Chapter 401: Damn You, Haneda!
Haneda seemed deep in thought. After silently issuing a command in his mind, a faint blue screen, visible only to him, materialized before his eyes.
[Uchiha Haneda]
[Strength: Beyond the Six Paths]
[Chakra: 1008.6 units, Attributes: Water, Earth, Wind, Fire, Lightning, Yin, Yang]
[Kekkei Genkai: Rinnegan, Perfect Sage Body, Wood Release, Ice Release, Scorch Release, Explosion Release, Lava Release, Boil Release, Blaze Release, Dust Release, Flame Release, Shikotsumyaku]
[Special Abilities: Eight Gates – Gate of View (47/100), Mastery of Hatake Swordsmanship (91/100), Flying Thunder God Technique (100/100), Blaze Release Chakra Mode (100/100), Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode (93/100), Kagura Mind's Eye, Truth-Seeking Orbs, Tenseigan Chakra Mode]
[Ocular Techniques: Almighty Push, Amenotejikara, Kotoamatsukami, Universal Pull, Chibaku Tensei… (omissions refer to standard Rinnegan abilities seen with Nagato), Bishamonten Heaven, Fukurokuju…]
[Senjutsu: White Fury Technique, Reincarnation of the Inorganic, Ghostly Phantasm, Levitation Technique]
"Beyond the Six Paths? That name feels a bit perfunctory."
"Not that it matters. Other than providing this status panel, this system doesn't seem to serve much purpose."
"Although my chakra is ten times what it was after awakening the Rinnegan, it's less than I expected. Likely because the chakra of the Nue within me hasn't been accounted for, as the Yang Seal is still in place."
After carefully reviewing the details and confirming there were no issues, Haneda activated his Tenseigan Chakra Mode and took off into outer space.
Upon leaving the moon's atmosphere, he reached the vast expanse of space.
(Don't ask why there's an atmosphere; this is another world, and such details don't need to be explained.)
A powerful pressure bore down on every part of his body, as though his blood was about to make him explode from within.
Yet, Haneda remained unfazed. With a casual pat on his clothing, the strange sensations dissipated entirely.
He flew far from the moon, gazing back at the celestial bodies.
The blue planet and the crater-ridden, gray-white satellite were clearly visible.
The Otsutsuki clan on the moon resided on its near side, the side visible from Earth. From Earth's perspective, it was a different scene altogether.
But Haneda was looking at the unflattering far side of the moon, each crater marking where a meteor had once struck.
He quietly observed Earth and the moon for a moment before turning back instead of delving deeper into the stars.
With his overwhelming chakra reserves, Haneda decided against using the efficient Bishamonten Heaven to return.
Instead, he flew back in his Tenseigan Chakra Mode, streaking through the cosmos.
From the ninja world below—Konoha, Kumogakure, Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and Sunagakure—everyone who looked to the sky witnessed an awe-inspiring sight.
A green meteor streaked across the starry sky, plunging rapidly toward the moon!
Konoha Village.
A child holding a lollipop tugged at a woman's sleeve, his dark eyes wide with curiosity as he pointed to the sky.
"Mom, what brand of shooting star is that? It's green!"
"Green?"
The mother thought she'd misheard, but when she looked up, she too was full of questions like the children around her.
Land of Lightning.
An astronomy enthusiast was adjusting his telescope to observe the moon.
He had just aligned the telescope when his hand slipped slightly, moving the lens.
As he went to readjust it, he saw something he would never forget:
A humanoid figure enveloped in some kind of green substance hurtling downward at incredible speed.
The figure disappeared in the blink of an eye, but the scene left a deep impression.
One word came to mind to describe what he had seen: Heavenly Descent Immortal!
"There's an ancient legend from hundreds of years ago—a deity called the Rabbit Goddess came from the moon, bringing calamity to humanity…"
"Could it be…? I must inform Lord Raikage immediately!"
...
What transpired on the blue planet was unknown to Haneda. Even if he knew, he wouldn't care.
By then, he had already returned to the moon and was standing above the city built by the Otsutsuki clan.
Using the Byakugan ability inherent to the Tenseigan, he locked onto the location of Kakashi and Sakumo, who were climbing a mountain several kilometers away.
Kakashi was chatting casually with Sakumo, his expression relaxed and cheerful.
Upon closer inspection, Haneda noticed that Kakashi was carrying a large backpack, seemingly planning to camp at the mountain's peak.
Haneda chuckled softly. The urge to share his thoughts faded slightly. With a wave of his hand, he opened a space portal and stepped through.
When he emerged again, he was already back in Konoha.
Suddenly, Haneda's Tenseigan instincts picked up a familiar chakra signature.
He deactivated his Tenseigan and Rinnegan, concealing all his chakra. Using Flying Thunder God, he appeared at the Memorial Stone.
"Oh, Obito. I didn't expect you to return to Konoha so late at night. Are you… here to lay flowers?"
Haneda noticed a bouquet in front of Rin's grave.
When he turned to Obito, their eyes met—Haneda's calm gaze meeting Obito's lone, exposed Sharingan.
Obito spoke casually:
"It's been a long time since I've seen that coward. Does he know I come here often and avoid me on purpose?"
"Where is he? Is he alive or dead?"
Haneda replied, "He's in a very secluded spot, climbing a mountain. Looks like he plans to camp at the summit, maybe to catch the sunrise before dawn."
Obito sneered. "Looks like last time wasn't enough of a wake-up call. He's already so far gone he can't even muster the courage to honor the past."
Haneda grinned. "Are you complaining he hasn't brought flowers for Rin?"
Obito fell silent, not answering.
After a few seconds, he asked nonchalantly, "It's been half a year since you last came to Konoha…"
Haneda laughed. "How do you know I haven't returned? Have you been coming back often? Can't let go of me, or is it Kakashi you can't let go of?"
"…" Obito was silent again.
The truth was, he couldn't let go of either—whether out of selfishness or idealism.
He needed to monitor Haneda's actions to prepare for the chaos when Haneda and Nagato ignited the Fourth Great Ninja War, giving him a chance to capture the tailed beasts.
After a while, Obito said calmly, "When do you plan to act against the ignorant ninja villages?"
Haneda replied, "Take a guess."
"Damn you, Haneda! Are you doing this on purpose?!"
"Keep guessing."
"…"
Obito huffed in frustration and decided to ignore Haneda, whose demeanor suddenly seemed as mischievous as a child's.
He suspected Haneda was deliberately withholding key information, like the timing of his "death," just to annoy him.
"If that's the case, there's no point in staying here any longer."
As Obito began phasing out with Kamui, Haneda suddenly said:
"I plan to have Shikaku announce to the world in three days that I've died from illness."