"Who?!"
Hinata's heart tightened. Just now, she could have sworn she'd caught a flicker of something deep underground.
She focused, held her breath, and swept her gaze around. But the disturbance was gone without a trace. If anything—her sight almost brushed against some hidden subterranean facilities beneath the village.
"Was it… just my imagination…?"
She dismissed her Byakugan, returned the scroll to its original place, confirmed there was nothing unusual around her, and left the hidden chamber.
At the same time, Black Zetsu took the risk of being discovered and rose out of the ground, trying desperately to look toward Hinata's palm.
"Nothing."
It murmured under its breath, but then recalled what had just happened: only after Hinata activated the Byakugan did it sense that faint, elusive connection.
A "Karma" seal was a tool the Ōtsutsuki used for reincarnation and resurrection.
In essence, it compressed all of an Ōtsutsuki's life information into a single "file." Over time, that file would gradually "thaw." When the data fully thawed, the host's body would be completely overwritten, allowing the Ōtsutsuki to revive.
A Karma could be more than one. And a "vessel" capable of bearing Karma could be more than one, too.
And—resurrection was a passive process: only when the Ōtsutsuki's original body died would the Karma on the vessel activate.
But here was the problem.
Mother was immortal.
After devouring the chakra fruit, Mother's life had evolved far beyond ordinary Ōtsutsuki—touching the realm of undying immortality. That was precisely why Hagoromo and Hamura had used sealing techniques, and why Black Zetsu had been born in the first place.
Black Zetsu itself was, in a sense, a type of "Karma." It carried part of Kaguya's information, along with a physical body and consciousness created through Yin–Yang Release.
So there was only one explanation left.
After a thousand years of erosion, Mother inside the seal had weakened to the point where she could be killed.
Hamura must have noticed this and ordered his moonline descendants to build a weapon capable of truly killing Mother. And Hinata was Mother's chosen "backup"—slowly carving a Karma through the bond of bloodline.
If Mother really was killed, she could still revive through Karma.
The more Black Zetsu thought, the more convinced it became. "Then there are three things to do now: protect Hyuga Hinata, confirm the true state of Hamura's line, and… continue pushing the Eye of the Moon Plan."
White Zetsu didn't understand. "If Kaguya can revive through Hinata's body, do we still need to continue the Eye of the Moon Plan?"
"Kaguya is special," Black Zetsu explained patiently.
"Ordinary Ōtsutsuki revive through Karma and only need to keep collecting chakra to regain their former strength. But Kaguya and the Ten-Tails are one. Without the Ten-Tails, a Kaguya revived through Karma can be killed."
"And in the current ninja world, there aren't many qualified vessels. It took ages for even one Hyuga Hinata to appear."
White Zetsu nodded as if enlightened. "I get it—you want Hinata to become the Ten-Tails jinchūriki, right?"
Black Zetsu's eyes brightened. "Your brain is rarely useful, but this time it actually was."
White Zetsu giggled. "Ooooh… poor Uchiha Madara… getting tossed aside like this."
"Shut your mouth," Black Zetsu snapped.
Hinata wasn't an Uchiha. Trying the old "lose your love" routine to push her into becoming the Ten-Tails jinchūriki probably wouldn't work. And with Hamura's line watching her like hawks, they'd be protecting her—setting a trap on her would be suicidal.
"Welcome!"
Seeing Hinata and Kiyonari, Ayame's face immediately lit up with a warm smile. "Kiyonari and Hinata! Long time no see. What would you like today?"
"Hmm… a bowl of chāshū ramen," Hinata ordered, then turned to the person beside her. "What about you, Kiyonari-kun?"
"I'll have rice noodles."
Hyuga Kiyonari propped his cheek on his hand, tilted his body slightly, and looked at Hinata's worried expression. "Hey—looking at you, you're still anxious about that thing?"
"Mm." Hinata nodded.
"Don't think too hard. Eat properly. If the sky falls, there'll be someone taller holding it up." Kiyonari waved it off, then smoothly changed the topic. "Oh, did you hear about the huge splash Ino's making lately?"
"Ino? What happened?"
Kiyonari continued, "After her clothing designs got featured in a magazine, a famous clothing shop in the capital took a liking to her. After New Year's, they're going to hold a fashion show just for her. They say—even the daimyo's wife was intrigued and plans to come stay in Konoha for a while."
"Really?" Hinata's attention was instantly drawn in. "So Ino got what she wanted… her hobby and her hard work finally got recognized."
As they spoke, Teuchi brought over their ramen and rice noodles. "Sorry to keep you waiting!"
"Thanks, Teuchi!" Kiyonari accepted the bowl and didn't forget the topic. "Oh right, Ino specifically came to ask me yesterday—she wants to invite us to go watch when the time comes…"
"I should… be able to."
They ate and chatted. Kiyonari told her light stories from the border—like Kakashi and Might Guy's bond…
Those easy topics gradually loosened the knot in Hinata's chest.
Warm broth slid down her throat, and time quietly flowed.
