Kazuki took in the pathetic state of the three Ōtsutsuki without missing a detail.
But there was no joy in his heart—only a deepening weight.
To be fair, if it were the Kazuki from before—before gaining the refinement of Myōshiki's bloodline—he could never have shaken these three Ōtsutsuki to such an extent by "bloodline aura" and "chakra suppression" alone…
By his own estimate, perhaps if he drained the natural energy of the oceans, the earth, and the raging winds, he could just barely simulate a similar effect.
Which meant… the refinement of Myōshiki's bloodline had greatly amplified him. Then, as the patriarch's aide, just how powerful must Myōshiki himself be?
'My trump cards… there aren't many.'
Kazuki no longer regarded the three Ōtsutsuki as opponents. His thoughts had already turned to the next enemy: 'The first is the chakra gathered from the entirety of the shinobi world… The second is my Eight Gates, along with Shisui and the others' ocular powers… The third is the natural energy I can extract from the environment and draw into myself.'
'These trump cards, Myōshiki does not know of. The intelligence Isshiki delivered mentioned my copying of their Rinnegan ocular arts, but it said nothing of the Mangekyō techniques from the shinobi world…'
'After that comes the chakra passed to me when shinobi open the Eight Gates—that can barely count as the fourth line of defense, another trump card.'
'And finally, there is Kaguya's attempt to seize the power of the Ōtsutsuki God, as well as the will of the planet itself…'
'Six lines of defense in total—and still it feels unstable. After all, we're talking about Ōtsutsuki Myōshiki, the patriarch's aide. Just the refinement from his bloodline alone can crush ordinary main-clan members until they can hardly breathe. At what level does his true power stand?'
Kazuki pondered deeply: 'And most crucial of all—his ocular powers!'
'Everyone in the shinobi world who can be used has already been placed upon my board. To conjure outside help out of nowhere is unrealistic… All I can do is play the hand I hold, and play it well.'
'When the time comes to face Myōshiki, I'll need to find a way to provoke his emotions… Right, perhaps I can exploit that strange relationship he has with Patriarch Ryōshiki, use words to stir him up…'
Kazuki let out a faint, inexplicable smile.
What people called "verbal persuasion" was, after all, one of the strongest techniques in the entire chakra universe.
From the patriarch's aide of the Ōtsutsuki clan, down to a Kage arguing with his advisor, all the way to quarrels at the academy—words had always proven to be an immensely lethal weapon.
This sudden appearance of his—
On the surface, it was showing off, flaunting power in front of the three Ōtsutsuki. In truth, it was a test, a way to gauge just how strong Myōshiki was…
And more than that—not just Myōshiki.
There was a very high chance that Ryōshiki, lurking nearby, would also make a move.
The enemies were by no means just one.
After weighing all of this in his mind, Kazuki came to a conclusion—
He would need to plan an entrance and a battle layered with intensity, something that could pull at their emotions and force both Myōshiki and Ryōshiki to unleash their full power.
Never underestimate the Ōtsutsuki clan!
"Obito, you've suffered these days…" Kazuki stepped up beside Isshiki's body—the shell Obito was inhabiting—and gave it a pat, sighing with a trace of guilt.
"I was delayed dealing with some matters, so I came later than I should have. Fortunately, you're still here."
"You're not late, Kazuki! I knew you'd come!" Obito burst out laughing. Seeing Kazuki, the weariness he had carried was instantly swept away, his spirit filled anew with vigor: "Don't worry too much about me. They're just a few worthless Ōtsutsuki! I've already decided—Kazuki, once you unify the shinobi world, I'm going to be your Hokage's aide!"
"If I can't endure a little hardship like this, what kind of close friend would I be to you?"
Kazuki couldn't help but smile at Obito's foolishly earnest words.
You really know how to find joy in suffering… Hokage's aide, of all things? Have you even thought about Shisui and Asuma?
Those two have been shouting for years about wanting to be my Hokage's aide…
And now you suddenly appear out of nowhere, Uchiha Obito—looks like you've become their greatest rival…
'When the war is won, maybe I'll set up a Hokage's aide tournament. Any shinobi who wants the position can fight it out fair and square. Even for me, balancing this won't be easy…'
That thought flashed through Kazuki's mind, but he quickly stopped himself with wary caution.
Talking about what comes "after the war"… sounded a bit too much like setting up a death flag. Better to wait until the victory was actually won.
Still, even he couldn't help but look forward to such a tournament.
To be his Hokage's aide… maybe even Tobirama would show up to compete. With his personality, he wouldn't mind going head-to-head with the younger generation.
Kazuki's palm slowly opened. He reached toward Urashiki and Momoshiki and clenched the air.
In an instant—
The very space around them tore apart like a raging storm, shredding their bodies into nothingness!
