Chapter 4: Ōtsutsuki Kaguya
Beside Minamikawa Yuu, everyone stared into the darkness ahead, nerves stretched tight.
As the daimyo of the Land of Ancestors, Minamikawa Yuu's surroundings had never been peaceful.
Over the years, there had been no shortage of assassins sent by enemy nations, yet Minamikawa Yuu had avoided them every time.
After all, many people in this world did not want him alive.
Even putting aside the enemy countries, there were also those within his own land whose interests had been damaged by his reforms. They wanted him dead just as much.
For people like that, tonight was a rare opportunity to strike.
Under the crowd's vigilant gaze, the figure ahead gradually stepped into view.
It was a woman.
And she was unlike anyone they had ever seen.
She was tall, with pale skin and long white hair. Her beauty was unreal, her face flawless, as if a goddess had descended from the heavens.
But the strangest part was her eyes.
Pure white, without a trace of impurity, without pupils.
Those eyes gave off an eerie feeling that made people instinctively uncomfortable.
Wrapped in a long robe, she stepped out from the forest and looked at the crowd without any visible emotion.
At that moment, Minamikawa Yuu froze.
"This woman…"
He stared at her, eyes fixed on that pure white gaze.
"This is the Byakugan…"
As someone who came from Konoha, Minamikawa Yuu was far too familiar with the Byakugan. He recognized it the moment he saw it.
And her appearance felt familiar as well.
"White hair, Byakugan, coming from beyond the heavens…"
His heart shook as he looked at her.
"Is she… Ōtsutsuki Kaguya?"
Minamikawa Yuu was not someone who knew every detail of the shinobi world's history, but he still knew the name of the final boss.
Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
Strictly speaking, the entire story began because of her.
In an even stricter sense, the protagonists of every era were all her descendants.
At that point, Minamikawa Yuu finally understood.
"The God Tree… Ōtsutsuki Kaguya… I see."
Realizations flashed through his mind in rapid succession.
Before this, because he could not find a single familiar trace from his memories, he had assumed he was reincarnated into some strange, unrelated world.
But now, it was clear.
The world was still the same world.
It was simply a different era.
He had reincarnated into the ancient past of the shinobi world, a time before even the founder of Ninshū, the Sage of Six Paths, was born.
In this era, the Sage of Six Paths had not yet come into existence. Ninshū had not been founded. The seeds of chakra had not been spread among humanity.
That was why chakra did not exist in this world yet.
And the Ōtsutsuki Kaguya standing before him was the origin of everything.
It was her arrival that brought the original power of chakra to this world.
In that instant, Minamikawa Yuu understood it all.
Ahead, the woman lifted her head, and her gaze settled directly on Minamikawa Yuu.
She sensed a familiar aura from him. Instinctively curious, she wanted to come closer.
But the moment she moved, the attendants and samurai guarding Minamikawa Yuu tensed like drawn bows.
"How dare you!"
"Woman, don't even think about approaching His Highness the daimyo!"
The samurai glared at her, already treating her as an assassin with ill intent.
Being shouted at like that, a hint of fear unconsciously appeared on the woman's face.
That reaction startled Minamikawa Yuu.
"Does the Ōtsutsuki Clan fear mortals?"
According to the legends, the Ōtsutsuki were an extraterrestrial race. In their eyes, the people of this world were nothing but natives, mortals not even worth notice.
But looking at her now, she was showing normal emotion.
He thought quickly, then lifted a hand, signaling everyone around him to be silent.
The next moment, under their astonished stares, he dismounted and walked toward her.
"Your Highness…"
The expressions of those behind him tightened immediately.
Minamikawa Yuu did not even turn his head.
What a joke.
The woman in front of him was the progenitor of chakra. If she wanted to, she could wipe them all out with ease.
Trying to "stay vigilant" in front of someone like that was the most ridiculous thing imaginable.
"Relax…"
Meeting her gaze, Minamikawa Yuu smiled gently.
To avoid provoking her, he moved slowly, his steps light, until he stopped in front of her.
Ōtsutsuki Kaguya stared blankly as he approached.
The closer he got, the clearer the sensation became.
Chakra.
As a member of the Ōtsutsuki Clan, Kaguya understood chakra better than anyone.
And within him, though the aura was faint, it was real, and it gave her an unusual feeling.
Seeing her frail, solitary appearance, Minamikawa Yuu removed his robe and draped it over her shoulders.
When she showed no disgust and made no sudden move, he finally let out a quiet breath, keeping his smile in place.
"The weather is getting chilly. It's best you don't catch a cold, Miss."
His voice stayed soft.
"May I know your name?"
Silence answered him.
The attendants behind him were about to shout again, but Minamikawa Yuu stopped them with a single cold look.
What kind of death wish did they have, to berate someone who could erase them at will?
The fact she had not killed them on the spot was already mercy beyond reason.
Just as Minamikawa Yuu thought she would not speak at all, she suddenly did.
Under the night sky, an indifferent, cold voice sounded, faint and distant.
"Ōtsutsuki Kaguya."
Her gaze remained fixed on Minamikawa Yuu as she spoke her name.
"So it is Miss Kaguya."
Minamikawa Yuu let out a long breath.
Good.
Her aura was cold, and there was an inhuman feel to her, but she was capable of communication.
If she could communicate, then in this situation, she probably would not suddenly lash out and kill people for no reason.
At least, that was what he hoped.
"This place isn't safe," he said.
"If possible, would Miss Kaguya like to leave with me?"
"I will find a place to properly protect you."
Then, fearing she might misunderstand, he immediately added, careful with his wording.
"Of course, if you wish, you can leave at any time. There will be no restrictions."
Ōtsutsuki Kaguya stared at him.
After a long moment, she seemed to understand his meaning.
Then she nodded.
Minamikawa Yuu finally relaxed.
After this night, he had no more interest in inspecting anything.
Because compared to having Kaguya at his side, no inspection mattered anymore.
Or rather, compared to this woman, even his most precious position as daimyo was not worth mentioning at all.