The war was over!
"Captain! Is the captain still alive?"
"Brother... Brother..."
"Don't cry, don't cry. I'm here, I'm here..."
Crying, laughter, shouts, and calls for the missing mingled together, becoming the truest sound of the war's end.
No one organized them. No one directed them.
Everyone was reaffirming, in their own way, this world they had lost and regained.
Naraku stood a short distance away, quietly watching it all.
He did not join the cheering crowds, nor did he do anything unnecessary.
He simply stood there, watching Naruto's brilliant smile, Sasuke's awkward expression, and the ninjas' tears and embraces.
"What a hassle," he murmured.
Then the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
Wind blew in from afar, dispersing the smoke of battle and stirring everyone's clothes.
The sky was high and blue.
The war was over.
But there was even more to do now.
Cleaning up the aftermath came first.
Treating the wounded was the most crucial task. The earlier fighting had left vast numbers injured.
Among them were high-ranking figures such as Gaara and Mei Terumi.
When the Infinite Tsukuyomi had erupted, everyone had been bound by Divine: God Tree Realm Emergence.
As a result, many had died.
Even some uninjured ninja had died after being stripped of all their chakra.
Yes, the Infinite Tsukuyomi could indeed transform ninja and civilians into White Zetsu.
But the technique's primary purpose was to help Kaguya Ōtsutsuki gather all the chakra.
That was what mattered most.
Cultivating White Zetsu was certainly important too, but at that moment, it was not urgent.
Especially since Kaguya had only just escaped her confinement, what she needed most was to replenish her chakra. That was what mattered to her.
That was why, right from the start, endless chakra had poured into Madara Uchiha's body,