Looking at Uchiha Sasuke, whose face was streaked with tears and blood, Izayoi asked,
"What are you going to do next?"
"I want to know the details of the genocide."
Having awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan, Uchiha Sasuke's temperament had changed dramatically. But unlike the extreme frenzy he experienced in the original timeline, he now calmly said,
"I'm going to find Orochimaru and have him use the Impure World Reincarnation to summon Shimura Danzo and Sarutobi Hiruzen. I want to learn everything."
"And then?" Izayoi asked. "Once you're sure it was them, what are you going to do?"
Uchiha Sasuke stared at Izayoi with his Mangekyō Sharingan wide open and asked bluntly,
"If I want revenge on them, will you stop me?"
"What do you think?" Izayoi smiled.
Seeing his smile, Uchiha Sasuke's broken heart finally found some comfort.
The bond between father and son needed no words.
If Izayoi had intended to stop him, he could have simply hidden the truth of the genocide.
But he hadn't.
Izayoi didn't want Sasuke to become a puppet, his destiny dictated by others.
He was alive—he could think, choose, and act.
So although Sasuke's mind was clouded, he remained frighteningly clear-headed.
He chose to seek out Orochimaru not because he suspected Izayoi of deceiving him, but because he needed to see the truth with his own eyes before deciding how to face Uchiha Itachi.
As if sensing Sasuke's emotions, Izayoi stood up and said to Hinata and the others,
"I'm taking Sasuke out for a while. You all take care of things here."
"Don't worry, Izayoi-kun, we'll handle it,"
Hinata and the others nodded.
With that, Izayoi used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport Sasuke out of Konoha.
Somewhere in an underground base, Orochimaru saw Izayoi and Sasuke appear. He was already used to such sudden visits and greeted them with surprising friendliness.
Even when he noticed Sasuke's Mangekyō Sharingan, adorned with a black sun, Orochimaru's eyes showed no greed or desire. He seemed to have let go of his obsession with the Sharingan.
"Long time no see, Lord Orochimaru," Izayoi said with a smile.
"Sorry to trouble you again."
"Anything I can help with is hardly a trouble," Orochimaru replied with a chuckle. He then asked curiously,
"But Izayoi-kun, could you satisfy my curiosity?"
"What do you want to know?" Izayoi asked, smiling.
Orochimaru looked at him, eyes gleaming with curiosity and excitement. His voice trembled slightly.
"I want to know what happened with that chakra surge a while ago."
Upon hearing this, Kabuto Yakushi, who was disinfecting tools, and Uchiha Sasuke both turned their attention to Izayoi.
It wasn't just Orochimaru—everyone in the ninja world wanted to know.
Sadly, only Uchiha Madara and Hinata knew the truth. Even frequent visitors like Tsunade, Shizune, and Sasuke himself were clueless.
And honestly, that was for the better.
People who hadn't even touched the peak of the Five Kage would lose all motivation if they learned of a higher dimension too early.
"As expected of Lord Orochimaru—you dare to ask anything," Izayoi sighed, then smiled.
"That chakra surge was the result of my Sage Mode reaching its peak. It's called... Six Paths Sage Mode."
"Six Paths Sage Mode?!"
Orochimaru and the others were visibly shaken.
And as if realizing something, Orochimaru's pupils contracted.
The Rinnegan and Samsara Eye had already proven that the legend of the Sage of Six Paths was likely real.
Now the term "Six Paths Sage Mode" immediately reminded him of the legendary Sage.
Could it be... that Izayoi had inherited his power?
How else could one explain why Izayoi, so young, possessed power beyond even a Ninja God?
"Can Sage Mode be further advanced?" Sasuke asked.
"Yes. But it's unlikely you'll ever reach it," Izayoi replied honestly.
"One basic requirement for it is mastering all seven ultimate nature transformations."
At those words, Orochimaru and the others were stunned again.
Izayoi had mastered all seven?
Even Sarutobi Hiruzen, known as the Professor, only cultivated five to high levels—and not the ultimate.
Once you mastered two ultimate transformations, you could create a Kekkei Genkai. To master seven... was bordering on godlike.
Could Izayoi have developed multiple Kekkei Genkai, or even... Kekkei Tōta?
Orochimaru was already theorizing furiously in his head.
Sasuke, although surprised, quickly composed himself. He was used to Izayoi's talents by now.
Then he looked at Orochimaru.
"I need to access the memories of Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo. Can you summon them?"
"Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo?"
Orochimaru blinked in slight surprise, then asked with interest,
"Sasuke-kun, are you facing a dilemma? Care to share? I might be able to help."
Sasuke glanced instinctively at Izayoi.
"You decide," Izayoi said with a supportive smile.
"I'll back you no matter what."
Sasuke's heart softened.
"I just need you to summon them. That's enough."
