And so, the souls migrating through time and space, who were supposed to arrive in this timeline, did not come.
For instance, Namikaze Minato, who has yet to become the Fourth Hokage, and Hatake Kakashi, still just a child.
At this juncture, after the Third Ninja World War, this is exactly when Minato Squad in the original timeline was executing the Ryumyaku mission.
But it's not only Minato Squad that traverses time and space.
There's also Otsutsuki Urashiki, attempting to seize control of the Nine-tails through the treasures of the Otsutsuki Clan...
And Sasuke, who has obtained the Six Tomoe Rinne Sharingan, along with his disciple Boruto, pursuing him.
With the Ryumyaku being interfered with, this trio from the future might soon appear in some corner of the Ninja World...
But Senju Tobirama does not know about these things, or rather, he doesn't care.
Senju Hashirama had doubted his plan before, believing that not obliterating such an evil existence as the Six Paths Sage in this timeline, but rather casting it into other timelines, was irresponsible.
Senju Tobirama said he was right.
But everything is to save Aomi first; other ethics and morals can be set aside for now!
The transformation of the Ryumyaku is underway...
Senju Tobirama makes the first move!
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Ninja World, Uchiha Madara is indulging in watching his own body as he feels power continuously surging within him...
Batch after batch of White Zetsu, under the Kinjutsu crafted by Orochimaru specifically for Uchiha Madara, transformed by the blessing of the Gedo Statue, into delicious life force, nourishing Madara's withered body!
Although the conversion rate is not high...
If one White Zetsu is assumed to have a hundred units of life force, the portion that can truly replenish Madara's life force shortfall might only be 2 to 3 units...
But it doesn't matter.
White Zetsu is like livestock, born to be cannon fodder, as long as the conversion rate isn't zero, it doesn't matter how many die.
At worst, just manufacture more...
"Izuna, give me a little more time, and I'll let you see the state I have when at my peak, possessing the Rinnegan!"
Uchiha Madara waved his hand with grandeur, his Rinnegan sparkling:
"No one can defeat me!"
Uchiha Izuna listened with a smile, nodding his head:
"I've always believed my brother is the strongest!"
Feeling pleased in his heart, Uchiha Izuna looked at the excellent state of Uchiha Madara.
Upon hearing Madara's plan to observe Aomi and cultivate Obito as his representative...
Uchiha Izuna instantly grasped the crux of the matter—aging had made his brother hesitant and weak.
The pride and fame of the past had become a heavy burden, making Madara dare not fight with abandon as before, to dance in the Ninja World...
Instead, he sought a representative, recoiling inward.
Fortunately, Aomi's rapid progress inspired Uchiha Madara, prompting him to take that first step of trying:
Repairing part of his body with the Box of Bliss.
When Uchiha Izuna was resurrected, he quickly sensed this and began deceiving Madara into believing he could return to his peak.
Uchiha Izuna acted like a gentle whetstone, sharpening Madara's aged ambition anew.
"Brothers united, invincible in the world!"
Uchiha Madara laughed boldly:
"With Izuna by my side, we brothers are sure to be unstoppable!"
Meanwhile, at the side.
Uchiha Obito was deeply engrossed in studying Orochimaru's life force Kinjutsu.
Until the arrogant laughter of the Uchiha brother duo disturbed him, causing Obito to disdainfully purse his lips and sneer.
Just you two dare to call yourselves invincible?
One was slain by Senju Tobirama, the other lost to Senju Hashirama while having the Nine-tails, and you call that invincible?
"Do you think just because the Senju brothers are dead, you have no rivals in the Ninja World now... How amusing it is, looking forward to Uchiha Madara's reaction when he sees Senju Hashirama, and Uchiha Izuna's expression when he meets Senju Tobirama?"
Uchiha Obito continued to study the Kinjutsu, while a smirk crept onto his face.
Being privy to critical information, Uchiha Obito felt the thrill of acting as a high-ranking "puppet master" behind the scenes...
Though Uchiha Madara is in great condition, but so what?
In recent days, Uchiha Obito noticed a rapid surge in his own eye power, with both the strength and speed of Susanoo and Dual Kamui increasing steadily!
