"Was this chaos caused by you?"
The Sage of Six Paths looked at Sasuke, asking for specific details about the so-called chaos.
Seeing that the need for combat seemed to have passed, Sasuke casually dispelled the Four Red Yang Formation surrounding them. At the same time, he began explaining the sequence of events to the Sage.
He spoke of the battle with Urashiki Ōtsutsuki and how, perhaps due to Urashiki's abilities, some peculiar changes might have occurred. This had led to the phenomenon of chaos, though Sasuke admitted he didn't know the precise reason for its appearance. Perhaps the answer would become clear once Karasuki was repaired.
But for now, the chaos continued, with shinobi from various eras appearing one after another. If even figures like the Sage of Six Paths could manifest, it stood to reason that other shinobi might appear as well.
"Your strength alone isn't enough to capture all the shinobi brought to this world by the chaos!" the Sage stated. "Among these shinobi, some might understand they shouldn't cause trouble... but a large portion will likely want to see the future world for themselves. The changes in later generations could very well drive them to do irrational things!"
He looked directly at Sasuke. "Therefore, you need a special team to help you capture these shinobi who have arrived due to the chaos as quickly as possible!"
The Sage's idea was sound. While Sasuke was undoubtedly powerful, he was still just one person. Capturing so many shinobi scattered across the world single-handedly was clearly impossible. No matter how strong someone was, they couldn't be everywhere at once, rounding up every single displaced individual.
Currently, Sasuke's priority was dealing with the top-tier threats. But while figures like the Sage of Six Paths were appearing in the new era, countless other shinobi were arriving simultaneously – Genin, Chunin, and Jonin, almost too many to count.
Such a vast number of shinobi from different time periods converging in this single era was already having a colossal impact, even if the full effects hadn't erupted yet. They might have only just arrived, still confused about what exactly had happened. Once they realized they were in the future, however, there was no telling what actions they might take.
Families that were once prominent might have long since fallen into decline in this new era. When shinobi from those glorious pasts arrived and witnessed their clan's diminished state, even a good-natured shinobi might react unpredictably. Anything was possible.
"Mm. It's certainly troublesome," Sasuke conceded, feeling helpless. The problem was, beyond dealing with these powerful figures, he also needed to secure the Tailed Beasts as quickly as possible. If a Tailed Beast fell into the hands of shinobi with ill intentions, it wouldn't just cause massive trouble; organizations like Kara and the fully emerged Akatsuki were already watching eagerly from the sidelines.
"There are many other problems, so I don't have the capacity to handle all those other shinobi right now."
The Sage of Six Paths seemed to understand that Sasuke was stretched too thin.
"First, take me to see my brother, Hamura," the Sage requested. "After that, I can help you return this world to its original state of peace!"
The Sage seemed quite willing to help, which Sasuke found slightly amusing. The man truly shouldered the responsibility of maintaining world peace.
Fine by me, Sasuke thought. He wouldn't turn down help; he was actually glad for it.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed nearby. The shinobi from Kumogakure were arriving.
When they reached the location and saw Sasuke standing side-by-side with the Sage of Six Paths, the Third Raikage, leading the group, paused in surprise.
He then spoke up, "Lord Sage of Six Paths... what... what happened here?"
The Sage merely glanced coolly at the Raikage. "I am going to Konoha with this young man."
Hearing this felt like a bolt from the blue to the Third Raikage. He had expended considerable effort convincing the Sage to stay in Kumogakure. With the Sage's power, the Cloud Village could surely grow stronger. But now, someone from Konoha shows up, and just like that, the Sage is leaving with him?
What was this supposed to mean? Did the Sage hold Kumogakure in such low regard?
"Let's go. I'm in a hurry," Sasuke urged.
At that moment, the Raikage looked up at the departing Sage. "Lord Sage of Six Paths, you may leave, but please, the Tailed Beast of Kumogakure—!"
"I'm taking it with me," the Sage interrupted flatly. "This Tailed Beast does not belong to Kumogakure. It comes from another era and should be returned to the time it belongs to!"
After speaking, the Sage didn't seem to notice the change in the Third Raikage's expression. Sasuke, too, paid it little mind. To him, someone of the Raikage's level wasn't a significant concern; even if the man was unhappy, what could he do?
As Sasuke and the Sage vanished, the Third Raikage stood frozen, his hands clenched tightly into fists. He glared furiously at the empty ground before him.
The Sage was gone, and he'd taken the Tailed Beast that belonged—or should have belonged—to the Cloud. And the one who took the Sage away was from Konoha.
Konoha! Konoha! Konoha!
Did everything have to belong to Konoha? Was Kumogakure nothing? Was the entire world meant to revolve around Konoha, making the other four Great Shinobi Villages irrelevant? Why did Konoha get everything? In the past war, the Sage gave all the Tailed Beasts to Konoha's Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki. And now, this extra Tailed Beast wasn't left for another village either, but taken back to Konoha? Why?!
For years, Konoha had suppressed the other villages, draining their resources to enrich itself. They had already gained more than enough! Why couldn't they leave even a little for the others?
Why?!
"You look rather unconvinced, don't you?"
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice spoke up.
Meanwhile, in other shinobi villages...
Kirigakure (Village Hidden in the Mist):
Mei Terumi looked at the previous Mizukage who had appeared.
One of the past Kage spoke, "When did Kirigakure fall so low? Konoha takes everything, leaving only scraps for the Mist, and yet you seem content with these leftovers! Our Village Hidden in the Mist was once easily the equal of Konoha!"
As the past Mizukage lamented, an unfamiliar voice interjected, "Konoha holds all the power. What can be done? A single village like the Mist trying to resist Konoha is simply futile, like throwing an egg against a rock."
Sunagakure (Village Hidden in the Sand):
Gaara faced his father, the Fourth Kazekage, and the man once hailed as the strongest, the Third Kazekage.
"Our village, even in its hardest times, never bowed its head to anyone. That is the spirit of Suna!" declared the Third Kazekage. "Yet look at the village now. What has it become?"
Gaara replied calmly, "Peace always comes at a price."
The Third Kazekage retorted, "Then why isn't Konoha the one paying that price?"
The unfamiliar voice added, "I agree with that sentiment. Konoha has always been the center of the shinobi world, always controlling the narrative. If a price must be paid, shouldn't Konoha pay the most?"
Iwagakure (Village Hidden in the Rock):
The Second Tsuchikage, Mu, looked at the Fourth Tsuchikage, Kurotsuchi.
"In the past," Mu stated, "the Land of Earth and Iwagakure, while not necessarily rich, had a large population where everyone lived stable lives. Look at it now."
Kurotsuchi countered, "For the sake of so-called peace, the Land of Earth and Iwagakure haven't progressed at all; in fact, they've regressed significantly."
The unfamiliar voice spoke again, "Feel like trying to change things, Lord Tsuchikages?"
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