Unbothered by Sasuke's cold tone, Orochimaru nodded.
"No problem with Hiruzen. When I retrieved my soul fragments, I also recovered the souls of the previous Hokage. I have his medium."
"But for Danzo... I'm not so sure. He's one of Ōtsutsuki Toneri's puppets now."
"The Sage's Eye is truly powerful. I don't know whether Danzo's soul still resides within the puppet body."
Sasuke frowned. "Do you have a medium?"
"Ah, I would've forgotten if you hadn't reminded me." Orochimaru grinned.
"I have his left hand."
"Then let's try," Izayoi said.
"Very well."
They moved to a spacious underground hall. Kabuto Yakushi brought in two prisoners. Orochimaru began the Impure World Reincarnation Technique.
As the curse markings spread, the two prisoners—mouths sealed—let out muffled screams as clouds of white ash engulfed them.
Moments later, the reconstructed forms of Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo emerged.
"Need help?" Izayoi asked Sasuke.
"No. Just keep my body safe."
As Orochimaru and Kabuto watched in shock, Sasuke formed hand signs. His soul exited his body and entered Hiruzen's form.
A short time later, it exited and entered Danzo's body.
It was the forbidden technique from the Scroll of Seals—Spiritual Transformation Technique.
Its difficulty rivaled the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Only Kato Dan had mastered it in decades.
Now, Sasuke had done it too.
"How enviable..." Orochimaru muttered.
This time, he wasn't jealous of Sasuke's talent—he envied the era.
To live in an age of four superhuman legends… terrifying, yet glorious.
The limits of the world had been shattered. Power levels now far exceeded his generation's.
Back then, Mangekyō Sharingan was legendary.
Now? It was just the beginning.
Soon, Sasuke's soul returned to his own body.
Opening his eyes, his face was filled with murderous rage. His Mangekyō Sharingan glared at the silent forms of Hiruzen and Danzo.
Sasuke turned to Izayoi.
"Izayoi. Do you have ninjutsu that can destroy souls?"
"Then you've come to the right person."
Izayoi raised his hand.
A black mass appeared in his palm, condensing into a small orb. It soon expanded to the size of a ping-pong ball.
Ordinary as it looked, it radiated a terrifying aura.
"What is this?" Orochimaru asked with a tremble.
"The Tailed Beast Ball?"
"The Tailed Beast Ball is nothing compared to this," Izayoi said.
"It's called a Truth-Seeking Ball. The symbol of Six Paths Sage Mode—formed from the fusion of seven chakra natures."
With a flick of his finger, the ball transformed into a black beam, instantly blowing off Hiruzen's right shoulder.
But the Impure World Reincarnation body regenerated it.
Izayoi smiled at the stunned Orochimaru and Kabuto.
"Truth-Seeking Balls can destroy anything—body, soul, it doesn't matter. Once touched, they vanish."
"..." Orochimaru and Kabuto were speechless.
Even Sasuke, filled with hatred, looked in awe at the floating orb.
Izayoi asked,
"Want to erase them like this, or revive their minds first and watch their souls crumble?"
"I've seen enough. I don't want to look at their faces anymore," Sasuke said coldly.
Orochimaru sighed,
"Pity. The Impure World Reincarnation can't transmit pain. Otherwise, their screams would've been worth hearing."
Without delay, Izayoi manipulated the Truth-Seeking Ball. It pierced both resurrected forms, shattering their souls completely.
They were gone—for good.
Izayoi turned to Sasuke.
"What now?"
"I'm going to see Uchiha Itachi."
"Alright. I'll take you."
Turning to Orochimaru, he said,
"Be ready. Soon, I'll pardon your crimes. You'll no longer be a wanted man."
With that, Izayoi and Sasuke disappeared in a flash.
Kabuto and Orochimaru stood in silence.
After a long while, Kabuto whispered,
"Lord Orochimaru… do you think we can really return to Konoha?"
He recalled the orphanage and the director.
"If anyone else had said that, I'd doubt it," Orochimaru said, smiling.
"But Izayoi-kun? Maybe not only will we return, but we'll be entrusted with power again."
He knew the current political climate well.
Izayoi had dissolved the Council of Elders and rebalanced power among the clans.
Like how the Daimyō agreed to Hashirama's "One Country, One Village" system—when true power speaks, everything yields.
Only the weak cling to power.
Somewhere far away…
Uchiha Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki were returning from a black market mission meant to fund the Hidden Rain Village.
Suddenly, they stopped.
Dozens of meters ahead, a tree branch jutted from the ground, pulsing with a faint seal.
A moment later, Izayoi and Sasuke appeared without warning.
Seeing Izayoi, Kisame broke out in a cold sweat.
Itachi activated his Sharingan, locking eyes with Sasuke's Mangekyō Sharingan.
Sasuke… So you've awakened eyes like mine…