Otsutsuki Kaguya, whose white robe was nowhere to be seen, lay collapsed on the ground, her body twitching. Liquid the same color as her skin dripped continuously, and her back, buttocks, and other areas were covered with whip marks.
Nayuta threw the whip aside, pouting with a bit of boredom: "Can't take any more?"
Makoto gave her a blank look, lowered his head to fasten his belt, and once again performed the modified Kama technique.
Otsutsuki Kaguya then transformed into a beam of white light that disappeared into Makoto's body.
After Otsutsuki Kaguya vanished, the Rinnegan in Makoto's left eye slowly spun half a turn. The purple concentric circle pattern turned bright red, and a black pattern of nine tomoes appeared at the edge... the same design as the one on Otsutsuki Kaguya's forehead.
The Rinne Sharingan!
Seeing this, Makoto breathed a sigh of relief.
He definitely didn't want a third eye growing on his forehead. That would be too ugly.
Makoto then formed hand seals to release the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
The bud of the God Tree slowly closed. The branches began to soften, wither, and fall off. The people wrapped in the branches were released one by one.
Megumi woke up from her unconsciousness. Opening her eyes, she saw Makoto standing in front of her, the moonlight shining from behind him, casting a long shadow.
"Makoto? You... finished the fight?"
Makoto smiled and nodded, reaching out his hand to pull her up from the ground.
Megumi brushed the dust off her skirt, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him on the chin.
Then she stepped back two paces, tilted her head, and looked at his face, as if checking for injuries.
Saeko had already stood up on her own.
She looked around, confirming that all the enemies on the battlefield had disappeared, then sheathed the Shodai Kitetsu at her waist, walked to Makoto's side, and looked at him with loving eyes.
Alice took Nino's hand and jumped down from the wreckage of the God Tree.
Tsunade, awakened by Hashirama, walked over from the other side, her hair a bit disheveled.
The Aizono sisters, Chika, Utaha, Hancock, Hiyori... one by one, the young women gathered around, chattering away.
But no matter what, the fact that they were awake meant that Makoto had already defeated the enemy.
Makoto suddenly remembered something and asked with a smile: "How was the Infinite Tsukuyomi?"
Upon hearing this, the young women blinked and responded one after another.
Utaha said: "It was alright. It didn't feel much different from reality."
She wasn't just being modest.
Her life in the dream world was almost exactly the same as in reality.
Training, writing novels, shopping, having sex...
Then the novel was published, hugely successful, a book signing was held, having sex again...
In reality, this was the kind of life she lived.
So the Infinite Tsukuyomi didn't hold much appeal for Utaha.
Megumi's expression was a bit more complicated. After a pause, she said: "If there's one thing that was better than reality... it's that in that world, I could have you all to myself, Makoto."
All the other women fell silent.
Clearly, Megumi wasn't the only one who had such a dream.
Although the details varied, every woman present had one thing in common in her dream: Makoto only had her by his side.
The other sisters either didn't exist or stood in the distance, biting their handkerchiefs in jealousy. That feeling was way too good.
The Nakano quintuplets also scratched their cheeks.
In their dreams, Makoto was only good to 'me', only smiled at 'me'. The other four sisters could only hide behind, grinding their teeth in jealousy with no way to do anything about it.
This feeling of being the sole possessor was something they could never experience in reality.
Hearing this, Makoto couldn't help but curve his lips into a smile and asked them: "So, do you want to go back?"
"No!"
Moeha was the first to squeeze in from behind the crowd, hugging Makoto's arm and pressing her face against his shoulder. "I don't care how many women Makoto-nii has, as long as Makoto-nii will always be with me, I'll be completely satisfied."
'What a bitch!'
The women cursed inwardly.
Just then, Temari squeezed in from outside the crowd and said urgently, "Commander, Gaara can't hold on much longer."
Only then did Makoto remember that the Ten-Tails was still inside his body.
Although Shukaku had left a portion of its Chakra inside Gaara's body, it couldn't last very long.
