Chapter 129: The Hokage

Early the next morning, Yuzhi, feeling refreshed, stretched lazily.

He was in an especially good mood, but whether he was happy about his gains in the Land of Water or simply being able to rest peacefully hugging Hikari, he couldn't tell which mattered more.

Nevertheless, whichever it was, it was something for Yuzhi to be glad about.

"You bastard"

But compared with Yuzhi's refreshed demeanor, Hikari looked rather displeased.

Last night she had kindly waited for Yuzhi to return, but when that guy came back he started causing trouble, which made her feel quite regretful.

She thought she might as well not wait for that bastard at all, perhaps just go to sleep.

Yet when she recalled everything she heard last night, she felt her waiting might have been worthwhile, though there was still something she couldn't understand.

"Why can that guy, whose head is full of yellow trash, achieve this?"

The Eternal Eye—that was the most shocking piece of information Hikari heard last night.

"Hey hey hey, saying that about your fiancé will bring divine punishment!"

"Possessing bloodline‑like power, or injecting high‑intensity chakra of a similar nature, allows it to be nourished and enhanced…"

Obviously, Yuzhi was truly exhausted.

"But even when you're tired, your hands still won't behave?"

Yuzhi helplessly nodded; he was also rather helpless about Hikari activating the radar, but now it was indeed time to talk about the Eternal Eye.

"I once told you that our ancestor is Indra, whose brother is Asura, the founder of the Senju One Clan; so where did his eye come from?"

Although his mind was pondering other matters, Yuzhi's mouth did not pause at all.

"Do you know something? If you don't mind, could you tell me?"

"So, the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan doesn't seem to be the limit."

"How exactly did he manage it?"

Now that Yuzhi finally obtained all this, Hikari felt both delighted and inexplicably uneasy.

Hikari had long had a premonition, but at this moment it became even clearer.

"On one hand, it's naturally your eye; I'm curious how you did it."

But for him it seemed normal; after all, lacking brothers or external aids, pure power left him only this route.

Hikari directly raised the question; since Yuzhi agreed, she knew he wouldn't hide anything—this was their tacit understanding.

Yet with this advancement, he also clarified other matters: the Eternal Eye really could be attempted to activate through certain specific methods.

Hikari had wanted to ask this last night, but after Yuzhi finished recounting his story, he fell into a deep sleep.

"Of course I don't mind, but what do you want to know?"

"Is it about my eye, or something else?"

"Exactly, that's how I thought back then, and that's why I had you do it."

His strength is great, yet he doesn't possess such overwhelming power; however, two things might truly help Hikari!

Recalling how many times last night she slapped his restless hands away, and if she hadn't finally, unable to hold back, turned around and buried her head in his arms to calm him, who knows what he was up to last night?

"What's wrong, already in a bad mood early this morning?"

"The degeneration of the bloodline, so you had already decided, which is why you chose to merge the Bloodline Limit?"

Through Still Water, Yuzhi learned about his eye's condition; he hadn't expected his system to be so elaborate.

Yuzhi immediately nodded; though it sounded nonsense, it did have some basis.

"Though you, this guy, are both excessive and perverse, every time you do something it has a strong purpose; I believe this time is no different."

Yuzhi, seeing Hikari's expression, grew slightly curious, then simply sat down and looked at her, asking inquisitively.

Hikari's gaze shifted as she looked at Yuzhi; she instantly felt something wrong and quickly reminded Yuzhi with a sentence.

Especially after being with Yuzhi, this feeling became even more pronounced, and Yuzhi had always been seeking such limits.

Besides that, I also thought about how excessive you were last night!

Hikari let out a soft hum in her heart, then simply nodded.

"Still thinking about what I said last night?"

"Besides that, I'm curious about your true purpose for going to the Land of Water this time."

"It's about enhancing the bloodline; the Eternal Eye, frankly, is just a product of a bloodline defect being repaired."

