"The Otsutsuki clan is an inherently evil race! They roam the universe, planting Divine Trees and draining planets of their energy to cultivate Chakra Fruits. One planet after another has fallen because of them!"
"A thousand years ago, they set their sights on Earth, planning to completely drain its energy. But by a twist of fate, Kaguya, the Divine Consort, prevented the disaster. Otherwise, Earth would have been reduced to a dead planet long ago. But make no mistake—the Otsutsuki's ambitions have never stopped."
It's hard to believe these words came from members of the Otsutsuki clan itself. From a human perspective, it was even harder to understand why they would betray their own kind and side with Earth.
But the truth was, Momoshiki and his group had no way to explain their situation. If people knew that Momoshiki had even offered up his own sister to infiltrate the Sun God Kingdom, they might actually feel a bit sorry for them.
At this point, they had no other choice.
If they didn't follow Uchiha Madara's orders, didn't show reverence for the Sun God, and didn't act like they truly belonged to the Sun God Kingdom, they would never be accepted as real spies. Any slip-up would expose their true intentions, and all their previous efforts would be wasted. That wasn't the outcome they wanted.
If they could endure this trial and fully gain the Sun God Kingdom's trust, they would eventually find its secrets. Whether it was Momoshiki's sister, who had been taken into Hyuga Hitoshi's harem, or themselves, they still had a future.
"We are just the vanguard. If we fail to send back intel in time or fail to reestablish a teleportation array to supply Chakra, the next batch of Otsutsuki arriving on Earth will be even stronger! This is a common tactic of our clan—we must remain vigilant!"
To prove his loyalty to the Sun God Kingdom, Urashiki didn't hesitate to drop a major bombshell, even revealing classified information about their home planet. Once those words left his mouth, there was no turning back. He had now burned all bridges—if he didn't make a name for himself as a spy, even returning home would mean certain death.
"Urashiki is right, but there's no need to worry too much for now. If we fail, the home planet's next move will likely be sending someone on the level of Otsutsuki Ryuu to repeat our mission."
Glancing at Uchiha Madara in the distance, Momoshiki casually brought up this topic. His sister had already been "selected" and was quickly gaining favor with their former enemy. A meteoric rise seemed inevitable. At this point, he could only fully commit to the role—the more sincere he acted, the more trust he would gain.
"Ryuu isn't the issue—the real problem is the elders. If they come one by one, the Sun God might be able to handle them. But if they all come at once, even the Sun God may not be able to fight them all alone."
Otsutsuki Isshiki, unaware of Hyuga Hitoshi's true power, subtly hinted at the danger, implying that the elders were on par with him in strength.
But deep inside Uchiha Madara, Ryuu simply smirked.
Elders? Clan leaders?
No, no, no.
Even if they all came together, the best they could hope for was a draw!
After briefly fighting Hyuga Hitoshi and thinking about it for a long time, Otsutsuki Ryūshiki finally figured something out.
Why would someone as powerful as Hyuga Hitoshi, whose strength is close to that of Otsutsuki Shibai, stay on Earth instead of taking the fight to the Otsutsuki clan? If he went all out, he could deal a devastating blow to them. And if that happened, Shibai—who exists beyond dimensions yet can return to this universe in an instant—would surely notice the change and come back.
That would lead to a battle between gods. Initially, Ryūshiki believed that after fighting, the two divine beings would draw a boundary, stop fighting, and coexist in peace.
But as time passed, he finally understood.
Hyuga Hitoshi doesn't want to share power with the Otsutsuki clan—he wants to shake their rule, surpass Shibai, and take full control of this universe.
A true powerhouse wouldn't allow another god to exist in the same universe. Just by looking at how Hyuga Hitoshi uses the Ninja World Tournament to test and select the strong, it's clear he has big ambitions.
Now that Ryūshiki understands this and realizes that Hyuga Hitoshi is aiming to overthrow the gods, he feels a sense of unease.
Why?
Because Shibai has been missing for a long time. According to reliable sources, he abandoned his physical body and went to another dimension. His body has been turned into various artifacts. So in this situation, can Shibai even return? And even if he does, will he be strong enough to defeat Hyuga Hitoshi?
