How powerful were Truth-Seeking Orbs?
Ren had seen plenty of examples in his memories.
But memories were still just memories.
Until he created them himself, the true feeling remained vague.
Now that he held one in his hand—
He realized something.
They were even more terrifying than he had imagined.
Strictly speaking, Truth-Seeking Orbs weren't a bloodline limit.
They were still technically a technique.
But—
"They contain all seven chakra attributes… perfectly balanced and harmonized."
That condition alone already resembled the foundation of Bloodline Expansion.
Even if it wasn't yet true Bloodline Expansion—
Without such a prerequisite, how could all chakra types fuse together?
Ren was already extremely experienced at chakra fusion.
He understood exactly how difficult each step was.
And now he finally understood something else.
Why no one in the ninja world could use this technique.
Even though many ninja possessed multiple chakra natures.
"The conditions are simply too harsh…"
He sighed quietly.
The first requirement alone eliminated almost everyone.
All five elemental chakra natures.
Very few people possessed them.
Then came the next condition.
Each chakra type had to reach extremely high proficiency—
And more importantly—
They had to remain perfectly balanced.
That requirement was even harder.
"Honestly…"
Ren rubbed his chin.
"…there might not be a second person in the entire ninja world who can meet these conditions."
Most ninja were born with only one or two chakra natures.
Even geniuses usually mastered only one or two.
Because resources were limited.
Training time was limited.
And natural talent differed.
Every step created a new barrier.
Countless geniuses had failed along the way.
"That's why in my memories…"
"…only those who reached Six Paths level could use Truth-Seeking Orbs."
And those people had achieved that level through shortcuts.
Either the Sage of Six Paths granted power directly—
Or they became the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki.
None had walked this path themselves.
Ren looked at the floating black sphere and chuckled softly.
"So calling myself the first person to achieve this…"
"…isn't an exaggeration."
With a wave of his hand, the orb floated above his palm.
Inside that simple black sphere—
An unimaginable force slumbered.
He smiled.
He was still far from the final step.
But now—
He finally saw the path forward.
"The first person to obtain Bloodline Expansion through pure effort…"
Ren murmured to himself.
The pale golden aura around his body slowly faded.
The Truth-Seeking Orbs also disappeared.
Although he could create them now—
Using them fully required Yin–Yang Release Chakra Mode.
Without that mode—
He could control only one orb.
But when he activated it—
He could control three.
"Three orbs floating behind me…"
"And I can even fly…"
Ren suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity.
"…That looks suspiciously like a certain mage."
"What kind of new technique did you create this time?"
Hikari's voice sounded from behind him.
Ren pulled her into his arms.
"You tell me."
"How did it feel?"
Hikari sat comfortably on his lap, arms around his neck.
She thought carefully before answering.
"…Dangerous."
"Your previous chakra mode was already terrifying."
"But this…"
"…is far worse."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"That black sphere…"
"If someone even touches it slightly…"
"…something very bad will happen."
"And inside it…"
"I sensed multiple chakra properties."
"Is this your new technique?"
Hikari's sensory perception was extremely sharp.
Even with only brief exposure—
She had already sensed the difference.
Ren nodded proudly.
"You know I'm proficient with most mainstream ninjutsu."
Hikari blinked.
"Aren't you mainly skilled in Wood Release?"
Ren froze.
Hikari continued calmly.
"You've used Fire Release before."
"But that looked more like a bloodline ability."
"As for Lightning Release…"
"I've never seen you use it."
"So when did you become proficient in everything?"
Ren fell silent.
Then he buried his face in her chest.
Just to calm down.
"…Not using something doesn't mean I'm bad at it."
"If I can create bloodline-level techniques, that proves my chakra control is excellent."
Hikari nodded thoughtfully.
"That makes sense."
She hugged him tighter.
"So this technique…"
"…combines all your chakra attributes?"
Ren nodded.
"Yes."
"Actually, this idea existed long ago."
"You know how combining two chakra natures creates a bloodline limit."
