*s the great Sun God watched Naruto, now free from Asura's soul's influence under Kakashi's guidance, stirring up turmoil in Konoha…
As he watched Sasuke, gradually awakening, leading the Uchiha toward glory…
The preliminary rounds of the Shinobi World Tournament on Earth were unfolding at the same time. But even though it was only the preliminaries, the level of intensity had already far exceeded everyone's expectations.
Hyuga Hitoshi had changed the tournament's advancement system to a points-based format instead of direct elimination after one loss. Yet, whether it was newly graduated Genin, confident Elite Ninja, or even Kage-level and higher-tier fighters, no one wanted to give up a single victory point.
Their determination to win was so strong that, even in the early stages of the preliminaries, the battles were already thrilling. The spectators were completely captivated, and even the competing ninjas felt immense pressure, spending all their time training to improve themselves.
They understood that this was a competition involving the entire shinobi world. Even a seemingly insignificant point could make a huge difference in the rankings, and no one wanted to fall behind.
After all, the higher their points, the closer they got to the true gods. Gaining the gods' favor and obtaining divine power was only a matter of time.
Under this intense pressure, the long-awaited tournament for those above Kage-level finally began.
As the specially designed battlefield was enclosed within a barrier, two figures appeared on the stage.
In the competitors' seating area, Senju Hashirama suddenly jumped to his feet, waving his arms and shouting at the top of his lungs.
"Go, Madara! I'm rooting for you!"
Yes.
This tournament was unprecedented. Only the Sun God Kingdom had the qualifications to host such an event, opening a stage that allowed battles beyond Kage-level, reaching near the level of the Sage of Six Paths. The sheer spectacle of it was enough to draw attention.
Every ninja in the shinobi world was eager to see what kind of people had the courage to compete at this level.
To satisfy their curiosity, as Uchiha Madara stood on the stage facing his opponent, a massive screen in the sky began displaying his life story.
The Six Paths-level arena was, of course, special. It was designed to be vast and open, allowing fighters to unleash their full potential. But that didn't mean the audience's viewing experience would be affected.
With the Sun God Kingdom's new projection technology, every spectator could feel as if they were personally at the event. They could move to any vantage point they wished, and no matter how intense the battle got, they wouldn't be harmed. However, standing too close still required a strong heart.
Thanks to this immersive experience, the tournament organizers had already made a fortune just from ticket sales—before the actual event had even started.
But money wasn't Hyuga Hitoshi's goal in hosting the tournament. He had no interest in wealth—his purpose was simply to find the most talented individuals in the shinobi world.
"Remember, the one you're facing is nothing more than a trivial reincarnation of yourself after your death. Even if this reincarnation has inherited part of Asura's power and barely reached my level, you have nothing to fear."
The scene shifted.
Standing opposite Uchiha Madara was a man from Mount Myoboku. Compared to the awe people felt toward Madara, their curiosity was even greater about this unknown figure—Indra.
They wanted to know what gave him the confidence to step onto a battlefield meant for those beyond Kage-level.
And Indra?
What is this? They've never even heard of this guy. How does he have the nerve to compete? Or does he just think no one else signed up for this event, so he's trying his luck?
"I understand, Father."
Ignoring the stares around him, Indra gave a firm nod to his father, who was disguised as the team leader ninja—his real father, the reincarnation of the true Rikudou Sennin.
Otsutsuki Hagoromo wasn't reckless enough to gamble with his own soul. He also didn't dare to fill it with other powers. After thinking it over, he decided to let his two sons take the risk instead and boldly signed them up for the Six Paths-level battle.
But even Hagoromo himself didn't expect Indra's first opponent to be his own reincarnation.
Heh, isn't this basically a free win?
Otsutsuki Hagoromo smiled slightly, his face full of confidence, looking quite at ease.
Come on, how could the real Indra lose to a knockoff reincarnation? That just wouldn't make sense—especially after he poured the memories and battle experiences of countless powerful souls from the Pure Land into Indra. With this enhanced version of Indra, there was no reason he should lose to his own reincarnation!
On top of that...