Ryūshiki doesn't know. The only thing he's sure of is that Shibai still exists somewhere in another dimension. Thanks to his status as an Otsutsuki prodigy and the close ties between his faction and Shibai, he once overheard the elders discussing this matter.
Not long ago, the clan elders had a conversation with Shibai. From what Ryūshiki heard, their great god has been studying the true nature of chakra fruits—the essence of the Divine Tree. Over countless years, the Ten-Tails Shibai nurtured has mutated. Instead of blooming and bearing fruit every thousand years, it can now mass-produce them.
However, these mass-produced chakra fruits are strange. Instead of granting a complete range of chakra abilities, they each provide only a single power, like a downgraded version. According to the elders, Shibai has been experimenting with these fruits in another dimension, trying to unlock their deeper potential in hopes of creating a fruit that surpasses anything before.
But because these mutated fruits are still incredibly powerful to ordinary people, they naturally became a prize that countless beings fought over. Due to the unique nature of that world, the fruits seemed to be cursed by the very fabric of that reality. And so, in that world, these downgraded chakra fruits became known by a different name—Devil Fruits.
It's said that in that world, Shibai is thriving. He has even gathered followers who worship him. He is manipulating the world's very essence, shaping its fate. But what shocked Ryūshiki the most wasn't this—it was something far more terrifying.
According to the elders, the Shibai who controls the Devil Fruits and rules that world isn't even his real body. It's merely one of his many avatars—a vessel implanted with his essence.
The elders told Ryūshiki that Shibai has many such vessels across different dimensions. And each of them is thriving in its own world. That's why Ryūshiki is worried. If Hyuga Hitoshi launches an all-out attack on the Otsutsuki clan, will all of Shibai's avatars be able to break through dimensions and return to the ninja world?
Because if only one or two come back, they won't be able to stop Hyuga Hitoshi. And the ninja world isn't looking to negotiate with the Otsutsuki.
It's either submission or total destruction.
Ryūshiki could see that clearly in Hyuga Hitoshi's unwavering determination.
So.
So he didn't dare to recklessly take over Uchiha Madara's body anymore.
"Want to use my power? Go ahead! But don't think for a second that I'll let you take over my soul!"
Because if he successfully possessed the body, he'd die for sure. And if he failed, his soul would likely be erased. He figured it was better to exist in this alternative state, living inside Madara's body and watching how things unfold.
Besides, he had to admit, this Uchiha Madara guy had incredible talent with a sword. As someone who also obsessed over swordsmanship, Ryūshiki found it quite satisfying. Watching Madara train every day, he almost felt like he was part of it. He even started giving Madara a few pointers here and there. Over time, the two developed a strange sense of camaraderie.
Honestly, it was hard to predict where this would go. Would one of them eventually overpower the other?
Their complicated relationship was only just beginning.
Meanwhile, the three captured Otsutsuki members had completely ignited the atmosphere in the trial hall.
Every pair of eyes in the room was locked onto them as they continued revealing information about the Otsutsuki clan.
Everyone was in shock.
Some of the Otsutsuki clan's secrets had already been leaked after the Five Kage Summit. Although only a fraction of the truth got out, it was enough to cause widespread concern. Still, to the average ninja or civilian, these things felt distant—something from beyond their world. They were worried, but mostly curious. They never really thought that disaster would come knocking at their doorstep.
But when three real Otsutsuki appeared before them, completely shattering their understanding of chakra, the ninja world, the tailed beasts, and the Divine Tree, they finally realized just how close destruction had been all along.
A thousand years ago, the ninja world had almost been conquered by the Otsutsuki.
They used to think the tailed beasts were just strange creatures—clumps of chakra given form. But now they understood the truth. The tailed beasts were originally part of something even more terrifying—the Ten-Tails. They were carved out from the Divine Tree itself. And the Ten-Tails represented the purest form of malice. The nine tailed beasts had only diluted that evil, spreading it out rather than letting it remain concentrated in one place.
Luckily, the ninja world is a mysterious place. Even such darkness can be purified over time.
But the Otsutsuki clan…
They've conquered countless planets like Earth.
