Chapter 90

The resistance against the Uzumaki Clan's growing dominance continued to build within the hidden villages of Kumo and Iwa, yet even as their forces scrambled to prepare, their enemy drew ever closer. The Uzumaki moved with ruthless precision, cutting down any ninja who dared to stand in their way. There were no negotiations, no warnings—only death. To cross paths with them was to meet one's end, an undeniable truth carved into the land they marched upon.

The weight of their power had never been clearer than in the recent battle. Killer Bee, the second strongest known fighter on the planet, had fallen.

His defeat had been expected by the Uzumaki, accepted as inevitable, but there had been an anomaly—a factor that had altered the battle's course. Mikoto, one of their own, had engaged Bee personally. His loss of power during the fight had been an unexpected setback, a result of his own recklessness. And yet, the clan had not faltered. Mikoto's failure did not hinder their grand design, for the Uzumaki were not reliant on a single warrior.

Even now, their plans pressed forward unhindered.

Mikoto had been forced to the sidelines, his seals drained of energy. The temporary loss of one of their Kings was inconsequential. The other Kings remained at full power, and Mikoto's second-in-command was more than capable of taking his place.

On the other hand, their enemies had just lost their trump card.

A heavy silence filled the command center, thick with the weight of consequence. The massive tent stood at the heart of the Uzumaki forces, reinforced by layers of barriers and seals that ensured absolute security. At its center, a grand table displayed a projection of the battlefield—a recording taken through Daikaku's earth orbs, allowing every Uzumaki present to witness the downfall of Killer Bee.

The Gold King, Daikaku, stood at the head of the gathering, arms crossed over his chest, his golden eyes burning with discontent. He was an elder among the Kings, his wisdom vast, his presence commanding. Though his face bore the marks of age, his sheer power made it clear that he was as formidable as ever.

And now, he was furious.

"You are lucky to even be alive, Mikoto," Daikaku growled, his voice like thunder before a storm. His sharp gaze locked onto the younger man, unyielding. "How many times must I tell you? Do not put your life on the line for something so foolish! When will you understand the sacrifices that were made to place you in this position?"

His hand slammed onto the table, causing the image to ripple.

"Look at them!" Daikaku gestured toward the illusionary battlefield, where the shinobi of the world scrambled in desperation to resist their inevitable fate. "Do you see any of them standing at your level? There are none. Not without interference from the Immortals." His voice was edged with finality.

He turned his gaze toward another figure, standing beside Mikoto with his hands tucked lazily into his pockets.

"And could you stop letting this child play his games, Nagare?" Daikaku's tone grew even sharper as he addressed the Green King. "If I catch you two messing up again, I will personally take you both to Genryu and have him send you to the Eternal Void."

The room stilled. Even the surrounding elite warriors dared not make a sound.

Nagare—the Green King—sighed and ran a hand through his messy dark-green hair. Unlike the other Kings, who carried themselves with poise and discipline, Nagare exuded an effortless, almost infuriating nonchalance. He was as powerful as the others, yet his carefree nature had long been a source of frustration.

"Come on, Grandpa," Nagare said, grinning despite the situation. "Mikoto didn't know the vessel had a trick like that up his sleeve. Even I was surprised he knew Sage Mode. Without it, there wouldn't have even been a fight." He shrugged. "Maybe if Mikoto had taken his squad, the enemy wouldn't have engaged at all."

Daikaku's glare did not waver.

"You are correct," he admitted, voice steady but cold. "But that does not excuse your negligence. You were all too willing to see Mikoto fight alone."

Nagare scoffed. "Hey, hey, that's a baseless accusation! I would never do such a thing!"

Daikaku's eyes darkened as he raised one hand.

Without warning, an earth orb floated beside him, pulsing with golden energy. With a flick of his fingers, it displayed a recording—Nagare, surrounded by members of the Red and Green, standing atop a makeshift betting booth while cheering for the fight like a spectator at a festival.

The tension in the room snapped.

"You were out there gambling and acting like a cheerleader—stop making excuses, you stupid boy!"

