The moon hung impossibly large in the afternoon sky.
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki didn't spare a glance for the daimyo and their trembling courtiers. Her attention remained fixed on Hanekawa, her expression serene. "Do you like it?"
"I do," Hanekawa said, smiling genuinely.
For a moment, he was reminded of an old story from his past life—a king who lit beacon fires to amuse his concubine, only to find the trick had cost him everything. But this time, he was no fool. And Kaguya Ōtsutsuki was no capricious ruler.
She was offering him proof. A promise, written across the sky itself, that she would follow him back.
The nine-tailed beasts. The sacred tree. These were the linchpins of the future. And she had just demonstrated she understood their importance.
"The moonlight is beautiful," Hanekawa said softly, reaching up to gently pinch her cheek.
It wasn't evening, but the words felt right anyway.
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's eyes searched his face, trying to decode meaning from his expression. She didn't understand the sentiment, but she felt it—the warmth in his gaze, the genuine appreciation. That was enough.
"How about we make the moon appear only at night?" Hanekawa gestured toward the sky. "It's a bit conspicuous in daylight."
"Ah." Kaguya Ōtsutsuki raised her hand with casual grace.
The massive celestial body shifted, sliding behind the planet's curve until it vanished from sight. The afternoon sun reclaimed its dominance.
"Everyone, stand," Hanekawa called to the assembled daimyo.
They rose slowly, fear etched into every movement. Witnessing the birth of a moon—watching reality bend to someone's will—had shattered whatever remained of their confidence. They understood now, with absolute clarity, that resistance was not an option. Only obedience remained.
"The Ninja Clan will establish branches in each of your nations," Hanekawa continued. "Direct all commissions through these branches."
"Yes!" The response was immediate, desperate in its eagerness.
"Haori, Futami—you'll handle liaison with the daimyo."
"Understood, Teacher," both replied, their voices steady despite the lingering shock from the moon's creation. Even they, who had trained under Hanekawa, felt the weight of what Kaguya Ōtsutsuki had just accomplished.
The more unknown the power, the more it terrified.
The Daimyo Conference concluded.
---
Across the ninja world, residents looked up at the empty sky and whispered. They didn't yet know who had created the moon, but they would soon enough. The name of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, the Rabbit Goddess, would echo across every village, every nation, every hidden corner of the shinobi world.
---
In the three holy places, the Sage Beasts gathered.
Gamamaru, the Great White Snake, and the Slug Princess stood together, their senses having detected the moon's appearance. They had left their sanctuaries immediately, seeking answers.
What they found terrified them.
"Gamamaru," the Slug Princess murmured, staring at the celestial body, "there is nothing we can do but accept this."
The toad sage said nothing. It had always believed it possessed a special purpose—the ability to see the future should have meant something. But now it understood: foresight meant nothing without the strength to act on it.
"We've already signed contracts with the Ninja Clan," the White Snake suggested carefully. "Perhaps Mount Myōboku should seek them out directly."
It was, in essence, a surrender. But the White Snake had already made its choice. Survival trumped pride.
"The Ninja Clan approached the Wet Bone Forest and Ryūchi Cave," Gamamaru said slowly, "but not Mount Myōboku. Why?"
The White Snake exchanged a glance with the Slug Princess. Neither had an answer.
"Did something happen at Myōboku Mountain?" the Slug Princess asked with concern.
"No," Gamamaru replied automatically.
"Then why were we overlooked?"
The toad sage's mind raced. Tsukihime. The girl had contracted with the Wet Bone Forest, not Mount Myōboku. Tsukihime—Hanekawa's daughter, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's child. A being whose strength dwarfed even the three of them combined.
Gamamaru felt something cold settle in its chest.
"The Wet Bone Forest's contractor is Tsukihime," the White Snake said, breaking the silence. "The Ryūchi Cave's contractor is Shuanghai, the Ninja Clan's second-ranked student."
"Tsukihime?" The White Snake's surprise was genuine. "How did the Wet Bone Forest manage that?"
Shuanghai was formidable—talented, strong, promising. But compared to Tsukihime? The difference was like comparing earth to heaven.
Gamamaru's regret crystallized into something sharper. It had been here first. By all rights, Tsukihime should have become Mount Myōboku's contractor. Instead, it had accepted Hanekawa's chakra seed but refused to formally join the Ninja Clan.
A mistake. A catastrophic mistake.
"Slug Princess," Gamamaru said carefully, "I need a favor."