Hagoromo glanced at the deep, violent emotions hidden in Indra's eyes, feeling even more satisfied with his creation.
Don't be fooled by how normal Indra seems when talking. Ever since his soul absorbed traces of others, he's rarely fully conscious. In battle, his moves become strange and unpredictable, often chaining together bizarre techniques in ways that don't make sense.
For example, he might go for a kick, but mid-motion, completely defy body mechanics and flick your forehead instead. That's just the basics. In short, Indra's fighting style has become downright weird, and his memories are a mess—he constantly mutters nonsense.
This is the result of absorbing others' soul power without being able to purify it. It's also the reason why Rikudou Sennin didn't want to take the risk himself. But now that the roles were reversed, and he was the one controlling this unpredictable power, the feeling was pretty great.
He was confident. With this unexpected fighting style, combined with Indra's original strength, he would definitely kick off this Six Paths battle with a strong start!
The only thing bothering him was the recent increase in Otsutsuki-related rumors. They made him feel like some kind of knockoff Otsutsuki. Otherwise, he would have just had Indra sign up directly as "Otsutsuki Indra."
But whatever, he was here to win. Nothing else mattered.
"Do you smell that?"
In the audience section, while Momoshiki and Urashiki were messing around with their special glasses, projecting their holograms all over the arena and marveling at how much ninja world technology had advanced beyond the Otsutsuki clan's, Otsutsuki Isshiki sat beside them with a serious expression.
Unlike a clueless outsider seeing the world for the first time, Isshiki had been on Earth long enough not to act like some country bumpkin. He kept his focus on the arena, carefully observing these Earthlings.
"Smell what?"
Momoshiki asked, looking confused.
"Indra has a faint scent of the Divine Tree's fruit. It's mixed with a lot of other things, but it's definitely there. And that ninja leading their team has it too."
The Divine Tree's fruit!
That thing wasn't easy to digest. Not everyone had the ability to refine it into a pill before consuming it. Someone like Kaguya, who ate it raw, would experience digestion issues.
In a way, Hagoromo and Hamura were like a fusion of the fruit's power and the faith of countless people. But that faith came from a thousand years ago. Nowadays, there was only one god in people's hearts—the Sun God.
So it made sense that they carried traces of the fruit's power. On the other hand, Kaguya had gotten rid of her two "unfilial sons" and, with Hyuga Hitoshi helping to purify her every day, had finally made all of her power truly her own.
"And?"
Urashiki raised an eyebrow, clearly uninterested.
"Come on, who cares about the smell of the fruit? Kaguya herself is basically a walking Divine Tree fruit. And that Sun God Star has a ten-tailed dragon form up there. What's the point of talking about this? We can't beat them anyway. We might as well focus on performing well in our matches and earning more points."
Well, at least you're realistic.
Isshiki's mouth twitched. He glanced at Momoshiki, still trying to warn them that Indra and his team leader weren't normal.
"Tickets weren't cheap. Don't waste time on pointless stuff."
After a brief silence, Momoshiki and Urashiki went right back to playing with the new projection tech, like kids who just discovered a fun new toy.
It made sense, though. The Otsutsuki clan had spent their lives cultivating Divine Trees, absorbing planets, and expanding their interstellar colonies. They were either planting trees or traveling to plant more trees. Even their childhood education was all about chakra.
Fun was a luxury.
Coming to Earth, Momoshiki felt like he'd discovered a whole new world.
"Exactly. We gotta get our money's worth. Speaking of which, Konohagakure is such a scam. We worked our asses off on that construction site and still couldn't afford VIP seats. Even these regular seats had to be bought in installments."
Urashiki sighed, frustrated.
It was hard to believe that noble Otsutsuki men had to take out a loan just to watch a tournament. If they didn't score well in this ninja world competition, they'd probably have to go back to carrying bricks on a construction site just to pay off their debt.
Not paying wasn't an option either. The Sun God Kingdom's network was everywhere, and unpaid loans were a serious problem.
"Hey, hey, it's starting! I got a great spot!"
"Mine's not bad either. Damn, the Sun God Kingdom's research team is amazing—look at me, I can fly!"
"..."
