3/5
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"Kitahara-kun!?"
Hinata froze—but didn't resist.
"You too—go in first."
With a pull of his left hand, Kitahara Kaede opened a spatial rift and gently pushed Hinata into it.
"The situation's a little off. You two stay in there for now."
Kaede poked his head into the gap and said this before withdrawing.
Thus—
Inside Heavenly Imperial Middle...
Shukaku held his breath. The ninja bunny was spacing out. Hinata, who suddenly arrived, looked equally confused.
But Kitahara Kaede quickly pulled his head back out and stepped out of the Hyuga clan's guest room.
Only now did everyone realize Kaede had exited.
Outside, a commotion had begun.
"Who are you?"
"You… you bastard…"
"That eye…"
"Byakugan…"
"No… not quite…"
"But…"
It turned out that Hiashi, Hizashi, and the entire Hyuga clan had already surrounded a man cloaked in dark green chakra.
This strange green-clad figure gave off an uncanny aura. Everyone was encircling him—but he didn't attack. Instead, he spoke with a lofty, superior tone.
"Hyuga clan… Clan Leader. I have no wish to fight you."
"Our branch on the Moon has already been completely wiped out."
"I offer you one final chance."
"You are my kin—so I offer you a path. Come to the Moon. There, you will witness the birth of a new era."
"If you refuse… then both your Main and Branch families will face total annihilation."
"…" Hiashi's eyes narrowed. "Where did this unlucky bastard come from?"
"We—the Hyuga—have always stood with Konoha. You think we'd follow you?"
With the corner of his eye, Hiashi had already noticed Kitahara Kaede stepping outside.
From observing the behavior of Second Hokage - Tobirama, Hiashi had already concluded—Kitahara Kaede was very likely the next leader of the village… no, the next Hokage.
Being poached by someone else right in front of the future Hokage? Utter humiliation.
Loyalty needed to be reaffirmed.
And that had always been the Hyuga clan's stance in the past.
"Exactly…"
"Whether Main House or Branch House—our Hyuga Clan has always belonged to Konoha."
"We would never betray Konoha," Hizashi said as well.
He had already heard the full story from Neji. As expected, it all aligned—Hiashi had let Neji learn the Main House's secret techniques.
That, at least, was a comforting outcome for his death.
Also—
Unlike the Uchiha, the Hyuga clan had always been obedient.
They took pride in their own way of life.
So betrayal was never in the picture.
When the Elders told Hizashi he had to die in Hiashi's place, he didn't resist. His only resistance was this:
He believed his death wasn't a sacrifice—it was a choice he made for his brother.
"Big Brother, I'm an Edo Tensei body now. Don't worry—I'll attack first!"
Hizashi launched the first strike.
Though the Branch House lacked access to many advanced Hyuga techniques, he still knew the basic Gentle Fist.
"Pointless," said Ōtsutsuki Toneri emotionlessly.
He simply raised a hand, and Edo-Tensei Hizashi's body was wrapped in glowing green chakra—completely immobilized.
"Your clan's bloodline is too thin," Toneri said. "It's nothing compared to mine."
"However…"
"I do need Hyuga Hanabi's eye."
"Right now…"
"I only have one. I need the other."
Only now did everyone notice—Toneri's left eye socket was empty, while the right eye held a Tenseigan.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: What is this guy?
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: He feels super strong.
[Senju Tobirama]: Mhm...
[Senju Tobirama]: I've never seen a person fully covered in green before.
[Senju Tobirama]: Creepy as hell.
[Senju Tobirama]: If I'm not mistaken, that green stuff is chakra.
[Senju Tobirama]: So much chakra it's overflowing and coating his body.
[Senju Tobirama]: Nine Tails, his chakra isn't any less than yours.
[Nine Tails - Kurama]: …
[Nine Tails - Kurama]: Why drag me into this? You should be comparing him to Senju Hashirama.
[Nine Tails - Kurama]: His chakra isn't weaker than mine either.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: Oh? That so?
[Nine Tails - Kurama]: …That wasn't a compliment, you idiot.
[Minato Namikaze]: It's kinda like the Sage Mode chakra cloak from Mount Myōboku… but different.
[Minato Namikaze]: This feels more like pure chakra overflow. No clue how he stores so much.
[Kakashi Hatake]: Is he that strong?
[Minato Namikaze]: Very.
Minato nodded.
[Beep!]
[Future Mizukage - Mei Terumi has come online]
[Future Mizukage - Mei Terumi]: I've never seen him before—but I think this guy's done for.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: Oh hey, Mizukage, you're back online?
[Future Mizukage - Mei Terumi]: Mhm… had some things to finish, but I'm free now.
[Future Mizukage - Mei Terumi]: So I dropped in to check the chat.
[Beep!]
[Most Dutiful Son - Black Zetsu has come online]
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: Oh, Black Zetsu-san! You're here too?
[Most Dutiful Son - Black Zetsu]: …
[Most Dutiful Son - Black Zetsu]: Where's Kaede's ninja bunny?
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: He tossed it into the Heavenly Imperial Middle space right away.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: Oh, and he also tossed in Hyuga Hinata.
[Most Dutiful Son - Black Zetsu]: Good stuff.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: So, Zetsu-san, got any intel on that green guy?
[Most Dutiful Son - Black Zetsu]: …
[Most Dutiful Son - Black Zetsu]: Yeah, I've got something.
[Most Dutiful Son - Black Zetsu]: That guy's a descendant of Ōtsutsuki Hamura.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: Ōtsutsuki Hamura?
Hashirama felt like that name rang a bell.
But Tobirama had no patience left.
[Senju Tobirama]: That's the Sage of Six Paths' younger brother, you idiot. I told you to read more.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: Eh...
[Minato Namikaze]: Zetsu-san, can you explain in more detail?
[Most Dutiful Son - Black Zetsu]: Hamura was the younger brother of the Sage of Six Paths. But unlike his brother, he led his people to the Moon.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: The Moon!? That Moon!?
[Most Dutiful Son - Black Zetsu]: Yep, the one in the sky. Over the past thousand years, Hamura's descendants slowly vanished—leaving only one survivor: Ōtsutsuki Toneri.
[Most Dutiful Son - Black Zetsu]: Since he's the last of his line, he's gone a little mad. His only goal now is to stand at the pinnacle.
[Most Dutiful Son - Black Zetsu]: Then destroy the ninja world. And remake it.
[Most Dutiful Son - Black Zetsu]: In short, he came here to wipe out everything.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: What the heck...
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: There's stuff like this going on?
[Most Dutiful Son - Black Zetsu]: It's been a thousand years of war in the ninja world. He probably got fed up watching from the Moon. Felt like the Sage didn't really bring peace.
[Most Dutiful Son - Black Zetsu]: So he wants a reset.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: But...
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: That kind of thing...
[Senju Tobirama]: Is something I absolutely won't allow.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: Whoa, Tobirama, why are you so fired up?
[Senju Tobirama]: Isn't it obvious? Konoha finally recovered, we're on the verge of real peace—and then this lunatic shows up trying to erase everything.
[Senju Tobirama]: Who would ever accept that?
[Minato Namikaze]: Same here. Naruto's just beginning to live a good life. I won't let anyone destroy that.
[Cowardly - Ōnoki]: So this guy really came to end the world?
[Cowardly - Ōnoki]: My Iwagakure's barely hanging on, and now he wants to destroy everything? I refuse!
[Timid Second Tsuchikage - Mū]: …
[Timid Second Tsuchikage - Mū]: Ōnoki's thoughts are mine as well.
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FF92E
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