Chapter 65 Now, I believe Grandma can give you whatever you want...
Yan Sheng's mind was suddenly as if a huge boulder had been thrown into it, stirring up a stormy sea.
—The planetary consciousness of this world was emitting a hysterical, sharp explosion in his mind.
"What are you doing?! What have you done?!"
The planetary consciousness was now filled with unbelievable panic and despair, and had long lost its initial aloofness.
"I merely confirmed that Sasuke Uchiha's future trajectory had deviated from destruction, and relaxed for a moment. How could Kaguya have been resurrected in the blink of an eye?! The entire world has fallen into the illusion of the Infinite Tsukuyomi?! Is this right?! Is this reasonable?!"
He traced back this dramatic change, which was completely beyond His foresight, and tried to find its root cause.
Then, He saw it—the very person who had started it all was the very person He had personally invited to solve the problem.
Planetary consciousness couldn't hold on any longer.
[“It’s over! It’s all over now! Dude! I called you here to help me! Not to destroy me ahead of time!”] The planetary consciousness’s despair was almost tangible, filled with the grief and indignation of being betrayed.
Yan Sheng: "......" So it's not allowed?
Based on his experience last time, when he was instantly locked onto and warned by the planet's consciousness the moment he had a thought that was detrimental to Sasuke, he thought that the planet's consciousness's lack of reaction to his grand resurrection of Kaguya and the many days of trouble it had caused meant that it was tacitly approving.
Is it his fault? He's innocent too. Who knew planetary consciousness would be so unreliable?
......etc.
A sense of foreboding washed over me.
Ignoring the fact that he was in front of Kaguya, Yan Sheng raised his hand and swiftly gouged out the pair of Rinnegan he had taken from Nagato from his eye sockets, then quickly replaced them with the "original ones".
He opened his eyes, and his scarlet Sharingan slowly rotated. At the same time, he took a mirror out of his pocket.
Right eye kaleidoscope ability: [Netherworld Vision], activated.
The next second, in his special vision, two clear strings of numbers appeared above his head. One was a golden string representing merit points, and the other was a black string representing karmic debt points.
At this moment, the string of black numbers representing karmic sins fluctuated violently. The originally stable six-digit unit jumped wildly, showing a faint trend of soaring to seven digits, eight digits... and even more digits.
Yan Sheng frowned deeply. He had miscalculated. He had originally thought the planetary consciousness's "default" was a form of permission, but it turned out to be simply due to its slowness.
No, we have to try to save it.
Yan Sheng put away the mirror expressionlessly, his brain racing, searching for a way to remedy the situation.
Across from her, Kaguya watched with great interest Yan Sheng's series of abrupt and strange actions.
Then, Yan Sheng put away the mirror as if he had finished something. Although his original Sharingan had not yet fully transformed into the Rinnegan after being "activated by bloodline", purple ripples were already faintly visible deep within.
He looked up at her and said:
"Your Highness Kaguya, if I may ask, what are your thoughts on your two children?"
Mentioning Hagoromo and Hamura, Kaguya's icy, inhuman aura trembled slightly, and a genuine, deep sorrow appeared on her exquisite face: "Hagoromo... Hamura..."
Seeing this, Black Zetsu, standing to the side, was almost overflowing with jealousy and resentment.
It cried out shrilly, “Mother! Stop thinking about those two traitors! They are not worth your concern! Look at me! I am your most loyal child, and I will never betray you!” It had always considered itself Kaguya’s offspring.
Kaguya, on the other hand, had little affection for Black Zetsu—the creation of her will, which she released when she was on the verge of being sealed away and which carried her obsession.
She coldly rebuked, "Shut up, Black Zetsu."
Black Zetsu seemed to have been doused with cold water, instantly wilting and sadly shedding small tears. He dared not utter another sound, completely obedient to Kaguya's words.
Yan Sheng keenly noticed the change in Kaguya's emotions and continued calmly, "Your sons may not be entirely satisfactory. But as far as I know, your eldest son Hagoromo (the Sage of Six Paths)'s two children are quite obedient and do not resemble their father."
