The War's Unrelenting March
The Second Shinobi World War had become an endless storm, swallowing all in its path. Blood ran through the rivers, and battle cries never ceased. The Five Great Nations clawed at one another, desperate to seize any advantage, their thirst for dominance drowning out reason.
But war was more than just death and destruction. It was a crucible—one that forged new powers and reshaped the very foundation of the shinobi world.
Some rose from the ashes, carving their names into history.
Some ascended beyond the realm of men.
And some sought to bend the world to their will.
The Rise of New Forces
Amid the shifting tides of war, new figures emerged to claim their place.
In Amegakure, the self-proclaimed Demi-God of the Battlefield, Hanzō of the Salamander, expanded his reach. No longer content with his small nation being a mere battleground for larger forces, he sought dominance. His name alone instilled fear, and his deadly poison ensured none challenged him lightly.
The lands of Rain were his domain, and soon, the neighboring territories would bow as well.
His ambition knew no bounds.
Meanwhile, whispers of a new sage echoed through the hidden lands. A shinobi whose connection to nature itself had transcended mortal limitations. A man no longer simply using Sage Mode—but becoming one with it.
And then, there was Ōtsutsuki Ryūsei.
A warrior whose existence defied logic. A being who merged bloodlines without consequence, evolving into something beyond human.
The world was changing.
The old legends had grown wary.
And those who sought power were watching.
Jiraiya's Evolution – The Orange Star
High above the mortal world, nestled deep within the mystical lands of Mount Myōboku, Jiraiya sat in perfect stillness.
His body no longer merely drew in natural energy—it harmonized with it, his chakra pulsing in tandem with the life force of the world itself. The very air around him shimmered, responding to his presence.
Something fundamental had changed.
Slowly, his eyes opened.
Gone were the familiar golden irises of a sage.
Instead, a blazing orange star rested in each pupil, radiating a cosmic glow.
Fukasaku and Shima stared in stunned silence. The shift in his chakra was absolute—no longer the borrowed power of Senjutsu, but a new existence entirely.
"This…" Fukasaku finally spoke, his voice laced with awe. "Ain't normal, Jiraiya-boy."
Shima narrowed her eyes. "This ain't just Sage Mode anymore."
Jiraiya smirked, feeling the flow of power within him. "No," he agreed, standing to his full height. "It's something more."
For the first time in history, a shinobi had not just mastered Sage Mode.
He had rewritten its very nature.
The Hyūga's Hidden Records
Beneath the towering walls of the Hyūga compound, in the depths of a sacred chamber untouched by time, a council of elders gathered in uneasy discussion.
"Ōtsutsuki Ryūsei," one of them murmured, his voice carrying the weight of centuries-old tradition. "His Byakugan surpasses even the purest of our Main House. Yet he is not one of us."
His movements, his techniques, his sheer presence—everything about him spoke of mastery beyond the limits of the Hyūga Clan.
"This is not a matter of talent," another elder whispered. "This is heritage."
The eldest among them, a man with hair like winter frost, exhaled heavily.
"If our teachings do not explain it," he said, gesturing to a sealed scroll before them, "then we must look further back."
With deliberate care, the ancient seal was broken, revealing records that predated even the founding of Konoha.
For centuries, the Hyūga had prided themselves on the belief that their bloodline was pure, descended from forgotten gods. But the existence of Ryūsei—his Byakugan, his power, his very being—challenged that belief.
If he was not a Hyūga…
Then what was he?
For the first time in history, the Hyūga turned their gaze toward the distant past.
Toward the forgotten name—Ōtsutsuki.
Ryūsei's Choice – The Balance of Opposites
The moon shone silver over Konoha's training grounds, its glow casting long shadows across the earth.
Ryūsei stood in the quiet solitude of the night, his golden-tinted Byakugan reflecting the celestial light.
The Senju bloodline had fully merged with his own.
His body pulsed with vitality beyond human limits. His chakra control had reached a level where even the most complex techniques felt effortless. He had become whole.
Yet, something was missing.
To progress further, he needed balance.
Two forces, opposite yet connected—yin and yang, creation and destruction, light and shadow.
Senju alone was not enough.
He needed the Uchiha.
Tsunade, standing at his side, frowned. "Are you certain?"
Ryūsei nodded. "The greatest powers in this world exist in equilibrium. Senju and Uchiha—two halves of the same whole. If I only take one, I am incomplete."
She folded her arms. "You know what happens to those who mix those bloodlines."
He met her gaze. "I am not them."
His Byakugan shimmered.
Orochimaru, leaning against a tree nearby, chuckled. "An interesting experiment, indeed," he mused, eyes gleaming with intrigue.
Ryūsei smirked. "Then let's begin."
The Storm Approaches
The war raged on, but beneath the chaos, something greater was unfolding.
A sage whose eyes burned with the light of a distant star.
A warrior who dared to merge the greatest rival bloodlines.
A clan unearthing secrets that had remained buried for centuries.
And in the depths of his sanctuary, Uchiha Madara listened to the whispers of change.
Seated upon his throne, he tapped his fingers against the armrest, his eternal eyes gazing into the future.
"This world is shifting," he murmured, a dark smile curling at the edges of his lips.
"What an interesting time to be alive."
End of Chapter 35