---
Hanekawa and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki returned home as evening fell.
"Teach me the Tenseigan's chakra modes," Hanekawa said without preamble. There was no need for politeness between them anymore.
"Ah." Kaguya Ōtsutsuki walked ahead of him, then settled onto his lap with the ease of long familiarity. Her weight pressed against his thighs—a sensation that still sent a small thrill through him, though he maintained his composure. Mostly.
She pressed her finger to his forehead.
Chakra flooded into him. Information cascaded through his mind—techniques, principles, the fundamental mechanics of the Tenseigan's power. In this world, chakra truly was omnipotent.
"Thank you," Hanekawa said, leaning forward to kiss her.
She seized the opportunity immediately, deepening the kiss with the single-minded focus she brought to everything. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and for several minutes, the world narrowed to just the two of them.
When they finally separated, Hanekawa was breathing harder than he'd expected.
"Listen," he said, gently patting her back. "Aren't you tired? You haven't slept in ten days."
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki considered this, then wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest.
Hanekawa smiled despite himself. A living pillow. He could work with that.
He closed his eyes and stroked her hair, letting his mind drift. Almost immediately, three lines of text appeared in his vision:
[S-Rank Talent Entry: I Am a Myth (Not Yet Obtained)]
[Trigger Condition: Witness and create the myth of the ninja world]
[Current Progress: 91%]
The entry was nearly complete. Especially after Kaguya Ōtsutsuki had created the moon, the progress had surged forward.
It was time. Time to leave this era behind.
The remaining 9% would come from the final pieces: dismantling the sacred tree, casting the Outer Path Demon Statue to the moon, transforming the chakra into the nine-tailed beasts.
Of course, Hanekawa had already changed much of the original timeline. The medical ninja system, the Six Paths Sage, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki herself—all different now. Ashura and Indra would have to be left to Tsukihime.
But there was one more piece. One more crucial element.
Black Zetsu.
Without it, there would be no feud between Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha. Without that feud, there would be no corrupted Obito, no Nagato twisted by despair. The entire cascade of events that defined the original timeline would collapse.
Hanekawa's lips curved upward. The irony was delicious. He had sealed Black Zetsu himself, carried it with him for safety. Now he would release it—modified, reprogrammed, set loose to play its role in the future.
A closed loop. A perfect circle.
The door opened. Tsukihime had returned from the Ninja Clan.
"Wake up," Hanekawa said gently, pinching Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's cheek.
She stirred, her eyes opening slowly. She looked more peaceful than he'd ever seen her—the best sleep in a thousand years, she would later tell him.
"Tsukihime's home. I need to cook," Hanekawa said. "And tonight, I'll tell her about our departure."
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki nodded slightly. She understood. Leaving Tsukihime behind was necessary, even if it brought a strange ache to her chest—an emotion she was still learning to name.
---
Dinner was a simple affair, but Tsukihime's excitement made it feel like a celebration.
"Mom was incredible today! She just raised her hand and created the moon!" Tsukihime's eyes sparkled. "I saw it when I got back!"
"Would you like to live on the moon?" Hanekawa asked casually.
Tsukihime froze mid-bite. "Live on the moon?"
"I'm planning to build a palace there," Hanekawa explained. "We'll live there eventually. But we can create a passage between the moon and the ninja world. If you get lonely, you can visit."
"Really?" Tsukihime's excitement returned in full force. "That sounds amazing!"
Hanekawa watched her, a strange mixture of emotions settling in his chest. She wasn't his biological daughter, but she might as well have been. Leaving her would be harder than he'd anticipated.
After dinner, Hanekawa cleared the dishes. Kaguya Ōtsutsuki followed him into the kitchen, her eyes bright with unmistakable intent.
He sighed. "Tomorrow we go to the moon."
"Can your space portal last a thousand years?" he asked, continuing to wash the dishes.
"As long as there is sufficient chakra," Kaguya Ōtsutsuki replied thoughtfully. "We should build a chakra pool at the portal's location. That will ensure its stability."
Hanekawa paused. That was... actually brilliant. And it matched what he vaguely remembered from the original timeline's movie arc.
"Then we'll do that," he agreed.
---
The next morning, after Tsukihime left for the Ninja Clan, Hanekawa and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki departed for a remote valley. The pool at its center was deep and clear, perfect for their purposes.
With a gesture, Hanekawa lifted all the water into the air.