Before Nagare could react, a crushing force slammed into him. The floor beneath him cracked as he was driven down by the sheer gravity Daikaku had summoned with a single word.

"I'm sorry! I won't do it again!" Nagare gasped, his body pinned to the ground as he flailed in resistance.

Daikaku turned his gaze back to Mikoto.

"What about you?"

Mikoto, despite everything, did not resist. His expression was empty as he looked down at his hands, feeling the remnants of the new seals that had been burned into his skin.

"I am sorry," Mikoto said quietly. "I got angry. And I acted alone."

The emptiness in his tone spoke volumes. He had taken down the greatest threat to their plan—yet he could do nothing now. His seals were depleted. He would be forced to sit on the sidelines until he could restore them.

To fill his seals with energy would take a month at the very least, and even then, the Uzumaki were not like ordinary shinobi. One percent of their chakra could be amplified into results exceeding one hundred percent. Their mastery of Fuinjutsu had allowed them to unlock the secrets of the Immortals, twisting their knowledge into something even greater.

And Mikoto… Mikoto had something even rarer.

A connection to Phoenix energy.

It was that power alone that had allowed him to survive Killer Bee's final attack. A last resort. But now, it was gone. The Phoenix energy would not return until Hotaru came back.

Mikoto's hands curled into fists. Hotaru.

The only one he had ever loved.

She had brought him back from death itself, her flames burning into his very soul. And even if she never acknowledged him as a lover, he would wait forever.

Daikaku sighed, his earlier fury ebbing slightly as he observed the look on Mikoto's face.

"Just don't let this situation repeat itself," the old King muttered.

Then, his sharp golden eyes flickered toward Nagare, who had managed to pull himself back to his feet.

"Hey, Grandpa," Nagare suddenly spoke, dusting himself off. "What are you doing with the vessel?" He grinned. "If you aren't making him a servant, can I have him?"

Daikaku's expression hardened in an instant.

"I am not giving him to you." His voice was ice-cold.

With that final remark, Daikaku turned away from them and strode toward the chamber where Killer Bee's unconscious body had been secured.

He would not let this power go to waste.

Just as they had created vessels, the Uzumaki had mastered the art of enslavement.

And soon, Killer Bee would belong to them.

Back in Konoha, Ino Yamanaka was growing frustrated.

Two days. Two days of constant effort, and still—nothing.

Hinata remained trapped in unconsciousness, her mind sealed off by an unknown yet unmistakably Uzumaki-aligned force. Every attempt Ino made to infiltrate her mental space had been met with violent rejection, as though an impenetrable barrier had been placed around her consciousness. It was unnatural, unlike anything she had encountered before.

Even though Naruto had left her with a portion of his chakra, Ino was reluctant to burn through it. She wasn't the one in danger. The true war raged in Kumo and Iwa—there, every bit of Naruto's chakra was needed. If she exhausted it here and now, what would she have left if the battle reached Konoha?

So, she endured. Even as exhaustion gnawed at her mind and frustration clawed at her patience.

Shino had already taken over the battlefield, letting his insects deal with the more physical threats while Ino focused entirely on Hinata. But no matter how many methods she tried—no matter how deep she pushed—the wall around Hinata's mind remained unmoving.

Finally, after yet another failed attempt, Ino stumbled back.

"This is just getting annoying…" she muttered, running a hand through her long hair. The sweat clinging to her skin evaporated as she pulsed her chakra to clear it, but it did little to ease the tension winding through her body.

She reached for a nearby water flask and took a long, steady drink, trying to force herself to think, not panic.

Behind her, a soft voice broke through the silence.

"Is Big Sister okay?"

Ino turned to see Hanabi Hyuga, kneeling beside Hinata's still form.

Hinata's younger sister had been personally tending to her ever since she fell unconscious. Three days had passed since then, and Hinata had yet to stir.

What was even more unsettling, though, was the constant brain activity.

Like she was in combat.

Ino forced a reassuring smile, though inside, she felt nothing but helplessness.

"Yeah, she's fine," Ino replied smoothly. "The enemy is just very persistent, so it's taking a little longer."

