Start with a Zanpakuto and build the strongest Mist Village.

Confused, listless, immersed...

In this gray world, their minds also fell into an eternal slumber.

A vast amount of chakra surged into the sky. The Sage of Six Paths clasped his hands together, and a rift suddenly appeared in the space above the heavens. The chakra then traveled along the gap in space towards an unknown location.

After the attack, the immortal fell silent, the brilliant light slowly faded, and the world returned to its deathly stillness.

"Brother, what you're doing is too reckless. If our mother's clansmen notice, it will be a catastrophe for us," said Otsutsuki Hamura softly after watching the Sage of Six Paths finish what he had done.

"It is precisely because my mother's clan has not yet paid attention to the ninja world that I must seize this opportunity to stabilize the situation there," the Sage of Six Paths said calmly. "I have separated Yin and Yang and spread the five elements of chakra to this day, all so that I can create enough 'Soul Karma' before my mother's clan discovers this."

"Only by possessing enough Soul Wedges can our consciousness be spread infinitely, and only then can we become true gods in the universe, just like our mother's clan!"

The so-called Soul Wedge is a special secret technique created by the Sage of Six Paths based on the unique 'wedge' of his mother's clan.

The 'Karma' can copy the Otsutsuki clan members themselves, digitize them, and then inject them into other people's bodies. Ultimately, through the Karma, they can be reborn and resurrected, thus becoming beings who transcend death.

The function of the 'Soul Wedge' is also to replicate oneself into data and implant it into another person's body. However, compared to the 'resurrection' of the original Wedge, the Soul Wedge is more like a way to disperse power and eventually converge.

Anyone who possesses the Sage of Six Paths' chakra will have a 'Soul Wedge' seed planted within their body. This Soul Wedge seed will gradually expand until, after death and returning to the Pure Land of the Dead, the Soul Wedge will return all the power of the living person to the Sage of Six Paths.

Upon hearing the words of the Sage of Six Paths, Hamura Otsutsuki fell silent. After a long while, his voice slowly echoed through the temple.

"...I hope nothing goes wrong."

The conversations within the Pure Land of the Underworld are unknown to anyone.

Within Konoha Village, in the Forest of Death.

The aftershocks of the Ninety-First Kido chanted by Hozuki Gengetsu at full power slowly dissipated, and in the huge crater, a gray-white phantom was blasted into pieces.

The spiritual energy drifting between heaven and earth gathered around him, seemingly trying to repair his broken soul body, but Ghost Lantern Illusion Moon's figure appeared in front of him in an instant.

"So, you're the only one in this world who can directly access the soul power of this world, huh?" Sensing the situation on the Grim Reaper, Hozuki Gengetsu sneered, his phantom already covering his palm: "Then if we completely eliminate you, will the distorted Netherworld return to normal?"

A beam of spiritual energy burst forth from Hozuki Gengetsu's palm, but at that very moment, a surge of immense energy, even surpassing the previous eruption of the Ninety-One Ghost Path, suddenly appeared. Hozuki Gengetsu's space violently cracked open, and terrifying, blazing white energy poured out.

With a deafening roar, everything around Hozuki Gengetsu was instantly annihilated and collapsed!

The attack came too suddenly and was too terrifying, completely beyond Hozuki Gengetsu's expectations. Even Yoru didn't have time to react before the attack landed.

As the night grew heavy, Shisui was horrified, and Hozuki Gengetsu stared in bewilderment, the entire space collapsed, and most of the Death Forest vanished into nothingness.

"Swastika!"

At this moment, Hozuki Gengetsu had no other thoughts in his mind but to unleash his full power, releasing all the spiritual energy within him in its strongest form.

A vast amount of spiritual power burst forth from his body at this moment. In that instant, the entire Death Forest seemed to gain ten times the gravity. Countless giant trees collapsed, the earth shattered, and even the ground of the entire Death Forest sank several centimeters!

Mizuki Yoru, who was standing nearby, grabbed Uchiha Shisui's shoulder and disappeared from the spot.

The overwhelming spiritual power collided with the magnificent sacred chakra, and the entire world seemed to stand still at that moment.

"A mirage, an illusion!"

The pure white mist expanded and spread in an instant, completely merging into Hozuki Gengetsu's body. The next moment, the overwhelming spiritual power he unleashed was shattered by that divine chakra. Then, that power, like a celestial weapon, delivered a fatal blow to Hozuki Gengetsu.

A terrifying energy swept out, shattering the entire Death Forest in an instant. With a deafening roar, it transformed into a bottomless crack, within which raging chakra remained, its residual power still sending shivers down one's spine.

The earth cracked open, and looking down, one could even see rolling lava.

Night and the figures of Uchiha Shisui slowly emerged.

Looking at the spotless sky and the crack below that almost reached the earth's core, Shisui swallowed hard, his expression filled with terror. Besides terror, there was also a slight hint of... doubt.

