Naruto, Kaguya, and Sasuke arrived in a completely new dimension.
This space was vast and silent, filled with an ancient, oppressive aura. At its center stood a mysterious altar, old beyond measure, its surface carved with complex patterns that seemed to pulse faintly with hidden power.
Sasuke looked at the altar in front of him and frowned slightly. "What kind of place is this?"
Naruto slowly looked around, comparing what he saw with fragments from his memories. After a moment, he nodded. "Yes… it should be here."
Kaguya turned her gaze to Naruto, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Naruto, you seem… very familiar with this place."
Sasuke also looked at Naruto. "Have you been here before?"
Naruto tilted his head and smiled lightly. "No. But you have."
Sasuke was stunned for a brief moment. Then he smiled in understanding.
Naruto was referring to Sasuke's investigations in his previous life. Back then, Sasuke had explored Kaguya's dimensions one by one, gathered information, and reported everything to Naruto. That was why Naruto knew this place so well now.
Naruto leaped forward and landed directly at the center of the altar. He studied the lines carved into the stone and smiled faintly. "These markings should represent the characteristics of different bloodlines."
As he spoke, Naruto jumped again, chose one specific line, and pressed his palm against it.
Buzz!
A crimson light flared up instantly, and the lines carved into the altar began to glow. The entire structure responded, humming softly as if awakening from a long slumber. Slowly, a figure began to materialize above the altar.
It was Ōtsutsuki Isshiki.
The moment Sasuke saw this, his body reacted instinctively. His eyes sharpened, and he immediately drew his sword, positioning himself in front of Naruto.
Kaguya, however, merely sneered. "Relax. That's only a projection. It's not the real body."
Sasuke froze for a moment and looked at Naruto. Naruto nodded calmly.
Only then did Sasuke relax. With a smooth, practiced motion, he sheathed his blade.
"Naruto," Sasuke asked, still cautious, "is this really Ōtsutsuki Isshiki?"
Naruto nodded. "Yes. That's him."
As he spoke, Naruto jumped down from the altar and stepped forward. Unexpectedly, the projection of Isshiki suddenly lunged at Naruto.
Sasuke's expression changed instantly.
He leapt forward without hesitation, drew his sword again, and slashed downward in a single clean arc to protect Naruto.
But the blade passed straight through the figure.
"…What?" Sasuke exclaimed in shock.
Naruto sighed softly. He grabbed Sasuke's arm and pulled him back. At the same time, the projection that had charged forward dissolved into light and reformed once again above the altar, standing motionless.
"…I see," Sasuke muttered. "It really is just a projection."
Naruto smiled slightly. "Exactly. Whatever pattern you activate, the corresponding Ōtsutsuki will appear."
Sasuke lifted his head and carefully examined the altar. He pointed at the markings above the projection's head and along the sides. "Then what do these different symbols represent?"
Kaguya glanced at Naruto. Naruto answered calmly, "Those represent their horns."
"Look carefully. Isshiki has only one horizontal, curved horn on his head. You've also seen Momoshiki's and Kinshiki's horns before. Do you remember them now?"
Sasuke stared for a moment, then nodded. "I understand."
Kaguya spoke at this moment, her voice deep and contemplative. "Naruto… it seems you truly understand the Ōtsutsuki clan far better than I expected. I originally thought you only knew the surface of these matters, but you even recognize individual bloodline markings."
She looked genuinely surprised. "That is… unexpected."
Sasuke snorted softly and looked at Kaguya. "I already told you. Naruto has deeply studied the Ōtsutsuki clan. Since we were able to kill Momoshiki and Kinshiki, we naturally have the means to oppose the so-called God of the Ōtsutsuki."
"So," Sasuke continued coldly, "your decision to cooperate with us is the wisest choice you could make."
Black Zetsu, hearing Sasuke speak so bluntly to Kaguya, immediately became displeased.
"Hmph! You brat, watch your tone!" Black Zetsu shouted. "Do you even know who you're talking to? My mother is the progenitor of chakra, the mother of the Sage of Six Paths! No matter what, she is your ancestor. Show some respect!"
Sasuke's eyes shifted.
He didn't say a word.
He simply glanced at Black Zetsu.
That single look was enough.
