Variable, Exploding Out Countless Fish

"Whoa~ is Kotoamatsukami really this easy to get?"

Looking at the crow in his hands and the Mangekyo Sharingan within its eye sockets, Qingwu felt a sense of unreality; even he couldn't fathom this move by Itachi Uchiha.

Qingwu hadn't expected Itachi Uchiha to seek him out before leaving.

And to leave Shisui's right eye with him, no less.

The price was to help him look after Sasuke, as Itachi Uchiha had discovered some clues left behind by Shisui (Phantom God) suggesting that the Konoha higher-ups were untrustworthy and would stop at nothing to achieve their ends.

"It seems Fugaku Uchiha also possesses the Mangekyo Sharingan."

"Is this a new trump card for Itachi Uchiha? Or is he digging a pit for me?!"

"If one day in the future I fail to take good care of Sasuke, or if I become..."

"He would leak the fact that I possess Shisui's right eye to Danzo, that Darkness of the Ninja World, or to the Konoha higher-ups led by the Third Hokage, detonating this bomb and forcing me to fight them."

"After all, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo would never allow the power of Shisui's Kotoamatsukami to fall into the hands of others in the village; they would certainly use any means necessary to seize it, leading to an endless feud."

"I have to say, Itachi Uchiha, your scheming is truly formidable. You know that no one can refuse the power of Shisui's Kotoamatsukami—this is a textbook open conspiracy, isn't it?"

"So I'm forced to protect Sasuke, right?"

"Impressive."

Having binged so many conspiracy theory videos, palace intrigue dramas, and political thrillers about the invisible bloodshed of dynasties in his past life... a little reflection made it all clear.

"No problem. I'll take the payment and handle the trouble. As for what choice Sasuke makes in the end, that's his own business."

Qingwu smiled happily.

Because he knew that even without him, Sasuke would be just fine.

The reincarnation of Indra, son of the Six Paths, wasn't someone just anyone could mess with; if things got dire, there might even be a "substitute player" waiting in the wings~

The twins of fate.

Whoever touches them dies.

And he only needed to provide a little guidance.

It was essentially a free ride.

A mysterious realm.

A pair of purple eyes opened, mysterious and majestic.

"Hmm?! A variable~"

Space and time shifted, and countless images emerged—the past, present, and future of the Ninja World, showing all sorts of outcomes...

Different timelines, different developments.

A future where the Ninja World wins the war, Naruto and Sasuke seal Kaguya, the fallen are resurrected, and everyone lives happily ever after in peace~

A future of the despairing Infinite Tsukuyomi, where everyone is trapped, drowning in illusions and turning into White Zetsu...

"It's not there?!"

With a wave of a large hand, the images changed again~

Naruto crossing into the future... meeting Minato Namikaze...

Sasuke and Boruto traveling through time... saving the Konoha of the past... fighting Urashiki Otsutsuki...

The Otsutsuki trio...

The Otsutsuki clan descending, destroying the future of the Ninja World...

A future where ninjas wither and technology runs rampant...

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations...

A future where Uzumaki Menma destroys Konoha, breaks through the Limited Tsukuyomi, and arrives in the Ninja World to slaughter everyone...

Ōtsutsuki Isshiki...

"Still nothing?!"

Everything above was normal and within the mysterious figure's control; no matter what happened, he would be the final victor, becoming a true god and obtaining the chance for transcendence.

But now, it had appeared.

A blank future...

"What?! What on earth happened?!? Why can I see nothing..."

He ran the simulations countless times, opening the blood-red third eye on his forehead, yet he still couldn't find the source of the problem. A cold glint flashed in the mysterious figure's eyes before he helplessly closed them.

"Is it you? The Otsutsuki clan?! Haven't I killed enough of you over these past thousand-plus years??!"

"Or is it your mysterious patriarch?! The God of Otsutsuki..."

"Hmph~ No matter what you are, any existence that hinders my transcendence must be destroyed."

The truth was that his current state prevented him from taking action; after a millennium of accumulation, he was in the midst of a metamorphosis.

Furthermore, when he had just probed the threads of fate, he sensed a great terror, as if continuing his exploration would invite a catastrophic crisis.

Black blood trickled from the eye on his forehead.

He had been backlashed by that power.

He decisively ceased his efforts.

