Land of Fire.
Within the Senju clan compound.
Senju Yukika had returned from Konoha.
He hadn't given a definitive answer, but he also hadn't directly refused.
He wasn't the type to play coy or posture.
Though technically split from Konoha, the village was still under Senju influence.
Six years had passed, and the people had adapted.
Refusing outright now would just feel petty.
But returning to Konoha and becoming Hokage were two very different matters.
A mere shadow leader? That meant nothing to Yukika.
He wanted the entire shinobi world.
"So Kirigakure is organizing itself with help from the other villages now?" Yukika asked, amused as he read the report.
"They actually built a dam on the mountains around the Mist Village…"
"Since when did Kirigakure have so many earth-style users?"
Sakumo Hatake chuckled.
Turns out Iwagakure loaned them manpower and funds.
It was obvious what Onoki was trying to do:
Unite all the ninja who had been oppressed by the Senju.
Form a massive alliance to pressure the Senju clan.
In recent years, Onoki had been maneuvering in the shadows.
Even during the last joint venture between Iwa, Suna, and Kiri, no supplies were sent to the Senju.
A silent message was clear between them.
They were waiting for a Senju response.
Reports said the Senju were in seclusion—Yukika most of all.
"Interesting," Yukika scoffed, tossing the intel aside.
"Lord Yukika! I only need five—no, fifty—no wait, five hair gel hands to break through and crush Iwagakure!"
Sakumo was confident, albeit with a twisted grin.
"Hair gel hands." They'd picked that up from Yukika.
Like in the Death God Maze, where a man soared into the air and grabbed his bangs, changing his hairstyle mid-fight.
Yukika had yelled about hair gel hands—now even Senju ninja followed suit.
It sounded ridiculous, but the Senju truly improved their appearances through better hair.
Yukika, especially, stood out.
With his refined facial features and Aizen-style hair, his looks alone were lethal to women.
"Clan leader, someone requests an audience. Says they're your friend from the Land of Rain."
Senju Iron Pillar, the palace steward, entered respectfully.
Friend? From the Land of Rain?
Yukika rubbed his chin, puzzled.
Honestly, he didn't think he had any friends.
But those three…
Sensing the chakra outside, Yukika's brows furrowed.
"Let her in."
Soon, Konan entered in a panic.
She had never seen such splendor before, but she was too distraught to even care.
"Yahiko, Nagato… something happened to them."
Konan knelt, eyes brimming with tears.
She had just lived through the worst moment of her life.
"Speak slowly."
Yukika had a rough idea already.
Knowing Madara's temperament, it was impossible he hadn't made plans.
Perhaps the pressure Yukika had put on him was too great.
Still, he wasn't worried. Even if Madara acted on the Infinite Tsukuyomi plan, he would trust no one else to execute it but himself.
"Nagato was taken by Yahiko to protect him… and then… he was killed by that man."
Konan's face turned pale.
She was lucky to make it out of the Land of Rain alive at her age and level of power.
But she didn't know what to do after such tragedy.
With Yahiko buried by Madara, she thought only Yukika or Jiraiya could help.
But Jiraiya hadn't returned to Konoha.
So only one man remained.
Senju Yukika.
She remembered their first meeting, and how he'd talked to them at length.
"I know it sounds like too much to ask, but if you're willing to help, I'll do anything. Master Yukika—"
Before she could finish, Yukika hugged her.
The three kids from Amegakure…
They had a pure friendship.
Even now.
How embarrassing it must've been for Konan to come alone.
Yukika sighed. "I suppose someone had to come for Nagato."
"You don't have to say it. I won't stand by."
"I called him family, and I meant it."
Nagato Uzumaki.
One of the last remaining members of the Uzumaki clan.
Besides him, only one other female survived, now Yukika's personal maid, Uzumaki Mito.
Cradling Konan, Yukika spread black wings and soared at full speed.
Within minutes, they arrived at the scene.
Right before Konan, Yukika dug up Yahiko's inhuman remains from the grave and sealed them into a scroll.
Then he fell into deep thought.
Madara had appeared in the Land of Rain.
Considering his fragile condition without the Gedo Statue, his new hideout must still be nearby.
Yukika expanded his sensory perception to the limit, scanning half the Rain Country in an instant.
Finally locking in a direction, he flew off with Konan.
"Too late."
The cave was still there.
But the Gedo Statue was gone.
Nagato lay on the ground, his eyes empty. His hair had turned stark white from extreme life force loss.
Someone his age shouldn't suffer this much.
Madara had broken their pact.
He ignored Yukika's warnings and followed his own plan, activating Infinite Tsukuyomi even more recklessly.
If that's how it was...
Yukika knew what had to be done.
If Madara wanted a Tailed Beast, he'd come searching eventually.
Konan fell silent in his arms.
Nagato was gone. Her heart was lost.
"Nagato isn't that fragile. Don't underestimate the Uzumaki."
Yukika's words sparked a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
He wasn't lying.
The Uzumaki clan was tenacious. Even Jinchuriki could survive the loss of a Tailed Beast for a while.
Rinne Rebirth was fatal, yes.
But they were Uzumaki. They hadn't perished yet.
Nagato's breathing was faint, death near, but there was still a chance.
"It's Yahiko," Yukika muttered. Yahiko was just a regular ninja. Even if his ideals were noble, he was ultimately ordinary.
Like Naruto without any cheats—he'd never reach his peak.
He died terribly, despite shouting about peace and mutual understanding.
Yukika didn't know if Yahiko ever understood what Madara had done before dying.
But it was probably too late.
In this world, only powerful lineage thrived.
If you had no strong bloodline father, you were born behind the starting line.
Days had passed since Konan buried Yahiko and came to the Senju.
He was truly dead. Even his soul had departed.
Only the Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life or Edo Tensei could bring him back now.
But could they?
Using Edo Tensei on an average ninja? Would it even work?
As for Samsara of Heavenly Motion—that was even more worthless.
Yukika's thoughts were elsewhere.
Madara had returned from death.
Did that mean Indra's soul, along with his chakra, had departed Madara's body?
Even a moment of death is still death. Indra's soul, freed, would now search for another host.
But strangely, he couldn't find Ashura's soul.
He could only mimic Ashura and temporarily hide.
Madara no longer needed Indra's power. He had already taken everything to the extreme: Eternal Mangekyou, even the Rinnegan.
Still, Yukika had to confirm whether Indra's soul and chakra had split from Madara upon death to find a new host.
It was vital.
He had killed Ashura and absorbed his power.
If he gained Indra's as well, Yukika would be close to the Sage of Six Paths in raw power.
Then, even Yukika himself could become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki and cast Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Storing the bodies of Nagato and Yahiko in the Senju compound, Yukika set out again.
He returned to the Land of Whirlpools.
He hadn't been there long, but he already sensed the energy.
Just as he thought, Indra had broken free from Madara's soul.
But now that Madara was alive again, he couldn't return.
The remaining power stayed in Madara, but the soul was elsewhere.
The Reaper Death Mask was gone, but Indra's soul showed curiosity toward Yukika.
Clearly, he sensed Ashura's power in him.
Yet Ashura's soul emitted no response at all.
Can souls communicate?
Yukika narrowed his eyes. "I'll give you one chance. Do you want to watch me kill your father?"
He reached out and grabbed Indra's spirit. His voice was as gentle as a breeze, and Indra felt oddly at ease.
He hadn't misheard.
This generation's Ashura wanted to kill his father.
Good.
Keep going.
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