Ninja World.
The people of the Land of Waves, who had only recently started living peaceful lives, suddenly experienced a massive tremor. The shaking lasted for two whole days and nights, only stopping when the evening glow of the second day settled over the horizon.
Fortunately, the Sun God Alliance, the solid backing for all the smaller nations, had used its advanced maritime technology to evacuate the citizens early on. So when the disaster was over, aside from the island itself being in ruins, the damage was actually minimal.
As the sun set, Senju Hashirama stood by the great bridge connecting the Land of Waves to the outside world, scratching his head awkwardly as he stared at the devastated, half-sunken island.
He turned to glance at Madara, who had an unreadable expression, then leaned in and whispered:
"I'd say the rebuilding effort is going to be quite a job."
The battle was over.
But the impact of this fight was worth considering. However, Senju Hashirama was the kind of person who didn't overthink things. He didn't bother wondering where these so-called Otsutsuki enemies came from or why they were so powerful. To him, rebuilding the Land of Waves was the most important task at hand.
"The Sun God Kingdom should have something planned. They might turn the place into an underwater amusement park or something. But Hashirama, do you really think that's the key issue here?"
Uchiha Madara said with a face full of disbelief.
He used to think he knew everything about the shinobi world. That belief had been deeply ingrained in him even before he died in his past life. But now that he was revived, it felt like the world had changed in ways he couldn't understand. It was one thing for the Hyuga Clan to be able to overpower the Uchiha, but now there were people with horns on their heads who were just as ridiculously strong?
Whether it was Taijutsu or Ninjutsu, Uchiha Madara had to admit that those guys had reached the same peak level as him.
A deep sense of unease flashed through his eyes as he recalled the battle. Otsutsuki Momoshiki had been able to keep up with him like an unstoppable monster—he could heal from injuries in no time and had no apparent weaknesses.
And if Momoshiki was an all-around powerhouse, then Urashiki was more like a trickster playing with them using some strange ability. His bizarre Rinnegan seemed capable of seeing through people's thoughts and predicting their next moves, countering them before they could even act.
To be honest, if he had been up against Otsutsuki Urashiki, even Uchiha Madara himself might have been completely suppressed.
Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Uchiha Sasuke, who was moving forward with Team 7. A look of admiration filled his eyes.
This young man had managed to hold his own against Otsutsuki Urashiki, whose ability seemed to let him see the future. In fact, Sasuke had even forced Urashiki to admit, "Even if I can predict his moves, my body can't keep up."
Well, Black Zetsu wasn't wrong—this kid might look like Izuna, but he definitely wasn't him. He didn't need Madara, his so-called "brother," to protect him.
In fact, the decisive victory against the Otsutsuki in the Land of Waves came down to Sasuke and Hatake Kakashi, both of whom had the power of the Sun God Seal.
Madara, Hashirama, Hashirama's useless brother, the rest of Team 7, and even that so-called Uchiha prodigy—Itachi, who had been utterly crushed by his own little brother on the night of the massacre—had only managed to contribute as much as Sasuke and Kakashi combined.
The battle ultimately came down to them all against Otsutsuki Momoshiki, while Sasuke fought Urashiki and Kakashi took on Isshiki.
And to make things worse, just when they had Momoshiki cornered, he suddenly pulled a half-dead Kinshiki out of a time-space rift and consumed him. His power skyrocketed instantly—not only did he break free from their attacks, but he also turned the tables and started overwhelming them instead.
It was horrifying to see someone eat their own comrade like that. But that display of raw power taught Uchiha Madara a lesson—he would never again underestimate the scale of this world.
Thinking back on it, his old belief that the shinobi world was "big enough for him to mess around in" now felt laughably naïve.
And yet, in the end, it was Sasuke who had the last laugh. Activating the highest authority of the Sun God Seal, he soared into the sky and ripped Urashiki's wings in half, sending him fleeing in a panic and abandoning his allies. That gave Sasuke the chance to support the others, finally turning the tide of battle.
