431-435

Chapter 431: The One in a Hundred Million!  

From childhood to adulthood, he had always lived under the praise of being a so-called "genius."  

Talented from a young age, holding important positions, supported by his clan, with a loving wife and children by his side.  

Aside from never gaining the recognition of the Great Elder Uchiha Setsuna, Uchiha Fugaku’s life had been incredibly smooth.  

So smooth that— 

If not for Shinji’s existence, even the only person dissatisfied with him within the clan, Uchiha Setsuna, would have perished four months ago while stationed at Hell Valley in the Land of Hot Water.  

So smooth that— 

If not for Shinji, the incident where he was beaten in anger by Uchiha Seichiro within the Evil God Cult due to his arrogance and poor judgment, causing discontent among the clan members, would never have happened.  

Uchiha Fugaku— 

He would have continued on his smooth path all the way to—  

The fateful night of the Uchiha clan's massacre in Konoha Year 58, as it happened in the original story.  

When the conflict between the Uchiha and the village reached an irreconcilable breaking point,  

When he realized that, even if the clan rose up in resistance on the night of the massacre, it would not change their fate,  

When an outsider, the masked man known as "Uchiha Madara," lurked in the shadows, 

When Danzo Shimura and his faction within the village’s high council remained determined to exterminate the Uchiha, 

Even within his own family, his trusted son—Uchiha Itachi—betrayed the clan and raised his blade against them!  

When he discovered that, even with the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan, he could not change the outcome,  

Uchiha Fugaku’s entire worldview— 

Built upon decades of praise and smooth sailing— 

Collapsed in an instant!  

But now— 

After witnessing everything that had changed over the past few months due to Shinji, 

After losing his qualification to inherit the position of clan leader, 

After being forced to re-evaluate himself,  

Uchiha Fugaku finally awakened.  

But that wasn’t enough! 

He was still Uchiha Fugaku!  

His innate personality made him prone to surrendering in dire situations where there was no hope of salvation. 

"If fighting means death, and not fighting also means death, then why bother struggling?" 

This kind of weak mentality still lurked within him.  

He needed more than just internal reflection— 

He needed an external push!  

Fortunately, 

Change had already begun!  

Because of Shinji’s actions, the high-ranking Uchiha members—including Uchiha Setsuna and Uchiha Kagami—who would have perished in Hell Valley, had survived. 

These were also the elders of Uchiha Fugaku’s generation.  

Due to Uchiha Setsuna’s plan to help Shinji awaken his eyes, Uchiha Kagami was sent to Yunming City.  

And after awakening his own Mangekyō Sharingan— 

After reflecting on himself due to Shinji’s influence—  

Uchiha Fugaku, 

After much hesitation and days of contemplation, 

Finally decided to go to Yunming City— 

To save Uchiha Kagami and the other Uchiha clan members.  

This single action—  

In the present moment, when there was no time left to think— 

In the ten minutes before the massacre was set to begin— 

Took the burden of decision-making off his shoulders! 

It became the very force that turned the tide to save the Uchiha clan!  

Just like Uchiha Kagami, who was saved by Shinji in Hell Valley, 

And later, on the night of hell, saved Shinji in return—  

Now, in the Land of Lightning, 

The same Uchiha Kagami who had been rescued by Uchiha Fugaku— 

Was now saving Fugaku in return!  

This man, 

An otherwise insignificant figure buried in the annals of the ninja world's history, 

Lacking overwhelming power—  

At this moment, 

In this rewritten future by Shinji,  

At the very precipice of life and death,  

Erupted with a brilliance of his own!  

"Like a true Uchiha?"  

Uchiha Fugaku ceased his endless self-reproach and regret. 

He slightly raised his head, as if seeing a beam of light in the boundless darkness.  

Dumbfounded, he gazed at Uchiha Kagami, who was smiling at him.  

He repeated the phrase over and over—  

"A true Uchiha."  

"A true Uchiha."  

"What does it mean to be a true Uchiha?"  

As soon as he pondered this question—  

Without thinking,  

An image surfaced in his mind—  

The smiling face of a young man, 

One who, even in the face of certain death, still fought fearlessly!  

One who, even in the most desperate situations, could perform impossible jutsu and create miracles!  

One who, even when facing an opponent far beyond his ability to defeat, 

Would still, without hesitation, draw his blade!  

