Buzz!
High in the sky, the colossal blood-red eye that had formed from Madara's sacrificed essence immediately began reflecting itself upon the moon's pale surface. The two cosmic entities gradually overlapped with supernatural precision, their combined presence creating a fusion that defied every natural law.
What emerged from this unholy merger was a crimson moon that pulsed with malevolent consciousness, suddenly erupting with light so brilliant and terrible that it challenged the very concept of illumination.
The radiance that poured forth from this transformed celestial body covered the entire world in an instant, enveloping every continent, every ocean, every living being in its inescapable embrace.
"Did he succeed in activating it?"
The words escaped Minato's lips through gritted teeth as he witnessed the sudden transformation of the heavens above. His analytical mind, enhanced by cosmic awareness and years of studying forbidden techniques, immediately understood the global implications of what they were witnessing.
Sasuke's tactical instincts recognized the immediate danger even before his enhanced perception could fully process the threat. Chakra erupted from his form with explosive force, manifesting as his Perfect Susanoo in its complete configuration. The ethereal giant spread its massive wings with desperate urgency, creating a protective canopy that covered Sasuke himself along with Naruto and Minato.
Realizing that the light of the Infinite Tsukuyomi was about to illuminate every corner of the planet, knowing that he was no longer capable of preventing Kaguya's resurrection through direct intervention, Minato's hands moved through seal formations with the speed of absolute desperation.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Within moments, several familiar figures materialized within the protective shadow of Sasuke's Perfect Susanoo, their forms appearing through the dimensional pathways of the Flying Thunder God technique.
Kushina, Tsunade, Mei Terumi, and Obito all found themselves transported to this final sanctuary, the last bastion of free will that would exist on the planet for the foreseeable future.
The light of the Infinite Tsukuyomi immediately enveloped the entire earth with the inexorable certainty of a cosmic tide, transforming the previously dark night into a brilliant day that carried with it the promise of eternal dreams.
This was not ordinary illumination—it was a form of radiance that could penetrate through buildings, mountains, and any conceivable obstacle, reaching every person and every living creature with perfect efficiency.
"What is this phenomenon..."
But throughout the world, virtually no one possessed the opportunity to ask such questions. The moment the light of the ultimate genjutsu made contact with any living being, they were immediately trapped within illusions tailored to their deepest desires and hidden fears.
Even Uchiha Yoruki, Shisui, and Itachi—masters of the Sharingan whose ocular abilities had granted them resistance to countless genjutsu throughout their careers—proved completely defenseless against this cosmic-level technique.
In that instant of contact, their eyes transformed, taking on the distinctive circular patterns of the Rinnegan as the ultimate illusion took complete control of their consciousness.
Afterward, every affected individual became utterly immersed in their own personal dreams, experiencing perfect happiness in worlds that existed only within their minds while their physical forms remained motionless in the real world.
"What exactly is happening here?"
Kushina, Tsunade, and Mei Terumi all turned toward Minato with expressions that mixed confusion with growing alarm, their enhanced awareness telling them that something fundamental about reality had just changed.
At this moment, Obito—whose expression carried the weight of someone who had lost all connection to hope—observed the unfolding catastrophe and spoke in a voice barely above a whisper.
"The Infinite Tsukuyomi has been successfully activated?"
His tone carried the shame of someone who recognized his own complicity in the cosmic disaster they were witnessing. He appeared like a child who had committed an unforgivable mistake, unable to meet Minato's eyes directly.
"Everything is finished..."
Obito's declaration emerged from the depths of despair that had consumed him since learning the truth about his manipulation. After discovering that he had been nothing more than a pawn in someone else's game, after realizing that he had repeatedly harmed the people who had once loved him most, he no longer possessed any desire to continue existing in this world.
The magnitude of his sins seemed beyond any possibility of redemption, no matter what actions he might take to atone for them.
Sasuke and Naruto's expressions reflected their own profound sorrow as they processed the implications of what had occurred. Chiharu, Itachi, and countless other people they cared about were now trapped within the ultimate genjutsu, living in dreams while their life force was slowly drained to feed cosmic entities.
"No, the situation is not completely irreversible yet."
Minato's voice suddenly cut through the atmosphere of despair, carrying with it the determined authority that had defined his approach to impossible challenges throughout his career.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow and murmured with growing understanding, "The Sage of Six Paths..."
Minato slowly closed his eyes and directed his thoughts toward the spiritual realm that existed beyond normal perception.
"Sage, can you hear my voice?"
He understood that the Sage of Six Paths must be monitoring this battle with intense focus, given that he had once sealed his own mother with his own hands in order to protect the world from her cosmic ambitions.
Black Zetsu's successful activation of the Infinite Tsukuyomi was undoubtedly connected to Kaguya's resurrection, and once that cosmic entity achieved full manifestation, there would be no time for detailed conversations about countermeasures.
The method for removing the Infinite Tsukuyomi needed to be learned immediately!
At this moment, Black Zetsu emerged from the ground with expressions of satisfaction that transcended normal emotion. The ultimate genjutsu had no effect on him whatsoever, his consciousness operating according to principles that existed beyond the technique's influence.
He suddenly brought his hands together in a seal formation that carried the authority of cosmic command.
"Sage Art: Wood Release—Advent of a World of Flowering Trees"
The world that had been experiencing an uneasy peace was suddenly convulsed by seismic activity that affected every continent simultaneously. The ground collapsed everywhere, creating vast chasms from which towering trees began emerging with supernatural speed.
These were not normal plants—they were manifestations of the God Tree's essence, entities that possessed obvious intelligence and malevolent purpose. Branches extended from each tree with predatory coordination, sweeping up every person who had been trapped within the ultimate illusion.
