When Chiri's battle finally concluded, Tsunade had only just begun her Dance of Verdant Bloom.
As a result, in true Tsunade fashion—blessed with her infamous luck in gambling—she ended up taking last place in the match.
From Hikaru's perspective, everyone had just witnessed the performance of the four women, and each one of them was left speechless.
They already knew that the reason Hikaru had so confidently allowed them to face off against the united shinobi forces of the Four Great Nations was that each of them possessed remarkable strength.
But what they hadn't anticipated—what truly stunned them—was that even the one who seemed the "weakest" on the surface, Nonō Yakushi, revealed a power that could shake the soul.
Her genjutsu had surpassed the conventional scope of illusionary techniques. In fact, one could even argue that it had reached the level of a Kekkei Genkai.
As for Tsunade, Hinata, and Chiri, their prowess needed no further explanation.
The power they exhibited was so overwhelming that even legends like Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha would hesitate to claim superiority.
Mito Uzumaki, observing the girls' performances, was filled with comfort and pride.
She had once feared that after her century-long lifespan came to an end, Konoha would be left with only Hikaru to carry the burden.
But now, it was clear—these girls had grown into forces capable of standing strong on their own.
She turned to Hikaru, her face brimming with joy.
Mito knew—these girls' development was inseparable from Hikaru's guidance. In this moment, she felt that the best decision she had ever made… was adopting Hikaru.
Meanwhile, Madara Uchiha stood staring at the image of Chiri reflected in the crystal ball. The corners of his lips curled slightly, but the expression that followed betrayed a distant memory. A soft sigh escaped him.
The bond between him and Chiri had been fractured by past events. In fact, among the Uchiha, he was no longer the legendary figure he once had been.
Had Chiri not already taken her revenge, their relationship might have deteriorated even further.
Just then, Hikaru noticed that Tsunade had finished her battlefield duties. With a wave of his hand, the four women were instantly teleported back to his side.
As they returned, smiles of anticipation bloomed on their faces as they turned to look at him—clearly waiting for something.
"You all did wonderfully," Hikaru said, his voice full of affirmation. "Now, you've earned the right to stand behind me… to walk alongside me."
Hearing his words, the four girls beamed with happiness. Then, in perfect harmony, they chimed:
"Thank you, Hikaru-sensei~"
They exchanged glances and broke into soft laughter, the joy in their voices echoing warmly through the room.
Hikaru sighed helplessly at the scene, then joined in their laughter as well.
Their shared joy filled the air—until Tobirama Senju cut through the warmth with a solemn question.
"Now that the shinobi forces of the Four Great Nations have been defeated, shouldn't we seize the opportunity to wipe them out completely?"
Hikaru replied mildly, "Second Hokage… you might be a bit too optimistic."
"Put yourself in their shoes. If Konoha had suffered such a blow, would we choose revenge—or surrender?"
Tobirama's pupils shrank. He pondered for a moment, then asked with some hesitation:
"Then why didn't we have Tsunade and the others hold back during the battle? Their strength should've made that possible."
Hikaru didn't answer immediately. He walked slowly to the window, lifting his gaze to the sky.
The daytime moon peeked in and out of drifting clouds, as if mirroring the complexity in his heart.
"The time isn't right," he said in a low voice, full of hidden meaning. "Even if I explain now, it won't make a difference."
Everyone present looked confused, brows furrowed in silence.
Mito Uzumaki, never one for vague riddles, stepped forward and tapped Hikaru lightly on the head.
"Why are you talking like Tobirama now? Can't you just say it clearly?"
Rubbing his head with a wry smile, Hikaru finally relented.
"Alright, alright. Since you all want to know so badly, I'll tell you."
He drew in a deep breath and began.
"There is a great transformation taking place… on the moon. Only after it concludes will I be able to bring true peace to the shinobi world."
The room fell into stunned silence.
Most affected of all was Madara Uchiha, who suddenly felt disoriented.
His thoughts drifted back to the final moments before his death. Now, in light of Hikaru's words, a storm of unease surged in his heart.
He asked urgently, "Brat… what do you know? What's really going on up there on the moon?"
Everyone turned toward Hikaru, utterly focused, afraid to miss a single word.
Not just Madara—the others too were filled with curiosity and confusion about this mysterious "moon."
Seeing their eager eyes, Hikaru knew he had to give them a proper explanation.
So, he began to tell them the ancient tale, dating back a thousand years.
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki descended upon the shinobi world, planted the God Tree, and consumed the fruit of chakra it bore.
Not only did she end the chaos plaguing the world, she unified it—and was revered as the Rabbit Goddess.
Under the blessings and admiration of the people, she gave birth to two sons.
One of them was Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, known in later times as the Sage of Six Paths.
With the guidance of a certain toad, Hagoromo began to rebel against his own mother.
In the end, he and his brother defeated Kaguya and sealed her away—on the moon.
At this point, realization dawned on the faces of those listening.
But Madara Uchiha only felt more unsettled.
He pressed on with growing urgency: "Then what about the Infinite Tsukuyomi? And the Rinnegan? What are they really?"
Hikaru glanced at Madara with a hint of pity and continued the tale.
As it turned out, even after being sealed, Kaguya hadn't given up.
She created Black Zetsu, entrusting him with the task of orchestrating her resurrection.
The key to this plan? The Rinnegan.
Without the Rinnegan, it was impossible to summon the Gedo Statue.
And without the statue, Kaguya could never be revived.
But the conditions to awaken the Rinnegan were incredibly strict.
It required the combined power of the Sage of Six Paths' two sons—Asura and Indra.
At this point in the story, Madara's face went pale.
He stared at Hikaru, his eyes desperate for confirmation—as if seeking a single truth that could explain everything.
Hikaru gave a slight nod.
"You and Hashirama Senju were this generation's incarnations of Indra and Asura. But everything you saw… was manipulated by Black Zetsu."
This statement struck Madara like a bolt of lightning.
He froze, disbelief flooding his eyes.
He had severed ties with Hashirama, faked his death, and even committed acts that violated his deepest beliefs—
All for the sake of awakening the Rinnegan, and fulfilling the Eye of the Moon Plan.
But now, Hikaru was telling him—it was all a lie.
Everything had been orchestrated by Black Zetsu to bring about the resurrection of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.
How could he possibly accept that?