Chapter 42: The Aftermath and the Next Threat

The battlefield was eerily silent. Dust and debris settled as the shinobi slowly gathered their strength. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi, Obito, Might Guy, the current and future Kage, and the Konoha 11 all stood in disbelief.

Kaguya and her two massive beasts—Gorilla and King Kong—towered over the wreckage. The air still hummed with the remnants of her power. Isshiki was gone. Not dead, but gone.

Naruto clenched his fists. "Did we… win?"

Kaguya gave him a sidelong glance before turning to her creatures. "For now."

The giant Gorilla let out a deep, rumbling growl, while King Kong cracked its knuckles, looking ready for another fight.

Toneri Awakens

A few meters away, Toneri Ōtsutsuki groaned as he pushed himself up from the rubble. His body was still healing, his breathing ragged. Naruto and the others turned toward him, unsure of what to expect.

Toneri looked at Kaguya with wary eyes before sighing. "I never thought… you'd interfere like this."

Kaguya gave him a cold stare. "You are weak."

Naruto stepped forward. "Oi! I don't know what your deal is, but if you're not with Isshiki, then help us understand what's going on!"

Toneri hesitated. His gaze moved between Naruto and Kaguya before he finally spoke. "Isshiki isn't dead. He's only retreating because he knows Kaguya is strong enough to stop him… for now. But this battle isn't over."

Sasuke frowned. "Then where is he going?"

Toneri clenched his fists. "To find reinforcements. There are more Ōtsutsuki out there."

A heavy silence fell over the group.

Kaguya's Warning

Kaguya turned to the shinobi, her expression unreadable. "If you wish to survive the next war, you must grow stronger. Your current strength is not enough."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "You speak as if you are separate from us. Are you not here to fight with us?"

Kaguya's gaze sharpened. "I am not your ally. I fight for my own survival. If you grow stronger, you will be more useful to me. That is all."

Naruto grit his teeth but said nothing. He still didn't fully trust Kaguya, but he knew she was right.

Black Zetsu slithered out of the ground beside her. "Foolish shinobi, do not mistake her actions for kindness. She will do whatever is necessary to ensure her own survival—whether that benefits you or not."

Shikamaru sighed. "Great. So we're basically pawns in your game?"

Kaguya didn't answer. She turned to her two summoned beasts. "We leave."

Without another word, she and her creatures vanished into a portal.

Regrouping and Planning

With Kaguya gone, the shinobi turned their attention back to their own forces. Many were injured. The Konoha 11, the Five Kage, and the legendary shinobi like Kakashi, Obito, and Might Guy had all pushed themselves to their limits.

Gaara looked at Naruto. "We need a plan. If more Ōtsutsuki are coming, we need to prepare all the villages."

Tsunade nodded. "A Five Kage Summit is necessary. We must act fast."

Mei glanced at Toneri. "And what about him?"

Naruto crossed his arms. "For now, he's coming with us. We still don't know where he stands."

Toneri didn't resist. "I will answer your questions… but there are things you will not like to hear."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "We'll be the judge of that."

As the group prepared to return to Konoha, the weight of what was coming settled in.

The next war was only beginning.