Outside Konoha Village, the battlefield had gone eerily quiet.
The massive Nine-Tails lay sprawled on the ground, breathing steadily, completely still. Its peaceful state almost made it look like some oversized pet rather than a disaster capable of wiping out a village.
Ryūjin Uchiha sat beside it, relaxed, eyes half-closed as if he were simply resting.
The golden sand seal that had restrained the Nine-Tails earlier had already been withdrawn. With Minato Namikaze poisoned and out of commission for now, there was no one left in Konoha capable of truly threatening him.
Without the Flying Thunder God, they were nothing to worry about.
There was no reason to waste chakra maintaining unnecessary techniques.
Moments passed.
Then, Ryūjin's perception, sharpened through Sage Mode, picked up multiple chakra signatures approaching from a distance.
Konoha ninja.
Among them were several powerful jonin, their chakra steady and refined.
Still, none of them dared come closer.
They kept their distance.
Watching.
Waiting.
Nara Shikaku stood among them, his sharp gaze fixed on Ryūjin.
"So that's him… the one who took down the Hokage, the Third Hokage, and Jiraiya."
Even for someone like Shikaku, it sounded absurd.
One person defeating Konoha's top forces alone?
That kind of strength should not exist.
And yet, the evidence was right in front of him.
"Shikaku, what's the plan?" Hyuga Hizashi asked quietly from the side.
Not far from them stood Homura Mitokado, equally focused on Shikaku, waiting for his decision.
Konoha had already fallen into a dangerous situation.
Minato Namikaze was dead.
The Hokage was unconscious.
Several key figures were severely injured.
The village was leaderless, exposed, and vulnerable.
If they made the wrong move now, the consequences could be catastrophic.
Other villages would not hesitate to take advantage.
That was why, during the emergency meeting, command had been handed over to Nara Shikaku.
Now, all decisions rested on him.
"We do nothing," Shikaku said calmly.
Everyone turned toward him.
"That man is not someone we can handle. According to the information we've gathered, he possesses the Mangekyo Sharingan, Magnet Release, Lightning Release, Flying Thunder God, and multiple forbidden-level techniques."
His tone remained steady.
"The Hokage and the others are proof enough. Charging in blindly would be suicide."
Silence fell over the group.
"We're not here to take back the Nine-Tails," Shikaku continued. "Our goal is to understand what he wants. If there's even a slight chance to resolve this without further losses, we take it."
Konoha could not afford more casualties.
Not now.
Everyone understood that.
Even if it was frustrating, even if it felt humiliating, they had no better option.
So they waited.
Watching Ryūjin carefully.
But Ryūjin did nothing.
He remained seated the entire time, unmoving, as if none of them existed.
Time passed.
Confusion grew.
What was he even doing here?
Then, suddenly, a system prompt echoed in his mind.
"Check-in complete."
A faint smile appeared on Ryūjin's face.
He stood up.
Finally.
"Konoha ninja," he said casually, glancing toward Shikaku and the others, "you can have the Nine-Tails back."
Before anyone could react, a spatial vortex twisted open in front of him.
In the next second, he vanished.
Just like that.
Gone.
Shikaku stood frozen.
Hizashi frowned.
Homura said nothing.
The surrounding ninja exchanged looks, unable to process what just happened.
He came, crushed Konoha's strongest, sat beside the Nine-Tails for a while… and then just left?
That was it?
No one moved.
No one dared approach the Nine-Tails immediately.
What if it was a trap?
The beast itself remained unconscious, its state unchanged.
This was intentional.
Ryūjin had made sure the genjutsu wouldn't wear off too quickly.
Konoha, in its current state, might not be able to handle the Nine-Tails if it woke up prematurely.
If it rampaged again, things would spiral out of control.
Ryūjin had no interest in that kind of mess.
He got what he came for.
That was enough.
…
Uchiha Clan Compound.
Ryūjin's room.
A vortex appeared, and he stepped out into his room as if nothing had happened.
Immediately, loud voices reached his ears from outside.
"This is too much! What does Konoha think we are?"
"They won't let us act, fine, but restricting our movement too?"
"They don't trust us at all!"
Ryūjin stepped out and saw a large gathering of Uchiha clan members, their expressions filled with anger.
They had been sidelined during the crisis.
Now they were being monitored.
Restricted.
It was obvious what Konoha thought of them.
If not for Fugaku's orders, things might have already escalated.
"It's because of Obito," someone muttered. "He kidnapped Uzumaki Kushina. Of course they suspect us."
"We're still part of Konoha, aren't we?"
"Then why treat us like enemies?"
Not far away, Uchiha Shisui stood quietly, concern written across his face.
Then, the noise died down.
"Clan head is here."
Uchiha Fugaku stepped forward.
His gaze swept across the crowd before he spoke.
"The situation is worse than you think."
He began explaining everything.
Obito's actions.
The Nine-Tails' release.
The appearance of another unknown Uchiha.
The injuries inflicted on Konoha's top forces.
Shock spread through the crowd.
Then Fugaku dropped the final piece.
"Obito attacked the hospital and killed the Hokage."
Silence.
Then chaos.
The Hokage was dead.
That single fact changed everything.
Some faces turned pale.
Others lit up with dangerous thoughts.
Fugaku noticed.
"Enough."
His voice cut through the noise.
"I understand your anger. But from Konoha's perspective, their actions are justified."
No one spoke.
"If I were in their position, I would do the same."
He let that sink in.
"Konoha will investigate us. You will cooperate."
His tone left no room for argument.
"Obito abandoned the village long ago. He is not one of us."
"And the other Uchiha… we do not acknowledge him either."
"They are enemies. Nothing more."
With that, he dismissed the crowd.
Ryūjin remained where he was, thinking.
"So Obito actually killed Minato…"
That was unexpected.
Minato had already been taken out of the equation by the poison.
There was no need to finish him off.
And yet, Obito did it anyway.
Ryūjin clicked his tongue slightly.
"What a waste."
Then something clicked.
"…Wait."
A thought hit him.
Obito killed Minato because the Nine-Tails plan failed.
Because Ryūjin took control of it first.
So Obito finished the job himself.
Ryūjin's expression turned strange.
"And now he's going to check the stone tablet…"
If Obito realized the Infinite Tsukuyomi was built on a lie after everything he had done…
Ryūjin let out a low breath.
"…Yeah, that's rough."
Then he shrugged.
"Not my problem."
…
Naka Shrine.
Obito stood before the stone tablet, his Rinnegan fixed on its surface.
Beside him, Black and White Zetsu remained silent, though tension filled the air.
Obito read carefully.
Every detail.
Every line.
Zetsu tried to appear casual.
"It just looks like an ordinary tablet."
Obito didn't respond at first.
"This isn't something ordinary eyes can read. The Sharingan reveals more with each stage."
His voice was low.
Zetsu stayed quiet.
Then Obito suddenly spoke again.
"Be quiet."
His tone sharpened.
Zetsu's body stiffened.
Obito leaned closer, his expression darkening.
"…It's been altered."
There was no doubt in his voice now.
"My Rinnegan can see the traces. Someone tampered with it."
Silence filled the shrine.
Obito's face twisted slightly.
If this was true…
Then everything he believed in…
Everything he sacrificed for…
What did it all mean?
Zetsu's expression also turned grim.
But Obito was too lost in his own thoughts to notice.