But they didn't know that outside Ichiraku, in a dim corner, a boy with closed eyes had been "watching" the two of them the whole time.
Ōtsutsuki Toneri.
This wasn't his first time sneaking down to the surface. Compared to the desolate moon, this vibrant land naturally stirred his yearning.
And yet—every time he came down, he always found himself drifting toward Konoha, silently "gazing" from afar at the Hyuga, his distant relatives.
He liked them. Especially Hyuga Hinata.
But as a branch member, Toneri had his eyes removed at birth. He could only rely on a chakra-condensed "mind's eye" to sense the world.
Because of that, the tiny motions of a girl lowering her head shyly, the unconscious bounce of her legs when she laughed—
In his unique perception, those things became even more vivid and clear than what ordinary eyes could see.
Watching Hinata smile and chat with Kiyonari, an indescribable discomfort churned inside Toneri.
What was this feeling?
Jealousy? Anger? Or loneliness?
Even Toneri couldn't name it. The only thing he could clearly sense was this: when Hinata aimed that bright smile at someone else, his heart felt like an invisible hand squeezed it hard—dull, suffocating pain.
The impulse was uncontrollable. He stood up abruptly and took his first step toward Hinata.
But deeper in the shadows, another pair of eyes saw everything.
"Damn Hamura-descendant!"
Black Zetsu roared silently in its mind.
Stay away from her!
Sensing Black Zetsu's emotional surge, White Zetsu whispered, "Hold it in. We still need that kid to help us find the path to the moon."
Black Zetsu forced its emotions down. But watching Toneri draw closer to Hinata, it couldn't help muttering, "Don't tell me he's already noticed what's special about Hinata…"
White Zetsu glanced over. "If you ask me… this kid is just like Obito back then. He's a… what's that word again?"
"Hmph." Black Zetsu snorted, eyes locked on Toneri.
Just as Toneri reached Ichiraku's entrance and was about to lift the curtain, a withered hand suddenly clamped onto his shoulder.
"Toneri. It's time to go back."
Toneri jolted and turned—his father.
"Father…" Toneri called, unwillingness in his voice.
"I know what you're thinking," his father said, low and stern. "But this isn't the time for you to be willful. The world on the ground is already rotten—people drown in meaningless conflict and desire. Our mission isn't complete. You can't act on impulse for personal feelings."
After a moment of hesitation, Toneri nodded. But before leaving, he still couldn't help saying, "She's different."
His father fell silent, then sighed. "Now isn't the time to approach her. When the time is ripe, you'll have plenty of time to personally bring her back— and marry your bride."
"Then you can tell her the truth, so she understands her true mission. But now, we must go."
Toneri turned back and "looked" at Hinata one last time.
At that moment, Hinata was lifting a slice of chāshū. A sharp instinct made her glance back—yet she saw nothing.
Again…
"Hinata, what is it?" Kiyonari asked.
"…Nothing." She shook her head and placed the chāshū into Kiyonari's bowl. "You can't live on plain rice noodles. Eat some meat too."
Outside, Toneri's steps faltered for a fraction of a second. His nails dug deep into his palm—then loosened again. He said nothing, only followed his father in silence.
The two left Konoha directly. Black Zetsu tailed them underground, and Konoha's vaunted sensory barrier was, in this moment, practically useless.
Outside the village sprawled a vast forest—and beneath an unremarkable patch of ground was a pool of faintly glowing spring water.
Toneri's father jumped straight in. Toneri paused at the edge, lost in thought—until his father's impatient voice came from below.
"I know."
Toneri stepped forward, hovered in the air for an instant, then simply toppled in.
Not long after, Zetsu arrived. It crouched at the spring and studied it carefully.
White Zetsu was about to stick a hand into the water when Black Zetsu stopped it.
"Don't touch it. There's Hamura's chakra in that water."
"This space corridor connecting the moon and the ground was probably made using his power. If we enter, Hamura will notice us immediately. What happens then would be unpredictable."
White Zetsu spread its hands. "So what now?"
Black Zetsu thought in silence for a moment, then said, "Let's go back. Tell Konan the coordinates. Then have her leak the coordinates to Konoha through Orochimaru's channels."
"Let them… tear at each other."
Konan was standing at the tower window, staring out at the endless rain.
Hearing movement behind her, she turned calmly and looked at Zetsu, which had appeared without a sound. "Did you find anything?"
"We found something incredible," White Zetsu chirped first.
Black Zetsu added, "We encountered a 'moon person' in Konoha. They have a space corridor that allows them to freely travel between the moon and the ground."
Konan frowned as if thinking—yet inside, she quietly relaxed.
So it showed up this early. Good thing she'd used the excuse of "testing Zetsu" and sent it to investigate.
"What's their purpose?" she asked.
"Not clear yet."
"I see…"
"I have a suggestion," Black Zetsu interrupted.
"We can leak this intelligence to Konoha through Orochimaru's channels and let them probe the route. We've confirmed the Third Hokage has ordered a search for the earth–moon passage and an investigation into moon-related matters. This is a good opportunity. Once they've scouted it out, we decide our next move."