Although, as a former Ultimate Weapon, she didn't have access to much information, possessing the Mangekyou Sharingan naturally allowed her to perceive certain things.

Sometimes he wondered if he should just be a bit perverse, so he wouldn't feel guilty about Hikari scolding him like that.

"Hey, now's not the time for you to think about those rude things!"

"My situation is a bit special; since I awakened the Sharingan, I've found my eye's intensity higher than others, though I didn't quite understand and didn't dare to say it at the time."

"Alright, alright, I get it."

There are indeed difficulties regarding the bloodline, but Yuzhi here isn't without a way to think of solutions; however, for high‑intensity chakra of a similar nature, Yuzhi has no means.

Yuzhi watched Hikari stare at him, which made him quite curious as well.

"Actually, the way I opened my eye isn't complicated, and you are already on that path."

But as time passed, I realized perhaps my bloodline concentration needed to be higher.

Yuzhi, hearing this, suddenly couldn't hold back; although he's indeed being excessive now, he's still two or three years shy of adulthood and truly hasn't been reckless.

And by harnessing the fusion of Senju cells and developing the bloodline, I finally elevated my bloodline to a higher level.

This battle in Mist Village fully activated everything and completed the metamorphosis.

Hikari, I believe I'm not just an example; what I can achieve, you can certainly achieve as well.

Even if it still requires relying on something else!

"Other things—are those the purpose of your trip to Mist Village this time?"

Hikari has no doubt about him; the feeling of bloodline elevation brought by bloodline inheritance fusion does exist, and this seems to prove everything Yuzhi said.

Even though she feels reluctant and has been surpassed by Yuzhi, she still keeps confidence in her heart.

However, she is now somewhat curious about the other things Yuzhi mentioned; she senses that this may be Yuzhi's true purpose for going to the Water Country.

"Well, this involves some secrets that I myself don't even dare to be sure of."

Yuzhi lightly nodded; in fact, he also hesitated about whether to say it.

After all, it's impossible to tell whether the Sage of Six Paths is dead or a living ghost!

Based on how this guy "sent off" himself in the original work, his chance of being alive is probably higher.

Actually, not to mention him, the situations of Yintuo Luo and Axiu Luo are especially strange.

The two of them are indeed the very source of the entire Ninja World's conflicts.

Their war officially began when the Sage of Six Paths determined the successor of the Shinobi Clan, and it has been raging for over a thousand years.

But even though the bodies of these two have perished, their souls can continue to reincarnate in the Ninja World in the form of chakra.

Again and again they reincarnate, possessing successive generations of descendants, like a curse on the ankle bone, perpetuating the Shinobi Clan era's conflicts.

Isn't this a kind of "infinite resurrection" pattern?

After pondering, Yuzhi still decides to reveal something to Hikari.

He might be able to hide it from others, but facing Hikari, this girl, he truly doesn't want to conceal it.

After all, Yuzhi has long decided that some things in the future must be tried on Hikari, so that she has some mental preparation.

"Are you sure you're not joking?"

When Yuzhi relatively detailedly recounted some things that made her feel bewildered, Hikari also could no longer hold back.

Yuzhi's account was truly too fantastical, even more unbelievable than "the Uchiha Clan and Senju Clan ancestors were brothers"!

What can the Uchiha Clan and Senju Clan still verify, after all they already have answers themselves.

But Yuzhi actually told her that the Hyuga Clan and Zhuqu Clan might also possess ancestors like theirs!

Even their ancestors might very well have been brothers, which truly makes Hikari somewhat incredulous.

"Of course I'm not joking; actually, if you think carefully, you can notice an interesting fact."

Yuzhi gently shook his head, then looked at Hikari with utmost seriousness.

"The entire Ninja World, aside from the Uchiha Clan, Senju Clan, and the Uzumaki…

…only the Hyuga Clan and Zhuqu Clan's bloodline limits are fully manifested in the body, rather than a bloodline limit obtained through chakra fusion, right?"

