At this moment, atop the Moon, Izayoi was not in the best condition.
After all, Chakra Orbs are not Truth-Seeking Balls, so even the Golden Wheel Rebirth Explosion formed from them could still be absorbed by Preta Path.
That one attack he launched from the Moon all the way to Earth had consumed half of Izayoi's total chakra.
Ever since copying Ōtsutsuki Toneri's Bloodline (Red) and gaining a "chakra constitution," Izayoi had never once felt that a single move could nearly drain him dry.
But the results were spectacular.
Izayoi was still hovering in midair, trying to calm his breathing, when several beams of light—one red and several purple—came flying toward him.
Seeing them, Izayoi paused in mild surprise.
Then, using the Tenseigan's far-sight and x-ray vision, his gaze cast through the Moon down onto Earth, locking onto the rooftop where Uchiha Madara lay.
He saw that Madara was alive—indeed, not even unconscious—and still possessed vast chakra, apparently only internally wounded. This made Izayoi rather puzzled:
"What's going on? He's neither dead nor knocked out, not even critically injured. He clearly could come back to the Moon for a second round. So why did the system judge him as defeated?"
Noticing Madara's dazed, vacant expression, Izayoi reasoned inwardly:
"Could it be that losing one's fighting spirit also counts as a form of defeat?"
He could find no other explanation. Unless distance alone caused the system to deem Madara "lost." But if it were that trivial, Izayoi wouldn't have needed all this time just to farm enough points to upgrade his abilities.
"Ding! You have obtained the talent entry Six Paths Aptitude (Red), which overlaps your existing talent entry. Fuse or Disassemble?"
"Ding! …"
Several system notifications chimed in Izayoi's mind, pulling his thoughts back. As though recalling something, Izayoi did not immediately choose, but first summoned his personal interface, giving a quick glance at Ōtsutsuki Bloodline (Multi-Color) and Kekkei Genkai: Tenseigan (Multi-Color), then shifted his gaze to the Six Paths Aptitude (Red) entry.
He recalled that first notification hinting at something crucial:
Tenseigan and Rinnegan are both color-grade entries, each signifying a "Six Paths-level" start. If one obtains or masters Six Paths Sage Mode or becomes a Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, that is the stepping stone. Meanwhile, from what he could glean about Hashirama, at best the man had only Sage Body (Red).
Only Sage Body (Red) plus Sage Eye (Red) could give rise to the Rinnegan (Multi-Color).
And if the Rinnegan as a mere kekkei genkai is already color-grade, then an ability like the "Kekkei Net" from combining seven nature transformations, the so-called Kekkei Tōta or Kekkei Mōra (Bloodline Encompassing All), must also be color-grade.
In short, color-grade entries begin at "Six Paths-level."
Even so, Tenseigan or Rinnegan only mark the threshold of that realm. Potentially, there is still more to unearth. For instance, Tenseigan's user must develop it further or unify with the Truth-Seeking Balls, etc.
Thus Izayoi realized that if Six Paths Aptitude is just Red, there might be a higher tier beyond even that—some realm surpassing "Six Paths."
Peering back at the original story, neither pure-blooded Ōtsutsuki in Boruto nor the so-called "Clan High Council" had apparently surpassed the Six Paths dimension. Only the possible existence of an "Ōtsutsuki God," or Shibai Ōtsutsuki, might dwell beyond that plane.
An electric jolt flashed from Izayoi's mind down his tailbone, raising goosebumps:
"Damn… That's the price of my ignorance!"
He had always focused on the Ōtsutsuki Bloodline as his foundation. Factually, it was so. Without it, he could never have reached this level so young. In the process, he overlooked how crucial the Aptitude entry was. From the moment he first extracted chakra, he had that "Chūnin Aptitude (Green)." After opening his cheats, it soared all the way to Six Paths Aptitude (Red).
Izayoi had assumed that it was the least significant red-tier entry, effectively just an official recognition. But now he understood it was no mere title—Aptitude governed his upper limit of potential.
At present, he was stuck at a "Six Paths ceiling." Without rewriting destiny, that was the maximum. By rewriting destiny—like how Tenseigan advanced through its final "fetal movements"—he might surpass that limit. If he first upgraded his aptitude further, perhaps all other powers would likewise accelerate.