He walked out from among the women, formed hand seals, and slapped his abdomen.
Nine beams of light surged from Makoto's abdomen, shooting into the sky like wild horses freed from their reins.
The nine Tailed Beasts landed on the ground one after another, kicking up a cloud of sand.
"Wahoo... we're finally out!"
The Eight-Tails excitedly stretched its limbs.
Makoto first walked to Shukaku and, pointing to the still-sleeping Gaara in the distance, said succinctly: "Go back."
Shukaku glanced sideways at the red-haired boy, then looked at Makoto. After a few seconds of silence, it said: "Hmph, since that brat is about to die, this great lord will kindly help him out."
With that, under Temari's watchful gaze, Shukaku transformed into a violet stream of light and disappeared into Gaara's abdomen.
Gaara's complexion changed from ashen to rosy, his breathing from weak to steady.
Only then did the people of Sunagakure, led by Temari, breathe a long sigh of relief.
Minato, who had just been talking with his son for a while, walked over quickly from the other side and stopped in front of the Yin Kurama.
"Over the years, Konoha has been binding your freedom in order to obtain the power of the Nine-Tails. I am truly sorry."
He bowed deeply.
Yin Kurama pouted and was silent for a moment.
"Being split in half is still quite uncomfortable."
After saying this, Yin Kurama turned its head away and no longer looked at Minato.
"I'll go into that boy's body as well."
Minato bowed again.
This way, his son would possess even greater power. That was ultimately a good thing.
Makoto watched this heartwarming reunion scene, pouted, and reserved his judgment.
Yu also woke up from the Infinite Tsukuyomi, walked to Makoto's side, and asked: "Senpai, why did you release these guys? If you kept these beasts inside you, wouldn't you be able to have even greater power?"
Instantly, the nine great Tailed Beasts all shot murderous looks at Yu. It was the same expression they had when Sasuke in the original work said he would capture them all.
But unlike in the original work, Kurama did not immediately become angry. Instead, it waited to see how things would develop.
After all, Makoto hadn't stated his position yet.
And besides, they had all witnessed Yu's personal strength. A single barrage from him in Gun Devil form could riddle the Ten-Tails with holes.
Although Yu was currently in human form, the Tailed Beasts still did not dare to act rashly.
Makoto turned to look at Yu. "I promised them before, and I will keep my promise. Besides, don't lose yourself chasing power. There will be plenty of opportunities to get stronger in the future."
Yu was silent for a few seconds, then lowered his head.
"I'm sorry, Senpai. I was out of line."
Konohamaru popped out from behind Yu, his eyes shining, his voice full of excitement and admiration: "As expected of Aniki! He says what he means and does what he says! He isn't tempted by power! That's what a real Ninja is!"
Beam walked at the back of the group, carrying Samehada, which he had taken from Kisame, on his shoulder.
Hearing Konohamaru's words, his expression immediately fell.
'Damn! He stole my line again!'
Makoto turned his head to look at the seven Tailed Beasts from the Two-Tails to the Eight-Tails, who were still crouching outside.
"What do you plan to do?"
The Eight-Tails pinched its chin and looked at Makoto. It looked at Naruto and Gaara, who were Jinchuriki, and then finally asked: "Is it okay if I hang with you?"
Although Makoto had killed B, after being under Makoto's command for a few months, the Eight-Tails felt that following him wasn't so bad.
Not only because of Makoto's own strength, but also because he genuinely didn't seem to look down on Tailed Beasts.
He had said before that after he was done with the Ten-Tails, he would release them, and he actually did it.
You know, if Makoto had broken his promise, no one would have dared to do anything about it.
And besides, doing so would have been more beneficial to his own strength.
To be willing to keep his promise even under such circumstances... that kind of human wasn't common.
After the Eight-Tails started, the Two-Tails also nodded in agreement.
The Three-Tails, Four-Tails, Five-Tails, Six-Tails, and Seven-Tails had roughly the same attitude.
