Crossing immeasurable seas of stars and passing through layers upon layers of spacetime barriers, the core of the Ōtsutsuki Clan's territory— the Ōtsutsuki Planet —quietly floats in the center of the Ōtsutsuki Galaxy.
The legion led by Ōtsutsuki Sōichi returned silently to their respective cities, like a stream flowing into the sea. There was no grand welcoming ceremony, no curious onlookers, and no one even gave them a second glance. The other Ōtsutsuki Clan on the planet were either focused on cultivating their own God Tree, immersed in deep training, or carrying out their daily patrols and affairs.
For the entire Ōtsutsuki Clan, this expedition seemed to be nothing more than a routine "team-building trip." Cleaning up a slightly troublesome lower-world civilization was like a gardener pruning an overly prominent weed, causing no ripples whatsoever. The absolute disparity in power made even destruction itself tedious.
Ōtsutsuki Sōichi's figure appeared directly at the highest point of the planet's God Tree City, above all the palaces, surrounded by swirling Spiritual Qi and chains of laws— the Ōtsutsuki Temple.
Deep within the temple, Jūni figures, each radiating the same vast aura yet possessing distinct attributes, sat atop Jūni enormous thrones. They were the core of the Ōtsutsuki Clan's highest power and strength— the Twelve Saints of the Temple.
Before the Jūni Saints Thrones, amidst a hazy glow, there was a consciousness that was even larger and deeper, seemingly integrated with the entire Ōtsutsuki Planet and even the surrounding star field—that was the Ōtsutsuki God Tree Spirit, the true origin and supreme ruler of the race.
Sōichi appeared in the center of the temple. He nodded slightly as a form of greeting. Facing the highest echelon of the clan, his attitude remained indifferent.
"I'm back." In the hazy light, the consciousness of the Ōtsutsuki God emanated, devoid of any emotion, as natural as cosmic background radiation.
"Yes," Sōichi replied, " The Shinobi World has been cleared."
"Is there anything worth noting?" Among the Jūni Saints, a figure shrouded in icy coldness spoke, his voice like the clash of ancient ice.
Sōichi his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the Jūni Saints before finally settling on the direction of Ōtsutsuki God. He calmly began his narration. "That civilization called the ' Shinobi World,' in its final struggle, commonly used a technique called the ' Celestial Star Gate Formation ' and a secret art similar to 'burning everything within oneself.' Through extreme methods, they instantly burned their life, soul, and even existence itself in exchange for explosive power far exceeding their own level."
He paused, seemingly offering an objective assessment. "From a purely technical standpoint, this resolute 'self-ignition' technique is indeed quite ingenious. It can elevate the power of a group of ants to a level sufficient to shake Immortal King, and even pose a brief threat to ordinary Saint Level beings in a short period of time."
"Oh?" Another saint, clad in a robe of flames, seemed slightly intrigued. "Burning existence itself? That's ruthless. How's the effect?"
"A fleeting moment," Sōichi said indifferently. "For those below the Saint Level, it might be able to turn the tide of battle. But in the face of an absolute difference in rank, it's meaningless. Even the final blow from their strongest warrior couldn't move me an inch."
He then changed the subject, bringing up another topic. "Furthermore, it has been confirmed that the 'zombie calamity' that previously plagued Crimson Sky City in the Clan Star Region did indeed originate from this realm. It's a zombie-transformation virus that infects through a special Chakra, possessing immortality, which is quite troublesome."
"Immortal?" Another saint asked with a hint of disdain.
"Under my ' Nirvana Spirit Fire,' they were all reduced to ashes, unable to be resurrected," Sōichi explained. "From my observation, without the support of their source—the ' Zombie Monarch Origin' —those low-level zombies lost their immortality. And the core of that origin, according to the traces of residual energy, did not remain in the Shinobi World, but had already infiltrated back here, and currently... it should be deep within the ' Zombie Forbidden Zone.'"
Upon hearing this, the previously calm atmosphere within the temple seemed to stir with a barely perceptible ripple. The Zombie Forbidden Zone was an area on Ōtsutsuki Planet that even they found somewhat troublesome, shrouded in eerie laws of death.
" The Zombie Monarch... has infiltrated the clan's planet?" A sage's voice, carrying a metallic quality, murmured. "He certainly knows how to pick a place. That forbidden zone needs to be purified again; the Zombie Monarch can conceal its true nature and cannot be allowed to remain."
"It doesn't matter. No matter how deeply a clown hides, he will eventually be eliminated." Another saint said coldly, "Moreover, Sōichi, you just mentioned that there are two 'variables' in this world?"
"Yes." Sōichi nodded, flicking his sleeve. The faint Insect Race Life Seed, wrapped in tender green leaves, floated in his palm, radiating a tenacious and pure life force. "This is one. The strongest being in the Shinobi World was originally formed from our mortal enemy, the Starry Sky Insect Race. This is the life crystallization left behind after her final attack annihilated her. The life force contained within is quite ancient and pure."
