The sun rose and set.
People have limits, and when they make major decisions, they often feel like that day is special.
But from the universe's perspective, it's just another ordinary day.
The warm sun bathed the land, and the fresh air lifted people's spirits. In the ninja world, there was no need to worry about pollution from industrial waste.
Hyuga Hitoshi was determined to create a world powered by chakra, blending it with modern science to ensure safety and sustainability.
He didn't know how long this world would last, but for now, he was completely satisfied with the life he had built.
At the heart of the Sun God Kingdom, the towering capital city had long been completed.
This was the residence of the Sun God and the sacred place worshiped by countless allied nations and citizens. Even travelers and foreign ninjas passing by couldn't help but bow slightly in respect when they saw the local people paying their respects.
In five years, they had witnessed the birth of a truly peaceful world.
Though minor disputes still occurred in private, within the Sun God Kingdom, no one dared to break the Sun God's laws. To the entire shinobi world, this place was like a sanctuary.
This was largely due to the establishment of the Divine Guard. Made up of elite warriors from the Sun God Kingdom, these squads were always on alert for unexpected situations, providing a sense of security to countless citizens. Many shinobi of the Sun God Kingdom even considered joining the Divine Guard a great honor.
Capital City, Training Ground No. 7.
It was said to be the most unique training ground in the entire Sun God Kingdom, personally designed by the Sun God himself. It contained every possible scenario a shinobi might face, along with special trials designed for the Hyuga Clan's Sun God Seal and Byakugan. The trials were structured as timed challenges, and the rankings of challengers were displayed at the entrance. Those at the top were undisputed geniuses, the pride of the Hyuga Clan, admired by those who came after them.
Because of its special nature, Training Ground No. 7 was divided into three difficulty levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. This made it far more popular than other training grounds.
After all, who wouldn't want to see their name on the rankings and enjoy the feeling of surpassing other geniuses?
At this moment, the beginner-level trial was in progress.
Two small figures dashed through the training ground's tracks at incredible speed. They were moving so fast that the naked eye could barely distinguish who was ahead. But that wasn't a problem—the instruments on the side of the platform were rapidly recording every bit of their data.
"Lady Hinata's mastery of the Crushing Fist technique is incredible! She's even grasped chakra nature transformation! She finished the Taijutsu trial three seconds faster than Lady Hanabi!"
"Lady Hanabi is amazing too! Her understanding and use of the Sun God Seal have already surpassed Lady Hinata's. She just unleashed a miniature Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion in the Sun God Seal challenge, and she was able to keep the chakra light blade stable as a weapon! That's insanely strong!"
"This kind of talent already surpasses Lord Hiashi, doesn't it? It looks like they'll be taking on the intermediate trial soon!"
"Lady Hanabi and Lady Hinata are both strong, but I don't think they can break the record left by Lord Neji."
"That's not necessarily true. Lord Neji was strong, but he mainly had the advantage of age. The record will be broken eventually."
"Look! It's over! It's over!"
"No way?! A tie for first place?!"
Hanabi and Hinata collapsed onto the ground, completely exhausted.
The spectators had been thrilled watching the match, but only the two of them knew how intense it had truly been.
"You're so sneaky, big sis. You said you were focusing on practicing the Sun God Seal, but you ended up leading in the Taijutsu trial."
Hanabi pouted as she caught her breath, clearly displeased.
Even though they were twins, their personalities were completely different. Hinata was quiet and reserved, while Hanabi spoke her mind freely and loved teasing her sister.
To outsiders, they might have seemed like rivals, but in private, they were actually very close.
"I really was practicing the Sun God Seal. I just want to be able to fully use the power Hitoshi-sama granted us."
Hinata explained softly. She wasn't trying to trick her sister—she simply didn't have the mindset to deceive anyone. In her eyes, the only achievements that mattered were the ones earned through genuine effort.
Just like this exhilarating match they had just finished.
But her little sister was always a step ahead!