At that moment, Uchiha Fugaku's mind reeled back— 

All the way back to the night before the Nine-Tails' rampage—  

That young man, 

Named "Shinji," 

Had flashed a bright, confident smile—  

Before heading off to face death, 

He had straightened Fugaku’s collar, 

Then playfully punched his chest,  

And said—  

"I’ll leave it to you, Brother Fugaku!"  

—  

Uchiha Fugaku suddenly stood up!  

His expression returned to the composed, unwavering demeanor he had honed over the years, no matter the crisis.  

"Kagami-senpai, stay here!"  

His eyes suddenly opened wide—  

A pair of intricate, crimson Mangekyō Sharingan, with three hollowed-out tomoe tightly encircling the core of his pupils!  

Fugaku turned to Uchiha Kagami and spoke firmly:  

"Do not tell anyone about my eyes!"  

"Furthermore—"  

"I must ask you to use your strongest Sharingan genjutsu—Kaleidoscope Illusion: Mirror Heaven and Earth Shift—on me!"  

"What are you planning? Never mind, there's no time! I won’t ask!"  

Uchiha Kagami’s expression hardened. 

He glanced at Fugaku’s unwavering gaze, 

And those forbidden eyes— 

Eyes that countless Uchiha had spent their entire lives pursuing—  

Without hesitation—  

Even if Fugaku were to take his life with those eyes right now—  

As long as it could save the Uchiha—  

Uchiha Kagami smiled as he activated his own three-tomoe Sharingan. 

His pupils shrank!  

Genjutsu: Mirror Heaven and Earth Shift!  

At that moment, Uchiha Fugaku activated the forbidden technique hidden within his eyes—  

Mangekyō Dojutsu: Tsukuyomi!  

Dragging his own consciousness into the illusionary realm— 

A space where time, location, and even pain were all dictated by the caster!  

Yet, under his deliberate control, 

Tsukuyomi did not shatter Kagami’s mental defenses—  

Instead, through the "Eye of Love," as if reflected in a mirror— 

Uchiha Fugaku rebounded the illusion back onto himself,  

Casting Mangekyō Genjutsu: Tsukuyomi on himself!  

And at that instant, he activated his other eye—  

In a world where time stood still, he took a step toward a future filled only with despair!  

Dojutsu: Kuraidō Mitama!  

Dojutsu: Tsukuyomi!  

Two Mangekyō abilities fused together— 

Forming a new technique, usable only on himself.  

Mangekyō Dojutsu—Mirror Shift Future: Boundary Tsukuyomi!  

The one in a hundred million chance!  

Reflecting the future within his own eyes— 

Stepping into endless doomed timelines— 

Endlessly consuming his immense ocular power—  

All for one purpose—  

To find a way to save the Uchiha clan!  

Clenching his teeth, Uchiha Fugaku, trembling with fear, stepped forward—  

Toward death itself!  

He smirked coldly—  

"Uchiha Madara—"  

"I challenge you!" 

(End of chapter) 

Chapter 432: The Sage of the Six Paths… Was a Failure!  

Looking at the Great Toad Sage and the two elder toads, Fukasaku and Shima, putting on an exaggerated performance, how could Shinji not understand their true intentions?  

Their goal was obvious—to make him break the seal on the necklace containing the Sage’s Talisman. To achieve this, they even threw out some intriguing topics that caught his attention:  

[The Path Conceived by the White Snake Sage] and [Six Paths-Level Sage Art].  

There was no doubt about it—this was a test. Or perhaps, a form of probing.  

And the test itself wasn’t particularly complicated. All he had to do was break the seal on the Oil Symbol Necklace.  

But that was exactly where the problem lay.  

The Great Toad Sage was well aware that the White Snake Sage had already perished in the battle against him and Ying. In fact, with its clairvoyance, the Great Toad Sage had likely witnessed the entire fight from beginning to end.  

Whether Shinji had defeated the White Snake Sage through sheer power or by exploiting a loophole, the Great Toad Sage knew better than anyone.  

So, what the Great Toad Sage truly wanted to probe… might actually be something else entirely.  

At the end of their conversation, the Great Toad Sage had casually mentioned an unfamiliar term—the Sage’s Orb.  

In other words, their real objective might be to confirm whether Shinji had obtained the Sage’s Orb from Ryūchi Cave.  

And if he hadn't obtained it, could it mean that the Great Toad Sage was trying to acquire it for itself?  

For the toads of Mount Myōboku, this might be an even more important matter.  

But what exactly was the Sage’s Orb?  

