More and more black starlight gathered around him, swirling until it finally fused into Kaito's body. The black light that had condensed in his hand vanished without a trace, completely absorbed within him.
As the last of the spiritual pressure faded, the suction in his mind eased, and the chaotic spiritual body he had been struggling with slowly began to purify. Kaito allowed a small, satisfied smile to cross his face as he opened his eyes.
Outside, Tsunade's eyes widened in disbelief—not at him directly, but at the strange, shifting form in Kaito's palm.
The once-scarlet, three-tomoe Sharingan had melted into a pool of liquid, hovering in his hand like blood-red water.
"This… this is! What's happening to that Sharingan?" Tsunade demanded, pointing at the strange liquid in horror.
Kaito glanced at the substance indifferently and shrugged. "I absorbed it. What else would I do with it?" With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the liquid to the ground, unconcerned.
Tsunade's mouth twitched, her jaw tightening as though she were about to explode with frustration.
Seeing her reaction, Kaito's expression shifted from careless to solemn. His tone deepened.
"In the ninja world, aside from the basic five chakra natures, there are two deeper elements—yin and yang release. You should know this much."
Tsunade nodded slowly, her eyes narrowing.
Yin Release was derived from spiritual energy—its greatest symbols being the Uchiha's Sharingan and the Hyuga's Byakugan. Yang Release stemmed from physical vitality, seen most strongly in clans such as the Uzumaki and the Senju. Their bodies carried natural power from the moment they were born.
The famed Wood Style of the Senju was, at its core, simply an advanced application of Yang Release.
Kaito's words made Tsunade's chest tighten. "Impossible…!" she gasped. The Wood Style had always been the Senju clan's most sacred bloodline limit. To hear it described so plainly as a mere extension of Yang Release was nothing short of blasphemy.
After a long moment, her brows furrowed. "So you used Yin Release to absorb the Sharingan's spiritual energy?"
Kaito tilted his head. "More or less."
Her frown deepened. "And what happens if you master both Yin and Yang Release completely?"
Kaito's lips curled. "Creation itself. The ability to turn the impossible into reality. Imagine you lost your eyes—true mastery of Yin-Yang Release would allow you to recreate them from nothing."
Tsunade blinked, stunned. "Are you insane? That's absurd!"
"Of course, it's only possible at the very peak of the art," Kaito explained. He paused, then decided she needed to understand more if she was going to grasp the weight of what was coming.
"I discovered an ancient record during the Third Great Ninja War," he began.
"An ancient record?" Tsunade repeated, her frown returning.
"It told the story of the Sage of Six Paths."
At the name, her eyes sharpened. "The Sage of Six Paths…?"
Kaito ignored her interruption and continued.
The Sage had founded ninjutsu and, before his death, had two sons—Indra and Ashura.
The elder, Indra, inherited the Sage's eyes and incredible talent. Proud and gifted, he was much like Uchiha Madara.
The younger, Ashura, inherited the Sage's body. Though he lacked natural talent, he possessed kindness, perseverance, and the ability to bond with others. In temperament, he was much like Hashirama Senju.
Indra, arrogant and dismissive of others, grew increasingly resentful when he saw his younger brother admired for his compassion.
When the Sage sought to choose a successor, he tested his sons. Indra completed the trial on his own strength, while Ashura succeeded only with the help of those around him.
In the end, the Sage chose Ashura as his heir.
Indra's fury boiled over. Refusing to accept the decision, he turned to force, and the brothers fought. Though Indra's strength was immense, Ashura's perseverance allowed him to match and finally overcome him. Ashura inherited his father's mantle, while Indra, defeated, swore eternal vengeance. His descendants, he vowed, would oppose Ashura's forever.
"Don't tell me…" Tsunade whispered, realization dawning in her eyes.
Kaito smiled faintly. "Exactly. The Uchiha clan descends from Indra. The Senju, and later the Uzumaki, descend from Ashura. The eternal conflict between your clans isn't coincidence—it's the blood of your ancestors driving you."
Her breath caught.
"And when Indra and Ashura died, their chakra didn't vanish. It reincarnated into worthy descendants again and again. Their conflict never ended. In fact…" Kaito paused, watching Tsunade closely, "the most recent reincarnations were none other than Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara."
"What?!" Tsunade staggered back in shock. "Grandfather and Madara?"
Her voice trembled. The thought that her own grandfather had been bound to such a cycle shook her to her core.
"That's not all," Kaito continued. "There was another truth recorded. This is also why Akatsuki is hunting the tailed beasts."
Tsunade's body stiffened. "Tell me!"
"They want to gather all the tailed beasts. Together, their power can forge something beyond imagination. A weapon of destruction."
She swallowed, remembering Jiraiya's warning—that Akatsuki planned to create a terrifying weapon that could annihilate entire towns in a single strike. But what Kaito was saying hinted at something far older…
"Yes," he said. "The origins go back a thousand years—perhaps even further, before the Sage himself."
Tsunade's eyes widened. "A thousand years ago…?"
Kaito nodded. "Back then, humanity was lost in endless war. Bloodshed was constant. And then… the divine tree appeared. A towering tree that reached to the heavens."
He fell silent for a moment, his voice lowering as though speaking of something sacred.
"From the skies descended a woman. Cold and mysterious, she stood by the divine tree. People called her its messenger."
_____
Milestone,
100 Power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter