Author Note:
Here's the BONUS CHAPTER as promised—thanks for the support, and let's keep this energy going!
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"There's really a passage behind the waterfall?" Hanabi said as she followed Guts inside.
"I read about it in some of the Hyuga clan's old records, but seeing it with my own eyes… it's completely different."
They stepped into a cavernous space, larger than any normal stalactite cave, but at first glance, there was nothing particularly remarkable about it.
Except for the word etched high on the wall in an alien script.
Hanabi tilted her head. "That symbol… I think it means 'beginning' in the ancient language."
She had studied some of the Hyuga clan's classical texts and recognized the symbol from an old record.
Guts remained silent. His sharp eyes scanned the cave.
"Seems like there's more hidden here than just a passage."
"Hm?" Hanabi looked up, puzzled.
Suddenly...whoosh!
Several shadows surged out from the darkness.
Even with her Byakugan activated, Hanabi couldn't clearly see them. They moved like beams of light, chakra signatures zipping in and out of her vision, leaving only vague traces.
"Sensei—!"
Her instincts kicked in. In fear, she reached out to grab the edge of Guts's cloak.
But her hand caught only air.
He was gone.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sounds of bodies slamming against rock echoed through the cavern.
Hanabi turned her head, and gasped.
Guts stood nearly 30 meters away, surrounded by shattered remains. The attackers were down. All of them.
"J-Just like that… he took them all out?"
Her voice trembled. She hadn't even seen him move.
She knew Guts was strong. That was common knowledge in Konoha. But this...this was the first time she had witnessed it herself.
She jogged over, awe written all over her face. "That was amazing… I didn't even, wow…"
"You're making a face that doesn't suit you, wildcat."
Guts grinned and squeezed her cheeks.
"Hmph! I was starting to treat you with a little more respect, too…" Hanabi pouted, pulling her face away.
Guts crouched beside one of the fallen figures, inspecting the body. Hanabi peered over his shoulder.
But just as he touched the attacker's shoulder, the body crumbled, like it was made of mud. In seconds, it disintegrated into dust.
"W-What? What was that!?"
"Puppet," Guts replied flatly.
"Like the ones from Sunagakure?"
"Similar principle, different method," Guts explained. "The Sand's puppets use chakra threads. These...these are controlled by ocular powers. A dojutsu of some kind."
Hanabi's brows furrowed. "You can control puppets with a Dojutsu?"
"Apparently."
Guts stood up, brushing dust from his fingers. Then he looked at Hanabi.
"Go find a room at the nearest village. Wait for me there."
"Huh!? You're just gonna ditch your student!?"
She stomped her foot, her temper flaring up.
"You didn't even see how those puppets attacked just now."
His blunt reply deflated her like a popped balloon. She fell quiet for a moment, then spoke, voice low but firm.
"Then… promise you'll train me more seriously after this."
Guts raised an eyebrow.
"…Like, if you agree, I'll even let you pat my head whenever you want."
Her voice dipped at the end, clearly embarrassed.
Guts chuckled. "We'll talk about that later. For now...head back."
Then his expression shifted, voice turning serious. "I destroyed their puppets. Their controller will notice soon. Go. Now."
"Okay."
This time, she didn't argue. She turned and dashed out of the cavern.
At the very end of the cave, Guts arrived at an eerie sight.
A pond shimmered faintly with a pale green glow. The surface looked like water, but when he touched it...it rippled without wetting his skin.
He closed his eyes and activated the Voice of All Things, channeling his top-level Observation Haki.
His brows furrowed.
Even with his perception, this wasn't easy. Whatever lay beyond the pond was really old.
A space-time tunnel.
And not just any.
This portal was over a thousand years old, created with chakra so dense and refined, only someone on par with the Six Paths level,or higher, could've done it.
The people who had left their chakra signature on Hinata?
They had passed through this.
Guts tilted his head and muttered, "If I'm lucky, maybe this will help with my Template progress."
Then he stepped forward, and jumped in.
The moment he entered...
He felt a violent pull, a suction force that dragged him downward.
Light twisted. Space bent.
Time lost meaning.
When his vision finally cleared, Guts stood in an endless forest stretching to a distant coast. The air was still. The sun hung in the sky, but gave off no heat.
"So this is… the moon?"
He'd guessed it even before arriving.
Roughly three years after the original defeat of Kaguya, a group of her descendants,the branch family of the Ōtsutsuki,had begun to stir.
Living on the artificial moon, they'd grown dissatisfied with Earth and decided to wipe it clean and start anew.
Guts scoffed.
"What a load of crap. Earth's a mess, sure...but who asked you moon people to intervene?"
Just then, he heard a screech above.
He looked up.
A swarm of puppets riding mechanical birds descended from the sky, casting shadows over the silver forest. Their numbers were in the hundreds, maybe thousands.
"Oh? So you already know I'm here?"
Guts grinned and cracked his knuckles.
"You're all planning to destroy Earth anyway... might as well deal with you first."
"Hope you're ready... to catch these fucking hands."
He stepped forward, smiling wide.
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