All these thoughts flashed through Shinji’s mind in an instant. He stepped forward, standing before the Oil Symbol Necklace, which was so massive that even its spherical pendant dwarfed his entire body.  

There was only one way to find out.  

And with his current strength, aside from an elderly Madara with his Rinnegan restored, there was no one in the ninja world Shinji feared.  

If these toads were trying to use him to achieve some ulterior motive, he didn’t mind taking an extra half-hour… to send them all to the Pure Land.  

With this thought in mind, Shinji raised his hand and placed it on the surface of the spherical pendant engraved with the Oil character.  

In that instant, the Sage’s Heart in his left chest, burning like a furnace, unleashed its full power.  

A bizarre phenomenon occurred—an effect visible to the naked eye. The air around Shinji warped into folds, a result of an overwhelming concentration of natural energy gathering in one place.  

Surging natural energy poured into the necklace like a raging river. The Oil Symbol Pendant grew ever more radiant, its brilliance nearly blinding.  

“This… this…”  

“A mere human… controlling such an immense amount of natural energy?!”  

Fukasaku Sage’s eyes widened in shock as he turned instinctively to the Great Toad Sage, exclaiming,  

“Great Toad Sage!”  

“This kid… he might actually be able to fill the Toad Oil Bead without the Sage’s Orb!”  

The Great Toad Sage furrowed its brow slightly, but soon relaxed.  

“No need to rush… let’s wait and see.”  

Meanwhile, Shinji, continuously injecting Sage Chakra into the pendant, noticed something strange.  

This pendant had a Sage Chakra capacity nearly equal to two Sage’s Hearts.  

If not for his ability to endlessly draw in external natural energy, he wouldn’t have been able to fill it with just his own reserves.  

Yet, the Sage’s Heart inside him had a greater raw energy capacity than even the White Snake Sage.  

The Great Toad Sage might have been stronger than the White Snake Sage, but not by much—not enough to possess twice the Sage Chakra reserves of the leader of one of the three great sanctuaries.  

That meant only one thing…  

The Great Toad Sage had been lying.  

It never had the ability to open the pendant.  

There was another method to unlock it.  

Shinji could, of course, force it open with an overwhelming flood of natural energy—far beyond what anyone expected.  

But just as he was about to do so, he sensed something from within the pendant.  

It was a feeling of fear.  

The object sealed inside… trembled slightly.  

In that instant, Shinji’s vision flashed.  

The entire world before his eyes transformed into something completely different.  

Under the gloomy sky of Mount Myōboku, countless golden glowing dots flickered in the air, reflecting off each other like warm little suns drifting like snowflakes.  

In an instant, Mount Myōboku seemed to transform into a paradise of sages.  

“This… this is just like the time I crushed that cat’s-eye stone sent by Tianshen Hime… and saw the vision of Ryūchi Cave!”  

Back then, this mysterious ability to see things others could not nearly got him eaten by the Three Snake Princesses of Ryūchi Cave.  

Now, with the pendant’s resonance, Shinji quietly activated his Sharingan, recording this ability for himself.  

To prevent him from brutally breaking in, the Sage’s Talisman sealed inside the pendant had actually chosen to teach him how to use an ability he had always possessed but never understood!  

At this moment…  

Now able to clearly see this brilliant sage realm,  

Countless golden light dots moved at his command, forming crisscrossing lines that tore through the sky and surged toward Shinji’s palm.  

The transformation happened in an instant.  

A bright golden sphere, formed from extremely compressed natural energy, materialized in his hand.  

As if responding to this golden sphere—  

Crack!  

The Oil Symbol Necklace split open silently.  

A glowing green paper talisman floated out.  

Covered in complex runes and sigils, at its center was a large, striking Sage character.  

This was the greatest treasure of the Toad Kingdom, a talisman infused with unique sage power—  

A power so mysterious that it could even reverse life and death…  

The Sage’s Talisman!  

“You truly have obtained the power of the Sage’s Orb!”  

The Great Toad Sage took a deep breath, locking eyes with Shinji’s golden sphere.  

A solemn expression surfaced in its gaze—an emotion it had never shown before.  

“Shinji… you truly are the Child of Destiny.”  

“You have finally fulfilled the White Snake’s expectations… and stepped onto a path with no future.”  

“…What do you mean?”  

Shinji frowned slightly, gazing at the golden sphere in his palm with a hint of confusion.  

“The cat’s-eye stone I crushed back then… was that the Sage’s Orb?”  