Black Zetsu felt his entire body go cold. He immediately retreated deeper into Kaguya's sleeve, not daring to speak another word.
He was shocked.
Naruto was terrifying in his own way—but Sasuke was different. From Sasuke's eyes, Black Zetsu saw something Naruto didn't carry as openly.
Pure killing intent.
This man truly wouldn't hesitate to kill him.
After silencing Black Zetsu without a word, Sasuke turned to Naruto. "Naruto, what do we do next?"
Naruto shifted his gaze to Kaguya. "Kaguya, you know this altar better than anyone. So I want to ask you something."
He spoke slowly, deliberately. "Why does the Ōtsutsuki clan have to constantly harvest chakra converted from vitality? Is it simply to become stronger?"
"Or," Naruto continued, "is this chakra an absolute necessity for your kind to exist and fight, forcing you to harvest it endlessly?"
"And one more thing," Naruto added, his eyes fixed on her. "You were supposed to be sacrificed. Why did you choose to attack Isshiki instead? What were you truly thinking back then?"
Naruto asked a series of questions without pause.
Kaguya fell silent.
She stared at the altar for a long moment, lost in thought. Finally, she spoke.
"Naruto… you should already understand the difference between a guardian and the one being guarded, shouldn't you?"
Naruto nodded.
Kaguya smiled faintly. "In truth, the Ōtsutsuki clan is divided into ranks—the main family and the branch family."
"The main family stands above all. The branch family exists solely to serve them."
"Members of the branch family must obey the main family unconditionally," Kaguya continued. "That is why branch members are assigned the role of guardians."
"The ones they guard… are the main family."
She paused. "Momoshiki and Kinshiki. Isshiki and me. That was our structure."
Her gaze drifted, as if she were recalling distant memories. She walked slowly toward the altar.
"To evolve, the Ōtsutsuki clan must continuously devour chakra," she said. "And this chakra comes from vitality."
"Only by consuming chakra fruits again and again… only by evolving endlessly… can one reach the level of a god."
"That existence," Kaguya said quietly, "is what you call the God of the Ōtsutsuki."
Sasuke frowned. "Gods are nothing more than beings with overwhelming power."
Kaguya turned back and smiled faintly. "Your understanding isn't wrong. To weaker beings, anyone who can do what they cannot is a god."
"For a time," she added calmly, "I was one as well."
Naruto frowned. "Then what exactly is the God of the Ōtsutsuki? How powerful is it?"
Kaguya's expression became solemn. "If that being so desires, destroying the planet beneath your feet would take nothing more than a single finger."
Silence fell.
Neither Naruto nor Sasuke refuted her words.
With enough chakra, destroying a planet was not an exaggeration.
Even now, if Naruto and Sasuke were to fight without restraint on Earth, the land would shatter, mountains would collapse, and seas would be displaced.
The strongest existence of the Ōtsutsuki clan… would naturally possess such power.
Kaguya continued, her voice calm. "Because chakra cannot be naturally produced in sufficient quantities on the planets we occupy, we created the God Tree."
"A living being must be sacrificed to plant it," she explained. "Once rooted, the God Tree absorbs all vitality from the planet, drains it completely, and eventually bears a chakra fruit."
"That fruit," Kaguya said, "is what we offer to the clan."
"That is why we always act in pairs. One serves as the sacrifice. The other harvests the fruit and brings it back."
"This," she concluded, "is the truth behind guardians and those being guarded."
"And it is also the reason the Ōtsutsuki clan harvests the vitality of the universe."
Sasuke was visibly shaken. "An entire race… traveling through the cosmos, draining planets, and converting them into chakra fruits…"
Kaguya nodded. "Yes. The Ōtsutsuki clan is the strongest race in the universe. In the eyes of the main family, all other races are nothing but inferior lifeforms."
Naruto looked at her steadily. "Then why didn't you obey your role, like Kinshiki did?"
Kaguya was silent for several seconds.
Then she looked up and smiled faintly. "Because… I refused to accept my fate."
"I rejected the destiny imposed on me."
Naruto smiled back.
Yes.
Kaguya truly was similar to Neji.
A branch family member.
A bird trapped in a cage.
Someone who refused to accept the fate assigned to her.
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