After the two Tailed Beasts who had previously established perfect harmony with their respective Jinchuriki had expressed their approval, the others had even more reason to agree.
Besides, their own Jinchuriki were already dead.
And as the Eight-Tails had said, these few months under Makoto's command had been quite comfortable.
Although it was still a subordinate relationship, it was completely different from being confined inside a Jinchuriki's body.
Makoto did not refuse. He asked the members of Kessoku Band for seven empty Poké Balls and captured them all.
Makoto casually tossed the seven Poké Balls to the four members of Kessoku Band: "Just keep them with you for now."
"We can't do that!"
Nijika was extremely shocked, holding the Poké Ball that flew towards her with both hands, her eyes wide as saucers.
"These are your Pokémon, Makoto! We can't accept them!"
Ikuyo also shook her head vigorously.
But Ryo was different.
Expressionless, she took the Poké Ball containing the Eight-Tails from Makoto's hand and smoothly stuffed it into her waist pouch.
"Ryo, how can you be like that?!"
Nijika scolded with displeasure.
Then she saw Ryo walk up to Makoto, hook her arm around his neck, stand on her tiptoes, and lift her head.
But immediately, Ryo realized that she couldn't reach.
"Lower your head."
Makoto chuckled and lowered his head.
Ryo hooked her arm around his neck, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him.
Nijika and Ikuyo's faces turned bright red.
Bocchi stood behind them, holding the Poké Balls containing the Four-Tails and Six-Tails in her hands, momentarily unsure how to react.
The little social phobic watched Makoto, who was passionately kissing his bandmate, her brain nearly shutting down.
'Mom said that one must repay kindness.'
'But how was I supposed to repay this kindness? D-did I really have to give myself to him?'
Finally, Makoto and Ryo's lips separated. A string of saliva still connected their mouths.
"Wahhh—!!"
Nijika and Ikuyo simultaneously covered their eyes.
But Ikuyo peeked through the gaps between her fingers, unable to help taking another look or two, while secretly squeezing her slender thighs together.
Makoto wiped the corner of his mouth with his thumb, wiping away the string of saliva.
"I'm just leaving them with you for now. Give them back to me anytime I need them."
"Th-that's how it is," Ikuyo said, barely suppressing the turmoil inside her. "Th-then, we'll just hold onto them for you, Senpai..."
Then, Ikuyo thought for a moment, mustered her courage, walked forward, took a deep breath, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her face against his chest.
Bocchi's eyes nearly popped out. Nijika's mouth also gaped wide enough to fit a fist.
Ikuyo held on for a few seconds, then let go of Makoto, stepped back, and playfully stuck out her tongue.
"This is my thanks to you, Senpai."
Seeing this, Nijika also blushed as she walked over. Her hands hung at her sides, she scraped her toes on the ground a couple of times, and finally, still blushing, she hugged him.
After 5 seconds, she lowered her head and mumbled, "It's just a thank you, okay..."
Bocchi was completely panicked.
'Wait, I have to do this too?'
Her hands began to shake. Her legs began to shake too.
Ryo gave her a push from behind.
Bocchi's body lunged forward, bumping directly into Makoto's chest.
As time passed, Bocchi still didn't let go.
"Bocchi-chan is surprisingly bold..."
Ikuyo said with a look of admiration.
Nijika, who often looked after Bocchi, leaned in and looked at Bocchi collapsed in Makoto's arms. A few seconds later, she screamed in horror: "She, she's fainted!"
Nijika was startled and quickly stepped forward to support Bocchi, pinched her philtrum with her finger, and pressed hard a few times.
"Bocchi-chan! Bocchi-chan! Wake up! Wake up!"
Makoto recalled the feeling just now.
If he had to rank them: Bocchi > Ryo > Nijika > Ikuyo.
Momoi stood outside the crowd, her gaze sweeping over the four members of Kessoku Band. Marin stood next to her. Although her expression wasn't as gloomy as Momoi's, her pout showed she was clearly unconvinced.
'Wait, no, aren't we all yet to be formally married? What gives them the right to go first?'