Above the coastline of the Eastern Continent, ten figures shrouded in black mist were circling around the Immortal Venerable Tian Yu, like ten boiling black fogs.
"What the hell! This Ōtsutsuki alien has been defeated so quickly, leaving only a few bits of dust?"
The Black Prison Ghost Emperor slammed his black rod into the sea, the splashing water still carrying wisps of lingering black energy—the unique energy aura emitted by the death of the Ōtsutsuki Clan. His black face was long and drawn out, his tongue lolling out, making him look even uglier than if he were crying.
The Flame Prison Ghost Emperor beside him weighed the Flame Emperor Sword in his hand. "They rushed here right after breaking through the Gate of Hell, and what happened? All they saw was seawater filled with this kind of energy, and they didn't even manage to catch a single living Ōtsutsuki!"
The eldest of the Ten Great Ghost Emperors, the Tai Prison Ghost Emperor, coughed twice, his cloudy eyes sweeping over the busy Shinobi World warriors on the sea. Some of the ninjas still had broken swords stuck in their shoulders, and some had blood flowing from their calves, yet they huddled together chattering away, their laughter carrying a vibrant sense of relief after surviving a calamity.
" Old Emperor Tai, what are you looking at?" The Wheel-Turning Ghost Emperor leaned closer, following his gaze downwards. "These human brats... seem different from when we invaded the Shinobi World last time."
"It's definitely different now." The Tai Prison Ghost Emperor sighed, his voice carrying an ambiguous meaning. "Last time, the Ōtsutsuki came without warning, and the ten of us old guys didn't even have a chance to make a move. This time, by the time we arrived, they had already cleaned up the battlefield. It's so frustrating."
Within a pale green halo, the Immortal Venerable Tian Yu slowly revealed her form. She was entirely covered in armor, her voice gentle yet powerful. "Many thanks to all the Ghost Emperor for coming to the mortal realm to assist us. If it weren't for you guarding the Eastern Continent Eastern Continent's coastline and preventing the Ōtsutsuki from entering, our campaign wouldn't have been so successful."
"Smoothly my ass!" the Ice Hell Ghost Emperor cursed, his ice chains rattling loudly as he swung them. "We're here to fight, not to be gatekeepers! We haven't even touched a hair on the Ōtsutsuki's head this whole time, it's utterly boring!"
"Exactly!" Wind Prison Ghost Emperor chimed in, " Hell must be so comfortable, bathing in lava, with demons beating drums. Unlike here, the air is filled with the fishy smell of the sea, and these human brats are making such a racket."
Immortal Venerable Tian Yu smiled helplessly. She knew all along that these ten people had the tempers of rocks in a latrine—stubborn and unyielding, yet they wouldn't respond to force but to gentle persuasion, "In any case, we owe you all a great debt this time. The Immortal Venerable Hall is already preparing a victory celebration banquet. Why don't you all do me the honor of joining us for a few drinks?"
"No, no!" the Ten Great Ghost Emperors refused in unison.
The Six Paths Ghost Emperor waved his hand. "A victory celebration banquet? A bunch of people sitting around the table exchanging empty pleasantries. It would be much more enjoyable to go back to Hell and fight and cultivate with the Oni Clan. Besides, we didn't contribute anything this time, so how could we bear to watch you show off?"
The Black Prison Ghost Emperor nodded in agreement, twirling his black staff in his hand. "If you ask me, next time Ōtsutsuki comes, you'd better send a message to Hell immediately! Don't let it be like this time, where by the time we arrive, the battle is already over!"
"Yes!" The Nether River Ghost Emperor slapped the seawater loudly. "We must notify them immediately! We brothers don't ask for anything else, we just want a good fight! I've been itching to fight this whole time!"
Immortal Venerable Tian Yu, suppressing a laugh, nodded. "Alright, I'll definitely inform everyone immediately next time. So... are you all returning to Hell now?"
"Return!" The Tai Prison Ghost Emperor turned around first, his body churning with black energy. "If we stay any longer, I'm afraid I won't be able to resist dragging these laughing human brats back to Hell!"
The figures of the Ten Great Ghost Emperors gradually merged into the void. The last thing that came was the Six Paths Ghost Emperor's unwilling shout, "Remember this! Next time there's a fight, don't forget to call us first!"
