Ryūshiki sat up and smiled. "You really shouldn't underestimate this. Tricks like these often work surprisingly well on people stronger than you..."
"..." An indescribable emotion flickered in Kaguya's eyes.
Ryūshiki said, "Come on. I'll take you somewhere."
It was a canyon north of Awa no Kihara.
Ryūshiki extended his hand.
Rumble.
A gigantic sand table rose from the canyon!
Kaguya asked, "What's this?"
Ryūshiki said, "Our clan's treasured artifact, the All-Seeing Eye. We use it to monitor Ashihara Country!"
Kaguya asked, "Ashihara Country?"
Ryūshiki said, "It's our clan's collective name for all the planets below Takamagahara that nurture life. Ne no Kuni, which you passed through on your way back to Takamagahara, is one corner of Ashihara Country."
"..." Kaguya stared silently.
Ryūshiki said, "Ashihara Country originally had one hundred and eight realms. With our clan's invasion, seventy-two have been destroyed. Thirty-six remain."
Kaguya looked at the outlines of the realms that had turned gray on the All-Seeing Eye. They marked the route of the Ōtsutsuki advance, and... the mounting evidence of their crimes!
Ryūshiki said, "The ones marked with branches are realms where God Trees have already been planted, but which haven't been destroyed yet."
Kaguya looked. Eighteen realms bore those markings.
Ryūshiki pointed to a realm on the sand table marked with a branch!
"That's Izumo Country. Those ranked High God or above can use the All-Seeing Eye directly to check on the God Trees..."
Hum! In the center of Izumo Country's lifeless land stood a God Tree. Beneath it sat a lone man with thick horns.
An eye opened in the sky!
The man beneath the tree opened his eyes and cast a cold glance skyward.
"Hmph..." He snorted and closed his eyes.
Looking at the man in the image before her, Kaguya asked, "Who is