In other words, the so-called "big brother" Madara, who had come to protect "his younger brother," didn't protect Sasuke at all. Instead, he was the one who ended up being saved by Sasuke.
That realization left Madara feeling oddly lost.
"What a shame. My space-time Ninjutsu still isn't refined enough. And even after being fully revived, my chakra reserves are still a bit lacking. Otherwise, I could've used this opportunity to destroy their base and put an end to their plans for good."
Second Hokage Senju Tobirama clearly wasn't satisfied with how things had played out. He had barely done anything the entire fight, and they hadn't even managed to chase down the enemy to eliminate future threats. That was far from his usual style.
"For the weak, the Edo Tensei body is an enhancement. But for the strong, it's a restriction. And you, Tobirama, don't fall into the 'strong' category."
Uchiha Madara stated the harsh truth without emotion.
"I'll admit that compared to outstanding younger shinobi, I do fall on the weaker side. But at least I have enough self-awareness to recognize that. Some people, on the other hand, act like they're the strongest despite clearly being the ones who were saved. I wonder how thick their skin must be."
Tobirama had spent his entire life dealing with the Uchiha, so he knew exactly how to get under their skin. At the very least, when it came to sarcastic jabs, he was definitely top-tier.
But—
For once, Uchiha Madara didn't argue back. Instead, he just looked at Tobirama with a strange expression.
"Of course I can't compare to Sasuke, but no matter how you look at it, I'm still way stronger than you. Also, Sasuke has both Uchiha and Hyuga blood in him—he has nothing to do with the Senju. So tell me, who's really the one lacking self-awareness here?"
Then, as if suddenly realizing something, Madara put on an exaggerated "aha!" expression.
"Oh, my bad. I forgot—the Senju Clan was wiped out under your 'brilliant leadership.' But I have to say, when it comes to taking in disciples, you're the undisputed number one in the entire shinobi world. If we're talking about raising traitors, I, Uchiha Madara, must admit that you're the best!"
…You've got to be kidding me.
Still bringing up the 'monkey' thing, huh?
Tobirama's mouth twitched. He had no comeback. He had to admit, ever since being revived, Uchiha Madara had become ridiculously sharp-tongued. His personality even seemed to have shifted—when it came to throwing insults, not even Tobirama could keep up.
"Alright, alright, let's not argue over something so trivial."
Hashirama, sensing the tension, pulled both of them into a brotherly embrace and grinned.
"Don't forget who we are! We're all leaders of the reconstruction team. No need to let old grudges ruin our teamwork!"
"Besides, no matter how you look at it, that was an incredible fight. Today, we fought for the peace of the shinobi world—that's what really matters, right?"
Yeah.
Today, they had done their part in protecting the shinobi world. That was enough.
That sense of purpose filled the emptiness in Uchiha Madara's heart. He finally understood what he had been searching for all this time. His identity, his role in this world—it was all becoming clearer.
A faint smile appeared on his lips. He had found the same feeling he once had when he first set out to build Konohagakure.
But then, a flicker of worry flashed through his eyes.
For some reason, he no longer felt the same desire for the Infinite Tsukuyomi. He didn't even want it to succeed anymore.
Because the shinobi world…
Maybe it didn't need a dream to keep it at peace after all.
Because he wasn't alone. There were others who wanted to protect this world, just like he did.
Sasuke even suspected that if this atmosphere and tension lasted too long, he might somehow develop an illness and suddenly drop dead.
"Go back and apologize properly to Father. Take a good look at the father you doubted, at the Uchiha you questioned, and see how they built this village."
With a long sigh, Sasuke finally couldn't take it anymore and spoke.
"I…"
Uchiha Itachi opened his mouth but didn't know what to say. Facing Sasuke, who had grown so much, he didn't even know what stance he should take as his older brother.
He was a failed older brother, stripped even of the Uchiha name.
He had gone undercover in Kara to help the village solve its problems, yet now he had become nothing more than a pawn being used.
The moment Sasuke rushed forward and punched Kinshiki, who had suddenly appeared behind him, Uchiha Itachi realized he had been tricked. He was the one being played. The information he had secretly passed to Konohagakure had definitely been taken seriously, and Kara's leader had used that to set up this ambush.