He actually felt a familiar sensation from that chakra attack that came from the sky!

"What happened to that attack just now...?"

“Your ancestors.”

"Wha, what?"

Looking at the bewildered and stunned Shisui, Ye's gaze turned to the sky, as if he could see through layers of space and see the being in the Pure Land of the Underworld.

"The source of that attack just now was the founder of Ninjutsu, the spreader of chakra in the ninja world, the sage who pacified the chaotic world, and also your ancestor, Uchiha Shisui, Otsutsuki Hagoromo!"

"Or……"

"Six Paths Immortal!"

The Sage of Six Paths?!

Uchiha Shisui swallowed hard. He knew that Mizuki Yoru's goal was to deal with those extraterrestrial visitors, but he had never heard of anything about the Sage of Six Paths.

This ancestor... is still alive?

"If we define him by his physical body and soul, he died a thousand years ago. But if we define him by his ideology and other aspects... he is indeed still alive, and living a good life."

Night's eyes were deep and his expression indifferent. He could clearly see that the Shinigami who had been destroyed by Hozuki Gengetsu's attack was also drawn away by this holy and magnificent chakra impact. At the same time, Minato Namikaze's soul was also taken away.

"The reason why there is no spiritual power in the ninja world is that old guy's doing..."

"So, I was ambushed by the Sage of Six Paths?!"

The voice, filled with anger, carried a strange undertone. A wisp of mist gathered in the air beside Night, and Hozuki Gengetsu's figure slowly materialized.

Although Hozuki Gengetsu's aura was weak and his spiritual power was depleted at the moment, it still surprised Uchiha Shisui on the side.

The power of that attack was unparalleled. If he had been hit, there would have been no other outcome but death.

But Hozuki Gengetsu actually...

"The Sage of Six Paths... he's really strong." Hozuki Gengetsu snorted and looked at Minazuki Yoru with annoyance: "I should have stayed in the Land of Rice Fields. I came here and got nothing, not to mention I got beaten up by the Sage of Six Paths."

Ye chuckled softly, and even Shisui couldn't help but chuckle.

As if struck by a sudden thought, Hozuki Gengetsu's eyes lit up: "By the way, Eizou-chan, have you captured the soul of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?"

“Yes, although Minato Namikaze’s soul was taken away, Kushina Uzumaki’s soul is indeed in my hands.” Yoru nodded and said, “However, it’s unlikely that she will become your vice-captain. Putting aside her strength, she’s not the type to handle things for you all the time.”

"Ugh, why am I so unlucky..."

Ignoring Hozuki Gengetsu's wailing, Minazuki Yoru slowly raised his head and looked up at the sky.

The Sage of Six Paths' attack was indeed beyond his expectations, but he also gained some clear insights from it.

For example, previous speculations about the Sage of Six Paths' thoughts and intentions, estimates of his strength, and his current location in the space he inhabits, etc.

After this battle, Ye found the answers to many questions in his heart.

Night glanced at Naruto, who was still an infant under her protection, not far away, and a slight smile appeared on her lips.

"Let's see who comes out on top in this game."

"Let's go, it's time to go back."

"Hey, Yong's bringing a girl, aren't you taking this kid back with you?"

“There’s no need. Our Hidden Mist Village is not suitable for this Ashura reincarnation. Besides, both that old guy in the Pure Land of the Dead and his parents would prefer him to stay in Konoha, wouldn’t they?”

The three left Konoha, and the night was torn apart by the dawn moments later.

The gentle sunlight shone on the face of the newborn infant with fox whiskers, and his lively cries echoed through the now ruined Death Forest until several figures appeared beside him.

But at this moment, Konoha Village lacked its usual vitality to welcome the new day.

Today, grief permeates the village. Countless homeless villagers open their eyes numbly, looking around blankly. They hope that last night's experience was just a nightmare, but clearly, they are disappointed.

The village was razed to the ground, and countless ninjas, comrades, relatives and friends died in battle.

Sacrifice, death, and immense loss transformed into flames of rage that filled their hearts.

It's all that damned Nine-Tails' fault that caused this tragedy!

For the villagers of Konoha, although the previous Shinobi World Wars were brutal, they never reached their village. For the ninjas, the battlefield might have been even more tragic, but for these ordinary villagers, the Nine-Tails' attack had torn a deep wound in their hearts.

Although the higher-ups understood that the Nine-Tails had indeed caused great damage to Konoha, the real culprit was Mizuki Yoru and his group of Shinigami.

However, given the current situation in Konoha and the state of the ninja world, they cannot afford to involve Kirigakure under any circumstances. In order to provide the people with an outlet for their anger, the Nine-Tailed Fox has become the perfect target for this disaster...

……

After a busy day, the extent of the losses was finally tallied, but Hiruzen Sarutobi's brow remained furrowed.

He picked up the pipe on the table, lit it, and took a deep drag, the smoke billowing around him.