Then, raising the golden sphere, he asked,  

“And this… what exactly can it do?”  

“Indeed,” the Great Toad Sage said in a deep voice.  

“That is a treasure that allows one to glimpse the limits of Sage Jutsu. To wield it, your body must be powerful enough to withstand an unimaginable amount of natural energy.”  

“In the history of the ninja world, only the Sage of the Six Paths—Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki—achieved this through his Sage Body.”  

“With it, he cultivated an ultimate Sage Art capable of fighting the Ten-Tails…”  

“Sage Art: Perfected Susano’o!”  

However—  

At this moment, the Great Toad Sage suddenly changed its tone, revealing a shocking truth:  

“But—”  

“Hagoromo… abandoned this path.”  

“Because this… was not the true limit of Sage Jutsu.”  

“The Sage of the Six Paths… was a failure.”  

(End of Chapter) 

Chapter 433: This Brat Is Even More Arrogant Than the Sage of Six Paths!   

"The Sage of Six Paths... was a failure!"   

Just eight words, yet they carried a tidal wave of shocking information.   

Perhaps it was precisely because of the Sage of Six Paths' failure—his departure from the ‘Path of the Sage’ he once practiced—that ultimately led the world to adopt a chakra-based power system.   

"The reason he called himself a ‘Sage’ was that he simultaneously wielded the power of both the Divine Tree and the Sages."   

"This was the root of his strength!"   

"And this matter... begins with a regret I have carried for thousands of years—"   

At this point, the Great Toad Sage's deeply wrinkled face trembled slightly. He lowered his head and let out a long, sorrowful sigh.   

"Thousands of years ago,"   

"In order to take revenge on the celestial being Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, who descended from the heavens, I decided to train her son, Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki. I introduced him to the rudimentary form of Sage Jutsu, guiding him down this path."   

"Under my guidance, and thanks to his inhumanly powerful physique, Hagoromo mastered a state known as the ‘Sage Body’ in just a few short years."   

"This state allowed for perfect control over natural energy, enhancing both attack and defense. It also extended the range of physical attacks and sensory perception through the power of nature itself."   

"It was the original, most perfect form of ‘Sage Mode’."   

"The so-called ‘God of Shinobi,’ Hashirama Senju, inherited a diluted version of this power through his bloodline. That is why he was so absurdly strong."   

"The combination of natural energy and chakra should have paved the way for a new, universally accessible power system—one that surpassed mere chakra manipulation."   

"However, when Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, having quelled the rebellions, noticed the changes in her son, Hagoromo was forced to hastily abandon his Sage Jutsu training and return to battle his mother in the Land of Ancestors."   

"In the end, using Sage Jutsu, the Mangekyō Sharingan, and the Rinnegan he awakened after killing his own brother, the Sage of Six Paths defeated Kaguya Ōtsutsuki."   

At this point, Gamamaru’s expression turned grim, his face frozen like stone, cold as ice. A deep, immeasurable regret lingered in his eyes.   

"But—"   

"Even after defeating Kaguya, the Sage of Six Paths did not devote himself to further developing this system of limitless potential."   

"Compared to the power of the Ten-Tails that he acquired after Kaguya’s defeat, compared to the Rinnegan he gained after killing his brother—"   

"Sage Jutsu was simply too weak!"   

"So weak that the Sage of Six Paths abandoned it without hesitation, so weak that he didn’t even bother to pass it down to his own children."   

"After awakening the Rinnegan and reaching the level of the Six Paths, he viewed Sage Jutsu and natural energy as nothing more than tools to be exploited!"   

"After that great battle, he chose to help people build houses, construct bridges, travel the world, and start a family."   

"But he never once returned to Mount Myōboku!"   

"No one has ever again been able to achieve the ‘Sage Body’ through mere training."   

"As a result, Sage Jutsu stagnated, becoming nothing more than a forgotten relic passed down in the Three Great Sage Lands and a few remote villages."   

"Then, with the advent of Indra's ninja era, people finally began to pursue power outside the established system of Ninjutsu—the kind of power that could kill their enemies!"   

"Heh."   

The Great Toad Sage let out a bitter laugh and spoke with a hint of melancholy.   

"The Sage of Six Paths’ misguided kindness—or rather, his stupidity, his stubbornness, his single-mindedness—these were the reasons I chose him for my revenge."   

"But his vision... even calling it shortsighted would be an understatement."   

"When faced with the prospect of combining two power systems into a unified Sage Jutsu framework, he chose the temporarily stronger chakra-based path."   