Immortal Venerable Tian Yu gazed in the direction they had disappeared, gently shook his head, and turned to fly towards the island. The sea breeze seemed warmer than before.
On the island, the light from the array base had dimmed, leaving only a faint golden halo enveloping the entire sea area.
"Hey! Uncle Dai, how many gates of your Eight Gates Released Formation are you at? I think I just saw you fly!" A young man in an orange tracksuit was supporting another young man whose arm was wrapped in bandages, and he was smiling, revealing two small tiger teeth.
The middle-aged, burly man called Uncle Dai scratched his head, a little embarrassed, and said, "I've only opened up to the Seventh Gate! But after defeating one, there's nothing left for me. There are too many experts; I haven't even had a chance to unleash the Eight Gates."
"Where's Minato?" A red-haired girl wearing Forehead Protector looked around. "I just saw him arguing with Senju Nawaki over there, saying they were competing to see who could injure more Ōtsutsuki."
"Look, it's over there!" someone pointed to the rocks not far away.
The blond boy was squatting on the rocks, holding a roasted sweet potato. He handed it to the boy in black beside him. "Brother Nawaki, try this. Shinnosuke roasted it, it's super sweet! When you were fighting that Ōtsutsuki earlier, I thought you were going to get sent flying!"
The boy in black, Nawaki, rolled his eyes at him, but still took the sweet potato, took a bite, and said, "I'm going to become Immortal Venerable, how could I possibly lose? As for Shinnosuke, when he was sent flying by that Ōtsutsuki's attack, he screamed like a pig being slaughtered."
"Hey! That was an accident!" Shinnosuke jumped up, pointing at Nawaki's nose, "Didn't I punch him and send him flying later!"
The three of them were bickering noisily, which the people around them were already used to. Kushina Uzumaki laughed and joined in to grab the sweet potato. Next to the base, several older ninjas were counting heads. Occasionally, someone would call out a familiar name and no one would respond, and the atmosphere would briefly sink, but it would soon be brought back by the laughter of the disciples nearby.
Outside the atmosphere, the four Immortal Venerable looked at the lively scene below, and their expressions softened considerably.
"These children are more resilient than we imagined." Immortal Venerable Tsubasa put away the jade piece, and the glowing light at his fingertips gradually faded.
Princess Kaguya snorted, but didn't say anything more sarcastic, "What's the use of being strong? What if the Ōtsutsuki come next time, even more and stronger ones? Their skills won't even be enough to fill their teeth."
"Ancestor Kaguya, can't you say something nice? You're just demoralizing us!" Immortal Venerable Tian Mai glared at her. "Winning this time was already quite an achievement. I wonder how long we can hold out?"
Immortal Venerable Tian Flying Swallow finally spoke, her voice calm yet carrying an undeniable power. "This victory was no fluke. Look at the teamwork of our Shinobi World's fighters, and those new Ninjutsu and advanced technologies—they're changing every day. I believe our Shinobi World will definitely lose to Ōtsutsuki Planet in the future." She paused, her gaze fixed on the depths of the starry sea, a place shrouded in darkness, yet seemingly filled with countless eyes watching the Shinobi Planet. "But you're right, Ancestor Kaguya. This is just the beginning. The threat from Ōtsutsuki Planet remains, and the next one will only be stronger."
"So what?" Immortal Venerable Tenchu retorted, his fiery red battle robes fluttering in the wind. "Our number of Immortal Venerable experts will only increase, our technology will become more advanced, and we'll have the Ten Great Ghost Emperors of Hell. If Ōtsutsuki Planet dares to invade, we dare to defeat them!"
Immortal Venerable Tsubasa nodded slightly. "That's right. As long as we unite as one, there is no battle we cannot win."
Immortal Venerable Tian Flying Swallow smiled, raised his hand, and a wisp of cloud drifted towards the island. "Alright, let's not stand here any longer. Tenbutsu should already be preparing a victory banquet in the Immortal Venerable Hall. We should go down now."
The four Immortal Venerable exchanged a glance and flew towards the island simultaneously. Their figures streaked across the sky, leaving four colorful streaks of light, like a magnificent rainbow arching over the sky of Shinobi Planet.