Kaguya's presence was an imminent storm, a primordial force that seemed to tear the fabric of reality around her. Her eyes — especially the third one, in the center of her forehead — shone with a strange radiance, as if holding ancient and universal secrets.
She slowly lifted her gaze, contemplating the vastness of the sky and the moon, her voice echoing with the weight of forgotten eras:
— "The moon, eternal witness to the rise and fall of mortals, has become the throne of lies that maintain the cycle of suffering. The time has come to restore true order... and return everything to the primordial source, where light and darkness merge in absolute perfection."
Her words were not just an announcement — they were a decree, a sentence that made the air vibrate with absolute authority.
Gigantic roots, thick as buildings, burst from the earth across the entire battlefield, ripping through the soil and reaching toward the sky. It was the Tree of Life reborn in its most colossal form, its branches stretching like living veins, pulsing with ancient and terrifying power.
The entire environment seemed to collapse under the weight of that manifestation.
However, the power of the Tree of Life came with a devastating effect: all the ninjas around began to stagger, their bodies weakening, their strength fading at an alarming rate.
The shock of seeing allies and enemies fall, unable to maintain even the slightest control over their own bodies, created palpable tension.
Neji, with the sharp gaze of his Byakugan, was the first to understand what was happening. His voice sounded firm but laden with concern:
— "They're draining our chakra... it's as if each root sucks the essence of our lives, completely exhausting us. If this continues, we'll be nothing but empty shells, incapable of fighting or resisting."
Silence fell among those present, as despair grew. Those who were masters of chakra felt their reserves quickly dwindle — an invisible, relentless power stealing their vital energy like an unseen disease.
Jin Woo watched all this silently, fists clenched, his mind processing the vastness of that energy spreading like a cosmic virus. Then Kaisel's voice echoed in his mind, calm yet full of recognition:
— "This energy... is vast and ancient, like the one I sensed in the skies of this world. It's not just chakra — it's the very pulse that sustains this shinobi universe. This is the force that maintains balance, and it is now in her hands."
Jin Woo felt the weight of the moment. The Tree of Life was not just a weapon, but the very essence of the shinobi world being rewritten. And he, the only one resisting, needed to be ready to face this power that transcended everything he knew.
Meanwhile...
The air among the Uchihas was dense, charged with palpable tension. The three — Sasuke, Itachi, and Tobi — had their Sharingans active, their eyes glowing red and black, mirrors of fury, cunning, and manipulation. Tobi, visibly surprised and frustrated, stared at Itachi. He hadn't expected the older brother to know so much, to have unraveled his plans with such precision.
With a bitter smile, Tobi spoke openly to Sasuke, as if willing to reveal his true game:
— "Sasuke, I have always used you as a piece, a tool for my greater goal. You are the catalyst for the ideal being to implement Madara's philosophy and powers, the key to restarting the world under the Eye of the Moon.
I planned to manipulate your pain, your hatred, because I needed someone with your power to awaken the true Uchiha legacy. You were nothing but a pawn in my game, and yet, you are the only one who can choose your destiny."
Sasuke felt his blood boil, a deeper hatred igniting in his chest. The desire to crush them both, to break all chains that bound him, grew like an uncontrollable flame. His eyes burned, the Mangekyō Sharingan intensifying, eager to unleash his fury.
But at the moment the confrontation threatened to explode to a new level, a strange sensation overcame them. A cold emptiness, bringing no pain, but a silent and relentless theft. The three felt their chakras being drained — as if invisible threads pulled out their vital energies, a merciless suction leaving them emptier and emptier.
Their Sharingans began to lose their intense red glow, their ocular powers fading, turning their eyes opaque, almost cold. Sasuke widened his eyes, surprised and powerless. Itachi briefly closed his eyes, serenity replaced by deep melancholy, while Tobi tried to resist but his movements began to slow, becoming mechanical.
Sasuke barely managed to stand, his muscles trembling, his vision starting to fail. His mind, still dominated by anger and the will to fight, tried to cling to hope, but the emptiness in his chest grew. He looked at Itachi, who was beside him, exhausted, pale-skinned, and with a now cloudy gaze.
Itachi, though weakened, opened his eyes a bit more, trying to find strength to speak. His voice came weak, laden with pain and resignation, like the last breath before the end.
— "Sasuke... the world we know... is disappearing... It's not just the clan... it's not just us... it's everything... our energy, our chakra, our very existence being sucked away..." — his words trembled, his body nearly collapsing — "I fought to protect you, to prevent this darkness from taking your heart... But now, we are trapped in the same prison..."
Sasuke tried to react, but his body didn't respond, his strength fading. Tobi also staggered, his eyes losing the light of ambition, his mask almost falling to the ground.
Itachi, with a last effort, looked at Sasuke, trying to make his brother understand.
— "Sasuke... I... always... wanted the best for you..." — his voice faltered — "Remember..."
Then Itachi collapsed, his body falling to the ground, while Sasuke and Tobi almost fell soon after, drained, powerless, trapped in the shadow that sucked all life around them. Yet they ended up falling together.