Only wisps of chakra remained, drawn into Kazuki's body.
For Kazuki at this moment, those fragments of chakra meant little. But still—better than nothing. At the very least, they could not be left alive.
Enemies who had lost their value had only one fate: death.
When Kazuki's gaze turned toward Isshiki—
The one among the trio whose will was considered the firmest—he spoke in a low, steady voice: "You… you've already obtained Lord Shibai's power, haven't you?"
"What is it you intend to do…? Will you… become a god?"
At the words become a god, even in the face of Kazuki, a flicker of burning fervor lit up in Isshiki's eyes.
It was as if, so long as someone could ascend to godhood, even if that person was Kazuki, he would still wish to witness it.
"You underestimate Shibai… and you underestimate me as well…"
Kazuki smiled faintly. "To become a god is not merely the stacking of power. It requires immense opportunity, tremendous resolve, and unmatched fortune. How could it be as simple as swallowing chakra fruits?"
"Take you, for example. Your nature is adequate, but your fortune… falls short."
Ōtsutsuki Isshiki furrowed his brow, as if about to press further.
But Kazuki's palm was already pressed against his forehead.
In that instant, the Kāma Isshiki had painstakingly implanted within this vessel unraveled like fragile paper, completely destroyed by Kazuki.
His chakra flowed entirely into Kazuki's body.
Obito's form, once twisted into Isshiki's likeness, reversed and returned to his own true body.
"That bastard is finally dead!!" Obito roared with excitement. But Kazuki rapped him lightly on the head.
"Quiet. You're too weak right now. I need to heal you."
"Oh… understood…" Obito gave an embarrassed grin, quickly closing his mouth and watching in silence as Kazuki mended his body.
Yang Release chakra, radiant like the sun, surged through Obito, rapidly repairing his battered form and restoring him to peak condition.
"Impressive, Obito…"
"To withstand Isshiki's grasp, and to survive with your body corroded by his chakra… you've actually gained a strengthening, even an enhancement, to your bloodline."
Kazuki nodded. "That puts me at ease."
Feeling the renewed strength and vitality surging through him, Obito chuckled sheepishly.
"Kazuki, this was nothing… The one who truly suffers is you—always pushing yourself, always striving to grow stronger for the sake of the shinobi world. Others might think your power came easily, but I know better. You've sacrificed far too much."
At those words, even Kazuki fell silent.
If there existed a jutsu called flattery to the very end brings all rewards—then surely Uchiha Obito was its supreme master.
"Let's go, Obito. You must want to see Rin, right?"
"Eh? That's right—what about Rin?!"
Only at that moment did Obito suddenly jolt awake… Though during his struggle against Isshiki, he had constantly shouted Kazuki's and Rin's names—
The truth was, what had really sustained him was his unshakable belief that Kazuki would come to save him.
As for Uchiha Rin—or rather, Ōtsutsuki Zetsu—Obito had only hoped she was still alive.
"She's fine. She's waiting for you…"
Kazuki's eyes flickered. A vortex of space swirled gently around him and Obito, locking onto Black Zetsu's location and transporting them there.
...
At that very moment—
Beside a small stream, a black figure sat cross-legged, his Kamui Mangekyō eyes staring blankly at the cheerful fish darting in the water.
It was Black Zetsu.
'How had Obito fared? What of Kaguya?'
These were the questions that plagued him. In the past, Black Zetsu had never missed a single shift in the tides of the shinobi world. He had always been the mastermind, the one holding every plan in his grasp.
But now—
Even with the power of Kamui, he could do nothing but pray for Kazuki's victory, like any ordinary being.
"Obito is coming."
All of a sudden, Kazuki appeared beside him. "My true body has already saved him. He's on his way here right now…"
"As promised, I'll help you shape a body. Have you decided what form you want to take?"
Kazuki's shadow clone smiled lightly. "Or do you think this old, original look suits you just fine?"
Black Zetsu trembled in shock. "No! I want a body! One like Uchiha Rin's!"
"Very well. A promise made by your elder brother will never be broken."
The power of Yin–Yang Release spread out, weaving the miracle of turning death into life, flowing through Black Zetsu's being.
At this moment, Black Zetsu—once nothing more than a creation of Kaguya's Yin–Yang Release in a moment of desperation—
At last gained a body that matched and fused with its soul. From this day on, Black Zetsu could finally call itself… "human."
When the wondrous technique was complete, Black Zetsu, overjoyed, rushed to the stream, eagerly examining her new form. Then, all at once, the urgent questions burst out of her like rapid fire: "How is Kaguya? Did Kazuki win? Is Obito all right?"
But with only a sharp bang, Kazuki's shadow clone vanished.
"Uchiha Rin—these are no longer questions you need to concern yourself with…"
"Save them for when you speak with my true body."
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