Standing behind Senju Tobirama were the shinobi of Konohagakure.
Leading the group were Senju Hashirama and Uzumaki Mito.
In the second row stood Sarutobi Hiruzen, Tsunade, Hatake Sakumo, Kakuzu, Hiruko, Hyūga Hiashi, and Uchiha Yashiro…
All of them Kage-level or near-Kage-level combatants.
Also present were Might Duy and Shisui—three individuals who, in Tobirama's opinion, while competent to a degree, were ultimately 'weaklings' who shouldn't have come along.
These two…
One was Kazuki's younger brother; the other was the old family retainer of the Kazuki household.
Having coexisted inside Kazuki's body for so long, Tobirama had developed some feelings toward them.
So even though he knew they lacked sufficient strength, he understood their desire to do something for Kazuki—and allowed them to come along.
As for Jiraiya, Namikaze Minato, and Kushina, although they had volunteered for the mission, due to their connection with Mount Myōboku, they were ordered to remain stationed in Konoha.
If Tobirama hadn't been in such a hurry—too pressed to deal with Jiraiya properly—then that so-called head of Mount Myōboku's Konoha branch would've been in for a world of trouble!
The Second Hokage, not known for his forgiving nature, hadn't forgotten…
It was precisely that rumor about the 'Child of Prophecy' from Mount Myōboku that had piled unnecessary pressure on Kazuki, quite possibly accelerating the Sage of Six Paths' corruption of his mind!
That was a grave offense—an unforgivable sin!
Meanwhile, over in Kirigakure…
Tobirama had streamlined the strike force, choosing only Hoshigaki Kisame and Kaguya Jinzaburo—the two jinchūriki who had clearly promised to assist. The others remained stationed in place.
When going up against the Sage of Six Paths, numbers no longer mattered.
Ordinary jōnin weren't that different from chūnin in terms of raw physique—not even fit to be cannon fodder…
"Everyone, I'll emphasize the plan one more time…"
Tobirama took a deep breath. "I'm linked to Kazuki on a soul level. With Mito enhancing my sensory perception, and by fully activating Sage Mode, I'll be able to locate the Blackwater Nine-Dragon Coffin deep beneath the ocean."
"Big Brother, Tsunade—you two will channel everyone's chakra into me. I'll need to rapidly extract Kazuki's coffin from the ocean floor using Sage Art. After that, we'll prepare to open it."
Tobirama's voice grew solemn. "Once the coffin is open, I'll engage with Kazuki first… Even if the Sage of Six Paths has possessed him, I'll absolutely notice anything off!"
"If there's anything abnormal, I'll use the Ame-no-Iwato—formed from my full ocular power—to protect both Kazuki's soul and his body… to give him the best chance of breaking free from the Sage's control!"
Tobirama turned to Shisui and nodded. "Kid, don't hold back your dōjutsu. And don't worry that your ocular technique might burn away my potential or endanger my life. Unleash everything to boost my power."
Shisui nodded seriously and said in a deep voice, "Thank you, Lord Second Hokage!"
And he meant it.
His ocular technique, Kagutsuhane, could overdraw his latent potential, but it came with significant backlash.
What Tobirama had just said…
Could only mean one thing: for Kazuki's sake, he was ready to throw his life away!
Shisui couldn't help glancing sideways at the Third Hokage and sighing inwardly: 'Perhaps… this is the difference between them.'
If Sarutobi Hiruzen had possessed Tobirama's caliber and conviction—if he'd been willing to burn his own life for the sake of a single Uchiha—then maybe…
Maybe his brother wouldn't have had to carry such a crushing burden…
Maybe he could've just been the class dunce who didn't graduate from the Academy even at eleven, living a peaceful and content life…
Maybe, like Kojiro Inada, he could've opened a little dango shop, selling tasty three-color skewers…
Instead of being forced to become some so-called savior!
"Big Brother, Sister-in-law… if I fail to free Kazuki from the Sage of Six Paths' control, then I'll need you two to step in!"
Tobirama continued assigning roles. "Use sealing techniques to restrain Kazuki. I'll then activate the Dragon Vein Seal to expel the Sage and banish him into another dimension!"
Finally, Tobirama turned to the rest of the group and said gravely, "Everyone here—lend me your chakra."
"Move out!"
With a furious shout, Senju Tobirama activated Sage Mode, channeling the power Kazuki had left within him.
