At this very moment, the entire world fell into a state of absolute silence.
The light that pierced through every obstacle felt like the gaze of a divine being, bathing the earth in its radiance and turning the dark of night into blinding white day.
The exact instant anyone caught sight of the light, their eyes were mirrored into the pattern of the Rinnegan.
Hashirama, kneeling half-collapsed on the ground, immediately realized something was horribly wrong. Right beside him, Sai's pupils had already transformed, shifting into the exact same Rinnegan pattern as Madara's.
It was no different for Orochimaru and the others. Team Taka, Suigetsu, and Jugo were completely immobilized, their minds slipping into the eternal dream of the Infinite Tsukuyomi as a profound stillness settled over them.
Witnessing this, Hashirama knitted his brows in deep concern. 'Those eyes... Don't tell me Madara's jutsu actually succeeded?'
Gaara and Rock Lee felt the light wash over them, their pupils instantly rewriting into the Rinnegan. It wasn't just the shinobi on the battlefield; even ordinary citizens and innocent civilians throughout the nations fell under the absolute genjutsu the very second the light touched them.
It spared no living thing. Even the stray dogs along the roadsides became completely rigid, their minds captured by the Infinite Tsukuyomi under the all-permeating glow.
Watching the sky maintain its artificial day, Madara noted indifferently, "This light can pierce through any shadow. No one can hide from it."
With that, Madara brought his palms together into a tight seal.
"God: Nativity of a World of Trees!"
Instantly, colossal tree roots ruptured from the bedrock across the entire battlefield. The helpless shinobi, moving like hollow husks, were swiftly bound by massive wooden vines and hoisted high up into the air, suspended from the branches of the Divine Tree.
Having a Reanimated body, Hiruzen moved frantically, swinging his weapons to slice through the creeping vines to prevent the people around him from being taken.
"Snap out of it! What is happening to everyone?!" Hiruzen roared desperately.
Yet no one could resist the absolute compulsion. Even Hinata, still fighting to remain conscious, felt a wave of pure despair wash over her as her limbs grew entirely unresponsive.
'Naruto-kun... I can't move...'
In the final fraction of a second before the wooden cocoon enveloped her completely, a single tear spilled from Hinata's eye.
Inside the protective shell of the Susanoo, Naruto seemed to sense the horrific shift occurring in the outside world. He stepped forward to break out, but Sasuke firmly caught his arm, holding him back.
"Naruto, not now!" Sasuke bellowed.
Outside the shroud of purple chakra, Black Zetsu cast a cold look over toward Kanon.
"As expected, since you have awakened the Rinnegan, you are completely unaffected by the Infinite Tsukuyomi."
"Shut up." Kanon stepped away to distance herself from Black Zetsu, gazing up at Madara and the blinding moon with a quiet nod.
Black Zetsu shifted its attention back to the massive construct ahead, murmuring darkly:
"So the light failed to pierce through that Susanoo?"
"To think that the Rinnegan wielded by these siblings could actually override the absolute power of this technique..."
Inside the Susanoo, Sasuke continued to explain the situation to Naruto. "Do not step outside under any circumstances. Without the protection of the Susanoo generated by my Rinnegan, you will instantly be ensnared by his genjutsu as well."
"Furthermore, that guy's shadows are still prowling around out there."
"If either you or I fall victim to this spell, everything is over!"
"We have to bide our time. Kanon has likely chosen to immerse herself in the Infinite Tsukuyomi by now, meaning Madara should be the only enemy we have left to face!"
Naruto clenched his teeth tightly, well aware that Kanon had likely submitted to the illusion and that the world outside must be in absolute chaos.
Out on the battlefield, Hashirama sat heavily upon the ground, surveying the grim scenery around him.
"This is the Nativity of a World of Trees... Everyone is being bound and drained by the life energy of the God Tree."
Nearby, the spiral face of Tobi dissolved into nothingness, exposing Yamato. Bathed in the absolute light of the God Tree, he stumbled directly into Hiruzen's line of sight.
"Tenzo?!" Hiruzen gasped in shock.
Yamato's gaze was completely vacant, his eyes completely glassy. The sight left Hiruzen utterly dumbfounded; to think that the colossal True Several Thousand Hands had actually been channeled through Yamato all this time.
Suddenly, Yamato blinked, looking around the desolate landscape in deep confusion. "Huh?! Lord Third... Where are we..."
But in the very next instant, Yamato collapsed to his knees, memories of being violently abducted and exploited by Kanon and Kabuto flooding his mind, leaving him overwhelmed with shame.
"Are you alright, Tenzo?" the Third Hokage asked anxiously.
"Lord Third... I... I remember now. I was captured by Kanon and Kabuto..."
"What about the war? What happened to the conflict?"
"Naruto... Where is Naruto?! Is he safe?!"
Before Hiruzen could answer, an absolute repulsive force slammed into him, blowing the Reanimated Hokage forcefully away. Yamato gasped in horror, turning his head sharply toward the source.
It was Kanon. Her steps were slow and rhythmic as she walked right up to Yamato.
"You!" Yamato gritted his teeth, but the moment he looked closely at her face, he froze in sheer terror.
