Next Bonus, 100PS!!
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Mount Myōboku.
Suddenly, Manji's Sage Chakra burst out with explosive force.
The sage mist in the mountain was pulled in by a powerful force, swirling around Manji in a bright spiral of gold and blue light until the whole hall glowed.
At the same time, Manji drew out the power of the Dragon Vein deep underground and the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. These two forces, combined with his Sage Chakra, created a huge surge of energy.
"First, pull Kaguya's soul here. Then use chakra as the foundation to rebuild her body." Manji looked down and spoke quietly to himself. He was sure of what to do. This plan was solid, not just a wild guess.
"Swish!"
"Rinnegan!"
Manji gave a low command and opened both eyes. Purple-black Rinnegan patterns bloomed in his gaze.
The power of reincarnation broke through space itself. With the Demonic Statue as a link, it reached deep into Kaguya's sealed soul.
Buzz—
The void trembled. A faint yet pure ripple of soul energy was pulled out.
Within the glow, a slender, hazy figure slowly took shape.
It was the original soul of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
Manji wasted no time. He activated the remaining chakra of the Demonic Statue again, then drew out the power of Black Zetsu that he had prepared in advance.
Black Zetsu was created from Kaguya's Will, so his power was the best way to rebuild her body.
In the original story, Black Zetsu also brought Kaguya back after attacking Six Paths Madara.
"Come back, Kaguya." Manji spoke quietly, keeping his eyes on the glowing sphere in front of him.
A moment later, the light mist dispersed, and a tall figure stood inside the hall.
Her silver hair reached her waist, and her skin was pale and clear. She looked graceful and almost unreal. This was the Rabbit Goddess who once ruled the Shinobi world.
Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
But now, she had none of the power of a Ten-Tails jinchūriki. There was no strange light from the Rinne Sharingan, nor any control over space.
She was now just an ordinary woman, completely powerless.
"Where... am I?"
"..." Kaguya looked around, confused. When she spoke, her voice sounded like someone waking up after a long sleep.
In her memory, the last thing she had seen before being sealed was Manji's cold face.
His words, "Repent properly inside the seal," had been branded into the depths of her soul. After that, everything was a blur, like she had slept for a thousand years, drifting between dreams and waking with no sense of time...
Now, she opened her eyes to a hall filled with sage mist. An old man with a timeless look stood before her, and she felt lost.
"Long time no see, Kaguya." Manji pulled back his chakra and walked toward her, calmly looking at his old acquaintance, who was now no longer a threat.
"You are??" Kaguya frowned slightly. Her voice was gentle, but her eyes were full of doubt.
The familiar sound of Kaguya's voice reached Manji's ears.
His heart stirred, and a trace of melancholy rose in him. He hadn't heard her voice in almost a thousand years. But he quickly realized that Kaguya had lost all her power and couldn't sense his chakra anymore.
Even if she regained her strength, she still wouldn't be able to sense his presence. His concealment skills were perfect.
Besides, he looked like an old man now, so it made sense that Kaguya didn't recognize him.
"Haah..." Manji sighed softly and waved his right hand.
Golden light flashed.
The old man with white hair instantly dropped his aged look.
In his place stood a strikingly handsome young man with the same face he had had a thousand years ago. His features were so clear and refined that everything else seemed dull by comparison.
"MANJI... IT'S YOU??"
Kaguya's eyes widened. Her heart raced, and many emotions flashed across her face.
Love, hate, anger, resentment, pain, guilt—
All tangled together.
"Mm." Manji gave a faint nod, and a ripple too small to notice crossed his heart.
It had been ages since anyone called him by his real name.
Everyone in the world called him the Sage of Six Paths. Even the White Snake Sage addressed him as "Grand Sage" in letters, always with respect.
Only Kaguya still used the name that truly belonged to him.
But the next second, Kaguya lunged at him like a madwoman. Her slender hands clamped around his neck, her knuckles whitening from the force.
Manji just raised an eyebrow and stood still, letting her act as she pleased.
He knew this woman had not yet come to terms with reality...
She was no longer the all-powerful Rabbit Goddess.
Kaguya gripped his neck with both hands, her eyes red. Tears ran down her pale cheeks as she cried out in grief and pain.
"YOU WERE ALIVE! YOU WERE ALIVE ALL THIS TIME! WHY DID YOU NEVER COME TO FIND ME??"
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF GUILT AND TORMENT I LIVED WITH FOR ALL THOSE YEARS??"
"WHY DID YOU JOIN FORCES WITH MY SONS TO SEAL ME AWAY??"
"MY SONS TURNED AGAINST ME BECAUSE OF YOUR SCHEMES TOO, DIDN'T THEY??"
"WHY WERE YOU SO CRUEL TO ME??"
"I WAS ONLY A WEAK WOMAN WHO REFUSED TO BE SACRIFICED! I ONLY WANTED TO PROTECT MYSELF! WHAT DID I DO WRONG??"
She sobbed and shouted, tightening her grip as tears blurred her face, her voice filled with grievance and resentment.
"..." Manji frowned.
He wondered where all this was coming from.
She was the one who betrayed him first, trying to kill him to keep all the power for herself. He had only defended himself.
How had that become his fault?
The Kaguya before him was shamelessly one-sided.
"Hmph," Manji gave a cold snort. With a simple motion, he used an invisible force to push Kaguya away.
Thud!
Kaguya fell to the floor, landing in a heap.
"My power..." Kaguya stared at her hands in disbelief.
Only then did she finally realize she had no chakra, no bloodline power, and not even the smallest technique. She had become entirely mortal. Sitting on the cold floor, her face still wet with tears, she slowly looked up, her vision blurry.
Manji stood before her, tall and straight, his hands behind his back. His plain white sage robe moved slightly in the air.
His face was cold and perfect, his deep eyes showing no warmth. He looked down at Kaguya, giving off a powerful presence.
It was the authority that came from a thousand years of experience.
Just one look from him was enough to inspire awe.
It made people afraid to meet his gaze.
"You've become heartless..." Kaguya whispered. She remembered the Manji from a thousand years ago.
He used to be optimistic and cheerful, always making teasing remarks and playful jokes. He had truly wished for her happiness.
"Heh..." At her words, Manji gave a cold sneer. "Heartless? Compared to you?"
"You stabbed me in the back without hesitation. You turned on your own children when it suited you. Heartlessness is carved into your bones."
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