"Madara, do you know why I encouraged you to activate Mugen Tsukuyomi (Infinite Tsukuyomi)? It was only to create an army for Kaguya.
So tell me—do you really think I ever cared about your grand plan for peace?"
Madara already had no strength left to resist.
On the opposite side, when the Allied Shinobi Forces heard this, they all felt a chill run down their backs.
They couldn't help recalling how the Divine Tree had chased people, wrapped them up like zongzi, and sucked out their chakra. Just thinking about that scene made their bodies tremble uncontrollably.
"Kaguya's army? What's that supposed to be?"
Naruto, standing to one side, turned to Shigeo and asked.
"It should be the White Zetsu army. She created the White Zetsu troops to fight against certain shinobi from outer space.
But what she doesn't understand is that beings like White Zetsu aren't worth anything in front of the real members of the Ōtsutsuki clan."
"You're talking nonsense. What do you know?!"
Across from them, Black Zetsu shouted angrily. One of his hands was still buried in Madara's body. A huge amount of chakra continued to pour into that swollen frame, making it grow bigger and bigger…
Black Zetsu's body slowly melted, and Kaguya's consciousness began to overwrite Madara's bloated body.
A powerful wind surged in from every direction. Madara's final sliver of awareness was swallowed up.
Then, with her hair floating freely, something began to emerge beneath the mass wrapping around Black Zetsu…
An absolutely stunning face.
A pair of Byakugan.
A Rinne Sharingan with nine tomoe on her forehead.
Long, flowing white hair.
Her entire body radiated an icy aura as she floated in midair.
This was Kaguya.
The moment she appeared, she immediately launched an attack on the surrounding shinobi.
Itachi, Sasuke, Naruto, Jiraiya, Kakashi, the Konoha F4, and the other Kage all charged toward her at once.
Seeing this, the corner of Shigeo's mouth twitched.
With that many people going at her together, they should be able to manage… right?
With a "might as well see how it plays out" attitude, Shigeo actually stayed where he was instead of rushing in.
Another reason was that the Sage of Six Paths still hadn't shown up.
His mother was already here—what was he waiting for? He should hurry and come out to explain things to these clueless shinobi. Shigeo really didn't feel like wasting that much breath.
What Shigeo didn't know was that the Sage of Six Paths had appeared a long time ago—he just didn't dare show himself.
Because once he noticed Shigeo, this unexpected factor, he could feel the overwhelming power Shigeo possessed.
It made even the Sage want to sit back and observe for a while, to see just what kind of existence this man truly was.
Everyone rushed into battle, but Kaguya, floating in the air, didn't move at all.
The people charging at her suddenly felt a terrifying gravity crash down from the heavens, pressing them all flat against the ground in an instant, unable to move.
This was the super-gravity function of Kaguya's Amenominaka (Heavenly Governing Inside).
The layers of crushing force weighed down on everyone, robbing them of any ability to resist.
Seeing this, Shigeo shouted out:
"Kaguya, I'll give you a chance.
Swear yourself to me, and become one of my followers.
As for the danger you're facing, I'll help you resolve it. How about it?"
The woman floating in the air looked down at Shigeo with cold eyes.
But the deep blue Rinnegan in his gaze gave her heart a jolt.
Black Zetsu had already explained everything to her, transmitting all the information he had about Shigeo directly into her mind.
"A second Divine Tree?"
Kaguya snorted coldly in her heart, but there was clear astonishment in her eyes as she looked at Shigeo.
She knew her own kind far too well—none of them grew up looking like that. Shigeo's body was clearly built on Earth's genetics.
A person like that, even if he gained the Divine Tree's power, shouldn't pose any real threat.
"Relax, I don't mind that you're a widow with two kids.
Come on, join under Morenin Village's banner."
Shigeo spread his arms wide and called out loudly.
Hiding within the void, the Sage of Six Paths broke into a cold sweat when he heard that.
How had he suddenly become the child of a widow?
And how did this guy even know that…?
"You insolent wretch!"
