For Isshiki, Cizen had never been a suitable vessel.
The man was merely a desperate choice made in his dying moments—the only living person he had encountered at the time. But Cizen's frail body was utterly incapable of withstanding the Ōtsutsuki transformation. If Isshiki were to fully manifest his power, it would inevitably lead to Cizen's demise.
This was why Isshiki had been unable to fully awaken, and why he had spent years searching for a new vessel.
"I sensed someone descending earlier—a true Ōtsutsuki. And now..."
He raised his head skyward, his dark eyes seemingly able to perceive the moonlight-like chakra cascading down.
"The power signature is similar but vastly inferior. Yet to withstand such power, this individual must be extraordinary—perhaps even a descendant of Kaguya's two offspring."
Having survived for countless years, Isshiki was well-informed about many matters. He had remained inactive due to uncertainties about the current situation. But now, circumstances appeared different...
"That reckless clansman is rampaging unchecked, with no one to stop him. Does this mean it's finally safe to act?"
Isshiki had heard that Kaguya's two descendants were dead, but for the Ōtsutsuki, death carried a very different meaning. Regardless, he decided to test the waters, as he could no longer tolerate being confined to Cizen's body.
As Cizen began moving toward his location, the Second Elder took a deep breath and turned to Toneri.
"Toneri, wait here and don't wander off."
"Grandfather, you're..."
Although Toneri couldn't see, he could sense something significant was happening. His grandfather had secretly activated the power of the giant Tenseigan on the moon!
"Don't worry, Toneri. I understand the consequences of my actions," the Second Elder reassured him, a pale smile crossing his weathered face. "The one who occupied our homeland will notice, but that's inconsequential—I know my time is limited."
"Grandfather..."
"Don't grieve. This was inevitable. The future now rests with you."
The Second Elder took another deep breath. "Descending from the moon requires time. I will secure the Byakugan as quickly as possible, and then you must flee immediately."
"But—"
"I will confront that individual directly. After my death, he won't be able to track you, allowing you to escape the darkness."
The Second Elder firmly gripped Toneri's shoulder, speaking with grave earnestness. "You are our only hope. From now on, everything depends on you, Toneri."
Toneri fell silent, lowering his head and clenching his fists. The feeling that "weakness is a sin" weighed heavily upon him, causing immense anguish. But the Second Elder said nothing more, casting one final glance at his grandson before departing.
After all, his remaining time was truly limited...
"What's wrong? Did something happen?"
Back at the ANBU headquarters, everyone's expressions had darkened due to Kitagawa Minamoto's provocations. They hadn't expected the person they had just praised so highly to leave them speechless with just a few calculated words. His skill at manipulation was truly remarkable.
As the group fell into collective silence, Kakashi noticed something unusual about Minamoto's expression. Unable to contain his curiosity, he asked, "Is something bothering you?"
"I sense something might be happening," Minamoto replied, his expression peculiar. Though he spoke truthfully, he withheld crucial information.
Just moments ago, he had clearly detected the activation of the giant Tenseigan's power on the moon!
"Could it be those two survivors?" Minamoto realized, his gaze narrowing. In the shinobi world, only the Ōtsutsuki on the moon could harness the Tenseigan's power. He remembered there had been survivors. Over the years, he had occasionally used the Tenseigan to search for them, but they had hidden themselves well.
Now they had suddenly emerged, apparently collaborating with the Akatsuki—this was certainly troubling!
"Though they probably haven't seen my face..." Minamoto hadn't forgotten how uninhibited he had been during his time on the moon. Although these two had fled quickly, avoiding direct confrontation, he felt he needed to exercise caution.
"I'll have to use my other identity to deal with them, especially since they're using my property!" The giant Tenseigan was his, and for them to misappropriate it was sheer audacity. They had escaped him once, but this time, he was determined to eliminate them completely!
"Something is happening?" Jiraiya asked, puzzled.
Before he could inquire further, the basement door was suddenly knocked upon, causing everyone to exchange uneasy glances.
"Don't tell me your ominous prediction came true?" someone muttered.
"Lord Hokage!" Yamato's urgent voice called from outside. "There's an emergency!"
"What's happened?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, instantly alert.
"Lord Hokage, the Hyūga clan is under attack! The assailants appear to be... the Akatsuki!"
"Attacked?" "The Hyūga clan?" "The Akatsuki?" "Have they lost their minds?"
Everyone was dumbfounded. The Akatsuki had just been dealt a severe blow in Takigakure, yet they dared to strike again? What puzzled them even more was why the Akatsuki would target the Hyūga clan specifically.
Minamoto's eyes narrowed slightly. Could it be...?
"Are these two groups working together?" he wondered silently. "We'll need to respond with overwhelming force..."
A sardonic smile touched his lips. "Well, at least the family can have a proper reunion..."
Within the Hyūga compound, Hiashi Hyūga walked toward his residence, accompanied by several guards.
"Have Hinata and Hanabi retired for the night?" he inquired.
"Not yet. They're both training diligently," one guard replied softly, then added, "Neji hasn't rested either. He seems even more determined than usual."
