Naruto instinctively asked, "Wasn't it Kaguya Otsutsuki who ruled the Shinobi World a thousand years ago? Was there someone else?"
"I don't know about that." Uchiha Sen shook his head again, his tone speculative. "Maybe it was precisely because Kaguya descended, seized the world, and took control of chakra that these Celestial Dragons, who originally ruled the Shinobi World, were forced to withdraw and vanish completely into history."
Naruto lowered his head and fell silent for a moment, carefully piecing together every clue. His heart grew heavier.
A force that had ruled the entire Shinobi World before Kaguya had to be terrifying beyond imagination.
He said with quiet certainty, "I understand. The threat posed by these Celestial Dragons must far exceed every enemy we've faced before. Otherwise, the Veil Organization, which has always been indifferent to whether the Shinobi World lives or dies, wouldn't be so wary of them or send someone specifically to warn us."
"Wary? Hahahaha!"
As though he had heard something hilarious, Uchiha Sen suddenly threw back his head and laughed without restraint. His laughter echoed through the empty valley, grating on the ears.
Only after his laughter subsided did he leisurely reveal the whole truth and explain the most crucial detail.
"You've got it wrong. Our leader has never bothered to care whether the Shinobi World lives or dies, much less been wary of any Celestial Dragons."
"This mission to deliver a message and warn you didn't come from our leader at all."
Naruto paused in surprise. "Not your leader? Then who?"
"Just an old man in the organization," Uchiha Sen said flatly. "He was born and raised in the Shinobi World, after all. He still cares about this land and couldn't bear to see it caught completely unprepared. He issued the mission privately, and I