Speedrunning Naruto to the Top

On an island beyond the Ninja Continent, beneath a seemingly ordinary mountain concealing highly advanced technology beyond anything in the shinobi world, a man wearing a monk's white robe, with his hair gathered atop his head in a long braid trailing down his back, stood on a "balcony" that outwardly looked like a cliff.

Holding a glass of red wine, he gazed beyond a barrier of intense brightness at the golden beam streaking down from the sky. He sighed:

"After a thousand years, there's still a descendant of that Kaguya woman who can awaken the Tenseigan purely through bloodline, without any medicinal aids. An outstanding throwback indeed!"

This man was none other than the parasitic soul of Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, who had arrived on Earth alongside Kaguya in ancient times to plant the Divine Tree, only to be ambushed by her and nearly devoured by the Ten-Tails. He now occupied the body of a monk named Jigen.

Ōtsutsuki Isshiki's gaze grew suddenly chilling. He murmured:

"The Gedo Statue, the Rinnegan, the Tenseigan, and jutsu derived from the Divine Tree's powers… All these things have emerged anew in this era. It appears that Kaguya woman and her two sons all left behind contingencies. So they really aren't dead."

"Tch. Were it not for the fact that I still have yet to cultivate a second 'vessel'—and because this body can't withstand my power, forcing my soul to transfer would sharply cut my lifespan—I'd make that Kaguya pay dearly!"

After spitting out these words coldly, Isshiki once again stared at the now-vanished gold beam that had, in one fell swoop, sliced away a third of the moon. His eyes brimmed with malice and hatred.

To him, any individual capable of spontaneously developing the Rinnegan or Tenseigan—especially someone like Madara Uchiha or that "Ōtsutsuki Toneri" (Toneri in the original)—would be ideal "vessels."

Unfortunately, high chances were that they were simply Kaguya's or her sons' pawns. They likely bore some kind of "Seal." Moving against them risked Kaguya discovering that Isshiki was still alive—and that might alert her two sons, who had once sealed her away. Their sealing method that had snared Kaguya was not something even Isshiki could lightly defy.

Plus, Isshiki did not know whether this family rift was a trap set specifically for him. For the sake of replanting a Divine Tree and obtaining the Chakra Fruit, Isshiki could not afford a rash move. He had already waited a thousand years; waiting a bit longer would not kill him.

"A thousand years have passed since Kaguya ate the fruit. The clan's higher authorities should've realized something amiss. They might well be on their way to this planet by now."

"Before they arrive, I must cultivate a perfect vessel that can fully bear my power. Otherwise, if they find out about the second Ten-Tails, they may pressure me into a lower rank."

Downing the remainder of the red wine in one gulp, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki thought grimly:

"Go on and keep making a ruckus, you lot. Your time is quickly running out."

…

Elsewhere in the shinobi world lay a sprawling plain marred by a colossal crater whose depths were unfathomable. Wisps of steam rose from cracks within. Within that giant pit lay Madara Uchiha, still clad in battered blue armor, staring up at the moon—now missing a third—murmuring to himself:

"A single blow… launched me all the way from the moon back to Earth. So that's the Tenseigan's power? No wonder he kept sneering at my Rinnegan—"

Thanks to Preta Path absorption, the defensive might of Susanoo, and at the last second Limbo: Border Jail's cooldown ending, Madara had survived being hurled from the moon's surface to Earth.

Though hammered so hard that he vomited blood and felt his insides roiling, thanks to Hashirama's cells and White Zetsu's cells integrated within him, so long as he was not killed on the spot, his injuries would rapidly heal.

What truly stung was his heart. The single shot from "Ōtsutsuki Toneri" had utterly shattered Madara's pride—and with it, his dream.

If Infinite Tsukuyomi truly served only to birth White Zetsu, then cutting off all karmic strife was little more than a cruel joke.

Meanwhile, his current strength proved insufficient to kill that "Ōtsutsuki Toneri" and save the ninja world's future. Whether forging a new peaceful realm or being the savior to deliver humanity, he was unfit.

Madara lay at the bottom of that pit, at a complete loss. A moment later, a familiar voice snapped him out of his daze:

"Madara-sama…"

Turning to see the upper half of Black and White Zetsu's figure emerging from the ground, Madara's gaze bored into the figure. Softly, he murmured:

"Ōtsutsuki… Black Zetsu."

"…"

Though formed by Yin–Yang Release and lacking a real heart, Black Zetsu suddenly felt an illusory seizure, like his heart was about to stop. Stifling a tremor in his voice, he feigned confusion:

"Madara-sama, you mean the Ōtsutsuki clan like Toneri's people? Why address me that way?"

Staring at Black Zetsu's unsettled expression—which seemed genuine—Madara did not clarify. Instead, he asked quietly:

"Black Zetsu, would you ever betray me?"

"I'm an embodiment of your will, the product of your creation. I'd never betray you!" Black Zetsu immediately replied, fear gnawing at him inside.

Hovering his gaze upon Black Zetsu for a moment, Madara slowly turned back to look at the partial moon. A laughless grin crossed his face:

"I suppose you're right. If you're my will incarnate, how could I not know it?"

"This time, I lost. That boy is a new kind of shinobi, far beyond my assumptions." Madara's voice grew more reflective. "But the Rinnegan and Tenseigan are both 'Sage Eyes.' They can't truly outrank each other—only differ in mastery. If I can't win, it just means I'm still not strong enough, that I still have room to grow."

"Let's go. We'll rebuild our strength."

With that, Madara soared upward via flight. Black and White Zetsu sank back into the soil. Before submerging completely, Black Zetsu's eyes flickered with sharp cunning.

Indeed, Madara had begun to suspect him. Possibly "Ōtsutsuki Toneri" had told Madara something. If so, was there a deeper scheme from the House of Hamura?

In a corner of his mind, Black Zetsu felt both fearful and furious: If only Tobi hadn't messed up reviving the Three-Tails so early, the Infinite Tsukuyomi plan would have gone off without a hitch. Their thousand-year plan was a hair's breadth from completion. Now it might disintegrate.

But as long as he survived, there was still a chance. So long as Madara cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi, Mother could be rescued. Then again, with Madara as the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, any attempt to undermine him would be far more difficult. He might even test its power on Black Zetsu first.

Yet, inwardly, Black Zetsu sneered: You have no clue how terrifyingly strong Mother truly is…

…

Meanwhile, high above, an unseen figure had witnessed the entire exchange between Madara and Black Zetsu.

This "wood clone" swiftly sent real-time intel to its original body. The real Izayoi, upon receiving the news, brimmed with delight:

He'd reaped a harvest even more satisfying. Because that single shot from the moon to Earth… had "dropped" its reward!

~~~

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