Years passed.
Not wasted.
Not forgotten.
Every second refined me.
By the time I reached nineteen—
I was no longer something that could be measured normally.
My body had reached its peak.
Not just strong—
Perfectly conditioned.
Every muscle optimized.
Every movement efficient.
Every reflex honed to a level where even the slightest intent could trigger action.
Madara's taijutsu had long since stopped being something I practiced.
It was something I was.
My sword followed the same path.
A blade rested in my hand.
Simple.
Unadorned.
But deadly.
I moved.
A single step.
A single swing.
The air split.
Silently.
Cleanly.
Speed.
Precision.
Control.
There was no wasted motion.
No hesitation.
"…Still room to improve."
There always was.
That was the difference between strength—
And true power.
My chakra had changed as well.
Dramatically.
Years of meditation.
Refinement.
Expansion.
Combined with Kurama's presence—
And my Ōtsutsuki nature—
I had finally crossed the threshold.
"…So this is what it feels like."
My eyes opened.
The Rinnegan.
Fully active.
The world shifted instantly.
Expanded.
Deepened.
I could see everything.
Chakra flow.
Energy patterns.
Even the subtle distortions in space itself.
"…Good."
Now—
I could finally begin using my abilities properly.
Lightning flickered across my fingertips.
My main affinity.
Lightning Release.
Not just basic techniques.
Not just simple manipulation.
I had pushed it further.
Far beyond what most shinobi could even imagine.
Electricity bent to my will like an extension of my thoughts.
Instant.
Precise.
Unforgiving.
Speed enhanced.
Strikes amplified.
Movement sharpened.
Combined with Raiden—
My control over lightning had reached something close to divinity.
Kurama stirred faintly.
You've gotten dangerous.
I smirked slightly.
"I was always dangerous."
Now—
I was simply complete.
Not fully.
Not yet.
But enough.
Ninjutsu had long since become second nature.
Every element.
Every variation.
Every combination.
Medical ninjutsu followed.
Healing.
Reconstruction.
Understanding the body at a cellular level.
Fixing damage.
Enhancing recovery.
Even pushing into territory that bordered on regeneration.
Fūinjutsu—
Remained one of my greatest assets.
Complex seals.
Layered constructs.
Space-time anchors.
And of course—
The Flying Thunder God.
I vanished.
And reappeared miles away.
Instant.
Effortless.
No delay.
No strain.
"…Perfect."
Not just Minato's level anymore.
Beyond it.
More flexible.
More adaptable.
More mine.
And then—
There was something else.
Summoning.
At first, I thought it was limited.
One contract.
One species.
I was wrong.
Completely.
It happened by accident.
A reverse summoning.
One moment I was training—
The next—
I wasn't in my world anymore.
A vast space.
Strange.
Timeless.
A gathering place.
Summons.
Toads.
Snakes.
Slugs.
Crows.
And more.
All of them present.
All of them aware.
"…So this is where you've been hiding."
A voice echoed.
Ancient.
Amused.
I stood there calmly.
Observing.
Understanding.
"I see."
Not a single contract.
All of them.
Every summoning path.
Every species.
Every creature tied to chakra.
Accessible.
"…That's useful."
Extremely useful.
I didn't linger long.
There was no need.
I returned—
But the knowledge remained.
I could summon anything.
Anyone.
Another tool.
Another advantage.
Another step above everything else.
Time continued.
Black Zetsu expanded.
Information flowed constantly now.
Clear.
Detailed.
Useful.
Gods.
Demigods.
Kingdoms.
Power structures.
Everything mapped.
Everything understood.
And me?
I stood above it all.
Watching.
Waiting.
Heracles—
Had grown as well.
Strong.
Famous.
A hero in the making.
Apparently—
He had taken a wife.
"…Irrelevant."
I didn't care.
Relationships.
Attachments.
Distractions.
They slowed progress.
Clouded judgment.
And I had no need for them.
Power came first.
Always.
Still—
A thought lingered.
"…The Uchiha."
A clan.
A legacy.
A bloodline.
Mine.
Or rather—
Something I could recreate.
But—
There were risks.
Power attracted attention.
Attention brought enemies.
And a bloodline like that?
Would never be left alone.
"…I have time."
That was the key.
Ōtsutsuki lifespan.
Decades.
Centuries.
I wasn't bound by urgency.
I could decide later.
Refine the idea.
Perfect it.
Or discard it entirely.
For now—
There were more important things.
I stood at the peak of a cliff.
Wind brushing lightly against me.
The world stretched out below.
Gods ruled it.
Monsters roamed it.
Heroes protected it.
And none of them—
Knew I existed.
A faint smile formed on my face.
"…That's about to change."
Lightning flickered once—
Then vanished.
And so did I.
The world of gods was no longer safe.
Because now—
Something far beyond their understanding—
Had finally stepped onto the stage.