Opening

"Alright, enough talk. Let’s begin." Orochimaru stared at the Tenseigan and Red Queen, his eyes practically glowing. He could hardly wait to test the Genjutsu Space.

"Wait a little. We’ll use it after nightfall. We need some sense of ceremony, after all." Yota interrupted Orochimaru.

The moon created by the Sage of Six Paths was essentially a synchronous satellite. Its light constantly shone upon the shinobi continent below, and its revolution precisely matched the rotation of the planet beneath it—this was also the foundation of the Infinite Tsukuyomi plan. Otherwise, what if there was no moon on the day Infinite Tsukuyomi was cast?

Therefore, there was actually no issue with deploying the Genjutsu Space during the day or at night. It was just that if it was deployed in daylight, ordinary people would not notice anything unusual. If it was activated at night, however, they would be able to see the moon blaze with brilliant light.

Yota thought that this was, after all, a groundbreaking creation. Naturally, it needed a dazzling entrance.

Hearing that, the others restrained themselves as well. After anxiously waiting for several hours, until Earth’s shadow had covered the entire shinobi world, Yota finally prepared to activate the Genjutsu Space.

"Red Queen, conduct one final self-check. If there are no issues afterward, deploy the genjutsu barrier."

"Self-check initiated. Progress: 1%, 2%… 100%. First test deployment of the Genjutsu Space!"

At the same time, all living beings in the shinobi world saw the bright moon in the sky erupt in dazzling radiance, illuminating the entire world as brightly as day.

At the same time, every top-tier powerhouse in the world, as well as ninjas with sharp sensory abilities, felt an unimaginably powerful Chakra fluctuation sweep across the entire world.

One Toad Sage who had been gathering "research material" near the women’s bathhouse was so frightened that his heart trembled, and he shouted out, "Infinite Tsukuyomi!"

Then, in his agitation, he failed to control his Chakra, stomped a huge hole through the roof, and plunged headfirst into the bath.

When Jiraiya raised his head and prepared to flee, he discovered that he had arrived in a black conference room.

There was a round table in the conference room, surrounded by more than thirty seats. They were already filled with ninjas of all kinds, and Jiraiya was seated in one of them.

"What’s going on? Wasn’t I falling into the bath? Could this be the Infinite Tsukuyomi genjutsu? But wasn’t this genjutsu supposed to let people live the lives they wanted most? Why am I here attending a meeting? Shouldn’t I be surrounded by beautiful women?" Jiraiya looked around in confusion.

Although Jiraiya did not recognize everyone seated around him, the few he did recognize were already figures of immense importance, people whose slightest movement could cause an earthquake in the shinobi world.

They were the Kage and Jinchuriki of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, or top-tier powerhouses, even Kage-level ninjas. Some were likely S-Rank Rogue Ninja. Even those he could not identify seemed, judging from their presence, to have reached or come close to the Kage level.

Although there was no actual standard for Kage-level ninjas, nor had such a rank ever truly been established, it was customary to place certain powerhouses far beyond the jōnin level into this nonexistent category.

Yet a powerhouse of Jiraiya’s caliber could vaguely sense their strength. Nearly every one of them gave him a faint sense of danger.

Even if they truly fought, Jiraiya believed that at least eighty or ninety percent of them would not be his match. Still, they were all experts he could not ignore, people who had the potential to injure or even kill him.

At that moment, the other ninjas seated around the round table were also looking at one another, their faces filled with uncertainty and alarm. Clearly, they had been dragged here against their will as well.

Some of these ninjas even had old grudges against one another, including rogue ninjas who had betrayed their villages. If they had not suddenly been brought into this unfamiliar environment, judging by the way they glared at each other, they would likely have already started fighting.

"What exactly is going on? Who did this?" The Fourth Raikage, the most hot-tempered of them all, slammed his fist against the table with a loud bang. Then, without drawing attention to it, he rubbed his arm twice behind his back before speaking.

This conference room had been set to the highest strength the Genjutsu Space could provide. It was as hard as a Truth-Seeking Ball, so naturally the Fourth Raikage could not damage it.

Jiraiya observed carefully before saying with a frown, "The only major powerhouses in the shinobi world missing should be Yota and Orochimaru. Could they be responsible?"

"Orochimaru? He can do something like this?" The Fourth Raikage asked disdainfully, his bull-like eyes wide. As for Yota, the Fourth Raikage had never even heard his name, so naturally he could not connect him with the Black Shadow Ninja.

"Indeed, I merely handled some of the preliminary work. The one who truly completed this grand plan was Lord Yota."

A sinister voice came from outside the conference room. Orochimaru, Yota, and the others walked in. Yet the most eye-catching figure was Hamura Ōtsutsuki, who walked at the front beside Yota.

"An… Ancestor!?" Hiashi Hyuga, who had been sitting quietly and keeping a low profile, abruptly rose to his feet.

In terms of strength, he could almost be considered near the bottom among those present, having only barely qualified to enter this meeting. But in terms of status and heritage, as the Clan Head of the Hyuga clan, which had endured for nearly a thousand years, Hiashi Hyuga’s identity and credibility were almost second only to the current Five Kage.

Thus, when he uttered the words "Ancestor," every ninja present turned their gaze toward the old man.

The Hyuga clan’s ancestor? Who could that be?

Jiraiya frowned. During this period, he had asked the Great Toad Sage about many matters. The Hyuga clan’s ancestor? Could that be…?

"—Lord Hamura!" After sensing the nearly overwhelming ocular power radiating from the elderly man, Hiashi Hyuga seemed to confirm something. Flustered, he wanted to kneel in formal obeisance, but hesitated because this was only a Genjutsu Space and did not know what to do.

Hamura Ōtsutsuki. So it really was him, the younger brother of the Sage of Six Paths!

But was this the real person? Jiraiya found himself sharing Hiashi Hyuga’s thought. After all, this was someone from a thousand years ago, and they were currently within the Genjutsu Space.

Hamura Ōtsutsuki did not steal the spotlight. He merely flicked his sleeve, and suppressive Chakra directly forced Hiashi Hyuga back into his chair. Then he took two small steps back, revealing Yota.

"You, Black Shadow Ninja?! You’re behind all of this!?" the Fourth Raikage shouted coldly.

"You mean the Genjutsu Space? Yes, I made it. Originally, everyone should have been brought in, but to let people gradually get used to it, I brought you in first to give you notice." Yota said calmly.