Thankfully, Sasuke was strong. Even though the Kara leader managed to escape at the last second using space-time ninjutsu, and they couldn't capture any enemies alive, at least the village hadn't suffered much damage. Now, they could return and plan their next move.
But because of that, Itachi felt uncomfortable. Looking at the situation objectively, it was clear that he had messed up, and his little brother had to clean up his mess.
The once-great Uchiha prodigy had now become a complete failure. It was almost laughable.
"I really don't get it. Why are you always more patient with outsiders than with your own people?"
Sasuke spoke calmly.
"Sometimes you'd rather trust strangers than your own family. If you don't change that way of thinking, you'll never truly move forward or face who you really are."
"And judging by how you look now, it seems like you didn't take my advice from years ago seriously either."
He had told Itachi before—there's nothing shameful about relying on others. If you can't do something alone, then work together. Why did he act like the world couldn't function without him?
Never think of yourself as too important. That was the real problem.
"But still, I believe Father will recognize your dedication to the village, considering everything you've done to gather intel."
Sasuke glanced at his brother with a complicated expression. Sometimes, he really couldn't understand this contradictory man.
"Do your best. Broaden your vision. Don't limit yourself to just one village. Find your true place in this new ninja world and make a real contribution. Compared to me, maybe you should focus on earning enough merit to revive your brother Asuma. After all, you two probably have more in common."
With that, Sasuke sped up to catch up with Kakashi and Naruto ahead. Everyone has friends they naturally connect with.
The older brother he had once cherished—Uchiha Itachi—had died the moment he put his so-called "duty" above family and brotherhood. The man standing here now was Senju Itachi, someone that even Senju Tobirama would approve of.
As for Sasuke himself?
He was more interested in Naruto—the guy who had once bragged that he would catch up and challenge him someday. At least talking to someone straightforward like Naruto was easy and refreshing, without the heavy, brooding atmosphere that always surrounded his brother.
"Kakashi-sensei, how does it feel to use the power of the Sun God Seal?"
Meanwhile, Naruto, who had missed out on all the Uchiha drama, was relentlessly questioning Kakashi.
He couldn't help it. During the battle earlier, the power gap had been so huge that just watching from the sidelines made his heart race. This Kakashi-sensei was nothing like the one he had seen back in ninja school or right after graduation. It was like the Sun God Seal had completely transformed him.
"Just asking me alone won't give you a full picture."
Kakashi casually pointed at Sasuke.
"The Sun God training system is well-developed now. Once you receive the Sun God Seal, you can choose different training methods based on your own talents and adaptability. And depending on which path you take, using the seal will feel different."
"For someone like me, who is balanced in all areas, I went with an all-around approach. So as you saw, I'm not the best at anything, but I can hold my own against anyone. That's my path."
Hold his own against anyone?
Naruto, who had no idea what "fifty-fifty" actually meant, looked completely lost.
"Kakashi-sensei, you're being too humble. If your level is considered 'not the best,' the Guardian Squad members would probably die of embarrassment."
Sasuke walked over and commented with a deadpan expression.
"It's not the same," Kakashi clarified. "My Sun God Seal was personally granted by Lord Hitoshi, and even at the lowest level, the starting privileges are different. I had an advantage from the beginning, so I can't really be compared to the Guardian Squad. It wouldn't be fair to them."
"Fairness doesn't matter," Sasuke replied.
"This is recognition from the Sun God himself."
Yeah.
Recognition from the Sun God.
Kakashi nodded solemnly. Even he hadn't expected that one small decision would change the entire course of his life.
Thinking back, he had been nothing more than a scapegoat after the Nine-Tails attack—someone for the village to vent its frustrations on, someone who had to bear Obito's hatred. But thanks to Lord Hitoshi, he had found himself again, found his purpose, and seen the bigger picture.