Then, for the first time, he described it with a slightly more serious tone. "Secondly, there is a golden lotus. Before the Will of the Shinobi World finally collapsed, it infused this thing with its remaining primordial life force. This thing was not originally from the Shinobi World; it seems to be the manifestation of a visitor from another world. Before I could eliminate it, it used that wisp of the world's primordial power to escape through the void using a kind of... spatial escape technique. I was unable to intercept it in time."
"A golden lotus? A plant-based life form?" A sage's tone held a hint of amusement. "Playing with plant-based escape techniques before my Ōtsutsuki Clan? Trying to teach a fish to swim. A mere lotus, like a stray dog, escaping into the void—whether it can survive the turbulent currents is still unknown. Even if it survives, lost in the void, what waves can it stir up? Insignificant."
His view was tacitly accepted by most of the saints. In the eyes of the Ōtsutsuki, within the realm of plants, they were the absolute rulers.
However, when their gazes refocused on the green crystal in Sōichi's palm, the atmosphere changed somewhat.
" The Starry Sky Insect Race... the Seed of Life..." The saint, enveloped in chilling aura, spoke with an increasingly icy voice, "Moreover, it appeared within a star-planet civilization we just destroyed, or was it a contingency plan left behind by those insects..."
The saint, clad in a fiery robe, abruptly stood up, his eyes seemingly burning with stars. "What does this mean? The Starry Sky Insect Race! Those greedy predators who only know how to devour and evolve—have their tentacles already reached our rear?!"
" The Shinobi World is located on the edge of our clan's sphere of influence, and in a sense, it is indeed our 'rear area'," another sage, his face hidden in Yin Shadow and his voice hoarse, said slowly. "The strongest beings of a Shinobi World civilization are actually the Starry Sky Insect Race? This is no coincidence. Either the Insect Race planted a spy a long time ago, or they have begun to infiltrate the outer star systems of our clan's territory!"
The Starry Sky Insect Race! This term commanded even greater attention from all the Sages present, including the Ōtsutsuki God shrouded in a hazy glow, than it had from the destruction of the Shinobi World or the lurking Zombie Monarch. This was a terrifying race that roamed the starry seas, entangled with the Ōtsutsuki Clan for countless eons, and considered each other mortal enemies! Their individual evolutionary abilities, their sheer numbers, and their insatiable plundering desires were among the greatest obstacles on the Ōtsutsuki Clan's path to dominating the starry seas.
"A lotus flower whose whereabouts are unknown is indeed not worth much attention." The consciousness of the Ōtsutsuki God resounded again, carrying a commanding tone. "But the traces of the Insect Race have appeared behind our ancestral planet; they must be thoroughly investigated!"
"What the Divine Lord says is absolutely right," the Jūni Saints echoed.
" The Zombie Monarch is hiding in the restricted area, which can be dealt with slowly. But the Insect Race's schemes must be eliminated immediately! Otherwise, the consequences will be dire!"
"We must immediately dispatch elite forces to the rear star system to investigate all possible Insect Race nests, beacons, and even lurking units!"
After a brief but efficient exchange of ideas, a resolution was quickly reached.
"In that case," Ōtsutsuki God's voice echoed in the temple, "Then... the Ten Sages will lead teams, each with a contingent of divine troops, to immediately patrol all star regions behind us, especially areas connected to the Shinobi World or exhibiting abnormal energy. They must find traces of the Insect Race activity; once discovered, they must be killed without mercy, eliminating all potential threats!"
"Divine Decree!"
Ten vast and unparalleled auras soared into the sky from the throne, causing the entire Ōtsutsuki Temple to tremble slightly. Apart from the two saints who remained and the returning Ōtsutsuki Sōichi, ten of the Twelve Saints of the Temple instantly disappeared from their original positions to mobilize troops.
A massive cleanup operation targeting the potential Insect Race threat is about to unfold across the vast star field. Unlike the annihilation of the Shinobi World, this time, the Ōtsutsuki Clan is demonstrating the true efficiency and power befitting a top-tier interstellar race.
The temple was once again empty and silent.
Sōichi put away the Insect Race Life Seed, bowed slightly in the direction of the Ōtsutsuki God, and his figure gradually faded away as he left the temple. His mission was complete, and the subsequent investigation was no longer his concern.
The consciousnesses of the two remaining saints converged in the void.
" Sōichi's move this time was clean and efficient."
" The Shinobi World... is just another overconfident civilization. As for the Insect Race... what exactly are they trying to do?"
"No matter what you want to do, it's all in vain before absolute power. The ten saints together are enough to eliminate any hidden dangers."
"I hope so..."
Their whispers gradually faded away in the empty temple.