"When faced with the conflict between his two sons, Indra and Asura, he chose Asura, who was just as foolishly kind as he was."   

Shinji remained silent for a moment before finishing the Great Toad Sage's sentence for him:   

"But in the end..."   

"This world still chose Indra!"   

Asura's Ninja Creed had long been discarded into the trash heap of history.   

Meanwhile, Indra's system of Ninjutsu became the foundation of the modern shinobi world.   

And yet, throughout countless cycles of reincarnation,   

The Sage of Six Paths—watching from the Pure Land, observing the reincarnations of his two sons—   

Always chose to turn a blind eye.   

Always favored Asura.   

As if to prove that he was never wrong!   

That is the history of the ninja world.   

A twisted world where personal will always overrides the natural course of events!   

A world that is nothing but a cage!   

The stronger one becomes, the more they can feel these invisible shackles.   

The deeper one understands, the more they recognize the hidden distortions of this world.   

Everyone, like puppets on strings, is imprisoned within an endlessly repeating cycle of history.   

"That’s why... I hate it!"   

At that moment, the Great Toad Sage's face darkened, his wrinkled old visage twisted in rage. In his slitted eyes, an uncontrollable fire burned.   

"I hate the Sage of Six Paths' arrogance!"   

"I hate his foolishness!"   

"And even more... I hate the choice I made back then!"   

"If I had chosen the more rational Hamura instead,   

Would the future I envisioned have been different?"   

"Would Sage Jutsu, this path that now leads nowhere, this path that only scavenges scraps from the past—   

Would it have reached farther?"   

Hearing this, Shinji couldn't help but shake his head and sigh in sympathy for the Great Toad Sage.   

It felt like watching a dramatic soap opera.   

And then...   

That was it.   

Shinji knew exactly why he had come here, and he knew what he needed to do next.   

He had already obtained the ‘Sage Insignia’ and had been more than patient, listening to this old toad complain about the past.   

He hadn't just taken it by force—he had already shown enough respect!   

With that in mind, Shinji grabbed the Sage Insignia, which had been floating in mid-air, and stuffed it into his ninja pouch before turning to leave.   

Seeing this, the Great Toad Sage was stunned.   

He had spent so much time explaining and building up the suspense,   

And just when he was about to reach the most critical part—   

This brat was just ignoring him?   

Wait—   

This kid... is even more arrogant than the Sage of Six Paths?!   

"Shinji—!"   

The Great Toad Sage’s face darkened as he urgently called out.   

"Aren’t you at all interested in the power contained within that glowing sphere in your hand?"   

"This?"   

Shinji glanced at the golden orb in his palm and chuckled awkwardly.   

No matter how gloriously you describe it—   

It doesn’t change the fact that this thing is just a glorified version of the Sage Transformation Curse Mark’s Multi-Lotus Cannon.   

This thing would struggle to take down the Third Mizukage, let alone someone like Madara Uchiha!   

Condensing large amounts of natural energy, fusing it with chakra to create a special Sage Chakra orb?   

That’s several generations behind the current techniques.   

And as for the so-called ‘Six Paths-level Sage Jutsu’ and ‘Sage Art: Complete Body Susanoo’ the old toad was hyping up?   

He’s just talking himself up!   

At this point, Shinji could see it clearly—   

The Great Toad Sage was trying to trick him into becoming Myōboku’s research subject.   

If it were someone else, they might have been fooled.   

But the problem was—   

I already have this power!   

Chapter 434: The Prophetic Dream and the Path of Destiny! 

The ninja world is a place of wandering souls and treacherous hearts. Even the seemingly simple and honest toads have their own little schemes. 

But when one attempts to deceive Shinji, who has already read the official guidebook, such a foolish act quickly turns into an embarrassing spectacle. 

Six Paths-Level Senjutsu 

This concept was never explicitly defined in the original work. However, based on the manga and the official guidebook, Six Paths Senjutsu is essentially a fusion of the power of the Six Paths and Senjutsu. 

It is one of the pinnacle abilities in the entire ninja world, rivaled only by a few other powers such as Kekkei Mōra and the Six Paths Yin-Yang Power. 

To be precise, it refers to the Six Paths Chibaku Tensei formed by the combined Yin-Yang power of the Sage of the Six Paths and his brother. 

