Indra

But at this moment, as Hagoromo Otsutsuki's words, "This world is about to repeat its mistakes and be utterly destroyed," echoed in his ears, the seemingly unbreakable obsession in Madara's heart cracked for the first time.

The prerequisite for the Infinite Tsukuyomi was that the world still existed, that the people he wanted to protect still existed. If the Ninja World turned to dust, if Izuna were to vanish before his eyes again, if even the soil that carried "peace" ceased to exist, then the so-called eternal dream would be nothing but an absurd joke with no solace to be found.

He suddenly opened his eyes, the purple light of his Rinnegan sharpening abruptly. His gaze pierced through the battlefield's smoke and dust, landing on the towering black Susanoo Armor that stood between heaven and earth.

Its ten-thousand-meter-tall body blotted out the sun and blocked the sky. The dark red patterns on its armor were like bloody brands. Between the Susanoo's brows, Uchiha Genki's pair of scarlet Nine Magatama Sharingan burned with world-ending rage.

That chakra pressure, capable of crushing mountains and tearing apart the heavens and earth, that despair mixed with the destruction of the entire plane—it was no exaggeration. This young man truly had the ability to reduce the Ninja World to nothingness.

Madara slowly turned his head. Hashirama Senju stood not far away.

His green hair rustled wildly in the fierce wind. The pale green markings of Sage Mode crept across his cheeks. In those eyes, which had fought him for half a lifetime and also guarded the Ninja World by his side, there was no animosity of a rival, no resentment of the past. Only the heavy burden and firm resolve of mutual protection when facing an apocalyptic crisis.

Hashirama seemed to have seen through his thoughts. The moment their eyes met, there were no superfluous words, no complex probing, only a tacit understanding that spanned decades of grudging affection and enmity, quietly flowing between them.

Madara Uchiha took a deep breath. The complex emotions churning in his chest—his entanglement with Hashirama, his protection of Izuna, his obsession with the Ninja World, his fear of destruction—were all forcibly suppressed. His knuckles turned white from the force, and his joints let out faint creaking sounds.

His life had been intertwined with Hashirama's for a lifetime, loving and hating each other. He had resented Hashirama's "naivete" and respected his "steadfastness."

He had resented the twists of fate and cherished the times they stood side-by-side.

But this time, for Izuna, for this Ninja World he once wanted to "save" with his own hands, to prevent all his obsessions and protections from becoming mere empty words—he chose to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with this man once more.

"Hashirama," Madara spoke, his voice deep and hoarse, carrying the weight of accumulated years and an unprecedented firmness. Every word seemed to be squeezed from his chest. "The Infinite Tsukuyomi... we'll put it aside for now."

Hashirama Senju froze, his pupils contracting sharply. Then, an unbelievable light erupted in his eyes. His previously tense face instantly relaxed, and the corners of his mouth curved upwards uncontrollably. It was a pure smile, devoid of all defenses and resentment.

He nodded heavily, his voice loud and powerful, bridging the decades of estrangement and enmity. "Alright!"

One word carried the weight of so much past, resolved half a lifetime of grudges, and bound two men standing at the pinnacle of the Ninja World to the same frontline once again.

On the battlefield, after a brief silence, long-suppressed gasps of astonishment and relief erupted. Everyone breathed a small sigh of relief at this historic reconciliation, and hope rekindled in their hearts to confront the apocalyptic crisis. With Hashirama and Madara joining forces, they might truly be able to stop that terrifying young man.

But this hope lasted only a moment before being utterly crushed by a silent figure.

It was Indra.

The eldest son of the Sage of Six Paths, the ancestor of the Uchiha Clan, a soul whose life was etched with arrogance and pride, forever pursuing power and recognition.

Since his manifestation from the Rinne portal, he had stood silently to the side, his surrounding cold chakra like a frozen deep pool, without the slightest ripple. He was like a statue, looking down on all beings and disregarding everything, as if this crisis, concerning the survival of the Ninja World, had nothing to do with him.

But now, he slowly raised his foot and began to walk, step by step, towards the direction of the Ten-Tails' head.

There was no overwhelming killing intent, no passionate fighting spirit, no superfluous actions or words. Only silent steps, firm and cold. Each step that landed on the void felt like it was crushing everyone's heart, shattering the sliver of hope that had just arisen.

All eyes instantly froze on him. The relief and astonishment on their faces were instantly replaced by extreme shock and fear.

Hagoromo Otsutsuki's face suddenly turned ashen. The Six Paths chakra around him seethed violently. His normally steady voice was laced with desperate urgency and anger as he roared hoarsely, "Indra! What are you doing?! Come back!"

Asura also turned his head sharply, disbelief in his eyes. He instinctively took a step forward, his voice filled with urgent persuasion, "Brother! Are you insane?! He is our common enemy!"

Hashirama Senju, Madara Uchiha, the four Hokage, all the resurrected ninjas, everyone in the Allied Forces... all froze in place, their hearts feeling as if they were being squeezed by an invisible hand, forgetting even to breathe.

They watched with wide eyes as Indra's figure walked, step by step, towards the black Susanoo Armor, towards the young man who vowed to destroy everything—Uchiha Genki.

Indra did not look back, ignoring all the shouts and dissuations, as if everything behind him was merely insignificant dust.

He walked silently, step by step, until he stood before Uchiha Genki, standing side-by-side with the ten-thousand-meter-tall black Susanoo Armor.

The black Susanoo lowered its head slightly. The scarlet pupils of the Nine Magatama Sharingan met Indra's proud and indifferent eyes in mid-air, a silent confrontation. There were no words, yet a strange resonance existed between them.

The wind stopped, the cracks on the earth ceased to expand, and the Ten-Tails' roar fell silent. The entire Ninja World, at this moment, sank into a silence more profound and terrifying than when Uchiha Genki had first appeared.

No one knew why this ancestor of the Uchiha, the eldest son of the Sage of Six Paths, would walk towards their common enemy at this critical juncture for the survival of the Ninja World.

No one knew if this step was a fated resonance or the Ninja World's greatest betrayal.

"What? Aren't you going to stand with your father?"

Seeing Indra standing silently beside him, Uchiha Genki slowly spoke, his voice still cold but carrying a hint of imperceptible mockery. The pupils of his Nine Magatama Sharingan flickered slightly.