"Ōtsutsuki Gen-shiki."
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki ignored the second name entirely, muttering the name that belonged to an Ōtsutsuki under her breath. Her cold gaze and the power she was ready to unleash seemed poised to strike the moment Kitagawa Minamoto broke the seal.
Watching this scene, Minamoto could only shake his head. It seemed the influence of the Ōtsutsuki clan on her was still too overwhelming.
"No need to be so guarded. I actually think we could have a proper conversation."
"A conversation?"
Kaguya frowned slightly, her voice as icy as ever.
"I don't think there's anything left for us to discuss."
"If we don't talk, how would you know there's no need?"
Controlling his Chakra avatar, Minamoto slowly descended to the ground. Although Kaguya's Chakra continued to ripple violently around them, it wasn't affecting him as much as one might expect. With the help of the giant Tenseigan, he managed to maintain stability in his form.
"Besides, didn't I already say I have another name? Kitagawa Minamoto."
"Kitagawa Minamoto..."
Kaguya raised an eyebrow. This name was completely different from an Ōtsutsuki name—it even sounded like...
"A name of a lower life form? You would set aside your pride and give yourself such a name?"
"No, to be precise, I've always been called Kitagawa Minamoto since I came to this world."
Minamoto chuckled and shook his head, looking at Kaguya seriously.
"But after I awakened my bloodline powers, I was 'given' the name Ōtsutsuki Gen-shiki."
Awakened bloodline powers? Hearing this, Kaguya's expression turned strange. She couldn't quite grasp what Minamoto meant.
"Or more accurately, I grew up in this world."
Still smiling, Minamoto stopped in front of Kaguya and spoke slowly.
"I grew up listening to the stories of the Sage of Six Paths—the tales of Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki."
"You... grew up in this world?"
Kaguya was incredulous, but now she didn't know what to say. The Ōtsutsuki clan was inherently proud, and they would never stoop to lying. This man's words left her momentarily unable to judge the truth.
How could an Ōtsutsuki appear in this world?
"That's right. I grew up in this world."
Minamoto put on a nostalgic expression. Perhaps he had deceived too many Ōtsutsuki, but his performance was remarkably natural.
"I once thought I was an ordinary person, until one day I realized something was off about my Chakra. From then on, I received a flood of information, and only then did I learn of my uniqueness. And I gained a new name..."
"Ōtsutsuki Gen-shiki?"
Kaguya frowned as she spoke, still filled with doubt.
"What are you trying to say, or what is your purpose?"
"I said we could talk, but before that, I need to understand your stance."
Minamoto shook his head, smiling as he replied.
"This will determine whether I kill you or find another way to communicate."
"Kill me?"
Kaguya's gaze sharpened, and her previously calming Chakra flared up once again.
"No need to react like this. If I truly intended to act, I wouldn't waste time talking."
Minamoto remained calm, seemingly unaffected by Kaguya's "stress response."
"Others, whether they're Ōtsutsuki or not, you might even recognize the two I've dealt with."
"Who?"
Kaguya's eyes narrowed warily, but Minamoto merely chuckled. His Chakra rippled slightly, and two figures constructed from Chakra appeared beside him.
Kaguya glanced at them, and her heart sank. The two figures were unmistakably Isshiki and Urashiki!
Of course, Isshiki's condition seemed unusual—it was clearly a Kāma, and it was nearing "complete revival."
"Isshiki? And Urashiki?"
"That's right. That's how they introduced themselves."
"What happened to them?"
"Ōtsutsuki Isshiki was forced into revival by me, but he didn't have many days left and reverted to being a Kāma."
"..."
"As for Ōtsutsuki Urashiki, his fate was even worse."
"..."
"His energy was refined into a 'pill,' his body was left behind, and he himself is now a Kāma."
"..."
Kaguya's eyes widened in disbelief. She knew these two well. One was once her guardian and the source of her deepest fear. She knew her ambush hadn't killed Isshiki, and that he would either return for revenge or serve as a beacon for other clan members. This was why she had begun her preparations.
Urashiki, on the other hand, was clearly sent to hunt her down, a formidable adversary even a thousand years ago.
But now, both of them had been dealt with by this Ōtsutsuki Gen-shiki? Not only that, Urashiki had been refined into a pill, his body preserved as a trophy?
