Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

Boom!

Fragments of the meteorite, sliced apart by Sasuke's fully formed Susano'o, crashed heavily onto the ground, leaving massive craters in their wake. The resulting shockwaves battered the remaining Ninja Alliance forces repeatedly.

"It's incredible. Can humans really wield such power?"

While many were awestruck by the display, TenTen, standing among the Ninja Alliance, was no longer surprised.

She had long accepted that the upper limits of a ninja's strength far exceeded her imagination. The Ten Tails and the fully formed Susano'o she was witnessing now were likely just the tip of the iceberg when it came to this kind of power.

"Even though I believe in Naruto's strength, why do I feel so uneasy?"

While those around her were in awe of Susano'o, TenTen couldn't shake the ominous feeling she had while gazing at the blood-red moon above.

Swish!

Before she could dwell on it further, a white blur appeared in front of her without warning.

"Huh?! Naruto, I—"

Before TenTen could finish her sentence, Naruto grabbed her by the waist and disappeared in an instant.

"What just happened? Wasn't someone here a moment ago?"

"There was a companion here, but now they're gone!"

"That figure looked familiar... could it have been a comrade?"

The Ninja Alliance members, slow to react, began searching the area warily, trying to locate the missing comrade.

Swish!

As TenTen regained her bearings, she found herself still on the battlefield. However, her surroundings had changed—her new companions were now Sakura and Kakashi.

"Huh? How did I end up here..."

The sudden appearance of Naruto and TenTen startled Sakura, who had been watching Sasuke and Naruto from a distance.

"What happened?"

Seeing Naruto, who had been at the front lines, suddenly reappear at the rear, Kakashi's expression turned grim. Something about this felt wrong.

Boom!

Before Naruto could answer, the ground quaked violently.

Sasuke's fully formed Susano'o landed with a thunderous crash, creating two massive craters on the ground. The armored construct then crouched low, folding its wings around itself to shield Kakashi, Sakura, Naruto, and TenTen within its protective shell.

Hum!

A bright white light radiated from the blood-red moon above, illuminating the night sky like a midday sun.

The eerie glow of the moon drew everyone's attention, and the shinobi of the Ninja Alliance felt an overwhelming sense of dread.

The next moment, their consciousness began to blur. Their eyes turned into Rinnegan, and they stood frozen in place, like lifeless puppets.

"Everyone... what's happening?"

Inside Susano'o, Naruto grew anxious as he saw his comrades' strange behavior.

When he tried to leave the safety of Susano'o to investigate, Sasuke stopped him.

"That's the effect of the 'Infinite Tsukuyomi.' Anyone caught in its light falls into an eternal dream," Sasuke explained. "Without the protection of Susano'o, we'd succumb the moment the light touches us."

"Damn it..." Naruto gritted his teeth. "What do we do now?"

"We wait," Sasuke replied firmly. "The effects of the Infinite Tsukuyomi will subside eventually. Until then, we stay here."

Though frustrated, Naruto had no choice but to comply. In his mind, he began strategizing how to defeat Madara and save everyone once the Infinite Tsukuyomi ended.

As the tense silence settled, Kakashi turned to Sasuke with a serious expression.

"Sasuke, you—"

"I have the same goal as you now," Sasuke interrupted, anticipating Kakashi's question. "I want to change the ninja world, but not by leaving it as a corpse-filled dream. To defeat Uchiha Madara, I'll need the help of a medical-nin."

Sasuke's gaze shifted to Sakura, who lowered her eyes to the ground with a sigh.

She was the only medical-nin nearby who still had the energy to fight, so it wasn't surprising that Sasuke sought her help. But still, something about his tone irritated her.

"You jerk! What do you think Sakura is, some tool for you to use?" Naruto shouted angrily.

"We're just allies for now, Naruto," Sasuke replied coldly. "After we defeat Madara, if you still want to stop me, I won't hold back."

"Then I'll stop you, no matter what!" Naruto responded with equal resolve.

The tension between the two caused the air around them to grow cold.

TenTen, observing the exchange, sighed. "I can't tell if they're friends or rivals."

Darui, who had been standing nearby, shook his head helplessly. "It's exhausting just thinking about their drama during such a critical time."

Breaking the tension, Kirito spoke up. "Naruto, Sasuke, I need your help," he said calmly.

Everyone turned their attention to Kirito, whose familiar aura seemed different now.

"Sure enough, Kirito really does resemble Madara in his Ten Tails Jinchuriki form," Sakura thought, comparing Kirito to the distant figure of Madara she had seen earlier.

"Kirito, why do you look so much like Madara—and even that old sage guy?" Naruto asked, echoing Sakura's thoughts.

"Those who truly inherit the power of the Six Paths naturally take on this appearance," Kirito explained briefly. Then, changing the subject, he extended his hands toward Sasuke and Naruto.

"Time is short. Lend me your power so we can end this quickly."

Sasuke hesitated, his eyes narrowing. "How do you know so much about this? What are you hiding?"

"Just as you can sense my power, I can feel the energy within you. That energy isn't yours—it's a gift meant to defeat Madara."

"Fine by me!" Naruto said without hesitation, placing his right hand on Kirito's outstretched palm.

After some reluctance, Sasuke followed suit, placing his left hand on Kirito's other palm.

"Thank you," Kirito said, his voice resolute.

In an instant, Kirito activated his technique. "Rinne: God Emperor!"

The battlefield shifted.

Kirito found himself standing in an ethereal world. Above him was a bright blue sky with white clouds; below him, a perfectly mirrored lake. It felt as if he was floating in an endless sky.

Before him, an elderly man in simple robes sat cross-legged in mid-air. A black shakujō staff rested across his lap, and a ring of black Truth-Seeking Orbs floated beneath him.

With a warm smile, the old man greeted Kirito. "You've finally arrived. I've been waiting for you."

(End of Chapter)