Konoha Notes.

Chapter 563 The Wind Stops

After Otsutsuki Isshiki died, his entire body turned to ashes, a sight that made Shuji wait for a while.

After all, it's rare to see someone die so cleanly. Given the cunning of ninjas, if they didn't crush the body themselves and could die so cleanly, they must have used a substitution jutsu.

He maintained his senses, making sure the gray fragments scattered in the wind of the alternate dimension showed no signs of regrouping, before turning his gaze to the mess around him.

Black cubes and gray stone pillars are scattered crookedly across the wasteland.

The Imperial Pillars have been overused, and all ten have entered a dormant period, meaning they cannot be relied upon for the foreseeable future.

He reached out and touched the surface of the nearest cube.

The materials used in these items are worth studying; they might even become important materials.

Kakashi and Obito emerged from the Kamui dimension, realizing that the battle was finally over.

When they arrived, they brought Hyuga Neji with them.

The young man from the Hyuga clan stopped running away after the battle began, and instead of getting close to cause trouble, he chose to wait.

He was looking at Shuuji. The Sixth Generation's appearance still retained traces of his past, but his hair was now completely white, and his skin had lost its original warmth.

Those eyes hadn't changed; they still held an unfathomable peace.

"Lord Hokage, you—"

"I've slightly changed the color scheme; I'll make further adjustments later." Shuuji beckoned, "Come here."

Neji obediently walked up to him.

Shuji placed his hand on Neji's shoulder, examining the changes in Neji's body.

"After a month, about 20% has thawed."

That was fast! No wonder it made Isshiki Otsutsuki decide to take action.

But is this level of awareness enough for Isshiki's consciousness to awaken within Neji's body?

Karma has the ability to repair the host's body on its own. After all, most injuries that are fatal to ordinary people are not fatal to Otsutsuki, and they consume less energy.

However, once the energy required to repair the host's body reaches a level that could even damage the integrity of the Karma seal and affect the Ōtsutsuki's own reincarnation control, the permission of the Ōtsutsuki's will may be required.

Should we try to create false fatal wounds repeatedly to induce the wedge to waste energy?

Let's wait a little longer, until Yishi's consciousness gradually awakens, perhaps to about seventy percent—

Based on the experience of Boruto, as long as the thawing of the Karma seal is not 100% complete and the host does not lose control due to the loss of a large amount of chakra, even the Otsutsuki cannot take over control.

Whichever option we choose, we need sufficient data and research to support it. We'll decide when we get back to the village.

"Kakashi, please put these things away."

Kakashi glanced around, his eyelids immediately drooping: "These?"

"These are all important supplies."

Director Hatake said, "Instead of wasting our eye power here, shouldn't we go back to the village first?"

"We've been here for a long time—"

"Moreover, these things already exist in the Divine Might Space."

"You can never have too many good things," the Sixth Hokage replied calmly. "If something really happens, the village will use other means to contact us, such as immediately summoning Neji."

The reason for keeping Toshihito is that the strongest aspect of the resurrected Uchiha Madara is actually his Rinnegan eye technique: Limbo: Border Jail.

It's not that Madara is incompetent in other aspects, but only Limbo gives him absolute suppression over those who have never possessed the power of the Six Paths.

The physical shadow of Limbo: Border Jail is agile and powerful, but crucially, those without the power of the Six Paths cannot touch it.

In theory, Momoshiki, Urashiki, and Kinji, who would arrive in the ninja world in a dozen years, would not have Madara's advantage when facing someone without the power of the Six Paths.

"What worries me more than him is that Madara chose not to come, so—let's wait a little longer."

"Let's see if we can get it all done in one go."

Obito said, "I have the coordinates of their base."

Shuji replied, "Those places became obsolete the moment you were released."

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"At least for Madara, it's ruined."

"That's a preliminary investigation to be done after he stops attacking the village at this time; there's no point in going now."

He then changed the subject.

"Besides, I had Kakashi clean up the mess because it's difficult to manage rogue ninjas. Can you really bear to see his eye power wasted on something like this?"

"If you're dead, make the most of your dead advantages, Obito Uchiha."

