What surprised Shinichi was that Otsutsuki Goinmei died at dawn, his pulse and breath completely gone.
He entrusted Toneri to Shinichi and told him how to reach the moon.
Toneri showed no sadness over his father's death. Instead, he was remarkably calm, as though he had grown accustomed to death despite his young age.
Shinichi was surprised that Toneri trusted him so unconditionally, but after speaking with him for a while, he understood why.
The conflict among the Otsutsuki on the moon involved no clash of interests at all. It was purely a collision of beliefs between a group of fanatical believers.
The Otsutsuki clansmen on the moon unconditionally trusted the destiny Hamura had left behind. The Main Branch wanted to continue protecting Earth, while the Branch Family firmly believed that Hamura had become disappointed in the shinobi on Earth.
Both sides insisted that they were absolutely right. That was why Goinmei believed that once Shinichi learned of Hamura's divine prophecy, he would surely carry it out and restart the world, allowing him to leave in peace.
He probably never could have imagined that there was no divine prophecy at all. Shinichi merely knew the plot well.
Shinichi took Kamado, Kakashi, and Toneri with him to search for the Teleportation Array Goinmei had mentioned.
The Teleportation Array was inside an underground cave. Nothing unusual could be detected from outside. Even Shinichi had sensed nothing; the concealment method was unexpectedly sophisticated.
There was no light source within the cave. It was pitch-black, impossible to see one's hand before one's face.
This did not affect Shinichi much. He raised a Chakra Light Orb in one hand, and the group continued deeper into the cave, gradually hearing the faint sound of flowing water.
After walking for a while longer, they finally made out