Hanabi's pale lavender eyes narrowed slightly.

"You know, it would have been better to respond with telepathy," she pointed out. "Any Hyuga can tell when someone is lying."

Ino sighed. So much for sugarcoating things.

She switched to a mental link. "Fine. If you want the truth—I'm at a dead end. I can't enter her mind, and I can't reach her. Someone incredibly powerful has blocked her off."

Hanabi fell silent, her worry deepening.

Who could do such a thing?

Hinata was no ordinary kunoichi. She was the strongest Hyuga, one of the elite of Konoha, and a warrior capable of standing beside Naruto Uzumaki himself. If she had been taken down so easily…

What did that mean for everyone else?

After a long pause, Hanabi spoke again, voice quiet yet determined.

"Can you send her your power? Would that help?"

Ino froze mid-thought.

Send her my power…?

A slow grin spread across her lips. That's it.

"Equip her with my abilities and tip the scales…" Ino murmured. Then, her grin widened. "Why just mine? We can send her more."

Hope ignited in her chest.

She turned to Hanabi, placing a firm hand on the younger girl's shoulder.

"Hanabi, you just helped me save your sister. Stop worrying and sit down—we're about to arm your sister with ultimate power."

Without wasting another second, she reached out across the village, her mind racing.

"Shino, get over here. Shizune, I need your help. If you're near anyone with high chakra reserves, bring them."

As she gathered her allies, Ino focused on creating a pinpoint opening in Hinata's mental barrier—small enough to let power through, but not enough to trigger a full rejection.

With the help of Shizune, they began channeling their combined energy into Hinata.

The risk was high—too much, and they could burn her out. Too little, and it wouldn't be enough to break the trap.

But if they succeeded?

The enemy would regret ever trying to trap Hinata Hyuga.

Hinata was trapped in a never-ending nightmare.

Her own mental world had turned against her.

The once peaceful domain of her consciousness was now a labyrinth of shifting gray walls, stretching endlessly in all directions. No light. No sky. No sense of time.

It was a prison—one crafted by an enemy who had invaded her mind and sealed her within a multi-dimensional maze. No matter how far she ran, no matter how many corridors she cleared, the path always led to another maze.

At first, she had tried breaking through.

She unleashed every bit of power she had—Byakugan-fueled strikes, Gentle Fist techniques, even chakra blasts. But nothing worked. The walls did not shatter, and flight made no difference.

There was no escape.

She didn't know how long she had been in here. Hours? Days? Weeks? There was no way to tell.

The only thing keeping her from falling into despair was her sheer willpower.

Hinata was no stranger to hardship.

She had trained, bled, and struggled to prove herself. She had learned to endure pain, to fight even when the odds were stacked against her.

And this?

This was just another battle.

One she refused to lose.

Yet, despite her resolve, a deeper worry gnawed at her heart.

What was happening in the real world?

The only reason she was here was because the enemy had forced her into this state. That meant… she had been in their way.

Hinata wasn't afraid for herself—she was afraid for everyone else.

For Hanabi, her little sister who still had so much life ahead of her.

For Ino, who had become like a sister in their months of working together.

For Naruto and Ai, the people who meant the world to her.

For Konoha. For the entire Shinobi world.

The thought of everything descending into chaos and destruction made her heart tighten with fear.

Naruto had already suffered too much loss.

What if he returned to a world beyond saving?

What if everything they had fought for was torn apart?

Hinata pressed her forehead against the cold gray wall, her voice barely a whisper.

"Oh Creator of the universe… please don't test us with such a reckoning so soon after we have only just survived."

Her hands curled into fists, her breath shaky but determined.

She wouldn't give up.

Not now.

Not ever.

Then—something changed.

A sudden rush of power flooded her mind and body.

Knowledge. Strength. Hope.

Hinata's eyes widened.

"Ino?"

She tried reaching out, but there was no response.

Instead, a message appeared in her thoughts.

'We are trying from the outside, so you have to weaken the barrier from the inside. I'm sorry, but your sister isn't strong enough to do it alone.'

Hinata's breath caught in her throat.