"So, you want to try it, whether it's Kimimaro or this time going to Mist Village is essentially still for the Zhuqu Clan?"

Hikari's reaction was very quick; although Yuzhi's information was absurd and basically speculative, Hikari believed Yuzhi would definitely do it.

"That's right, I'm very curious about their power, and the Zhuqu Clan is destined to perish, so I must keep some fallback."

Yuzhi nodded seriously; although some of it was nonsense and even he himself wouldn't fully admit it, his words were basically true.

"If the Hyuga and Zhuqu powers merge, perhaps their combined strength could help you.

Even if it has no effect, the tailed beast's pure and massive chakra is also something I need to consider.

Therefore I cannot miss or abandon the Three‑Tails' power, and since my own strength has reached a limit, this is why I'm going to Mist Village!"

The power Hikari needs to use, according to Yuzhi, is the power of the Reincarnation Eye on the moon.

So does the power of the Reincarnation Eye count as the combined power of Zhuqu and Hyuga?

Yuzhi's statement, though slightly anecdotal, is certainly not deceitful; it's just that some matters cannot be spoken freely now.

Hearing Yuzhi's words and looking at his steadfast gaze, Hikari fell silent for a moment.

She now feels her mind in a mess, because the information is so absurd.

"What if it's useless?"

After a while, Hikari reluctantly spoke.

"Isn't that futile then?"

"If it can help you, how can it be futile, especially since your uncertainty doesn't require reaching any step."

Yuzhi took Hikari's hand, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

"And also don't forget, I also have 'Divine Heaven', even if it's useless it will cause trouble.

And if my hypothesis is correct, our ancestors and their ancestors truly are brothers, then…"

At this point, Yuzhi stopped decisively, and Hikari fell into silence again.

"Things that old are better left unsaid."

After a moment, Hikari shook her head, cutting off the thought, and looked at Yuzhi with utmost seriousness.

"Let me see your eyes; I'm still very curious what such eyes are like."

"As you wish."

Yuzhi gently closed his eyes, and in an instant a highly dangerous aura radiated from his body.

The next moment, he slowly opened his eyes; three jade beads had already merged into a single pattern, and a pair of eerie eyes with overlapping motifs blossomed within them!

In that instant, an aura like that of a primeval colossal beast erupted from him completely.

And this suppressing aura made Hikari's heart flutter; at that moment she seemed to grasp the true power of the Eternal Eye. ——

In Myoumu Mountain.

Ziraiye walked while muttering loudly.

"What's going on? You're so eager to summon me here; I'm busy, I have no time to keep you!"

Ziraiye now wore a gloomy face; originally he was gathering materials at a hot‑spring hall, and in an instant he was taken to Myoumu Mountain.

This made him feel inexplicably helpless, as if he were cultivated by Myoumu Mountain.

"Of course we brought you here for something important!"

Deep Craft Immortal jumped onto Ziraiye's shoulder and heavily knocked on his head.

"Complaining so much, it's the Great Immortal looking for you, and it's about the 'Child of Prophecy'."

"'Child of Prophecy'?"

Upon hearing this, Ziraiye immediately became energized.

The 'Child of Prophecy' can be said to be the goal Ziraiye has always been pursuing; according to the prophecy, this is someone who will inevitably drive change in the ninja world!

Frankly speaking, this also concerns the future fate of the entire ninja world.

Ziraiye firmly believes the 'Child of Prophecy' is actually the 'Child of Destiny', and he has long hoped to find this person and truly let them change the future of the ninja world.

However, it's a pity that over these years he has been trying, but it seems he never got the final answer.

This time he was summoned again, and it was explicitly stated to be about the Child of Prophecy, so he naturally felt some excitement.

"Great Immortal, little Ziraiye has arrived."

Under the guidance of the Deep Craft Immortal, they quickly arrived at the hall where the Toad Maru is enshrined.

