Above the skies of Hozuki Castle, the bizarre and colossal figure of Satori disrupted the chaotic battle below. Everyone instinctively stopped and looked up at this demon from a bygone era.
"That is Satori, a demon from a thousand years ago."
"A piece of filth that excels at peering into the human heart and finds amusement in the death of living beings."
Gamamaru spoke calmly as he looked at the strange entity in the sky. If the Katsuyu Sage could recognize Satori's presence, then the Great White Snake Sage and the Great Toad Sage naturally could as well.
"Hahahaha, it's quite the gathering here!"
"I smell the scent of hatred—it's absolutely intoxicating."
Satori circled in the sky, looking down with a mocking grin at Nagato and Obito Uchiha. He could feel that these two were the ones possessed by the most intense emotions on the field.
A demon that exploits the human heart?
Minato Namikaze couldn't help but fall into thought upon hearing the Great Toad Sage's words.
"Careful, Minato. This thing won't be easy to deal with," the Yin-Kurama inside Minato spoke with a heavy tone.
"I know."
Minato nodded. Having returned to the ninja world via the Reanimation Jutsu, he wasn't entirely sure what his purpose was. Perhaps Orochimaru had brought him back to deal with Kakashi. But now that Orochimaru had been restrained by Hashirama Senju, Minato found himself feeling more like a bystander. Furthermore, the situation on the battlefield was so chaotic that even he hadn't fully grasped what was going on.
At that moment, a white figure landed beside Minato.
"Kakashi?"
Minato smiled as he looked at his student.
"Sensei, I'm a clone of the original. I'm here to explain the current situation."
The Kakashi clone nodded slightly toward Minato before quickly and succinctly briefing him on the events unfolding. However, the situation was so complex that it was impossible to summarize in just a few sentences.
"What?"
"The one who attacked the village and killed Kushina back then was actually... Obito?"
"Obito was actually Madara Uchiha's pawn?"
"And the man with the Rinnegan is also a pawn?"
"Even Madara Uchiha is someone else's pawn?"
"And what do you mean by trapping everyone in the world in a genjutsu?"
Even with Minato's exceptional intelligence, his mind was reeling. He couldn't quite process it all.
"To put it simply, everyone here except for the First and Second Hokage is an enemy."
"If you think of it that way, you're more or less on the right track."
"We just need to take them all down."
Kakashi nodded.
"I see. If that's the case, then things are quite straightforward."
Before Minato could speak, it was Hashirama Senju who reacted first. Why use so many words? You just had to beat them all into submission.
"Big brother..."
Tobirama Senju massaged his temples as he watched Hashirama toss the Wood Release-bound, chakra-sealed Orochimaru onto the ground like a dead dog. It was exactly his brother's style.
"I never imagined that in a world unified under peace, there would still be so many enemies."
"Is it because they weren't cleaned up properly before?"
"If these people are going to disrupt the hard-won peace of the ninja world... then such a thing..."
"I will never allow it!"
Hashirama brought his hands together, his expression turning solemn and his eyes sharp.
"The ninja world has been unified?" Minato was still confused, but Hashirama had already made his move!
Furthermore, he intended to strike Nagato, Obito Uchiha, the White Snake Sage, and the Great Toad Sage all at once!
"Sage Art..."
The majestic markings of Sage Mode crawled across his cheeks.
"Wood Release..."
"Wood Human Jutsu!"
In the next second, the earth beneath them shook violently! Everyone's eyes were fixed on the God of Shinobi. A massive wooden titan, over a hundred meters tall, rose from the ground! The terrifying shadow of the Wood Human's body instantly loomed over everyone.
"Hey, hey, hey, what is this thing?"
"I've never seen anything like this!" Satori scratched its head in the sky, looking at the Wood Human that was even bulkier than himself.
But it didn't end there...
"Sage Art: Wood Release: Wood Dragon Jutsu!"
Another giant wooden dragon surged from the earth, coiling around the body of the Wood Human!
"Sage Art: Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!"
Hozuki Castle below was almost completely decimated as countless giant trees erupted from the ruins, coiling and striking out at everyone—friend and foe alike!
"Such scale... as expected of the First Hokage!"
Standing behind Hashirama alongside Tobirama, Minato watched in awe as Hashirama instantly seized control of the entire field.
"Don't let your guard down, Fourth. These people aren't easy to handle."
