"Croak—!!!!"
Wherever the roar reached, ordinary people were startled by the sudden thunderous sound. They all looked up toward its source.
Before they could react, dozens of toads, large and small, leaped out of rivers, ponds, and forests!
Some crouched on rooftops, some landed on treetops, and some even bounded onto the raised platform in the middle of the marketplace, all calling out in unison:
"Sage Manji has descended to save the world—!!!"
"Attention! Attention! The big one's coming!!"
"Sage Manji has descended to save the world!"
"I am Gamamaru, a disciple of Sage Manji! Sage Manji sent me to tell you all to evacuate immediately, or you'll face utter destruction!"
Outside, Gamamaru led a group of talking toads around the world, shouting their message.
How could ordinary people have ever seen anything like this?
Talking toads, speaking in the name of Sage Manji?
"They're even saying the written characters! We have to believe them now!"
"We can't ignore Sage Manji's words!"
"Then let's hurry!"
When the ordinary people heard that Sage Manji was behind this—and saw the talking toads—they began evacuating in droves.
Watching them, Gamamaru grinned with satisfaction.
He waved a foreleg at the toad underlings behind him. "Let's go! We'll shout somewhere else! We can't miss a single corner!"
"Croak! Understood!"
The dozens of toads immediately scattered. Some leaped into the streets and alleys of towns, some headed for remote villages, and some even raced across the water toward settlements on the opposite riverbank.
Bolstered by Senjutsu Chakra, their voices pierced walls, crossed mountains, and traversed rivers, carrying Sage Manji's decree to every corner of the Ninja World.
"Sage Manji has decreed it! Evacuate to West Mountain at once—!"
"Utter destruction is coming! The Sage will protect you! Gather in the canyon at once—!"
Wherever their voices reached, no one hesitated.
Every household rushed to pack their belongings; even isolated tribes in remote mountain regions heard the Sage's decree and joined the streams of evacuees heading for West Mountain Canyon.
Gamamaru crouched on a mound of earth, gazing at the endless procession below. He rubbed his chin smugly.
"Hmph. My master's name sure comes in handy!"
He turned to the little toads behind him.
"Come on, let's check the east, too. We can't leave a single person behind. After all, my master said that when gods fight, we can't let ordinary people suffer, croak!"
"Sage Manji truly thought of everything. He arranged for the people to evacuate long ago..."
Hagoromo gazed at the deserted village and silently nodded in approval.
That way, they could fight the battle that was bound to shake the heavens and earth without holding back, and no longer had to worry about harming innocent lives.
Hagoromo's steps grew heavy. Before he knew it, he had reached the vermilion gates of the estate. His fingertips brushed the cool patterns carved into the doorframe as he sighed softly. "In the end, it's come to this..."
He took a deep breath and raised a hand to touch the Tomoe at his chest, the one Haori had given him. Its coolness spread across his palm, and his resolve grew firmer.
"Bang!"
He pushed the door open.
Silence and oppressive tension washed over him from the main hall!
Ōtsutsuki Kaguya was already seated in the place of honor. An unchanging, ancient chill surrounded her, and her white robes fell like a waterfall. She had clearly been waiting for a long time.
With the progenitor seated here, how could Hagoromo not bow?
"Mother, I'm back."
Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo suppressed the turmoil within him. His voice was calm and even, though a trace of complicated emotion lay hidden deep in his eyes.
Kaguya stared at him without expression.
Her indifferent eyes seemed able to see straight through a person. She remained silent for a long time, as if weighing how to deal with this "rebellious" son of hers.
Silence spread through the hall, and the air grew heavy.
At last, she spoke, her voice cold as ice:
"Hagoromo, the power within you... carries the toads' aura. Did they teach you?"
She had keenly sensed an aura like Manji's surrounding Hagoromo and had immediately guessed part of the truth.
But it had never occurred to her that this power could have come from Manji.
After all, that man had died beneath her All-Killing Ash Bones long ago. His flesh and blood had dissolved; there was no way he could have come back to life.
"Mother, where my power comes from doesn't matter. I only want to ask you: can you stop what you're doing?"
Hagoromo spoke in a grave voice, with a hint of pleading.
Kaguya's lips curled into a cold smile, tinged with disdain and pity. "You don't understand."
"I'm your son!"
Hagoromo couldn't help raising his voice, its urgency and anguish unmistakable. "I can't bear to watch you sink any further!"
Kaguya's expression didn't change. She clearly knew that no words could sway her son's resolve.
She slightly raised her fingers.
"Whoosh!!!"
In the next instant, a figure suddenly appeared. It was Hamura, bound and under her control!
His eyes were vacant and lifeless, like a puppet stripped of reason. The moment he appeared, he launched a frenzied attack on Hagoromo!
"Pa-pa-pa-pa—!"
The sharp cracks of fists and feet colliding sounded like a rapid drumbeat. In the blink of an eye, the brothers had fought at close quarters for dozens of exchanges!
Fierce palm strikes and crisscrossing kicks filled the air. Every collision stirred up gusts of wind, instantly shattering the tables and chairs in the hall.
"Hamura!? She's controlling you!"
Hagoromo's pupils contracted, and his heart sank.
His master had been right after all!
He blocked Hamura's relentless attacks while trying to bring his younger brother back to his senses, but Hamura's assault only grew more ferocious, every strike aimed at a vital point.
The battle spiraled out of control. The two fought from the main hall all the way outside the estate, waves of force sweeping dust into the air. The once-neat courtyard was left in ruins in moments.
Under Kaguya's control, Hamura's power had surged. He attacked with deadly intent, while Hagoromo dodged and held back, unable to bring himself to strike hard. Gradually, he fell to the disadvantage.
Seeing that continuing like this would only end in defeat, Hagoromo steeled himself, pain and determination flashing through his eyes.
"Forgive me, Hamura!"
Before the words had faded, lightning flared in Hagoromo's palm. Chakra condensed into a concentrated fist of lightning, which tore through the air with a shrill whistle as he drove it straight through Hamura's heart!
One punch pierced his heart!
"Pfft—"
Blood sprayed out, staining Hagoromo's sleeve.
Grief washed over him like a tidal wave, blurring his vision in an instant. It felt as if an invisible hand had seized his heart, squeezing so tightly that he could barely breathe.
At that moment, amid such overwhelming sorrow and despair, a loud rumble rang out!
The Three-Tomoe Sharingan in Hagoromo's eyes suddenly blazed with brilliant light. Its pattern spun rapidly, rearranged itself, and transformed in an instant into the Rinnegan!
A power capable of shaking heaven and earth surged within him. His Chakra swelled along with it, forming an aura visible to the naked eye.
The Rinnegan!
The Rinnegan had awakened.
Kaguya's eyes narrowed slightly as she stared at the newly evolved dōjutsu, silently realizing that something was wrong.
The power of those eyes far exceeded her expectations. She had to act at once, before things got out of hand!
Chakra began to surge around her, and a terrifying pressure filled the air. Kaguya made her move!
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