The current Toad Maru is no longer the little toad that met the Sage of Six Paths back then; thousands of years have made it incredibly ancient.

Toad Maru narrowed his eyes, smiled, and asked, 'Is little Ziraiye here?'

"Great Immortal, it's me." Ziraiye was also a bit anxious: 'Have you found the Child of Prophecy?'

"Since it's a prophecy, how could it be easy to find? Moreover, seeking the Child of Prophecy is your task."

Toad Maru narrowed his eyes and shook his head at the Deep Craft Immortal beside him, a sight that left Ziraiye stunned.

Just how bad has this old man's blurred vision become?

"However, this time I dreamed, and I also dreamed of some different things, which might be able to give you some new information."

"Is that so?"

Ziraiye was not disappointed either; this indeed was his task, so he simply sat cross-legged and then asked.

"Great Immortal, what did you dream this time?"

"This time the dream underwent some changes, and I don't know whether it's good or bad."

Toad Maru shook his head; this dream was indeed somewhat unexpected, because it is completely different from before.

After a little hesitation, he eventually spoke slowly.

"What can be foreseen is that he wears the forehead protector of your Leaf Village."

"Leaf Village?"

Upon hearing this, Ziraiye was overjoyed; he had been stuck in Leaf Village this whole time and couldn't leave.

Now having received this information, it immediately put him at ease; if he could find the Child of Prophecy in Leaf Village, it would be incredibly convenient for him!

"But his situation is especially special."

Toad Maru's eyes were a bit dazed; he didn't know whether it was from fatigue or the prophecy's dream giving him a different idea.

"He possesses eyes that transcend causality and the horizon, belonging to the divine realm; he can tame the tailed beasts and bring peace to the ninja world."

"But he is also extraordinarily complex; he can both befriend the tailed beasts and make them his pets."

"He can both create a peaceful world and make it directly become extraordinarily chaotic."

"He is a messenger of peace, but likewise a demon who creates war."

"Most importantly, he will not be your disciple, and"

Saying this, Toad Maru couldn't help but pause; after a while he helplessly spoke.

"Moreover, before this, he had never appeared in his dreams; he seems to have suddenly appeared, floating incredibly, making him hard to grasp."

Toad Maru indeed felt bewildered; even a thousand years ago when he assisted the Six Paths brothers, such a situation had never occurred.

You should know he had received the Six Paths Immortal's techniques, and also gave the Six Paths Immortal the toad nation's treasure, the 'Immortal Talisman', which saved the existence of Hamura.

Even though now the elderly can't tell things apart, and the prophetic dream grows ever more vague, this situation is truly the first time he has encountered it.

"Never appeared in the dream?"

Ziraiye is also somewhat confused now; the great toad's prophecy is so vague, how is he supposed to search?

Moreover, this person can switch so smoothly; does that indicate two possible outcomes?

"Either he makes the ninja world better, or he simply destroys the ninja world."

Ziraiye, who completely can't make sense of the situation, now has a big headache.

He once thought that Nagato, who possessed the Rinnegan, would be the Child of Prophecy, but later lost contact.

Later he also thought that the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, would be the Child of Prophecy, but then he heard that Hanzo had died, which made him suspect whether Nagato had taken control of the Land of Rain.

Unfortunately, he was kept in Leaf Village and couldn't leave, making it impossible to verify this; as a result, he now hears again that the Child of Prophecy is in Leaf Village.

This made his heart feel truly mixed emotions; especially this time the Child of Prophecy is so complex, and not his disciple, which makes him have an indescribable feeling.

"I understand; no matter what, I will diligently search for him."

But Ziraiye's determination to seek the Child of Prophecy has not changed; he knows that only by finding the Child of Prophecy can he ensure peace in the ninja world!

He truly longs for a peaceful ninja world—

"What the heck, why do we have a meeting today?"

Leaf Village, on the way to the Hokage Office.