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's Rinnegan flashed scarlet. Space twisted, reality bent, and an invisible doorway formed at the pool's bottom. Hanekawa poured his chakra into it, reinforcing the structure. The water returned to its place, now shimmering with barely contained power—a gateway between worlds, hidden in plain sight.
"It will last," Kaguya Ōtsutsuki confirmed.
Then they ascended to the moon.
The lunar landscape was desolate but not barren—mountains, valleys, sparse vegetation. When Kaguya Ōtsutsuki had created the moon, she'd used materials from the ninja world itself. Recycling, in a sense.
"Where should we build?" Hanekawa asked.
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki pointed to a distant peak. "There."
They ascended the mountain. Hanekawa formed hand seals, and Wood Style erupted from the earth. Trees grew impossibly fast, their forms shifting and solidifying into a magnificent palace complex. With sufficient chakra, the technique transcended mere construction—it became art.
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki joined in, creating puppets with her Tenseigan. By nightfall, the palace was complete.
When Tsukihime arrived through the portal, her eyes widened in wonder.
"So fast?" she breathed.
"Your father is impressive," Kaguya Ōtsutsuki said flatly, though there was something almost warm in her tone.
Hanekawa took a breath. This was the moment.
"Tsukihime, your mother and I will be living on the moon from now on," he said carefully. "The Ninja Clan will be yours to manage."
Tsukihime's expression crumbled. "I... I can't. That's too much—"
"You're the daughter of the Rabbit Goddess," Hanekawa said gently. "Why couldn't you?"
"But—"
"You've grown up," he continued. "It's time you learned to lead."
Tsukihime looked between them, uncertainty warring with determination. Finally, she straightened her shoulders. "I'll try. If I mess up, I'm calling you for help."
"That's our daughter," Hanekawa said with genuine pride.
"Of course!" Tsukihime puffed out her chest. "I won't let you down!"
"I have a task for you," Hanekawa said. "The sacred tree near the Ninja Clan—do you remember it?"
"Yeah. It feels stronger than me."
"It is. It's the Ōtsutsuki clan's sacred tree, and it contains infinite chakra." Hanekawa's expression grew serious. "I need you to extract its chakra and use Yin-Yang Release to create nine summoning beasts."
Tsukihime's face fell. "I don't know Yin-Yang Release..."
"You have the Tenseigan. You'll master it eventually," Hanekawa assured her. "There's no rush. You're still young."
"I promise I'll do it!" Tsukihime declared.
"After extraction, the tree will be an empty shell. Bring it to the moon for safekeeping."
"Understood!"
---
The next morning, at the portal's entrance, Hanekawa gave Tsukihime one final instruction.
"Watch Mount Myōboku carefully," he said, pressing his finger to her forehead. Information about Sage Mode flooded into her mind. "Learn this first, before attempting Yin-Yang Release. Your talent makes it possible."
"Okay!" Tsukihime nodded eagerly.
She stepped through the portal, waving goodbye.
Hanekawa exhaled slowly. Separation was harder than he'd expected.
"Kaguya," he said, turning to her. "Are you certain you want to come with me?"
"I go where you go," she replied simply, taking his hand. Her grip was firm, her tone absolute.
He kissed her, and she responded with characteristic intensity, her arms wrapping around him.
When they broke apart, Hanekawa retrieved a sealing scroll from his inventory.
"I need you to do something," he said. "Modify Black Zetsu's memory, then release it into the ninja world."
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki took the scroll without question. Her chakra seeped into it, and Black Zetsu emerged—a writhing mass of shadow and malice. With a casual wave, she sent it drifting down to the ninja world below.
Hanekawa felt a familiar notification bloom in his mind:
[S-Rank Talent Entry: I Am a Myth (Acquired)]
[Trigger Condition: Witness and create the myth of the ninja world]
[Effect: Construct a field with a three-meter radius centered on the user. Within this field, freeze the target's time]
A time-freezing ability. Absurdly powerful. Rare beyond measure.
"Is there anything else?" Kaguya Ōtsutsuki asked.
"No," Hanekawa said. "Let's go to the dragon vein."
He activated Flying Thunder God, and they vanished.
---
The dragon vein's entrance was hidden on a beach, guarded by the remnants of Rōran. Hanekawa broke the seal with a thought and stepped inside, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's hand in his.
Space twisted. Time fractured.
And then, everything stabilized.
Hanekawa opened his eyes to find himself in ancient Rōran, the city of his past life—or rather, the city of the timeline he'd just left behind.
He had returned to the future.