During the Fourth Great Ninja War, Six Paths Madara performed Sage Art: Yin Release Lightning Dispatch and Sage Art: Storm Release Light Fang. Naruto, who obtained the power of the Six Paths Sage and the nature of all the Tailed Beasts, entered the Six Paths Sage Mode, which also belongs to the category of Six Paths Senjutsu. His Sage Art: Super Tailed Beast Rasenshuriken is a prime example of a Six Paths-level technique. 

After mastering Six Paths Senjutsu, the next step is achieving mastery over Truth-Seeking Orbs. 

There are three known methods to cultivate Truth-Seeking Orbs: 

• Fusing seven nature transformations at their highest level, as demonstrated by the Sage of the Six Paths, Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki. 

• Creating them using the Tenseigan, as done by Hamura Ōtsutsuki, the progenitor of the Moon’s ninja clan. 

• Acquiring them through complete mastery of Six Paths Senjutsu (this is somewhat vague in the official guidebook, but it can be interpreted as inheriting all of the Sage of the Six Paths’ legacy, including the Ten-Tails and the Rinnegan). This includes figures such as Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Obito, who became Ten-Tails Jinchūriki after obtaining the Rinnegan. 

Naruto, who gained the chakra of all Tailed Beasts and was granted the Sage’s Yang Power, also falls into the third category. After acquiring the Six Paths Sage Mode, he automatically gained Truth-Seeking Orbs. However, unlike true Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, he lacked the Rinnegan. This meant that the orbs were unconsciously generated, and if he lacked all chakra natures, he would not be able to create them again. 

The first prerequisite for attaining Six Paths-level Senjutsu is possessing the power of the Six Paths! 

Only those who wield the power of the Six Paths can truly cross the threshold and gain the defining trait of a true Six Paths-level warrior—the ability to create Truth-Seeking Orbs. 

Otherwise, they would be like Naruto in Six Paths Sage Mode, only able to temporarily ascend to this level before exhausting their power and falling back down. 

Without this, even those who possess the power of the Six Paths—such as elderly Madara, Rinnegan Nagato, Rinnegan Obito, or even single Rinnegan Sasuke—are not true Six Paths-level warriors. At best, they exist in the space between super Kage-level and true Six Paths-level. 

Shinji, who understood all of this, initially thought that the Great Toad Sage’s mention of Six Paths-level Senjutsu indicated a thorough comprehension of the concept and a concrete plan for obtaining the power of the Six Paths. 

For example, how to achieve what the Sage of the Six Paths did—fusing all seven chakra natures to manually create Truth-Seeking Orbs. 

Or perhaps how to harness the chakra of the nine Tailed Beasts to forge Ten-Tails power without relying on the Gedo Statue, thereby obtaining Six Paths power indirectly. 

But unfortunately, this old toad had simply lived for a long time. 

His knowledge was limited to vague statements like "Six Paths-level Senjutsu refers to Sage Art: Perfect Susanoo." 

Shinji had long since replicated Jūgo and Sasuke’s synergy from the Fourth Great Ninja War, successfully developing Sage Art: Susanoo. 

By infusing Sage power into the massive Susanoo, its strength was indeed enhanced. However, due to the energy being spread too thinly, the overall augmentation wasn’t as remarkable as imagined. It certainly didn’t match the god-like presence hyped by the Great Toad Sage. Instead, it led to an inefficient use of chakra that couldn’t be sustained for long, though it proved useful in large-scale battles. 

Building upon this, Shinji developed a superior technique— 

Sage Art: Human Form Armament Susanoo— 

A form that concentrated all power into a singular point, drastically increasing both durability and explosive potential. 

At this moment, 

Seeing that Shinji remained utterly unmoved, even showing traces of disdain in his eyes, the Great Toad Sage—despite his millennium of cultivated patience—felt a surge of suppressed anger rising. 

This brat… what is he so smug about?! 

What does that look in his eyes mean?! 

He had even shared this long-kept secret, yet Shinji still acted indifferently! 

"Shinji—" 

"What are you hesitating for? What are you afraid of?" 

"In your hands right now lies the future of this world!" 

"The future?" 

Hearing these words, Shinji lowered his head and glanced at the condensed Senjutsu chakra sphere in his palm, a half-smile forming. 

Where exactly does it say ‘future’ on this thing? 

Enough already! Stop the exaggerated talk! 

I’m about to curl my toes in secondhand embarrassment! 

