Shinigami in the Ninja World

Naruto swung the strand of wind with his other hand, continuing to search for the remaining clones.

Although he had said there were "four," it was merely a deduction based on what he could observe. The one that had ambushed him, the two that had attacked from the sides using ninjutsu, and the one that blocked the Tailed Beast Bomb with Storm Release—this led him to believe there were four.

...But there could be more.

Though Naruto hadn't exchanged many words with Madara, he had already seen through his personality. Madara was outwardly arrogant but extremely cautious and would never underestimate his opponents. If he wasn't confident, he might have hidden another clone.

Madara watched Naruto and raised his hand to touch his lost eyes.

Even though he could fully use the power of the Rinnegan now, in his Edo Tensei state, he didn't truly possess them. He had tested this right after being resurrected to see if his Rinnegan was real. If it were, he could theoretically mass-produce them—one pair wouldn't be enough to defeat Naruto, but what about ten pairs, a hundred, or even thousands?

However, this theory had been disproven.

The Rinnegan he extracted from himself turned to dust in less than a minute, proving that they couldn't be replicated and weren't real Rinnegan.

As Madara contemplated this, Adamantine Sealing Chains wrapped around the figure, binding it tightly in midair. The invisible being struggled with immense strength, snapping some of the chains, but for every one that broke, two more replaced it.

"Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel..."

His voice was calm yet powerful, and with every word, golden light gathered in his palm.

"With light, divide this into six!"

"Bakudō #61. Rikujōkōrō! (六杖光牢, Six Rods Prison of Light)"

Six beams of light shot out, striking the bound form, locking it at the waist and binding its arms. The invisible entity's resistance grew weaker as it succumbed to the combined power of the sealing chains and Rikujokoro.

"A strange sealing technique," Madara muttered, his expression serious.

Though he had no interest in the incantation required for the technique, the result truly surprised him. The Limbo Clones, though they seemed similar to shadow clones, were actually far more formidable. They were like projections from another dimension, possessing the same strength as himself and even greater defensive capabilities.

If this technique could seal his Limbo Clone, then it could certainly seal him too.

Naruto pulled the invisible entity toward him. Whether it was one of Madara's clones or something else entirely, the fact that it was undetectable made it valuable.

Naruto glanced into the distance.

The night sky was clearing, with the moon rising high in the east, accompanied by stars. Time seemed to have resumed its natural flow...

Although he no longer needed to rely on this, at this moment, there was no other option.

Even though the clone was sealed, their mind could still communicate, driven by their will, offering a faint sense of reassurance.

Naruto exhaled softly, sensing the figure breaking through, as if preparing to rise into the air. Whatever Madara planned, Naruto couldn't let it happen.

At that moment, a crow's caw echoed.

"Watch out!" Kurama warned. "They're moving again."

As he spoke, the ground trembled, and massive tree-like structures erupted, though they didn't last long. The black shadows pulsated, surrounding the growing vines with golden light, coiling tightly around them.

The looming threat was palpable.

"That's a ninjutsu from Hashirama," Kurama said, analyzing the situation. "It's dangerous."

"Be careful!" Kurama continued, as the intricate floral patterns on the vines began to shift and bloom like multi-layered peonies. The petals, shaped like sharp lotus leaves, trembled as a massive cloud of yellowish-brown powder was released.

Naruto blew out a gust of wind, dispersing the cloud harmlessly into the surrounding area.

With a swift strike, the vines surrounding him were cut down.

He was about to move forward again, but something happening in his other hand stopped him. The figure bound by the Adamantine Sealing Chains and Rikujokoro suddenly vanished.

As expected…

It was just like a shadow clone, albeit a more advanced version.

The core of the problem still lay in the Rinnegan.

Naruto looked up.

High in the atmosphere, near the boundary of the Earth's atmosphere, Madara had finally stopped. He placed his hand over the white material on his forehead.

The "Eye of the Moon Plan" he had pursued all his life…

At this moment, it was about to be tested for the first time.

Old memories resurfaced from the depths of his mind.

The stone tablet of the Uchiha clan had been left behind by someone—perhaps an ancestor of the Uchiha, or a descendant of the Sage of Six Paths. Regardless of its origins, much of its content had been confirmed. Thanks to it, he had indeed awakened the Rinnegan.

So…

The final inscription must also be true.

Those who possess the power of reincarnation, upon nearing the moon, would awaken the eye that could bring forth the Infinite Dream, which would reflect upon the moon and activate the ultimate ocular jutsu—the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

Without hesitation, Madara tore away the white material covering his forehead, revealing a smooth brow.

A crack formed in the center of his forehead, slowly opening. Though it was only about the width of a finger, it revealed a Sharingan.

But it wasn't just a Sharingan.

As the crack opened further, it revealed a complete eye—like the Rinne Sharingan in Madara's own eyes, but with more tomoe circling it.

A person with immense power naturally exerts an overwhelming influence on their surroundings.

Madara was powerful enough that his influence extended to the moon itself.

The Rinne Sharingan on his forehead projected its image onto the surface of the moon.

And then, the earth trembled, the sky shook, and meteors began raining down.

