This... Is the Power of the Otsutsuki?

"This presence..."

"This repulsive force..."

A viscous black liquid, like tar, seeped out from the tree trunk, gradually coalescing into a hunched humanoid figure.

The formerly smooth, featureless face twisted into an expression of human-like shock.

Following its gaze, the snow that had covered everything had been wiped away by an incomprehensible repulsive force, leaving behind a massive elliptical crater more than a hundred meters across.

The crater walls were smooth as a mirror, as if someone had scooped out a chunk with an enormous spoon.

The remaining snow, shattered rocks, and dead trees had been pushed to the edge of the crater, forming a ring-shaped embankment several meters high.

"This is... the power of the Rinnegan?!"

No, according to White Zetsu's description, Ao didn't have the Rinnegan.

But what was this familiar power?

Could it be the Otsutsuki?!

Black Zetsu's feelings at that moment could only be described as "utter shock."

Originally, he had only wanted to sneak out and investigate Ao's background while Madara Uchiha slept and Obito was being closely watched by White Zetsu.

He hadn't expected to sense this familiar yet extremely dangerous presence as soon as he left Mountain Graveyard.

When he followed the presence here and looked up, all he saw was that blue-green figure in the sky.

Apart from the unprecedented chakra mode, everything else matched White Zetsu's earlier description exactly.

Ao.

Black Zetsu silently shrank deeper into the shadows, but his thoughts surged like boiling magma.

This familiar presence... It really was the Otsutsuki...

Had the terrifying members of his mother's main family finally come looking for her?

Or... was it the one who had come to the Shinobi World with his mother?

He furtively watched Ao in midair through a crack in the shadows.

Although Black Zetsu was the biological son of Otsutsuki Kaguya, he hadn't inherited her chakra like the Sage of Six Paths and his brother had.

At most, he could be considered a hastily born "premature child."

However, even a "premature child" had advantages of his own.

What Black Zetsu had inherited was Otsutsuki Kaguya's deepest memories and will.

Thus, compared to his two rebellious brothers, who had established themselves as revered ancestors in the Shinobi World, Black Zetsu had a clearer understanding of his mother's past.

For example, the distant Otsutsuki Main Family, the pursuers who would one day arrive, and the Otsutsuki who had reached Earth alongside Kaguya.

Black Zetsu couldn't be certain whether Ao was a pursuer from the main family or a clansman who had arrived on Earth with Otsutsuki Kaguya a thousand years ago.

But either way, he was a threat to Black Zetsu's thousand-year plan to save his mother.

Just as Black Zetsu's thoughts warred within him, a sudden chill crept into the depths of his consciousness.

"!"

That proud blue-green figure turned slightly, its gaze landing precisely on the shadow where he was hiding.

"Damn it... I've been found!"

Black Zetsu instinctively tried to flee.

He absolutely couldn't let this guy discover that he was the embodiment of his mother's will...

Otherwise, everything would be over!

Watching Black Zetsu disappear into the ground in an instant, Hyuga Qinglan couldn't help shaking his head with a laugh.

"As expected of a dutiful son who's lived for a thousand years. He's certainly cautious."

He withdrew his oppressive gaze and turned to look down at Iwagakure's position in the distance.

The remnants of Iwagakure's forces were cowering beneath the protection of two enormous Rock Giants.

But Ōnoki's presence had already vanished.

Hyuga Qinglan narrowed his eyes. He was just about to raise his hand and strike again, crippling the Iwagakure forces completely.

"Chik... whir—"

Suddenly, the Chakra Cloak around him began to flicker violently like a faulty lightbulb, emitting faint sounds of dissipating energy as its glow gradually dimmed.

"Have I reached my limit?"

A flicker of regret passed through Hyuga Qinglan's eyes.

He'd wanted to take advantage of the moment to leave Iwagakure with a lesson it would never forget.

But reason told him he had to stop.

After all, setting aside the terrifying boost this body had received from the Tenseigan, his own strength in his normal state only hovered around the level of an elite jonin, barely touching the threshold of Kage Level.

The godlike destructive power he'd displayed today was entirely thanks to the "Rainbow Squad" behind him, who had formed a joint formation to assist him.

As an intermediary, they had used chakra to resonate with the moon, enabling Hyuga Qinglan to cross space and directly siphon the vast chakra of the Giant Tenseigan on the moon.

The difficulty of controlling chakra that didn't belong to him was one thing.

The scrutiny of those old fossils on the moon was another.

Not to mention that Orochimaru was still on the battlefield.

"I'll leave the rest for Orochimaru to deal with."

Hyuga Qinglan gathered his thoughts and glanced one last time at the giant snakes thrashing along the edge of Konoha's position, then toward the direction in which Black Zetsu had fled.

Then, with a flash, he transformed into a streak of blue light and landed in the middle of the ruins.

He had to erase all traces before Konoha and Iwagakure could react.

Especially the four Impure World Reincarnation bodies of the "Rainbow Squad."

The moon, inside the desolate, frigid Hamura Temple.

"Finally... we've taken it back!"

The Great Elder watched the Giant Tenseigan gradually settle down. His tightly furrowed brows didn't relax; they furrowed even deeper.

Why had they suddenly lost control of the Tenseigan?

Why had he sensed Aoshiki's chakra?

What exactly had happened?

The Great Elder's thoughts churned uncontrollably. He feared that "Aoshiki" might truly be alive, yet secretly hoped he was.

If the few chakra signatures he'd sensed really belonged to Aoshiki and the Rainbow Squad, then the situation was still manageable.

After all, the Giant Tenseigan was still in their hands. Even if Aoshiki had somehow been reborn, the Great Elder believed he wouldn't be a match for the power of the Tenseigan.

But if that wasn't the case, it would be terrifying.

The first person the Great Elder thought of was the one who had stolen the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path back then.

There had been no news of him ever since.

Even when they'd sent people to search on Earth, they'd found nothing.

If it was that person again, it would be even worse than Aoshiki's return.

"Yuku..."

"Yes?"

"Guard the Giant Tenseigan day and night, and closely monitor the situation on Earth."

"Also, send members of the clan down to investigate. Find out whether it was the one who stole the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path... or someone else!"

"Yes!"

At the same time, in a hidden underground cave several kilometers away.

"Has he left...?"

Black Zetsu cautiously poked half of his flat head out of the rock wall again. He didn't even dare to extend his sensory abilities, relying only on his eyes to carefully scan the outside.

He wasn't in the sky.

He wasn't in the charred crater.

And he wasn't anywhere in sight.

Could that guy really have retreated?

No...!

Without warning, a frivolous, mischievous voice, brimming with bright, stupid, irritating cheer, spoke right beside the back of Black Zetsu's head.

"Black Zetsu, what're you doing here~?"

"!"

Black Zetsu's whole body jolted. The moment he recognized the voice, he almost instinctively struck backward.

"You idiot! Moron!! Are you trying to scare me to death?!"

Black Zetsu kept his voice low, his words full of anger and barely suppressed fear.

"Why're you calling me a moron? My entrance was super cool!"

White Zetsu poked half of his pale body out of a thick tree trunk nearby and put his hands on his hips. His yellow eyes blinked innocently, making him look both stupid and completely justified.

"..."

Looking at that stupid face, Black Zetsu took a deep breath and suppressed the urge to stuff him back into the God Tree.

His mind was a mess, and he didn't want to talk to someone whose head was full of shit.

All he wanted was to return to Mountain Graveyard immediately and reconsider his entire plan.

"Shut up. Leave with me. The situation's changed."