The Capital of Stars, Night.
Under Shura's rule, this city had risen with breathtaking speed. Unlike the quiet, traditional atmosphere of Konoha, the night here pulsed with forward-moving energy.
At the heart of the city, inside a dome built of black basalt, the air was thick with a cold, unnatural stillness. This was Menma's private research and command center. A massive, three-dimensional star map made of pure chakra rotated slowly in the center, surrounded by humming instruments connected to unknown power sources.
Menma stood before the star map, his posture straight as a spear. Wearing his three-eyed fox mask, he looked utterly tranquil under the dim blue light. He extended a finger, and a speck of light touched a specific node on the map.
Instantly, a silent summons rippled out through the chakra network forged by "Engraved Tsukuyomi" and "Yachihoko." It bypassed distance and ignored barriers.
Soon, the air rippled like water. A figure in a high-collared dark suit peeled away from the shadows. Hikari Uchiha remained expressionless, her presence carrying a sharp, blade-like chill. But as her Mangekyō Sharingan met Menma's eyes, a rare, almost imperceptible softness flickered within.
The side door slid open, and Vanilla Uzumaki stepped out. She wore a modified red Uzumaki clan outfit under a Star Ninja flak jacket. Her fiery red hair flowed down her back, and her gentle yet capable aura spoke of maturity forged by years of hardship.
Almost simultaneously, a heavy metal door slid open to admit Kimimaro Kaguya. The boy stood as straight as an arrow, his pale hair draped over his shoulders. His face was still sickly pale, but his transplanted Byakugan flashed with the ferocity of a warrior race.
Finally, space distorted in a dark corner, and Shisui Uchiha emerged. His face bore an unshakable complexity—hidden worry and a trace of struggle. His newly transplanted Three-Tomoe Sharingan scanned the cold laboratory and the core combatants of the Land of Stars gathered there. He knew these were Shura's most trusted blades.
"My Lord," they greeted in unison. Even Shisui bowed slightly.
Menma turned and swept a finger across the star map. The focus shifted, zooming past the elemental nations and locking onto a magnified, cold sphere: the Moon.
"I have summoned you for a mission," Menma stated, his voice cutting through the hum of the machines. "We are launching a raid on the Ōtsutsuki Clan living inside the Moon."
The room fell into a shocked silence. Even Shisui's pupils shrank in disbelief. The Moon? The Ōtsutsuki? This was completely outside their understanding of the ninja world.
The Briefing
Menma didn't give them time to process. He spoke in a steady, undeniable tone. "The Ōtsutsuki on the moon are descendants of Hamura Ōtsutsuki, the brother of the Sage of Six Paths. They are the 'Main House' of the Hyūga. For a thousand years, they have watched the world, viewing it as 'filth' that needs 'purification.'"
"Their combat style revolves around a special ocular power called the Giant Tenseigan, fused from countless Byakugan. They control gravity, repulsion, and a massive puppet army. Their chakra is ancient and powerful."
Menma's gaze settled on Hikari. "Hikari, your combat power is the key to countering the Ōtsutsuki if I am occupied."
"Vanilla, prepare high-level sealing scrolls, specifically targeting energy constructs and puppets."
He then looked at Kimimaro. "The moon-dwellers are also the ancestors of your Kaguya clan. Treasure this mission."
Finally, Menma looked at Shisui with a meaningful gaze. "We will be joined by the head of the Hyūga Branch family, Hizashi Hyūga. He, and the rest of the Branch family, will soon be citizens of the Land of Stars."
"What?!" Shisui lost his composure, his voice cracking.
Hizashi Hyūga? Defecting? Joining the Land of Stars? It was impossible! The Hyūga Branch family, bound by the Caged Bird, were considered the least likely to ever betray Konoha.
Was it the cruelty of the seal? Shisui wondered, a chill running down his spine. If even the Hyūga were leaving... then Konoha's foundation was rotting in ways he couldn't imagine. He felt a desperate urge to report this to the Third Hokage, but a glance at the room reminded him of reality. He was surrounded by Shura, a legendary Uchiha, a sealing master, and a lethal Kaguya. He was trapped.
Convergence at the Valley of the End
The massive waterfall thundered between the statues of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha. On top of Madara's head, Menma stood with his black cloak snapping in the wind. Shisui, Hikari, Vanilla, and Kimimaro stood behind him, their silhouettes stark against the moonlight.
On the other side of the border, Hizashi Hyūga had made his move. He had told his brother, Hiashi, that he was taking his son Neji to visit distant acquaintances of the Takutori (Bamboo) clan. Once his wife and son were safely asleep at the guest house, he left a Shadow Clone behind and sprinted toward the Valley of the End.
Using the secret coordinates provided by Shura, Hizashi arrived at the legendary battlefield. He leapt onto the broad shoulder of the Hashirama statue and immediately activated his Byakugan.
Veins bulged around his eyes. His vision pierced through the mist, locking onto the figures across the gorge.
First, he saw the fox mask: Shura. He felt a wave of relief.
But then, his vision processed the others, and his expression froze in absolute horror.
Two Uchihas? One of them had a chakra signature he would never forget from the Third Great Ninja War.
Shisui Uchiha.
The famous "Shisui of the Body Flicker," the pride of the Uchiha, the man the Hokage trusted most... was standing right next to Shura.
Then he saw the red-haired woman—a survivor of the Uzumaki. And the boy with the bone-chilling chakra... a Kaguya.
Across the water, Shisui's gaze met Hizashi's. Seeing the "Caged Bird" seal clearly on Hizashi's forehead confirmed his worst fears. This wasn't a trick. Hizashi was really here. He was really leaving.
The two men stared at each other across the thundering falls, through the mist of the valley, and across the invisible chasm of their collapsing world. The shock and bitterness flowing between them were silent, but deafening.