While Hinata was still thinking of how to convince Hanabi, she turned around—only to see Hanabi had already sprinted off toward a man in the distance. With a small leap, she jumped straight into his arms.
She was faster again!
Hinata's face fell. She wanted to do the same, but she hesitated, feeling too shy to just rush forward.
"Jeez, big sis is still so timid. You used to get carried around by Lord Hitoshi all the time when we were kids."
She probably even peed on him once or twice!
Hanabi smirked, thinking that if Hinata kept acting this reserved, she might never get married.
"You did well."
Hitoshi nodded slightly, holding Hanabi in his arms. From his perspective, he was simply an elder encouraging his juniors—purely out of goodwill, with no other thoughts in mind.
After all, people shouldn't be interested in six- or seven-year-old children. In a way, Hitoshi-sama had clear boundaries. Even those who merely had twisted thoughts about children, without acting on them, deserved the harshest punishment.
Hyuga Hitoshi reached out and gently patted Hinata's head, using his soft chakra and Sun Sage techniques to nourish their meridians, helping them recover from fatigue while preventing hidden injuries from training.
Each training ground had dedicated attendants who provided similar care to help the younger generation recover. But as top-ranking students in the beginner trials, these two naturally received special treatment. This was a reward for their high ranking, and Hitoshi was never stingy when it came to such things.
"Hitoshi-sama."
After he finished helping the two girls relax, the head maid, Natsu, walked over and bowed.
"Clan Leader Fugaku just sent a message, inviting you to visit the Uchiha tonight. He plans to host a dinner for you."
An invitation from Fugaku wasn't something to be taken lightly. Normally, he wouldn't ask unless it was something important.
Or, maybe he had some kind of surprise or new trick up his sleeve. This made Hitoshi's life feel like an endless mystery box—every day seemed to bring unexpected surprises.
Thinking about the recent actions of the Uchiha clan, Hitoshi stroked his chin, sensing something.
Hmm, might as well go and see.
"Tell Fugaku I'll be there on time."
With that, Natsu bowed and left. Even though Hitoshi had told her many times that she didn't need to be so formal, she insisted on maintaining proper etiquette.
She firmly believed that rules and discipline were necessary. If the head maid slacked off, the rest of the maids would follow suit.
Over time, Hitoshi just let her do as she pleased.
Everyone had their own pursuits. Hyuga Natsu simply wanted to become a legendary maid—what was wrong with that? And truth be told, being served by her and the maid team was quite enjoyable.
Since the banquet was in the evening, Hitoshi wasn't in a hurry. He stayed at the training ground, continuing to mentor the younger generation.
While he remained calm, Uchiha Itachi was already on edge, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
He was at the familiar Fire Temple—the place where Sarutobi Asuma had died.
Uchiha Itachi, burdened with the fate of the world, had waited there for an entire day. Finally, the masked man appeared.
"There's an opportunity for you to get revenge on the Uchiha clan right now."
Taking a deep breath, Itachi steadied himself.
This wasn't the first time he had done something so treacherous. But there was a difference between being a guilty bystander and actually taking action to stop the Uchiha's wicked plans. Now, he was completely focused.
"Tonight, the Uchiha will hold a ceremony. Almost all of them will be gathered in the clan compound."
He had no intention of mentioning Uchiha Hikari. The man in front of him didn't seem like a good person at all, and he was clearly confident about going against the Uchiha. There was likely a strong force backing him.
So Itachi decided to use a strategy—letting two threats take each other out.
If things went well, this so-called Uchiha Madara and the power behind him, along with the inherently dangerous Uchiha clan, would all be destroyed together.
Ideally, they would wipe each other out. But even if that didn't happen, at least both sides would be weakened. That would give him the chance to find his father and locate the so-called ultimate Uchiha weapon. Even if it cost him his life, he had to seal that thing away again—or destroy it outright.
There was no way he could let the Uchiha use it.
He knew he was playing with fire. He knew that if he made one wrong move, the ultimate Uchiha weapon might end up in the hands of this dangerous man.
