Rinnegan

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

Sage Fukasaku was an eight-hundred-year-old sage; even the Third Hokage's ancestors would have to stand at attention here.

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

That was a tough one—who knew where Madara Uchiha had gouged out his own eyes?

But the Third Hokage still braced himself and nodded. Was a Madara Uchiha without eyes already this terrifying?

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

Sage Fukasaku added one last reminder: "By the way, the Great Lord recognized those black rods Madara Uchiha used to control me and the Child's Mother—they're Yin Yang Release, the Six Paths Power."

Six Paths Power? The Six Paths Sage?!

All the shinobi were dumbfounded. Was this still the Ninja World? Wasn't the Six Paths Sage just a myth?

Jiraiya's ears twitched slightly. Six Paths Power—how did Madara Uchiha have the Six Paths Power?

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

If he possessed the Six Paths Power, then what about his eyes?

Jiraiya recalled Madara Uchiha's hollow eye sockets. That wasn't blindness—he had ripped his own eyeballs out.

The Rinnegan!

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

Jiraiya had always believed Nagato was an innate sage, but if Madara Uchiha was still alive, only he knew what schemes he had set in motion during that time.

The Rinnegan might belong to Madara Uchiha—he could have placed his own eyes in Nagato's sockets.

But that didn't quite add up either. Why would Madara Uchiha give away such important eyes, especially to someone as impressionable as Nagato?

It was all just speculation.

The Six Paths Sage was the founding sage—how could an old demon lord like Madara Uchiha inherit the Six Paths Sage's eyes?

Jiraiya didn't believe it, but at a time like this, he couldn't hold back any longer.

He gestured for Minato to come closer, then whispered in Minato's ear about Nagato.

Minato's blue eyes gradually widened.

The Rinnegan—

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

Once Jiraiya finished speaking, Sage Fukasaku teleported him to Mount Myōboku.

The Third Hokage wanted to know what Jiraiya had whispered to Minato, but since Jiraiya chose to tell only Minato, he wouldn't force the issue.

The Third Hokage scanned the area, thinking about how to handle the Madara Uchiha situation.

Jiraiya and Sage Fukasaku had made it clear—only the Ninja Alliance could face Madara Uchiha. The Third Hokage certainly wasn't going to send the village's shinobi to their deaths.

If it came to an irreparable point, the Third Hokage thought of the Uzumaki Clan's ultimate seal.

At this rate, he would have to sacrifice his own old life to keep the Leaf Village's flame alive.

"Cough, cough..."

The Third Hokage cleared his throat, about to address everyone, when suddenly a shinobi reported from outside.

"Hokage-sama, Uchiha Ryobu has appeared!"

"What?!"

"That kid dares to show up! 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, there was a bottomless gorge.

Ryobu stood atop a Ryuchi Cave Serpent's head, a ninja sword strapped to his back, arms crossed, exuding the aura of a master.

Asuma and his comrades were the first to spot Ryobu. He had already been striking a pose on the opposite side for a while.

Anko noticed the serpent beneath Ryobu and immediately recognized it as a Ryuchi Cave serpent.

She demanded, "Uchiha Ryobu, why can you summon a Ryuchi Cave serpent? What did you do to Lord Orochimaru?"

Ryobu laughed heartily. "I killed Orochimaru. I looted his drop and got Ryuchi Cave's Summoning Scroll."

"Oh, and by the way, Orochimaru's snake is really handy!"

"Ahhh—"

Anko screamed in fury, pulling shuriken from her ninja tool bag and leaping to fight Ryobu to the death.

"Uchiha Ryobu, I'll kill you!"

"Anko, calm down!"

Yugao grabbed Anko's arm, stopping her.

Judging by Ryobu's stance, he was at least at the level of a Jonin. Anko was no match for him at all.

Asuma snorted. "Ryobu, stop trying to fool us. You don't have the strength to take on Lord Orochimaru."

Ryobu smiled without a word.

Shizune confronted Ryobu. "Ryobu, Lord Tsunade told me you once prescribed the wrong medicine for my uncle, making him lose interest in women."

"Is that true?"

Ryobu nodded in admission. "And what if it is?"

Shizune raised a Kunai in anger. "You bastard, you quack doctor!"

Ryobu laughed as he watched Shizune. "Shizune, Tsunade is in my hands. Just wait quietly for our wedding banquet!"

"Damn you, give Lord Tsunade back to me!"

Shizune couldn't maintain a Ninja's calm in front of Ryobu.

Kurenai held Shizune back. "Shizune, calm down. Uchiha Ryobu is no longer someone we can handle."

Asuma sneered. "Even if he's different from before, at most he's a Jonin. We're all Chunin here. Together, we can take him down."

"Mediocre Opinion!"

Ryobu let out a cold laugh. He closed his eyes, then opened them. Three Blood Red tomoe surrounded the central pupil, looking extremely sinister and eerie.

Asuma and the others were startled.

"Sharingan?!"

Kurenai said gravely, "It's a Three Tomoe Sharingan. In the Uchiha clan, only Jonin possess the Three Tomoe Sharingan!"

Asuma quickly warned everyone. "Don't look into his eyes!"

Too late. Ryobu shot a glare at Anko.

Sharingan: Hypnosis!

Though Ryobu had only just awakened his eyes, after living so many years, he had already practiced the basic techniques of the Sharingan.

Some people might not be able to lift Thor's Hammer on the surface, but they'd already practiced a full combo in secret.

Asuma shouted in panic. "Watch out, Anko's been Controlled by the Sharingan!"

Anko was instantly hard-controlled by Ryobu's Sharingan, becoming his Puppet completely. Under Ryobu's command, she used Shadow Snake Hand to bind Uzuki Yugao, who was closest to her.

"Yugao!"

Jifeng jumped in panic, terrified that Anko would slit his Childhood Sweetheart's throat in one move.

But instead of harming Yugao, Anko controlled her and planted a kiss right on Yugao's lips.

"Anko—"

Yugao's eyes went wide. Her first kiss, and it was taken by Anko.

No, not Anko.

Anko was just 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 and turned to reach for Kurenai.

Asuma roared. "Uchiha Ryobu, you shameless bastard! Don't you dare lay a hand on Kurenai!"

A golden-yellow figure suddenly appeared, grabbing Anko's hand and injecting Chakra into her, instantly dispelling the Illusion Technique she was under.

"Senior Minato!"

"Great, it's Jonin Minato! We're saved!"

Ryobu dropped his playful attitude, his expression turning serious. "Minato!"

After recovering, Anko looked at Minato, who was holding her hand, and asked in confusion. "Senior Minato, what just happened to me?"

Jifeng came over, looking a bit drained. "Anko, you were just Controlled by Uchiha Ryobu's Sharingan."

Anko clutched her head in distress. "Ah! I was Controlled by him? Did I do something irreversible?"

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

"And you tried to assault Kurenai. Good thing Senior Minato arrived in time to break the Illusion Technique."

Anko looked at Yugao. Yugao couldn't face Anko, her face blushing bright red.

Anko shoved Jifeng aside with authority. "Jifeng, I'll take responsibility for Yugao. Please stay away from her, or I'll get the wrong idea."

"Anko—"