The story of Ōtsutsuki Hamura and Ōtsutsuki Toneri had a strange sense of déjà vu.
A dying Hamura trusted that his brother Hagoromo would create a peaceful world, and entrusted that wish to his descendants.
But as time passed and conflict on the surface never ceased, that final wish was gradually twisted in interpretation—until the Tenseigan was born, and the "Moonfall: recreate the world" plan took shape.
It sounded like another version of the Sage of Six Paths and Uchiha Madara.
Only, Madara's understanding of Hagoromo's will had been altered by Black Zetsu.
Toneri's understanding of Hamura's will had been warped slowly, bit by bit, across endless time by his own ancestors.
In a way, Toneri and Madara might have had a lot in common.
But after hearing Toneri's story and what had happened on the moon, only one thought crystallized in Ren's mind—
Konoha's waste of resources was obscene.
In any other village, a Hyuga Hanabi—someone whose eyes had once reached the Six Paths tier—would have been nurtured with the full strength of the village, forged into a core pillar for the future.
Konoha, though?
They'd just… let her be.
Let her grow crooked into someone who wasn't even particularly strong among jōnin.
Probably because they had two absurd "cheat" pillars—Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke—so their need for top-end combat power had dropped to near zero.
Lazy.
"What surprises me," Nagato said, watching Ren return Karasuki without hesitation and allow the Konoha trio to flee as fast as they could, "is that you didn't keep them. At least the Hyuga girl."
"I don't need to," Ren replied coolly. "Hanabi's talent isn't particularly remarkable. The only thing with value is the Byakugan that once became a Tenseigan."
"But that's not my own eye, and it wasn't evolved by my hand. Even if I stole it, I'd probably never draw out its full power."
His gaze slid meaningfully over Nagato's Rinnegan.
"And I have Hyuga main-family blood in my hands already. Once I've used volunteers in the village to work out how the Byakugan is inherited… I'll culture a pair fully compatible with my own body."
"Then I'll go to the moon and evolve them into the Tenseigan."
"In the meantime," Ren continued, tone almost casual, "I'll have to trouble you to act as the shinobi world's police and keep basic peace, Nagato."
"Aren't you supposed to be a dictator who rules by force?" Nagato stared at him, genuinely stunned. "Why are you suddenly sounding like a researcher?"
"Because Kirigakure isn't short on idiots who only know how to swing fists," Ren sighed. "And the best way to make those idiots obey is to put something in front of them that makes them stronger."
"Unfortunately, Kirigakure has no talent in that area. So I have to do it myself."
He glanced at Nagato.
"If you're interested in making Akatsuki's other members stronger, I can give you some 'volunteer' slots for experiments. It won't work on everyone—but even failures shouldn't cause major harm."
"Absolutely not," Nagato refused instantly.
"Really?" Ren's smile turned sharp. "Then you'd better become a better teacher than Jiraiya. Otherwise one day you'll come begging me—because you don't want your weak comrades to quit Akatsuki."
With that, Ren vanished beyond the ruins.
Nagato raised a hand toward where he'd disappeared and wordlessly extended a middle finger—then dispersed into white smoke, sending everything he'd seen back to his true body.
…
Konoha Year 49, January 24.
Under the witness of the Iron Country's daimyō, Kirigakure and Konoha formally signed a complete peace treaty—ending their state of war.
Though Kirigakure had been at a disadvantage in the overall war situation, backed by the unmatched personal strength of the Fourth Mizukage, Kaguya Ren, they not only secured trade agreements that benefited their transformation, they also converted the Uchiha and Hyuga bloodline heirs taken from the battlefield into their permanent property.
In many eyes, the negotiations were an overwhelming victory for Kirigakure.
The Third Mizukage, who signed the treaty, also improved his reputation slightly by securing favorable conditions—perhaps not enough to wash away the label of Kirigakure's sinner, but enough for his diehard supporters to speak with a thin sliver of extra confidence.
As for Konoha, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, drew heavy criticism for conceding too much in the treaty. But compared to the cheers of people finally breathing again after war ended, those voices could only quiet down—for now.
Meanwhile, during the Twin Kage Summit, Akatsuki completed their security duties with outstanding success—capturing two S-rank missing-nin, three bloodline shinobi, and more than forty jōnin across the villages.
Their name erupted into the view of every nation and every village's upper ranks.
They promoted a philosophy of achieving peace through non-violence, declaring themselves witnesses and enforcers of inter-village peace accords—doing everything in their power to prevent war from returning.
