Leaving the Crimson Sky City area, Kaguya once again stepped onto the remote teleportation array. This time, her destination was the undisputed core of the Ōtsutsuki Planet — the God Tree City.
As the light of the teleportation faded, when Kaguya finally saw what was before her, even though she was mentally prepared, she was still so shocked that she was speechless, and even her thoughts froze for Setsuna.
If the desolation and decay of Crimson Sky City chills the heart, then the boundless vitality and magnificent grandeur of God Tree City are enough to make any living being feel its own insignificance and awe.
She was standing at the edge of an incredibly vast plaza, paved with a warm, jade-like white stone that emitted a faint glow. Before her, as far as the eye could see, was a tree whose size defied description.
That is the God Tree, one of the origins and symbols of power of the Ōtsutsuki Clan.
Its trunk is as thick as a giant pillar supporting the heavens and the earth, its diameter probably comparable to the width of the entire Shinobi World continent. It stretches upwards, disappearing into the clouds, with no end in sight. The bark has a deep dark gold color, covered with naturally formed mysterious patterns, as if recording the secrets of the universe. Just standing at its feet, one can feel a life force and energy fluctuation as vast as the starry sea and as ancient as time itself.
And this is just the trunk.
Kaguya looked up, straining to see. The canopy of the God Tree had completely obscured the sky. These were not ordinary branches and leaves, but leaves as large as mountains, seemingly carved from jade! They layered upon each other, spreading out to form a vast continent suspended high above. The sunlight of the two suns shone through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled, divine beams of light that illuminated the entire God Tree City in a dreamlike state.
Among those enormous branches and leaves, one can vaguely see countless magnificent palaces, pavilions, and towers built along the branches, connected by rainbow bridges, with shimmering flying boats shuttling between them. That is the true power core of the Ōtsutsuki Clan, the place where the Saint and important ministers reside— the Crown of the God Tree, the place of the Saint Hall.
"Is this... the true form of the God Tree?" Kaguya murmured to herself. Compared to the God Tree of her home planet that she had nurtured to absorb Chakra, the God Tree of the Shinobi World world was like a sapling compared to a towering tree—utterly insignificant. She felt the power within her body, originating from the Chakra Fruit, seem to have weakened at this moment, as if expressing reverence for the source of this power.
The God Tree City itself was more prosperous than imagined. The architecture was unified and magnificent, mainly in white, gold, and dark gold, with towering spires and winding covered bridges. The streets were incredibly wide, large enough to accommodate giant beasts, and various elegantly designed flying machines shuttled through the sky in an orderly fashion. The Ōtsutsuki Clan who came and went generally possessed powerful auras; even the most ordinary pedestrians had an energy level comparable to the Kage Level the Shinobi World. They were dressed in gorgeous clothes, and their expressions carried the unique arrogance and composure of the Ōtsutsuki Clan.
Kaguya's simple attire, a result of her return from the Shinobi World, actually made her stand out in the crowd, attracting some subtle glances. She composed herself, forcing herself to recover from her shock. Now was not the time to admire the scenery; she needed to gather information as soon as possible.
She first needed to understand the basic layout of the God Tree City, especially the information about the Saint Hall. She walked towards an energy drink shop on the edge of the square that looked quite lively, with most of its customers being members of the lower and middle classes of the Ōtsutsuki Clan.
Kaguya found a seat by the window and ordered a local specialty, "Stardew Juice." She casually observed the scenery outside the window, but in reality, she carefully listened to the conversations around her.
"... I heard that the security at the Saint Hall has been tightened again recently. Apparently, it's because of the Crimson Sky City incident, and the monitoring of alien energy has become more stringent." A man at the next table, dressed in a uniform and looking like a junior employee, said to his companion.
"That's right. Now, applying to handle matters in the canopy is several times more complicated. But then again, the Saint Hall... if I could go up there even once in my life and see the scenery, I would be content," his companion sighed.
Kaguya's heart stirred. Holding her cup, she casually leaned closer, her face displaying just the right amount of curiosity and longing. "Excuse me, gentlemen. I just returned from a remote star region and am not very familiar with important matters within the clan. I heard that the Saint Hall is located at the God Tree. Is it only Saint and those city lords who can go up there?"
The two men glanced at Kaguya, noticing her extraordinary bearing and recent return from the outer realms, and became more interested in talking to her. The man who looked like a junior employee said, "That's right! The Saint Hall is the sacred ground of our Ōtsutsuki. Ordinary clansmen can hardly even approach the canopy area. Apart from Saint, city lords, and tribal leaders, only high-ranking officials with special permission or warriors who have made great contributions are qualified to set foot there."
