Rinnegan

The Third Hokage, leader of the Ninja World's greatest village, nodded like a junior.

Sage Fukasaku was an 800-year-old sage. Even the Third Hokage's ancestors would have had to stand at attention before him.

"Also, we must stop Madara Uchiha from finding his eyes. Otherwise, he'll be even harder to deal with."

That was a bit of a problem. Who knew where Madara Uchiha had stashed his eyes?

Still, the Third Hokage nodded through gritted teeth. Madara Uchiha was already this terrifying without his eyes?

If he got his eyes back, wouldn't the Five Great Shinobi Villages be at his mercy?

Sage Fukasaku gave one last reminder. "Oh, right. I recognized the Black Rod that the Great Lord used to control me and the kids' mother before. It's Yin Yang Release—the Six Paths Power."

Six Paths Power? The Sage of Six Paths?!

Every Ninja was stunned. Was this still the Ninja World? Wasn't the Sage of Six Paths just a figure from myth?

Jiraiya's ears twitched slightly. Six Paths Power? How could Madara Uchiha possess it?

Wasn't the Six Paths Power the Sage of Six Paths' power?

If he possessed the Six Paths Power, then his eyes...

Jiraiya thought of Madara Uchiha's empty eye sockets. He hadn't gone blind—he'd dug out his own eyeballs.

The Rinnegan!

Jiraiya immediately thought of his student in the Land of Rain, Nagato, who possessed the Rinnegan.

Jiraiya had always believed Nagato was an Innate Sage, but Madara Uchiha was still alive. Only he knew what plans he'd laid during that time.

The Rinnegan might belong to Madara Uchiha. Perhaps he'd placed his own eyes in Nagato's sockets.

But that still didn't make sense. Why would Madara Uchiha give someone else such important eyes? Especially someone as lacking in opinions as Nagato.

It was all just speculation.

The Sage of Six Paths was the Founding Sage. How could an old demon like Madara Uchiha have inherited the Sage of Six Paths' eyes?

Jiraiya didn't believe it, but at a time like this, he couldn't keep hiding what he knew.

He motioned for Minato to come closer, then whispered the story of Nagato in his ear.

Minato's blue eyes gradually widened.

The Rinnegan—

The legend of the Sage of Six Paths wasn't false. The Rinnegan really existed.

After Jiraiya finished telling him everything, Sage Fukasaku took him to Mount Myōboku.

The Third Hokage wanted to know what Jiraiya had whispered to Minato, but since Jiraiya had chosen to tell only Minato, he wouldn't press him.

The Third Hokage looked around, thinking about how to handle Madara Uchiha.

Jiraiya and Sage Fukasaku had made it clear: only the Ninja Alliance could deal with Madara Uchiha. The Third Hokage couldn't possibly send the village's Ninjas to their deaths.

If things truly reached a point of no return, the Third Hokage thought of the Uzumaki Clan's ultimate sealing technique.

At this point, all he could do was sacrifice his old life to preserve Konoha's spark.

"Cough, cough..."

The Third Hokage cleared his throat and was about to give everyone their orders when a Ninja suddenly came in from outside to deliver a report.

"Hokage-sama, Uchiha Ryobu has appeared!"

"What?!"

"That brat dares show his face again! Grab your weapons! We'll chop him into mincemeat and feed him to Heimaru!"

"Woof! Woof! Woof!"

At the border between the Land of Grass and the Land of Fire lay a bottomless gorge.

Ryobu stood atop a Ryūchi Cave Serpent, a Ninja Sword strapped to his back and his arms folded across his chest, radiating the air of a master.

Asuma and his friends were the first to spot Ryobu. He'd already been striking a pose across from them for quite some time.

Anko noticed the Great Snake beneath Ryobu and immediately realized it was from Ryūchi Cave.

She demanded, "Uchiha Ryobu, why can you summon a Great Snake from Ryūchi Cave? What did you do to Lord Orochimaru?"

Ryobu burst out laughing. "I killed Orochimaru. I looted his corpse and got the Ryūchi Cave's Summoning Scroll."

