The long-buried truth

Lin Ye saw the complete blueprints for the Kāma system.

Ōtsutsuki Isshiki and Kaguya had indeed come to Earth to plant the God Tree and devour the planet's energy. But Isshiki had been more cautious than Kaguya. He feared her betrayal-which later came to pass-and worried that the planet's native power, the combination of natural energy and chakra, might introduce unforeseen variables. So, before planting the God Tree, he had made three preparations:

First, he had inscribed Kāma on Indra, one of the strongest humans at the time, to serve as his backup vessel.

Second, he had created Watcher Zero to monitor the selection process and activate an automatic resurrection protocol if he died.

Third, and most importantly, he had buried a "seed" at Earth's Dragon Vein Node. It was not a seed of the God Tree, but another kind of Otsutsuki "legacy": a complete, independently functioning legacy system designed to train warriors to fight the Otsutsuki. Why had he done this? The stream of information offered no clear answer, only an encrypted record: "Should I fail, may those who come after me put an end to this endless plunder."

"Isshiki... was preparing a contingency to fight the Otsutsuki?" Lin Ye was stunned.

As he read on, he discovered an even more astonishing truth.

After sealing his mother, Kaguya, the Sage of Six Paths, Hagoromo Otsutsuki, had discovered the "legacy" left by his father, Isshiki. He could not understand his father's contradictory arrangements, but he had used this legacy system, combining it with his own philosophy of Ninshu to create the original wish system-a system that gathered the lingering fixations of the dead, guided the living toward growth, and cultivated the will to protect. But the system was incomplete, because it needed a "key" to fully activate.

That key was the Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan, and specifically "eyes willingly offered by Indra's Reincarnate." Only Indra's chakra could activate the portions of Isshiki's legacy devoted to fighting the Otsutsuki.

"So... the wish system was created by the Sage of Six Paths, but its core was the 'legacy' Isshiki left behind?" The logic felt tangled to Lin Ye. "Isshiki plundered planets while leaving behind a system to fight that plunder? That doesn't make sense..."

"It is not without reason." Watcher Zero's voice rang through the stream of information, now carrying a trace of complex emotion. "After descending upon this planet, my creator, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, developed 'abnormal emotions.' He observed humans, learned from humans, and even... fell in love with a human woman. Although he encrypted those records himself, the remaining data indicates that it was this attachment that made him waver. The Kāma system was his duty; the legacy system was his personal desire. He wished both to complete his mission and to leave behind hope."

"Who was that human woman?"

"Data missing. The sole clue: she possessed the ability to 'foresee the future' and was an ancestor of the Uzumaki Clan. She foretold Isshiki's death, as well as the arrival of a 'variable.' Isshiki therefore left his legacy behind and waited for the prophecy to be fulfilled."

An ancestor of the Uzumaki Clan? The power of foresight? Lin Ye looked at Karin, who was equally stunned. The Uzumaki Clan's special abilities were their powerful vitality and Sealing Jutsu. He had never heard of them foreseeing the future.

"So my arrival in this world, activating the wish system, collecting the Uchiha's unfulfilled wishes, synthesizing the Jōgan... the Sage of Six Paths anticipated all of this? Even Isshiki did?"

"More precisely, it was 'one possibility.' Prophecy is not certainty, merely probability. Your arrival was a miracle among those probabilities. But miracles often come with a price."

"What price?"

"Once Isshiki's legacy system is fully activated, it will emit a special signal. That signal will attract other Otsutsuki still roaming the universe. According to the star map Isshiki left behind, the Otsutsuki fleet nearest this planet will arrive in three years. They are the true 'eliminators.'"

Three years. Lin Ye clenched his fists. They had only just finished a great battle, and a new, stronger threat was already on its way.

"Then where do you stand?" Lin Ye asked. "Isshiki created you. Now that he's dead and the legacy system has activated, will you carry out the elimination protocol, or..."

"My core directive is to prioritize the completion of Kāma selection. However, selection has failed, and the protocol has entered its final clause: if the legacy system activates and its activator passes the 'trial,' transfer control of the legacy and assist in resisting subsequent threats."

"A trial? What trial?"

"Defeat me." The polyhedral crystal suddenly broke apart into countless points of light, then reassembled at the center of the space into a blurry human figure. The figure gradually sharpened into a man in white robes with two horns on his forehead-Ōtsutsuki Isshiki's appearance, but with a much gentler gaze.

