The ninja world.
Just like how the ninjas on Earth had no idea how many times they had narrowly avoided total destruction, this night was just another peaceful night for them.
To them, the only new topic of conversation was the battle between Uchiha Madara and Indra. They marveled at the power of ninjas.
But in reality, peace never comes without a cost. The only reason they could enjoy such tranquility was because someone else was carrying the burden for them.
Whether it was the Otsutsuki from beyond the stars or the schemers within the ninja world, there were always people working in the shadows to deal with them.
Hyuga Hitoshi had long known about Rikudou Sennin and his two resurrected, unfortunate sons. He was also aware of the problems with Mount Myoboku. Dealing with the conspirators of the ninja world was never difficult for him.
But this was also a test for the subordinates he had gathered. He wanted to see how much they could achieve on their own. After all, if he had to handle everything himself, what was the point of establishing the Sun God Kingdom?
Yes.
Mount Myoboku's plan had already failed before it even began. Back at the Six Paths Arena during the ninja world tournament, Nagato had noticed something off about Indra and the team leader from Mount Myoboku. He had left surveillance measures in place.
In reality, whether it was Gamamaru from Mount Myoboku or Rikudou Sennin, who had returned from the Pure Land, they had all underestimated the true power of the Sun God Kingdom.
What they had seen was merely the power of the Sun God Seal created by Hyuga Hitoshi—the visible difference in strength. But they had severely underestimated the hidden aspects, like the technological advancements and the structured system of the Sun God Kingdom.
This was especially true for the elite guards, all of whom had mastered the Eight Gates, and the Akatsuki members led by Nagato, responsible for maintaining order and preventing future threats in the ninja world.
In addition, there was the dedicated team of personal secretaries who had spent years honing their skills. Because of these departments, Hyuga Hitoshi could afford to step back, focus on choosing a queen, and fully concentrate on dealing with the Otsutsuki clan.
The ninja world was nothing like the Earth where Hyuga Hitoshi once lived.
Even though he scoffed at the darkness of the villages and the corruption of the ninja world, he still admired the people who lived here.
Whether it was a simple villain or an ordinary citizen, everyone in this world had their own beliefs and was willing to fight for their ideals.
They were nothing like the office workers from his past life—trapped in a cycle with no end in sight, pretending to live while following a path already set for them.
Because of this difference, once Hyuga Hitoshi understood the nature of this world, he had no trouble entrusting important tasks to his subordinates.
There was no need to worry about them abusing their power. After all, you would never have to worry about someone like Senju Hashirama embezzling construction funds—that was a man who would rather gamble away his own salary.
Nor would you have to fear Uchiha Madara cutting corners on a construction project.
Of course, not everyone in the ninja world was trustworthy.
That was why Hyuga Hitoshi created the Limited Tsukuyomi World.
With his unique Byakugan, he could see the paths people had taken in life. He could confidently trust the right people.
That was why he could proudly say—
He had an incredible team.
Just like now.
Nagato withdrew his gaze from Jiraiya and, without hesitation, declared Rikudou Sennin and Gamamaru guilty.
Yet, Jiraiya's face was still filled with confusion.
He had no idea why Nagato showed up here so punctually. Could it be that the intel he sent to Orochimaru on a schedule was triggered early, and that bastard Orochimaru warned Nagato to come and assist?
"This one."
But now was clearly not the time to ask about this, and Nagato had no intention of explaining. After all, he wasn't here because Jiraiya had warned him to investigate Mount Myoboku—he had discovered the problem himself. As the leader of the organization under the Divine Kingdom responsible for handling these matters, his presence here was simply him doing his duty.
Yet, even though Nagato had already declared Gamamaru and Otsutsuki Hagoromo guilty, these two old schemers were still trying to struggle.
Plead guilty?
That was absolutely impossible!
Both the Sage of Six Paths and Gamamaru had to admit that starting a conflict with the people of the Sun God Kingdom in this situation was not a wise move.
So...
"Honorable envoy of the Sun God Kingdom, I believe there is a misunderstanding between us."
The same Gamamaru who had been utterly indifferent to life—who could even order the Sage of Wisdom to kill his own partner—now looked like a completely different being. His face was full of humility as he addressed the Sun God Kingdom's envoy.
There was only one reason for this.
Both Gamamaru and Hagoromo knew exactly what Nagato's position was in the Sun God Kingdom. Calling him Hyuga Hitoshi's right-hand man, or even a loyal hound, wouldn't be an exaggeration.
So dealing with someone like this required a different approach.
