Hagoromo's Rinnegan

"Croak------!!!!"

Wherever the sound waves reached, the common folk were startled by the sudden, thunderous roar, all looking up toward the source of the noise.

Before they could even react, dozens of toads of varying sizes leaped out from rivers, ponds, and forests!

Some crouched on rooftops, some landed on treetops, and some even hopped directly onto the high platform in the center of the marketplace, chanting in unison:

"Sage Manji has descended to save the world--!!!"

"Attention! Attention! Something big is coming!!"

"Sage Manji has descended to save the world!"

"I am Gamamaru, disciple of Sage Manji! The Sage has entrusted me to tell you all to evacuate immediately, or you will face total annihilation!"

Outside, Gamamaru and a group of talking toads were shouting across the world.

Those mortals had never seen such a spectacle before.

Talking toads, and in the name of Sage Manji?

"It's actually Manji! We have no choice but to believe it now!"

"We cannot ignore the words of Sage Manji!"

"Then let's go quickly!"

Once these mortals heard it was Sage Manji, combined with the talking toads, the masses began to evacuate.

Gamamaru watched this scene, grinning with satisfaction.

He waved his forelimbs at the toad minions behind him: "Go! Change locations and keep shouting! Don't leave a single corner behind!"

"Croak! Understood!"

Dozens of toads immediately scattered; some hopped into town alleys, some rushed toward remote villages, and some even sprinted across the water toward settlements on the other side of the river.

The sound, bolstered by senjutsu chakra, pierced through walls, crossed mountains, and spanned rivers, spreading the decree of Sage Manji to every corner of the Ninja World.

"Sage Manji commands! Evacuate to the West Mountain Canyon immediately--!"

"An apocalyptic disaster is coming; the Sage offers his protection, gather at the canyon at once--!"

Wherever the sound waves reached, no one hesitated any longer.

Every household raced against time to pack their bags; even the tribes isolated in remote mountains, upon hearing the Sage's decree, followed the flow of refugees toward West Mountain Canyon.

Gamamaru crouched on a dirt mound, watching the endless stream of people below, and smugly stroked his chin:

"Hmph, my master's reputation is just that useful!"

He turned his head to speak to the small toads behind him.

"Let's go, check the east side too; don't miss a single person--after all, my master said, when gods fight, mortals must not suffer, croak!"

"Sage Manji is truly far-sighted to have arranged for the people to evacuate so early..."

Hagoromo looked at the empty village, nodding silently to himself.

In this way, this battle, destined to shake the heavens and the earth, could unfold without restraint, and there would be no need to worry about harming innocent lives.

Hagoromo walked with heavy steps, and before he knew it, he had reached the vermilion gates of the mansion. His fingertips brushed the cold patterns on the door frame, and he sighed in a low voice: "It has come to this after all..."

Taking a deep breath, Hagoromo reached out to touch the magatama gifted by Haori at his chest. The chill of the jade spread through his palm, and the resolve in his heart grew firmer.

"Bang!"

He pushed open the doors.

The silence and oppression of the great hall rushed toward him!

Ōtsutsuki Kaguya was already seated on the main throne, surrounded by an eternal, cold stillness, her white robes draped like a waterfall. It was clear she had been waiting for a long time.

Sitting here, seeing the progenitor, why does Hagoromo not bow?

"Mother, I have returned."

Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo suppressed his surging emotions, his tone calm and waveless, with only a trace of complex emotion hidden deep in his eyes.

Kaguya stared at him expressionlessly.

Those indifferent eyes seemed to pierce through the human heart. She remained silent for a long time, as if weighing how to deal with this "rebellious" son.

Silence spread through the hall, and the air grew heavy.

Until she finally spoke, her voice as cold as ice:

"Hagoromo, the power on your body... it carries the scent of those toads. Did they teach you this?"

She had keenly sensed the aura lingering on Hagoromo, similar to that of Manji, and guessed the truth in an instant.

She just never imagined this power could come from Manji.

After all, that fellow had long since perished under her All-Killing Ash Bones, his flesh and blood dissolved; it was impossible for him to have returned from the dead.

"Mother, the source of my power is irrelevant. I only wish to ask: can you stop what you are doing?"

Hagoromo spoke in a deep voice, his tone laced with a hint of pleading.

Kaguya curled her lips into a cold arc, carrying a trace of disdain and pity: "You do not understand."

"I am your son!"

Hagoromo could not help but raise his voice, his tone filled with urgency and heartache: "I do not wish to watch you sink into this abyss!"

Kaguya's expression remained unchanged, clearly aware that no amount of words could shake her son's resolve.

She lifted her fingertip slightly.

"Whoosh!!!"

In the next second, a figure suddenly appeared—it was Hamura, controlled and bound!

His eyes were hollow and vacant, like a puppet that had lost its mind; the moment he appeared, he attacked Hagoromo with the ferocity of a madman!

"Pa-pa-pa-pa!"

The crisp sounds of fists and feet clashing were as dense as drumbeats. In the blink of an eye, the two brothers had already exchanged dozens of blows in close-quarters combat!

Palm winds were fierce and leg shadows intertwined; every collision stirred up gusts of air, instantly shattering the tables and chairs within the hall into dust.

"Hamura!? You are being controlled by her!"

Hagoromo's pupils constricted, his heart sinking heavily.

Master was right after all!

While parrying Hamura's unrestrained attacks, he tried to awaken his brother's consciousness, but Hamura's offensive grew increasingly violent, every strike aimed at a vital point.

The battle spiraled out of control instantly. The two fought from the hall all the way outside the estate, air currents sweeping up dust that filled the sky, turning the once-tidy courtyard into a scene of devastation.

After being controlled, Hamura's power surged, and he fought with lethal intent. Hagoromo, forced to dodge while unable to bring himself to strike back with full force, gradually fell into a disadvantage.

Seeing that continuing like this would only lead to defeat and death, Hagoromo steeled his heart, a flash of painful resolve crossing his eyes.

"Forgive me, Hamura!"

Before the words had even faded, lightning surged in Hagoromo's palm. Chakra condensed into a refined lightning fist, and with a sharp whistle that tore through the air, he drove it fiercely through Hamura's heart!

A fist piercing the heart!

"Pfft—"

Fresh blood sprayed out, staining Hagoromo's sleeves red.

Immense grief washed over him like a tidal wave, instantly blurring his vision. His heart felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, the pain so sharp he could barely breathe.

Right in the midst of this extreme sorrow and despair, a loud, resonant hum erupted!

The three-tomoe Sharingan in Hagoromo's eyes suddenly bloomed with brilliant radiance. The patterns spun and rearranged at high speed, instantly evolving into the Rinnegan!

Containing power capable of shaking the heavens, his surrounding chakra surged in tandem, forming a visible aura.

Rinnegan!

Rinnegan, activated.

Kaguya's gaze tightened slightly. Watching that suddenly evolved ocular technique, she thought to herself that things had taken a turn for the worse.

The power of these eyes far exceeded her expectations. She had to strike immediately, or else complications would arise!

Chakra began to surge around her body, and a terrifying pressure permeated the air. Kaguya made her move!