The hawks in each nation were displeased.
But among shinobi crushed beneath the weight of war, their words resonated.
For a time, applicants poured in from all directions. Even as Nagato's group remained in Iron Country, they found themselves caught in a sweet kind of trouble.
Not long after the summit parties returned home, two heavyweight announcements arrived—almost on the same day.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, resigned, citing numerous strategic misjudgments during the war, and passed the title of Fourth Hokage to the Yellow Flash—Namikaze Minato.
And the Third Mizukage, having finally laid down the last obsession in his heart, fell gravely ill after returning to Kirigakure, and passed away within days.
His successor as Fourth Mizukage was the one known by strange names: "Humanoid Tailed Beast," "Tailless Tailed Beast," "Tenth Tailed Beast"—
Kaguya Ren.
Thus, aside from Iwagakure still ruled by the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki, the four great villages officially entered the era of the Fourth.
…
"The future of the Land of Water and Kirigakure… is in your hands now, Fourth."
The Water Country daimyō held the blue-and-white hat that symbolized the Mizukage and placed it solemnly into Ren's hands.
"Relax. I won't disappoint you," Ren said, placing the hat on his head, pride and certainty in his voice. "You'll see a new world—one you couldn't even imagine in your dreams, Daimyō-sama."
The daimyō, old as twilight, stared at Ren—who was barely the age of his grandson—and sighed softly.
"I hope in the new world you envision… we'll still be partners who can work together, Fourth."
"So long as your descendants don't point fingers at my reforms," Ren replied, unbothered, "and don't foolishly try to stand above me… there will still be a seat for the daimyō in the Land of Water."
With that, Ren leapt lightly onto the high platform where every Mizukage had faced Kirigakure's shinobi upon succession.
He looked down at the countless figures gathered below, drew in a breath, and laughed—loud, bright, fearless.
"Kirigakure! Are you ready to rebuild our glory with me—then hold onto everything that belongs to us?!"
"OOOOH—WE'RE READY, FOURTH!!!"
The roar surged like a tidal wave, rushing up toward him.
"Good."
Ren nodded, then raised his right hand to the sky and clenched it into a fist.
"Now—with your support—Kirigakure has seized the one chance we get in a lifetime."
"Our era…"
"Begins!"
…
"About time we went, Hanabi."
Kakashi poked his head out from the forest, calling to Hanabi as she watched Minato's Hokage succession ceremony from afar.
"Huh? Ah—y-yes. I'm coming, Sixth Hokage-sama."
Hanabi withdrew her gaze, hugged Karasuki to her chest, and followed Kakashi to the secluded spot Jiraiya had arranged. She began activating the treasure that could cross time.
"…Sigh." Standing within the expanding glow, Kakashi looked toward the Hokage Monument—still only three faces—and spoke with quiet emotion. "Even though I slipped some reforms I'd tried and succeeded with to Minato-sensei under Jiraiya-sama's cover… I still don't know whether they'll work in this era."
"S-Sixth Hokage-sama… you're curious too, aren't you?" Hanabi asked, stepping into the circle of light. "About where this era will go."
"Of course I'm curious," Kakashi said with a helpless laugh. "What we revealed has already added more possibilities to a history that was already different."
"But after we return… I'll probably seal my memories."
"Huh?! Why?!"
"I don't want to drown in fantasies and deductions about this 'dream,'" Kakashi said lightly, waving a hand. "But if you're interested, Hanabi… it wouldn't hurt to visit once in a while."
"…So you noticed," Hanabi said awkwardly, pulling out the slip of paper that had been wedged beneath Karasuki's shell. The four characters—full of mockery—glared up at her.
WELCOME BACK ANYTIME.
"This is too much," she puffed, cheeks bulging. "It's like he knows what our era looks like—and he's convinced he'll do better than Seventh and the others."
"The fact that Ren didn't forcibly take your Byakugan like Madara would have," Kakashi said with a sigh, "and instead let us go back… already says a lot about his confidence."
"But we have to admit it," he continued, eyes distant. "He has the ability to turn this world into something completely different from ours."
"Seventh and Sasuke-kun will seal Karasuki away, right?" Hanabi asked anxiously.
"Who knows?" Kakashi said. "If you want to test that, you can tr—"
Light flared.
Their figures—and Kakashi's unfinished words—vanished from an era that had begun to shift onto a new track.
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
patreon.com/Inkveil_