Kaguya remained silent.
During the long years she was sealed away, she was not completely isolated from the world. She was able to observe the outside world intermittently through Black Zetsu's eyes, thus knowing the fate of her two unfilial sons: after she was sealed away, her youngest son, Hamura, went to the moon to guard it. There was no longer her "will" on the moon, and she did not know what happened to her youngest son.
Her eldest son, Hagoromo, remained on Earth, founded the Ninja Clan, and had two sons—Indra and Ashura. By bloodline, they were her grandsons.
Among them, her eldest grandson, Indra, was exceptionally talented, calm, and wise. He inherited her exquisite appearance and her composure and self-control. He was her most admired and beloved descendant.
The grandson Ashura's personality is more like his father Hagoromo's, but compared to Hagoromo's "disobedience," no matter how much Ashura disagrees with his parents, he only chooses to sulk or run away, and his resistance is not intense.
Speaking of which, Kaguya felt that her eldest son, Hagoromo, was a complete failure as both a son and a father.
Let's not even mention that he betrayed her and instigated his brother to join forces to seal her away.
She tried her best to be fair to Hagoromo and Hamura back then, but Hagoromo clearly favored his younger son after becoming a father.
The reason, as Kaguya clearly understands, is simply because Indra resembles her too much. Whether it's his talent, personality, or appearance, he bears her shadow, and Hagoromo subconsciously feels a sense of rejection.
...In Kaguya's eyes, Indra was extremely obedient, sensible, and outstanding.
He created the ninjutsu system with his wisdom and is the undisputed founder of the Ninjutsu sect; he has a calm and aloof personality and is a qualified leader.
More importantly, he was very obedient to his father. Even when Hagoromo went back on his word and wanted to pass the position of Ninja Clan heir to his younger brother, who was not as good as him, Indra only left home in anger and did not kill his father or brother.
From her perspective, her eldest grandson had suffered far too much injustice and unfair treatment.
Yan Sheng noticed the flicker of interest, reminiscence, and pity in Kaguya's eyes. He immediately seized the opportunity, offering a suggestion he'd quickly come up with—a suggestion that might divert Kaguya's attention and turn the tide:
"To be honest, the reincarnations of Indra and Ashura were quite arduous and unfortunate..." He deliberately emphasized the words "arduous and unfortunate," observing Kaguya's reaction, and then slowly said:
"I wonder if you are interested in raising and educating these two children yourself?"
While one may feel pity and admire her, Kaguya is not someone who can be easily swayed by emotions.
Throughout her long life, the cruel clan rules and the painful experience of being betrayed by her own flesh and blood forged her heart into something as cold and hard as the deep universe.
The only time in her life she acted on emotion was by misjudging her two sons' feelings for her, which ultimately led to the thousand-year-old seal. She would never make the same mistake again.
Kaguya instantly regained her absolute rationality and ruthlessness, her pure white eyes fixed on Yan Sheng, her voice ethereal and cold as she said:
“What you say makes sense. However, my clan will eventually discover my betrayal. The Infinite Tsukuyomi is the fastest and safest way to recover the scattered chakra, return to my peak, and build an army of absolute loyalty. The chakra of this world originated from me, so it is only right to take it back.”
She slightly raised her hand, pointing to the desolate world shrouded in illusory moonlight, "Only in this way can I possess the power to fight against our clan."
Yan Sheng sighed inwardly, knowing that appealing to emotions alone wouldn't sway the resolve of this progenitor of chakra. But he didn't give up. His mind raced, and he immediately changed his approach, employing his forte: sophistry and logical deconstruction.
"Your Highness Kaguya, please forgive my bluntness." Yan Sheng's voice remained calm, yet carried a sharp, confrontational edge. "Your so-called 'safest approach' may be debatable. Infinite Tsukuyomi can indeed provide you with a vast amount of chakra and an army, but have you considered its sustainability?"
He took a step forward, his gaze sweeping over the enormous divine tree.
