"Only scattered meteors fell in the Land of Fire, and their strength is enough to handle it. The worst-hit areas are Iwagakure and the Cloud Village. Kirigakure and Sunagakure are also under heavy pressure. Smaller countries and villages were affected too, but not as severely."
"Lord Hokage… what are you thinking? You could easily take control of the entire ninja world, yet you're letting this disaster happen."
"After this… people will probably hate Konoha."
"Hmph. Don't overthink it. If the moon had truly fallen, they wouldn't even be alive to hate us."
"Everyone, get ready. Send the word—our forces will assist the entire ninja world in resisting the meteor impact."
"But Lord Hokage didn't give that order…"
"He didn't order us to stop, either."
After a brief discussion, Uchiha Shisui, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Uchiha Itachi, Nagato, and others reached a consensus.
They would act.
Konoha's ninjas mobilized.
"You bastards! We don't need Konoha's help—get out!"
"Idiot. The ninja world is unified now. There's no more division between villages. If you keep shouting, more people will die."
"Damn it! Your Hokage refused to help, and now you're pretending to be heroes! Even if you help, we won't be grateful!"
"Grateful or not—that's your business. If our Hokage saves you, that's goodwill. If he doesn't, that's still his right. The moon falling wasn't his doing—it was the Ōtsutsuki."
"Stop arguing! Another meteor is coming!"
The atmosphere was tense.
Resentment mixed with cooperation.
And still—
They fought together.
"Watch out! This one's different!"
"The mass is higher—these black cubes are far more dangerous!"
Earlier meteors had burned up in the atmosphere.
These—
Had not.
They retained terrifying weight.
Combined with immense speed—
They struck like mountains.
"Go!"
Wind roared into the sky.
Water surged upward.
Earth dragons rose and struck.
The ninjas went all out.
Jōnin unleashed their strongest techniques.
Chūnin gave everything they had.
Even Genin threw kunai and shuriken at the falling cubes.
"It's slowing down!"
"We can stop it!"
Hope flickered—
Then shattered.
Because more cubes kept falling.
"Damn it—Light-Weight Rock Technique!"
"Ōnoki, I'll help!"
"Ay, I'm here!"
"Magnet Style: Gold Sand!"
"Don't give up—hold the line!"
Across all villages—
Reinforcements arrived.
Reanimated shinobi.
Though they couldn't stop everything—
They could slow it.
"Damn it… opening all these space gates is exhausting."
Ōtsutsuki Urashiki muttered—
But continued opening portals across the world.
Then—
Two figures stepped through.
Senju Hashirama.
Uchiha Madara.
"Madara, let's see who stops more meteors!"
"Hah! You're definitely losing!"
They charged into battle.
"Susanoo—Full Body!"
A towering blue giant appeared.
Hundreds of meters tall.
It swung its blade—
And sent cubes flying.
Elsewhere—
A massive Wood Golem rose.
Branches expanded like a net—
Catching the cubes.
Crack!
Crack!
Branches shattered—
But regrew instantly—
Holding the impact.
"It's stopped!"
"That's the First Hokage!"
"The God of Shinobi!"
Cheers erupted.
But Madara's presence—
Inspired fear instead.
Even though he saved them—
His aura was too overwhelming.
"Damn Hashirama… showing off again."
Madara grumbled.
But he was used to it.
"Eight-Headed Serpent!"
A massive white snake coiled around a cube—
Its body breaking apart—
But still holding.
"Art is an explosion!"
Deidara's clay birds soared—
Then detonated.
BOOM!
"Magnet Style: Gold Dust!"
A wave of golden sand swallowed cubes whole—
Neutralizing them instantly.
Nearby—
Sasori and the Third Kazekage controlled iron sand—
Reducing impact force.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Nagato hovered in the air—
Repelling cubes like cannonballs.
Ōnoki reduced their weight.
Killer Bee and the Two-Tails launched Tailed Beast Bombs.
Yagura and the Six-Tails joined in.
Gaara and Rasa raised endless sand waves.
BOOM!
BOOM!
The entire world trembled.
People hid in shelters—
Terrified.
Others watched—
Eyes filled with both hope and despair.
They finally understood—
The true terror of a natural disaster.
Even worse than war.
Because this time—
Everyone was affected.
"Is it over…?"
"I'm out of chakra…"
"I can't go on…"
"Hold on!"
"The black cubes are gone!"
"What's left are ordinary meteors!"
"…Really?"
Relief spread.
The black cubes—
Were finally gone.
Ninjas collapsed where they stood.
Exhausted.
Even Kage-level fighters were drained.
Across the world—
Ruins stretched endlessly.
Villages destroyed.
Cities reduced to rubble.
People cried over lost loved ones.
Ninjas clenched their fists—
Blood dripping from their palms.
They had lost comrades too.
"This… this is war," someone whispered.
On the moon—
Isshiki spoke again.
"You're cruel."
"So many will die."
"Aren't you afraid of their spirits?"
Naruto smiled.
"Spirits?"
"Don't be ridiculous."
"In this world—souls don't wander."
"They return to the Pure Land."
"The laws of this world are weak."
"They can be manipulated."
"Even death… has no weight here."
Isshiki fell silent.
"…What now?" he asked.
Naruto looked down at the shattered world.
"Simple."
"First—hit them with a stick."
"Then—give them a carrot."
"That's all it takes."
He turned to the world.
"People of the ninja world—"
"I originally intended for you to experience the moon falling completely."
"But I reconsidered."
"You wouldn't survive it."
"So this ends here."
"Celebrate if you want."
Then—
Naruto raised his hand.
"Planetary Devastation."
The world froze.
Meteors—
Black cubes—
All debris—
Rose into the sky.
Flying back—
Toward the moon.
Before everyone's eyes—
The shattered moon—
Reformed.
Whole again.
Brilliant.
Untouched.
-------------------------
For advanced chapters, visit patreon.com/Varnok