Ten years later, Shanks stood alone within a different dimension, taking a slow, deep breath. The world around him was vast and silent, filled with towering plateaus and barren land that had long since become the witness to his relentless training.
A black sphere slowly formed above his open palm, floating steadily in the air. It continuously shifted and transmuted, its shape changing with every passing moment. Before long, the sphere completed its transformation, taking the form of an entirely black sword.
Shanks wrapped his hand around its hilt, and the moment he did, his entire arm turned pitch black under the coating of Armament Haki. Instantly, violent lightning burst into existence around the blade. Red lightning crackled wildly across its surface before spreading around his entire body.
His crimson hair fluttered violently despite the stillness of the dimension as the red bolts danced around him like countless furious serpents.
Without any unnecessary movements, Shanks casually swung his sword.
The seemingly effortless slash unleashed a terrifying flying sword strike that was completely black. It didn't resemble an ordinary sword slash. It looked like a tear carved directly into space itself, leaving behind a pitch-black trail as though everything along its path had been erased rather than cut.
The slash shot forward at an unimaginable speed.
A moment later—
Boom!
An earth-shaking explosion echoed throughout the entire dimension.
The flying slash struck a massive plateau in the distance, and in the next instant, the enormous landform vanished completely. It wasn't merely split apart or shattered. It had been utterly obliterated, as though it had never existed in the first place.
When the dust finally settled, the only evidence that the plateau had ever stood there was an enormous crater stretching across the landscape.
Shanks remained standing calmly.
Then, an overwhelming pressure erupted from his body.
Boom!
A vast wave of Conqueror's Haki burst outward in every direction, causing the surrounding space to tremble faintly. The already raging red lightning around him intensified even further before shooting upward toward the heavens.
The crimson lightning pierced into the dark clouds that had begun forming immediately after Shanks released his Conqueror's Haki.
Within moments, the entire sky turned pitch black.
The red lightning spread throughout the enormous storm clouds, illuminating them from within as thunder continuously rumbled across the dimension. The clouds expanded farther and farther until they seemed to blanket the entire world.
Darkness swallowed everything.
The sunlight that had once illuminated the dimension disappeared completely beneath the endless storm.
Soon after, crimson lightning began descending from the heavens one strike after another.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Each bolt slammed into the ground with devastating force, leaving behind gigantic craters wherever it landed. The destructive power contained within every single lightning strike was terrifying. Even a powerful Kage-level powerhouse would be killed instantly if struck directly by one of them.
The entire dimension echoed endlessly beneath the relentless storm.
After allowing the phenomenon to continue for a while, Shanks slowly let out a long breath.
As he exhaled, the overwhelming aura pouring from his body gradually faded away. The violent pressure disappeared as though it had never existed.
At the same time, the black sword in his hand began dissolving into countless black particles before vanishing completely.
The storm clouds still covered the sky, and red lightning continued to flicker within them from time to time, but no more lightning descended upon the land.
Shanks slowly clenched his fist, feeling the tremendous power now flowing through his body.
A faint smile appeared on his face as he muttered, "Thanks to my fight with Madara, I have grown a lot stronger than I was before. Now, if I fight Madara again, then I can defeat him within three to five moves, even if Madara is at his peak."
After saying that, Shanks looked across the devastated dimension.
Everywhere his eyes landed, scars of destruction covered the landscape. Freshly created craters stretched across the ground, while countless older ones remained from previous training sessions. Mountains had disappeared, valleys had widened, and entire sections of the terrain had been permanently reshaped.
After all, he thought, this is my personal training ground. Many of the techniques I've developed over the years simply can't be practiced in the real world. If I were to unleash attacks of this level outside this dimension, entire regions would be devastated. There would hardly be a day without earthquakes or catastrophic destruction following in their wake. Because of that, I have to conduct all of my true training here, within this isolated dimension where I can fight without restraint and continue pushing the limits of my strength.
Shanks casually threw a side punch into the empty air.
The space beside his fist instantly distorted.
Crack—
A long tear split open in the fabric of space itself, revealing a dark rift that silently hovered beside him. The dimensional crack widened just enough for a person to pass through.
Without the slightest hesitation, Shanks stepped forward and walked into the tear.
The dimensional rift closed behind him as though it had never existed.
Moments later...
Inside Uzushiogakure, within the Uzumaki Clan Compound, another tear in space silently opened inside Shanks' private office.
Shanks stepped out of the dimensional rift and, as soon as his feet touched the floor, the tear sealed itself behind him.
