Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 540 Infinite Tsukuyomi

The commotion here was quite loud, but it paled in comparison to the commotion Hashirama caused. That guy truly lived up to his title of God of Shinobi; he could grow a giant tree in just a minute or two. However, this was also the result of draining almost all of his chakra. After doing all that, Hashirama exploded, and countless tiny branches sprouted from his impure body, startling everyone except Tobirama.

However, Tobirama was very fast. His Water Release technique arrived almost instantly, digging his shattered brother out of the center of the wooden branch.

"What's going on? His Wood Release can actually eat himself?" This was the first time Izuna had witnessed a Wood Release backlash, and his expression towards Hashirama became somewhat subtle. Before, when he learned that Hashirama was planting trees all over the world, he had joked that this guy must have been a tree in his past life, but then this guy performed a feat of sprouting something from the spot.

Tobirama felt like he was going to explode as he dragged the shattered armor around, but he held back for the sake of his image. He suspected that if he were really resurrected, he would most likely be driven crazy by these troublesome guys.

"This happens after excessive chakra loss." Tobirama's explanation was very vague. This should have been a secret that could never be revealed, as it directly involved the truth behind the death of the God of Shinobi, but his older brother suddenly went crazy and exposed it.

However, what he didn't know was that the order to create this tree was given by Naruto, because they needed to confirm one last thing before the possession.

The moonlight shone indiscriminately on the dark world, including not only this core battlefield, but also the ninja alliance that was still advancing in the distance.

The battle on the third front finally came to an end with the assistance of several reinforcements. Having lost their advantage of disguise, the White Zetsu clones were simply moving targets and were completely wiped out by the allied forces, which outnumbered them several times over.

Although the battle on the Jinchuriki's side was fierce, the Five Kage's order before leaving was to rest for two hours immediately after the battle on the third battlefield, and then support the battlefield where the Jinchuriki were located.

Although it was supposed to be a rest and reorganization period, some of the troops assigned to cover the rear immediately began clearing the battlefield. It's important to understand that some injuries have a golden window for treatment; the greatest significance of clearing the battlefield is finding one or two survivors in the ground.

The ninjas moved very quickly, and the statistics from several battlefields were completed one after another. Although the final figures looked impressive, they still didn't make anyone happy.

Our side suffered approximately 17,000 wounded and 7,000 killed, while the number of White Zetsu clones who perished approached 60,000, resulting in a casualty ratio of about 2:5. These are the most striking figures in the history of ninja warfare, enough to inspire everyone. However, the 7,000 who died are not merely cold numbers; among the 17,000 wounded, some are critically injured and undergoing emergency treatment. They paid the price with their lives, while the enemy's casualties were mostly clones.

Headquarters strictly followed the Five Kage's orders, because they also knew very well that in a battlefield of the strong, too many people would only cause chaos. The concentration of chakra over there had reached a level that could cause the sensory water sphere to explode, and the intelligence from nearby observation points, as well as the occasional tremors at headquarters, indicated that the battle over there was extremely intense, even comparable to the fight between the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha.

"Should we contact Naruto-sama to confirm the situation before making a decision?" Inoichi suggested.

"No, we can't become an obstacle to the operation." Shikaku refused, his face full of worry as he looked at the intelligence coming from the Jinchuriki battlefield, trying to figure out the strategic deployment the Allied Forces could make.

"...I think Naruto-sama probably wouldn't mind."

Is he special in your perception?

"Indescribably special." It truly was indescribable; whether it was chakra or mental power, Naruto Uzumaki stood out so dazzlingly.

"Really? Then let's send this good news to all the support troops. We need this confidence now."

The burden of coordinating all the troops would undoubtedly be devastating to the delicate nerves of the brain, but Shikaku knew that Inoichi could do it, he just had to be concise in his speech, he didn't want to lose his old friend.

However, before their announcement arrived, another message for everyone came first.

"Gentlemen, please halt your journey to the final battlefield and refrain from approaching this area. This is an order from me, Naruto Uzumaki, the Sixth Hokage, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces."

"Who helped him make this contact!" Lu Jiu was stunned; the same information flashed through his mind.

Inoichi wasn't surprised; he could do that the moment Naruto smoothly connected to the communication network.

"I've said it before, he's special. So, are we to obey orders?"

"Do we have any other choice?"

The orders, contrary to those of headquarters, made them hesitate, but in that brief moment of gazing into the distance, they witnessed a sight they would never forget. They saw the moonlight stained with blood, and the patterns formed by the Rinnegan and the tomoe made the moon look like an eye.

What is that? Could it be that the so-called "Eye of the Moon Project" really is using the moon as an eye to cast illusions?

The people's doubts were answered in the sky. Madara completed the prelude to the Eye of the Moon and uttered the lines he had longed to say for so long.

"Illuminating the world, the infinite Tsukuyomi."

As day falls and night descends, the eerie moon emits a blinding light, paler than the sun itself, light that can penetrate rocks and earth, reaching even the most slumbering hearts. This is Infinite Tsukuyomi, the ultimate illusion that leaves no place to hide once enveloped by the moon.

However, unexpected things happen in this world. Two shadows were cast amidst the intense light of the Infinite Tsukuyomi. One was Sasuke Uchiha's Susanoo, and the other was beneath the giant tree that Hashirama had nurtured.

Everyone and everything else, even animals, froze, their eyes glazed over, slowly tinged with a pale purple, as if everyone possessed the Rinnegan. This wasn't a gift of fate, but proof that the Infinite Tsukuyomi was in effect. When all living beings on earth had become puppets of the technique, Madara, floating in the sky, finally smiled and cast another technique as instructed.

"The Divine Tree Realm Descends."

The divine trees, rooted in the earth for countless years, eagerly burst forth from the soil the instant they were activated by chakra, stretching out their branches and greedily enveloping all those caught in the Infinite Tsukuyomi. At that moment, the world truly became one in a physical sense, and the chakra of all living beings could be freely controlled by the divine trees.

Apart from those few troublemakers hiding in the shadows, and the reanimated corpses who were actually dead.