Yuzhi looked at Kakashi, whose face was full of embarrassment, and couldn't help but purse his lips.

A month has passed since the Mist Village operation; Yuzhi was earnestly researching the fifth stage of Susanoo at home when Kakashi suddenly called him out, which made him somewhat awkward.

"Moreover, the meeting specifically demands that I attend?"

"I don't know either, but this is what the teacher said."

Kakashi scratched the back of his head, looking just as clueless.

"And besides, asking me about this won't do any good; I'm just a little Anbu. When the time comes, just ask the teacher and you'll know, right."

A tiny ANBU?

Yuzhi rolled his eyes and was too lazy to argue about this with Kakashi.

"By the way, how's your eye adapting now?"

"It's the same; it still needs gradual adjustment."

Kakashi shrugged; after all, the eye wasn't his, so using it still posed some problems.

"How about this?"

Yuzhi stroked his chin; he was indeed contemplating whether to lend Kakashi a hand with a gene modification technique.

Anyway, his relationship with Obito couldn't be called mutual assistance; at the very least, they're sworn enemies.

If it can be disgusting, he'll naturally give it a shot!

But Yuzhi didn't need to rush; he still wanted to see what's happening on Gongshou's side.

That night, the arm Obito left behind was eventually found; although it had been nearly roasted by the scorching technique, it still contained some valuable material.

It's hard to say whether Gongshou can, through research, extract any valuable items from it.

Chatting nonsense with Kakashi all the way, the two soon arrived at the Hokage's office door.

"Alright, I won't go in any further."

Kakashi halted, shrugged, and laughed.

"Feels like I'm just escorting you."

"Then why don't you set a goal and become ANBU Director?"

Yuzhi replied casually, recalling the many novels he read before transmigrating, where Kakashi's father was always an ANBU Director.

Although they're all fan works, the current Kakashi does have a chance.

"Anyway, I'll definitely become Hokage someday; you won't lose by being my ANBU Director."

"When you become Hokage, I might even retire from the ANBU."

Kakashi wouldn't doubt Yuzhi's becoming Hokage, but he didn't think it could happen within the next ten years.

After all, his teachers are still young.

"Yuzhi, you're here?"

When Yuzhi pushed open the Hokage's office door, the Third Hokage, who had been waiting, immediately laughed and said.

Such enthusiasm left Yuzhi a bit stunned.

In truth, the Third Hokage was also a bit uneasy; Orochimaru's incident had truly taught him a lesson.

Back then he decided that whenever a meeting was called, he would tell Minato to bring Yuzhi.

Respect was given, information conveyed properly, so no blunders would occur.

"Third Hokage, Hokage."

Yuzhi nodded, then saw Gongshou and Ziraiye already waiting again; though he felt a bit odd about being summoned to this meeting.

But he remained calm; after all, he hadn't witnessed anything like this before.

"Alright, now that everyone is here, let's begin."

Minato also gave Yuzhi a gentle nod before speaking seriously.

"This isn't a formal meeting; everyone can relax a bit, and the reason we called you here today is to discuss a few matters.

The first issue is the Mist Village matter; Yuzhi, do you still recall the person we mentioned last time, the one who might be Madara Uchiha and Uchiha Quennai?"

"Of course I remember."

Yuzhi nodded; he now understood why they had summoned him—apparently the Mist Village issue had already reached the Leaf Village.

Every village hides numerous spies, and Mist Village is no exception.

Although the village is sealed and information transmission is extremely difficult, the spies always find ways to get the intel out.

Even delayed, such information is extremely valuable.

"Those people have resurfaced in Mist Village now."

The Third Hokage continued, his expression unusually solemn.

"No one knows their objective, but they defeated the Fourth Mizukage and inflicted unimaginable devastation on Mist Village.

Such actions are unspeakable, and it's hard to guarantee they won't do something to the Leaf Village.

The perpetrator this time is that guy who might be Uchiha Quennai; this is the ability he used. Do you have any countermeasures?"

