Chapter 362: Kaguya
In an instant, Ye Wen set foot upon the desolate landscape of the Moon. Though faint traces of an atmosphere lingered, the barren terrain revealed that this place was utterly inhospitable to ordinary life.
"The Otsutsuki clan is indeed a resilient bunch," he mused. In the Douluo system, a person would need at least the strength of a Soul Saint to survive such extreme conditions otherwise, the radiation alone would be fatal.
Ye Wen extended his senses across the lunar surface. "Just two left a survivor named Otsutsuki Toneri and his father," he noted.
He reflected briefly on Kaguya's lineage. Could celestial beings truly be interested in mortals? Although one theory claimed that Kaguya bore children with a feudal lord of the Land of Ancestors, another suggested that she had been blessed by the people of the Shinobi World and conceived two sons as a divine response. Ye Wen personally leaned toward the latter interpretation. As naïve as Kaguya might have been, it seemed unlikely she would choose an ordinary man on this remote, primitive planet. Given her powers enough to nearly kill Isshiki in an ambush she would hardly consider a weakling as a mate.
"Still, Toneri is an invaluable research subject. With his potent Otsutsuki chakra and his white eyes of unmatched purity, he could naturally evolve the Tenseigan, a unique specimen indeed. Unlike the complex abilities of the Rinnegan, the Tenseigan embodies raw, extreme chakra manipulation."
Yet, it was not Toneri whom Ye Wen had come to meet. Retracting his gaze, he entered an intangible, spectral state and began to descend deep into the Moon toward his true target: Otsutsuki Kaguya.
As he journeyed, a faint apparition emerged from the stone statue within the Otsutsuki shrine. This was an elderly spirit clad in robes adorned with tomoe, possessing the iconic Byakugan eyes and a small pair of horns atop his head the spirit of Hamura, Kaguya's second son.
"What a powerful presence," Hamura murmured. "In all these years of slumber, has such a force truly emerged within the Shinobi World? Even my mother would not stand a chance against him." He paused, noting that this visitor had sensed him but seemed unconcerned.
"Ah, well, I am but a shade, a mere remnant of the past. And my bloodline… only two descendants remain. Perhaps my brother's path was indeed the right choice." Hamura sighed and faded back into the statue.
Despite its appearance, the Shinobi World's moon was far smaller than the Moon of Ye Wen's original world. In moments, he reached the Moon's core, where he expected to find a molten sea. Instead, the center was surprisingly stable.
"This is the center of the Chibaku Tensei," Ye Wen observed, feeling the oppressive atmosphere. A life force was nearby, its purity standing out like a beacon in his senses. Its intentions were straightforward, its essence untainted by malice like a young, wide eyed student.
Ye Wen reached out mentally. "Otsutsuki Kaguya," he transmitted, his voice rippling through the void like a drop in a pool.
"Who… Who calls for me?" The response was hesitant, as though the mind it came from was startled out of a long silence.
Ye Wen felt Kaguya stabilize, her presence sharpening. "Who are you?"
Ye Wen almost laughed. The speech was quaintly archaic, affirming that Kaguya's place within the Otsutsuki's hierarchy was high. He responded, "Otsutsuki Kaguya, do you wish to be free?"
"…" She was silent.
"Who are you?" she repeated cautiously, "There is no chakra upon you you must be of another world."
Ye Wen's respect for her grew. Despite being imprisoned for over a thousand years, she maintained a sharp awareness. Perhaps Kaguya was not as foolish as depicted. "Answer me, Otsutsuki Kaguya. Do you wish for freedom?"
She hesitated, her voice slow and wary. "What do you seek? I doubt you intend to release me without condition."
Ye Wen could tell she would not be easily swayed. As careful as he had been over the years, he had almost forgotten that he was now an apex deity. Even the Otsutsuki clan, with all its strange technology, could do little against him. Nevertheless, caution was rarely misguided. He modified his approach.
Kaguya might have appeared simple, but she was a branch family princess a pawn in the Otsutsuki's internal power struggles. In many ways, she represented a faction within her clan that could be swayed to aid him.
According to Isshiki, Kaguya had been a branch family princess punished for an uprising among her people. Instead of killing her outright, they had sent her to this remote world as a sacrificial pawn. Being branch family royalty, she did not possess the "Karma" and would have faced certain death. With this in mind, Ye Wen chose to be forthright.
After a pause, he responded, "Otsutsuki Kaguya, I am Ye Wen, the God King of the Boundless Sea, Lord of the Soul Master Civilization. Do you desire freedom and a purpose?"
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