"And three creates a bloodline elimination."
"But what happens with four?"
"Five?"
"Or all chakra attributes—including Yin and Yang?"
He had been thinking about that question long before obtaining Wood Release.
At the time—
He had no answer.
Hikari frowned slightly.
"You've been researching this all along?"
"Yes."
"And now…"
"…I've taken the first step."
Ren smiled brightly.
"All my chakra attributes have reached a similar level."
"That allowed me to attempt this."
"The black sphere is called Truth-Seeking Orb."
"It's the fusion and balance of every chakra type."
"And it's currently my strongest power."
He paused briefly.
"Going further will be extremely difficult."
"But now I know where the path leads."
Having a clear goal meant everything.
And Ren already knew what he needed next.
Massive amounts of chakra.
Without touching the tailed beasts—
There was only one place he could obtain that.
He stared out the window thoughtfully.
Then suddenly changed the topic.
"How are your eyes feeling?"
Hikari blinked.
"My eyes?"
"They're fine."
"With your help, they can now recover their dōjutsu power naturally."
"This battle consumed a lot, but it's manageable."
Ren smiled slightly.
"Do you want to know the next stage of your eyes?"
Hikari paused.
The next stage…?
Above the Mangekyō Sharingan?
She suddenly remembered the Uchiha stone tablet.
There were still sections she couldn't read.
"So?"
"What idea do you have now?"
Ren nodded.
"I have one."
"And it will benefit both you…"
"…and Tsunade."
Though the solution—
Wasn't located in the ninja world.
Meanwhile—
In Iwagakure.
Ōnoki stared at the report in his hand.
His face had turned pale.
Even though he had expected the outcome—
Seeing the details still shocked him.
"Senju…"
"…fighting perfectly alongside Uchiha?"
The report described the battlefield clearly.
Susanoo armor covering the Thousand-Handed Buddha.
Ōnoki's hands trembled.
"The Wood Release of Hashirama…"
"…has returned."
"And combined with Uchiha power…"
He sighed heavily.
"Does the world favor Konoha that much?"
Konoha seemed to produce legendary geniuses endlessly.
Meanwhile—
Iwagakure had almost no promising successors.
"Back then…"
"…Hashirama and Madara opposed each other."
"At least their ideals clashed."
"But now…"
"Wood Release and Susanoo cooperate perfectly?"
He clenched his fists.
"Is the world insane…"
"…or am I?"
Still—
His eyes hardened.
"The era has changed."
"I will not surrender."
Meanwhile—
In Kumogakure.
The Fourth Raikage stared at a similar report.
His expression was grim.
Three years ago—
Ren had nearly killed him and the Eight-Tails.
That alone had shocked him.
But now—
Ren's power had grown even further.
"The terrain itself was rewritten…"
"Rasa is dead."
"One-Tail captured."
"Entire armies annihilated."
The Raikage wiped cold sweat from his forehead.
Then came the most shocking part.
Hashirama's appearance.
And his defeat.
"So the legends…"
"…were true."
For years he believed stories of Hashirama and Madara were exaggerated.
But now—
He understood.
The truth was even more terrifying.
Back in Sunagakure.
Chiyo and Ebizō sat silently.
They had already read the report.
Rasa was dead.
Sand had lost the war.
But strangely—
They weren't shocked.
The scale of the battle made the result inevitable.
"Do you think Konoha will destroy us?" Ebizō asked quietly.
Chiyo shook her head.
"With Konoha's current strength…"
"…they could dominate the entire world if they wished."
"But they haven't."
That alone revealed something.
Ebizō nodded slowly.
"The power of Senju and Uchiha…"
"…appearing again in the same era."
Chiyo sighed.
"The tragedy is…"
"These two seem to cooperate perfectly."
"Unlike the original pair."
After a pause—
Ebizō suddenly spoke.
"Do you think…"
"…Ren has feelings for Pakura?"
Chiyo scoffed immediately.
"Impossible."
