Chapter 367: Infinite Tsukuyomi

Chapter 367: Infinite Tsukuyomi

Nagato gazed down coldly.

A black chakra rod was still embedded in the Third Kazekage's chest, pinning him firmly to the ground.

Beside him, the Second Tsuchikage and the Second Mizukage had also fallen to their knees, black rods piercing their shoulders and legs. Blood dripped onto the ground as they exchanged bitter smiles—clearly, they could fight no longer.

Seeing that all the powerful shinobi who had come to stop him had fallen, Nagato cast a glance at Tsunade and the others in the distance before continuing his actions.

Controlling the Raikage had been a ploy to force the other nations to intervene, and judging by the results, it had worked well—at the very least, it had bought him time.

The battlefield, now shattered and devastated, resembled a hellscape ravaged by death itself. Corpses piled up like mountains, severed limbs and broken remains scattered everywhere. The once-living had been reduced to lifeless husks, lying silently on blood-soaked ground.

The air was thick with an overwhelming stench of blood, so suffocating it seemed almost tangible, coiling around every corner and driving despair into the hearts of those who remained. Yet, despite the carnage, none of it could stir even the faintest ripple in Nagato's heart.

After the brutal clashes that had unfolded, the battlefield had fallen into utter silence. There was no one left standing to oppose him.

"Now, sleep. When everything ends, it will be time for your return."

Nagato's body slowly ascended higher and higher, as if he were merging with the vast sky itself.

He tilted his head back, his deep gaze locking onto the brilliant full moon hanging high in the night sky.

For a moment, he simply stared at it. Then, the mysterious Moon's Eye at the center of his forehead glowed with an eerie radiance.

The light of the Moon's Eye grew stronger, intertwining with the moon's glow, as if forging some enigmatic connection between the two.

In an instant, the once-bright and silver moon was swallowed by an unseen force, its luminous glow tainted by an endless, blood-red hue.

"The moon… it turned red! Is this the same genjutsu that shrouded the shinobi world months ago?"

"Last time, wasn't it the Uchiha who cast a genjutsu over the entire world? How can the leader of the Akatsuki do the same?"

"No… wait! The eye reflected on the moon last time was a Mangekyō Sharingan, but now—"

A shinobi pointed at the eye forming on the moon's surface, his voice rising in alarm.

But in truth, there was no need for him to speak. The moment the blood-red moon took shape, those who had been watching had already noticed the difference.

On the moon's surface, nine tomoe emerged, arranged in three symmetrical sets. Each tomoe shimmered with an eerie glow, merging seamlessly with the Rinnegan-like patterns behind them, forming a chilling, otherworldly design.

At this moment, the entire moon had transformed into a massive, malevolent eye—cold and merciless, gazing down upon the world below.

The air seemed to freeze, time itself suspended. Everyone who witnessed the spectacle was paralyzed with fear, their hearts gripped by an indescribable terror.

The Rinnegan was the Eye of the Sage—so what did the Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan signify?

If the Sharingan's abilities could already plunge the entire shinobi world into slumber, what could Nagato's dojutsu achieve?

"Was the Akatsuki's previous plot merely a prelude for this technique? Did they put the world to sleep just to test this dojutsu?"

Tsunade abruptly broke away from the battle, her sharp gaze locking onto Nagato. She roared, "Well played, Akatsuki's leader! You turned the tables on us. Even Hyuga Fuji was outmaneuvered by you!"

In recent times, Orochimaru had been residing in Konoha, and under Jiraiya's relentless persuasion, she had obtained some intelligence from the last war.

She had assumed that it was Hyuga Fuji who had orchestrated the plan through Uchiha Nanashi, with Nagato as another pawn in the scheme. But now, it was clear—she had been wrong.

The situation unfolding above was far too similar to what had happened last time. If someone claimed there was no connection between these two dojutsu, Tsunade would be the first to call them a liar.

Evidently, even if Nagato had been used before, he was no fool. He had drawn inspiration from the previous technique and mastered a way to perform it on his own—without relying on an artificial virtual space.

Nagato remained indifferent, his face expressionless. However, her words left him momentarily confused. Still, he maintained his composure and simply replied,

"You've all worked hard. I will offer my gratitude… after you wake from your dreams."

"Infinite Tsukuyomi!"

After a brief moment of accumulation, the power within the Moon's Eye reached its peak. Without hesitation, Nagato unleashed the technique upon the moon.

At that instant, the world was bathed in radiant light—night transformed into day.

"Don't look at the moon!"

"It's too late! Everything is too late!"

"Damn it! We should never have cooperated with the Akatsuki! This was like bargaining with a tiger!"

Kitsuchi's teeth clenched in frustration—but his eyes were already reflecting the Rinnegan's pattern, his expression turning vacant.

And it wasn't just him. Every single shinobi present—without exception—succumbed to slumber. Only the reanimated Edo Tensei warriors remained unaffected.

Wherever the light of Infinite Tsukuyomi reached, reality warped into an ethereal dreamscape. The entire world was dragged into an illusory realm, frozen in time. Across every nation, people fell into deep slumber.

The beasts, insects, and fish within the rivers and forests froze in place. Even the birds in the sky ceased flying, their bodies dropping to the earth.

The birds: "…"

What the hell is wrong with you shinobi? Why are we always the ones who suffer?

At the rear command center, Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju had just exchanged a single blow when they noticed the drastic change in the sky. Madara's eyes flickered as he stepped back.

"Oh? That brat Nagato actually cast Infinite Tsukuyomi? I thought he was still trapped in his foolish dream of world peace."

"Don't say that, Madara." Hashirama frowned, refraining from attacking as he, too, looked up. "Illusions are still illusions. This kind of peace isn't real."

"Hmph. It's still better than letting them slaughter each other."

Though Madara spoke dismissively, a trace of doubt flickered in his gaze.

Why didn't Hyuga Fuji stop this?

Even from this distance, he could feel the chakra surging from Infinite Tsukuyomi. There was no way Hyuga Fuji hadn't noticed.

And Nagato… he had changed.

Just recently, he had been absolutely opposed to Infinite Tsukuyomi. What could have possibly swayed him so quickly? Did Hyuga Fuji's overwhelming strength crush his resolve?

Madara couldn't shake the feeling that there was information he wasn't privy to.

…

Floating above the world, Nagato looked down upon the motionless land below. His gaze flickered briefly toward White Zetsu's direction—but just like everyone else, White Zetsu, too, had been completely immobilized.

There was no deception. The effect of Infinite Tsukuyomi was real.

So, it seemed… White Zetsu hadn't lied to him.

He truly had left everything in his hands.

At this moment, out of the entire world, only two living shinobi remained unaffected—both of them from the Hyuga Clan.

(End of Chapter)