Having reasoned thus far, Izayoi instantly decided: He would push his Six Paths Aptitude to color-grade next. That might speed the unveiling of hidden abilities in his new Ōtsutsuki Bloodline (Multi-Color), as well as unify them with Tenseigan's final potential.
As he formed that resolution, Izayoi also glanced at the new system notifications about the loot from Madara.
He had indeed dropped a red-tier "Six Paths Aptitude." It overlapped Izayoi's own. He could fuse them or disassemble them for points.
In prior experiments, merging identical entries did not cause an immediate upgrade. One would still need to pay the usual points cost for leveling up. Even for red-tier merges, it likely wouldn't instantly yield color-grade.
Meanwhile, disassembly of a red-tier entry always yielded a random 6-digit integer in points. If extremely unlucky, he might need to break down 9 red entries to gather 999,999 points. If extremely lucky, he could get nearly a perfect sum in one go, directly letting him upgrade a red-tier entry to color-grade at a 1:1 cost ratio.
After only a few seconds of hesitation, Izayoi resolved to gamble on disassembly.
All the new red-tier entries must be disassembled.
In an instant, the meager 4-digit sum of his Points soared to 6 digits, landing at [672810].
"Nice!"
He clenched a fist, exultant. The gamble had paid off. Though not a direct jackpot, he was only 300k points short now. If he farmed a bit from the Five Great Villages for a year, he could probably top off to 999,999. Good fortune might yield him more red-tier loot from Naruto, Sasuke, or Hinata.
Deeply satisfied, Izayoi returned to the interior of the man-made "Sun." He prepared to take the Giant Tenseigan back with him to Earth.
Yet right as he was about to depart, he paused, turning to regard the moon—one-third severed by his Golden Wheel Rebirth Explosion. In a subdued awe, he muttered:
"Such a potent gravitational pull… And it auto-locks on that fragment!"
Indeed, the parted lunar segment was slowly rejoining the main body, guided by a selective gravitational force. Strangely, that gravity didn't affect anything else. Even an object passing its path wouldn't be drawn in, only that one piece.
More shocking was that after a thousand years, the "Six Paths: Chibaku Tensei" Kaguya had endured still generated such monstrous gravity. That hammered home how fearsome actual Six Paths-level ninjutsu could be.
Moments later, Izayoi discovered:
"So that seal can siphon the sun's energy to stay powered… No wonder it hasn't eroded away after a thousand years."
Realizing it was a false alarm, Izayoi hastened back to Earth. He never saw, at the abandoned city's cemetery, an invisible soul—undetectable to ordinary eyes—quietly observing him, wearing pure white robes with 6 black magatama around the chest, a red swirl on the back, nine black Balls circling him, eyes and hair all white except for two horns on his head.
That man was none other than Kaguya's younger son, Ōtsutsuki Hamura—who by pure blood had inherited the Byakugan, awakened Tenseigan and the Truth-Seeking Balls, and became a Six Paths-level spirit after death.
"Unbelievable…"
Gazing at Izayoi's receding figure, Hamura murmured:
"He's inherited the Divine Tree's Mokuton factor, my brother's ocular powers and physique, my own eyes, plus the reversion of growing horns in his blood… In a thousand years, the ninja world actually produced a descendant who combines the best of me and my brother—a real miracle for the Ōtsutsuki clan!"
Then he glimpsed the newly sundered moon, recalling how "Golden Wheel Rebirth" sheared away a third:
"These young folks sure have hot tempers. Fortunately, without me or my brother's seals and power, the 'Six Paths: Chibaku Tensei' imprisoning Mother won't unravel. Even though the moon was sliced, it'll draw cosmic matter to fill itself again—otherwise that descendant would have brought dire calamity."
Finally, as Hamura's gaze swept the cemetery of tombstones, he sighed:
"Alas… Everything resulted from my unclear instructions. They misunderstood my final wishes. Who'd have thought the branch family would veer to such extremes?"
"But the dead shouldn't meddle in the world of the living. All is destined. Let this child who carries the power of me and my elder brother accomplish what we never could."
With those words, Hamura's soul vanished, the trace of chakra left in the cemetery fully fading from the world.
…
In Konoha Village, Izayoi's wood clone had fully returned home, reactivating the building's barrier.
Having received the main body's instructions, the clone used Flying Thunder God to vanish.
Seconds later, the real Izayoi—clad in Tenseigan Chakra Mode—appeared in the house.
