The horizon had turned pale, the moon shone with a watery glow, and the first light of dawn had already appeared, heralding hope.
"This is..."
The shinobi tore off all the bandages wrapped around their bodies.
"Look! Over there..."
Everyone turned toward the stump of the God Tree.
There, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki floated in the air, her gaze sweeping across the Allied Shinobi Forces as she studied their varied expressions.
Madara was talking with the Kage brought back through Impure World Reincarnation, while Hagoromo had already vanished.
Some looked shocked, others excited, but most wore expressions of... profound relief.
Only a handful still looked grim.
"Darling!"
Pakura was the first to leap up and race toward them!
She slipped smoothly into Xuanhui's arms, rubbing her hair freely against his neck.
"Honestly... what sweet dream were you having?"
"I dreamed you tied me up first..."
Xuanhui covered Pakura's mouth, a flicker of panic crossing his face.
"All right, all right... I get it... I'll play with you when we get home..."
A pop sounded beside Minato.
The other four Kage glanced over and saw a gigantic toad.
It was Gamabunta. On his back were Jiraiya, Kushina, and the others who had fled headquarters to take refuge at Mount Myoboku.
They, too, had only just been freed from Infinite Tsukuyomi and had come straight here through Minato's Summoning Contract.
A moment later, Tsunade and Dan Katō approached from behind the group.
"Jiraiya..."
Tsunade merely glanced at Jiraiya, and he understood what she meant.
But just as the two turned around, Orochimaru jumped in front of them.
"Jiraiya, Tsunade, I'm sorry I kept this from you for so long..."
"Orochimaru, we were just about to find you and discuss this..."
"So it really was all true!"
Orochimaru raised his chin slightly, a smug smile