"It's good to be dedicated," Hiashi nodded, thoughts turning to his daughters. For a moment, he found himself at a loss for words.
Initially, he had placed high hopes on Hinata, expecting her to become a worthy heir to the main family. But after she lost to her younger sister Hanabi, his disappointment had led him to gradually shift his focus. Perhaps because of memories of his brother, he had refrained from marking Hinata with the Caged Bird Seal, hoping she could at least live peacefully.
What he hadn't anticipated was the emergence of an anomaly in Konoha—Kitagawa Minamoto!
This boy, Kakashi's disciple, had initially seemed unremarkable. But over time, Hiashi was astonished to witness Minamoto's extraordinary development. As the Hyūga clan leader, he recognized that this youth would undoubtedly become the Fifth Hokage, his position far more secure than Orochimaru's had ever been!
"And this future Hokage is the same age as Hinata, with whom he maintains a cordial relationship. He includes her in every social gathering..."
Not just Hinata—Neji was similarly regarded. With Might Guy's influence and Neji's own disposition, the branch family member held Minamoto in even higher esteem.
Minamoto maintained good relationships with all his peers, creating a harmonious dynamic that left Hiashi conflicted. He certainly hoped the future Hyūga clan leader would maintain a positive relationship with the future Hokage. After all, with the Uchiha clan's cautionary example, he wouldn't repeat their mistakes!
"But Hanabi is too young..." Hiashi sighed, feeling a headache forming. Though he had high expectations for Hanabi, she couldn't connect with Minamoto as the others did. Hinata and Neji were well-positioned, but one lacked talent in his estimation, while the other belonged to the branch family—a truly vexing situation.
"I'll simply observe for now," Hiashi decided, continuing toward his residence.
As he walked, he suddenly sensed something amiss. The next moment, the Hyūga compound erupted with explosions. Screams, shouts, and the sounds of combat filled the night air!
"What is—? Damn it! Someone is attacking the Hyūga clan?" Hiashi realized, stunned that anyone would dare target his family.
"Send up the signal flare! Alert the ANBU! And evacuate Hinata and Hanabi immediately!" he commanded his guards, rushing toward the conflict's epicenter.
He knew what needed to be done, but just as he began moving, a figure suddenly lunged at him from the shadows.
"You are..." Upon recognizing his attacker, Hiashi's expression transformed with shock. "Hizashi? The Akatsuki?"
"Brother?" The attacker's gaze seemed momentarily disoriented as he whispered the word. But his body had already launched its assault, and the twin brothers became locked in desperate combat!
Similar confrontations erupted throughout the Hyūga compound, as flames silently climbed into the night sky.
"They've launched the signal flare. Kitagawa Minamoto and the others will arrive soon," Obito Uchiha observed from a nearby hillside, where he stood with Black Zetsu and Orochimaru, watching the chaos unfold below.
Obito glanced at Orochimaru, unable to resist commenting, "You've certainly prepared some unpleasant surprises for Konoha."
"Danzō Shimura's corpse was already in our possession, and Hizashi Hyūga was in Kumogakure's hands," Orochimaru replied with casual indifference, his tongue flicking across his lips. "Both were intimately familiar with Konoha and the Hyūga clan. It would have been wasteful not to utilize them."
"Hmph. Aren't you concerned about exposing Kumogakure's involvement?" Obito scoffed.
Black Zetsu intervened. "Kumogakure is under severe restrictions—there's no cause for concern. Besides, White Zetsu has located their position, and Minamoto's team is already mobilizing."
"Is that so?" Obito paused, no longer dwelling on Orochimaru's machinations. "Since they've been drawn out, it's time for me to act."
"Exercise caution," Black Zetsu warned. "Remember that the First and Second Hokage are under Edo Tensei on their side."
Despite the warning, Obito vanished into his Kamui dimension, disappearing from sight.
"He's certainly impatient," Orochimaru remarked, his gaze shifting toward the distance. "But I'm curious about both the Senju relics and the Uchiha artifacts. This excursion to Konoha presents a valuable opportunity—I don't intend to leave empty-handed."
"You mean..." Black Zetsu followed Orochimaru's line of sight, immediately comprehending his intentions. "The Uchiha clan members?"
"Naturally. They're a warrior clan, after all. If we have Madara Uchiha, how can we not have his potential subordinates?"
Orochimaru's smile remained fixed, but as his gaze swept over the battlefield again, his expression suddenly froze. Black Zetsu also sensed something unusual, and both turned their attention toward a particular scene unfolding below.
For a long moment, they were silent. Finally, they couldn't help but inwardly remark, "Tobirama Senju truly lowered Konoha's moral standards to unprecedented depths!"
Amidst the chaos engulfing the Hyūga compound, Itachi Uchiha found himself rampaging through the battlefield. Though he had no desire to participate in such violence, he was completely unable to control his own actions!
"Perhaps I shouldn't have chosen death back then," Itachi thought grimly, his body continuing its relentless assault against his will.
Suddenly, he sensed an incoming attack.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
He leaped swiftly, evading the massive fireball. As he turned to face his attacker, his eyes widened with shock.
"Sasuke..."
"And..."
"Father and Mother?"
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