The Ninja World, the Land of Mountains.
In a vast mountain range.
Uchiha Kei and his group were strolling leisurely, the only difference being the presence of the grinning Shisui.
"Jing, where are we going?"
Three days have passed since I left Amegakure.
Over the course of those three days, Uchiha Kei led the three of them on a long journey.
However, they refused to reveal what they were going to do.
After three days, Sasuke's patience had completely worn off.
Wouldn't it be better for him to use that time to cultivate?
Hearing that Naruto had mastered Sage Mode, Sasuke felt a renewed sense of crisis.
"Go to a rat colony."
Uchiha Kei spoke in a profound and enigmatic manner.
Hyuga Hanabi, who was standing to the side, didn't say anything.
She'd go anywhere as long as she could be with Uchiha Kei.
"Mouse?"
Sasuke glanced at him with some doubt, but didn't ask any further questions.
Uchiha Kei clearly didn't want to talk about it, and no matter how many times he asked, he would get the same answer.
"Do you want to learn Sage Mode?"
As they walked, Uchiha Kei suddenly asked.
Sasuke was taken aback for a moment, then his face lit up with joy. "Of course I want to!"
"I'll take you there when we get back to the village."
Uchiha Kei made a promise.
During those five years, Sasuke resolutely betrayed the village and went to the Twilight Ninja Village alone.
The purpose is to continuously become stronger.
Become stronger than Naruto!
Even though the storyline has changed in this life, Sasuke and Naruto have become true friends.
But that competitive spirit remained unchanged.
Perhaps this is the destiny of Indra and Asura.
Uchiha Kei originally scoffed at the idea of destiny.
When he was teaching Naruto and Sasuke, he also wanted them to form the Seal of Reconciliation in advance.
But it's always interrupted by all sorts of messy things.
As a result, Uchiha Kei truly believed in the concept of destiny.
"However, you are not suited for Naruto's Senjutsu. What you need to learn is a different kind of Senjutsu."
Sasuke nodded hastily.
He didn't care what kind of magic it was, as long as it was Senjutsu.
Uchiha Kei had actually discussed this with Orochimaru long ago.
Through Orochimaru, he can find the location of Shikkotsu Forest.
Having Sasuke learn the Shikkotsu Forest Senjutsu is the most suitable option for him.
The four continued on their way and soon arrived at a dilapidated village.
Seeing the somewhat familiar house style, Uchiha Kei breathed a sigh of relief.
Found it.
"There's nobody here. The village is all dilapidated."
Hyuga Hanabi observed for a moment, then looked at Uchiha Kei with suspicion.
"Yes, no one has lived here for thirty years."
Qin Yang sighed.
Whether in the past or the present Naruto World, the law of the jungle has always been the rule of human survival.
Thirty years ago, this was a peaceful little village.
The common people live and work in peace and contentment here, and the ninjas diligently protect this place.
Unfortunately, the arrival of Long Ninja Village disrupted the peace here.
The Scorching Sun Village.
The village exists only in memories in the anime.
Originally Uchiha Kei was not supposed to come here.
According to information from the Twilight Ninja Village, Xuanci Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, once appeared in this area and stayed for a long time.
Uchiha Kei had reason to believe that there was a stronghold of the Otsutsuki Clan here or nearby!
For five years, Uchiha Kei never stopped searching for Xuanci's whereabouts.
That vague sense of crisis always lingered.
"So, this is why you left the village, right, Jing?"
Shisui, who had remained silent the entire way, suddenly looked at Uchiha Kei.
Uchiha Kei was taken aback, then fell silent.
Is it because of Ōtsutsuki Isshiki?
Or was it because of Sarutobi Hiruzen's aggressive tactics?
Or perhaps...
Was it because of Uchiha Izuna's death?
He couldn't quite explain why.
"So, you don't really want to leave the village, right, Jing?"
Upon seeing Uchiha Kei silent, Shisui became increasingly excited as he spoke.
In his heart, Uchiha Kei was the hero who saved Konoha.
Itachi and he were simply following Kei's instructions.
He believed that even Itachi thought the same thing.
"It doesn't matter anymore."
After a long silence, Uchiha Kei slowly said, "I am now the First of Twilight Ninja Village, Itachi has become the Fifth Hokage, and you are also a hero of Konoha. Isn't that good?"
"Not good!"
Shisui's eyes turned red.
"It was you who saved Konoha."
"It's because of you that Itachi was able to become Hokage."
"Why... why does everyone in the village say you're a shameful missing-nin?"
Shisui's emotions were somewhat hysterical.
He has been very unhappy for the past five years.
Wherever he goes, people greet him with smiles and call him the Hero of Konoha.
But is this really what he wanted?
Absolutely not!
He believed that this was not what Itachi wanted either.
Even though he never mentioned Jing again after that day.
"Brother Shisui, this world isn't black and white. I've told you that before."
Uchiha Kei spoke calmly, his gaze fixed on a distant place.
"Whether I'm missing-nin of Konoha or a hero of Konoha, it doesn't matter anymore."
"The important thing is that you are still alive, Itachi is still alive, and the Uchiha remains the backbone of Konoha."
"Haven't we achieved our ultimate goal?"
Shisui opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn't utter a word.
Should we refute him?
How to refute it?
Suddenly, Uchiha Kei's expression turned serious.
"Watch out, someone's coming."
Shisui stopped dwelling on the problem, and Mangekyo instantly appeared in his eye sockets.
A figure slowly walked into the village, occasionally looking down as if searching for something.
Uchiha Kei's pupils suddenly contracted.
Dressed in pure white.
A strange fluctuation of power.
A strange single horn on its head.
Silver-white hair!
The Otsutsuki Clan!
"This is..."
Sasuke saw the strange Otsutsuki and muttered something under his breath.
Otsutsuki suddenly looked up, his eerie golden Rinnegan sweeping towards Uchiha Kei and his group.
We've been discovered!
Uchiha Kei sighed.
If he could, he really didn't want to face the Otsutsuki Clan right now.
He...
Not ready yet.
"How dare you, lowly ants, covet the noble Otsutsuki Clan!"
Otsutsuki sneered, and an invisible force slowly lifted him up.
"He... he can fly!"
Hyuga Hanabi was shocked; her small mouth gaped open.
Fly?
Uchiha Kei gave a self-deprecating laugh.
If he could only fly, he wouldn't need to be so careful.
Even he knew very little about the true extent of the Otsutsuki Clan's abilities.
In Shippuden and Boruto, only five Otsutsuki have appeared.
Who knows if this race has any other strange abilities?
Now that he'd been discovered, Uchiha Kei had no intention of hiding anymore.
He strode out, and the four of them, Shisui, quickly followed.
"What's your name, Otsutsuki?"
Uchiha Kei looked up at the Otsutsuki in mid-air.
"A lowly ant has no right to know my name."
The Otsutsuki, floating in mid-air, looked at them indifferently.
"Is that so? Then let me show you the power of an ant."
Uchiha Kei smiled.
Smile...
Innocent and pure!