But after thinking for a moment—
She hesitated.
"…Is it?"
Meanwhile—
In Konoha.
Tsunade grabbed Ren's collar angrily.
"You bastard!"
"Do you know how busy we are right now?!"
Ren tilted his head.
"But you didn't actually do much."
"Negotiations are handled by Shikaku."
"Search operations are handled by ANBU."
"You just give directions."
"So what exactly exhausted you?"
Tsunade's face turned red.
"You dare talk to the Hokage like that?!"
Ren immediately raised his hands.
"Alright, alright."
"You worked very hard."
"But that's literally the Hokage's job."
Tsunade gritted her teeth.
"If I knew it would be this troublesome…"
"…I would never have accepted this position!"
Then she pointed at him.
"And you!"
"You're the Hokage Advisor!"
"Start doing your job!"
Ren thought for a moment.
"…But you're the Hokage."
Tsunade nearly exploded.
"You'll regret that sentence!"
Ren scratched his head awkwardly.
That line felt strangely familiar.
After a moment, he spoke again.
"This battle actually gave me an important discovery."
Tsunade frowned.
"What discovery?"
Then she noticed the direction they were walking.
"…The Uchiha district?"
Ren nodded.
"The stone tablet."
"I think…"
"…I can read the remaining text now."
Soon the three of them stood before the ancient stone tablet.
Ren activated Yin–Yang Release.
His chakra flowed into both Tsunade and Hikari.
Hikari's Mangekyō Sharingan spun rapidly.
Meanwhile Tsunade closed her eyes.
Through Ren's chakra—
She could sense the words on the tablet.
"…This is…"
She whispered in shock.
"Yin and Yang combined…"
"…create all things."
Hikari murmured softly.
"…It seems this was inevitable."
Further text appeared.
Information about Rinnegan.
About Ōtsutsuki clan.
And finally—
About the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Tsunade frowned deeply.
"Creating an illusionary world to save everyone…?"
"That's absurd."
Hikari nodded.
"A peace achieved by deceiving others…"
"…is meaningless."
Ren smiled faintly.
"Think about the Sage of Six Paths."
"He created peace."
"He sealed the Ten-Tails."
"If he wanted to trap the world in illusion…"
"…he could have done so easily."
Tsunade realized something immediately.
"So whoever wrote this…"
"…is manipulating history?"
Hikari's voice turned cold.
"They manipulated the Senju and Uchiha for a thousand years."
"And guided them toward conflict."
Ren nodded.
"And the one behind it…"
"…might still be alive."
Both women's expressions changed instantly.
A thousand-year-old manipulator?
But Ren shook his head calmly.
"If they're still alive yet never act personally…"
"Two possibilities exist."
"First—something prevents them from acting."
"Second…"
"They are actually weak."
"So they manipulate others instead."
He smiled slowly.
"Either way…"
"…we can drag them into the light."
At that moment—
A system notification appeared.
[Hidden Mission Completed: Reveal the Secret of Senju and Uchiha (3)]
[Evaluation: SS]
[Free Points Earned: 12]
[New Hidden Mission Unlocked: The Mystery of the Ōtsutsuki]
Ren's eyes narrowed slightly.
Then another thought appeared.
Why had Madara Uchiha fallen for the stone tablet so easily?
After thinking carefully—
Ren realized something.
"…Izuna."
Madara probably read the tablet after Izuna's death.
Pain and betrayal had already consumed him.
The seed of Infinite Tsukuyomi had grown naturally.
Ren suddenly laughed.
"So basically…"
"Madara equals Obito."
But another thought surfaced.
Why did Black Zetsu, who possessed Yin–Yang Release, lack offensive power?
Then Ren's eyes widened slightly.
"…Wait."
"When Kaguya Ōtsutsuki created Black Zetsu…"
"…did she inject him with a portion of Bloodline Expansion-level chakra?"
"If that chakra suppressed his Yin–Yang Release…"
Ren's eyes slowly brightened.
"…Then things just got very interesting."
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