Under the illumination of the blue light, Zetsu's eyes burned with agony. From his originally yellow pupils, an unknown liquid began to flow outward.
At the same time, a vast power of Creation of All Things began to take form within his pupils.
Before long, his pupils turned purple, and concentric spirals appeared in his eye sockets.
In the blink of an eye, Satsuki had used Status Infusion to reconstruct a pair of Rinnegan in Zetsu's body.
Stopping her movements, Satsuki looked calmly toward Zetsu.
Under the searing pain, this so-called spiritual embodiment of Kaguya could barely stand, yet as a being of will, he at least retained consciousness.
"...You, what have you done?"
However, the reconstruction of the Rinnegan was so fantastical that even Kaguya's will could not immediately comprehend what had happened to his body.
Satsuki waved her hand, and before the panting Zetsu appeared a mirror, reflecting his current face.
"If you wish to know what I did, just look and you'll understand."
Zetsu looked into the mirror in confusion, but as soon as he saw the reflection, his body jolted violently. "Those are Rinnegan? Impossible!"
"In the presence of my Lord, recreating a pair of Rinnegan is but a trivial matter. You cannot possibly comprehend my Lord's current power," said the Great Brahma King, his body glowing with golden radiance, resembling a divine spirit of light from western myth.
"Enough. As Kaguya's will, you should already know whether these Rinnegan are genuine or not." Then, turning toward the Great Brahma King, Satsuki said, "Unseal the Shikon Jewel's power and open the scroll of the Spiral Seal. Prepare to channel the energy into the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path."
"Yes."
For the Great Brahma King, who possessed Energy Control authority, guiding the power of the Shikon Jewel was effortless. The energy of the Spiral Seal, connected to the earth's veins, surged from the scroll, forming a power source as vast as the Ryūmyaku itself.
Previously, since the Spiral Seal on the surface had never been fully completed, its main purpose was only to draw upon the earth's power and convert it into purifying energy to maintain balance within Kyoto. Its extraction rate was low and could never form a tangible beam of energy strong enough to distort space-time, unlike the Ryūmyaku of Rōran.
However, with the Great Brahma King's intervention, the situation was different. Using his authority, he subtly drew forth the immense power beneath the Spiral Seal, channeling it through the prepared scroll into the Moon Temple.
Golden authority light flickered across his form. In one hand, he held the Shikon Jewel; in the other, the scroll transferring the Spiral Seal's power. Under his Energy Control authority, the power of both artifacts was drawn out, intertwining into two colossal streams of light.
Yet this alone was insufficient. To seal the energy within the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path required control via the Rinnegan.
—"Zetsu, why are you standing there? Do you need me to teach you how to perform the sealing technique as well?" Satsuki asked coldly.
"No need. I still remember how to control the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. But to perform that jutsu requires an enormous amount of chakra and willpower. I cannot do it alone."
For Zetsu, who now possessed the Rinnegan, mastering its power was far easier than it had been for Nagato, as he carried the memories of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki herself.
Satsuki replied, "You only need to use the Rinnegan to maintain the Outer Path Statue's activation state. Leave the rest to us."
Just one person? Could she really intend to perform that sealing technique alone?
Zetsu's heart faltered. Such confidence—what manner of being could speak those words so easily?
"In that case, I'll begin."
Zetsu leapt high, landing atop the right thumb of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, which was bound by chains.
Forming the 'Wei' hand seal before his chest, he channeled chakra into the statue beneath him. A 'zero' character appeared at his feet.
As it manifested, the massive Gedo Mazo stirred to life, and the seal at its mouth began to unlock.
"To sustain this technique, even the ten strongest shinobi of the ninja world working together would need three days and nights," Zetsu warned, emphasizing cautiously, "During this time, we must not be disturbed."
"That may be true for the shinobi of that world," Satsuki said quietly.
Satsuki rose from her throne. In the next instant, her figure flickered and appeared atop the 'Jade' position on the left thumb of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
Meanwhile, among the Three Kings, the Great Brahma King continued maintaining the scroll and the Shikon Jewel, while the Phantom Spirit King stood upon the 'Azure' position, and the Wheel Yama King took the 'Vermilion' position.
"Only four people? That's not enough to activate the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path..."
Before Zetsu could finish his words, his Rinnegan suddenly perceived several indistinct silhouettes appearing atop the other fingers of the statue.
Before he could recover from his shock, the figure standing on the 'Three' position let out an excited voice. "Mother—ah, no... Lady Satsuki! I've missed you so much! So this is the world you currently reside in?"
Though the voice was distorted and the face shrouded in darkness, no one but Ranzuki Ōtsutsuki could have spoken in that tone.
The figure standing on the 'White' position, however, was far calmer. Most notably, the eyes glowing from his shadowed face were a pair of Rinnegan.
Without question, this was the fruit of Satsuki's Rinnegan cultivation project—Shirakumaru.
He bowed respectfully toward Satsuki before glancing around and remarking, "So this is the legendary Demonic Statue of the Outer Path? Truly a terrifying existence. The Rinnegan's power is as formidable as expected."
