Stepping out from the dark underground graveyard and feeling the dim yellow sunlight outside, Hinata felt as though she had been separated from the world for an eternity.
Logically speaking, it should have been late evening in this world by now.
However, within this ancestral domain of the Ōtsutsuki clan, the illumination from the artificial sun overhead created the illusion that it was still broad daylight.
But just as they stepped into the forest, Hinata's expression suddenly shifted, and a flash of alarm crossed her pure white eyes.
"Kaoru... I see them..."
"I know..."
Kaoru had long sensed roughly a hundred dark figures within the surrounding forest rapidly closing in on their position.
"Puppets..."
He quickly observed the approaching shapes and determined that their internal structure differed greatly from that of a human body. He judged them to be controlled puppets of some kind.
"It seems the descendants of the Ōtsutsuki clan on the Moon have discovered that we have entered this place..."
Kaoru glanced slightly upward at the sun in the sky, immediately realizing the possibility.
"What do we do now, Kaoru...?" Hinata asked, seeing that the area surrounding them was already densely encircled by black-cloaked puppets.
"Do not worry. Leave this to me..." Kaoru waved his hand, motioning for Hinata to stand behind him.
He carefully observed the shadowy figures surrounding them. Every single one was dressed exactly the same, their faces wrapped in white bandages that completely concealed their features.
"Just as I thought — puppets controlled from the Moon..."
Watching them charge forward, Kaoru instantly assessed their capabilities based on their movements.
"Each of them possesses roughly the strength of a Chūnin... Hmph... mere trash..."
"SHATTER..."
Standing right where he was, Kaoru uttered a soft command. The ancient, profound chakra of the Six Paths erupted forth and radiated outward from him in all directions.
In the blink of an eye, the surging wave of puppets was instantly pulverized, dissolving into fine specks of ash.
This was achieved purely through the overwhelming power of his chakra; he didn't need to cast any specific technique at all.
"Incredible..."
Even though she had witnessed Kaoru display such divine power countless times, Hinata couldn't help but marvel at such might.
"At this point in time, Toneri Ōtsutsuki should be roughly the same age as me — still not yet an adult, and he hasn't stolen Hanabi Hyūga's Byakugan yet. Which means... someone else is controlling these puppets..."
After silently thinking for a moment, a smile appeared on Kaoru's lips.
"In any case... I suppose we shall find out for ourselves..."
"Do you remember what that middle-aged man said? That the Ōtsutsuki clan would descend upon Earth riding the sun?" Kaoru asked, looking up at the artificial sun suspended in the sky, completely unfazed by its blinding brilliance.
"I remember. I was still wondering... since they live on the Moon..." Hinata nodded, narrowing her eyes as she followed Kaoru's gaze toward the sun.
Suddenly, a look of realization spread across her face. "Could it be... that they intend to come to Earth through this artificial sun?"
"Precisely... Now, come with me..." Kaoru said softly, seeing her understanding.
Immediately, the eerie, blood-red power of the Rinne Sharingan surged forth. He manipulated gravity and levitation, taking Hinata with him as they both rose off the ground and floated upward toward the sky.
"It feels so wonderful to be able to fly freely like this..." Hinata murmured, floating beside him. Although it wasn't the first time Kaoru had taken her flying, the sensation remained truly wondrous.
As the objects below grew smaller and smaller, Kaoru and Hinata ascended higher and higher, gradually drawing closer to the sun in the sky.
"Hard Vortex Edge!!"
High above in the atmosphere, Kaoru suddenly activated his Six Paths chakra. He condensed a spiral spear in his hand and hurled it directly toward the sun overhead.
For someone who possessed the power of the Ten-Tails, any technique in his hands could unleash terrifying destructive force!
BOOM!!
The Hard Vortex Edge struck the sun overhead with pinpoint accuracy.
Instead of producing a solid impact or collision, the massive airflow generated by the explosion tore a huge gaping hole right through the center of the artificial sun.
"Just as I suspected..."
Kaoru murmured to himself. As the sun expanded to reveal the hollow interior, every detail within was laid bare before his Rinne Sharingan.
Just as he thought — hanging high above the ancestral lands of the Ōtsutsuki clan within this mysterious cavern — this artificial sun served as a spatial passageway established using the power of the Tenseigan, designed specifically to travel back and forth between Earth and the Moon.
"Kaoru... it looks like something is coming out from inside..." Hinata cried out in alarm.
Kaoru clearly saw dozens of puppets mounted on flying beasts emerging continuously from the passageway above.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Before they even drew close, the puppets launched glowing golden spheres of chakra from their hands, bombarding Kaoru and Hinata relentlessly.
Countless golden projectiles filled the sky, falling like a torrential rain — a dense offensive that seemed to leave nowhere to hide. Yet Kaoru didn't even so much as raise an eyebrow.
"I have no patience to play with these toys..."
With a wave of his right hand, the dark, profound Sage Staff — Amenonuhoko — materialized in his grip.
Then, wielding the Heavenly Spear, Kaoru gently tapped it against the void.
Instantly, everything around them transformed. It was as if time itself had come to a halt. Every object froze completely in motion, like a silent movie paused on a single frame.
"What... is this...?" Hinata whispered in shock, looking at the golden spheres of chakra frozen in mid-flight and the puppets suspended motionless in the air.
"The flow of time where we stand is moving much slower than for them... that is why it appears this way..." Kaoru replied calmly, observing the frozen world.
"He... he controls time itself...?" Hinata's heart was overwhelmed with shock. The very concept was astonishing to her.
"Come along now, let's go..."
Kaoru led Hinata straight past the golden projectiles and the frozen puppets.
As they passed through, he casually placed another Hard Vortex Edge right in the center of the flying formation. He then guided Hinata away from the area.
Moments later, time in that location returned to normal. But immediately following... came the devastating explosion of the technique.
KABOOM!!
Before the puppets could even react, they and the golden chakra spheres they had fired were instantly reduced to nothingness...
...
Meanwhile, on the Moon, deep within an ancient and opulent palace...
"Failed? It seems they weren't just little rats after all..."
Seated upon a luxurious throne, a man looked somewhat surprised, his brows furrowing slightly.
"They actually managed to escape the puppet encirclement... and now... they are coming straight here, into the Moon itself..."
...
"Kaoru... where is this place...?"
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