Within the core of the Ancestral Star, a God Tree blotted out the sun.
Shun slowly stepped forward, breathing in the Natural Energy that was so dense it was almost tangible. He raised his hand to push aside a giant broadleaf blocking his path, and his gaze slowly ascended toward the top of the God Tree.
Now, nourished by the continuous flow of Natural Energy from 56 Life Planets, this God Tree had grown to a height of over 10,600 meters, with a trunk so thick it would take over a hundred people joining hands to encircle it.
He came to a halt in front of the base of the God Tree and gently touched its trunk.
A clear wave of consciousness came through, devoid of any violence or malice, as clear as a fifteen-year-old boy's voice and carrying a sense of closeness. "Master, you're back."
Shun recalled this God Tree's past. Once, it had been imprisoned by Isshiki in an Alternate Dimension for over a thousand years, with no Natural Energy to replenish it, only endless cold and captivity. Moreover, Isshiki would forcibly drain its Chakra from time to time, making it feel as if it were in Hell.
But a while ago, he personally slew Isshiki that he rescued this God Tree seedling from the Alternate Dimension and transplanted it to this energy-rich place.
Since then, he had fed it massive amounts of Natural Energy every day and even specifically captured several Otsutsuki for the God Tree to absorb.
The shift from Hell to Heaven made the God Tree incredibly satisfied with its current life and deeply dependent on Shun, who had given it all of this. The bond between them had long since surpassed that of master and vassal, becoming more like family.
Shun didn't waste time on pleasantries and directly stated the purpose of his visit, "I am going to deal with the Otsutsuki Upper Echelon. This journey is dangerous, and I will need to use your Chakra."
Upon hearing this, the God Tree's trunk fluctuated violently, and several thick branches rose. Clearly, the word "Otsutsuki" had triggered its painful memories of a thousand years.
"The Otsutsuki clan... they deserve to die."
Shun gently patted the trunk to soothe it, saying, "This time, I will deal with them once and for all, so they can no longer plague the Universe. Consider it a way to settle this past for you as well."
The next second, countless strands of golden Chakra emerged from the God Tree, converging onto Shun like a surging golden waterfall.
The God Tree's consciousness came through again, carrying a firm intent. "This is my Chakra, I hope it helps you. The Otsutsuki are powerful. Please be careful. Do not let yourself fall into danger."
The majestic energy continuously poured into Shun's body, and the aura around him climbed significantly as a result.
He could clearly feel the sentiment transmitted by the God Tree—it was unreserved trust and support.
He stroked the trunk firmly once more and smiled slightly. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'll catch some Otsutsuki to bring back and feed you."
"Okay, I'll wait for you to come back."
The God Tree's consciousness carried a faint, imperceptible anticipation, and the golden patterns on its trunk became softer.
Shun gave a slight nod to the God Tree and turned to open the teleportation portal.
The God Tree's thickest branch bent slightly in a steady nod, and the large leaves at the end of the branch swayed gently as if waving goodbye to him.
The God Tree's consciousness came through once more. "Thank you for rescuing me from the darkness all those years ago and for giving me a stable environment to grow. To me, you have long since ceased to be just a master, you are more like a trustworthy companion. I hope you remain safe, not just for my sake, but for the lives you protect."
Shun's gaze softened. He had never imagined the God Tree would evolve to such a point.
"I am happy to be considered a companion by you. Rest assured, I will definitely return safely."
Having received an affirmative answer, the God Tree's branches swayed steadily a few more times, scattering more golden specks of light.
Shun suppressed the warmth in his heart and then opened a portal to Kaguya's dimension. He took one last look at the God Tree before stepping into the Spatial Gate, his figure instantly vanishing.
Within her personal dimension, Kaguya stood in the center, dressed in a white gown embroidered with silver patterns. Her long hair cascaded down, the ends adorned with several pale purple gemstones. She lowered her eyes slightly, and within her cool aura, there was an added touch of anxious waiting.
Sensing the familiar spatial fluctuations, she snapped her head up. Her cold eyes instantly filled with warmth, and her previously tense body relaxed.
"You're back? Did everything go smoothly? Did you run into any trouble?"
Kaguya quickly walked over to Shun, her voice losing its usual coldness as the worry in her eyes slightly faded.
"Yes, it was very smooth. I didn't run into any trouble."
Shun took Kaguya's slightly cool hand, his mood reassuring. "The God Tree was very cooperative and gave me enough Chakra. Now, we can set out."