But he had no other choice!
He didn't trust anyone anymore, but he was confident that he could achieve his goals with these eyes.
It would be best to make a big enough scene to attract the attention of the Hyuga clan. With Hyuga Hitoshi's personality, there was no way he would tolerate a power beyond his control appearing in the ninja world, right?
"This fake world is disgusting. Even someone from the Uchiha clan like you hates your own people. Just like how they didn't leave Konohagakure with me back then—it was all a betrayal."
Obito's words were laced with mockery.
"But I can help you achieve your wish. And if you're interested after it's done, you can join my organization. At least you'd have a place to stay."
Itachi remained silent for a moment, unmoved. Then he spoke again.
"We do it tonight. But don't touch my brother. I'll handle Sasuke myself."
With that, Itachi turned and left. He had already prepared the perfect script for Sasuke's life—a path shaped by his love as an older brother. He believed Sasuke would accept it.
But what Itachi didn't know was that after he left, Obito tilted his head slightly. His scarlet Sharingan shimmered with ridicule.
"What a naïve little fool."
Yeah.
Whenever the village or the ninja world was in danger, there was always someone who jumped out, convinced that they alone had the responsibility to save the world—as if everything would fall apart without them.
People like that always thought they were the smartest ones around.
From the shadows, Danzo stepped forward, his eyes full of even deeper disdain than Obito's.
"Good thing I was smart enough to bring his Asuma back to life. I got a lot of interesting information out of him. Otherwise, I really would've been played for a fool this time."
No plan ever goes perfectly.
Just like how Uchiha Itachi had been forced to work with the enemy when he found out Uchiha Hikari had been taken away and unsealed into the ultimate weapon.
Now, Obito and Danzo's priorities for tonight's plan had shifted.
Originally, they just wanted to use Uchiha Itachi to get revenge on the Uchiha clan. But now, their focus was on taking Uchiha Hikari—the Uchiha's ultimate weapon—at all costs!
Even Obito couldn't hide his desire for that power. It was their key to fighting the Hyuga clan and turning the tables against the Sun God Kingdom.
The Eight Thousand Spears.
A power that could gather the chakra of countless people to create a god.
If they had her—no, even just her eyes—if they had the right method and enough patience, they could create someone as strong as the Sage of Six Paths in no time. At that point, forget about Infinite Tsukuyomi—they could truly become the gods of the ninja world.
Hyuga Hitoshi? Uchiha Madara? They would all bow at his feet.
Obito's eyes burned with ambition. He could see it now—his chance. If he got Uchiha Hikari, everything would be within his grasp.
Uchiha Itachi thought he was using Obito and Danzo. But in reality, he had never been part of their real plan.
Compared to Uchiha Hikari, what was Uchiha Itachi worth? Nothing.
And why would Itachi work with them, even knowing the danger?
It was simple. The ever-righteous Itachi felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders again. He truly believed he was the only one who could stop the Uchiha clan's so-called evil plan.
He was convinced that if he didn't act, the entire ninja world would be thrown into chaos. And tonight, his father was likely going to use the Eight Thousand Spears to activate the seal. He had no time to come up with a better plan.
And really, this was exactly like him.
Someone like Uchiha Itachi would always try to stop what he saw as a disaster. He never lived for himself or for the people around him. He lived for a fake sense of justice.
But in the end, whether he existed or not didn't really change much for the ninja world.
Just like in the original Fourth Great Ninja War—what was the point of undoing the Edo Tensei? At best, it saved a few disposable pawns. Uchiha Madara still wiped the floor with the Five Kage, Infinite Tsukuyomi was still cast, Sasuke still got taken down, and the ninja world kept running just fine. In the end, all Itachi really did was brainwash Kabuto and let a war criminal walk free. What else did he actually accomplish?
But as an Edo Tensei summon, that was probably the best Itachi could do back then.
Now, though, for the Uchiha clan, his existence was nothing short of a disaster.
