Chapter 342: An Uninvited Guest Descends Upon the Shinobi World
At the same time that Uchiha Dali and Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki were training in a distant galaxy, constantly honing their strength, the shinobi world was also bustling with activity.
With the establishment of the new nation came countless problems that needed to be solved.
Fortunately, Namikaze Minato, Uchiha Fugaku, and the others were proving highly capable. They had already begun methodically arranging the relocation and integration of the people from the various former nations.
The first issue at hand was land redistribution.
In the old shinobi world, the great nations with overwhelming military might monopolized the most fertile lands and richest natural resources, while the smaller nations were left in barren, impoverished regions, living in hardship.
Now, such a situation would no longer exist.
This was exactly what Uchiha Dali had planned from the beginning. If one wanted to unify the shinobi world, it couldn't just be an empty proclamation—it had to ensure that everyone in the world could live a better life.
However, while Minato and the others were steadily working on these reforms, danger was quietly drawing near.
In his search for Uchiha Dali and Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki's whereabouts, Ōtsutsuki Àoshiki had already dispatched countless clones into action.
Yes—the doppelgängers he had split off earlier, identical to his true form, were not shadow clones but actual physical copies.
And these clones, just like his true self, possessed the same strength and abilities.
Unlike shadow clones, they did not divide or weaken the original body's power.
This technique was, in fact, strikingly similar to Uchiha Dali's Multiple Shadow Copy Technique.
At this moment, one of Àoshiki's clones was heading straight for the shinobi world.
This was once a planet he had tried to plunder for energy.
If not for his younger brother Kyōshiki's interference back then, this planet would have long since been destroyed.
But as Àoshiki continued to evolve and his energy grew ever greater, he no longer needed chakra fruits.
They could no longer provide him with enough energy to aid his evolution, which was why this planet had been spared.
Now, however, he had returned because his perception had picked up several familiar auras here.
Among them were not only the chakra signature of his brother Kyōshiki, but also that of the young man who had once fought against him.
With a mindset of "better to check than miss a lead," Àoshiki sent one of his clones to this world.
And his destination was none other than Konohagakure.
At that very moment in the village, leaders from nations large and small had gathered to hold a meeting with Minato, Fugaku, and the others.
The meeting had only just begun when, suddenly, an uninvited guest intruded.
He appeared as if a god had descended, materializing abruptly before everyone's eyes, standing in the center of the long conference table, looking down upon them all.
"Who are you?!" Minato was the first to react. He shot to his feet, staring warily at the unfamiliar man who had appeared.
His instincts screamed that this man was no ordinary visitor.
For one, his appearance bore an uncanny resemblance to the powerful enemies they had fought before—the clan members of the Ōtsutsuki. It was obvious at a glance that he was not from the shinobi world but from another race beyond the stars.
His expression and gaze carried no hint of goodwill, no sign of someone here to celebrate or discuss serious matters. Instead, it was the look of someone here to cause trouble.
What's more, the aura radiating from him pressed heavily upon Minato, Fugaku, Obito, and Shisui, making them feel the crushing presence of an absolute powerhouse.
Minato's face grew grim, the weight of the pressure evident.
Fugaku and the others were equally tense, each of them treating this intruder as a mortal threat, their eyes locked firmly on Ōtsutsuki Àoshiki.
Àoshiki's expression was calm and detached. He made no move to attack the mortals before him but instead spoke in a steady voice:
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ōtsutsuki Àoshiki. I've come here to ask you a few questions."
Though his words were phrased politely, even almost courteous, no one dared to relax their vigilance. Every person in the room kept their guard up.
He had openly declared himself an Ōtsutsuki.
Everyone present knew full well how terrifying the Ōtsutsuki clan was.
With Uchiha Dali absent, if this enemy decided to attack, none of them here could hope to resist him.
Fugaku quickly forced himself to remain calm, knowing that provoking him would only spell disaster. He spoke cautiously: "What is it you wish to ask?"
No one else dared to utter a word. The entire hall fell silent as everyone waited for Àoshiki's reply.
"I want to inquire about a certain individual."
"Inquire… about someone?"
Just as everyone exchanged confused glances, Àoshiki raised his hand, and in an instant a transparent screen of light appeared before them.
On the screen was the image of Uchiha Dali.
The moment some saw his figure, someone immediately blurted out:
"Lord Fourth…"
But as soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them, realizing he might have just brought calamity down upon them all.
Minato, Fugaku, Obito, and Shisui all stiffened, their expressions grim. As expected, Àoshiki's attention had already been drawn.
He turned toward the speaker, a minor nation's leader, and said coldly: "'Lord Fourth'? So you do know this man. Tell me everything about him—who he is, what you know—and you may live."
"Otherwise… you will die."
A moment ago, he had seemed like a courteous guest, perhaps even someone who wouldn't casually resort to violence.
But now, his words carried a chilling weight that made every person present feel death looming over them.
The hall went deathly silent. No one dared to speak.
All eyes glared angrily at the unfortunate leader who had slipped up.
His face turned ashen. He realized he had caused a disaster far greater than himself.
And standing before Àoshiki, with that aura of crushing dominance that radiated from him, he had no strength to resist.
Trembling, he stammered out:
"T-This… this man is Konohagakure's Fourth Hokage… Lord Uchiha Dali."
"H-He is also the leader of our newly founded nation, the Land of Five Elements…"
The words left his lips—and an uproar immediately followed.
Many shouted angrily, accusing him of being spineless, of betraying them all by revealing such information to the enemy.
But Àoshiki ignored their outrage. He merely pressed further: "And what else?"