Urashiki and Momoshiki's eyes suddenly lit up with joy.
In the hidden timeline they'd been hiding in, a pillar flickered into existence—glowing with alternating shades of red and white.
It was a kind of special technique—something like a "radio beacon"—constructed using the last reserves of chakra from Isshiki, Urashiki, and Momoshiki. Its sole purpose: to reach the Ōtsutsuki Clan.
Until now, the pillar had emitted no response. But at that moment, its color shifted—from crimson-white to deep blood-red. And a line of glowing text appeared in the middle: "Reinforcements will arrive… Stay hidden, and safeguard the area suspected to hold Shibai-sama's remains. —Myōshiki."
"OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!"
All three—Urashiki, Momoshiki, and Isshiki—let out a thunderous cheer the moment they saw the name Myōshiki.
This time… they were really going to survive.
The one coming wasn't just some elite soldier—it was none other than the current Deputy Patriarch of the Ōtsutsuki Clan: Ōtsutsuki Myōshiki.
"As long as Myōshiki-sama is coming, everything will be okay!" Isshiki shouted, clenching his fists with excitement.
The projected time of arrival—converted into shinobi world units—was exactly one year.
And one year was enough to stave off despair.
If they could keep jumping across fragmented timelines, if they kept hiding and zigzagging through spacetime, then maybe—just maybe—they had a chance to escape Kazuki's pursuit.
Moreover—
For Kazuki, having only just become an Ōtsutsuki, fully mastering and harmonizing his power would require time measured on an Ōtsutsuki's scale…
No matter how prodigious his talent, a year in the shinobi world would pass in the blink of an eye.
And by then, the invincible Deputy Patriarch Myōshiki himself would descend upon this world!
"Isshiki… what if Myōshiki-sama arrives and can't find Shibai-sama's remains?"
Urashiki's voice carried obvious concern. "Wouldn't that… wouldn't that be—"
Compared to Isshiki's constant complaints about their clan being doomed, the speed of this reinforcement was actually far beyond normal for the Ōtsutsuki Clan.
And for the Deputy Patriarch himself to take action, while explicitly mentioning Shibai's remains in the message…
The reason for this unprecedented urgency was self-evident.
"Don't worry. After all, Shibai-sama's treasured tool really is in Uchiha Kazuki's possession. We're not exactly deceiving our superiors here!"
Isshiki's eyes gleamed with sheer will to survive.
"Stay alive. First, we get off this cursed planet alive."
Urashiki and Momoshiki exchanged a silent nod.
There was no other choice.
At that moment, Uchiha Obito's heart gave a sudden jolt—Deputy Patriarch of the Ōtsutsuki Clan?
That sounded like the Hokage's assistant in Konohagakure… Would Kazuki be in danger?
...
Far beneath the ocean's surface—
Having already wrapped Shibai's remains in spacetime energy and sealed them securely within himself, Kazuki received a feedback pulse of information from the chakra within Isshiki and Obito.
'Deputy Patriarch, huh? That's quite the big shot…' Kazuki thought to himself.
'Sounds like an ambitious one…'
And why did he think that? Because, no matter how many worlds lay between them, this Myōshiki had already formed a link with Kazuki.
[Detected: Ōtsutsuki Myōshiki has developed an intense devouring intent toward the host. Target locked for bond!]
'Devour me? Does he think that by toppling Isshiki I've already gained Shibai's power?' Kazuki chuckled softly.
Meanwhile, within the Ōtsutsuki Clan—
Deputy Patriarch Myōshiki sat upon his seat, roaring with laughter.
"This time… I will surpass Ryōshiki, and become the Patriarch who leads the Ōtsutsuki to rule the universe as the strongest!"
Ōtsutsuki Clan Leader's aide, Myōshiki, his red-and-white eyes fixed intently on the intelligence coordinates in his hand, burst into loud laughter—then abruptly steadied his expression.
Then—
He drew in a deep breath, the purest Byakugan glinting with a deep black radiance, absorbing every trace of surrounding light.
"Let me confirm once more—whether that planet the brat Isshiki discovered truly holds something that can let me claim the Clan Leader's seat and ascend to the very pinnacle!"
"That's Shibai-sama's corpse… That inferior creature called Kazuki must have, by some twist of fate, stolen a fragment of that god's power. Otherwise, how could it be possible…"
A heart racing with excitement, hands trembling.
According to the intel from Isshiki—
On that remote planet known as the Shinobi World, there exists a treasured artifact once wielded by Ōtsutsuki Shibai in life, and the natural energy contained within this planet is immeasurably vast…
The Chakra Fruit it could bear would be enough for even a branch member like Kaguya to gain overwhelming power.
And that was just the minor detail.
The important thing was that an indigenous native had, inexplicably, obtained a bloodline purity surpassing the combined total of Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, Urashiki, and Momoshiki—wielding their respective dōjutsu as if he were a god!
From Isshiki's account—
Myōshiki was certain this had nothing to do with Kazuki carrying some diluted branch-family bloodline like Kaguya's. His combat power far outstripped that of an ordinary main-family member.
