A needle is stuck in the ground.
Beneath the greyish-white sky, the needle, so thin it seemed about to snap, pierced straight into the horizon.
It doesn't sway or tilt; it's as if someone has driven a long nail from the sky into the ground.
The further they went, the thicker the needle became, and the higher they climbed. By the time they emerged from the withered forest, the needle had transformed into a pillar reaching to the heavens.
It was pitch black, piercing from the ground into the clouds, its top invisible. Standing there, it seemed to connect the sky and the earth.
This is the God Tree!
The surrounding ground was already dead.
The grass was gray and crumbled underfoot. The trees were dry and brittle; a gust of wind would break several branches.
There was no water, no birds, not even insects. The ground was cracked in patches, like an old man's skin.
Some of the cracks were so deep that the bottom couldn't be seen. Shinsei probed them and found that there wasn't a trace of moisture inside.
There was a river in the distance, its riverbed fully exposed, the stones bleached white by the sun. Shinsei remembered that this place wasn't like this not long ago.
The God Tree was contracting, not quickly, but it never stopped.
Shinsei and Kaguya walked on this land, looking at the desolate surroundings, and couldn't help but sigh.
" The God Tree has indeed caused severe damage to nature."
Kaguya lowered her head slightly, her expression somewhat somber, and answered softly.
"Sorry."
Shinsei waved his hand dismissively and said it didn't matter.
"You don't need to apologize to me. This isn't your problem."
Do you have a way to stop the God Tree?
"I'm sorry," Kaguya shook her head slightly, her expression even more dejected. "I can't help it. If we destroy the God Tree, they'll get the news immediately and come after us."
After hearing Kaguya's words, Shinsei was speechless for a moment.
Even if he considered himself a genius, he wouldn't dare say he could defeat the Ōtsutsuki Clan.
Even Kaguya, who was beside him, had not yet eaten the Chakra Fruit, and her combat ability was not as good as that of the Genin of Konoha.
But whenever he had bad thoughts about Kaguya, he always felt a strange sense of threat.
This is a special perception brought about by years of cultivation.
It can also be described as a sudden whim.
In other words, in Shinsei's evaluation system, Kaguya is someone who poses a great threat to him.
Kaguya didn't speak again. She looked at the God Tree, her face showing no fear, only a faint sadness. It was as if she had known it would turn out this way, but seeing it with her own eyes still made her feel a little sad.
The two continued walking. A wind blew from the God Tree, carrying a dry, decaying smell.
The two quickened their pace, getting closer and closer to the enormous God Tree ahead.
Kaguya suddenly stopped and tugged at Shinsei's sleeve.
Shinsei followed the direction Kaguya pointed and gazed into the distance.
Two figures appeared on the horizon and walked towards us at a leisurely pace.
As the two drew closer, Shinsei finally saw their faces.
He was extremely tall, wearing an old dark gray robe, with messy hair hanging over his shoulders and a beard as thick as grass. He stood there, like a black mountain half struck by lightning.
The other one was slightly shorter and thinner, with short, bluish-gray hair that stood up as if electrified. He stood two steps behind Susanoo, with extremely fine wisps of light occasionally flashing around him, as if they might dissipate at any moment. Shinsei's Sharingan scanned him at a glance and immediately recognized him as Lei.
Both of them exuded extremely strong Natural Energy. They walked a short distance away and stopped, looking at Shinsei and Kaguya with extremely solemn expressions.
The tall man bowed slightly, as if paying his respects.
"I am a god from Takamagahara; you may call me Takemikazuchi-no-Kami."
The other, slightly shorter man merely grunted and coldly uttered four words.
Susanoo.
Shinsei squinted, looking at the two men in front of him.
These two individuals have been the subject of numerous legends in later generations.
We've been waiting for you for a long time.
Susanoo spoke. His voice was deep, as if it came directly from his sternum.
He looked at Kaguya, his gaze as if trying to discern truth from falsehood. "You are Otsutsuki Kaguya?"
"I am Kaguya."
"Alright." Susanoo stepped forward. "We'll wait for you here. Great Goddess Amaterasu instructed us to avoid conflict with you as much as possible."
But as you can see now, this God Tree has caused us immense harm.
Then let me ask you, Otsutsuki Kaguya.
What will happen if we destroy this God Tree?
Kaguya stared at the God Tree, her expression slightly dazed, as if she were reminiscing.
" The God Tree was planted by our people. Every seed bears the mark of our people."
As long as the tree stands, the mark remains. If the tree is destroyed, the mark will explode. At that time, the Ōtsutsuki Clan will arrive ahead of schedule and directly reap this planet.
Susanoo frowned, as if he were chewing over her words.
"Then please destroy this so-called God Tree mark. You are a member of the Ōtsutsuki, you should have a way."
"If we can destroy it, then we in Takamagahara will no longer hold your Ōtsutsuki Clan responsible for destroying Takamagahara."
Kaguya shook her head. "I can't do it."
"Can't do it?" Susanoo's tone hardened, as if he were struggling to suppress his anger. "Then let it drain the world dry? Takamagahara has no more Natural Energy, when we gods are as withered as these trees, what do you think we gods will do before that happens?"
Takemikazuchi-no-Kami remained silent behind him, only raising his eyes slightly. A surge of electricity crackled around him, as if waiting for Susanoo to make his move.
Kaguya leaned slightly closer to Shinsei, but her voice remained steady.
"There is only one way to remove the mark: let the God Tree bear fruit, and then I will eat the Chakra Fruit."
"Eat the fruit?" Susanoo sneered. "By then, this tree will probably have drained the earth's ley lines long ago. Takamagahara won't last until then."
"That's why I didn't make you wait."
Susanoo stared at her, as if trying to extract an answer from her eyes. After a moment, he spoke slowly, his voice as cold as iron.
Why should I believe what the Ōtsutsuki Clan says?
Perhaps you already had a way to destroy this God Tree beforehand. You just didn't want to tell us, wanting the God Tree to absorb all of Natural Energy.
Then, I'll ask again, Otsutsuki Kaguya.
Can you destroy this God Tree before it breaks the mark?
Shinsei took a step forward, blocking Kaguya's path.
"Are you done talking?" Shinsei looked at the two people in front of him, who were on the verge of exchanging blows.
Susanoo looked at him, his lips twitching as if he were weighing his options. Takemikazuchi-no-Kami finally spoke, his voice thin and rapid, like sparks of electricity.
"Get out of the way, we're not looking for you."
Although Susanoo a bad temper, he is not a fool.
Amaterasu has already described Shinsei's martial prowess. Even Kagutsuchi, the Kagutsuchi fire, died at his hands.
Although Vulcan was generally considered to be the weakest among them, not just anyone could take his life.
The best option right now is to separate Shinsei from Otsutsuki Kaguya.
"You're looking for her," Shinsei said. "Her affairs are my affairs."
The wind blew from the God Tree, making Shinsei's clothes flutter. Susanoo remained silent.
He slowly lifted his foot half an inch off the ground, then put it down again. The ground seemed to sink in as if something had pressed down on it.
Takemikazuchi-no-Kami stepped forward, his blue hair standing on end like countless small snakes writhing in his hair.
Shinsei knew there was no escaping this hurdle. He whispered to Kaguya.
"Step back."
Kaguya refused to move, and Shinsei didn't try to persuade her again. He simply spread out his Fire Release Chakra quietly, scattering it around like seeds.
Once a fight breaks out, this will be the battlefield he can reach at any time.