How was that possible?! Could he really be that powerful? What was going on here?!
"You..."
Kaguya was stunned for a long time before finally asking in disbelief.
"Do you know what you're saying, and do you understand the consequences if you've truly done this?"
"You still don't believe me?"
Minamoto didn't mind. He shook his head lightly and replied,
"I have no need to deceive you. Although you are strong, if I truly wanted to deal with you, it wouldn't be impossible."
Minamoto wasn't joking. While Kaguya's "bloodline development level" was indeed higher than his, it wasn't by much. He could clearly sense her "upper limit." But he hadn't reached that level yet, especially...
"When I dealt with Urashiki, I was far weaker than I am now. And I'm not Isshiki—don't doubt my words."
Minamoto's calm confidence was evident, and he had always been a reliable source of information.
"Besides, I should thank your sons for everything."
"Hamura and Hagoromo?"
At the mention of her sons, Kaguya's expression darkened further. But Minamoto continued speaking calmly,
"Rest assured, they're in the Pure Land. They went there of their own accord, and strictly speaking, I've never met them, let alone fought them."
"Never... met or fought them?"
Kaguya was incredulous, but Minamoto nodded.
"That's right. Think carefully—did I ever say I fought them? Did I ever claim they were killed?"
"..."
Kaguya thought back, and realized he hadn't. He had merely used vague language to guide her thoughts in that direction. Or perhaps, she had subconsciously assumed so upon meeting him.
Still, why would he thank Hagoromo and Hamura?
"I owe my current abilities largely to them—or rather, to Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths."
Sensing Kaguya's confusion, Minamoto continued.
"If he hadn't shared Chakra with the world, it would be difficult for such power to exist. And if not for the conflict between Indra and Asura, which continued for a thousand years, I wouldn't be who I am today."
Aware of her lack of information, Minamoto briefly recounted the events of the past thousand years in a relatively objective manner. He wasn't afraid of revealing his identity to Kaguya—whether she could escape or not was entirely up to him now.
This meant he could speak freely with this "ancestor of the ninja world" without fear of others discovering what was said. Besides, the Sage brothers knew everything, and they hadn't intervened, which spoke volumes.
"But they're not responding even now?"
Minamoto was also curious. This was their seal, after all. They could hear everything he was doing and his conversation with Kaguya. Their silence suggested either curiosity about his intentions or an acknowledgment that they couldn't stop him anyway!
"So that's how it was..."
After Minamoto briefly outlined the events of the past millennium, Kaguya seemed dazed.
"I never imagined so much would happen during the thousand years of my imprisonment."
"Indeed."
Minamoto nodded, sighing as well.
"A thousand years may not mean much to you, but it's quite different for others."
"How ironic."
After a moment, Kaguya regained her composure, once again adopting her cold demeanor.
"Not only did they seal me, but they didn't spare Indra and Asura either. Truly worthy of him."
"?"
Minamoto was taken aback—he hadn't intended to steer the conversation in that direction.
"And he claimed to protect everyone, yet his methods were even more cruel than mine."
Before Minamoto could speak, Kaguya continued icily.
"A thousand years of war—I can't imagine how many died, how many suffered endlessly. Even I must admire his ruthlessness."
"..."
"But this millennium of conflict tempered the will of these lower beings, cultivated their fighting spirit and determination, and equipped them with countless battle techniques."
"..."
"Yet he didn't truly win. If what you say is true, the greatest variable is you—an Ōtsutsuki born again for unknown reasons!"
"..."
Minamoto was at a loss for words. He hadn't embellished anything, yet the conclusion had still gone in this direction. If he hadn't seen the "original story," he might have questioned whether the Sage of Six Paths truly had such intentions.
He also noticed Kaguya's choice of words—clearly, she hadn't fully believed him. But that was to be expected. Even if she was somewhat naive, she wouldn't completely trust an Ōtsutsuki who had appeared out of nowhere.
"While I think your assumptions are extreme, believe what you will. I've learned what I needed to know."
Minamoto shook his head calmly. He had confirmed Kaguya's attitude, and now he could proceed to the next step.
"You can rest easy now. I won't kill you, especially since your two sons are still around. Besides, I need your help."
"Help?"
Kaguya frowned, and Minamoto replied directly.
