Jigen

At that time, Seiji, who had yet to awaken the memories of his past life, had no idea what the Otsutsuki Bloodline he had awakened truly meant.

In an unnamed temple somewhere in the Ninja World, a young man dressed like a monk was meditating. He wore a white haori, his hair gathered atop his head with a long braid hanging down behind him. The Roman numeral IV was tattooed beneath his left eye, and a black mark rested on his chin. He wore a red neck covering and red Wrist Guards around his neck and wrists, his fingernails painted black. A red belt was tied around his waist, and red earrings hung from his ears.

The monk was named Jigen. He lived in the Ancient Era Thousand Years Ago, an age even more distant than the era of the Shinobi Creed.

During the ancient era, Kaguya Otsutsuki and Ōtsutsuki Isshiki came to the planet where the Ninja World was located as partners to plant the God Tree. Originally, one of them was meant to be sacrificed to the God Tree.

Ōtsutsuki Isshiki was slightly stronger than Kaguya Otsutsuki. Thus, in the Otsutsuki Clan, where strength was everything, Kaguya was to be used as the sacrifice.

However, unwilling to become a sacrifice, Kaguya made a desperate final gamble on the eve of the ritual and launched a sneak attack on Isshiki. The sacrifice failed, and Isshiki suffered grievous wounds that were difficult to recover from.

At that very moment, a monk named Jigen happened to pass by in the distance. Seeing a sliver of hope, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki used his Dojutsu, "Sukuna Hikona," to shrink himself and infiltrated Jigen's body.

Isshiki gained an opportunity to catch his breath. After recovering a small amount of strength, he engraved his own Karma mark upon Jigen's body.

When Seiji awakened the Shikotsumyaku and began emitting an inexplicable aura, Jigen, who had been meditating in the temple, suddenly stopped his cultivation. His body changed involuntarily, strange black markings emerging across his body and face—the initial state of Karma.

"The aura of a newborn Otsutsuki. After a thousand years, an Otsutsuki Bloodline has actually been born in this world once more, though it is still exceedingly faint!" Isshiki's voice rang out with barely concealed excitement. "And this is the aura of that bitch Kaguya! It seems to be one of her descendants."

"This is simply wonderful. A body with the Otsutsuki Bloodline—though only the most rudimentary kind—is already perfectly capable of bringing about my resurrection!" Isshiki's emotions surged and churned.

Jigen had gained a long Lifespan because Isshiki had engraved him with Karma, turning him into the vessel for Isshiki's resurrection. However, Isshiki's power was far too overwhelming for a native of the Ninja World. Jigen was merely an ordinary monk of the Ninja World, utterly incapable of becoming a qualified Vessel that could allow Ōtsutsuki Isshiki to fully resurrect. He could not even wield Isshiki's power for an extended period.

Therefore, throughout the long years, Isshiki had been troubled by his inability to find a suitable body—a "Vessel"—which prevented him from completing his reincarnation smoothly.

Now that he had suddenly sensed Seiji's aura, it was no wonder Isshiki was so excited.

After all, this was a body with the Otsutsuki Bloodline. Though the bloodline was weak, it already possessed a foundation. Its weak bloodline also meant low strength, making it the most suitable body for Isshiki in his current state. If it had been an Otsutsuki whose bloodline had fully evolved or was already complete, such as the Six Paths Brothers of the past, or Indra and Asura, Isshiki would certainly have fled as far away as possible.

The aura he sensed came from the distant far east. Jigen returned to normal, slowly rose to his feet, and set out in search of Seiji.

Meanwhile, after driving away the two Jonin, Genji returned to Seiji's room with a complicated expression. Looking at his son, who was still unconscious on the floor, his resolve gradually hardened.

I thought that in such a harsh environment, his body would not be able to support an awakening. I never expected his talent to be this high. Genji thought in admiration. It seems he is destined to become a ninja!

"Ugh!" Seiji slowly opened his eyes and rubbed his groggy head. "Father, what happened to me?"

"Now that you're awake, come sit down." Genji's indifferent voice came from ahead, without the slightest trace of emotion.

Seiji slowly climbed up from the floor, and the events that had just occurred gradually returned to his mind. He walked over to Genji and sat down with difficulty. The complete depletion of his Chakra left him extremely uncomfortable.

"Can you still use that Ten Finger Drilling Bullets technique from earlier?" Genji asked.

"Ten Finger Drilling Bullets?" Seiji asked in confusion. "What is that?"

"It is the ninjutsu you used to shatter the wall just now. A technique that fires high-speed, penetrating bone bullets from the fingertips of both hands to attack." Genji explained.

"I'm sorry, Father. I only saw Bone Spikes emerge from my fingers, and then I passed out." Seiji replied sheepishly, somewhat embarrassed.

"That makes sense. A weak body, coupled with a newly awakened Shikotsumyaku." Genji was not surprised. "But to instinctively use Ten Finger Drilling Bullets the moment you awakened... your talent far surpasses mine."

"Enough for now. Go rest and recover your Chakra. We can discuss any questions tomorrow." With that, Genji stood and left Seiji's room.

"Yes, Father." Seiji responded respectfully, suppressing his urgent desire to learn the details. Since Genji understood what had happened to him, there was no need to rush.

Shikotsumyaku... is that the name of the ability my body has produced? Seiji wondered curiously. With some apprehension and some curiosity, he slowly drifted into dreamland and fell into a deep sleep.

In this remote region, Seiji's sleeping body gradually became suffused with a layer of divine light, once again emitting that inexplicable aura. Aside from Isshiki, who had sensed the Otsutsuki aura, no one knew that a young man in a remote corner of the Ninja World had, while awakening his Bloodline Limit, also caused his bloodline to undergo an initial reversion to its ancestors, becoming a newborn Otsutsuki.