Yet the Great Toad Sage’s expression darkened as he introduced a new concept: 

"Since you have glimpsed the ‘Sage’s Orb’ and stepped through a new doorway, you should understand better than anyone—" 

"The future of Senjutsu in this world…" 

"The path that the White Snake Sage imparted to you…" 

"Through Sage Art: Distant Shadow Transmission, you can manipulate the world’s ever-present natural energy to steal, seize, and usurp the power of the Divine Tree, ultimately pioneering an entirely new system of power!" 

"You shall accomplish a feat never before seen and become far stronger than the Sage of the Six Paths himself!" 

"Enough!" 

Unable to hold back any longer, Shinji interrupted the Great Toad Sage. 

"Are you finished?" 

"If so, I’m leaving." 

With that, he decisively turned around and walked back the way he came. 

He had no time for a mutual admiration session with this toad! 

However— 

The moment he did, the Great Toad Sage’s pupils shrank, his expression twisting in frustration. 

"Stop right there! Shinji—" 

Seeing that Shinji was truly leaving Mount Myōboku to return to the ninja world, the Great Toad Sage’s face turned red, then pale, veins bulging at his temples. 

Then, he bellowed: 

"You cannot leave!" 

"I saw this future in my dreams! That is why I summoned you here!" 

"Shinji, you must believe me!" 

At that moment— 

Boom! 

The sky above Mount Myōboku split open. 

A massive, ferocious thunder beast materialized among the clouds. 

A chilling sense of foreboding surged within Shinji. 

He abruptly halted, turning coldly toward the Great Toad Sage. 

"Just now…" 

"You said ‘we’—didn’t you?" 

Chapter 435: Mirror’s Future - Limit Tsukuyomi! (Part 1)  

Never before had Uchiha Fugaku felt that the familiar path from his residence to the Naka Shrine—one he had walked countless times—could feel so long, so agonizing to traverse.  

Mirror’s Future - Limit Tsukuyomi!  

This Mangekyō Sharingan technique allows the user to glimpse into the future, projecting everything that is about to happen in the real world into the world of Tsukuyomi with absolute clarity. 

At the same time, any injury suffered or pain endured in this illusionary world is indistinguishable from reality.  

Fugaku knew with absolute certainty that he was walking toward a place filled only with pain and despair—a path leading to his inevitable death.  

Yet, to him...  

Death was not the end of life!  

Possessing such a technique made Fugaku feel as though he were playing a simulation game where he could restart endlessly. However, he had no idea how many more times his eyes’ power, the suffering he had endured, and the hardships that had refined his Mangekyō Sharingan could sustain him.  

Each step toward the future might be his last!  

So,  

If the Uchiha Clan was fated to be annihilated in just ten minutes, and if everyone else was destined to die— 

except for him, who could relive this disaster over and over again— 

then every chance to start over was invaluable.  

Fugaku had to gather every piece of information he could in an attempt to overturn this cruel fate!  

Because in the world of shinobi, battles are fought for intelligence!  

Following the Naka River, which runs through Konoha from west to east, Fugaku walked for three minutes before arriving at an ancient yet solemn estate. 

The stark contrast between the white courtyard walls and the black tiled eaves marked the revered resting place of countless Uchiha ancestors over a thousand years— 

the very heart of the Uchiha Clan: Naka Shrine.  

Naka Shrine - Main Hall 

This shrine, located downstream along the Naka River, serves as the ancestral hall of the Uchiha Clan. Inside the main hall, beneath the seventh tatami mat on the rightmost side, lies the entrance to the Uchiha’s secret assembly room.  

It was also the very same unremarkable, narrow chamber—containing nothing but a single stone tablet— 

where, in reality, trillions of ryo worth of Uchiha Clan treasures were hidden beneath the floor.  

However, given the Uchiha Clan’s current situation within the village, there was little need for any so-called “secret meetings” for now.  

The clan meetings were now held in the main hall, the grand chamber built above the ancestral shrine.  

It was large enough to accommodate hundreds of Uchiha members as observers.  

Standing before the grand doors, 

Fugaku suddenly felt an absurd and ominous premonition, 

as if he were standing at the entrance of a slaughterhouse.  

His brows furrowed even deeper, yet beneath the weight of this tragic reality, his gaze grew ever more resolute.  

Taking a deep breath,  

Fugaku pushed open the doors to the main hall—  

“Lord Hachidaime, I am not joking. The act of surrendering is the will of Sunagakure itself! We can no longer endure the burden of war.”  