As he spoke, the Third Hokage handed a scroll to Yuzhi.

Yuzhi took it, skimmed it quickly; it was basically the same as what he did that night.

Only now his mind was a bit uneasy; when had he last encountered such a scene?

He hadn't expected that, after many years, the scene would replay.

Finding a solution in front of the culprit—what solution could there be?

"The casualties are indeed huge, and these abilities match what senior Ziraiye said."

Yuzhi felt a bit embarrassed inside, but he still appeared calm.

"However, this time he used Susanoo, apparently at the fourth stage."

"Indeed, just like you?"

Gongshou looked at the report in her hands, glanced at the somewhat absent‑minded Ziraiye behind her, and nodded.

"Then, for such an ability, do you have a countermeasure?"

"I wish I could give good news, but unfortunately it's difficult."

Yuzhi spread his hands; he couldn't sabotage himself.

"It's not that I want to hide family secrets; it's just that such abilities are hard to articulate a response for."

Moreover, the strength of each pair of Mangekyou Sharingan varies; only when one truly meets it can one roughly know and make a judgment.

The few Third Hokage heard the words and couldn't help exchanging a glance, finally only nodding helplessly.

Gathering intelligence can give a ninja a higher chance of victory, but theoretical discussions are always useless; only when one truly confronts the opponent can one discern the depth.

"Then what do you think their purpose is?"

Minato was still somewhat unwilling; such an uncertain existence was far too dangerous.

"Although last time Teacher Ziraiye dealt with them, they claimed it was a tailed beast, yet they didn't actually take the Four-Tails away.

This time in the Water Country it was the same; I suspect they are using the tailed beast as a pretext while doing something else."

"It's hard to say; I haven't interacted with them, so I don't know much."

Yuzhi shook his head, yet was surprised that his own chakra could have this effect.

He didn't say much, but in his mind he was contemplating whether to stage a 'chance encounter'.

Otherwise, being absent from every 'alias' operation makes it easy for others to become suspicious.

"Perhaps they did something; we just didn't see it."

"Indeed, this group really is..."

The Third Hokage nodded helplessly; the suddenly appearing group truly left him feeling helpless.

He felt these inexplicably appearing Uchiha were truly lunatics—brutal in action, without any limits, and they revealed nothing about their intentions.

In comparison, he thought Yuzhi and these Uchiha were truly excellent.

"Third Hokage, don't worry; next time I will meet them personally."

Yuzhi already had a plan in mind and naturally began to make a guarantee, but the Third Hokage immediately shook his head upon hearing it.

"At this stage I want you not to act recklessly; your eye problem hasn't been resolved yet, and I hope you protect your eyes."

Having said that, the Third Hokage turned his head toward Kangshou nearby.

"Kangshou, do we have results now?"

"It's not that fast."

Kangshou let out a light hum and then glared at Yuzhi.

"We still have to thank Yuzhi for his 'Fire Release'; that arm was already rotted when I found it, and studying it will take even more time."

"Then we can only make Lady Kangshou work harder."

Minato heard this and couldn't help a cold sweat forming on his forehead; the arm being burned was indeed a difficult situation.

"I think we should discuss other matters, especially since Mist Village is now in such a big trouble."

Mist Village is in trouble; it's hard to say, but the entire ninja world seems restless, and if only one family moves, the whole ninja world might become unstable.

Of course, taking action against Mist Village is still difficult; the Water Country, isolated overseas, naturally has the ocean as a barrier.

Nevertheless, it's better to prepare some things in advance.

"Hokage, I actually have an idea regarding Mist Village."

Yuzhi heard this and couldn't help raising an eyebrow slightly, then he slowly began to speak.

"Oh? Yuzhi, what idea do you have?"

The Third Hokage was also curious, and now he seemed interested.

In his mind, countless times he imagined Yuzhi could become a Hokage, and Yuzhi's policies in the Police Department were nearly perfect.

