Everyone couldn't quite figure out why Shinju was doing this, but they followed his instructions anyway.
In the current ninja world, the person with the most pull was probably Shinju himself!
"Whoaa—!"
The chakra of all people and tailed beasts converged in midair. A blue current of energy slowly took shape, eventually solidifying into the form of the Sage of Six Paths…
The Sage of Six Paths looked no different from how he appeared during the Fourth Great Ninja War—except that his face now carried a trace of wordless disbelief…
"Shinju… this was your doing, wasn't it? Why did you summon me out here… ←_←"
Shinju took out a strange scroll he had found in one of the dimensions created by Kaguya's remnants and spread it open in front of the Sage of Six Paths.
"This is a scroll I found in one of the strange spaces Kaguya created. I suspect it's written in the language of the Ōtsutsuki clan. None of us can decipher it, so I wanted you to take a look…"
Hearing that Shinju needed his help, the Sage of Six Paths immediately broke into a grin: 罒▽罒
So the day finally came when you needed my help, Shinju!
Hehehehehe… ≧∇≦
Shinju: ¯\(ツ)/¯
"What are you laughing at… can you just look at what's written on it first?" Shinju said, black lines drooping over his head as he stared at the unreliable Sage.
The Sage of Six Paths realized he'd lost his composure. He straightened his expression and frowned as he examined the scroll Shinju had laid out…
After studying it for several minutes, the Sage of Six Paths clicked his tongue. "Tsk tsk~"
Shinju asked expectantly, "Well? Can you read it?"
The old Sage shook his head. "I can't… Even though I carry the Ōtsutsuki surname, I grew up on this planet. I don't understand this language at all… (ー ー゛)"
Shinju: "I got my hopes up for nothing…"
"Alright then, hurry up and disperse. --003d_--003d"
Sage of Six Paths: "So I'm useless and you're just tossing me aside? That's way too pragmatic!〒_〒"
Shinju curled his lip. "What are you saying? If you want to stay, then stay."
The Sage of Six Paths continued, "By the way, it's been a long time since Mother was last resurrected, hasn't it… Did Gamamaru's prophecy come true? Have the people from the heavens arrived? (￢‸￢)?"
Shinju answered honestly, "If we're talking about people from the heavens… something did happen once on the Moon. Your younger brother's descendants caused some trouble."
The Sage frowned. "Hagoromo's descendants… huh. 눈_눈"
"Other than that, nothing else?"
Shinju shook his head. "Not for now…"
The Sage of Six Paths let out a breath of relief, then said solemnly,
"Shinju, protect this planet well… Back then, when Mother cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi and created the White Zetsu army, it seemed she was preparing to resist certain individuals… Now that I think about it, the outsiders mentioned in Gamamaru's prophecy are very likely the same people Mother was wary of back then… ╰_╯"
"Got it," Shinju nodded.
After remaining in the living world for a few more minutes and roughly understanding the current state of the ninja world, the Sage of Six Paths' chakra dispersed…
Shinju put away the scroll and sighed softly.
"If even that old Sage can't decipher it, this is going to be troublesome…"
Beside him, Killer B asked curiously, "From what you said, that scroll was left behind by Kaguya? This is a serious matter. How about letting Kumogakure's decoding unit take a look?"
Shinju thought about it briefly and felt it was feasible.
"That's fine, but the scroll can't leave Konoha. Have Kumogakure's code-breaking team come here."
Killer B nodded. "I'll head back and explain the situation to my brother right away…"
"Head ba—"
"Shinju, how about you give me a send-off? From Konoha to Kumogakure, I'd have to run for days. (*꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ)"
Shinju didn't say much. In two seconds, he used Flying Thunder God to make a round trip, sending Yugito and Killer B back.
...
In the forest, Shukaku's voice rang out sharply, "Red-haired kid, facing an unknown enemy—pretty scary, huh!~"
"Didn't think you'd have a moment of weakness too! Hahahaha!"
Shukaku's voice was sharp and piercing, and his laughter carried far. Shinju, after hearing it, immediately leapt up and punched Shukaku straight in the belly!!
"Bang!!!"
What looked like a light punch sent Shukaku flying several hundred meters, flattening half the forest along the way!
Shinju said coldly, "If those extraterrestrial visitors really are from the Ōtsutsuki clan, the first ones they'll capture are you tailed beasts. ▼_▼"
As he spoke, Shinju's gaze swept over every tailed beast present.
"After the Fourth Great Ninja War ended, I respected your wishes and released you back into the wild. Do your best—protect yourselves."
Hearing this, the tailed beasts all nodded obediently. (•ө•)♡
Beside Shinju, Naruto whispered, "Shinju might be the only one in the entire ninja world who can keep the tailed beasts in line! When he talks to them, it's like a drill instructor giving a lecture! Ծ ̮ Ծ"
Sasuke nodded. "No kidding."
...
A few hours later.
After having Killer B carry the message back, Shinju contacted the other village Kage one by one, informing them about Kaguya's scroll.
After some discussion, the Kage decided that each village would send their best code-breaking experts to Konoha to decipher the scroll together…
...
Iwagakure.
Ōnoki sat in the Tsuchikage's office, with Kurotsuchi attending him from the side.
After hanging up Shinju's call, Ōnoki sighed. "Times really have changed. I remember when the great ninja villages used to do nothing but suspect one another. Cooperation like this was rare…"
Kurotsuchi smiled.
"Yeah. Shinju's existence led to the birth of the Shinobi Alliance—and to the peace we have now."
Ōnoki said, "Konoha produced an extraordinary Hokage. I just hope he can stay in that position for a long time."
Kurotsuchi suddenly asked, "If Shinju were to disappear, would the Shinobi Alliance fall apart?"
Ōnoki laughed. "The general trend of the ninja world is this: divided for long, it must unite; united for long, it must divide. Even if Shinju were to exist forever, the Shinobi Alliance would eventually fracture one day. ( ' - ' * )"
"Iwagakure should still prepare some means of self-preservation… Life is far too fragile in war…"
As he finished speaking, Ōnoki's gaze grew firm.
...
At the same time, on the Moon.
Ōtsutsuki Toneri was still trapped by Shinju within a Wood Release prison and under genjutsu…
In the pitch-black depths of space, several white points appeared and descended onto the Moon.
Soon after, the genjutsu on Ōtsutsuki Toneri was dispersed.
Because his eyes had been gouged out, he kept his eyes tightly shut, but he could sense the chakra of three people standing before him…
A mocking voice came from ahead.
"Ōtsutsuki Toneri, is it? How pitiful—to be trapped here by such a simple wooden cage… (￣⊿￣)"
Not knowing how to respond, Toneri asked, "People from the heavens… I thought I would never have any contact with the main family…"
Another voice answered him, "That depends on the will of the 'main family.'"
Then that person called out, "Kinshiki, split this wooden prison apart!"
Immediately afterward, Toneri felt the wooden cage shake violently!!
"Clang! Clang! Clang!!"
The prison took several heavy blows in succession—yet there wasn't a single crack!
Toneri couldn't help but speak up.
"The main family's people… are kind of underwhelming… ㄟ(▔,▔)ㄏ"