Preparing for the Otsutsuki

The moon.

In the low gravity, shattered rocks at the bottom of the crater were still falling back in slow motion.

Cold white moonlight washed over the crater floor.

Momoshiki lay sprawled like a heap of mud amid the rubble and his own black blood. His chest heaved, and a thin, wheezing sound escaped his throat.

The golden Rinnegan on his forehead had gone completely dull. He did not even have the strength to roll over.

Ye could not be bothered to give him another glance.

With one hand, he tossed the dusty spacetime artifact, the Plow, into the air.

The Stone Tortoise turned beneath the pale sunlight. By the time it dropped back into his palm, a faint glow had seeped from the ancient runes on its shell, and an invisible ripple of spacetime spread from deep within the stone.

A dozen meters away, the Five Kage of this era stood in a row, silent throughout.

They had watched these "seniors" who had come charging out of the past—six people—beat an alien god to a pulp.

The Raikage clenched his fists and swallowed. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he even held his breath.

The golden Nine-Tails Chakra around Naruto receded like a tide.

He put away his familiar, good-natured grin and strode forward.

The Seventh Hokage, now in his twenties, stepped across the lunar gravel, looked at Minato, and bowed solemnly.

All the way down.

"Thanks, Dad."

Minato looked at the bowed blond head.

Moonlight fell across the back of Naruto's neck, revealing a faint old scar beneath his hairline. Minato had no idea which fight to the death had left it there.

He reached out with his right hand and gave Naruto's shoulder two firm pats.

"Konoha is in your hands."

With that, he