Ino… Hanabi…

She had never been alone.

A warmth filled her chest, chasing away the darkness.

She had been fighting this maze wrong the entire time.

She had believed that if she just kept running—kept pushing forward—she would eventually reach the end.

But there was no end.

This maze wasn't a physical construct—it was a mental one.

That meant it could be destroyed.

Not by force.

But by will.

Hinata exhaled, closing her eyes as she embraced the new knowledge.

This was her mind.

Her world.

And no one—not even the Uzumaki—had the right to imprison her here.

Her eyes snapped open, blazing with newfound clarity.

"No more running. It's time to fight."

The tension in Tsunade's office was palpable, as her gaze flickered over the determined faces of the shinobi gathered before her. Kiba, Sai, Choji, Konohamaru, Moegi, Udon, Tenten, Anko, Kurenai, and Gai—all of them radiated the same burning desire to protect and to fight. It wasn't just about survival; it was about making sure their legacy, their strength, and their will weren't just forgotten or left behind.

In that room, Tsunade could see the fire of the Will of Fire that had burned in the hearts of Konoha's strongest for generations. They weren't willing to sit idly by, to wait for salvation from others. They didn't want to be powerless or helpless, watching as others did the fighting. They wanted to be the ones standing tall, taking action when the world seemed on the verge of collapse.

Tsunade had hoped to keep Naruto's transformation method a secret, to continue working on it in relative safety. But the brutal reality of the situation had broken through her careful plans. With Hinata taken out of the equation and the looming threat of the Uzumaki clan, it was clear that if they didn't act, there would be nothing left to save.

She had seen too many battles. Too many shinobi fall. Too many friends lost in pursuit of something greater. She understood the cost of power, but in this moment, there was no other choice. They couldn't afford to let fear of death stop them.

"You guys are going to be the death of me," Tsunade muttered with a resigned sigh, throwing her hands up. But deep down, she was proud. Proud that these were the people who stood before her, asking to risk their lives for the world they loved.

Finally, she stood, the weight of her decision heavy on her shoulders but firm. "Sigh, fine. Let's go."

A cheer erupted from the group. The intensity of their resolve was contagious. They weren't worried about what could happen—they were worried about what would happen if they didn't act.

For them, the stakes were clear. It wasn't just about Konoha's survival. It wasn't even just about their own lives. It was about their people, their families, the future they had promised to protect. They all remembered the horror of the Fourth Great Shinobi War, the years of suffering and fear. They couldn't bear the thought of history repeating itself. They couldn't be the ones sitting on the sidelines, helpless. Not this time.

Tsunade didn't need to say anything else. Her decision was made. They would take on this transformation—no matter the risk. The Otsutsuki transformation was their only hope of gaining the power needed to face the growing threats around them, especially with the Uzumaki clan's dominance and the shadow of Ishiki looming over them. The fear of death, of insanity, and the unknown consequences of their choices all hung heavy in the room, but none of them turned back.

"We all have our reasons," Konohamaru said, his voice steady, almost too mature for his age. "But we fight because we can't let others take control of our fate."

"We'll be a wall between the people and destruction," Gai added, his usual exuberance replaced by the seriousness of the situation. "We've always protected this village, and we won't stop now."

Tsunade nodded. "This transformation could change all of you, but don't forget—this is not just about gaining power. It's about safeguarding your minds, your hearts. If you lose yourselves, we'll have lost more than any war could take from us."

Her words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of their future. The transformation was dangerous. They knew it. But there was no other choice. The world was slipping further into chaos. And the will to fight back, to defend—that was something they couldn't just ignore.

And so, as the group stood ready, prepared to undergo the risky transformation, they did so with a sense of purpose. They didn't know what would happen once they started, or what kind of changes awaited them, but they knew this was the last chance. If they didn't step forward now, they would be giving up on everything they had ever fought for.

The weight of the world had never felt so real. But in that office, with Tsunade's approval, they knew they weren't just dreaming—they were making it happen.

With a nod, Tsunade gave the signal, and they moved out. The battle for the world was about to begin.