"The White Zetsu army is essentially transformed humans trapped in genjutsu. Their potential is fixed, lacking true growth potential and tactical wisdom. Facing the powerful and unknown Otsutsuki clan, relying solely on numbers will likely not create an absolute advantage. If the initial losses are too great, where will the subsequent manpower come from? Are we to completely drain all the life potential of this planet? What is the essential difference between that and the Otsutsuki clan's actions of harvesting planets, which you fear?"
Kaguya's eyes flickered slightly, but she did not interrupt Yan Sheng.
Yan Sheng pressed on: "You yourself admitted before that the ninjas of this world have your bloodline flowing through their veins, and among them 'there are quite a few capable of producing someone strong enough to rival our clan.' Since you believe that in my world, by reviving your counterpart and cooperating with them, there's a chance to fight against our clan—"
He paused deliberately, allowing the power of his words to settle, then looked intently at Kaguya:
"Then why are you unwilling to believe that in your own world, there is a force capable of protecting itself and even becoming an asset to you?"
"Infinite Tsukuyomi stifles all potential in its cradle, creating a batch of obedient but unambitious puppets. On the other hand, allowing them to grow freely may yield unexpected allies with limitless potential. The former is like draining the pond to catch all the fish, while the latter is like letting the pond hold its waters to nourish the fish. With Your Highness's wisdom, it should not be difficult to weigh which is better."
"Moreover," Yan Sheng lowered his voice, a hint of meaning in it, "you were also moved by the matter of your grandchildren just now. If you were to use Infinite Tsukuyomi, everything would turn into oblivious and senseless White Zetsu. Is this... truly what you desire?"
Kaguya remained silent.
The young man's words were like a scalpel, precisely dissecting the potential hidden dangers in her plan—the limitations of the White Zetsu army, and the consequences of completely severing the possibility of future development in this world.
Kaguya's gaze fell upon the eerie red moon high in the sky, then down at the desolate world below.
She recalled the loneliness of Indra, who was incredibly talented yet unfairly treated by his father, as seen through Black Zetsu; she recalled the will and wisdom that ninjas displayed when they fought to the death for their beliefs.
...Perhaps, a miracle really can happen?
Furthermore, Infinite Tsukuyomi can be activated at any time, so there's no rush.
After a long while, Kaguya slowly exhaled, her gaze returning to Yan Sheng, and the icy aura around her seemed to soften slightly.
“What you say is not without reason.” Her ethereal voice rang out, carrying a hint of cautious consideration. “I may postpone the harvest.”
Kaguya was persuaded by Yan Sheng to temporarily abandon her original plan. She controlled Obito's body, raised her right hand, and an invisible wave spread out from her. The "Eye of the Moon" in the sky, which was emitting an eerie red light, gradually dimmed and dissipated, eventually disappearing behind the clear sky.
The warm sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone down on the earth.
The Infinite Tsukuyomi has been lifted.
Because the transformation has only been a short time, those who were enveloped by the divine tree and began to transform into White Zetsu can still be saved. The woody fibers in their bodies quickly faded, and their consciousness was forcibly pulled back to reality from their beautiful illusions.
They stood blankly in place, or lay in their previous positions, looking at each other, their minds filled with only a vague but happy fragment of a dream, and an indescribable emptiness, as if they had lost something.
Everything seemed as if nothing had happened; the sky was still azure, and the sun was still shining brightly.
But some perceptive people always sensed that something was amiss.
After a brief period of confusion and bewilderment, a strong sense of unease spread through the hearts of these people.
Although it's hard to pinpoint exactly what's wrong, an undeniable fact is at hand—everyone, regardless of where they are or what they're doing, has inexplicably fallen asleep at the same time and is having an exceptionally real and intoxicating dream.
To call this a coincidence is a far-fetched argument.
However, no matter how they investigated, they could not find any trace of external interference, no enemies, no remaining spells, as if it were simply a collective, sudden, and bizarre phenomenon.
......
Konoha Village, Hokage's office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned as he looked at the reports from various places about the "strange phenomenon of mass slumber".