"I'm merely handling family affairs in Mount Myoboku, dealing with traitors in my own domain. This shouldn't have anything to do with the laws of the Sun God, should it?"
Gamamaru coughed lightly, subtly emphasizing the authority of those laws.
After all, as someone under the Sun God's rule, Nagato was bound to follow the laws approved by His Holiness. Otherwise, how would he maintain order?
What Gamamaru and Hagoromo didn't realize was that Nagato had been standing above them for quite some time now. He had been listening ever since they discussed using Edo Tensei to endanger the shinobi world. He already had undeniable proof of their crimes, yet they were still trying to argue their way out.
"His Holiness the Sun God has personally stated that places like Mount Myoboku and the various shinobi villages have autonomy. Surely, you agree with that, Lord Envoy? Declaring us guilty unilaterally would also damage His Holiness's reputation—"
This was a classic move—standing on the moral high ground and using Hyuga Hitoshi's own words to block Nagato's actions.
It was, in a way, a strategy for dealing with one's own people. The late Third Hokage of Konoha had been particularly skilled at this approach, and now it was clear where he had learned it from. Gamamaru was playing this game just as well.
You had to admit, this kind of tactic could be quite effective at times.
Unfortunately—
It only worked under one condition: that the person being pressured actually considered you one of their own. That they saw you as an indispensable part of their world, and thus tolerated the damage caused by this tactic.
But Nagato?
He had never considered these schemers, these enemies of the Sun God Kingdom, as his own.
"You just said... this is your domain?"
Tilting his head slightly, Nagato suddenly asked.
Wasn't it?
Gamamaru and the Sage of Six Paths exchanged glances and both nodded.
This was Mount Myoboku—one of the three great sacred lands of the shinobi world, a place hidden within a barrier and passed down for thousands of years. How could it not be theirs?
"Then, it no longer is."
With a solemn expression, Nagato summoned a flag of the Sun God Kingdom from the void. When the flag—bearing the golden crest of the Hyuga Clan and an engraved golden Tenseigan—was planted firmly into the ground beneath him, he took a deep breath and spoke.
His Holiness the Sun God had taught them:
All land beneath the heavens belongs to the gods.
If the god says this land is yours, then it is.
If the god says it isn't, then it can be taken back at any time.
No one could exploit loopholes in the Sun God's rule.
Autonomy?
What a joke. Only arrogant fools like those in Mount Myoboku would actually believe in such nonsense!
Didn't they see how the snakes of Ryuchi Cave had long since submitted? Ever since the Three Goddesses married His Holiness the Sun God, their entire homeland had changed. They no longer ate humans, replacing their diet with meat alternatives developed by the Sun God's research department.
Of course, for the snake clan, eating humans wasn't just about taste—it was also about balanced nutrition. But with new substitutes, they had found a win-win solution.
And yet, despite everything, those snakes were still far more sensible than these toads.
"Then, what you're saying is—"
Gamamaru narrowed his eyes, finally realizing that something was wrong. As cunning as he was, he could now see that Nagato had no intention of resolving this peacefully—or even negotiating at all.
"Enough. At this point, what's the use in talking?"
Just then, Indra and Asura finally stepped forward. Their chaotic souls rarely allowed them moments of clarity, and today, after being humiliated by Uchiha Madara, Indra's mind was already on the verge of short-circuiting.
Even without his father's permission, Indra spoke up. He looked at Nagato with pride and patted his chest.
"I know Uchiha Madara from your organization. Give me some respect and let this go. Keep Jiraiya locked up for a few days, then release him. It'll be better for both you and us."
Asura, standing beside him, was completely shocked.
No other reason.
Since when did his arrogant brother start treating the man who defeated him as an honor to mention? And even use it to build connections?
Big brother, this makes us look weak, okay?
Weren't you furious before because Uchiha Madara defeated you?
This change in attitude is a bit too much, don't you think?
And what am I supposed to say after this?
Thinking it over, Asura decided not to play along with his brother this time. Instead, both he and their father, Rikudou Sennin, stayed silent, fully aware of the situation unfolding before them.
This was no longer about the sovereignty of Mount Myoboku. It was about whether Nagato planned to let them go—or worse, if the Sun God Kingdom had already uncovered their schemes. The fact that Nagato had arrived unnoticed proved they had no way of detecting his infiltration.
For all they knew, he had been eavesdropping on their entire discussion about sabotaging the Great Ninja Tournament and only revealed himself when Jiraiya was about to be killed.
"Sigh."
Rikudou Sennin, a man who had played both sides of a thousand-year-long game against himself, took a deep breath as his intelligence took over once more.