He was happy with his life now. Once they got back to the village and reported the mission, all he wanted to do was grab Shisui and Guy, go to Obito's grave, pour a drink, and maybe even kick the tombstone a couple of times for good measure.
"The Sun God Seal, huh… Sasuke, what about you? How does it feel?"
Naruto, still confused by everything, turned to Sasuke.
"Me?"
Sasuke lifted his chin proudly—then noticed Sakura looking over with curiosity. He immediately changed his posture, put on a humble expression, and coughed.
"Hmm… fatherly love."
…Unbelievable.
Kakashi rolled his eyes.
"Tch, I don't really get it, but I've already made up my mind. Once we get back, I'm going to train like crazy and take first place in the Chunin Exams! Then Lord Hitoshi will grant me a Sun God Seal too!"
Naruto gave himself a little pep talk, then glanced at Sakura with his usual goofy grin.
"Sakura, what about you? Want me to give up my chance to get the Sun God Seal for you?"
Whoosh~
A light breeze passed through, and the atmosphere turned a little awkward.
Sasuke twitched at the corner of his mouth. For some reason, he found Naruto a bit cringey at this moment. Meanwhile, Sakura politely shook her head, took a step back to keep some distance, and pointed toward "Maid Training 101."
"No need. Even the lowest-ranking maids in the Sun God's maid squad receive a Sun God Seal personally granted by him."
Hmm.
So why wasn't I born a woman?
Naruto instantly lost interest in continuing the conversation.
With the mission in the Land of Waves completed, Kakashi's report marked the reconnaissance task as a perfect success. The reconstruction work was handed over to Hitoshi. With the first and second squad leaders of the construction unit working together, there was nothing to worry about.
The atmosphere in the ninja world remained the same, but with intense preparations underway, excitement for the Great Ninja Tournament had reached an all-time high. Everyone was looking forward to its start.
Somewhere in an unknown dimension.
The defeated Otsutsuki members gathered around a conference table.
Otsutsuki Urashiki was tending to his damaged wing, which had been torn by Sasuke. His face was twisted in anger, but deep inside, he was full of fear. He wanted revenge, but he wasn't sure about the strength of the people on Earth. His emotions were tangled in hesitation.
Otsutsuki Momoshiki clenched his fists tightly. He refused to accept defeat, but the harsh reality was right in front of him. The people of Earth weren't easy to deal with—especially those with a golden mark on their foreheads, whose power was beyond his own!
Otsutsuki Isshiki stroked his chin, analyzing the intel that the Kara Organization had just sent back.
The room was filled with a heavy silence.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
"So? Let's discuss."
As expected, it was Otsutsuki Isshiki—the one who had suggested joining forces before—who finally broke the silence.
There was no other choice. They had gone all out in the last battle, showing all their cards. Momoshiki had even been forced to refine his subordinate, Otsutsuki Kinshiki, into a chakra pill, consuming two chakra fruits in total. Yet, he had still lost. The defeat hit him so hard that he began doubting himself.
On top of that…
"As for Kaguya, we'll have to put that matter aside for now."
Isshiki spoke with a troubled expression. He had long suspected that there was something off between Kaguya and Hyuga Hitoshi. After all, he had once spotted a Kaguya-themed plush toy hanging from Hitoshi's waist. But now…
Facing the murderous stares of Momoshiki and Urashiki, Isshiki braced himself and slowly continued.
"Reliable sources confirm that Kaguya has pledged allegiance to the ruler of the Sun God Kingdom—the terrifying being who grants the Sun God Seal. I've met him once, and honestly, the feeling I got from him… I've only ever experienced that before in the presence of Lord Shibai."
"My men saw it with their own eyes. Hyuga Hitoshi and Kaguya have an… unusual relationship. That proud woman actually kneeled before him, serving him like a tamed dog."
"So that means…"
There was no way they could go after Kaguya now.
Going after Kaguya meant going against the ninja world, against the Sun God Kingdom.
And they were no match for them.
That legendary Sun God Seal loomed over them like an insurmountable mountain.
In the end, after a moment of silence, the three of them spoke in unison.
"We're joining the tournament!"
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