The palace doors swung open, and lining the hallway on both sides were ranks of mechanical guards—sleek, imposing mecha puppets. As one, they bowed deeply, their voices ringing out in perfect, metallic harmony:
"Welcome home, Lord Ryūshiki!"
Kaguya's eyes widened in awe. She'd never seen anything like this before. "What… are these?"
Ryūshiki answered with a hint of pride, "My own creation—Asura mecha soldiers."
Curious, Kaguya stepped closer to one of the mecha and reached out to touch it. The surface was cold—an unfamiliar, unnatural material, utterly unlike anything she'd known.
For the Ōtsutsuki clan, chakra itself was the ultimate weapon. They could shape blades and unleash devastating taijutsu with pure chakra, making conventional weapons redundant. They'd never experienced a "Stone Age" or wrestled with minerals; their power came directly from their bloodline.
In fact, mecha and Takamagahara's ancient aesthetic couldn't have been more out of place.
But for Kaguya—fresh from a century of secluded living, still a stranger to the wider world—she found it fascinating, not jarring.
She followed Ryūshiki deeper into the palace, into what passed for a living room.
The space was wide, yet cluttered. A massive table dominated half the room, its surface buried under blueprints and mechanical parts—gears, tubes, strange devices.
Specimens hung from the walls: plants, animals, and even preserved Rinnegan eyes.
In a world where the Ōtsutsuki ruled by innate power and divine talent, the seeds of science—life science, natural science—had quietly begun to sprout in this hidden corner.
"Sorry for the mess," Ryūshiki said, starting to tidy up. "I've been busy."
Kaguya's attention was caught by the mechanical parts. She picked up a sleeve-shaped device, slipped it over her hand, and—click, click!—the pincer-like claws at its tip opened and closed with a satisfying snap.
Ryūshiki noticed her interest and couldn't resist explaining.
"Our clan's strength comes from genetics, but nature's mysteries go far beyond that. I'm trying to push those boundaries."
He gestured to the room.
"Most of my kin with the Rinnegan rely too much on the eyes' built-in jutsu. But the Rinnegan's potential is much broader than that…"
"I'm working on expanding what the Rinnegan can do—using its Ōmononushi power to design and craft these devices from refined metals. Some are for battle, some for daily life."
He pointed to a locked cabinet.
"I even built an 'Asura Path Arsenal.' All my finished inventions go in there. Anyone with the Rinnegan's Asura Path ability can summon them as weapons."
As he cleared the table, a parchment slipped aside, revealing a small, battered turtle-shaped object.
Kaguya's gaze landed on it. "A turtle? Is this another weapon you made?"
Ryūshiki smiled. "No, that's 'Ri.' I found it treasure hunting in the ruins of Mount Myōboku. It's broken—I'm trying to fix it."
Kaguya frowned. "Why bother with things like this? Is it to get stronger?"
Ryūshiki chuckled. "Just for fun, really."
He didn't mention his other achievements—like using the Futsunomitama power to form contracts with legendary beasts and creating a dimensional space called the Realm of Reincarnation.
Once the table was tidy, Ryūshiki climbed up onto a tall chair, his feet resting on the rungs.
Kaguya sat opposite him.
But Ryūshiki hadn't brought her here just to show off his inventions. He had something more important to discuss.
Under the dim candlelight, Ryūshiki leaned forward, hands supporting his chin, his face unusually serious.
"Kaguya, do you know what mission your father assigned you and Isshiki in the lower realm?"
Kaguya answered without hesitation, "Transform the Ten-Tails into a Divine Tree and harvest the chakra fruit."
Ryūshiki nodded. "So you already know. Isshiki must have taught you the reincarnation technique called 'Karma,' right?"
"Mm." Kaguya nodded.
When she learned she would be the one sacrificed to the Ten-Tails, she felt… oddly at peace.
She spoke her true feelings.
"I don't plan to find a vessel for my resurrection."
Ryūshiki's eyes softened. "You don't want an innocent person to lose their life for your sake, do you?"
Kaguya nodded silently. Losing Aiki had left a wound she'd never heal—she couldn't bear to hurt another human.
Ryūshiki paused, then revealed a secret.
"Actually, the Karma reincarnation method? I created it. Before Karma, a clan member had to willingly sacrifice themselves to become the Divine Tree—no chance of coming back."
Kaguya's eyes dimmed. The warmth she'd just begun to feel for Ryūshiki faded, replaced by a chill at the clan's cruelty.
But Ryūshiki continued,
"No one knows this, but I left a 'back door' in Karma. Resurrection isn't mandatory. There's another way—the human chosen as a vessel can coexist with the god who marked them. That can unlock power greater than anything before."
"Yes, Karma carries my hope that gods and humans could face each other honestly. Sadly, no one in the clan has ever tried that path…"
Kaguya watched Ryūshiki's melancholy expression and realized she'd misunderstood him.
She couldn't help but ask, "How do you view humans?"
Ryūshiki met her gaze. "Want the truth?"
Kaguya nodded. "Yes."
Ryūshiki's eyes grew somber.
"Survival of the fittest is nature's law. I'm not compassionate enough to deny that with my own will…"
"Species compete, the strong survive."
"But you know… our clan's evolution lost its way long ago. We're stuck in a dead end."
"We became obsessed with evolution and lost our essence as living beings."
"If only this evolution could be halted, even a little…"
He looked away, voice heavy.
"I've calculated it: the birth of a single 'Supreme God' would cost the extinction of every other species."
"So even if our clan succeeds—if we breed the one true Supreme God through endless plunder and selection—what's left? A lifeless world, empty and hopeless. Just more loneliness."
He sighed.
"Our clan is twisted now—once masters of chakra, now slaves to it. Honestly… I think humans, who haven't even awakened chakra, understand the true meaning of life far better."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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