Tobirama looked up at Satori, who was flying higher, and spoke with gravity. The enemy was in the sky; aside from using Water Release, he didn't have many good ways to deal with it.
"In that case..."
Minato followed Tobirama's gaze toward Satori in the sky, a look of understanding flashing in his eyes. Regardless of the complexities of the battlefield, with Kakashi and Hashirama by his side, there was no question about which side he would support.
"Kurama Link!"
In an instant, golden chakra flames erupted around Minato! Having spent sixteen years with the Yin-Kurama, Minato had achieved mutual recognition with the beast, successfully becoming a Perfect Jinchuriki. In Kurama Link Mode, Minato possessed the means to attack the flying Satori with Tailed Beast Bombs and Tailed Beast Shards. He had no fear of such a demon.
"Satori can sense hostility, so he can easily dodge any attack fueled by it."
"To seal Satori, theoretically, one must attack him without any ill intent," the Kakashi clone reminded them from the side.
"Then what about you, kid?"
Hearing Kakashi's words, Tobirama frowned, sounding slightly dissatisfied.
"I have something more important to do."
Beneath Hozuki Castle
Kakashi and the Katsuyu Sage had already tracked down Black Zetsu. Surrounded by the vast sea, Black Zetsu had nowhere to run. He could only hide in a corner, waiting for the events to conclude so he could find an opportunity to escape.
The previous Deep Forest Emergence from Nagato and the current one from Hashirama caused the surrounding tunnels to collapse at any moment, but even this could not stop the pace of Kakashi and the Katsuyu Sage. At the very bottom of Hozuki Castle, Kakashi found Black Zetsu cowering in a corner.
"Is this the contingency left behind by Kaguya Otsutsuki?"
The Katsuyu Sage looked at the black mass in the corner, speaking with a hint of uncertainty.
"That's right. Technically, this guy could be considered the younger brother of the Sage of Six Paths—the third son of the Rabbit Goddess."
Kakashi raised his palm, and a small white sphere emerged, emitting a warm but not dazzling pure white glow.
"Kakashi..."
"And Katsuyu of Shikkotsu Forest."
"How about we strike a deal?"
Black Zetsu recognized the two who had come for him. The current situation was beyond his control. The moment his thousand-year plan was exposed by Kakashi, the strings had slipped from his fingers.
"As long as you cooperate with me and release my mother, this ninja world..."
Black Zetsu suddenly cut himself off. Kakashi already possessed the entire world; what was left for him to gain?
"No, whatever power you desire, the omnipotent Rabbit Goddess can grant it to you."
"Even eternal life. As powerful as you are now, you likely still cannot achieve true longevity, can you?"
"With your authority and power, releasing my mother to obtain eternal life would be effortless."
Black Zetsu had lived for a thousand years and had seen through the human heart. No one would refuse such a condition. The weak seek strength, the strong seek invincibility, and the invincible seek eternity. Kakashi was already among the strongest of the strong; there was no one left in the world who was his match. Therefore, seeking eternal life was only natural.
"Eternity?"
A ripple of emotion flashed in Kakashi's eyes. To be honest, he was indeed tempted. But he wasn't tempted by the prospect of cooperating with Black Zetsu; he was simply tempted by the concept of eternal life.
However, if Kakashi wanted eternal life, he didn't need to cooperate with Black Zetsu at all. He could achieve it on his own. It was simply a matter of gathering the Tailed Beasts, merging them into the Ten-Tails, and consuming the so-called Chakra Fruit.
A familiar voice seemed to echo in his ear. Unbidden, Kakashi thought of Hikari [Light]. If he obtained eternity, what would become of his wife?
The Chakra Fruit was, in essence, a crystal formed by absorbing the energy of the entire planet. Even if the Earth could support the growth of a Chakra Fruit, the damage caused to the planet would undoubtedly be catastrophic. Kakashi's power—and even the power of the "cheat" system in his mind—originated from this planet. If he did that, how would he be any different from the Otsutsuki Clan?
"Lord Kakashi..."
The Katsuyu Sage beside him grabbed Kakashi's arm.
"How about it, Kakashi?"
"If you and I cooperate, your authority will remain with you forever."
"In this way, you will always be the master of this land."
Black Zetsu's words continued, even revealing a hint of excitement. If Kakashi were willing to cooperate, he could discard Obito Uchiha and Madara Uchiha entirely. With Kakashi's current status, completing the task of gathering the Tailed Beasts would be trivial.
