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--- Chapter 452 ---
After Naruto and Sasuke left the Land of Spring, they quickly contacted every 'influential' person they knew.
Naruto sat on the Hokage's seat with a wry expression while the former fifth Hokage(Senju Tsunade) and sixth Hokage(Hatake Kakashi) played cards on the side to lighten the mood.
Besides the three Hokages, the other members of Konohagakure's council also attended the meeting. That includes Nara Shikamaru (Hokage's chief aide), Uchiha Itachi(Anbu Commander), and Hyuuga Hinata(Elder of Home Defense).
"I heard that Sasuke returned to the village recently?" Itachi asked while sipping his tea.
"He did," Naruto replied with a smile. "Unfortunately, he was busy with another task right now."
"He should be back in a few hours."
"Anyway, I call everyone here for an important matter first."
"I have bad news and good news."
"Spit it. Give us the bad news first." Tsunade said. She tossed the handful of cards in her hand off and glanced at Naruto solemnly.
Naruto nodded and replied, "I talked about this with the other Kages yesterday."
"The Otsutsuki Clan is going to invade us soon."
"What? Wait, Naruto. That's bad, bad news." Kakashi stopped playing his cards as well.
"Kakashi-sensei, your tone speaks otherwise." Shikamaru couldn't help but sigh because the Sixth Hokage sure is laid back.
"Is that so?" Kakashi rubbed his face mask.
"Guy, I'm serious here." Naruto facepalmed.
"The Otsutsuki would come with their full strength and every clan member to our planet."
"We know." Everyone answered.
"However, panic won't do anything."
Kakashi poured himself a tea, "According to our knowledge, fighting Otsutsuki would be a resource drain, humanly or figuratively."
"Otsutsuki Kaguya's presence alone topped all of us."
"At the time, Sword God separated Kaguya from the Ten-Tails and brought her to another world. If possible, we should find a way to contact him."
"The High Priestess from the Land of Demon should have a way."
Itachi narrowed his eyes, "Are you insisting that we must ask for Sword God's help, Kakashi-senpai?"
"Hey, don't give me that gaze. I'm talking about the most efficient path here." Kakashi shrugged calmly. "Think about it, Itachi."
"Don't make asking for Sword God's help sound bad."
"Are you still mad because he tricked you?"
Itachi stared at Kakashi and slowly closed his mouth in silence
Everyone in the room, except for Naruto, has a complicated expression because anything related to the Sword God is considered taboo and even locked behind several firewalls.
However, Kakashi is right.
The goal behind the Otsutsuki Invasion is unimportant. All they need to know is that it would be a hell of a moment for everyone on Earth.
Kakashi doesn't want to sound pessimistic, but fighting the Otsutsuki Clan with just themselves is not logical. They could have used the God-Slaying Shinobi Tool, yet everyone doesn't want another accident.
"Naruto..." Hinata mumbled in worry.
Naruto's mouth twitched, "I haven't told you guys about the good news."
"Continue, Naruto." Shikamaru rested his fingers, thinking about their ways out here.
Naruto tapped his finger on the desk and added, "The good news is..."
"Sword God returned to this world yesterday."
"Eh?" Everyone in the room froze.
Itachi's eyes widened in shock because this news was more shocking than the Otsutsuki Invasion.
After all, they knew the Otsutsuki Clan's members existed outside the realm of mortals and would come here sooner or later.
On the other hand, Sword God's return brings them a sense of awe.
Naruto chuckled and said, "Yes, I also make the same expression when seeing him in the flesh."
"But..."
"His intention is the same as Otsutsuki Clan."
"Sword God, or should I say Yunlong, wants to be the ruler of this world."
"Of course, Ruler..." Itachi mumbled with a small laugh. "I expected no less from a man like him."
Naruto nodded in agreement with Itachi, "Sword God won't take this world in vain, though."
"Explain." Itachi crossed his arms.