"Yes," another person chimed in, "And the canopy area is a self-contained space, said to be incredibly vast. Without guidance, even if you go up there, you'll lose your way. The Saint Hall is even more mysterious, said to be hidden among the innermost branches and leaves, shrouded in a powerful barrier, making it impossible for outsiders to find."
Kaguya's face showed a timely expression of disappointment. "I see... I was wondering if I'd have a chance to see the saint's face. Do the Saint usually stay in the Saint Hall?"
"How would we know?" The junior clerk shook his head. " The Saint are rarely seen; they might be cultivating in seclusion within the palace, or perhaps they are traveling through the endless starry sea. However, generally speaking, unless something major happens, some of the Saint will remain in the palace to oversee things. After all, it's close to the origin of the God Tree, which is very beneficial for cultivation."
"The origin of the God Tree..." Kaguya repeated softly, then, as if remembering something, asked, "Then... if someone is captured, for example, for offending Saint, where are they usually imprisoned? Is it also the Saint Hall?"
This question seemed somewhat sensitive. The two men exchanged a glance, their guard slightly raised. The junior employee lowered his voice. "This... young lady, you can't ask such a question lightly. Offending Saint has dire consequences. The location of their imprisonment is naturally a secret, but... according to some rumors, the Saint Hall does indeed have a ' Nine Nether Absolute Prison ' specifically for imprisoning serious criminals. Those imprisoned there are all extraordinary individuals. But their exact location is beyond our knowledge."
" Nine Nether Absolute Prison..." Kaguya silently memorized the name, a grateful smile appearing on her face. "Thank you both for your explanation, elder brothers. I just returned and don't understand many of the rules. Please forgive my ignorance."
"It's alright, it's alright. If you have any questions in the God Tree City, just ask." Seeing Kaguya's humble attitude, the two relaxed and chatted for a few more minutes before leaving.
Kaguya sat there, slowly sipping her drink, her mind racing. From the conversation just now, she could basically confirm that if Tian Yu had indeed been captured by the Saint, she was most likely imprisoned in the " Nine Nether Absolute Prison " within the Saint Hall. And entering the Saint Hall would be extremely difficult.
Over the next few days, Kaguya moved cautiously through the God Tree City, like a prodigal son returning to his homeland. She went to the Household Registration Office and, with her bloodline test and a prepared explanation, successfully re-registered her identity, obtaining temporary residency. She traversed different areas of the God Tree City —taverns, markets, public information towers—using every opportunity to subtly inquire about the Saint, the Saint Hall, and whether any special prisoners had been recently brought back.
Sometimes she would pretend to be a young tribesman who was full of worship for the Saint, asking some seemingly older stall owners about the Saint's great deeds and the legend of the Saint Hall; sometimes she would listen to drunken warriors boasting about their experiences in taverns, sifting out useful information from them; she even risked approaching the edge of the restricted area below the canopy to observe the guard arrangements and energy flow there.
The process was not without its challenges. The Ōtsutsuki had a strict hierarchy, and the lower-ranking members knew very little about sensitive topics, while those of higher status were extremely vigilant. On several occasions, her overly eager questions aroused suspicion, forcing her to make excuses to leave. On another occasion, she attempted to use Genjutsu to influence a low-ranking official in charge of transporting supplies to the canopy area, nearly triggering the official's soul defenses, which frightened her into immediately halting her actions.
But there were gains as well. She roughly figured out the guard shift patterns at the main entrances below the canopy, and learned that entering the canopy required a special "pass token," which was usually issued by tribal leaders or those in charge of important departments. She also confirmed the existence of the " Nine Nether Absolute Prison," which was indeed the place where serious criminals of the Ōtsutsuki Clan and Starry Sky Insect Race were imprisoned. It was located within the jurisdiction of the Saint Hall and was extremely heavily guarded.
She transmitted all the information she had gathered—including the ruins of Crimson Sky City, the tragic scene of Orochimaru being sealed and displayed, the grandeur of God Tree City, the solemnity of the Saint Hall, and speculations about the " Nether Absolute Prison "—back to Tianyi, who was far away in the Shinobi World Tsubasa, through the hidden Saint's Mark left by Tsubasa within her body. She could feel the solemnity and concern coming from the other end of the mark, but specific instructions still required Tsubasa to make a judgment based on the overall situation.
Having done all this, Kaguya stood at the end of a bustling street in the God Tree City, gazing up at the enormous tree canopy that seemed to disappear into the clouds, her gaze resolute.
Now that we know where the goal is and how difficult it is, the next step is to devise a plan, find that almost impossible opportunity, and infiltrate the lofty Saint Hall to rescue the Tian Yu who may be imprisoned in the " Nine Nether Absolute Prison."