But he had never seen Yuzhi make any decisions or judgments in person, which made him inevitably curious.

"According to the report, this time Mist Village suffered heavy losses; most crucially, the Mizukage fought within the village and even lost."

Yuzhi paused briefly here, then suddenly shifted his tone and said.

"If I recall correctly, Mist Village still has an elder who represents the moderate faction and advocates reforming the Blood Mist Homeland, right?"

"You mean..." The Third Hokage was slightly stunned by the words, then his eyes lit up.

At that moment, both Kangshou and Minato reacted, and even Ziraiye, whose mind roamed beyond the heavens, turned his gaze toward Yuzhi.

"The Bamboo Cutter clan performed well; their rebellion caused some ripples, but they are still too weak."

Yuzhi smiled and continued.

"However, this elder is different; although not a Mizukage, his authority is not inferior to that of a Mizukage."

Most crucially, the current Fourth Mizukage's situation is unfavorable, and making some necessary investments wouldn't be impossible.

If successful, this Mizukage's promotion of peace benefits us; if it fails, I think a bit more chaos in Mist Village wouldn't be a bad thing."

"But what if that elder refuses?"

Minato pondered for a moment, then asked a pivotal question.

"If he refuses to engage with us, wouldn't all our plans fall apart?"

"So this is merely a concept; we still need more intelligence."

Yuzhi wanted to say that Yuan Shi was one of our own, but that couldn't be mentioned.

"Let those staying in Mist Village investigate thoroughly to see whether this elder has any ambition."

If he does, I think he would need some modest assistance, whether in support or other ways; we could even offer intangible aid.

If not, then create some conflict between him and the Mizukage; that would also achieve our goal."

"Minato, I think it's fine; we can proceed that way!"

The Third Hokage, upon hearing this, had already made up his mind.

This matter combines overt and covert schemes, with a clear aim directed at Mist Village's current situation, and once successful, the benefits are obvious.

Just having a slightly normal, more moderate Mist Village is already a good thing!

Every ninja world war feels like Mist Village performing a 'Millennium Kill', which is truly terrible.

Now the opportunity has arrived; the Third Hokage feels he must seize it no matter what!

"And besides, this kid is really something."

Thinking about Mist Village, the Third Hokage still couldn't help glancing at Yuzhi beside him.

Although young, not even of age, his composure and intellect are truly extraordinary.

At that moment he seemed completely certain that Yuzhi truly possessed the bearing of a Hokage!

"This kid is no ordinary one; could he be the 'Prophecy Child'?"

Ziraiye also looked at Yuzhi at that moment, silently pondering, but soon he helplessly shook his head.

"It shouldn't be; the Toad Sage said the 'Prophecy Child' possesses eyes that transcend causality and the horizon, belonging to the Divine Realm.

He only has the Sharingan, and the Uchiha Clan's attitude toward Tailed Beasts."

Thinking of that, Ziraiye couldn't help sighing.

The 'Prophecy Child' hidden within Leaf Village—where on earth is he—

"How interesting, why is it that when you cause trouble, others can find you, and they all treat you as a good person?"

Within the Land of Fire, in an unnamed valley, Hikari looked at Yuzhi with a playful expression.

"How would I know about that? Maybe I'm a good person by nature."

Yuzhi shot a glare at Hikari beside him; he himself felt a bit uneasy—though it sounded fun, thinking it over was truly absurd.

Although Yuzhi always says he's a good person, he knows exactly what kind of person he truly is.

At least, to other villages, he has nothing whatsoever to do with being a good person.

"Fine, let's not talk about it."

Hikari no longer dwelled on it, though she felt a bit proud.

Even though her fiancé is a pervert, others are willing to believe he is a good person; how could she not be pleased?

"What are you doing out here this time, coming to a place like this?"

"Naturally I'm here to test my results; if Kakashi hadn't interrupted, I might have started the trial earlier."

