In the year 50 of Konoha, the Battle of Kannabi Bridge broke out, and Rin Nohara died.
Obito Uchiha, the Ninja World's most lovesick man, turned to darkness. First, he caused the Nine-Tails' Rampage and dealt Konoha a heavy blow. Then he infiltrated Kirigakure, took control of the Fourth Mizukage, and enacted the Blood Mist Policy.
In just two short years, the Hozuki and Mizuki clans—the three great clans of the Mist—were wiped out. Only the Kaguya Clan remained, struggling to survive.
The Kaguya Clan's compound. Dungeon.
Kazama Kaguya stood at the entrance. His thin, sickly frame cast a long shadow, like a gray bone spike embedded deep in the darkness.
"Lord Kazama, is that you?" an excited child's voice called from the dungeon.
"Yeah, it's me, Kimimaro." Kazama Kaguya stepped from the light into the darkness and saw the boy imprisoned behind an iron door.
White hair, green eyes, red eyebrows, and the same Shikotsumyaku as his own—he had the beauty of a degraded Otsutsuki descendant.
The only difference was that Kazama Kaguya was a few years older. His skin was deathly pale, and he was so thin he looked like a sickly wretch drained of life, while Kimimaro was healthy and full of energy.
Kimimaro was unusually excited. He pressed himself against the iron door, trying to get closer, and asked cautiously, "Lord Kazama, you haven't visited in a long time. Is your Bloodline Disease any better?"
His voice was full of grievance, like an abandoned young beast.
Kazama Kaguya looked at seven-year-old Kimimaro. His heart ached, and he ruffled the boy's hair, speaking gently.
"Sorry, Kimimaro. It's been almost a month since I last came to see you, hasn't it? My illness has gotten worse. I've been trying to find a way lately, but I haven't been able to get a Byakugan..."
At that, Kazama Kaguya's expression suddenly changed. His whole body erupted in pain, and he couldn't stop himself from spitting out a mouthful of blood.
The pungent smell of blood filled the air, and Kimimaro cried out in alarm, "Lord Kazama!"
His bones grew rapidly, gathering into a bone spear as he tried to break through the iron door, but Kazama Kaguya stopped him.
"Cough, cough... I'm fine, Kimimaro. Don't draw the attention of the other clan members. I'm not going to die just yet."
"But..."
"Be good."
Kazama Kaguya calmed Kimimaro down and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. A shadow passed through his eyes.
"The Bloodline Disease is getting worse. The evolution of Shikotsumyaku is a trap. The power of All-Killing Ash Bones is making my body fall apart. The Otsutsuki's abilities are terrifying!"
Suppressing the pain, Kazama Kaguya focused his mind. An obelisk instantly appeared in his thoughts, its lines of text shining brightly.
[Evolver: Kazama Kaguya] [Chakra: 0.3 cards] [Chakra Natures: Water, Lightning, Yang] [Kekkei Genkai: Shikotsumyaku] (Equation executed; physical attributes too low, skill overloaded, genes collapsing) [Status: Bloodline Disease outbreak, estimated survival time: 3 months] (99% charged; Byakugan Kekkei Genkai missing, please provide material) (8% charged) (0% charged)
Like all transmigrators, Kazama Kaguya had his own special cheat, called the Evolution Equation.
It was engraved on an illusory obelisk. As long as he provided the materials and listed an Evolution Equation, then charged it to 100% with chakra, he could avoid all risk of failure and evolve perfectly.
Over the two years since his transmigration, Kazama Kaguya had racked his brains, pieced together everything he knew from Naruto: Shippuden and Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, and worked out the Evolution Equations for "Pure-blood Otsutsuki" and "All-Killing Ash Bones."
He had also made the most of his cautious nature, ensuring his survival while extracting chakra every day to charge the most important equation, "Pure-blood Otsutsuki," to the critical point of 99%.
The last 1% was stuck because he lacked the Byakugan as a material.
Seeing that his evolution had stalled, Kazama Kaguya began looking for another goal.
During the Blood Mist Policy, evolving into a Kekkei Genkai like Storm Release would be tantamount to courting death. His only way out was to evolve the killing technique, "All-Killing Ash Bones."
Following Naruto's training method from the original story, Kazama Kaguya had tried again and again before finally managing to absorb Natural Energy as material. He successfully evolved Shikotsumyaku into All-Killing Ash Bones.
But the cruel truth was that the gap between people of the Ninja World and the Otsutsuki Clan was even greater than the gap between people and dogs.
Without Otsutsuki blood to support him, Kazama Kaguya entered a state of genetic collapse as soon as he activated All-Killing Ash Bones. He didn't have much time left to live.
"Sigh, I should have thought of this sooner. Natural Energy is everywhere. The Bloodline Disease in the Kaguya Clan must be a side effect of Shikotsumyaku evolving back toward its origins after absorbing Natural Energy slowly over a long period."