He had a vague feeling that this sudden strange phenomenon might be related to the disappearance of Uchiha Kokusatsu, Sasuke, and Naruto, but he had no evidence.
After much deliberation, in order to prepare for potential trouble and to find the missing Naruto and Sasuke, he finally made up his mind and issued an emergency recall order.
[Recall Tsunade and Jiraiya with the highest priority.]
At the same time, the news that the jinchūriki of the major ninja villages had been mysteriously abducted could no longer be concealed and spread rapidly among the higher-ups like wildfire.
This led to an emergency meeting.
The atmosphere at the meeting was tense. Apart from Konoha, which remained silent, the Kage or representatives from the other ninja villages were engaged in heated discussions.
"Our village's Two-Tails Jinchuriki was taken away while the village's barrier was intact, without even triggering an alarm."
"The Eight-Tails Jinchuriki is the same; the guards didn't even see a shadow of him!"
"Me too! We have absolutely no idea who did it! We didn't even see the perpetrator's face!"
......
Panic began to spread.
The fact that the villain was able to so easily and simultaneously breach the defenses of all the major ninja villages and silently abduct the crucial Jinchuriki suggests that the villain's strength is either terrifying or that they possess some extremely special ability.
The Fourth Raikage, A, had the most fiery temper. He slammed his fist on the table with a dull thud, then abruptly turned his attention to the silent Hiruzen Sarutobi, his tone utterly blunt:
"Hokage! You haven't said a word since just now. Where is Konoha's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki? Is something wrong with him too? Do you know something about this?"
The doubt in his words was almost undisguised.
Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his eyelids, took a puff of his pipe, exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, and said calmly, "You've been arguing back and forth without getting to the bottom of it, so why should I waste my breath?"
Lei Ying raised an eyebrow, a vein throbbing on his forehead: "Is that so? I thought you had something to hide, that you knew something but dared not say it!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi remained calm, unmoved by the Raikage's provocation and suspicion.
During the meeting of the major ninja villages, Tsunade and Jiraiya, who had received an emergency recall order, rushed back to their villages as quickly as possible.
At the entrance of Konoha Village, Tsunade, who had not returned for many years, looked at the familiar scene with a complicated expression.
Jiraiya, scratching his signature white spiky hair, broke the silence with a lighthearted tone:
"Hey, Tsunade, long time no see. What a coincidence that we arrived at the same time. Speaking of which, the village is still the same as before. It's really nostalgic... By the way, the old man summoned us back so urgently. It seems that something terrible has happened."
Tsunade snorted and walked forward with her arms crossed: "What could make him call us back must be something serious. It's said that something happened to the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."
Jiraiya's expression turned serious: "Yes, that's what the news says. They've gone missing along with the last survivors of the Uchiha clan. Let's go see the old man and find out more."
However, when they arrived at the Hokage's office, they learned that Hiruzen Sarutobi was attending an emergency meeting. The two had no choice but to seek out other high-ranking officials to find out what was going on.
Council chamber.
The two met Shimura Danzo, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu.
When Tsunade and Jiraiya inquired about the specific circumstances surrounding the abduction of Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and Sasuke Uchiha, the orphan of the Uchiha clan, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane hesitated, exchanging glances as if unsure how to broach the subject.
Seeing this, Danzo sneered, a sinister glint flashing in his single eye. He glanced at his two colleagues, his tone mocking: "Now that things have come to this, what can't be said? It's all because of Hiruzen. He was blinded by greed and easily accepted a Uchiha of unknown origin, allowing him to adopt an Uchiha orphan. I felt something was off about that guy from the beginning and warned him many times, but Hiruzen insisted on ignoring me under the pretext of 'stability'!"
He paused, then raised his voice, tinged with an indignant "if only I had known" sentiment:
"Now it's all right? Sure enough! Not long after, that guy named Uchiha Kokusatsu disappeared with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and Uchiha Sasuke! I now strongly suspect that the kidnapping of Jinchuriki from other ninja villages was also the work of this Uchiha Kokusatsu. Even if he didn't do it personally, he's definitely involved in this matter."