"Looks like there's no way to settle this peacefully."
Nagato's attitude said it all—he had come here waving the Sun God Kingdom's banner.
This was an unmistakable signal for Gamamaru to prepare for battle. But the toad truly did not want to openly clash with the Sun God Kingdom.
Why?
Because Rikudou Sennin could retreat to the Pure Land if his plans fell apart. As a soul, going back there was no different from returning home.
But what about Gamamaru?
There was no "Toad Spirit" waiting for him in the Pure Land. If he died, he'd probably lose his memories and be thrown straight into the Animal Realm!
No matter how he looked at it, dying as a toad left his future filled with uncertainty.
So, without hesitation, Gamamaru's eyes flashed with determination as he pointed his webbed hand directly at Rikudou Sennin.
"It was all his idea! He wanted to use Edo Tensei to disrupt the Great Ninja Tournament and create chaos so Indra could seize power!"
"Yes! He also told me to spread the idea that His Majesty the Sun God was the source of all disaster in the ninja world! Everything I did was because of him!"
Gamamaru didn't hesitate to throw all the blame onto Rikudou Sennin, covering him in accusations. But the sage had no time to be angry about that—he was too stunned, staring at Gamamaru in disbelief.
What the hell was this old toad talking about?!
Wasn't it always Gamamaru who came up with the plans, while he simply carried them out?
"You're full of shit! I should've known you'd betray me!"
Rikudou Sennin's face twisted in rage as he reached out, clearly losing his composure over Gamamaru's sudden betrayal.
"He even tried to pin everything on Lord Danzo!"
But Gamamaru didn't care. He spilled every last detail of their plot, placing the blame solely on Rikudou Sennin. And when he saw that Nagato remained completely calm, showing no surprise or doubt, the panicked toad decided to unleash his final weapon.
"He is Otsutsuki Hagoromo! The legendary Rikudou Sennin! The same disgraceful, unfilial son who sealed away Lady Kaguya! Yes, it was all his doing!"
What a show.
The tables had turned so fast—going from prisoner to spectator in the blink of an eye—just because his student had arrived.
Jiraiya, who had finally managed to stand up, looked at the scene with mixed emotions, unsure what to feel.
The Great Toad Sage, whom he had once deeply respected, had completely fallen from grace.
Glancing at Nagato, Jiraiya opened his mouth as if to warn his student not to be fooled by Gamamaru. After all, he had proof that Gamamaru had been plotting to sabotage the Great Ninja Tournament.
But.
His student didn't seem to need the warning.
And just the same, his student didn't seem to find this scene amusing.
Of course.
While His Majesty the Sun God—while Hyuga Hitoshi, that admirable man—was planning the future of the ninja world, standing at the forefront to prevent a disaster that could overturn the world and destroy the planet...
This was what was happening in the background.
A fight between dogs might be entertaining, but from Nagato's perspective, it was nothing but disgusting.
As a devoted follower of the Sun God, he knew exactly what His Holiness had done for the ninja world. He had no sympathy for people who revealed their true nature in times of crisis.
Seeing this scene only made Nagato feel that he hadn't done enough—he should have discovered these parasites threatening the ninja world much earlier.
What Nagato didn't know was that this was merely one of the methods His Holiness used to train his subordinates.
In the real world, there was no such thing as lasting peace. If the ninja world was to have stability, someone like Nagato was essential. Hyuga Hitoshi couldn't keep watch over the ninja world at all times—his true enemies were the Otsutsuki. The parasites of the ninja world wouldn't always be dealt with by Gamamaru or the Sage of Six Paths, so controlled training like this was necessary.
Nagato could be indifferent and even sneer at them tearing each other apart.
But.
He was actually the Sage of Six Paths.
He was Otsutsuki Hagoromo!
Not only was he a participant in this Great Ninja World Tournament, but he was also the sinner who had sealed away Divine Princess Kaguya and the Lunar Goddess!
There was nothing more to say—his crimes were even worse than Gamamaru's!
Anyone who threatened His Holiness or those around Him was unforgivable.
As the leader of "Akatsuki," a special organization under His Holiness, Nagato had a duty to capture such criminals and bring them before His Holiness, so they could apologize to Divine Princess Kaguya.
Finally.
Upon hearing the Sage of Six Paths' true identity, even someone as cold and machine-like as Nagato showed a slight emotional reaction.
Although the reaction was brief and barely noticeable, for experts, even a moment's distraction was enough.
And in that split second, Indra and Asura finally stopped hesitating, while the controlled giant toads swung their weapons in perfect sync, smashing down on their targets.