On the 'North' position stood an unassuming man who bowed deeply toward Satsuki. "Lady Satsuki, thanks to your medicine, I've completely rid myself of the Kaguya clan's Shikotsumyaku affliction. With Lord Shirakumaru's assistance in mastering the Rinnegan's power, I'm now adapting my bloodline's mutation from Kekkei Tōta into the force of All-Killing Ash Bones. I believe results will appear soon."
That man was none other than one of Satsuki's trusted generals—Suzuki Kaguya.
Finally, standing upon the 'South' position was a man with long, straight black hair and white eyes—the leader of the Hyūga clan, Tenjin Hyūga.
After Suzuki finished speaking, Tenjin Hyūga added respectfully, "Lady Satsuki, the cooperation with the Uzumaki clan is proceeding steadily. Members of the Hyūga are still deeply involved in perfecting the jinchūriki technology. At the current pace, it won't be long before you can obtain full access to the technique."
"Hmm... Excellent. You've all done well during my absence."
Satsuki nodded, then turned her gaze toward Shirakumaru. "I once promised that when your eyes evolved into Rinnegan, you would earn the right to bear a surname."
Hearing this, Shirakumaru's shadowed face betrayed little expression, but the gleam in his eyes revealed his barely contained excitement.
"It is my greatest honor," he said reverently.
"No—this is the reward you deserve," Satsuki said solemnly. "Here and now, I, Satsuki Ōtsutsuki, declare that from this day forth, Shirakumaru shall bear the Ōtsutsuki name. Henceforth, you may call yourself Shirakumaru Ōtsutsuki."
Shirakumaru—no, Shirakumaru Ōtsutsuki—replied with fervent emotion, "Thank you, Lady Satsuki, for bestowing this name. I, Satsuki, will continue to dedicate all my strength and loyalty to you."
"Good."
Then, at the 'Void' position, a sudden swirl of demonic energy appeared, and from within it stepped Ruri. Her long hair fluttered as she looked around curiously.
"Tch, well this is rare. So many familiar faces—it's unusually lively today," she murmured under her breath.
Satsuki's voice cut through the air. "There are many among you who have not yet met, but now is not the time for introductions. As for the reason I've summoned you here—the Giant Tenseigan should have already conveyed it to you. Now... begin."
"Understood." ×9
As their voices rang out in perfect unison, the gathered figures each formed the 'Wei' seal before their chests.
Channeling their immense powers into the statue beneath them, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path began to emit a brilliant blue radiance from its mouth under their collective will.
This was the legendary sealing technique used by the Gedo Mazo to absorb the tailed beasts' chakra.
—Sealing Technique · Phantom Dragons Nine Consuming Seals!
Compared to the original "Team of the First Generation" from Naruto—the Akatsuki organization—the group currently assembled under Satsuki's command surpassed them in power by an immeasurable margin.
To them, activating a sealing technique of the level of Phantom Dragons Nine Consuming Seals was nothing more than a simple task.
From the mouth of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, blue chakra, under the overwhelming will of the gathered beings, intertwined and converged into nine colossal dragons of azure light.
At the same time, under the control of the Great Brahma King, the body of the Great Dog General, the Shikon Jewel, and the Spiral Seal Scroll resonated together. Their powers surged and merged into the forming chakra dragons.
The Shikon Jewel's energy, the demonic power of the Great Dog General, and the vast force of the earth's ley lines all rushed like a torrent into the mouth of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
...
Meanwhile, on the surface, in Kyoto—
Within the Onmyō Bureau's Astronomical Division, alarms suddenly blared.
Several onmyōji dressed in hunting robes and wearing court caps turned pale as they stared at the rapidly spinning compass before them.
One of the senior onmyōji, the Da'in, received a report from his subordinates. After glancing over it, his expression darkened, and he immediately ordered, "Quick, notify Lord Izumo! The situation is critical—the Spiral Seal of Kyoto is showing signs of energy loosening!"
—"We're already here."
Before the Da'in could finish speaking, two figures entered the room: the white-haired Ashiya Dōman and his companion, Izumo Nōka.
Upon seeing their superiors, the Da'in quickly handed over the report and explained urgently, "My lords, just moments ago, we detected abnormal spiritual energy leakage from all eight nodes of the Spiral Seal. The amount is enormous..."
Ashiya Dōman scanned the report, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Were you able to trace the direction of the energy flow?"
"Apologies, my lord," the Da'in replied nervously, sweat beading on his forehead. "The energy stream vanished midair—it's as if it was severed from space itself. We were unable to determine its destination."
"Useless fool..." Dōman snapped, glaring in frustration.
Izumo Nōka, though equally alarmed, managed to keep his composure—he was, after all, a seasoned veteran of the Bureau. "Send a team to the sites immediately to check if the seals have been physically damaged. Stabilize the barriers first—then investigate the cause."
"Yes, my lord."
The Da'in quickly began dispatching his men.
Meanwhile, Ashiya Dōman walked toward the massive instrument used to monitor the Spiral Seal.