Snap!
The glow on the small white sphere in Kakashi's palm instantly transformed into the sharpest of blades, shredding Black Zetsu into dust! He didn't offer a single word in response.
Eternal life was certainly tempting. But Kakashi was only tempted for a fleeting moment. The value of life does not lie in its eternity.
"Lord Kakashi?"
The Katsuyu Sage looked at Kakashi in surprise. Just moments ago, she had clearly sensed that Kakashi was moved, yet in the blink of an eye, he had immediately killed the third son of the Rabbit Goddess.
"There is no need to worry about me, Katsuyu Sage."
"If a mere offer of eternity could sway me, then I would be looking down on myself far too much."
Kakashi spoke calmly. As more chakra was injected into the small white sphere, the shredded remains of Black Zetsu turned into a withered, decaying mass.
"Even peace cannot be eternal, let alone life."
"In my view, permanent peace and permanent life are both impossible tasks."
"If the day ever truly comes where life is permanent, it will mean that this world has entered its final countdown."
"Eternal life erodes humanity. And can someone who has lost their humanity still be called human?"
Kakashi took step after step back toward the surface, the Katsuyu Sage walking quietly beside him, listening to her contractor's words in silence.
"I am the first person to unify the ninja world."
"If even I cannot be called human, then this world is doomed sooner or later."
"Birth, aging, sickness, and death are natural laws."
"When someone breaks those laws, it marks the beginning of the march toward destruction."
Listening to Kakashi, the Katsuyu Sage thought for a moment and asked, "Then what about Hagoromo Otsutsuki?"
The Sage of Six Paths, Hagoromo Otsutsuki, still lived within the Pure Land; the Katsuyu Sage was well aware of this fact.
"And do you think that old man is still 'human'?" Kakashi's reply followed.
Hagoromo Otsutsuki had abandoned his physical body and resided in the Pure Land in soul form. In a sense, he no longer belonged to the category of the living. Everyone knew the Sage of Six Paths had "died" a thousand years ago.
"Then will Lord Kakashi also reside in the Pure Land like the Sage of Six Paths in the future?" the Katsuyu Sage asked after some thought.
Although Kakashi's current strength was immeasurable, his lifespan was at most three hundred years—the typical lifespan of a normal Six Paths-level powerhouse. If he didn't find a way to manipulate his soul, Kakashi would eventually perish long before his "Radiance Empire" ever did.
"Who knows?"
Kakashi gave a low chuckle and said no more. He had already thought out his path. If he could achieve it, then all the better. If not, it didn't matter. After all, life without Hikari would surely be dull and tedious.
As for his two children, Ichigo and the other? If they needed their father to protect them at every turn, then they were merely weaklings.
Though the Katsuyu Sage wondered what Kakashi's ultimate choice would be, she didn't dwell on it. Given Kakashi's personality, he was destined never to do anything that would "drain the pond to catch the fish." After all, the entire world belonged to him. Many people from Konoha had died for this world. Kakashi would not harm this world for his own selfish desires.
With that thought, the Katsuyu Sage put the matter aside. What she wanted now was to return to the battlefield and assist Kakashi in taking down the White Snake Sage and the Great Toad Sage.
Meanwhile, on the surface, the earlier Satori had disappeared. In its place, a teal Susano'o, no smaller than the Wood Human, stood in confrontation with Hashirama Senju's wooden titan.
Hashirama's current condition could hardly be called good. Half of his body had been torn away by space-time power, and even the Wood Human beneath his feet was battered and broken. In contrast, the Susano'o opposite him appeared completely unscathed.
The condition of the others was also grim. Nagato lay on the ground, one arm missing—torn off by brute force. Bright red blood flowed, and were it not for the slight rise and fall of his chest, he would have looked like a corpse. Orochimaru remained sealed in the corner, silently watching the battle. The White Snake Sage and the Great Toad Sage were locked in a standoff with Tobirama Senju and Minato Namikaze, neither side daring to make the first move.
Kakashi stepped out from the darkness, surveying the scene that clearly showed a massive battle had just taken place.
Now that Black Zetsu was dead, it was time for everything to end.
His dark gaze fixed on the massive Susano'o, and for a split second, his eyes met those of the Mangekyo Sharingan.