Noah.
"Star Temple, Sage of Six Paths, Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, pays respects to Lord Imu!"
"Army Headquarters, Admiral Ryokugyu, Ōtsutsuki Aramaki, pays respects to Lord Imu!"
Inside the grand, vast, and empty Empty Throne Hall.
The atmosphere was somewhat solemn, as though an invisible force blanketed the entire hall, exerting an intense pressure on everyone's minds.
Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki and Ōtsutsuki Aramaki knelt on one knee upon the soft red carpet, respectfully greeting the Empty Throne atop the three-tiered platform.
At the same time.
Kaguya Otsutsuki's clone, Little Kaguya, stood on the shoulder of her eldest son.
Though she did not kneel with them, her attitude had become far more serious than before.
Strange. This Imu seems different. His presence feels more imposing somehow.
Little Kaguya was puzzled, but she could not tell exactly what had changed.
Above them.
Imu sat upon the golden-red, spire-shaped throne, gazing coldly down at the three below.
"Aramaki, how is your progress with the Eight Gates Released Formation?"
Aramaki froze for a moment.
He had not expected to be questioned about this, but he hurriedly replied:
"Reporting to Lord Imu, regrettably, after several attempts, I have still failed."
"The reason is that I do not possess the 'Eight Gates' within my body, nor do I have meridians. It should be a change brought about by the Ōtsutsuki constitution."
As soon as Aramaki finished speaking.
Little Kaguya, seated on Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki's shoulder, explained coldly.
"To us, meridians are an outdated energy circulation system."
"Thus, we abandoned them thousands of years ago."
"Modern Ōtsutsuki can circulate energy through every corner of their bodies."
"And remain at full power at all times. There is no such thing as limitations."
Imu had long suspected this, so Little Kaguya's words did not surprise him in the slightest.
The bodies of the