Yuzhi didn't conceal anything; in fact, when Kakashi came to find him, his research was nearly complete.

The Fifth-Stage Susanoo seemed only to have added armor, but its essence had already changed.

Especially at this stage, the Susanoo possesses flight and its power is pushed to an extreme.

Even if Yuzhi is reckless, it still requires serious handling.

Now, Yuzhi has basically finished the preparations and intends to make a trial.

"It's my first use; I may be unskilled and will need your chakra support, so please understand."

Yuzhi smiled as he grasped Hikari's hand; in an instant his eyes turned into eternal Mangekyou Sharingan patterns, and chakra as dark as ink and sand swirled around his body.

The chakra quickly enveloped both him and Hikari, and before long a massive Susanoo manifested in the valley!

"Damn, I could have transmitted chakra to you from afar."

Hikari muttered softly, but kept her eyes fixed on Yuzhi; whenever a problem arose she would instantly transmit eye power and chakra.

She inhaled deeply, and terrifying chakra surged suddenly from Yuzhi's body.

The Fourth-Stage Susanoo instantly changed, continuously expanding as chilling chakra emanated from it.

In a breath, the Susanoo became a giant hundreds of meters tall!

"Next..."

Yuzhi whispered a phrase, and the Susanoo's hands maintained the sealed hand sign.

Hum—

The chakra, like wind‑blown, intensified at that moment, and the friction between chakra and space produced a strange whistling sound!

At that moment Yuzhi thought of something, extended his left hand and clenched his fist.

"Steady!"

With a light shout, the terrifying chakra instantly froze on the Susanoo!

The hundred‑meter‑tall demon god underwent its final transformation, and powerful armor appeared around the Susanoo, quickly enveloping it.

A Tengu‑like helmet silently formed, and behind the Susanoo, massive wings unfurled!

Perhaps this is the first fully‑formed Susanoo to appear in this world since Madara Uchiha.

Yuzhi tightly held Hikari's hand, standing in the crystal basin atop the Susanoo's head; at that moment he finally understood what it means to 'see all mountains as small.'

Such height and this ultimate strength made Yuzhi feel his heart race with awe!

"Just a bit short?"

A rough estimate gave Yuzhi's Susanoo at about one hundred eighty meters.

But he didn't mind at all; after all, it was his first activation, and that height wasn't bad.

"Then, next..."

Yuzhi's gaze turned forward, and in the next instant the Susanoo suddenly unsheathed a blade!

The terrifying blade instantly ripped the earth, which let out a mournful, booming roar; amid the massive dust, a bottomless canyon yawned in the ground!

At a distance, two peaks shattered simultaneously the moment the blade passed.

Their cuts were smooth; the huge sound of impact struck the ground, triggering a sizable earthquake!

"Is this the power of the Fifth-Stage Susanoo?"

Watching all this quietly, Hikari couldn't help murmuring to herself.

Such power can no longer even be described as terrifying!

Having previously controlled the Fourth-Stage Susanoo, she naturally knows that this level can directly confront Tailed Beasts.

It doesn't rely on the Sharingan's power; it uses the most restraining method to control them.

Rather, it simply crushes them with the raw power unleashed by Susanoo.

But the power unleashed in the fifth stage is no longer just a simple confrontation; it might be able to directly shatter and destroy the tailed beast, right?

Thinking of this, Hikari's heart also fluttered; watching the solemn Yuzhi beside her, she couldn't help but take a deep breath.

At that moment, she truly yearned for that power.

Perhaps the power is too tempting, or perhaps she truly feels a gap widening between herself and Yuzhi; in any case, a heat rose in her heart.

"Let's go back."

After a while, Hikari spoke softly.

"I also want to go back and work hard."

"Hmm, of course we should go back."

Yuzhi touched his chin, as if pondering something.

"But before that, I think there's one more thing we can try."

"What is it?"

"Do you want to experience the feeling of soaring into the clouds?"