A few minutes ago.
In the Ōtsutsuki Isshiki's dimension in Parallel World 6, this elegant Ōtsutsuki was still parasitizing Jigen's body. He sat gracefully in the castle, savoring a rare wine.
At this moment, he was unaware of the Fourth Great Ninja War raging in the ninja world.
Even if he knew, until he found a suitable vessel and successfully reincarnated and revived, he had no intention of taking risks himself.
This was why he always hid in his own spatial dimension.
If he knew Kaguya had revived, he would likely be even less willing to emerge.
After all, no one understood better than him how terrifying and unkillable an Ōtsutsuki who had consumed an entire God Tree fruit could be…
Just as he sipped the wine in his glass, preparing to pour another.
He suddenly sensed a figure abruptly appearing across the hall.
A familiar figure—one that terrified him!
Moreover, a figure that absolutely should not appear here!
"Momoshiki?!"
Jigen was utterly shocked, completely clueless how Momoshiki could show up here.
Both were core members of the Ōtsutsuki clan, so of course they had met before.
Could the main family have sent someone to investigate?
But they shouldn't just barge straight into his personal spatial dimension, right?
He was scared half to death!
"Isshiki, your appearance is truly pathetic! To think you'd parasitize a lowly creature like this…"
'Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki' spoke arrogantly, his eyes filled with deep contempt for Isshiki parasitizing Jigen's body.
"How did you appear here?!"
Jigen couldn't help breaking into a cold sweat, his heart filled with fear and doubt.
He wasn't afraid of Momoshiki himself—but of the accountability from the main family behind him!
After all, Momoshiki's presence here meant the main family had detected an anomaly and begun investigating his and Kaguya's God Tree planting mission.
If discovered, not only had he failed the mission—he had also allowed Kaguya to personally consume the God Tree fruit.
That would be disastrous!
He might be recaptured by the main family and directly refined into a pill for another member to consume.
Simply put: Momoshiki himself wasn't scary. The will of the Ōtsutsuki main family he represented was terrifying!
"It's been a thousand years. Neither you nor or Kaguya's report scrolls have ever been submitted, nor can they be deciphered. The main family has determined an anomaly in your mission—so I came to investigate. You should be well aware of this, right?"
'Momoshiki' asked coldly, clearly deeply dissatisfied with Isshiki.
Jigen grew even more panicked and hurriedly explained:
"It's not my fault! It was Kaguya—that bitch attacked me! She consumed the chakra fruit herself!"
"The main family only cares about results, not the process."
"The result is that you failed!"
"Or rather—you failed! Isshiki…!"
'Momoshiki's' harsh questioning fell like a cold guillotine blade on Isshiki's heart, making the elegant Ōtsutsuki tremble uncontrollably.
No choice.
The fear the main family instilled in every Ōtsutsuki was too overwhelming! Even Kaguya, who had eaten the fruit and become an immortal god, lived in constant fear.
Let alone Isshiki, who had failed his mission and now faced accountability.
Though his status was no lower than Momoshiki's, he couldn't act tough at all right now.
"I told you—it was all Kaguya's fault! She betrayed me, betrayed the clan! She—"
"They above don't care about the process! You understand…"
"Wait… But I didn't betray the clan! I can still fix this—I can still turn everything around. As long as—"
"As long as what?"
"As long as I find a suitable vessel and successfully reincarnate and revive. Then I can plant another Juubi and let it grow into a new God Tree! This planet still has energy—it's definitely enough to produce another chakra fruit! Right, I can also collect the Bijuu—they're all chakra from the previous God Tree, so it'll accelerate the new tree's growth! I could even refine them directly into pills and consume them…"
Jigen explained passionately. This was his original plan.
As long as he could reincarnate perfectly, he would have enough time and resources to cultivate a new God Tree and produce a chakra fruit.
At that point—whether he returned the fruit to the main family to atone, or consumed it himself and fled—he would have a way out.
Now, with the arrival of the main family's investigator, the latter path was closed. Isshiki's only remaining option was atonement.
"The backup Juubi? Where?"
"Here—I've always kept it in the castle."
Jigen led 'Momoshiki' through a long corridor and soon arrived at the outer side chamber—the place where the Juubi was confined.
But upon closer inspection, there was no sign of the young Juubi.
All that remained was an empty prison and several scattered giant black rods.
"What?"
"Where's my precious Juubi?"
"Where did it go? Escaped? Impossible—absolutely impossible…!"
Jigen was stunned, then shocked and furious. His eyes widened like lanterns—he couldn't even imagine this scene.
Where was the young Juubi he had so carefully raised?
Why had it suddenly vanished?
This was impossible!
Jigen rushed madly into the massive circular prison, searching fruitlessly, then dashed out of the castle, flying at high speed to search the surroundings.
Half a minute later.
Jigen landed at the castle gate with bloodshot eyes, his mouth still muttering impossible, this shouldn't be!
Clearly, he still hadn't found the backup young Juubi.
At the same time, 'Momoshiki' also floated down from the sky, stopping in front of Jigen.
"Where's the young Juubi? You even lost the backup?!"
Jigen shook his head frantically, growing more emotional as he spoke:
"No, it can't be gone!"
"This is my spatial dimension—it couldn't have escaped."
"Someone must have stolen it!"
"You!"
"You stole my young Juubi!"
Suddenly, he pointed at Momoshiki in front of him. After all, Momoshiki was the only outsider who had secretly entered his spatial dimension in years—and the young Juubi had coincidentally vanished. The suspicion on Momoshiki was enormous.
"Isshiki! Are you insane? How dare you suspect me?!"
'Momoshiki' berated him, his face full of rage.
"Momoshiki! It had to be you!"
"No one else could have! Hand over my young Juubi…"
Jigen was slightly unhinged—after all, this young Juubi was his last chance, his final forbidden treasure.
Its sudden disappearance was like taking his life, severing all his future hopes!
The blow was too great!
It nearly drove him mad—he could barely maintain his sanity.
It didn't matter if he lost his mind—someone could help him regain it.
"Courting death!"
'Momoshiki' roared in anger and attacked instantly.
*WHOOSH!*
Before Jigen could react, he felt a sudden chill at his neck—then his vision slightly shifted!
He glanced downward and only then realized in horror.
In just an instant.
His head had been silently severed by a black line!
The ink-like expanding mirror swept soundlessly across Jigen's neck—and the entire castle behind him—spreading thousands of meters into the distance.
Towers, city walls, courtyards… everything slowly slid along the smooth cut surface and collapsed amid rumbling sounds. But the ink-colored slash mark froze in the air, cleaving space, devouring all light.
"You—!"
Jigen's head fell to the ground, his eyes filled with shock and terror.
'What kind of ability is this?'
'Some kind of Eye Technique? Or a Divine Technique?!'
'How can it be this terrifying?'
'I didn't even sense it? Completely powerless to resist? I was defeated in an instant?'
'How is this possible?!'
'This can't be…!'
Jigen lost his final spark of life and died instantly.
Though possessed by Isshiki, he himself was merely human. With his head severed, he was naturally dead beyond recovery.