"What about decades from now?" Gaara asked the key question.
Konan fell silent.
Decades from now, their generation might have grown old—or they might be dead. That problem would become the next generation's burden.
"Then we'll leave it to the next generation to solve," Naruto said suddenly. "Our job is to buy them as much time as we can."
"The way you say it makes it sound easy," the Raikage scoffed. "You think the next generation is bound to be stronger than us?"
"Not necessarily." Naruto grinned. "But I believe they'll be smarter. After all, they'll be able to learn from our experience and won't make the same mistakes."
"Besides," Sasuke added, "ten years is enough time for us to make plenty of preparations. We can study the Otsutsuki's weaknesses, improve Fuinjutsu, or even look for a way to destroy that thing for good."
"You two..." Tsunade rubbed her temples. "You always make the worst possible scenarios sound so simple."
"That's because it really isn't complicated," Naruto said with a shrug. "Either we get stronger, or it gets weaker."
"And you call that simple?"
"Of course." Naruto nodded as if it were obvious. "If you can't win, get stronger and try again. Isn't that basic shinobi practice?"
Tsunade was left speechless by his twisted logic.
"Enough." She waved a hand. "I'll report this to the daimyo of each country. As for that thing on the moon, we'll leave it alone for now. Our immediate priority is dealing with Kageyama and Karin."
"There's one more thing," Sasuke said. "The survivors from the Moon Country."
"The survivors?"
"Once Kageyama's control was lifted, the Moon Country guards who'd been turned into puppets should have regained their freedom," Sasuke said. "They're still stranded on the moon and need to be rescued."
"The moon?" Tsunade's