"By the way, Orochimaru's Great Snake is really useful!"

"Ahhh—"

Anko screamed in fury, pulled a shuriken from her Ninja Tool Bag, and prepared to leap over and fight Ryobu to the death.

"Uchiha Ryobu, I'll kill you!"

"Anko, calm down!"

Yugao grabbed Anko's arm and held her back.

Judging by Ryobu's bearing, he was at least as strong as a Jonin. Anko was no match for him.

Asuma snorted. "Ryobu, don't try to fool us. You're not strong enough to take on Lord Orochimaru."

Ryobu only smiled.

Shizune demanded, "Ryobu, listen to Lord Tsunade. You used to mix up medicine for my uncle, and it made him lose interest in women."

"Is that true?"

Ryobu nodded. "So what if it is?"

Shizune angrily raised her kunai. "You despicable quack!"

Ryobu looked at Shizune with a smile. "Shizune, Tsunade's in my hands. Just wait patiently for wedding wine from us."

"Damn it, give Lord Tsunade back!"

Shizune couldn't keep her composure in front of Ryobu, either.

Hong pulled Shizune back. "Shizune, calm down. Uchiha Ryobu is beyond our ability to deal with now."

Asuma scoffed. "Even if he's stronger than before, he's still only a Jonin at most. We're all Chunin. With so many of us, we can definitely capture him."

"How foolish!"

Ryobu sneered, closing his eyes and then opening them again. Three blood-red tomoe surrounded the pupils, giving his eyes a sinister look.

Asuma and the others were shocked.

"The Sharingan?!"

Hong said gravely, "And it's a Three Tomoe Sharingan. Only Jonin in the Uchiha Clan have a Three Tomoe Sharingan!"

Asuma quickly warned everyone, "Don't look at his eyes!"

Too late. Ryobu glanced at Anko.

Sharingan: Hypnosis!

Ryobu had only just awakened his Sharingan, but after living so many years, he'd already mastered some of its basic techniques.

Some people might look as if they couldn't lift Thor's Hammer, but in reality, they'd already mastered a whole combo.

Asuma shouted anxiously, "Watch out! Anko's under the Sharingan's control!"

Anko was instantly locked down by Ryobu's Sharingan, her whole body becoming his puppet. At his command, she used Shadow Snake Hand and bound Uzuki Yugao, who was standing closest to her.

"Yugao!"

Jifeng was frantic, terrified that Anko would slit his childhood friend's throat at any moment.

But Anko didn't hurt Yugao after restraining her. Instead, she kissed Yugao right on the lips.

"Anko—"

Yugao's eyes widened. Her first kiss—and Anko had taken it.

No, not Anko.

Anko was only being controlled by Ryobu's Sharingan. Ryobu was the real culprit behind it all. Yugao saw the reflection of Ryobu's Sharingan in Anko's eyes.

Detestable Uchiha!

Anko released Yugao, turned, and reached for Hong.

Asuma roared, "Uchiha Ryobu, you shameless bastard! Don't even think about going after Hong!"

A golden figure suddenly appeared. He grabbed Anko's hand and injected Chakra, immediately dispelling the Illusion Technique controlling her.

"Senior Minato!"

"Thank goodness, it's Jonin Minato! We're saved!"

Ryobu stopped fooling around, his expression turning grave. "Minato!"

Once Anko came to, she looked at Minato, who was still holding her hand, confused. "Senior Minato, what just happened to me?"

Jifeng came over, looking somewhat weak in the knees. "Anko, Uchiha Ryobu controlled you with his Sharingan just now."

Anko clutched her head in distress. "Ah! He controlled me? Did I do something I can't take back?"

Jifeng said angrily, "You kissed Yugao! Damn it, that was Yugao's first kiss!"

"You even tried to make a move on Hong. Thank goodness Senior Minato got here in time and dispelled the Illusion Technique."

Anko looked at Yugao. Yugao could hardly face her, her cheeks red as blood.

Anko pushed Jifeng away with an air of authority. "Jifeng, I'll take responsibility for Yugao. Please keep your distance from her, or I'll get the wrong idea."

"Anko—"