They had already secretly discussed the plan to deal with the Otsutsuki Upper Echelon many times, considering every detail with extreme thoroughness.
Hearing the confirmation again, Kaguya gripped his hand a bit tighter, revealing her worry and concern.
She took a deep breath and solemnly cautioned him, "This journey is dangerous. Those Otsutsuki are all ruthless and possess numerous Shinjutsu. Remember to be careful and do not push yourself too hard just to protect me."
After speaking, she slowly released his hand and sliced her finger through the air.
A spatial gate opened, and Kaguya led Shun as they leaped through different spatial dimensions, the surrounding scenery changing rapidly.
In just a few days, the two had teleported to the Ōtsutsuki Planet.
The spatial fluctuations suddenly subsided, and their figures appeared on a massive planet.
A bone-chilling wind carrying ice shards whipped against them. Shun instinctively shielded Kaguya at his side while simultaneously channeling Chakra to form a barrier, blocking out the freezing wind and ice shards.
He warily scanned the surroundings as Divine Eye quietly activated.
This was the home planet of the Ōtsutsuki clan. Looking around, the planet's surface was exceptionally desolate, with 70% of the area covered in thick glaciers that reflected the cold starlight.
The howling wind swirled sharp ice shards across the surface, making a piercing screech like countless lost souls wailing in despair, which made one's heart tighten.
In the center of this desolate glacier, a colossal God Tree stood tall, piercing through the planet's atmosphere. The trunk of this God Tree was a deep black, faintly emitting a violent aura.
This was the progenitor of the God Trees, the source of all God Tree seedlings in the Universe and the root of everything.
Shun gazed at the Progenitor God Tree, his Divine God rapidly operating to analyze its energy fluctuations. He could clearly sense that within the aura of the Progenitor God Tree, there was a dense mixture of malice and predatory desire. Clearly, it was the root of the Ōtsutsuki clan's plundering of Natural Energy.
The Ōtsutsuki clan used the power of the God Tree to get stronger, and while the two were interdependent, it had plunged the entire Universe into suffering.
Kaguya's gaze was fixed intently on the depths of the planet, where a black palace was faintly visible.
"The Otsutsuki Upper Echelon used to have eighteen seats. My parents were once two of them. Now only ten seats remain."
Her voice carried a thick hatred, and her teeth were slightly clenched.
The palace was surrounded by dense black Chakra, like a giant web.
"Back then, because they were unwilling to participate in the cruel internal strife of the upper echelon, and even less willing to assist the wicked by helping the Progenitor God Tree plunder the life of other planets, they were framed by the other seats. They were branded as 'traitors to the clan' and ultimately died tragically in front of the palace. Their Chakra was drained and their souls were destroyed. I will settle this personally today."
The cold wind whipped her long hair, and her white robes flapped loudly in the wind. Within her cool aura, there was an added sense of resolve and madness.
Shun clearly felt the long-suppressed hatred and pain in her heart, and a pang of pity rose within him.
He gently pulled Kaguya into his arms, patting her back softly to soothe her and conveying his strength and tenderness.
"Don't worry, I will help you. Not just for your revenge, but also to end the tyranny of the Ōtsutsuki clan, purify the malice of the God Tree, and return peace to the Universe. More importantly, I will keep you safe and never let you suffer even a fraction of harm again. Once we've dealt with them, we'll go home—back to a place that belongs only to us."
Held in Shun's arms and feeling the familiar warmth and steady heartbeat, the hatred in Kaguya's eyes receded slightly, and her heart found some comfort.
She leaned against Shun's shoulder, took a deep breath, and buried her cheek in his chest, drawing from his warmth to calm her agitated emotions.
A moment later, she straightened up, wiped away the imperceptible traces of tears from the corners of her eyes, and her gaze became firm once more.
With a wave of her hand, a black spatial gate opened again, leading directly toward the black palace.
"Let's go. Let's meet those so-called Otsutsuki Upper Echelon and make them pay the price they deserve for what they did back then."
The two looked at each other, their eyes filled with resolve and mutual understanding.
Shun squeezed Kaguya's hand tightly before letting go. Both stepped into the rift simultaneously, their figures instantly vanishing from the glacier.
Long before setting out, Shun had already activated Ten Directions to view all possible futures of this infiltration.
Countless future images flashed rapidly through his mind. Every barrier node inside the black palace, the trigger mechanism of every hidden trap, and even the shift change times of the patrolling guards were clearly captured and memorized by him.
Now, as he stepped into the palace's perimeter, those future images perfectly overlapped with reality.