Seeing their beloved Izayoi's return, the three girls immediately gathered around:
"Onii-chan, you're back!"
"Izayoi-kun, are you alright?"
"Izayoi-kun, you were battling on the Moon just now, right?"
Facing their anxious looks, Izayoi canceled his Tenseigan Chakra Mode and smiled:
"Sorry for worrying you. It's all over now."
They exhaled in relief. Hanabi then asked in excitement:
"Onii-chan, was it you who cut the Moon like that?"
"Sure was. Impressive, right?" Izayoi teased, ruffling her hair.
"So cool!"
Hanabi and the other two nodded, eyes shining with unhidden admiration.
"Want the detailed story?" Izayoi prompted.
"Mhm!" The three eagerly nodded.
Seeing them this way, Izayoi feigned a weary slump in his shoulders, complaining:
"I fought that whole time and even traveled back from the Moon—my shoulders are killing me…"
"Onii-chan, let me give you a massage," Hanabi offered.
"Izayoi-kun, your chakra's so low—maybe have a bite?" Karin joked about letting him bite her.
"Izayoi-kun, I'll fetch clothes so you can soak in the hot spring," Hinata added softly.
They all nudged him toward the private hot spring. Izayoi capitalized on their pampering:
"I wanna see Pikachu, get some peeled grapes, and have some sake."
"Heehee… Just Pikachu? Onii-chan, don't think we don't know what you and Sis do alone in that bath... OUCH—OW!"
"Hanabi, if you dare peek with the Byakugan, I'll personally train you." Hinata reddened.
"Karin-nee also peeks!"
"Hehe…I'm older than you, not my problem." Karin smirked.
"Flat-chested girl…"
"Wh—!?" Karin flared. "Alright, you little—there's no difference between us both yet!"
"Once I'm your age, I'll definitely be bigger. I have the same genes as Sis, so I won't lose to her either."
"Argh, you brat—take this!" Karin pounced on Hanabi.
As their playfulness escalated, the four of them headed off to the spring for a bath.
Soaking in the steaming water, Izayoi sipped sake as Hinata peeled grapes to feed him, while he recounted his entire fight with Madara on the Moon. Hearing about the "home visit" and Madara's sudden arrival, followed by their fierce battle culminating in Izayoi's single blow from the Moon to Earth, the girls felt goosebumps—and then astonishment. Imagining the thoroughness of Izayoi's plans, Hanabi sighed:
"Onii-chan, your powers are already unstoppable in this shinobi world. Why keep your identity hidden?"
"Unstoppable? …Not quite." Izayoi downed his cup and passed it to Karin to warm more sake. He shook his head with a wry smile. "I and Madara have only barely crossed the threshold of that higher plane. If that man truly exists, there may be four individuals out there stronger than us."
"Four?!"
The girls' eyes bulged in shock. Karin's hands trembled, letting sake drip into the hot spring. Even Hinata, at Konoha's top-tier power, felt rattled.
"Who is he?" Hinata pressed quietly.
"No clue…" Izayoi shook his head meaningfully. "That's why I'm waiting."
Yes—waiting. The man in question was none other than Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, presumably the superior of Kaguya. If he did indeed exist, with size-shifting and space-warping powers, only by prompting him to appear could Izayoi ensure the girls' safety.
Because Isshiki wouldn't approach the likes of Madara or Toneri, both presumably "marked" by the children of Kaguya. The best "vessel" candidate for Isshiki was now Izayoi. And once Isshiki came, Izayoi would be ready to give him a very big surprise. If he never came, Izayoi would wait until he achieved true invincibility.
At that thought, Izayoi found himself eager for the future. Probably due to leftover battle adrenaline or the hot-spring heat, he gazed at the ever-gentle Hinata feeding him sake. He pointed lightly at Hanabi's eyes, leaning in with a mischievous smile:
"Hinata, I'd like a different kind of sake."
"Which sake? I'll go fetch it." She was ready to serve.
"No need—I only need you." Izayoi murmured at her ear with a sly grin: "I want to sample…'Mouth-to-Mouth Sake'."
At once, Hinata's cheeks turned scarlet:
"B-but Hanabi and Karin are here…"
"Heh, that's easy to fix. Genjutsu: Bringer-of-Darkness Technique!"
"Aah, my eyes!"
"You're not letting me watch, but you won't get away with—Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!"
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall—!"
~~~
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