The reason is simple, coming from the special chakra given to him by Zetsu, awakening the completeness of his Uchiha bloodline, even stronger than Indra's Chakra...
After all, Zetsu originates from Kaguya's Yin Yang Release.
The power it harbors can pierce the body of the Six Paths Madara, far stronger than the Indra Chakra that has worn out tremendously over a thousand years, with a conscious will actively given to Uchiha Obito.
Unlike the slow, subtle influences of Asura and Indra's Chakra.
"So what if Uchiha Madara, possessing the Rinnegan and a peak body, is unbeatable? When they battle fiercely against Senju Tobirama, after I transfer the Gedo Statue away using Kamui, what will he be able to do?"
"Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Izuna say they're invincible in the world?"
Uchiha Obito softly spoke to Zetsu within: "Rin, our team is the one truly invincible in the world!"
Zetsu smiled and nodded: "Exactly, Obito!"
The sentiment in Obito's words was so gratifying to Zetsu that it even overlooked Obito's continuous simple-minded attempts to use Kinjutsu to assist Aomi.
After all, in Zetsu's view, it's all unnecessary!
After Aomi's plans are disrupted, Zetsu will turn around and tell Obito that Aomi is being controlled by Senju Tobirama, and the only solution is for him to become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki...
Then, upon obtaining the Ten-tails, Kaguya, with her absolute power, will be able to escape from Aomi's imprisonment and manipulations, finally breaking free from the clutches of her terrifying brother!
As for what to do with Uchiha Obito, Zetsu assured it would plead with Kaguya to see him as one of their own...
But what Zetsu didn't know is...
Even though Obito says it's for Aomi, with his deep understanding of Aomi, how could he worry that in essence, the strongest Medical Ninja, Aomi, would lack stronger Kinjutsu than Orochimaru's makeshift approaches?
All he needed to do was help Aomi out of his predicament; the rest Aomi could handle by himself.
Uchiha Obito studied the life force Kinjutsu, in fact, for the sake of Uchiha Rin being able to continue living!
Uchiha Obito cannot bear to say another goodbye at the crossroads of life and death with Uchiha Rin!
If only one of them could survive, Uchiha Obito would undoubtedly choose Uchiha Rin...
It wasn't only the ninjas in the Ninja World who were pushing forward with their various plans.
The Otsutsuki were also on the move.
Infiltrating the Hidden Sand, Hidden Cloud, and Hidden Rock, with ocular powers and jutsu, Otsutsuki Isshiki controlled Rasa, the Third Raikage, and Onoki, now sitting grandly in the Raikage's position at the Hidden Cloud Building, counting the number of ninjas in the three villages.
"Mortals, truly useless, I had worried about failing to control them forcefully with ocular power, exposing my existence. Had I known it was this easy, perhaps I could have embarked on deeper layouts a century ago..."
Otsutsuki Isshiki muttered to himself.
Even he did not expect that the Kage from each village, who seemed to have considerable resistance, would be so easily captured by his ocular powers.
What Otsutsuki Isshiki did not know is...
It wasn't that mortals are incompetent; lacking the Wedge state, Otsutsuki Isshiki could only exert a highly limited portion of his power, insufficient to subdue these Kage.
Rasa might be possible, but Onoki and the Third Raikage would definitely withstand it.
But Aomi lent him a hand...
Long before bestowing upon these two the names of the Sannin who survived, Aomi had deeply implanted Genjutsu into their spiritual depths during their extremely weakened state.
Therefore...
Otsutsuki Isshiki believed himself to be the mastermind.
In reality, every move he made was being scrutinized by the Third Raikage, who seemed to be under his control, and was being relayed in real-time to Aomi, like a surveillance camera.
Meanwhile, in Konoha.
Tonerii, who was quietly controlled by Otsutsuki Hamura, arrived at the Hyuga Clan's grounds.
He wanted to see if the people on the Moon had reached a disastrous conclusion of mutual slaughter, then what about those in the Ninja World?
Otsutsuki Hamura's timing was impeccable...
Just in time for Hyuga Hizashi, who had hurried over from the Hidden Mist with a crowd of clan members, to push open the family's gate!