"The Sage of Six Paths has left little time for the Impure World Reincarnation cultivators."

Obito said indifferently, "That's perfect."

Shuji didn't seem to care: "Anyway, Kakashi, the Hokage's orders have been issued."

"How to accomplish it is your problem."

"Ah, although there's no rush to go back, you can still send a message to let us know the results."

"I'm going to inspect this area."

If he stays here, Obito will probably be even less willing to help with the work.

"Neji, keep up."

The fact that the boy might have an unfriendly tenant living inside his body for the rest of his life needs to be clarified first.

Whether the Ten-Tails hidden in the other style is actually in this alternate dimension needs to be confirmed by scanning the area.

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

Shuji was waiting, and so was Madara.

What would take an ordinary ninja two or three days to travel, he could do in just a few hours.

Madara wasn't particularly concerned about whether Konoha would be destroyed in Jigen's attack.

If Jigen succeeds, it means that the power of the guardian Jinchuriki will be completely destroyed.

Since Konoha is now so resourceful that it can develop something like a pseudo-divine tree, it means that at least they can transfer the Jinchuriki away when it matters most.

Obito's regained freedom allows them to focus on this matter without worry.

By then, he will be the only one left to protect the world.

With Konoha's current strength, plus Hashirama and Obito who were sent there, that guy named Jigen will eventually be forced to reveal his true form.

But when Madara arrived at the outskirts of Konoha, the sight he saw still made him raise an eyebrow.

The barrier reopened, heavily guarded, but the village itself did not suffer much damage.

"Not only did they repel the enemy, but the village itself was also largely undamaged."

He stood on a horizontal branch of an ancient pine tree, his red armor almost blending into dark brown in the twilight.

"That guy's strength is weaker than I thought."

"Or perhaps, they didn't use their full strength?"

After a moment of silence, Madara called out a name without warning.

"Jue, you saw that, didn't you?"

"Yes, Lord Madara." Black Zetsu emerged from the shadows beside him. "Jigen has revealed his true form, but Might Guy opened the Eighth Gate and repelled him."

"What happened next—"

"Konoha has redeployed its defenses, so I didn't linger."

Madara asked, "How's Shuji's condition? And how's that tree?"

"Shuji didn't appear at all; the tree was hidden within the barrier," Black Zetsu replied.

"That means he hasn't revealed all his cards yet—according to Orochimaru's intelligence, Jigen should only have a few days left."

Black Jue echoed, acting as a yes-man.

Madara looked at Konoha in the distance.

He figured that Cixian would inevitably discover his involvement, which meant that Cixian would add more tactical objectives in the remaining time.

But the most crucial element remains Konoha, since Konoha was the one that once repelled him, and it is imperative to eliminate any future threats first.

Then it's myself—

Ban set up a barrier, completely concealing his aura.

Then you just wait.

From sunset to sunrise, and from sunrise to almost the next sunset.

Jue remained silent, neither asking him what he was planning nor offering any suggestions.

It was determined that, unless it absolutely had to speak or act, it would obediently serve as a tool for the time being.

Then Black Zetsu heard laughter.

First it was a low, muffled sound, like something stuck in your throat.

"Hmph hmph hmph————"

Ban's shoulders trembled slightly.

"A person with so little life left has made absolutely no move."

"Jue, why do you think that is?"

Before Jue could even formulate a word, the laughter suddenly became louder.

"Hahahaha!"

Ban raised his head, laughing freely and openly. His voice traveled through the branches and leaves, startling a flock of unknown birds in the distance.

At the end of his laughter, he stopped talking, leaving only a slightly regretful smile on his lips.

"You're dead, you Otsutsuki."

"It's over if it's only this bad."

"An interstellar predator, nothing more than that."

Black Zetsu finally couldn't contain his shock: "How is this possible? Konoha wouldn't have such power, unless it's—"

Six Paths Immortals?

It couldn't help but wonder if Hamura had left some kind of trick.

Madara had already turned around and started walking away from Konoha, his back view carrying a lingering sense of unfinished business.

"Hashirama—death really is something that makes life boring."

He took one last look in the direction of Konoha.

"The one who can make me enjoy the pleasure of fighting is no longer you."

""