Originally, I wanted to say a few words, thinking that it was unlikely that Uchiha Kokusatsu could break through the defenses of the major ninja villages and kidnap all the Jinchuriki in a short period of time. However, when I heard Danzo add, "Even if he didn't do it himself, he is definitely involved in this matter," I silently swallowed my words.
Danzo has already "patched up" his own image, so what else can they say? Can they talk about Danzo's well-known targeting of the Uchiha clan?
"The Uchiha outside?" Tsunade frowned. "There are still Uchiha who have fled?"
Danzo nodded with a sinister expression: "That's right, an Uchiha who suddenly appeared out of nowhere, whose strength and purpose are unknown."
Jiraiya sighed, rubbing his temples. He felt things were more complicated than he'd imagined: "Sigh, it's too late to blame now. The most urgent thing is to find him. Is there any trace of that Uchiha Mikatsu?"
Danzo shook his head, his face grim: "No. He vanished without a trace, as if he had evaporated into thin air."
Jiraiya said helplessly, "That's troublesome."
While the entire ninja world was in turmoil and on edge due to the mass disappearance of Jinchuriki and the bizarre events surrounding the Infinite Tsukuyomi, the Akatsuki headquarters in the Land of Rain remained peaceful and serene.
—After being transformed by Kaguya, the base was no longer cold, gloomy, and damp, but became bright and warm.
Inside the room.
The woman sat in a wicker chair, her long white hair cascading down like a waterfall woven from moonlight. Her pure white eyes softened as she looked tenderly at the blond boy lying on her lap.
"You're saying you're our grandma?" Naruto tilted his head, scrutinizing the white-haired woman before him, his deep blue eyes filled with curiosity. "But I've never seen you before! And you don't look like any of us! And also!" He seemed to remember something important and quickly added, "Sasuke and I aren't blood brothers! So you can only be one of our grandmas!"
Kaguya listened to the childish question and declaration without getting angry. She stretched out her fair and slender hand, which belonged to Obito but had taken her shape because of her will, and gently stroked Naruto's golden hair, which was as bright as the sun.
"Initially, we were related by blood. Now, we are related by soul."
These words were too profound for Naruto's simple mind to comprehend. He blinked in confusion, then turned to Sasuke, who sat silently a short distance away, seemingly resting with his eyes closed but actually lost in thought, seeking his help:
"Sasuke, Sasuke! Did you understand? What did Grandma mean?"
Sasuke was indeed lost in thought. His mind was still on the few words Yan Sheng had given before he left in a hurry, and he was filled with confusion about the current situation and incomprehension about Yan Sheng's purpose.
Suddenly called upon by Naruto, he opened his eyes, meeting Naruto's inquisitive gaze and the white-haired woman's equally piercing Byakugan eyes. To avoid appearing clueless, he adopted a serious expression and replied with feigned profundity:
"Think for yourself."
Naruto immediately pouted and complained in a drawn-out tone, "Ugh—Sasuke is so stingy!"
Sasuke's ears turned slightly red, but he pretended not to hear.
Naruto scratched his messy blond hair, thinking, "Whatever! He's not related to Sasuke or Mikasa by blood, but they're family, brothers. Now, another white-haired woman, unrelated by blood, claims to be their grandmother and wants to join this big family... doesn't seem so wrong, does it?"
He quickly accepted the situation and began to struggle with the issue of how to address her: "Um... you're so young and beautiful, it feels weird to call you grandma, how about calling me sister?"
Kaguya shook her head: "No, that won't work. If you call me 'older sister,' then the generational order between me and your father will be messed up."
“My father?” Naruto paused, a look of desolation on his face. “I don’t have a father. I don’t even know who he is.”
It's unclear which phrase—"no father" or "don't know who he is"—touched a hidden corner of Kaguya's heart. A flicker of something akin to pleasure flashed in her usually indifferent, disdainful eyes. The evidence was a slight upward curve to her lips as she spoke in a cheerful tone:
“It doesn’t matter who your father is. He didn’t raise you, did he?” These words clearly implied dissatisfaction with her unfilial son, Ziyu.