The Nine-Tails attack caused immense damage to Konoha, almost destroying the entire village, killing countless ninjas, and injuring civilians.

Next, he not only has to rebuild Konoha, comfort the victims, and distribute compensation for the fallen, but he also has to be wary of the potential threat from external forces.

With so many things piling up, it was extremely troublesome.

But what truly troubled Hiruzen Sarutobi was not these things.

The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had only been in office for a little over a year when he was killed in the sudden Nine-Tails incident. This was unprecedented in Konoha's history.

A country cannot be without a ruler for a day, and Konoha cannot be without a Hokage for a day. The vacancy of the Hokage position is the most pressing issue that must be addressed immediately!

"Shall we elect the Fifth Hokage?"

The third generation thought to themselves.

Currently, Konoha is short of elites, and there are only a few candidates with the right strength, reputation, and status: Danzo, Torifu, Fugaku, Hiashi... In addition, there is widespread discontent in Konoha. Everyone knows that what needs to be done now is not to re-elect the Fifth Hokage, but to restore Konoha.

"If Tsunade were here..."

Suddenly, the three generations sighed.

With Jiraiya dead and Orochimaru defecting, if Tsunade could return to Konoha and succeed as the Fifth Hokage under these circumstances, she could surely revitalize the village.

Unfortunately, Tsunade lost all contact with them after leaving Konoha. Hiruzen Sarutobi had repeatedly hoped for Tsunade's return during the Third Shinobi World War, but all his efforts were in vain.

and……

Tsunade also has hemophobia!

"It seems that I have no choice but to take over as Hokage again. We can only consider the matter of the Fifth Hokage once the village is completely stable."

After hypnotizing himself for a while, Hiruzen Sarutobi saw that the sky was getting dark, changed into a black formal robe, and went outside.

The funeral should begin.

In the somber twilight, nearly a hundred Konoha ninjas stood in orderly rows before the village cemetery, bowing to the photos of those who perished in the Nine-Tails attack.

Leading the group were four high-ranking officials: the Third Hokage, Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane.

Behind him were high-ranking members of the ninja clan, such as Akimichi Torifu and Hyuga Hiashi. It is worth mentioning that Uchiha Fugaku was still in the Land of Iron and had not yet returned.

The funeral was held in silence, with everyone filled with immense grief.

It's not just a loss for the Fourth Hokage, but also a loss for Konoha!

By the time the funeral ended, the sun had set and night had once again enveloped Konoha.

However, those who attended the funeral did not go home to rest. A small group of high-ranking officials gathered in the Hokage Building and began a high-level meeting to decide on Konoha.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and three others sat at the head of the table, below them were the clan leaders Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi, Hyuga, and Inuzuka. Although Fugaku had not returned, the Uchiha clan had sent an elder to participate in the meeting.

Having just experienced the Nine-Tails' rampage, the situation was simple. They sat cross-legged on the ground without seats. Besides them, there were also some top-tier Jonin from Konoha.

"Although the sacrifices we made were enormous, thankfully it's all in the past now, and we survivors need to work even harder."

Hiruzen Sarutobi started the conversation, and Koharu Utatane nodded in agreement, adding, "Hiruzen is right. We don't have time to wallow in grief. Our immediate priority is to select a suitable successor to fill the vacancy of the Hokage position."

"It's really hard to choose. How about we find a suitable candidate from the last election for the fourth generation?"

The elderly Uchiha Kouka, the representative of the Uchiha clan, spoke first.

He is one of the elders of the Uchiha clan, and the brother of Shisui's father, Uchiha Mitsukaze. With Uchiha Fugaku still deep in the Land of Iron, he is the representative of the Uchiha clan.

As soon as he spoke, everyone around him frowned, but Danzo Shimura's eyes lit up.

In the election for the Fourth Hokage, Orochimaru received the most votes besides Minato Namikaze. Now that Orochimaru has defected, if we were to select from the top down, the next candidates would be Fugaku Uchiha and Danzo Shimura.

To be honest, none of the people present wanted these two to become the Fifth Hokage.

"The key is the current situation of the village."

The newly appointed clan leader, Nara Shikakichi, glanced at Sarutobi Hiruzen and said in a deep voice, "Now is definitely not a good time to select a fifth generation. With internal and external troubles, what we need to do is stabilize the situation first, rather than let power be transferred."

"When the Fourth Hokage went to the Land of Iron, he temporarily put the Third Hokage in charge of Konoha. Therefore, I propose that the Third Hokage continue to serve as Hokage."

Nara Shikakichi is also one of the contemporary representatives of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. He is the cousin of Nara Yoshino, the wife of Nara Shikahisa, the former head of the Nara clan.

Although his strength is only that of an ordinary Jonin, his wisdom is in no way inferior to that of Nara Shikaku.

After Nara Shikaku's death, he became the head of the Nara clan and had considerable influence in high-level meetings.