“My purpose here is not as complicated as you all may think,”  

“I simply ask that you have your young clan leader *cease his divine powers!*”  

“Last night, there was first the blinding explosion that nearly crippled the political system of the Land of Fields, 

then the massive detonation that shook the entirety of the Land of Wind!  

Even from Konoha, you must have seen the ominous phenomena in the sky.”  

“So tell me—if you were in my position, what would you choose?”  

The moment Fugaku stepped into the hall, a desperate plea, one that was nearly on the verge of tears, resounded through the chamber.  

At the center of the hall stood two men in confrontation:  

One was Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, who looked utterly drained and sorrowful as he tried to shove an official letter of surrender into the hands of the other man. His expression was filled with genuine despair, as though he bore the weight of the world.  

The other was Uchiha Hachidaime, who stood before Rasa with a face full of “Oh no, that would be inappropriate!” expressions.  

Seated to the left of the chamber were 272 Uchiha clan members, kneeling in neat rows. 

Men and women, young and old alike.  

Once divided into factions—hawks, doves, and neutrals— 

but after everything that had transpired over the past few months, 

they had all inevitably merged into just two groups:  

Uchiha Tsugui’s fanatics (Tsugui Blowers) and Uchiha Tsugui’s detractors (Tsugui Haters).  

Now, the 272 Uchiha members watched with intense enthusiasm as if they were spectators enjoying a stage play, 

glancing back and forth between Rasa, Hachidaime, and...  

The elevated platform at the rightmost end of the hall.  

There, five square cushions were positioned:  

Four were placed sideways for the Elder, Elder Uchiha Kagari, Clan Affairs Supervisor Hachidaime, and Police Force Captain Fugaku himself.  

The fifth, placed at the highest position beneath the ceremonial sword stand, remained empty.  

It belonged to the absent young clan leader, Uchiha Tsugui, who was still wandering somewhere out in the world.  

At present,  

Only one of the side cushions was occupied—  

An aged man with ghastly pale hair, sharp, sinister features, his body wrapped entirely in bandages. 

He wore a gray kimono, no Konoha forehead protector, and instead, a half-face mask.  

Sitting with his eyes closed, unmoving—  

He was Uchiha Setsuna, the Great Elder.  

Then,  

"Creak—"  

Hearing the doors open, all eyes turned to Fugaku.  

Even Elder Setsuna slightly tilted his head, though he did not open his eyes. 

His cold, harsh features remained as if he were owed eight million ryo, but his nostrils flared slightly, and his brows furrowed.  

“Hmm?”  

“Fugaku, where is Kagari?”  

“The Third Hokage still requires Elder Kagari’s presence,” Fugaku casually replied, using the excuse as a cover.  

Yet beneath the surface, his entire body was tense to the extreme, 

his peripheral vision constantly scanning every corner of the hall—  

Searching for the figure that would soon emerge and turn this place into a bloodbath.  

‘Not in the main hall… nor on the beams… nor underground…  

It’s possible he’s disguised among the clan members, but the most likely scenario is—’  

‘He’s on the rooftop. And when this meeting reaches its climax… he will strike!’  

Recalling the scene he had just glimpsed through his Dōjutsu: Kuraidōkon, 

Fugaku couldn’t help but clench his fists, his gaze flickering with deep wariness as he subtly glanced toward the roof.  

But in that very instant—  

“You can… see me?”  

A cold, merciless voice, tinged with a hint of surprise, whispered into his ear—  

BOOM!!!  

A massive, sky-blue hand burst through the ceiling of Naka Shrine, tearing through the structure like paper!  

Like a god crushing an ant,  

It came crashing down!  

Through the shattered rooftop, a flock of crows took flight against a sky drenched in shadows.  

Standing upon the roof, his long, ghostly-white hair billowing like a demon’s, 

a cold, merciless gaze pierced down—  

Uchiha Madara.  

Fugaku’s eyes widened in sheer terror.  

Even knowing this was merely an illusion of the future, 

the suffocating dread of impending death and the crushing power before him momentarily froze his thoughts.  

And in just that instant of hesitation—  

Bones cracked, flesh ripped apart, blood sprayed like a fountain.  

Unbearable agony lasted for a single moment.  

Then—  

Everything went dark.  

A voice echoed in his ears—  

“Hey, Fugaku?”  

“Oi, are you okay?”  

“Did you just use your Mangekyō Sharingan?”  

Fugaku’s eyes snapped open.  

He was back at his own doorstep.  

The road ahead...  

Once again led straight to hell.  

(End of Chapter)