Lavabursts, ice, and supergravity... the very fabric of space shattered under the might of the three combatants, each residual ripple capable of obliterating a Jonin-level ninja.
*Buzz!*
Otsutsuki Old Ancestor's golden pupils, tinged with a blue glow, flickered. The temporal restraints binding him instantly crumbled. He floated upwards, evading Kaguya's bone spikes. With a downward press, without physical contact, Kaguya was sent flying by an immense pressure.
Lin Yu, panting not far away, suddenly felt a chill down his back. A pale arm had pierced through his chest with a *splish*. The golden hue in his eyes began to fade, but Otsutsuki Old Ancestor's expression remained indifferent as he turned towards another spatial tear.
*Whoosh!*
Space rippled like water. Another Lin Yu, as if traversing from the past, stepped through the spatial distortion. He bore no wounds, his chakra levels even maintained as they were before.
A flicker of impatience crossed Otsutsuki Old Ancestor's face. He hadn't expected such tenacity from an ant, to be killed multiple times yet still persist.
Time, a troublesome ability indeed.
Lin Yu's condition was far from ideal. Otsutsuki Old Ancestor's power utterly overwhelmed both him and Kaguya. His physical resilience and regenerative capabilities were terrifying, far surpassing Kaguya's. Even Truth-Seeking Orbs, when striking him, felt like mere tickles; only Kaguya's Bone-Ash could inflict some damage.
So far, Otsutsuki Old Ancestor had only displayed a spatial teleportation ocular jutsu akin to "Kamui," his power being terrifyingly immense, each casual strike comparable to the "Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack."
Furthermore, neither Truth-Seeking Orbs nor Sage Mode had any effect on him. He seemed to have become a divine being, or at least a demigod.
"Your resistance is futile," Otsutsuki Old Ancestor stated calmly, his voice devoid of any emotion as he addressed the two.
Seeing no response from Lin Yu and Kaguya, Otsutsuki Old Ancestor retrieved a black halo from his body—the very same passage that had facilitated the transformation of Otsutsuki Kōshiki's avatar. With a casual toss, a long-range spatial portal formed in the air.
Lin Yu's pupils contracted. He saw the scene on the other side of the portal: countless Otsutsuki members floating in the void, their forms varying in size—the Otsutsuki homeworld.
"Do you see?"
Otsutsuki Old Ancestor waved his hand, enlarging the black hole further, allowing Lin Yu to witness more. "What you see is merely the tip of the iceberg. Across the various star systems of the universe, countless Otsutsuki members are carrying out missions. As long as this space-jumping wormhole exists, an unending stream of Otsutsuki will arrive."
"All your resistance is utterly meaningless."
Lin Yu retorted, "You've said all this, but what exactly do you want?"
"Join our clan. Not only will I pardon her crimes, but I might even share a few of the pills I refine and condense with you."
Otsutsuki Old Ancestor's lips curved slightly, as if he hadn't smiled in millennia. "You've likely noticed yourself that your body is almost on par with the Otsutsuki. Compared to humans, we are more akin to kin."
Otsutsuki Old Ancestor again tore open a spatial rift, revealing scenes of battle unfolding across the moon.
"You don't have much time left. Your subordinates won't hold out for long."
Kaguya stood close to Lin Yu, unwavering in her support for whatever decision he made.
Otsutsuki Old Ancestor declared, "It's time to make your choice, human."
*Hoo...*
Lin Yu took a deep breath. Vast golden chakra coalesced within him once more. A black katana, entwined with black flames, materialized with a *clink*, its silver blade flashing before Otsutsuki Old Ancestor's eyes, causing him to squint slightly.
"Have you finished barking, old man? I'm waiting to go home and flirt with my wife!"
Otsutsuki Old Ancestor's gaze turned icy. "Ignorance! You've made the most foolish decision!"
...
On the lunar surface, the battle raged on, reaching its most critical juncture.
Minato Namikaze, known as the Yellow Flash Courier, had joined the fray, alleviating some of the pressure on Itachi and Might Guy.
*Pat.*
A sound of crushing stone reached Kakashi's ears. However, he was too preoccupied to care who it was. In his current state, he was of no help whatsoever.
"This doesn't feel like a disciple of Uzumaki Lin Yu, Kakashi."
"Orochimaru..." Kakashi turned his head with great difficulty, blood still flowing from his chest.
Orochimaru, though covered in wounds, still possessed a sinister glint in his golden vertical pupils. "Enough of this nonsense. You don't want to lie on the ground like a helpless cripple, do you?"
Kakashi gave a bitter laugh. If he could still fight, who would lie there like a wounded dog? Just as he was about to inquire about Orochimaru's situation, a small blue crystal shard was dropped.
Kakashi caught it. A surge of immense, healing chakra flooded him, and the wound on his chest began to mend at a visible rate.
"What is this..." If they had this, why hadn't they brought it sooner!
Orochimaru stated nonchalantly, "Strategic assets are prioritized for those who can make effective use of them."
"..." Kakashi, though grumbling inwardly, had no retort. The situation was dire; distributing it to stronger individuals to stabilize the front lines was logical.
*Thud.*
A nutrient pouch was tossed into Kakashi's arms. Orochimaru then sprinted towards a nearby engagement.
"The choice is yours."
Kakashi looked at the Sharingan contained within his hand, its familiar aura palpable. He sighed. Was he destined to rely on the power of others?
However... Obito was one of them. It should be... fine!
...
In a dark, peculiar, yellowish space, three Uchiha members, all sporting poker faces, stared at the old man who called himself the Sage of Six Paths.
"You... don't believe this old man?"
The three shook their heads, their expressions unchanging.
"Then, do you have any further questions?"
The three nodded, then simultaneously shook their heads, still maintaining their impassive visages.
"..."
Otsutsuki Hagoromo was exasperated. Why had he been so foolish as to summon three individuals from the Uchiha clan? Even a descendant of Ashura would have made for a less awkward encounter.
"The Sage of Six Paths is dead, so does that mean we are dead too?" Shisui asked.
Otsutsuki Hagoromo chuckled. "Young man, your understanding of death is too superficial. Is what you perceive as death truly..."
"Enough of your nonsense! Since we're not dead, send us back!"
Obito interrupted Hagoromo with a stern face. Kakashi was in danger, and he couldn't waste time here. He had more important matters to attend to!
Hagoromo's words caught in his throat. Were all the youths in this era so arrogant?
Even if they didn't acknowledge him as the Sage of Six Paths, the founder of Ninshu, they should possess some basic filial piety, shouldn't they?
The Sage of Six Paths eyed Obito suspiciously. He recalled this boy having a noble trait of "helping old ladies cross the road." How had he become like this?
"Even if I were to send you back, what could you change? You might as well listen to what this old man has to say..."
"Less nonsense!"
Sasuke, his face cold, extended his hand towards the Sage of Six Paths and stated, "Since you say that, you must have a way to improve our strength."
Hagoromo looked at Sasuke, perplexed. "What are you...?"
"Hand it over!"
The scene devolved into a bizarre tableau.
Three young, robust men, in a dark, sewer-like environment, simultaneously extended their left hands towards an old man sitting cross-legged, unarmed, proclaiming:
"Don't be afraid, we won't hollow you out!"