The Final Battle!

"Gamamaru, see Hamura out."

Manji gave a slight nod.

"All right!"

Gamamaru hopped forward and waved a plump foreleg, leading Hamura out of the Toad Great Hall. They passed through Mount Myōboku's mist and dense woods until they jumped into a pool and emerged elsewhere.

"Hamura, you've missed a tremendous opportunity!

"My master has powers beyond imagining! If you don't learn from him now, you'll regret it later."

Gamamaru complained.

"I know. I'll think about it."

But Ōtsutsuki Hamura had no heart for pursuing power just then.

He wanted to talk to his mother. He wanted her to stop what she was doing.

Hamura set off home alone, his heart heavy. On one side was the plea he had yet to voice; on the other was Manji's warning that "she's been consumed by fear."

His thoughts churned, and his steps quickened without his noticing.

When he reached Kaguya's residence, the entire courtyard was frighteningly still. The maids and servants who usually bustled about held their breath, not daring to raise their heads.

A storm seemed ready to break. Hamura's heart lurched the moment he stepped through the gate.

Hamura hurried into the main hall.

There, he saw Kaguya seated on the jade chair at its head.

Silver-white hair spilled over her shoulders. Her Chakra gathered tightly around her, leaving the air in the hall almost frozen.

Kaguya's face was dark as thunder, her eyes devoid of warmth. Her fingers gripped the jade armrests so tightly that she had clearly been sitting there like this for some time.

"Mo... Mother."

A faint tremor ran through Hamura's voice.

He had barely spoken when Kaguya cut him off with a cold question.

"Hamura, where has Hagoromo gone? Did you two go to see the God Tree?"

There was no hint of anger or pleasure in Kaguya's voice. Its calm was almost eerie, yet the pressure behind her words caught Hamura's breath.

He knew at once that his mother had found out. Beneath that seemingly calm exterior, her fury was about to erupt.

Hamura gritted his teeth and forced down his panic. He stepped forward to explain. "Mother, I know everything now. The truth about the God Tree, the people sacrificed to it... I want to talk to you. It's not too late to turn back..."

Before he could finish, a deafening roar cut him short.

"Shut up!!!"

Kaguya slammed a hand on the table and rose. Her Chakra erupted, sending a biting wave of force through the entire hall.

Her eyes flew wide. Her distinctive Byakugan blazed, its power bearing down on Hamura like invisible shackles!

A mighty force invaded Hamura's body. He went rigid, unable even to raise a hand. Chakra surged wildly through his meridians but was held fast, leaving him powerless to resist.

His Byakugan activated on instinct, trying to push back. Against Kaguya's ocular power, it was a firefly before the full moon, utterly overwhelmed.

"It's no use. Don't think your Byakugan can repel mine. My Byakugan is far beyond yours!!!!"

Ōtsutsuki Kaguya's voice rang low with anger.

Far beyond yours!

Her face was still quite beautiful, though.

Hamura stood rigid, unable to move so much as his tongue. Disbelief and pain churned in his eyes!

His mother had not even given him a chance to explain. She had seized control of him with her ocular technique!

Meanwhile...

Manji personally taught Hagoromo the immortal arts of Mount Myōboku.

Hagoromo was extraordinarily gifted. He soon learned and mastered them.

Manji was a little surprised, but satisfied.

Hagoromo had not learned as quickly as he had, but Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo's potential far exceeded his own.

Hagoromo could reach Six Paths Level.

Manji had hit a hard limit.

The advantage was that Manji could not die, while Hagoromo would eventually die of old age.

Manji had lived for so long.

Much had changed within him over the years.

But one belief had never changed: staying alive was victory!

No matter how powerful a person was, death was death. Only the living got to decide what came next.

And Manji was one of the living!

For several days straight,

Hagoromo trained on Longevity Peak in Mount Myōboku. At last, he mastered Senjutsu and learned to use it properly.

Manji reckoned that, by now, Kaguya had probably taken control of Hamura.

It's time to prepare for Kaguya...

Manji's thoughts grew grim.

"Hagoromo!"

Manji called out.

Hagoromo immediately jumped down from the peak.

"Master, did you call for me?"

Hagoromo asked respectfully.

Over the past few days, Manji had taught him not only Senjutsu but also a great deal of philosophy. It had opened Hagoromo's eyes.

Besides, Hagoromo had always looked up to Manji.

When he was little, his mother had often lulled him to sleep with stories of the hero Manji. He had also visited Manji Temple often to offer incense.

Now that he had met him, it was only natural that he saw his idol through rose-colored glasses.

"It's about time..."

"You should go back. I suspect your mother has already captured Hamura, so be very careful."

Manji spoke slowly.

"What? Hamura's already..."

"What should I do, Master!?"

Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo jolted. Worry rose in him, plain on his anxious face.

But Manji waved a hand and said gravely:

"An adult needs to keep his head! Your mother won't harm Hamura. At most, she'll control him."

"I have a treasure for you. Take it!"

"This is a Toad Immortal Talisman. It can bring someone back from the dead!"

Manji took a Toad Immortal Talisman from his robe and handed it to Hagoromo.

Hagoromo's spirits soared!

He knew about it from the stories. His mother had told him that Manji possessed two great treasures: the White Monkey, which could transform into the Golden Cudgel, and the Toad Immortal Talisman, which could raise the dead!

"Thank you, Master!"

Hagoromo tucked the Toad Immortal Talisman into his robe as though it were the greatest of treasures.

Beside them, Gamamaru spoke with a grin.

"You're lucky, Hagoromo. That thing's incredibly powerful. On all of Mount Myōboku, I'm afraid only Great Toad Sage White Eyebrow and my master have one!"

"Put it this way: if a Death God existed in this world and told you your time was up, you could use the Toad Immortal Talisman, come back to life, and slap him!"

Gamamaru teased.

Manji said nothing, but it was true.

He was not sure whether it would work against All-Killing Ash Bones.

But it could heal an ordinary fatal wound.

In the original story, Hagoromo had punched straight through Hamura's heart, then used a Toad Immortal Talisman to bring him back.

"Master, I'll be going!"

Hagoromo bowed. Then he entered the nearest pool and returned to the outside world.

"Teacher, what should we do next?"

Gamamaru asked. He was curious: with a battle like this coming, was his teacher not going to fight?

"No rush. Go warn the ordinary people on the ground to evacuate. When gods clash, mortals suffer."

Manji clasped his hands behind his back and spoke calmly.

"How compassionate, Teacher! How noble!"

Gamamaru declared with practiced solemnity.