Naruto gave a vague "oh," though he didn't quite understand why mentioning his father would make this "grandmother" feel better. However, he could sense that she meant him no harm.
At this moment, Kaguya raised her eyes and turned her gaze to Sasuke, who seemed to be detached but was actually listening intently. She beckoned to him and said in a gentle voice, "Sasuke, right? Come here."
Sasuke stiffened. He was filled with wariness and suspicion towards this suddenly appearing "grandmother" whose aura was unfathomable.
—Yan Sheng was the same! He didn't explain anything clearly, only hurriedly saying, "From now on, this... His Highness will raise you. She'll be your grandmother. You must be obedient," before leaving in a hurry, saying he had something to do.
Where does he get so many things to do? And what exactly is he busy with?
Despite his doubts, under Kaguya's calm yet undeniably oppressive gaze, Sasuke pursed his lips and obeyed.
Kaguya took Sasuke's slightly cold and tense little hand in hers, sensing his subconscious resistance, and asked in an even gentler voice, "Is there anything you want? Anything is fine."
Sasuke instinctively rejected the coaxing tone and replied curtly, "No."
Kaguya didn't seem to mind and continued in that doting tone, "Really? Don't be shy. I can give you anything."
As she spoke, she raised her head, her gaze seemingly piercing through the dome of the base, looking up at the sky, "Even if you want the stars in the sky, I can pluck them down for you."
Sasuke: "..." That's too exaggerated! He doesn't believe it at all.
Kaguya naturally noticed Sasuke's distrust, but instead of explaining further, she decided to prove herself through her actions.
She stood up, took Naruto's hand, gestured for Sasuke to follow, and then walked towards the door. Naruto happily followed, while Sasuke hesitated for a few seconds before following with a heart full of suspicion.
Standing at the entrance of the base, which had been transformed by Kaguya's power and was now much brighter.
Outside, it was still the usual overcast sky of the Land of Rain, but the air was fresh.
Kaguya slowly raised one hand and pointed to the sky. At first, everything was calm and nothing happened.
Several seconds passed, and just as Sasuke was feeling confused, a strange phenomenon suddenly occurred.
—Although it was daytime and the light affected the observation, the overcast sky made the light less bright, so it was clear that several points of light in the high sky were growing larger and brighter at an astonishing speed, trailing long tails of flame, like falling meteors, falling towards their location.
Sasuke's pupils suddenly contracted to pinpoints, a tremendous sense of crisis gripping his mind. This wasn't plucking stars; it was clearly summoning a meteor to commit suicide!
"Run!" he shouted, instinctively grabbing Naruto and Kaguya as he tried to escape the area.
However, an invisible yet powerful force suddenly pressed down, enveloping Sasuke and making him feel as if he were stuck in the toughest glue, unable to move. He could only watch helplessly as the stars, radiating terrifying heat and oppressive aura, flew towards him.
A few dozen seconds later, in Sasuke's despairing gaze, several enormous meteorites, their surfaces still burning with flames and radiating suffocating heat, defied all logic and silently hovered less than a hundred meters above their heads.
The enormous shadow completely enveloped the entire base, and the scorching heat distorted the surrounding air.
Sasuke felt like he was about to stop breathing. He had no doubt that if this woman relaxed even slightly, these "stars" would rain down and the Land of Rain would disappear from the map.
"I...I believe you! Take it back!" Sasuke finally broke down, his voice trembling as he spoke.
Kaguya found it amusing to look at Sasuke's pale face and Naruto's belatedly surprised, gaping expression, and her eyes crinkled into a smile.
Then, with a gentle wave of her hand, the floating meteorites were as if grasped by an invisible giant hand, flying back into the sky at an even faster speed than when they arrived, rapidly shrinking, and finally disappearing into the clouds.
Then, she lowered her head, looked at the still-shaken Sasuke, and said softly, "Now, do you believe that Grandma can give you anything you want?"
......
