In the 45th year of Konoha, the darkest year in Konoha's history.
That year, Uchiha Tsuki, who had returned victorious from the Land of Water, unexpectedly betrayed Konoha. During the battle surrounding Uchiha Tsuki's defection, Konoha's famed Doomsday Forest became a domain of death and was renamed the Death Forest. That same year, during Uchiha Tsuki's rebellion, Konoha lost more than a third of its shinobi, while most of its fighting forces suffered devastating injuries in that battle.
Only one person—the one who had led that battle, Uchiha Tsuki—vanished from Konoha.
From then on, Uchiha Tsuki's whereabouts became a mystery throughout the Shinobi World.
No one knew where Uchiha Tsuki had gone. Perhaps only Uchiha Tsuki himself, reborn through that battle, knew where he had headed!
At the final stage of the battle, Uchiha Tsuki faced his friend, Minato Namikaze—the Minato Namikaze who had vowed to always stand by Uchiha Tsuki's side.
By then, Uchiha Tsuki had fought to the point of utter exhaustion, his strength completely spent. In that instant, he had no ability to resist Minato Namikaze's Rasengan. However, if Minato Namikaze had failed to land that Rasengan, then with Uchiha Tsuki's recovery abilities, he would certainly have claimed the final victory.
Yet a resolute glint flashed through Minato Namikaze's eyes, and Uchiha Tsuki was struck by the Rasengan.
What an absurd thing!
Back then, it was Uchiha Tsuki who had taught Minato Namikaze how to use the Rasengan, yet now Minato Namikaze had used the Rasengan to severely wound Uchiha Tsuki.
The Rasengan struck Uchiha Tsuki directly in the chest. The instant searing pain erupted from his chest, Uchiha Tsuki knew that he had lost. As a Kage-level expert—and an all-around Kage-level expert at that—Uchiha Tsuki could face defeat head-on. Yet after ultimately losing to Minato Namikaze,