Yes.
Everything had been planned just to make Nagato lose focus.
The cooperation between Gamamaru and the Sage of Six Paths had started a thousand years ago. Once they realized that persuasive talk was useless and internal martial arts were completely ineffective, Gamamaru knew there was no way this could end peacefully. Their only chance was to take down Nagato as fast as possible, kill Jiraiya, and escape as far as they could—survival was their top priority. For them, that was the best option.
But even with that plan, dealing with Nagato required extreme caution. They had witnessed him at full power in the Land of Rain, and that terrifying strength was from years ago. There was no telling how much stronger he had become since then.
So, if they wanted a surefire kill, distracting Nagato was a must.
To ensure that, even after Indra and Asura launched a close-range attack together, the Sage of Six Paths and Gamamaru weren't satisfied—they also commanded a group of toads to attack without holding back, making sure Nagato wouldn't have a chance to retaliate. Even if Indra and Asura got caught in the attack, it didn't matter!
Boom!
A terrifying shockwave erupted from the center of the ambush, spreading in all directions. In that instant, all of Mount Myoboku trembled.
Uchiha Madara had been right—once someone reached the Six Paths level, they were no longer in the same league as ordinary ninjas. Power wasn't just about the size of chakra-based attacks. Even without external techniques like Susano'o, they could still unleash an overwhelming force.
This was a combined assault from Asura and Indra. In a world where high attack and low defense were the norm—where even elite Kage-level ninjas could die from injuries, and Six Paths-level warriors could succumb to old age—they believed no one could survive this kind of attack, especially since Nagato hadn't activated the Sun God Seal.
After a long while, the terrifying tremors finally subsided.
Standing atop the mountain using his sage power, the Sage of Six Paths stared nervously at the battlefield below, not daring to miss a single detail.
Regardless of the outcome of the ambush, they could no longer stay on Mount Myoboku. Especially Gamamaru—his face had gone pale. He had no idea where he could even run.
The ninja world was vast, but most of it was under the control of the Sun God Kingdom. Hiding and surviving wouldn't be easy. Perhaps the ruins of Root Village…
But that wasn't the main issue.
The real problem was that the Mount Myoboku he had spent a thousand years building was now completely destroyed!
Gamamaru swore that if he survived, he would use the pathway to the Pure Land and revive an army of the dead with Edo Tensei, teaching the ninja world a lesson they would never forget!
But as the dust settled, when he saw several figures standing atop the controlled toads, when he saw Nagato stepping on Indra and Asura's corpses, looking up at the sky…
Gamamaru realized, in utter despair, that even his last hope was gone.
"Hahaha, and here I thought our leader didn't need us to step in."
Hoshigaki Kisame stood with his Samehada blade in one hand, pressing his foot down on Gamaken. He grinned, revealing his jagged teeth.
"This is a team mission. The leader is just giving us a chance to show off."
Zabuza adjusted the bandages around his face as he sat inside a high-tech mech, one large enough to rival Gamabunta. Skillfully operating the Gundam crafted by Master Sasori, he packed up the toads before pointing his sword toward the sky.
Akatsuki was never just about Nagato. It was just that most of their previous missions hadn't required the whole team.
But this time was different.
This was a major crime—an attempt to disrupt the Great Ninja World Tournament. With the enemy's strength unknown, Nagato had brought most of the Akatsuki members along, fully prepared for battle.
That's also why Kisame and the others showed up.
Besides.
Nagato silently ran his hand over the Sun God Seal. When an ancient-looking longsword suddenly descended from the void and landed in his hand, a realization flashed in his eyes.
It seemed there was some kind of spirit involved in this mission, and even Edo Tensei had been mentioned. He had reported this before the mission even started. And this seemingly "ordinary" divine weapon—this was the key to dealing with spirits!
Raising the sword high, the battle began once again.
But this time, under Jiraiya's stunned gaze, the fight ended in a strange and unexpectedly quick manner.
It wasn't until the tightly bound Gamamaru and the Rikudou Sennin, pinned to the ground by a light strike, were thrown down in front of him that he finally snapped out of his disbelief.
Yes.
A conspiracy against the Shinobi World Tournament, against the Sun God Kingdom, against the entire shinobi world—just like that, it was over.
"So, this is why you wasted my time and called me here for backup?"
With everything settled, the long-haired, glasses-wearing chief of the Snake Division, dressed in a white coat, finally arrived, albeit late. Looking quite striking as he descended from the sky, he listened to Jiraiya's report, then shot him a look of disdain.
In the end, she had rushed here for nothing.