After Kaguya's display of power, capable of plucking stars and grasping the moon, completely stunned Sasuke, she lowered her eyes to look at the black-haired boy with a heavy heart and an ever-present melancholy between his brows, and in her heart, she knew very well what was going on.
She knew what Sasuke desperately wanted most—the truth about the bloody purge of the Uchiha clan overnight.
Of course she knew that.
Because the driving force behind this is the product of her will, formed from her resentment and unwillingness before she was sealed away: Black Zetsu.
While Black Zetsu's instigation of the Uchiha clan massacre was partly motivated by a desire to clear obstacles for her resurrection and collect Sharingan eyes, the deeper reason was his loathing of Hagoromo, who had betrayed her.
Thus, along with Hagoromo's two children—Indra and Asura—and their descendants, they were filled with misplaced malice.
Furthermore, given that Madara Uchiha and Obito Uchiha, two key figures in carrying out the Eye of the Moon Plan, either tacitly approved of the matter (Madara) or subtly supported it (Obito, in order to cut off Itachi's path back to the village), Black Zetsu simply gave it a push.
The result was that the Uchiha clan was wiped out.
Looking into Sasuke's dark eyes, which were filled with pain, confusion, and a stubborn thirst for the truth, Kaguya felt little pity for the fate of the Uchiha clan. Instead, a strange emotion arose, a mixture of possessiveness and obsession.
She disliked seeing her descendants tormented by the shadows of the past, and even more so, she disliked that he still harbored feelings for those insignificant, deceased members of his clan.
Kaguya lowered her eyes, concealing the fleeting coldness within them, then crouched down to meet Sasuke's gaze. Before Sasuke could react, she reached out and gently embraced the slightly trembling boy.
"Forget it, Sasuke." Her voice was ethereal and gentle, yet it spoke cruel words. "Those painful past events, those people who have disappeared... none of it matters. You don't need to know the truth; it will only cause you pain."
She gently stroked Sasuke's stiff back, as if soothing a frightened cub, her tone almost hypnotic: "You only need your grandmother as family. Grandma will protect you, give you everything you want, and won't let anyone hurt you."
At this point, she paused, as if remembering something, and added, while cleverly shifting the focus of the conflict elsewhere:
"Oh, right, and your younger brother Naruto. You two kids used to be very close, but it's all because of your failed father. His favoritism and wrong actions caused a rift between you brothers, leading to the tragedy that followed."
......
Another location at the base.
Inside the tower.
Nagato, whose health had been restored thanks to Kaguya's quick healing, was cautiously trying to walk with Konan's support.
His legs had been unused for so long that his muscle memory had become blurred, and he walked with a slight stagger and uncertainty with each step. But the feeling of being grounded again, and the vitality that filled his body without any pain or burden, gave him a sense of unreality, as if he were in another world.
Konan supported Nagato, her face filled with undisguised joy and excitement.
Looking at Nagato's face, which had regained its color and was no longer emaciated, and at his legs, which had grown back and were no different from those of an ordinary person, she felt a deep gratitude towards Kaguya, who was like a god... no, she was a god to begin with.
She recalled that when Kaguya casually healed Nagato, she had mentioned that the reason she was willing to help was because her grandson Naruto liked Nagato very much.
This made her feel even more grateful to the blond, blue-eyed boy with an excessively sunny personality, in addition to the initial goodwill she had towards him because he shared the same surname as Nagato and because of his characteristics.
It is worth mentioning that Nagato's lost eyes, which belonged to him, also regenerated under Kaguya's power to reverse the rules of life and death.
Kaguya's treatment was comprehensive, restoring all of his bodily organs to their most perfect and healthy state, regardless of whether they existed before.
As Nagato readjusted to his long-lost healthy body, his feelings were somewhat complicated.
He learned the truth about the "Eye of the Moon Project" from Kaguya—it was not a dream of creating lasting peace, but a cruel ritual to reclaim chakra, revive Kaguya, and transform all of humanity into an army of White Zetsu.
He realized that the ideal he had been pursuing all along had ultimately led to such an ending, which left him feeling deeply lost and empty after his beliefs collapsed.
