An invisible ripple seemed to sweep across the silent surface of the moon.
An ethereal voice rang out in Xuandou's mind, carrying a hint of lofty scrutiny and probing:
"Uchiha Xuantou... you've finally come."
"It seems you've gained a profound understanding of how terrifying the Ōtsutsuki Clan is."
"Yes, I know now."
"That's why I came to find you."
"Good that you know."
Kaguya's voice held an ethereal quality.
"If you release me, perhaps the Shinobi World will still have a sliver of hope."
"I can negotiate with the other Ōtsutsuki who arrive and have them spare this world."
Xuandou suddenly laughed at her words.
He shook his head, his tone faintly mocking:
"Princess Kaguya, you haven't spent thousands of years locked away here without learning anything."
"You've actually learned to fool people with lies."
Kaguya's voice faltered slightly:
"What... do you mean?"
"Did you think I didn't know?"
Xuandou's voice abruptly turned cold.
"Of the two Ōtsutsuki who descended upon the Shinobi World back then, you were the guardian, the sacrifice who was meant to be fed to the God Tree."
"But you ambushed and killed Isshiki, the one you were guarding, and took his place."
"Not only did you swallow the God Tree Fruit, you also kept the fruit for yourself instead of sending it back to the Ōtsutsuki Main Family."
Kaguya fell silent.
How did this man before me know so much?
"Besides..."
Xuandou continued:
"Isshiki, whom you ambushed back then, didn't die either."
"Impossible!"
Kaguya's voice rose sharply.
"I killed him with my own hands and personally sacrificed him to the God Tree!"
"What you saw with your own eyes wasn't necessarily the truth."
"Isshiki survived. He survived through some means."
"Besides, the Ōtsutsuki who descend in the future will certainly come to hold you accountable."