Vines emerged from the bark and wrapped around the bodies of the affected individuals, suspending them from the branches like fruit hanging from cosmic orchards of despair.
When this global transformation was complete, the trees began surging with absolutely incredible amounts of chakra fluctuations that could be detected by enhanced senses across vast distances.
Throughout the world, portions of the life energy contained within every living being began flowing rapidly toward gathering points in the sky, drawn upward by forces that treated individual consciousness as mere resources to be harvested.
Minato calmed his consciousness and focused his spiritual awareness on the realm beyond normal perception. Within moments, he received the response he had been hoping for.
"Alas, the entire world has fallen under the influence of illusion once again."
The voice of the Sage of Six Paths carried the deep sorrow of someone who had witnessed this cosmic tragedy before, along with the weight of personal responsibility for failing to prevent its recurrence.
Minato's response carried the humility of someone who recognized his own limitations in the face of cosmic forces.
"This failure is entirely my fault for not maintaining sufficient vigilance and recognizing our enemy's true strategy sooner."
"The blame does not rest with you," the Sage replied, his mental voice heavy with regret that had accumulated across centuries. "Even I failed to recognize the true nature of Black Zetsu's existence and motivations."
His words carried the pain of someone confronting the consequences of past mistakes that had seemed insignificant at the time.
"This catastrophe is the result of my own negligence in the ancient past, my failure to completely resolve the threats that my mother represented to the world's freedom."
But both entities understood that regret served no constructive purpose in their current situation. What mattered now was finding solutions to problems that threatened the existence of free will itself.
"The method for removing the Infinite Tsukuyomi requires that you successfully seal my mother once again," the Sage explained with clinical precision. "If that can be accomplished, then Naruto and Sasuke must simultaneously form the Seal of Reconciliation to complete the reversal process."
"I've committed that information to memory," Minato confirmed, his analytical mind already working through the tactical implications of such requirements.
"However, there are additional preparations necessary to prevent certain contingencies from arising."
The Sage's voice took on greater urgency as he addressed complications that transcended simple technique reversal.
"I need you to provide me with a portion of your chakra to facilitate those preparations."
"Of course!"
Minato's agreement came without any hesitation whatsoever. If not for the Sage of Six Paths' intervention and guidance, their resistance would have collapsed long before reaching this critical juncture.
Although he couldn't directly inherit the Sage's cosmic power due to bloodline limitations, the ancient entity's current existence as a spiritual consciousness made it relatively simple for him to manipulate and direct Minato's chakra for necessary purposes.
Buzz!
The brilliant light emanating from the Infinite Tsukuyomi gradually began to diminish in intensity, and Sasuke responded by controlling his Perfect Susanoo to spread its protective wings wider.
The group within the ethereal shelter looked around with expressions of confused horror, observing towering trees stretching as far as their enhanced perception could detect.
Through his Six Paths-enhanced awareness, Naruto was still capable of distinguishing the identities of individuals who had been suspended from the distant trees like macabre ornaments.
"Pervy Sage! Shisui-sensei! Kakashi-sensei!"
Naruto's voice carried desperate anguish as he prepared to rush toward their positions, but Sasuke's firm grip on his shoulder prevented such action.
"If you want to save them, you should focus your attention on preparing for the enemy we're about to face."
Sasuke's gaze was directed upward toward the sky, where his enhanced vision could detect tremendous amounts of chakra floating through the atmosphere, gradually coalescing into a form that defied normal categories of existence.
At this moment, Minato's consciousness suddenly trembled as he returned to normal awareness from his spiritual conversation with the Sage of Six Paths.
Having surrendered a significant portion of his chakra reserves to facilitate the ancient entity's preparations, his face had become noticeably pale from the energy expenditure.
But in that moment, Kushina suddenly reached out and grasped Minato's hand with fingers that carried the warmth of someone whose love transcended even cosmic threats.
"Darling, we will achieve victory in this war, won't we?"
Although Kushina had faced death countless times throughout her life without showing fear, her voice now carried slight tremors that spoke to emotions deeper than mere physical courage.
Minato held her slightly trembling hand and could feel the emotional turmoil that she was struggling to contain within her normally indomitable spirit.
She possessed no fear of death itself, but she couldn't bear the thought of being separated from the people she loved most in the universe.
"Mom, please don't worry! I will definitely rescue my sister and everyone else!"
Naruto's voice suddenly cut through the atmosphere of dread as he turned toward them with the heartfelt smile that had always characterized his approach to impossible challenges.
Kushina's expression was profoundly moved by her son's unwavering determination in the face of cosmic threats that would have broken lesser spirits.
In that moment, Minato also smiled with the quiet confidence that had defined his leadership throughout every crisis they had faced together.
"I've come this far through challenges that should have been impossible to overcome. I have no intention of accepting failure now!"
Even though the enemy they were about to confront was the original source of all chakra, the progenitor of the very forces that had shaped their world since its creation, the responsibilities they carried would not permit them to falter at this crucial juncture.
"Father, Mother, Brother... I will save all of you!"
Sasuke's silent promise carried the same determination that had driven him to excel throughout his entire life, now focused on goals that transcended personal achievement or family honor.
Everyone except Obito—who remained consumed by the despair of his own choices—raised their heads toward the sky with expressions of resolve that challenged the very concept of surrender.
In the atmosphere above them, at the convergence point where massive amounts of chakra had been gathering, a figure was finally achieving clarity and definition.
She gazed downward with eyes that carried no trace of human emotion, her attention settling on Minato and his allies with the detached interest of a scientist observing laboratory specimens.
Minato met that terrible gaze and felt a chill that penetrated to the very core of his enhanced consciousness. When he spoke, his voice carried the weight of someone confronting forces that predated human civilization itself.
"Is this the legendary ancestor of chakra, the mother of the Sage of Six Paths, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki?"