"Yes, and there are matters where I could use your experience."
"Help..."
Kaguya's eyes widened slightly as she considered what kind of help he might need, but Minamoto didn't wait for her to finish her thought.
"Indeed. Moreover, I believe you can be of value."
"Are you suggesting—"
"Don't you yearn to see your children again? Do you want to remain sealed here forever?"
"..."
"Or would you prefer that I treat you like Urashiki, refining you into a 'pill' to nourish myself for the sake of this world?"
At this point, Minamoto paused, looking at the silent Kaguya before changing his tone.
"In a sense, we are natural allies, but only if you're willing to change your perspective."
"Of course, I understand you don't trust me yet, but that's fine."
"I won't forcibly break this seal, but I can take a portion of your Chakra with me."
"This way, you can use that Chakra to see this world anew."
"And you can verify whether what I've told you is true."
With that, Minamoto fell silent.
Looking at the quiet Kaguya, he couldn't help but think to himself:
"At the same time, you can use your experience to help me plant the Divine Tree..."
"This child is truly..."
In the Pure Land, the Sage brothers silently watched the scene reflected in the sky, finally sighing in unison.
Minamoto had guessed correctly—the Sage brothers had indeed noticed something was amiss. They hadn't expected Minamoto to progress so rapidly, let alone find their mother's seal so quickly!
And more importantly, he had just walked right in?
Honestly, they were stunned at that moment. They knew their mother's capabilities all too well.
But equally, they knew how terrifying Minamoto could be!
They genuinely feared he might impulsively treat their mother as "prey" and eliminate her.
But now it seemed Minamoto was more level-headed than they had anticipated, and he had ideas they had never considered.
"Brother, do you think this is really feasible?"
After a while, Hamura, who usually enjoyed playful banter, grew serious.
"Mother was quite resolute back then."
"I don't know either."
The Sage of Six Paths wore an expression of helplessness. Minamoto had truly pushed their "boundaries" this time.
Yet the consequences of crossing this boundary seemed different from what they had imagined.
"When we sealed Mother, it was partly due to conflicting ideologies and wills. But Minamoto..."
"He seems determined to forcibly break Mother's perceptions!"
Hamura understood his brother's meaning, and the Sage nodded with resignation.
"Indeed, how could that be easy?"
If it had been easy, that great battle would never have occurred in the first place.
But now, with things having progressed to this point, even he was uncertain.
"Perhaps we should just observe for now..."
As the Sage pondered in confusion, Hamura spoke after a moment of contemplation, causing the Sage to look at him quizzically.
"Just watch?"
"What else can we do? Warn him?"
"Well..."
"Besides, Mother hasn't escaped yet, and even if she did, he wouldn't fear her."
"That's what I'm most concerned about."
"Since that's the case, why not see what he'll do?"
Hamura paused, then looked back at the scene unfolding in the sky.
"I know it's not ideal, but I'm curious to see how far this child can go, and whether Mother might change."
"You're too carefree..."
The Sage rubbed his temples, still deep in thought, but Hamura just smiled.
"Didn't you say we should trust in the next generation? Don't you want to see what changes might come over Mother?"
"I..."
The Sage was at a loss for words, but Hamura's expression suddenly turned strange.
"Or could it be that Mother was right?"
"..."
"Are you really the kind of—"
"Shut up!"
The Sage abruptly cut off his brother's words, then turned his gaze skyward.
After a while, he finally shook his head.
Perhaps, deep down, he too wanted to see what would happen.
Meanwhile, in the Akatsuki's hideout, Isshiki was using his power to locate and awaken Urashiki's Kāma. Since sensing it, he had been working tirelessly.
"Why isn't there any response? Is he in too deep a slumber?"
His frustration was mounting when suddenly, he sensed something.
"Urashiki is responding?!"
Elated, he quickly established a Chakra channel following the response. In an instant, his Chakra intertwined with Urashiki's faint signature.
Their consciousnesses gradually entered a virtual space.
"Urashiki, it's been a long—"
As their forms materialized, Isshiki began to greet him.
But before he could finish, Urashiki, who had initially seemed disoriented, suddenly paled. He instinctively stepped back in terror, then shouted:
"Isshiki?! It's you?! Don't come any closer!"
"..."
Ōtsutsuki Isshiki's expression froze completely. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
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