It resembled a large seismograph—an enormous bronze apparatus shaped like a ceremonial wine vessel, covered in intricate gauges and designs. Around its circumference were eight dragon heads, each facing one of Kyoto's major sites: Fushimi Inari Shrine, Katsura Imperial Villa, Ryōan-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, Saihō-ji, Rokuon-ji, Shōkoku-ji, and Nijō Castle. Beneath each dragon head sat a bronze frog with its mouth agape, and between them rested a small bronze sphere.
Each dragon and frog pair corresponded to a channel of the Spiral Seal. Under normal balanced conditions, the bronze spheres would hover and drift slightly within a stable range, their movements minimal.
But this time, the energy readings before Ashiya Dōman were far more violent than ever before. The copper spheres were slamming wildly against the upper dragon mouths, producing sharp ping-pang metallic clattering.
The sight left Dōman visibly shaken. He had always prided himself on his mastery of onmyō arts—especially this Spiral Seal, his proudest creation.
Though incomplete, it was already rumored that once completed, the achievement would elevate him to a level surpassing even the legendary Great Onmyōji, Abe no Seimei.
The monitoring instrument, too, had been crafted by his own hand under the commission of the Astronomical Division, ensuring utmost precision.
He also possessed a personal version of the same device—more sensitive and finely tuned—which was why he had been able to rush here the moment he sensed the disturbance.
After all, all four major divisions of the Onmyō Bureau were housed within the same compound, making it easy to move between them.
"Lord Dōman, should we inform Lord Abe of this incident?" asked Izumo Nōka quietly from beside him.
"Hmph—no need. It's merely an energy fluctuation," Dōman replied irritably, pulling out a handful of talismans from his sleeve. "Watch me drag out the wretch responsible for this and punish them accordingly."
After speaking, Ashiya Dōman formed a hand seal, pinching a piece of paper between his fingers and channeling spiritual energy into it.
Instantly, strange patterns appeared on the once-blank talisman. The markings glowed brightly before Dōman folded the paper into the shape of a bird, placing a small sake cup between its beak. He then tossed it into the air—whereupon the white paper instantly transformed into a heron, spreading its wings and soaring toward the nearest Spiral Node.
"As expected of Lord Dōman, your mastery over shikigami is truly effortless," Izumo Nōka said, his admiration genuine.
Though Dōman's technique seemed light and casual, few onmyōji in all of Kyoto could command shikigami so gracefully—if at all.
Meanwhile, Dōman closed his eyes, linking his spiritual sight to that of the heron.
Through the bird's eyes, he soared high above the Imperial Palace. Yet even before reaching the node, what he saw made his breath catch.
Eight colossal pillars of energy were rising skyward from across Kyoto.
"Who could possibly...?! To cause such immense spiritual leakage and yet maintain the equilibrium of my original seal? It's as if they've constructed a secondary formation atop mine—without disrupting its structure!"
Shock rippled through Dōman's mind.
Such mastery of onmyō arts was beyond anything he had ever conceived. Even his long-standing rival, Abe no Seimei, could never achieve such a feat.
The realization was intolerable for one as proud as Ashiya Dōman. In his own field of expertise, he would not allow anyone to surpass him so easily.
Driven by fury and curiosity, Dōman guided the heron toward one of the massive energy pillars, using its vision to study the fluctuations of power in the air.
But as he ascended higher, the energy column abruptly vanished midair.
Just as the Da'in had reported earlier—"The energy flow suddenly disappeared midair, as though space itself had severed it."
"How can this be? Energy can't simply vanish! This defies every principle of onmyōdō I've ever learned!"
Ashiya Dōman's pride burned like a raging bull provoked by a red cloth. He refused to accept that someone could manipulate the laws of his craft so effortlessly.
Determined to uncover the truth, Dōman bit down on his left index finger, smearing his own spiritual blood onto his brow.
This was an advanced onmyōji technique—Opening the Celestial Eye.
As the third eye awakened, Dōman's vision, through the heron's perspective, pierced through the veil of reality. At last, he saw them—the faint, swirling vortices hidden where the energy columns had vanished.
Those vortices were absorbing and transferring the spiritual energy that had leaked from the Spiral Seal.
"Hmph. Caught you at last, thief. Let's see who dares to steal Kyoto's spiritual essence right under my nose."
Brimming with determination, Dōman guided the heron straight into one of the demonic vortices.
With a violent lurch of vision, the world around him shifted—and suddenly, Dōman found himself standing in an entirely unfamiliar place.
To his shock, he was now in his own physical form, not viewing through the shikigami.
Before he could even react, a thunderous roar shook the air around him.
Roooaaaarrr...!
The deafening dragon cries echoed endlessly as Dōman's eyes widened in disbelief.
Every inch of his vision was consumed by the sight of an enormous, horrifying giant.
The being towered hundreds of meters high, its form grotesque and monstrous. From its gaping mouth spewed nine immense azure dragons of energy, which coiled together into a blinding mass of light.
And within that light lay a colossal dog demon—barely alive, its body battered and still.
Seeing this scene, the once-proud Ashiya Dōman was struck speechless, his mind reeling with unprecedented terror.
—"What... what in the world is this creature...?"