"You're back!"
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen looked at the disheveled pair and immediately stood up to greet them.
He had originally thought Renya and Danzō would travel outside for several months before returning. Unexpectedly, they came back in just two short weeks.
To be honest, he hadn't even warmed up the Acting Hokage seat yet.
At this moment, he finally understood where that uneasy feeling from before had come from...
"Weren't you traveling around the ninja world? How did you end up like this?"
Hiruzen put aside his thoughts and his gaze fell on their dust-covered clothes.
The state Renya and Danzō were in didn't look like they had returned from sightseeing, but more like they had been robbed by bandits halfway and had crawled back to the village in embarrassment.
Although he knew Renya was very strong and had few opponents in the ninja world, there was no other reasonable explanation.
It couldn't be that they were so bored they fought each other, right?
"Don't ask. It's a long story."
Shimura Danzō waved his hand and told him about how they used the Dragon Vein's energy to travel through time.
Of course, he didn't mention how they were brutally beaten by Tobirama-sensei.
If Hiruzen found out, how could he keep any dignity?
"So the injuries on your bodies…?"
Hiruzen showed a puzzled expression. Since Danzō hadn't explained clearly, he could only fill in the blanks himself.
"Was it caused by the Dragon Vein's energy?"
Renya and Shimura Danzō exchanged glances and nodded in unison.
That's right, it was caused by the Dragon Vein's shockwave!
At first, Hiruzen was ready to believe them, but when he noticed the fist marks on their faces, he fell silent again.
Forget it. He would just assume it was the Dragon Vein.
Otherwise, if he exposed them, he would be the unlucky one in the end.
"You continue handling the administrative affairs. I'm going home to rest," Shimura Danzō said earnestly. "I believe that with your ability, you can definitely handle everything well."
With that, he turned around and left the Hokage's office.
If you want the horse to run, you must feed it grass.
Of course, Hiruzen wasn't a horse, and what Danzō gave him wasn't grass, but empty promises...
"Work hard. The next Hokage will definitely be you!"
Renya looked at the mountain of documents and offered encouragement with a smile before following Danzō out.
Only an idiot would become Hokage and deal with documents every day until exhausted.
With that time, it would be better to lie at home and bask in the sun.
"Renya, when are you going to deal with Hyūga Muki's matter?" Shimura Danzō suddenly asked when he saw his good friend catch up.
They had learned about Hyūga Muki's identity during the Warring States period. That guy was likely on the moon right now, watching the ninja world.
No matter what, they had once been companions. They should at least visit him.
"In a couple of days. I'm going home to rest first."
Renya had originally planned to immediately find Nara Motoha upon returning to the village to ask about the details of Hyūga Muki's departure.
But he didn't expect to be beaten up by that old Tobirama.
He could only rest for a couple of days first.
Shimura Danzō nodded and said softly,
"Let me know when you have a plan."
In truth, he didn't have any special emotional attachment to Hyūga Muki. He just wanted to use this opportunity to stay by Renya's side.
After all, their time-travel journey had only lasted about ten days, which was nothing compared to Renya's previous half-year grand adventure.
Besides, there was an Acting Hokage in the village handling administrative affairs. After working tirelessly for the village for so many years, it was time to enjoy life.
Without realizing it, Danzō was no longer as obsessed with the Hokage position.
Rather than sitting in the office handling documents, it would be better to bask in the sun in the courtyard with Renya and enjoy retirement early.
That was, of course, assuming Renya didn't do anything reckless. Otherwise, he'd have to obediently return to handling government affairs.
"No problem."
Renya would never secretly go to the moon alone without telling his good friend. That would be boring. You always need company, don't you?
"Alright, I'll head back first."
The two parted ways at the intersection and returned home to rest.
...
On the moon.
Two groups of Ōtsutsuki clan members wearing white robes stood facing each other.
"Fellow clansmen, are you truly going to abandon the ancestral teachings and walk down an extreme path?" Hyūga Muki's refined face was tightly furrowed with concern.
Standing opposite him were several elders of the branch family.
"Muki, stop clinging to those rotten doctrines!" the leading branch elder said coldly. "The ninja world created by the Sage of Six Paths was a mistake from the beginning!"
He pointed at the blue planet in the distance, his tone filled with agitation.
"It's filled with endless war, hatred, and betrayal! Chakra hasn't brought peace, but endless conflict. What value is there in protecting such a world?"
"Absurd!" a main family member retorted. "The ninja world has its own path of development. Life will find its own way forward. Our duty is to protect and observe—not to interfere violently or destroy it!"
At some unknown point, ideological differences emerged between the Ōtsutsuki main family and branch family on the moon.
The main family believed the ninja world should be given more time to develop and advocated protecting it rather than destroying it.
The branch family, however, believed the ninja world had long deviated from the Sage of Six Paths' original intentions due to constant warfare, and wanted to destroy it and create a new world.
The sudden disappearance of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path from the moon became the fuse that ignited the conflict between the two sides.
The branch family could no longer sit still and sought to destroy the ninja world and establish a new order.
Naturally, the main family refused.
Thus, war broke out between the two sides.
"You're wrong. Destroying the flawed world created by the Sage of Six Paths and reshaping order—that is what we should be doing!"
"Words are useless. Let's settle this with strength!"
Hyūga Muki said no more, and the main family and branch family erupted into battle once again.
No one knew how much time passed before the battle finally ended.
Both sides suffered serious injuries, and the branch family retreated back to their territory.
Hyūga Muki held a roll of bandages and sat down in an empty area.
While wrapping his injured arm, he raised his head and looked at the massive blue planet, a trace of nostalgia appearing in his eyes.
"I wonder if that guy died on the battlefield... With his strength, probably not..."
...
Nighttime, Senju Tobirama's residence.
Renya lay on the roof, his hands behind his head and a blade of grass between his teeth, staring at the night sky in boredom.
More precisely, he was staring at the full moon.
"Ōtsutsuki Muki..."
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have known thathe had such a heaven-defying identity.
After all, he possessed Ōtsutsuki blood. Its purity should be higher than that of the Hyūga in the ninja world.
When the time came, he'd see if he could trick him into coming to the ninja world for research. If he handed him over to Orochimaru and Senju Tobirama, they might be able to produce a pair of Rinnegan or Tenseigan.
However, according to his memories, the main family and branch family on the moon had always been at odds.
Later, the branch family even created a giant Tenseigan and slaughtered all the main family members, leaving only Ōtsutsuki Toneri alive.
"I wonder whether he belongs to the main family or the branch family."
Hopefully, when he goes to the moon, that guy won't have died in the clan conflict yet.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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