Madara's face lit up with joy. He couldn't suppress it—didn't want to suppress the deep excitement within him.

It had worked!

It had actually worked!

He had thought he needed the original Sharingan to accomplish this, but it turned out that the power of the Rinnegan alone was enough.

Naruto and Kurama immediately sensed something unusual with the moon.

"What is that?" Kurama asked, surprised.

Naruto's voice was calm. "That must be the Infinite Tsukuyomi that Obito mentioned."

"Madara's actually using it."

Kurama frowned.

"The moon was created by the Sage of Six Paths," Karin remarked casually, seemingly relaxed. She shook her head and smiled. "If Madara controls this moon, Naruto-kun can destroy it and create a new one."

Naruto chuckled and nodded. "Yes, that's about right."

As they spoke, the Infinite Tsukuyomi passed its initial phase of preparation and began to unleash its true power.

"Did you see that?" Naruto paused, staring at the moon.

Kurama and Karin both shook their heads. "What?"

"I thought I saw a woman's face," Naruto said quietly.

For just a moment, it felt like an illusion. He had seen the faint outline of a massive woman's face, reflected on the moon with the Rinne Sharingan on her forehead, her white hair adorned with horns. Unlike Madara's eyes, hers were Byakugan.

"There's no way your senses are wrong," Kurama frowned.

Karin pondered. "Could it be the woman mentioned in the stories about the Otsutsuki Clan?"

She was familiar with these legends, recalling every detail clearly.

Naruto shook his head, focusing on Madara. He hadn't felt like this before, but after the jutsu was activated, an overwhelming sense of unease gripped him.

He channeled this unease into power, flying toward Madara.

Madara looked down and smiled. "Though many unexpected changes have occurred, Naruto Uzumaki, you've managed to stop a lot of things that should have happened."

"But this is the end."

"Become one with the world."

The moon, now marked with the Rinne Sharingan, began to glow intensely.

The earth cracked, and massive roots erupted from the ground, growing toward populated areas.

Nearby, in the Land of Rain, a massive root rose high, whipping out countless vines from its trunk. These vines shot into homes, alleys, and streets, wrapping around everything with even the slightest trace of chakra—whether human or animal. Nothing was spared.

Like a sealing technique, the vines ensnared their targets, paralyzing them. Those ensnared showed no resistance, almost as if they willingly embraced the vines, as though this was what they had longed for.

In the blink of an eye, they were encased in cocoons, suspended from the branches, swaying like fruit.

"What a terrifying sight," Kurama murmured in awe.

Naruto's heart sank.

In his spiritual sense, he detected a faint struggle of Shinigami energy.

He immediately turned around.

Even Karin hadn't been spared, as she was also entangled by the vines.

Though she possessed some of the power of a Shinigami, Naruto hadn't yet had time to properly train her in it. She couldn't handle this on her own.

"Karin!" Naruto reached out to her.

Karin shook her head, trapped but calm, and spoke with quiet composure, "Naruto, it's not that I don't want to fight back, but I can't."

"I can't access my chakra."

"The Shinigami power I have isn't enough to deal with this."

"This Infinite Tsukuyomi and these vines are bizarre."

"It's a strange feeling, like all chakra-related powers have been sealed inside me. These vines are like a suppressant."

"If I had to describe it more accurately..." Karin paused, thinking carefully as the vines wrapped further around her, tightening. "It's like a permission."

"My access to chakra has been revoked by a higher authority."

Naruto reached out and grabbed the vine.

The power of Kurama surged, enveloping the vine, and with a crackling sound, the vines binding Karin were torn away.

But this didn't seem to change the situation.

The vines were connected to Karin's body and her chakra.

"Stop struggling, Naruto," Madara said, puzzled as he watched. "There's no point. Why destroy her dream?"

"Why destroy all this beauty...?"

He was genuinely confused.

The Infinite Tsukuyomi should have affected everyone. Even someone as powerful as Naruto should have succumbed to the ultimate genjutsu.

Yet...

Naruto was completely unaffected.

Far below, in the space between life and death, Orochimaru and Kabuto had also been ensnared by the vines, becoming part of the God Tree's "fruit."

But...

Two figures wandered aimlessly, observing the surroundings in confusion.

It was Kinkaku and Ginkaku, their presences stable, untouched by the God Tree's vines.

They were already dead.

Naruto noticed their presence, calculating his next move. He then lifted his gaze back to Madara.

"Beautiful?" Naruto asked.

"Isn't it?" Madara spread his arms wide, smiling. "I've turned this hellish world into the most beautiful paradise."

"They are now immersed in their deepest desires, their most cherished dreams."

"In their perfect world, they can have everything they've ever wanted."

"Peace, love, wealth, power..."

"Isn't it beautiful? Everyone's desires are fulfilled, so there's no more conflict."

Naruto spoke softly, placing one hand on Karin's shoulder, holding her soul. "I don't deny your idea that everyone's desires being fulfilled would end conflict."

"But you haven't realized…"

"The cost of doing this."

Karin's words had reminded him.

The chakra permission…

At this point, Madara could only use this technique because he was closer to the one who controlled that authority, not because he had become the one in control.

~~~

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