The office remained exactly as he had left it before his training session. Without wasting a single moment, Shanks walked toward his desk and calmly sat in his chair.
He slowly closed his eyes and entered meditation.
This had become part of his daily routine over the past several years.
Every day, after completing his training in the isolated dimension, he would return to Uzushiogakure and spend time meditating. It wasn't ordinary meditation meant to recover his body or calm his mind. Instead, he was making full use of his God's View ability, peering into possible future.
I have to constantly search for signs of danger, he resolved internally. The world needs to be as prepared as possible for whatever catastrophe awaits it—whether it's another great war or the inevitable arrival of the Otsutsuki Clan.
Silence filled the room.
Several moments passed before Shanks finally opened his eyes.
A sharp light flashed within them.
"So... they've finally come."
His calm voice echoed through the office.
It was clear that, during his meditation, Shanks had witnessed another glimpse of the future. This time, the future was unmistakable.
The Otsutsuki Clan was finally descending upon this world.
Without delaying even a second, Shanks calmly called out,
"White Tiger."
The moment his voice fell...
A shadow silently appeared inside the room.
Almost instantly, the commander of the Shadow Guard, White Tiger, materialized before him as if he had emerged directly from the darkness itself.
He immediately knelt on one knee and respectfully lowered his head.
"What are your orders, Lord?"
Shanks looked toward him and spoke in his usual composed tone.
"Go and tell Shamrock to prepare for war. The war we've been waiting for is finally coming."
The atmosphere inside the room instantly became heavier.
Although White Tiger's face remained hidden beneath his mask, his expression had already turned solemn.
There is only one war that Lord Shanks has spent years preparing for, White Tiger realized with a jolt of anxiety. The war against the Otsutsuki Clan. If he has personally declared that the war is coming, then there is no doubt left. The enemy has finally begun their move.
Shanks added calmly,
"Three days from now... around this exact time... they'll descend directly from the sky. Tell Shamrock to be ready, and send the message to the Kages and Daimyos informing them of this war in 3 days."
White Tiger's breathing became slightly heavier.
Lowering his head even further, White Tiger replied,
"I will immediately inform Lord Uzukage."
Shanks gave a slight nod.
He was no longer the Uzukage.
Years ago, he had willingly stepped down from the position and entrusted the village to the next generation.
That responsibility now belonged to his son, Shamrock.
Shamrock has long since proven himself worthy of carrying the title, Shanks reflected with a quiet sense of pride. Even ten years ago, his strength had already reached the level where he could stand shoulder to shoulder with any Kage in the world. Now... he has become far stronger than he was back then.
Not only had his strength increased tremendously, but he had also successfully awakened the Rinnegan.
He wasn't the only one.
Uta had awakened the Rinnegan as well.
With the power of those legendary eyes, both Shamrock and Uta had reached an entirely different level of strength. Together, they had surpassed many of the older Uzumaki siblings who had once stood at the pinnacle of the clan.
White Tiger disappeared from the office as silently as he had arrived.
The next moment, he was already racing across the rooftops of Uzushiogakure.
His figure blurred from one rooftop to another, moving so quickly that an ordinary shinobi wouldn't even notice his presence.
His destination was the tallest building in the entire village.
The Uzukage Building.
After Shamrock inherited the title of Uzukage, an entirely new administrative headquarters had been constructed at the center of Uzushiogakure.
During Shanks' reign, such a building had never existed.
Back then, every decision concerning the village had been made directly from the Uzumaki Clan Compound. Shanks had governed the entire village from the office where he had just returned, handling everything personally without ever needing a separate administrative center.
Even after stepping down, he had chosen to keep that office unchanged.
Meanwhile, the newly constructed Uzukage Building became the symbol of the new era, serving as the headquarters from which Shamrock governed the village.
Times had changed.
Shanks and the older Uzumaki siblings had gradually stepped away from the front lines of administration.
They had become, as many jokingly called them, the "old guys."
Now, Shamrock, his sister Uta, and the children of the other Uzumaki siblings represented the new generation.
They stood at the forefront of the village, overseeing every major department, from administration and intelligence to military affairs.
The older generation still possessed overwhelming strength and influence, but they no longer managed the day-to-day affairs of the village.
Those responsibilities had been passed down.
For example, the army had once been commanded personally by Benimaru.
Now, that position belonged to Benimaru's own son, who had inherited the title of General and now led Uzushiogakure's military as the next generation carried the village forward.