So... have you two completely forgotten why you came here? You're supposed to be working, not integrating into Earth life.
Isshiki fell silent for a moment. He was genuinely at a loss because of these two relentless guys. But then he thought about how Momoshiki's sister was still on her way, so lying low for a while wouldn't be a big deal.
Hmm… Might as well watch the match and see if that guy with the Divine Tree Fruit aura is any different.
That said, he didn't think there was any suspense in this match.
Why?
Even if it were a true living embodiment of the Divine Tree Fruit, it still wouldn't stand a chance against Ryūshiki. Let alone when it was just a fragment of the
But Indra's performance shocked him right from the start.
Why?
Given the scale of the Shinobi World Tournament, even if they were enemies, most contestants still showed some level of respect in the ring. Even someone like Uchiha Madara, known for his arrogance, would just stand there with his arms crossed, watching his opponent with a cold stare without saying much.
But just because Madara stayed silent didn't mean Indra would. He casually looked Madara up and down before giving him a scornful smile.
"A mere grain of sand, not even worth half of me."
That was the official Indra's evaluation of his knockoff reincarnation. Even though this "official" Indra had only been revived using fragments of the "knockoff" Indra's soul, he still looked down on his reincarnation.
But the moment he said that, Uchiha Madara burst out laughing.
To be fair, hearing his own signature lines coming from someone else's mouth felt kind of weird. So, to settle who was truly the grain of sand here—
"Fight me!"
*Buzz~*
His eye power spread out. He didn't activate Ryūshiki's abilities right away. Instead, when he saw the opponent's crimson Three Tomoe, Madara decided to show him what true Uchiha power was. He would prove with action that not just anyone could step into a battlefield of this level.
Brilliant blue chakra surged from his body. A towering, armored tengu figure rose from the ground as layers of solid armor extended outward. Madara clenched his hand in the air, and as his body ascended, the massive, fully-formed Susano'o assembled in mere seconds.
As gasps of amazement filled the arena, and the spectators felt the overwhelming presence of destruction up close, Madara controlled the Susano'o to draw its chakra blade and slash straight at Indra.
This strike, seemingly containing the entire universe, was terrifying even in its spectral form. Many in the audience were so scared they wet themselves on the spot. Only now did they understand why the ticket vendors had warned them—if their hearts weren't strong enough, they should stay far away from the front rows.
The sheer pressure was so overwhelming that running wasn't even an option. Only now did they truly grasp what power beyond the Kage level looked like.
But in reality, only a handful of people knew that what Madara was displaying now was still just Kage-level strength, having nothing to do with the Six Paths' power. Even so, it was already shocking enough.
The violent impact spread from the arena floor to the surroundings. With just one strike, countless spectators began worrying about whether the arena's barrier could hold. Fortunately, the arena was big enough, and the Sun God Kingdom's technology was advanced. Even a fully-formed Susano'o's slash only left a faint ripple on the barrier.
"What… is this?"
As the dust settled, waves of astonished gasps filled the air.
When people snapped out of their awe at the destructive force, they were stunned to see—standing opposite Madara's colossal Susano'o—another towering purple giant had risen from the ground!
And the previous shockwave? It wasn't just from Madara's attack—it was because Indra's Susano'o had also drawn its blade to block it!
"Is that a full-body Susano'o? So Indra's full name should be Uchiha Indra?"
Until now, only one person in the entire Shinobi world had ever used a fully-formed Susano'o—Uchiha Madara. However, a normal Susano'o was something any Uchiha who awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan could train to use. There was no doubt—it was purely the power of the Sharingan.
"No wonder this tournament is such a big deal. Even someone at this level showed up. But if there was such a strong Uchiha out there, why was he hiding until now?"
Senju Hashirama asked in confusion.
The guy didn't even use the Uchiha name when registering for the match. That wasn't like Konohagakure's Fifth Hokage at all—he loved showing off.
The Fifth Hokage was practically the definition of arrogance. Even if he were dying, there was no way he'd pass up an opportunity to show off.
"So, big bro, is it possible that this guy isn't actually part of the Uchiha clan?"