Itachi, in all his intelligence, thought he had everything under control. What he didn't realize was that Obito and Danzo had already adjusted their plans because of his actions. What started as a mission to "get revenge on the Uchiha" had now shifted to "seizing the Uchiha's ultimate weapon."
That was a huge leap.
"No matter the cost, we must take Uchiha Hikari. This is the key for Root to reign over the ninja world!"
Obito looked at Danzo with a serious expression.
He had noticed that Danzo was particularly obsessed with the idea of ruling from the shadows, and whenever securing that position was mentioned, Danzo would get especially focused.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Just like now.
Danzo narrowed his eyes and slammed his palm down. The ground beneath the Fire Temple trembled, and a dozen coffins slowly emerged. The one at the front was his trump card. The wooden lid had a single large kanji on it—[First].
"Wait a minute!"
Just as Danzo was about to form hand seals to awaken his army of Edo Tensei warriors, Obito suddenly gave him a sharp look.
"Danzo, we've been working together for a while now. Just be honest with me—how reliable is this Edo Tensei of yours?"
Are you seriously doubting me?
Danzo shot Obito a cold glare, but since they were allies—and considering what had happened with the Second Hokage before—he decided to explain.
"The last time Tobirama kept losing control, there were many reasons for it. But to put it simply, the main issue was the sacrifice used for the summoning. I happened to discover that by adding cells from the First Hokage to the sacrifice, I can achieve perfect control over the summoned person."
"If I summon Tobirama again now, I guarantee he won't break free."
That... actually made sense.
But—
Obito frowned and pointed at the First Hokage's coffin.
"So, you're saying you're using the First Hokage's cells… to control the First Hokage?"
He spotted the flaw immediately.
But Danzo remained unfazed.
"I'm only controlling the sacrifice, not the real First Hokage. I've tested it a few times in private—it works perfectly. You can rest assured."
Tested it before?
That was good enough.
Obito let out a small sigh of relief and nodded, signaling Danzo to proceed. Danzo didn't disappoint—he swiftly completed the hand seals and revived all the summoned warriors, erasing their consciousness right in front of Obito.
"See? No problem, right?"
Danzo smirked slightly, even walking up to the First Hokage's body and giving his face a couple of pats before casually pinching his cheek.
"I told you, when I do something, it's guaranteed to work. And yet, you doubted me multiple times."
Not bad.
For once, Obito didn't mock Danzo. Instead, he actually looked somewhat impressed.
"If you can control the God of Shinobi, then wiping out the Uchiha in Konoha and taking Uchiha Hikari should be a sure thing."
"But just to be safe, I suggest sending some elite reinforcements. We need to finish the job before Hyuga Hitoshi and the rest of Konoha's forces even realize what's happening."
I don't need you to tell me that.
Danzo glanced at the newly revived Uchiha Kagami. With Kagami's strength, taking on Shisui shouldn't be a problem, right?
This was a battle between Mangekyou users.
But—
"Hey, you're Danzo, right?"
A sudden voice came from behind, sending a chilling sensation through Danzo's body. His muscles tensed, and his expression changed instantly. He stiffly turned around, only to find the First Hokage of Konohagakure winking at him.
"Let the past few times slide, I thought, as Tobirama's disciple, you were researching forbidden jutsu just like him. I didn't mind playing along, since it's rare to see a younger generation's approach," the First Hokage said.
Well.
To be more precise, it was a novelty since he had been revived. He had once been revived through the Impure World Reincarnation by Tobirama, so it felt natural to play along with Danzo. After seeing Danzo's satisfied expression a few times before, he nodded in approval of his younger generation's spirit of exploration, having quite a bit of fun.
This certainly matched the personality of the First Hokage.
"But..."
The smile on Senju Hashirama's face suddenly vanished. His gaze toward Danzo slowly shifted, and if he hadn't misheard...
"Did you just suggest that I should destroy Konohagakure?"
No way.
How fresh.
He must not have misheard, right?
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