Kanon's right eye held a Rinnegan etched with a distinct rose-like pattern, while her left eye was dominated by the absolute power of the twelve-tomoe Rinnegan.
The sheer, suffocating pressure and divine aura radiating from her presence left Yamato completely paralyzed, unable to utter a single syllable.
Kanon didn't say a word, casting a cold glance over him. In an instant, Yamato's eyes shifted into the Rinnegan pattern as his consciousness slipped into the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Beside her, the thick vines of the God Tree rose up, gently cocooning Yamato's body. Kanon watched the process with total indifference, knowing Madara would never allow her to be bound by the Nativity of a World of Trees.
High above, Madara and Kanon locked eyes across the vast distance separating them.
Madara let out a satisfied laugh.
"Excellent. A world of dreams, completely cleansed of all ominous chakra, has finally begun."
"Kanon, isn't it time for you to enter your own dream world as well?"
Kanon gave Madara a gentle nod. Stepping through a rift in space, she instantly crossed the distance to stand directly beside him.
"I will be entering the world of the Infinite Tsukuyomi now, old man Madara. But you are not allowed to bind me with the God Tree, otherwise I'll just wake right back up."
Madara's mouth twitched slightly at her bluntness, but a warm smile soon touched his lips as he nodded.
"Go, child. Go into the dream of the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Meet with your mother and father, and spend the rest of your days with those who love you, and those you hold dear."
"I will remain out here, watching over all of you for the rest of eternity," Madara said, his tone filled with profound gravity and relief.
"To think you created such a beautiful world, yet you won't get to enjoy it yourself," Kanon sighed softly.
She paused, looking at him with absolute sincerity. "Well then... Madara-jiichan, I'm heading into the Infinite Tsukuyomi now."
Hearing those words, Madara froze completely, his eyes widening. "What did you say?"
"I said I'm entering the Infinite Tsukuyomi—"
"No, right before that," Madara interrupted softly, his voice trembling slightly.
"... Madara-jiichan."
Before Kanon could say anything more, she was suddenly pulled into a fierce, powerful embrace.
Madara held Kanon tightly, his grip so intense that it almost took her breath away, but the words he whispered into her ear were incredibly tender.
"It is truly wonderful to have had you by my side... Kanon-chan..."
"You were the only one who truly understood me... the only one who knew what I wanted to achieve..."
"Go on. Go to the new world and live a good life." Madara patted Kanon's back gently. A single, pure tear slipped down his cheek, a tear born from the overwhelming solace of finally being understood by another soul.
Madara had carried an unbearable mountain of grief throughout his life, the loss of his siblings, Izuna's final plea, Hashirama's ultimate betrayal, and the rejection of his own clan. He had spent his entire existence plotting from the shadows, maintaining his schemes even beyond the grave, all for this exact moment.
He felt incredibly fortunate that at the absolute end of the world, there was someone who understood his heart and walked this path alongside him. Looking at the young girl before him, he felt that he would willingly give up his own ambitions just to guide and protect her.
But that was merely a passing thought. Both of their dreams were finally coming to fruition. At this moment, there was no bitter sorrow of parting, only a profound, mutual blessing for the future.
Kanon reached up and gently wiped the tear from the corner of Madara's eye. A warm, gentle smile graced her lips.
"It must have been incredibly lonely and difficult, carrying it all by yourself, Madara-jiichan."
"You have done more than enough... Now that we've finally reached this point, we should be smiling, shouldn't we?"
"The entire purpose of the Infinite Tsukuyomi is to mend the countless heartbreaks and regrets people carry, isn't it?"
"Since we are the ones who unleashed the Infinite Tsukuyomi, we should only want to see people happy. We shouldn't be shedding tears, and that includes you, Madara-jiichan."
"I'm leaving now. Once things settle down, if the burden out here ever becomes too much for you to bear alone, I will wake up to help you."
With those final words, Kanon stepped back and descended toward the earth. As she neared the ground, Madara's voice echoed across the sky, calling out to her with immense fervor:
"Kanon!"
"Hmm?" Kanon looked back up at him curiously.
"In that dream world... you must ensure that you find true happiness!"
Kanon nodded, flashing a playful peace sign back at Madara.
Slowly, the patterns of her Rinnegan began to recede. Having fully mastered her ocular powers, Kanon could now open and close her eyes at will. As the Rinnegan faded, her eyes shifted back into the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, before regressing into a standard three-tomoe Sharingan.
Finally, even the three tomoe vanished, leaving behind clear, deep, pitch-black pupils. Her eyes, filled with a profound and expressive depth, began to swirl softly once more, projecting the image of the Rinnegan deep within her consciousness.
She sat cross-legged upon a large boulder. All around her form, delicate cherry blossom petals began to manifest out of thin air, draping over her body like a shroud as her consciousness drifted peacefully into the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
————
The events that take place within the Infinite Tsukuyomi dreamscape will be detailed after the grand finale. For now, the story will skip over the dream world.
NOTE: This fic has been completely translated. If you want to read the whole story head over to my p-atre-on: p-atre-on.c-om/Overgod [Just remove the hyphen to access normally]