Looking at how little time he had left and the Otsutsuki bloodline that was his only hope of survival, Kazama Kaguya sighed inwardly.
"Byakugan... If I were in Konoha, it wouldn't be hard to get. But this is the Village Hidden in the Blood Mist. The only Byakugan is in Ao's possession. It's a strategic asset, so there's no way I can get it. With the Blood Mist Policy keeping everything sealed off, I can forget about obtaining material from the Hyuga Clan. Even staying alive is difficult."
Remembering how he had nearly died several times since transmigrating, Kazama Kaguya couldn't help wishing he could smash Obito Uchiha's dog head in.
A graduation exam where classmates slaughtered each other, persecution and purges of Kekkei Genkai users, isolationism, mutual suspicion, and daily assassinations—this was the Village Hidden in the Blood Mist that Obito Uchiha had created by twisting people's values.
Under this terrifying, bloody rule, a crisis of trust erupted, bonds became a joke, and Kirigakure turned into a giant meat grinder.
The Kekkei Genkai clans were persecuted and suppressed, while civilian ninja were promoted to positions of power.
Under Obito Uchiha's manipulation, the civilian ninja, having had their first taste of power, went completely mad. They watched the Kekkei Genkai clans like hyenas, ready to devour them whenever they got the chance.
The Hozuki and Mizuki clans had already been picked apart. The Kaguya Clan had been set on the table too.
It wasn't that Kazama Kaguya had never considered escaping, but all of Kirigakure was surrounded by a barrier. The moment anyone stepped outside it without permission, the bloodthirsty civilian ninja would swarm them.
Shikotsumyaku was powerful, but it wasn't strong enough to overwhelm a team.
As a Taijutsu Kekkei Genkai clan, the Kaguya Clan was nearly out of deterrents. Thousands upon thousands of civilian ninja wouldn't let such a huge prize slip away.
The Kaguya Clan's last chance to save itself was to rebel, kill the Mizukage, and restore order.
Unfortunately, Obito Uchiha was the one controlling the Fourth Mizukage now.
The Uchiha lunatic who had lost the person he loved wasn't some dead-last. Even saying that turning evil made him ten times stronger couldn't describe such a twisted transformation.
Kamui, Susanoo, the terrifying Sharingan Genjutsu—the Kaguya Clan could fight until their brains spilled out and still wouldn't win.
Lately, Kazama Kaguya had increasingly felt the oppressive atmosphere within the clan. It was like a barrel of explosives about to go off, just waiting for the final spark.
"The clan's rebellion is my last chance. I'll only have a future if I defect from Kirigakure. I've spent two years lying low as a useless Bloodline Disease sufferer. Surely no one will force me to charge at the front."
In the shadows, Kazama Kaguya touched his gaunt body and stared at Kimimaro.
After a moment's thought, he reached out and spread his fingers. His flesh wriggled apart, and a bone spike emerged.
It was gray, like the rotted bones of a corpse.
Dull and covered in cracks, it radiated a decaying, ominous aura.
The moment it emerged from his palm, Kimimaro's hair stood on end.
His Shikotsumyaku Kekkei Genkai activated on its own. One after another, hard, white bones emerged, trembling as if a subject were paying respects to his lord.
"L-Lord Kazama, what is that?" Kimimaro asked, trembling.
"All-Killing Ash Bones!"
Kazama Kaguya didn't hide it. His chakra erupted, and the bone spike shot out, embedding itself in the stone wall.
Then the gray bone spike began to crumble, and the stone around it turned to decayed fragments.
Together, they looked like the bones of a corpse worn away by a hundred years of wind and rain—so brittle they would crumble at a touch.
Kimimaro's eyes widened in disbelief.
As a Kekkei Genkai prodigy and a living weapon, he understood the powers of Shikotsumyaku better than anyone.
But he had never seen or possessed the ability to turn whatever it struck into decayed fragments.
Kazama Kaguya explained, "Kimimaro, this is what Shikotsumyaku evolved into: All-Killing Ash Bones. It has the power to end all things. Unfortunately, it's not a power ordinary people should wield."
"Why shouldn't you wield it? Lord Kazama has this powerful ability, doesn't he?" Kimimaro asked, confused.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
The aftereffects of using All-Killing Ash Bones struck. Kazama Kaguya couldn't help spitting out another mouthful of blood. He gave a bitter smile.
"Because the first person to wield this power was the Rabbit Goddess. The people of the Ninja World are too fragile. Even though our clan inherited part of her bloodline, using this ability still costs us our lives."
"Costs you your life?"
Kimimaro's face changed, and he cried out urgently, "Lord Kazama, please don't use All-Killing Ash Bones again!"
"If you have an enemy, just tell me. If you wish it, my bones can point at anyone."
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