"This is a combat data construct left by Isshiki, possessing seventy percent of his strength in life. Defeat him, and you will receive complete control of the legacy system, along with all the knowledge Isshiki left behind, including the Otsutsuki's weaknesses, star maps, and technology. If you fail, I will execute the elimination protocol, restart Kāma selection, and seek the next vessel."

"That's not fair!" Karin said. "Isshiki was an Otsutsuki at his peak when he was alive! Even seventy percent of his strength is far beyond ours!"

"This is not a battle, but a trial. During the trial, you may exercise every authority of the legacy system. Furthermore," the figure looked at Lin Ye, "your nascent Jōgan naturally counters Isshiki's data construct. Estimated chance of victory: 38.7%."

"That's not bad." Instead, Lin Ye smiled. "Compared with starting from nothing, this is already a shortcut. Karin, stand back and protect yourself. This is my trial."

"Lord Ye!"

"Trust me."

Karin gritted her teeth and retreated to the edge of the space, laying down multiple defensive seals.

The figure-Isshiki's data construct-raised his hand, and a black cube appeared in his palm. "Then let us begin. Show me what the prophesied 'variable' is truly capable of."

"I'd be glad to." Lin Ye's Rinnegan and Jōgan shone simultaneously. "Let me experience the true power of the Otsutsuki."

Battle erupted in the pure white space.

Outside, Naruto, Sasuke, and Killer B suddenly felt the Ruins shake violently. All the lightning in the Valley of Clouds and Lightning converged on them.

"Big Brother Ye!" Naruto tried to rush inside, but a powerful seal blocked the entrance to the Ruins.

"Trust him," Sasuke said. His hands were shaking, but his voice was firm. "What we can do is hold this place and keep anything from interfering."

"That's right, yo!" Killer B entered his Tailed Beast Cloak state. "Anyone who dares cause trouble gets sent flying by Lord Killer B!"

Three hours later, the shaking stopped.

The seal at the entrance to the Ruins lifted, and Lin Ye and Karin emerged, supporting each other. Lin Ye was covered in wounds, but his eyes shone brilliantly. Though weak, Karin looked excited.

"Did you succeed?" Naruto asked urgently.

"Yes." Lin Ye opened his hand, and a miniature map of a galaxy appeared in his palm. "We got the core of the legacy system, and this-Ōtsutsuki Isshiki's star map, along with their voyage logs. We have three years to prepare."

"In three years... an Otsutsuki fleet will come?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes, and there'll be more than one of them," Lin Ye said. "But now we also know their weaknesses. We know they aren't completely united. We know... we have a chance of winning."

"Then we'll fight!" Naruto clenched his fist. "This time, we'll take the battlefield out into space. We can't let them come near Earth again!"

"Before that, we have a lot to do." Lin Ye looked at everyone. "Strengthen the Shinobi World Alliance, develop new powers that combine technology and ninjutsu, seek out potential friends and ally with them, and... keep fulfilling the Uchiha's unfulfilled wishes. After unlocking full access to the wish system, I discovered that fulfilling each wish not only purifies curses, but also yields useful knowledge from the memories of the dead. It might even... awaken ancient powers that lie dormant."

"Such as?"

"Such as the Uzumaki Clan's true sacred ground, the Eye of the Whirlpool; the Senju Clan's Cave of Myriad Forms; and the Hyuga Clan's Rebirth Chamber. Those places hold sealed legacies from the era of the Sage of Six Paths, or even earlier. We need to explore them and awaken what lies within."

"That sounds like an adventure story, yo!" Killer B said.

"It is an adventure." Lin Ye smiled. "But this time, we won't be defending passively. We'll take the initiative and become stronger than our enemies before they arrive."

They exchanged looks, fire kindling in all their eyes.

A new journey had begun.

On the way back to Konoha, Lin Ye organized the information from the legacy system in his mind. Besides star maps and knowledge, there was an encrypted file titled "To those who come after."

After decrypting it, he saw Isshiki's message:

"To the guardian who comes after me:

If you are reading this message, it means I have failed, and you have passed the trial. You need neither thank me nor hate me. I am both a plunderer and a penitent. My people, the Ōtsutsuki Clan, have followed the wrong path for far too long. We devour planets and evolve ourselves, yet have lost something more important.