But how could a mere native possess such pure Ōtsutsuki blood?
The only possibility was if Isshiki's intel was correct…
That on the planet known as the Shinobi World, the divine remains of Ōtsutsuki Shibai truly existed—remains that a mortal had somehow been lucky enough to obtain!
All of this, Myōshiki had deduced through logic.
As someone who considered himself the most deserving to be elected Clan Leader—and destined to become the strongest Ōtsutsuki—Myōshiki was cautious enough to not rely on logic alone, but also to employ his dōjutsu—
"Shinjutsu: Subichiri"!
It was somewhat similar to Uchiha Fugaku's dōjutsu, but not the degraded version born of diluted blood—it was the pure Ōtsutsuki original…
A power capable of accurately predicting the near future, with the overwhelming ability to see through every movement of an opponent's attacks, making errors almost nonexistent.
Not only that—Myōshiki could meditate upon the image of what he desired, and his dōjutsu would search for the corresponding clues…
This was why Myōshiki had risen to the position of aide to the Ōtsutsuki Clan Leader.
Since the day he awakened this dōjutsu—
The ability to accurately foresee the future had guaranteed him victory over nearly all opponents of his level; and when facing formidable enemies, it had at least ensured his own safety and allowed him to escape…
Each time he reached a breakthrough, he could meditate for the clues to whatever he needed, obtaining opportunities that others might never encounter in a lifetime.
In other words, for Myōshiki, it was as if he had unlocked an infinite resource cheat, combined with a near save-point-level power to pre-emptively foresee events…
His path to power had been smooth and unhindered.
Until—
At some point, after devouring countless Chakra Fruits, Ōtsutsuki Myōshiki realized… his strength was no longer growing!
No matter what method he tried, he could only remain stuck in place… and even the meditations that once led him to the things he needed no longer worked.
Ōtsutsuki Myōshiki had been driving his dōjutsu for who knew how many years, searching for a way to break past his own limits, yet not a single clue ever came back to him.
His strength had become fixed at that point.
So much so that Myōshiki had once sighed in bitter desolation—"This God Tree devouring method… it cannot reach the heavens!"
There was only the legend of one Ōtsutsuki god—Shibai—who had supposedly ascended, but no one knew how he had reached the end…
It was like a myth.
This helpless, dispiriting situation had dragged on for a long time, but he had never fully given up, continuing to meditate on the existence that could let him rise again…
Until not long ago—
Isshiki's distress technique arrived at the Ōtsutsuki clan's domain.
Normally, such a matter was not something Myōshiki would need to involve himself in.
But his long-silent "Subichiri", which had not provided him with a clue in ages, suddenly blared an alarm!
It's here—finally here!
The dōjutsu that had once guided Myōshiki to countless planets suitable for planting God Trees, and to treasures beyond counting, was at last calling out to him again after tens of thousands of years of silence!
And so—
Myōshiki, the aide to the Ōtsutsuki Clan Leader, personally rushed to the intelligence bureau, intercepted the distress call, and took control of the matter.
His dōjutsu told him—if he wished to break through his current level, the clue lay in this report!
And just from reading the opening lines, Myōshiki was instantly overjoyed.
The corpse of an Ōtsutsuki god? As expected, his dōjutsu was invincible—it had not failed after all!
If he could devour that one's remains, wouldn't he ascend straight away?
Upon seeing Isshiki's description of Kazuki's abilities, Myōshiki was already certain that the planet must hold the remains of the Ōtsutsuki god.
"If I seize the power within Uchiha Kazuki's body—"
To ensure his dōjutsu's prediction was accurate, Myōshiki even took care to read Kazuki's name aloud as recorded in the intel, filling in every possible detail to make the result precise.
Moments later, his excitement was written all over his face, distorting even his features.
Having held high office for so long, in theory Myōshiki should never have lost his composure.
But the result his dōjutsu returned after the prediction left the Myōshiki who had been trapped for tens of thousands of years, desperately seeking a breakthrough in vain, with no choice but to be elated!
As long as he could devour Kazuki, everything he desired… would be his!
"Ascension! Godhood! And to think that chance lay on such a distant, remote planet! Kekekekekekeke—so far away, no wonder my dōjutsu never sensed it!"
Myōshiki suddenly spread his arms wide, as if to swallow the entire universe into his chest, inhaling the scent of oxygen with intoxication…
In his mind, the scene had already formed—him as Clan Leader, Ryōshiki crushed beneath his feet, becoming the second god after Ōtsutsuki Shibai!
"Uchiha Kazuki… a lowly creature who, across such a vast distance, can make me remember your name—you should take pride in that much!"
Myōshiki laughed wildly, transforming into a streak of flowing light that shot toward the direction of the Shinobi World.
'No one will notice. At full speed, I'll arrive before long!' Myōshiki thought, leaping through space one fold after another, the fire of desire blazing in his eyes.
---
I will post some extra Chapters in Patreon, you can check it out. >> patreon.com/TitoVillar
---