While Chiba was speaking with Orochimaru, Rasa, Kimimaro, the Sound Four, Senju Hashirama, and Senju Tobirama had already cleared out all the Sand Ninja in Sunagakure who were still unwilling to submit.
After all, in the face of an absolute gap in strength, there were ultimately only a few people willing to die rather than yield, and their resistance had little meaning.
"Orochimaru, release your control over the First Hokage and Second Hokage."
After Rasa and the others returned, Chiba gave Orochimaru the order.
At the same time, he raised his hand and recalled the Green Chakra Orb within Rasa's body that had the effect of Mind Control.
"This... all right!"
Upon hearing Chiba's command, Orochimaru instinctively worried that Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama might do something dangerous after being freed from control.
But once he thought of the overwhelming strength Chiba had displayed, Orochimaru stopped worrying. He quickly removed the Cursed Seal Kunai controlling them from the backs of Senju Hashirama's and Senju Tobirama's heads.
"Hyuga Chiba, you have won. From this day forward, Sunagakure will become your... spoils of war."
Freed from Mind Control, Rasa spoke to Chiba with a complicated expression.
As the Kazekage, he had done everything he possibly could this time, yet he had still been no match for the terrifying Tenseigan.
Indeed, if Hyuga Chiba before him wished it, even his thoughts and body would no longer be under his own control.
Since there was no way he could win, he could only lead Sunagakure into joining him.
"Hyuga?"
Having regained his own consciousness, Senju Hashirama heard Rasa call him Hyuga Chiba and asked in confusion, "Are you a descendant of the Hyuga Clan that joined Konoha after its founding?"
"Then why are you doing all this in Sunagakure?"
"Even if you used such methods to eliminate those Sand Ninja unwilling to submit, the remaining Sand Ninja will not truly acknowledge you."
"To earn everyone's recognition, you must use friendship and bonds, use the Will of Fire... In short, forcing people through harsh methods is wrong."
"And... I remember your eyes were supposed to be white. Why are yours blue now?"
"And how did you create this Chakra cloak? Can I learn it too?"
"Big brother!" Seeing Senju Hashirama gradually drifting off topic, Senju Tobirama immediately reminded him, then said to Hyuga Chiba, "You were clearly capable of continuing to control us. Why did you release us?"
"Could it be that you are hoping we will acknowledge you?"
In truth, Senju Tobirama did not think Hyuga Chiba's earlier choice to bloodily purge the Sand Ninja unwilling to submit was wrong.
If he had been in Chiba's position, he would most likely have done the same.
But precisely because they now stood on opposing sides, it was difficult for Senju Tobirama to regard Hyuga Chiba as an ally.
It was simply that Hyuga Chiba's displayed strength was far too great. Senju Tobirama had to learn as much as possible about what he was thinking.
And why would someone from the Hyuga Clan appear in Sunagakure and do all this?
"Is it difficult to understand?" Hyuga Chiba looked directly at Senju Tobirama and slowly said, "As the one who developed Impure World Reincarnation, you should understand that this technique currently has flaws."
"Perhaps it will not be long before your souls break free from your Reanimation Bodies and return to the Pure Land."
"Even if I had Orochimaru continue controlling you, it would not mean much."
"Moreover, Reanimation Bodies already limit your strength. After being controlled, your combat power would decline even further."
"But the future Ninja World will face a group of extremely terrifying beings. When that time comes, the Ninja World may need your strength."
"What?" Senju Tobirama noticed that Chiba's expression had visibly grown more solemn when he said that last sentence. A bad feeling immediately arose in his heart, and he frowned. "Are you saying that even you, as you are now, would feel a considerable threat from these terrifying beings?"
"How is that possible?" Before Chiba could respond, Rasa spoke in shock. "The Tenseigan's abilities have already completely surpassed the Kage Level of every village."
"After obtaining Shukaku's Chakra, Hyuga Chiba no longer has the weakness of being unable to maintain Tenseigan Chakra Mode for long."
"I truly cannot imagine what could still exist in the Ninja World that would make him feel threatened."
"Indeed!" Senju Hashirama nodded in agreement. "The power of this... Tenseigan is far too great. Even at my peak, I would not be very confident of defeating it."
"If Madara and I joined forces, we might have a chance of winning."
"But Madara already died by my blade. And after everything that happened, even if he were alive, or reanimated like us now, he probably would not be willing to join forces with me..."
As he said this, Senju Hashirama revealed a hint of sorrow.
"To be honest, I also find it difficult to imagine what sort of being could make you feel danger," Senju Tobirama said again. "Could the other party be even stronger than the legendary Sage of Six Paths?"
"Chiba-kun, you aren't talking about those people you mentioned before, the ones who can be perfectly resurrected, are you?" At that moment, Orochimaru seemed to think of something and asked Chiba with an unpleasant expression.
"Remove the 'aren't'!" Chiba had no intention of hiding it. Instead, he wanted Orochimaru and the others to focus more on the true threat of the future rather than limiting their sights to the current Ninja World. He immediately said, "The Sage of Six Paths' mother, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, came from an extraterrestrial race called the Otsutsuki Clan."
"Members of this race travel in pairs, bringing the Ten-Tails to one living planet after another. They use the Ten-Tails and the lower-ranking Otsutsuki to plant a God Tree on those planets, obtaining Chakra Fruits that allow their power to undergo a qualitative transformation."
"Thousands of years ago, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, who came to this planet, was unwilling to be fed to the God Tree. So she ambushed the higher-ranking Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, threw half his body to the God Tree, and monopolized the Chakra Fruit it bore."
"However, with the remaining half of his body, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki compressed his information, formed a Karma, and implanted it into a passing monk named Jigen. He later completed his resurrection."
"However, Jigen's body was incompatible with Ōtsutsuki Isshiki and could not allow him to use his Otsutsuki power for extended periods."
"So he has remained hidden, searching for—or attempting to create—a new Vessel truly suited to him."
"As for the Otsutsuki Clan, after receiving no news for so long regarding Ōtsutsuki Isshiki and Ōtsutsuki Kaguya's God Tree cultivation and fruit, they will inevitably send someone to investigate."
"When that time comes, whether it is Ōtsutsuki Isshiki hidden in the shadows or the other Otsutsuki who are about to arrive, either will be enough to inflict a dimensional strike upon the entire Ninja World."
"Oh, and the Rinnegan you call the God's Eye of the Sage of Six Paths is, in truth, merely standard equipment among the Otsutsuki Clan."
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