Sasuke was clueless about romance. Even if he didn't like her, he should at least respect women. His marriage to Mito was a political alliance; although there wasn't deep love, they got along well and supported each other.
Tobirama and Madara didn't seem to care much. Being perpetual bachelors, they were immune to women and romance, so their focus was more on the upcoming battle between Naruto and Sasuke.
The intensity of their fight rivaled that of Hashirama and Madara years before. Just as Madara couldn't defeat Hashirama, Sasuke couldn't defeat Naruto, except at least neither was killed or seriously injured; both lost an arm.
"Well, at least they're alive," Hashirama couldn't help but scratch his head.
Madara, however, was extremely dissatisfied. "Indra couldn't beat Ashura, I couldn't beat you, and now Uchiha Sasuke can't even beat the Nine-Tails? What a toxic fate!"
Regardless, Sasuke, who was forcibly brought back, eventually joined Naruto in breaking the Infinite Tsukuyomi. After the war, the five great nations engaged in deep cooperation, peace arrived, and Kakashi became the Sixth Hokage.
"Oh, so you're the Sixth Hokage? Is there any factual basis for this?" Tobirama glanced at Kakashi.
Kakashi rubbed his neck, somewhat embarrassed. "Before the Fourth Shinobi World War, I was already appointed the Sixth Hokage by the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade. I was just waiting for the war to end so I could take office."
Minato immediately congratulated him with a smile. "Kakashi, that's great! Congratulations!"
Obito already knew this information. After reforming, he was relieved that his childhood dream was finally realized by Kakashi, but naturally, he wouldn't offer any congratulations aloud.
Hashirama also smiled and patted Kakashi's shoulder. "Not bad, not bad, our Konoha has a worthy successor!"
Izuna suddenly said abruptly. "These appointments were all pre-arranged. Aside from Hashirama and you, all the other Hokage are Tobirama's cronies. Where was the democracy you talked about when you were fooling Madara? Why can't we Uchiha become Hokage?"
"What did you say?" Tobirama was furious and wanted to retort, but upon closer inspection, he realized they really were his cronies.
Kakashi wore an expression as if he had suddenly discovered the truth.
"So that makes sense. I didn't actually want to be Hokage, and I don't know why it fell to me. Oh, I see. The Third Hokage was the Second Hokage's student, the Fourth Hokage, Minato, was a student of the Third Hokage's student, Jiraiya, the Fifth Hokage was the Third Hokage's student and also the First Hokage's granddaughter, and I, the future Sixth Hokage, am the Fourth Hokage's student. The future Seventh Hokage will most likely be Naruto, who is also my student."
Izuna scoffed at Tobirama. "So, Minato Namikaze is your grand-disciple's disciple, Kakashi Hatake is your grand-disciple's grand-disciple, and Sakura Haruno is your grand-disciple's grand-disciple's grand-disciple's grand-disciple. They're all your people, aren't they?"
Minato joked. "Should I call the Second Hokage, Tobirama-sama, my great-great-grandmaster? If Sakura-chan calls me that, then I'm your grandmaster?"
Kakashi said slowly, hands in his pockets. "Minato-sensei, since that's the case, Sakura could actually call you 'Shishu' (a term of respect for a senior disciple), since she's also Tsunade-sama's student. But that would make Sakura older than me. Never mind, I'll just call you 'Shizuku' (another term of respect for a senior disciple)."
Hashirama laughed heartily. "Minato, you can call me 'Great-Grandmaster' too! That monkey is a student of both Tobirama and me!"
"You guys are having a family reunion!" Tobirama sighed, nearly driven mad by these clueless guys. He glanced at Izuna and Obito, then suddenly said, "You Uchiha aren't without a chance. Obito Uchiha was also a student of the Fourth Hokage, Minato."
Izuna chuckled. "The Uchiha who wiped out the Uchiha~"
Obito awkwardly looked away.
To Be Continued ....