Several Kusagakure ninja widened their eyes and died miserable deaths on the spot.
Even at the moment their lives slipped away, they could not believe they had actually died at the hands of a hulking, talking bear.
At first, they had thought the hulking bear was some special summoned beast.
Any beast that came into contact with Chakra had a certain chance of mastering it and becoming a powerful creature beyond ordinary animals.
Summoned beasts with sufficient intelligence, such as those from the Three Great Sage Lands and the Enma Clan, could speak human language.
These Kusagakure ninja had eagerly wanted to capture the bear. For ninja from a small village lacking medical supplies, ninjutsu, and medical ninja, gaining a summoned beast would undoubtedly bring a tremendous leap in strength.
But unfortunately, the bear merely waved a paw and dismembered them.
The bear extended a massive claw and grabbed the head of someone who was not quite dead. With a single glance, it obtained the information it wanted.
"A red-haired girl? So this really is the place. Based on the intelligence I have, red hair holds a certain attraction for me... She should be from the Uzumaki Clan, Hagoromo's descendants."
The great bear's gaze was cold and merciless.
It was the innate indifference of one who stood above all else and regarded everything as ants.
"Still, this is good. Someone with Ōtsutsuki blood flowing through her veins is perfectly suited to be my vessel."
At the mention of a vessel, the great bear—or rather, Isshiki—grew irritated.
Irritation was an emotion that rarely appeared for him, someone who looked down upon countless planets like a god.
Whenever Isshiki thought of vessels, he thought of the vessel he had used for over a thousand years—the monk Jigen.
A thousand years ago, when