The sudden realization of this looming crisis filled everyone's hearts with a suffocating sense of dread. After the initial shock wore off, they quickly turned their gaze toward Hyuga Hitoshi, who stood above them all, watching everything unfold.
For the first time, a glimmer of hope appeared in their eyes.
If anyone in the ninja world could counter the Otsutsuki and bring back a planet of their own, it would be Lord Yang God. Surely, he had a way to resist their invasion?
After all, he was the only man in the ninja world who had risen above clans, villages, nations, and all worldly power struggles. He had been preparing for this for a long time.
And as everyone turned their expectant eyes toward him, Hyuga Hitoshi didn't disappoint. He casually motioned for the three Otsutsuki prisoners to step down. Then, he glanced at Rikudou Sennin and Gamamaru, who were both frozen in shock.
At that moment, he didn't say anything to these two so-called legendary figures.
Yet somehow, his silence said it all.
Outsiders?
Yes, he was an outsider.
But this outsider was now the ninja world's only hope.
Meanwhile, Rikudou Sennin—who had sealed his own mother away—and Gamamaru, with all his supposed wisdom, had become nothing more than clueless fools.
At this moment, the truth was finally revealed. From the origins of the ninja world until now, figures like Gamamaru and the Sage of Six Paths, who were caught up in internal struggles, had only made things worse.
"We lost, Gamamaru."
The moment the three Otsutsuki appeared, both the Sage of Six Paths and Gamamaru already knew how this would end. Now, as Otsutsuki Hagoromo sat there in complete despair, the very name "Otsutsuki" felt like the biggest joke to him.
What right did he even have to share a surname with a clan that ruled the universe?
"Mother, oh mother, if you had such a powerful background, why didn't you just say so?"
Looking toward the Rabbit Goddess, Hagoromo felt an indescribable awkwardness and helplessness. Just as he and Hamura never questioned why their mother was so determined to cast Infinite Tsukuyomi, she had never told them about the looming crisis beyond the ninja world.
They were both new to their roles—first-time mother, first-time sons. Communication had always been lacking. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect that his mother's true reason for activating Infinite Tsukuyomi was to help Earth resist the Otsutsuki Clan.
Was that even possible?
Did she really think things like White Zetsu could be used as weapons?
At this point, he didn't even know what to say. After all, if you proudly destroy your own family in the name of justice, only to later realize you were the real traitor all along, anyone would break down.
Gamamaru's expression was even more complicated than Hagoromo's. The confusion and dazed look in his eyes were obvious, but his face, filled with disbelief and self-doubt, betrayed his inner turmoil.
The good news? His prophecy had come true. The disaster from his dreams was real.
The bad news? He got the source of the disaster completely wrong. Hyuga Hitoshi wasn't the cause of destruction—he was the savior of the world. The survival of the ninja world in the face of the Otsutsuki invasion depended entirely on him. He wasn't the root of disaster. He was the hero.
Meanwhile, Gamamaru?
Just a clown.
He didn't question whether the three Otsutsuki were real. He didn't think their warnings were fearmongering. He had lived through the events of a thousand years ago and knew enough about Kaguya's existence to understand that anyone with horns on their head was bad news. Only now, piecing together everything the trio had said, did he finally understand why Kaguya had acted so strangely back then.
Everything suddenly made sense.
But thanks to his own actions, Mount Myoboku had already fallen into the abyss.
Letting out a long sigh, he glanced at the grand trial taking place. From the way the crowd looked at Hyuga Hitoshi with absolute trust, he knew just how badly he had messed up.
"Otsutsuki Clan…"
Finally, Hyuga Hitoshi smiled slightly and spoke under the gaze of the entire audience.
"They are indeed powerful, but they are not invincible. When I founded the Sun God Kingdom, I had already prepared for this. In fact, the ongoing Ninja World Tournament is also part of the plan."
"As the ruler of the Sun God Kingdom, as the one you all believe in, I hope you will give it your all in the tournament. Whether we will have the power to fight back against the Otsutsuki Clan depends on you. Because the newly formed Divine Guard, tasked with protecting Earth, the ninja world, and the Sun God Kingdom, will be selected from the champions of the tournament!"
