The Shinobi World, the Shinobi Planet, the Immortal Venerable Hall.
Above the churning sea of clouds, a deep blue spatial rift suddenly opened up. The raging spatial turbulence seemed to be tamed by an invisible hand, obediently retreating to both sides. A tall figure stepped out from it, riding on streams of light—it was the Saint Tsubasa had disappeared for nearly three months.
In his left hand, he carefully cradled a translucent cocoon, its surface shimmering with a warm, pale green glow. Within it, the curled-up outline of the Shinobi World world was faintly visible—it was none other than the long-awaited Lady Tian Yu. On his right shoulder, he carried a figure firmly bound by golden sealing chains, its long black hair falling in disarray. Even sealed and suppressed, a faint, chilling aura still lingered around it. It was none other than Orochimaru, the Zombie Monarch, once considered a deserter of the Shinobi World, now a hero.
The Setsuna his figure landed, the barrier array Immortal Venerable Hall rippled automatically, then slowly subsided. Almost simultaneously, hundreds of incomparably powerful auras surged from all over the Shinobi World, and figures Sky Splitter or rode the clouds and wind to arrive, instantly converging on the plaza in front of Tsubasa.
"It's the Saint Tsubasa! He's returned from the Ōtsutsuki Star Region!"
Jiraiya was the first to arrive. His signature white hair fluttered in the wind, and the worry on his face was instantly replaced by ecstasy. His voice was so loud that it could be heard throughout half of the Immortal Venerable Hall, and he almost threw the gourd of wine in his hand.
Following closely behind, Tsunade arrived in a flash. Her usually languid eyes were now surprisingly bright. She strode forward, her gaze first falling on Tsubasa, confirming he wasn't fatally injured, before turning to the cocoon and the sealed Orochimaru. Her voice was filled with barely concealed excitement. "They really brought him back! Lady Tian Yu's aura is still there, and Orochimaru has been brought back too!"
" The Saint Tsubasa!"
Senju Tenpuku, dressed in a blue robe, had a composed expression, but the smile in his eyes was hard to hide. Behind him, Tenchu, a burly man, was now so excited that he clenched his fists, his broad palms slamming heavily against the stone pillar beside him, causing gravel to fall in a shower. "Great! Great! More than three months have passed, and finally there's news! I thought..."
Before he could finish speaking, Tenpi gently nudged his arm, giving him a look to be quiet. Tenpi then turned to Tsubasa, his tone respectful yet concerned. "It's a blessing that the Saint has returned safely, but why did Sister Tian Yu transform into a cocoon? And why was Lord Orochimaru sealed away?"
Among the crowd, Naruto Uzumaki's yellow hair stood out. He wore his familiar, cheerful smile, but his eyes were serious as he looked Tsubasa up and down. "Master, you're finally back! Everyone's been on tenterhooks these past few days. People have been keeping watch at the space node every day, just hoping you'd come back soon."
Sasuke Uchiha stood beside Naruto, his black clothes making his skin appear even whiter. He didn't speak, but his scarlet Sharingan slightly moved, scanning his master's body. He keenly sensed that the Saint Tsubasa's aura was weaker than when he left, and a trace of solemnity flashed in his eyes.
Hundreds of Immortal King surrounded him, their voices rising and falling in a cacophony of discussion. Every face was filled with the joy of something lost and found, and their gazes toward Tsubasa were full of admiration and respect.
"We all knew it was a risky undertaking for the Saint to personally venture into the Ōtsutsuki, but we never expected him to actually succeed!"
" Lady Tian Yu is the second Immortal King of our Shinobi World. He was defeated in the battle against the Saint of the Ōtsutsuki Clan and was captured by Ōtsutsuki Sōichi, but he has finally been rescued!"
"And then there's Lord Orochimaru, the Zombie Monarch. Although he has an eccentric personality, his strength is undeniable. With him around, the Shinobi World will become even stronger!"
"I wonder what the Saint went through in the Ōtsutsuki Star Region. Lady Tian Yu emerged from his cocoon, Lord Orochimaru was sealed away. It's heartbreaking to watch."
Tsubasa raised his hand and pressed down lightly, immediately silencing the murmurs in the square as all eyes turned to him. A hint of weariness lingered on his face, yet a gentle smile remained. His voice, slightly hoarse, said, "I'm sorry to have worried everyone. I'm back."
" The Tian Yu was captured by the Ōtsutsuki, and her soul was severely damaged. Fortunately, her physical body is strong, and she forcibly entered a dormant cocoon state to protect her soul." Tsubasa glanced down at the cocoon in his hand, his tone tinged with relief. "This cocoon can nourish her soul. I will make my move in a few days, and she will naturally emerge from the cocoon and return to her peak condition."
After saying that, he looked at Orochimaru on his shoulder and said calmly, " Orochimaru's situation is special. He was sealed by the Ōtsutsuki Clan's Saint. He'll be fine once the seal is broken."
"I see." Senju Tenpuku nodded and said in a deep voice, "It's good that they're back. It's good that they're back. No matter what happened, it's good that they were brought back safely."
"Master, what exactly did you encounter in the Ōtsutsuki Star Region?" Naruto couldn't help but ask, his smile fading slightly. "Is the Ōtsutsuki's lair very terrifying? Just how strong are they?"
As soon as Naruto said this, the surrounding Immortal King all echoed him, their eyes filled with curiosity and inquiry.
"Yes, Saint, what kind of place is the Ōtsutsuki Star Region?"
Everyone was clearly curious about the mysterious Ōtsutsuki Star Region. After all, although the people of the Shinobi World had clashed with the Ōtsutsuki Clan before, no one had ever truly set foot in their core territory.
The smile on Tsubasa's face gradually faded, and his eyes became extremely solemn. He remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, " The Ōtsutsuki Star Region is far more terrifying than we imagined. It is a place that we cannot reach at present."
These words instantly made the atmosphere in the square solemn. Everyone held their breath and listened attentively to Tsubasa's words.
"I was discovered the moment I broke through space and entered the Ōtsutsuki Star Region." Tsubasa's voice was low, tinged with lingering fear. "What do you think of the Ten-Tails, the God Tree of the Shinobi World? It was merely a branch extending from the main body of the God Tree."
"What?!"
These words struck everyone like a thunderclap, leaving them all looking on incredulously.
"Impossible, right? The God Tree of the Shinobi World was already so powerful when it transformed into Nine Tailed Beasts, and it's just a branch?" Tenchu's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.
Jiraiya's joking expression Jiraiya, his gourd of sake hovering in mid-air as he murmured, "If that's the case, how terrifying must the true form of the God of the God Tree be?"
Tsubasa nodded, his tone heavy. "The true form of the God of the God Tree is a God Level being that has lived for countless billions of years. Its roots penetrate the entire Ōtsutsuki Planet, and its branches extend into the starry sky, as vast as a planet itself. It is sustained by the Ōtsutsuki Clan plundering the essence of planets from all over the world."
" God Level being..." Tsunade frowned. "The strongest beings in our Shinobi World are at the Saint level. God Level... could it be an existence that surpasses even Saint?"
"That's right." Tsubasa's gaze swept over everyone. " God Level beings are worlds apart from Saint. The God Tree itself has already condensed its own Divine Domain, and the entire Ōtsutsuki Star Region is covered by its domain. Within its domain, time, space, and energy are all controlled by it. Any non- God Level being will be suppressed by its domain power, making it extremely difficult for them to even use their own power."