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Kaito tirelessly accompanied Yūrei for several days, until it was time to depart for the moon to set up the array.
During this period, Orochimaru, for reasons unknown, managed to gain Shuten Dōji's approval.
In the end, the result was that he now possessed a modest-sized territory atop Mount Ōeyama, where he openly settled down and even managed to win over the similarly solitary snake, Karyū.
"Heh, I expected this outcome all along,"
Kaito said to Madara, who had just returned from the Land of the Dead.
However, he wasn't particularly worried about Orochimaru causing trouble for Mount Ōeyama. After all, Shuten Dōji's reputation as the King of Demons was well-earned.
"Hn,"
Madara grunted, entirely uninterested in figures like Orochimaru.
As for Izuna, just as King Enma had predicted, the man was highly interested in the position of First Assistant Officer of the Enma Palace.
Especially after Hashirama and Tobirama ventured into the Land of the Dead with the intention of competing for one of the ten seats among the Ten Kings of the Underworld, Izuna immediately accepted the offer.
Thus, he naturally remained in the Land of the Dead.
The "Recruitment Conference" of the Underworld was now in full swing, and as the newly appointed First Assistant Officer, Izuna was likely overwhelmingly busy.
"Let's go," Madara urged.
"Alright, we're leaving now!" Kaito waved one last time to Yūrei before disappearing alongside Madara in a flash of golden light.
...
Moon Castle.
The array in the grand hall finally lit up, and Kaito and Madara materialized within it.
"They're here!!" Suigetsu, who had been guarding the hall alone, shouted excitedly. "Lord Kaito, you've finally arrived!!!"
What's going on?
Kaito stepped out of the array, looking puzzled at Suigetsu, who seemed on the verge of tears from joy.
"Grandfather Madara, Uncle."
Sasuke quickly arrived from one of the rooms.
Kaito nodded to him before pointing at Suigetsu and asking, "What's wrong with him?"
"Probably relieved he won't be getting beaten up anymore," Sasuke replied with a slightly odd expression.
After all, Suigetsu had become the weakest member of their team.
Naturally, he stood no chance against Sasuke or Neji, and when sparring with Karin, he couldn't afford to get too serious.
The team had been on the moon for over two months now, and out of boredom, they often engaged in practice matches. Suigetsu was the one who ended up on the receiving end of the most beatings.
"Is that so?"
Kaito wasn't particularly interested; he had only asked casually.
By then, Neji and Karin had also arrived, greeting Kaito and Madara respectfully.
"Hello,"
Kaito nodded to them as well before immediately turning his attention to the array laid out on the hall's floor.
"There's not much time left before the promised deadline. We must hurry to reconstruct the array."
With that, he began dismantling the small-scale array that could only accommodate a handful of people.
"The official teleportation array must account for wartime security. It seems we'll need to carefully consider its placement as well."
Kaito stood up and pondered for a moment.
"Ah, the location where the Ōtsutsuki clan previously set up the large-scale Tenseigan device should be suitable."
Thus, the group exited the castle and traversed a winding passageway until they reached the Tenseigan Chamber.
"Well then, let's begin,"
Kaito formed a one-handed seal and summoned twelve paper clone shikigami from his sleeve in one go.
...
Seven days later, a large-scale interlinked teleportation array took shape.
At the center of the array hovered a massive seven-meter-tall Dragon Vein crystal. Across the broad floor, intricate and elegant charm patterns and lines formed a grand pentagram.
Encircling the pentagram were five circular patterns, with the five points of the pentagram aligning perfectly with the centers of these circles.
At the center of each circular pattern, the characters for "Fire," "Wind," "Lightning," "Earth," and "Water" were inscribed, corresponding to the five teleportation arrays constructed within the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
Above each character, a two-meter-tall large Ryūmyaku crystal hovered.
As Kaito and his paper clones joined forces, slamming their hands onto the ground in unison, the entire array gradually ignited.
The one large and five smaller, yet still substantial, Ryūmyaku crystals began to glow with an even more brilliant golden radiance.
"With this, it will soon be ready for use,"
Kaito stood up and formed another one-handed seal.
Five of the paper clones began to alter their appearances simultaneously.
Their attire changed from the traditional black Uchiha garments, identical to Kaito's, to uniform white kari-ginu (formal Heian period attire for nobility and courtiers), and blank paper masks materialized on their faces.
Kaito announced clearly, "You five, I ask that you remain here from now on to oversee the teleportation array."
"Yes,"
The five white-robed paper clones immediately dispersed, each taking a position beside one of the circular arrays.
Subsequently, the characters "Fire," "Wind," "Lightning," "Earth," and "Water" materialized on their previously blank paper masks, corresponding to the array they guarded.
"Is it finally complete?" Sasuke and the others watched the magnificent array from the entrance of the Tenseigan Chamber.
Suigetsu asked, "Can we call everyone over now? I really want to feel some excitement!"
"There's still one final step remaining,"
Kaito said, walking out with the remaining paper clones.
"What? I thought it was done?" Suigetsu scratched his head.
"The teleportation array itself is complete," Kaito explained, heading directly outside. "But the protective barrier for the array hasn't been constructed yet."
"I see,"
Suigetsu immediately followed closely behind him, bombarding him with questions.
"So how long will it take to build the protective barrier?"
"Since it needs to be a permanent barrier, it will take two days," Kaito answered offhandedly.
"Really? Once the barrier is done, we can finally call everyone up here, right!"
Kaito paid him no further mind and directly commenced the barrier construction work.
...
Two days later.
Within concealed rooms inside the Kage buildings of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, the arrays on the floors simultaneously lit up with a golden light.
"It's lit up! The array is lit up!!"
"Quickly, inform the Hokage/Kazekage/Raikage/Tsuchikage/Mizukage!!"
The Anbu guards stationed by the arrays immediately sprang into action.
Before long, the Kage of each village arrived at their respective teleportation arrays, accompanied by their trusted subordinates.
"Is the advance team from Konoha ready to depart for the moon?"
Tsunade turned to ask Shizune, who stood behind her.
"Finally… it begins?" Gaara crossed his arms, staring intently at the dazzling light within the array.
"Hmph! They said three months, and it's exactly three months. How punctual!" A complained somewhat irritably.
"The shinobi world… How will it develop from here? I can no longer clearly see the future," Ōnoki seemed weighed down by concerns.
"Another joint shinobi world operation begins. Kiri is prepared!"
'I wonder if I can find a handsome man from another village to marry while I'm at it?' Mei Terumī fiddled with the hair framing her face.
Finally…
The golden light within the arrays gradually faded. The five Kage all looked towards the center of their respective arrays.
As the light vanished, five identical letters lay quietly at the center of the teleportation arrays in the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
Written upon them were the words—[To Be Opened by the Hokage/Kazekage/Raikage/Tsuchikage/Mizukage].