For Hyuga Hitoshi, both the public trial of Gamamaru and the Sage of Six Paths, as well as the Otsutsuki trio's revelations, were just minor interludes.
He paused briefly, then slowly raised his hand, pointing toward the sky.
"As you can see, our enemies are a mighty clan that rules the universe. We must not underestimate them, but there is no need to panic. All you need to do is focus on doing your best in the tournament, just as you always have."
As he lowered his hand, his gesture carried the grace of a guiding priest, and behind him, it was as if a warm divine glow had appeared.
At that moment, his voice reached every corner of the venue. His calm yet powerful words stirred the hearts of all who heard them.
He said,
"Follow the guidance of the Sun God, and no enemy shall stand before us!"
It was the decree of a god.
It was a beacon of hope, pulling the ninja world out of its anxious state. It was the proud declaration of the Sun God Kingdom, inspiring all its people. And as the official tournament began, it became the greatest motivation for all the participants.
Winning the tournament not only meant being blessed with the Sun God Seal but also granted the chance to join the Divine Guard—the ultimate force dedicated to protecting Earth and the ninja world!
The Divine Guard was the highest symbol of protection, the greatest honor a ninja could achieve, and the strongest weapon against the Otsutsuki Clan. Those selected would represent the entire ninja world as its absolute elites. Just this title alone was enough to bring glory to their clans and families.
The ninja world had never lacked people with conviction and a sense of duty. Hyuga Hitoshi's words—"No enemy shall stand before us!"—ignited a fire in the hearts of warriors who had always sought to prove themselves.
With just a single declaration, the excitement for the tournament instantly reached a whole new level. But none of the participants needed to worry about injuries or dangers in the arena—because behind them stood the great Sun God himself.
The Sun God was watching. He wanted to see the strength and determination each fighter could unleash at the brink of life and death. And even if someone fell, he could easily bring them back, perhaps even stronger than before.
That was the mercy of a god.
That was his blessing upon mortals.
And they were ready to fight until the very end for the ninja world!
"Well, that's rare. I didn't expect my idiot of a brother to take this kind of tournament so seriously."
The tournament's atmosphere was still electric.
With the Kara Organization now fully absorbed into the Sun God Kingdom, and many of its female members having participated in the maid selection contest before choosing to start fresh in Konohagakure, Uchiha Itachi had just finished a brutal elimination match and barely secured a spot in the next round.
But the moment he got home, he was greeted by a familiar sarcastic voice.
Yet despite the mocking tone, a rare light flickered in Uchiha Itachi's eyes.
With excitement, he turned around—only to see his younger brother leaning casually against the wall.
Because there was only one person who would speak to him in that tone.
It had been a long time since he last spoke to Sasuke. Even when they had to be in the same place, they acted like strangers. In the end, it was Itachi who owed Sasuke, so he never expected anything.
But for this Ninja World Tournament, he wanted to give it his all. He wanted to join the Divine Guard and contribute his strength.
Once he broadened his perspective, he finally realized—Konoha and his clan were just small matters. A real man should be fighting the Otsutsuki!
"Don't go blind."
Sasuke casually tossed a bottle of blue eye drops to Uchiha Itachi before turning to leave. At the end of the day, Sasuke had grown within the Tsukuyomi world. He had even experienced a life where he had no older brother, only a reckless younger brother, Naruto. He had tried to understand Itachi… but ultimately failed. Still, deep inside, he had found a way to make peace with his foolish brother.
"Sasuke."
Itachi suddenly spoke, reaching out toward Sasuke's back. But his hand stopped midair, hesitating to go further.
Sasuke also stopped but only showed him his back.
"I'm sorry."
Itachi's voice trembled slightly.
"..."
But he was destined to never receive a response.
Sasuke simply waved his hand and kept walking, disappearing from Itachi's sight.
"You two are seriously stubborn."
Naruto, pretending to pass by casually, smirked as he witnessed the moment. But this time, he didn't try to force them to reconcile. Some things, some people, had to figure it out on their own. Pushing too hard would just be rude.
Still, no matter how you looked at it, today was a step forward for the brothers.
Well, the future looks promising.