At the name "Orochimaru," Konan's body stiffened almost imperceptibly. Something flickered in her eyes.
So that's it—Zetsu doesn't know my true information source. It thinks my access to Konoha intelligence comes from Orochimaru's channels. That's fine. At least I don't have to worry about the journal being exposed.
Konan paused, then said, "Your suggestion has merit, but I have a different idea."
"Oh?"
"If Konoha gets to the moon first and controls the corridor, it'll be much harder for us to act afterward."
Black Zetsu understood immediately. Its attitude toward the moon was completely different from Konan's.
It wanted to wipe out Hamura's line entirely, eliminating any risk of exposure. Konan wanted to confirm the moon's situation first and then decide.
Konan continued, "Rather than letting Konoha do it, we should send Orochimaru personally. With his temperament, he'll be extremely interested in a clan that can live on the moon."
Black Zetsu fell quiet, weighing it carefully.
It was true—compared to all of Konoha, Orochimaru was easier to control. The only concern was how much Orochimaru might discover… and what he'd do with it.
"Fine." Black Zetsu agreed at last. "You go, or I go?"
"I'll go." Konan answered at once. She needed to maintain the "information channel" cover story.
The moment she finished speaking, her body scattered into countless paper sheets, spiraling out the window and vanishing into the rain.
Orochimaru was already waiting at the agreed meeting point. Under the dim yellow light, his pale face looked even more sinister. His golden slit pupils, in the darkness, were like a python searching for prey.
"Hehehe… does the organization have an operation that needs me personally?"
Konan didn't bother with pleasantries. "We found crucial intelligence related to the moon."
"The moon?" Orochimaru's eyes glinted with excitement. "Interesting. Let's hear it."
Konan then relayed Zetsu's findings in a concise way: the so-called evil god on the moon, the Hyuga connection, Konoha's movements, a visitor from the moon, and the space corridor linking earth and moon.
As she spoke, the curve of Orochimaru's smile grew wider and wider. Greed and exhilaration twisted together in his golden eyes.
"What thrilling intelligence."
Konan looked at him coldly. "We need you to inform Konoha and have them investigate."
"Inform Konoha?" Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, amusement curling on his lips. "Why would we do that? Such valuable intelligence—why hand it to Konoha?"
"Someone has to scout the route," Konan replied calmly. "The moon is unknown territory. Rushing in blindly is too risky. Better to let Konoha verify it first, then we decide our next move. It's safer."
"Hehehe… I understand," Orochimaru said.
As if I'd give up such an interesting secret to someone else.
A moon civilization. Space–time corridor technology.
All of it had immense research value. If he could obtain it, perhaps he could break through his current limits and reach a whole new realm.
"Then we're done here," Konan said, and left.
For someone like Orochimaru, who pursued knowledge itself, secrets this ancient were irresistible bait.
"Evil god… Byakugan… Sage of Six Paths… space–time corridor…"
Muttering to himself, he quickened his steps until he arrived before a thick metal door.
Orochimaru raised a hand and entered a complex string of codes. With the dull grind of gears, the metal door slowly opened, revealing a vast interior space.
This was one of his most important bases—hundreds of square meters filled with expensive precision instruments and devices. Glass containers everywhere held preserved biological specimens: some ordinary animals, others unrecognizable.
More than ten subordinates in white lab coats were working busily inside—assistants Orochimaru had gathered.
"Stop what you're doing."
Work halted instantly. Everyone turned and bowed their heads respectfully toward Orochimaru.
"Immediately prepare a batch of supplies, and all instruments and equipment capable of measuring space–time—"
"Yes!"
The order went out and everyone moved, but Orochimaru soon frowned.
They were too slow. One person rummaged for ten minutes to finally pull out a single document. Another clumsily packed equipment and nearly knocked over a container holding a precious specimen.
Standing at the lab entrance with arms crossed, Orochimaru's excitement gradually curdled into impatience.
"Too slow."
The nearest assistant heard the complaint and panicked—his hand shook, a test tube fell, and clear liquid splashed across the floor, releasing a sharp, foul odor.
"S-sorry! Orochimaru-sama!" He dropped to his knees begging forgiveness.
"Killing you would just waste my time cleaning up."
Everyone else sped up, but even then their efficiency still failed to satisfy Orochimaru.
They had some technical knowledge, but no flexibility and no initiative. They executed orders mechanically and couldn't grasp Orochimaru's real intent—constantly running up to ask, "Should we bring this too?"
Orochimaru began pacing, irritation rising.
The moon's secrets were a massive magnet pulling on his mind. He wanted to depart immediately and explore that unknown world.
"If only I had a truly capable subordinate," Orochimaru murmured. "Someone who can understand me—someone who thinks proactively and solves problems on their own…"
At that moment, a name surfaced in his mind.
Yakushi Kabuto.
"Ah… I haven't checked on that kid in a long time."
He'd go to Konoha and see. And while he was there—find a Byakugan.
It might come in handy.
~~~
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