"He has proposed to share knowledge and power of his world. After the world-changing is over, we can follow the power path of another world and become strong cultivators called Spirit Master." Naruto raised his index finger.
"In fact, he already granted me and Sasuke a chance to experience it."
"Watch this."
Naruto closed his eyes and slowly summoned his newly awakened Martial Soul, gaining gasps and frowns from everyone in the room.
Everyone stared at the orangish shadow behind Naruto and was confused because they felt no Chakra from it, yet felt an oppressive sensation all over their body.
After that, a black halo also appeared and hovered around Naruto.
"This thing is called Martial Soul," Naruto explained calmly.
"And the black ring you see is the Spirit Ring."
"After cultivating your Martial Soul and reaching Ten Spirit Rings, one could become a GOD!"
"A God? That's not a very joking matter to say, Naruto." Although Tsunade said such a thing, her wise eyes still focused on Naruto's Martial Soul.
Naruto shook his head weakly, "I'm telling the truth."
"If not, where do you think Sword God/Yunlong got his power?"
"He didn't use Chakra like us, but Spirit Energy, which could evolve into Divine Energy later on the path of Spirit Master."
Shikamaru smiled, "And you're saying that the Sword God is willing to give us all those as long as we surrender to him, right?"
"Sasuke and I already surrendered." Naruto bitterly responded.
"YOU WHAT??"
Naruto waved his hand, "Yunlong is not alone this time. He brought a group of monsters with him."
"That includes Uchiha Madara, Otsutsuki Kaguya, and his other wives."
"Trust me, each of them is a monster on their own."
"One of his wives is a literal Silver Dragon and got Kurama's knees weak by existing alone."
"No way..." Hinata was speechless.
"Yes, way." Naruto gave his wife a solemn look.
"We don't really have a choice in this matter."
"At least, Yunlong can be reasoned with..."
"But why did he extend an olive branch for free?" Even Kakashi found this situation too good to be true.
"That... I don't know." Naruto replied unsurely.
"But one thing for sure, Yunlong is gathering the talents of this world."
"Maybe he's going to enslave us."
"Or maybe he would bring us to a higher dimension."
He gazed at everyone and added, "Let's do the vote. I've already sent this information to other villages, and it's time for us to decide."
"Let's surrender then," Shikamaru said.
"Shikamaru, you..." Itachi couldn't believe how fast Shikamaru decided.
Shikamaru chuckled, "Even though calling Sword God evil is far-fetched because he was really the one who stopped the war. Choosing him over Otsutsuki is always the better decision."
"With him, the Will of Fire will survive."
"The Will of Fire." Itachi sighed in the end.
"I agree."
"Me too." Hinata followed.
"Kakashi-sensei, Tsunade-baachan?" Naruto glanced at the previous Hokage.
"Just you know, the Land of Snow has become Yunlong's vassal."
"The faster we decide, the more benefits we can get."
"I agree," Tsunade answered after a few seconds.
"Well, I agree, too," Kakashi added calmly.
After getting their votes, Naruto sighed inwardly because this was easier than he expected.
Naruto patted his stomach, "It's time to contact the other Jinchuriki and Tailed Beasts."
"Right, Kurama?"
'Yes...' Kurama answered with a long face. He's still thinking about Yunlong's offer to become a human.
Meanwhile, Sasuke arrived at a secret land.
...
On the Land of Fire's border, Sasuke arrived before a mountain range and entered the hidden land that the Uchiha Clan has owned for generations.
He walked through a bamboo forest and saw a massive rice field with ducks and chickens walking around.
Sasuke spotted a tanned middle-aged man wearing a straw hat working on the rice field and called, "Father."
Uchiha Fugaku is busy tending his rice field when a familiar shout calls to him. He turned around and saw his younger son at the entrance of the secret farmland.
"Sasuke?" Fugaku was confused. His younger son usually won't visit unless it's New Year.
He also doesn't see his adorable granddaughter anywhere.
Unknown to Fugaku, his younger son is bringing an explosive piece of news.