On the opposite side, Kaguya roared when she heard those words.
With a sudden burst of speed, she shot toward him, the pressure of her majesty crashing down from the sky.
Shigeo activated Senjutsu (Sage Technique) and used Shinra Tensei (Almighty Push) to repel the force of Amenominaka (Heavenly Governing Inside).
In the very next instant, the scene in front of his eyes changed.
Kaguya had transported Shigeo into the lava dimension—an infernal realm of hellish magma.
Shigeo hovered in midair, laughing heartily.
"Kaguya, don't be naughty. The sooner you make a decision, the better it is for both of us!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Shigeo's body exploded outward into countless clones that appeared all across the lava field.
The scorching heat surged toward them—
And then a gust of freezing wind swept through.
Countless Hyōton (Ice Release) formations sprung up in all directions.
Massive chakra poured out of Shigeo's body as if it were free, flowing into each clone without restraint.
Using Ice Release in a lava world?
Had he lost his mind?
Hidden in Kaguya's sleeve, Black Zetsu couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.
"So that's all he amounts to."
But at that very moment, the area around them shifted again.
In an instant, the air itself distorted.
By the time Kaguya turned around, seven or eight ice spears were already thrusting straight toward her.
They only brushed the edge of her robes, and yet they froze her entire body solid in an instant.
Kaguya immediately used magma to melt the ice and broke free.
Right then, countless black rods appeared all around her and shot toward her in a barrage.
This was the power of the Rinnegan—and every single one of Shigeo's clones could use it.
Kaguya opened Yomotsu Hirasaka (Underworld Crossing), and unleashed Hachijū Kōgeki (Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack) on the clones in front of her.
Some of the clones couldn't dodge in time and vanished instantly.
Others, however, were extraordinarily strong—not only dodging her strikes, but also focusing their Rinnegan and activating Banshō Ten'in (Universal Pull) to draw Kaguya toward them.
They pulled and pulled and pulled—
Shigeo had the Ten-Tails inside his body.
His chakra was monstrous.
Even Kaguya, who was trying to escape, found her body pinned in place.
"No… no…!"
She shouted in panic.
At that exact moment, Black Zetsu exerted all his strength and shoved her into the newly opened wormhole.
Black Zetsu himself fell into the hands of one of Shigeo's clones.
"I'll crush you."
The clone didn't hesitate in the slightest.
He pinched Black Zetsu between two fingers, activated a sealing technique, and then used Amaterasu (Heavenly Illumination) to burn him.
Black Zetsu let out a bloodcurdling scream.
Back when Obito and Madara had appeared, Shigeo hadn't rushed to settle things with Black Zetsu.
That was because he needed to create the right conditions for Kaguya's appearance.
There were some places only she knew how to reach.
Shigeo needed her to lead the way.
Now that she had appeared, there was no reason for him to waste any more time.
Kaguya used Yomotsu Hirasaka (Underworld Crossing) to slip between dimensions.
She had thought that Shigeo wouldn't be able to track her.
But to her shock, he could also open doors to alternate spaces. No matter where she fled, he could quickly find her again.
Back on the battlefield in the ninja world, everyone stared blankly at the spot where the two had vanished.
It was then that the Sage of Six Paths finally appeared.
He explained the entire situation to them—Kaguya's identity, his own, and everything in between.
Then he used mental sharing to let everyone witness Kaguya and Shigeo's battle firsthand.
Countless alternate spaces opened and closed.
Massive chakra shockwaves burst like bombs, one after another.
Tomogoroshi no Haikotsu (All-Killing Ash Bones) tore through Shigeo's clones, obliterating them one by one.
But Kaguya herself was also forced into a corner by Shigeo.
In every space, apart from the sound of their clashes, there was only Shigeo's laughter:
"Did you really think all chakra belonged to you? That you could just take it back whenever you felt like it?
Without you, this world never would've ended up like this in the first place.
So you're responsible for everything that's happened—and everything that will happen in the future.
You're going to deal with all of it right now!"
(End of Chapter)
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