Senju Tobirama said, clearly unimpressed.
"Just like the Senju clan, the Uchiha have a long history. It wouldn't be surprising if some branches split off at some point. For them, isolation is key. What surprises me is that someone like this—a reclusive master—would be interested in the Sun God Seal."
Isn't that obvious?
Hashirama rolled his eyes. The Sun God Seal, huh? That Hyuga Hitoshi guy… He never expected Tsunade to find such a powerful man. Compared to his grandson-in-law, he himself—a so-called "God of Shinobi"—felt like a fraud.
But there was no time to dwell on where Indra had come from.
On the battlefield, the towering blue and purple figures moved at the same time. Both fully-formed Susano'os drew a second chakra blade, aiming at their opponent.
"Truly ugly."
It had been a long time since he faced an opponent this evenly matched, and Uchiha Madara's fighting spirit burned fiercely. This was pure Susano'o combat, something unprecedented in history.
A battle worth giving his all.
No matter how many times Uchiha Madara looked at it, he always thought the other person's Susano'o was ugly and dirty.
There was a reason.
The third power of the Sharingan is an extension of spiritual energy, an extension of the eye's power. Indra also had the Sage's Eyes, but his eye power was restored by his father forcefully infusing him with a chaotic soul. This chaotic energy was directly reflected in his fully-formed Susano'o.
Through the purple glow on the surface, Uchiha Madara could clearly see the black impurities inside. It looked contaminated, impure no matter how he viewed it.
Hmm, to borrow the words of the great Sun God's newly anointed nameless consort—
"In terms of power, it matches a fully-formed Susano'o, but its source isn't pure. It seems unable to bring out the true potential of a fully-formed Susano'o."
From the judge's seat, Uchiha Hikari casually tucked her long hair behind her ear, then, with a serious expression, wrote down notes on Indra's performance.
Not long ago, after finally growing up completely and recklessly throwing herself into battle, Uchiha Hikari landed her dream job as a game tester. At the same time, she was responsible for some game updates, including new characters and skill adjustments for *Ultimate Ninja Storm*.
She became a judge this time because she saw the huge appeal of the Ninja World Tournament. She knew this event would attract many participants—meaning new characters could sell as DLC. As long as she recorded every detail carefully, the new game would surely make that guy a ton of money!
What makes a virtuous wife?
This is what makes a virtuous wife.
Even if you're already rich, she still helps you stash away a small fortune!
And as the divine consort of Hyuga Hitoshi, someone who possessed the Sun God Seal, plus the power of the Eight Thousand Spears, no one knew that Uchiha Hikari could also use a fully-formed Susano'o. She just couldn't be bothered to use it. But in the game, her skill set had already been updated to reflect her stance, so she had every right to comment on Susano'o.
As the battle between the two Susano'o continued, things unfolded just as Uchiha Hikari had predicted. The chaotic energy behind Indra's Susano'o allowed it to fight Uchiha Madara on equal footing at first, but as the battle dragged on and its recovery speed slowed, Madara seized the opportunity and effortlessly crushed it.
To show his respect for Indra, after his opponent lost the protection of the sequel's power, Uchiha Madara also let go of his mecha form and announced he would fight at full power.
Just when everyone thought the battle was shifting from a clash of giants to pure Taijutsu, an excited Uchiha Madara finally revealed his markings.
"The era of Susano'o is over. Watch closely—this slash is going to be legendary!"
The power of the Karma Seal spread, a single horn grew on Uchiha Madara's forehead, and a blood-red katana appeared in his right hand.
Then, amidst the astonished gasps of the crowd and the shocked roar of someone disguised as a team leader, Uchiha Madara, now at full power, instantly appeared in front of Indra. With his free left hand, he grabbed Indra's head and slammed him into the ground!
Boom!
The shockwave that followed was even more terrifying than the impact of Susano'o colliding!
One move—instant defeat!
As the dust settled and the tremors stopped, Uchiha Madara's blade was already at Indra's throat.
At this moment—
The battle was decided!
The bootleg Indra reincarnation just got one-shot by the official, resurrected Indra!
This—this is the true power that surpasses Kage level!