Behind him, every Kage-level shinobi poured a vast amount of chakra into Tobirama.
Eyes wide and fierce, Tobirama, even with his body enhanced through Kazuki's modifications, still felt the strain of that overwhelming surge of energy.
But he didn't utter a single complaint. Turning to the slightly worried Senju Hashirama beside him, he said, "Big Brother, I need more Sage Chakra… more!"
Hashirama took a deep breath as the black markings of the Sage's facial pattern spread across his face.
He felt deeply gratified.
He hadn't expected that his younger brother—who had always held such deep prejudice against the Uchiha—would one day give so much of himself...
Even his life, if necessary.
Truly, the founding of Konohagakure and the Will of Fire had not been a mistake…
A massive surge of Sage Chakra flooded into Tobirama's body, making his aura surge with immense might!
"Rise!"
Tobirama roared. With everyone's power behind him, it was as though he had become a god ruling over the ocean itself. The boundless sea raged under his command.
Far beneath the surface, the ocean currents erupted.
And from the ocean's deepest depths, the Blackwater Nine-Dragon Coffin began ascending rapidly toward the surface, propelled by Tobirama's might.
"Everyone stay alert—I've located the Blackwater Nine-Dragon Coffin and am in the process of retrieving it!" Tobirama's Mangekyō Sharingan spun wildly as he shouted: "Three minutes—it'll reach the surface in three minutes!"
Meanwhile—
In the Pure Land, the Sage of Six Paths was jolted awake by the triggered warding technique. He quickly slashed open a viewing seal with his Six Paths Staff…
And stood there dumbfounded.
Wait, what are you mortals doing?
Uchiha Kazuki sealed away Ōtsutsuki Kaguya—are you trying to bring her out again?
Although the Sage of Six Paths had a vague understanding of things like bonds, friendship, and familial love—and knew that someone like Kazuki, who had sacrificed so much, would naturally stir people's hearts, making them want to save him—
But when something so beautifully human and so utterly foolish became entangled with Kaguya—
His blood pressure spiked!
Mutual understanding? Mutual understanding, my ass!
The Sage of Six Paths just wanted Kaguya sealed away forever.
"Should I contact the reincarnation of Asura?" He stared at Hashirama, who was bursting with Sage Chakra, then hesitated again and shook his head.
"This generation's Asura… seems very close to Uchiha Kazuki. Persuading him won't work, and forcing control will take too much effort…"
"Is now really the right time to act?"
The man once known as Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo—though truly Ōtsutsuki Hiruzen, the Sage of Six Paths—was entering his classic state of affliction at this critical moment: indecision.
In the original timeline, the Sage of Six Paths had many chances to empower Naruto and Sasuke before Kaguya's awakening…
But he simply didn't—dragging things out until the very last second, nearly causing total disaster.
"Eh? Is that… is that the reincarnation of Indra?"
A flicker of delight appeared in his eyes. "He's come to stop the reincarnation of Asura and his allies from making this terrible mistake… Good!"
Through his Rinnegan, the Sage saw Uchiha Madara's group arriving with a powerful team, leaping in from another dimension.
Even though something felt off…
For a thousand years, it had always been the reincarnation of Asura stopping Indra from doing something 'bad'. Yet this generation had flipped the script…
But that was just a detail. Right now, the only thing the Sage of Six Paths cared about—
Was seeing Kazuki and Kaguya stay sealed at the bottom of the ocean!
And high above the battlefield…
Ōtsutsuki Hamura, having taken over Toneri's body, watched the scene unfold with a complex expression.
They knew full well that Kaguya was sealed within Kazuki's body—that Kazuki was a global threat. And yet these mortals, who had already made names for themselves in the shinobi world, were still choosing to unite and rescue him?
"What a bunch of…"
Ōtsutsuki Hamura recalled the upheaval that had taken place at the Hyūga compound and slowly let out a long breath, a sharp gleam of interest in his eyes.
"What an intriguing little fellow."
It was Kazuki—and the 'Will of Fire' he had proposed—
That had allowed those who were otherwise destined to slaughter each other to extinction, like Hamura's descendants on the Moon, to instead be restrained by reason.
Even when bloodlust took over, they could forcibly calm themselves.
A mere mortal who had sealed Kaguya and used his ideals to influence what should have been a bloody end—Kazuki had reignited a spark of hope in Hamura, who had long since given up on the possibility of peace.
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