"Project Eye of the Moon... was a scam."
Seeing Nagato's dejected expression, Konan felt a pang of pity and comforted him, "Before... perhaps we were both too hasty. We were blinded by hatred and pain, wanting to find a way to solve everything once and for all. Of course, your physical condition also prevented you from being at your own pace... but things are different now, Nagato."
Her voice was gentle, and her tone hopeful as she said, "You have plenty of time to do what you want. Of the three of us... Yahiko is gone, and I only have you left."
She gripped Nagato's wrist, her gaze firm and warm: "Let's take it slow, okay? Let's not pursue such extreme changes anymore. Let's take it one step at a time, even if the process is slow..."
Listening to Konan's words, feeling the worry in her voice and the preciousness of something lost and found, Nagato remained silent for a long time.
He turned his head to look at the blue-haired girl supporting him, the companion who had always silently stayed by his side and never abandoned him no matter what he became. His eyes were filled with complex emotions.
Finally, he lowered his head and said in an almost inaudible voice:
"Xiao Nan... I'm sorry. For my past stubbornness, for everything I've made you suffer."
"Thank you for your hard work over the years."
This belated apology and gratitude instantly brought tears to Xiao Nan's eyes.
She knew that Nagato, twisted by hatred and pain, had returned. Although the road ahead remained unknown, at least they had a chance to start anew.
Yahiko, if you could see this, you would be pleased.
***
What is Yen Sheng busy with?
Busy taking care of Obito's body.
Kaguya Otsutsuki was resurrected and used Obito Uchiha's body as a vessel. For Obito, his original body was naturally no longer usable.
Logically speaking, Yan Sheng wouldn't care about such "trivial details." Whether Obito lived or died was none of his business. Given his personality, he would most likely let Obito's consciousness dissipate as his body was taken over, or, if he had a conscience, he would simply find a recently deceased, relatively intact corpse, stuff its soul into it, and make do with it as long as it could move and speak.
However.
【“No—!”】A sharp thought, almost piercing through his mental barrier, roared deep within Yan Sheng’s mind.
The planetary consciousness, whose emotions had collapsed due to the Infinite Tsukuyomi and Kaguya's resurrection, was now even more excited, like a mother beast protecting her cubs.
"Hurry up! Immediately! Right now! Bring Obito back to life! In his best form! We can't just deal with him carelessly!" the planetary consciousness roared. "His ability is crucial in the future confrontation against the Otsutsuki main family! It's an extremely rare space-time jutsu, its strategic value irreplaceable! Do you understand?! Yes, you don't understand at all! You have no idea how important he is to me! You heartless man who only cares about yourself!"
Yan Sheng stood there expressionless, his heart completely unmoved, and he even wanted to block out the noisy noise.
"We can't just find any body! We must find him a perfect one, one that perfectly matches his original body's dimensions, and one that can perfectly house his soul and eye power! The best! Do you hear me? The best!"
The planetary consciousness, relentless and demanding like a picky client, relentlessly bombarded Yan Sheng's mind with its 360° relentless, nagging urges and requirements.
Yan Sheng remained expressionless, enduring the relentless bombardment of noise in his mind. He had initially intended to brush it off, but the planetary consciousness's intense reaction forced him to reconsider.
trouble.
He clicked his tongue inwardly. It seemed that simply finding a corpse wouldn't work.
Rubbing his temples, Yan Sheng began to think about where to find a "perfect" body that met his requirements.
The requirements are too demanding: to find a ninja who is exceptionally talented, recently deceased, and whose body is intact.
But not looking for it isn't an option.
So annoying = =
-----------------------
The author's note: I came across a video asking who loves Obito the most? The answer was Kamui.
Even when Obito was on the verge of death, he insisted on staying in the mortal world until Kakashi finished defeating Kaguya before returning to the underworld. The reason was that Kamui could only be used when he was "present," and could not be used when he was not present.
Kamui, really, don't love him too much, or I'll cry my eyes out.
Compared to those other Sharingan that anyone can use (though not entirely), you truly are the most loyal to your master. [hug]
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