He felt both fear and greed.

That grand will, that state of transcendence.

It was exactly what he pursued.

"Regardless of what that is, as long as it has appeared in the Ninja World, it belongs to me. This old man looks forward to your arrival..."

"Once I devour you, I will surely transcend, won't I?"

The final voice faded.

The mysterious place.

Returned to silence once more.

Demon Refining Pot: Hmph~ Ant, you dare to spy on the host?! If I weren't severely damaged, I would have crushed you to death just now~

Jun Buwen.

The Artifact of Creation obscured the heavenly secrets.

A dignified divine artifact of creation.

If it were calculated by a mere native of the Ninja World.

That would be a colossal joke.

"Holy crap~ Exploring through space-time... that's so hardcore..."

Qingwu received the warning from the Demon Refining Pot, and he had his guesses about the person spying on him. Those with such capabilities were none other than the Sage of Six Paths Otsutsuki Hagoromo, Otsutsuki Isshiki, or one of Isshiki's numerous Otsutsuki experimental subjects...

The Otsutsuki clan was simply toxic.

Experimental subjects.

The more they failed, the stronger they became.

Their abilities were so bizarre and difficult to kill that even Isshiki often couldn't handle them, forced to find ways to seal them into slumber.

After all these years.

Just how many experimental subjects were there?

Even Isshiki himself probably couldn't keep track.

Who knew if among these guys.

There were any treacherous bastards whose consciousness could transcend space and time.

No one could say for sure.

The Dark Forest Law.

No one knew how many unknown existences resided in this Ninja World. Each unknown existence was like a hunter carrying a shotgun, lurking and hiding in the darkness. When one unknown discovered another, if they could not determine the other's intent, the best course of action was to eliminate them to avoid a potential threat.

"Damn it, I knew I shouldn't be too flashy. The Ninja World is too dangerous, there are too many old schemers..." Qingwu became even more determined to follow his policy of developing stealthily and not getting cocky, continuing to accumulate power.

The restlessness of the Pure Land.

Inside Cixuan, the lingering Otsutsuki Isshiki: This feeling of being watched, damn it, it's that daughter's son again. What on earth is he trying to do?!

You rebels, daring to steal my power. Once I find a suitable vessel for reincarnation, I will kill you all, grind your bones to dust, you natives... you mongrels~

"Roar~"

His Ten-Tails roared along with him.

In truth, Isshiki was merely venting his impotent rage; he knew that the mongrel brat was someone he could not contend with at all.

For over a thousand years, he had watched helplessly as he purged and devoured the native gods, visitors from foreign realms, and even some Otsutsuki clansmen who arrived here by chance, growing stronger bit by bit.

He had used his power to overwrite the original cultivation system.

Replacing Kaguya to become the Progenitor of Chakra.

Using the ninja world as a nursery and ninjas as seeds, he continuously absorbed natural energy to strengthen the chakra system, only to harvest their souls and chakra after they died, repeating the cycle over and over.

Now, he didn't even want to imagine.

Just how strong that brat called the Sage of Six Paths was.

"We only wanted the God Tree to bear fruit; the environment was just a bit poor, and we cut off the extraordinary power. But him? He wants the souls, the flesh, and the chakra—he wants it all, and he still expects people to thank him and worship him as their ancestor!"

"Damn it, calling us the bad guys—I think he's even more vicious than our Ōtsutsuki clan."

Ōtsutsuki Isshiki felt incredibly aggrieved.

Rōran~

Land of Demons~

Land of Water Seas~

Land of Hot Water:...

The twenty-seven masks in the Mask Storage Hall: It's that devil; not only did he kill us, but he also turned us into puppets~

Mount Myoboku, Great Toad Sage: Hagoromo is enraged. I can no longer see the future. Little Jiraiya, may you be blessed with good fortune. Sigh~

Shikkotsu Forest, Katsuyu Sage: Wuwu~ How terrifying...

A cold glint flashed in the eyes of the White Snake of Ryūchi Cave: Hagoromo?! You want to use me as fertilizer? This old one will never submit, even in death~

The Moon: Nii-san~ You...

Good heavens, there are quite a few big fish hiding in the ninja world.

At the same time.

Amegakure.

"I am Itachi Uchiha. Please treat me well from now on~"