With the last of her life, my wife, Uzumaki Oriyuki, showed me another possibility. That is why I left this system behind, leaving hope of resisting my people. But that hope is slim. You will need more power.

At the marked location on the star map lies a forgotten planet inhabited by the 'People of the Stars.' They are a group that escaped Otsutsuki rule in ancient times. They possess a system of power entirely different from chakra and may become allies. Seek them out, but be careful. They distrust anyone with Otsutsuki blood, including those of mixed heritage.

Finally, regarding Kāma... it is not purely evil. It was originally a tool the Otsutsuki used to pass down knowledge and perpetuate civilization, but it became distorted. If you can find the original source of Kāma, perhaps you can purify it and make it your own.

May you accomplish what I could not.

-Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, Earth calendar, 3124 BCE"

His wife, Uzumaki Oriyuki. So that was it.

Lin Ye looked at Karin, who was arguing with Naruto about which Soldier Pills tasted better. The blood of that prophet flowed through this girl's veins.

"What is it, Lord Ye?" Karin noticed his gaze.

"Nothing," Lin Ye said. "I was just thinking that our next journey will be very interesting."

"Of course it'll be interesting!" Naruto cut in. "We'll visit loads of places we've never been, meet loads of people we've never met, and fight loads of battles we've never fought!"

"All you think about is fighting," Sasuke quipped, though the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

Looking at his companions, Lin Ye felt strength fill his heart.

He would fulfill the Uchiha's unfulfilled wishes.

He would shatter the Otsutsuki threat.

He would protect this world's peace.

And this time, he was no longer a pawn pushed along by fate. He was the player moving the pieces.

"System, display the currently explorable locations related to unfulfilled wishes."

[Full access to the wish system activated]

[Scanning the globe...]

[High-value locations linked to unfulfilled wishes discovered: 7]

[Uzumaki Clan sacred ground: "Eye of the Whirlpool" (waters near the Land of Water)]

[Senju Clan forbidden grounds: "Cave of Myriad Forms" (deep within the Forest of Death in the Land of Fire)]

[Hyuga Clan secret sanctuary: "Rebirth Chamber" (Ruins in the Land of the Moon)]

[Lost shrine of the Uchiha Clan (a canyon in the Land of Iron)]

[Core legacy sites of ancient summoning beasts: "Ryūchi Cave," "Mount Myōboku," and "Shikkotsu Forest"]

[Possible secluded home of the People of the Stars (Star Map Marker A-7)]

[Suspected location of the source of Kāma (Star Map Marker X-1)]

"We'll start with the closest one," Lin Ye said. "Return to Konoha and rest for a week, then set out for the Eye of the Whirlpool. Karin, that's your clan's sacred ground. You should be able to sense something."

"Yes! I can feel something there calling to me."

One week later, at Konoha's harbor.

The Shinobi World Alliance's newly built exploration vessel, the Dawnbringer, was ready to sail. Its crew included Lin Ye, Karin, Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, and the volunteers Kankuro, a puppeteer responsible for machinery; Darui, Kumogakure's representative and a Lightning Release master; Kurotsuchi, Iwagakure's representative and an Earth Release expert; and Chōjūrō, Kirigakure's representative and a Water Release master. Every shinobi village had sent elite members. This was not merely an expedition, but practical training in working together as an alliance.

Tsunade, Kakashi, Gaara, Mei Terumi, Ōnoki, and the other members of the Five Kage saw them off at the dock.

"Remember, your mission isn't just exploration. You're also demonstrating the alliance's unity," Tsunade said. "Whatever faction you encounter, try to communicate first. Don't rush into war. But if they strike first... hit them with everything you've got."

"Understood!" everyone answered in unison.

"Then, set sail!"

The Dawnbringer unfurled its sails, supplemented by a chakra propulsion system, and headed out to sea.

First stop: the Eye of the Whirlpool.

What they did not know was that, far away in the sea of stars, an Otsutsuki scout ship had just received the signal released from Earth when the legacy system activated.

On the bridge, a female Otsutsuki with three eyes on her forehead and skin as white as snow studied the star map, a cold smile curling her lips.

"Legacy system activation signal detected. Coordinates: fringe planet-Earth. Suspected acquisition of Isshiki's legacy by the natives. Dispatch an advance team to assess the threat and recover or destroy the legacy."

"Yes, Lord Momoshiki."

The storm had never ceased.

But this time, Lin Ye and his companions would advance straight into the wind.