Chapter 8: The True Enemy

The battlefield was quiet now. The unconscious bodies from the Infinite Tsukuyomi were being tended to by the remaining shinobi. The war was over—or so they thought.

I turned my gaze to Hagoromo. He had remained silent, watching me with those ancient, knowing eyes. He was the only one here who could truly grasp what I was about to say.

"The Ōtsutsuki are not gone," I said suddenly.

Naruto and Sasuke stiffened. Even Hagoromo's expression darkened slightly.

"They will come," I continued, my voice calm but firm. "And when they do, you will not be ready."

Sasuke crossed his arms, skeptical as always. "And how do you know this?"

"Because I was one of them," I said simply. "And I know what comes next."

I took a step forward, letting my gaze sweep across the battlefield. "You think I was the greatest threat this world has ever faced, but you are mistaken. There is one among them—one who is already watching."

Hagoromo's eyes sharpened. "Who?"

I let the silence stretch, ensuring the weight of my next words would sink in.

"Isshiki Ōtsutsuki."

The name meant nothing to them yet. But it would.

"Isshiki was my partner," I admitted. "When I came to this world, he was supposed to come with me. But I betrayed him. I struck first, leaving him for dead."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Wait—so there was another one of you here this whole time?"

"He survived," I confirmed. "And he has been in hiding, waiting, growing stronger. You do not understand what he is capable of. Compared to him… even I was incomplete."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "If that's true, then why hasn't he shown himself?"

"Because he is patient," I said. "Unlike me, he does not need to act rashly. He does not fear you. You are nothing to him." I turned to Naruto. "He will take everything from you when the time is right. And you will not be able to stop him."

Naruto gritted his teeth. "Then tell us how to stop him."

I let out a quiet laugh. "You can't."

Their silence was telling.

"But Isshiki is only part of the problem," I continued, my voice growing colder. "He serves a greater force—the true god of the Ōtsutsuki."

Hagoromo finally spoke. "Shibai."

Ah. So he did know.

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged glances. "Shibai?" Naruto repeated. "Who the hell is that?"

"The one who stands above all," I answered. "The true god of the Ōtsutsuki. The one who has devoured entire star systems to reach his state of power. Even among my kind, he was untouchable."

I turned my gaze toward the sky. "He is no longer bound to a physical body. He exists as something… beyond. He has no need to fight. He simply watches, waiting for those who might be worthy to ascend to his level."

Naruto frowned. "And what does that mean for us?"

"It means Isshiki was only the beginning," I said. "There will be more. Others like me. Others like him. And when they come, they will not fight you as I did. They will consume you."

The weight of my words settled over them like a storm cloud.

They had thought the war was over. They had thought I was the end.

They were wrong.

And now… they knew it.

Next Steps

Sasuke was the first to recover. "Then what's your goal?" he asked. "You say you don't want to be our enemy, but you clearly don't want to be our ally either. So what is it?"

I smiled slightly.

"I will do what you cannot," I said simply.

Naruto frowned. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

I lifted my hand, flexing my fingers. "I will surpass them. I will surpass Isshiki. I will surpass Shibai. And when I do…"

I turned to face them fully, my expression unreadable.

"I will reshape this world in my image."

Naruto tensed. "That sounds like you're still trying to control everything."

I chuckled. "You misunderstand. The Ōtsutsuki treat this world as nothing more than a farm for chakra. They are parasites. I will not let them have it."

I closed my eyes. "I will replace them."

Silence.

Sasuke clenched his fists. "You want to become an Ōtsutsuki God yourself."

I opened my eyes, meeting his gaze. "Yes."

Naruto stepped forward. "Then how are you any different from them?"

I smiled. "Because I am not them."

Because my world will not be one of destruction.

It will be one of Zetsu.