Years later, in Otsutsuki Kaguya's Origin Dimension.
A red-black dimensional gate suddenly opened, and Isshiki, holding Eida, flew straight into it.
Upon entering this dimension, Isshiki immediately saw a massive sealing meteor sphere floating high in the sky, the size of a moon, and sensed Kaguya's aura from within the seal.
Clearly, they were in the right place. This was the Origin Dimension sealing Kaguya!
"Here."
"Eida, good work."
"Though your Senrigan's power is far from perfect, for an artificial human to use it to this extent is already impressive." Isshiki turned and praised Eida.
Without Eida's Senrigan blessing, Isshiki wouldn't have found the Origin Dimension's location, let alone Kaguya.
Though Eida's Senrigan was far inferior to that of an Otsutsuki god, monitoring and locating other dimensions across the ninja world and its surroundings was still within its capabilities.
Eida lowered her head, silent. Of course, she didn't want to follow Isshiki's orders, let alone help him find this dimension. But she had no choice. Information Isshiki couldn't verify, she could lie about or hide; but when he was certain Senrigan could locate other dimensions, she couldn't conceal it.
Eida could only reveal the coordinates of Kaguya's Origin Dimension to Isshiki. Of course, in her view, even if Isshiki could unseal Kaguya, it wasn't necessarily a good thing. It'd be better if Kaguya killed him outright!
"Alright, you can go back. I don't need you anymore."
Isshiki tossed Eida into the portal, sending her back to his own dimension's palace. Only then did he turn his gaze to the entire Origin Dimension.
"It's grown this large?"
"The Chakra Fruit's enhancement to that creature is immense."
"Damn it, all this should've been mine!"
Isshiki stared at the vast Origin Dimension, jealousy burning in his heart.
It was dozens of times larger than Kaguya's original dimension, almost the size of a small world, not to mention the accompanying sub-dimensions with different laws. These were all massive enhancements brought by the Chakra Fruit, naturally making Isshiki envious and jealous.
A whole God Tree fruit!
Otsutsuki tasked with planting the tree usually couldn't eat such a delicacy; typically, after completing the tree-planting mission and bringing back the Chakra Fruit, they'd receive a number of Chakra pills derived from it as a reward.
The total Chakra in those was less than a tenth of the original fruit. In short, even Isshiki would need to complete at least ten tree-planting missions to earn pills equivalent to one whole Chakra Fruit.
And Kaguya had swallowed an entire one!
Though an unrefined Chakra Fruit, consumed and absorbed directly, would lose much of its energy, it was still far better than small pills. The more he thought about it, the more Isshiki hated Kaguya, that backstabbing wretch!
Unfortunately, he could only suppress his anger now. After all, without Kaguya's help and alliance, he alone was no match for Uchiha Sasuke.
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Not long after.
Isshiki took a deep breath and began considering how to unseal Kaguya.
The easiest way was to directly destroy the entire Six Paths Chibaku Tensei meteor. But that would consume too much energy and risk close contact with Kaguya. Isshiki didn't dare take that gamble…
Forget it, he'd use his space-time ability to unseal her.
Isshiki flew high into the sky. He reached the front of the giant meteor sphere, began calculating the distance, and prepared to open a dimensional portal.
In fact, most Fuinjutsu and Kekkaishin Jutsu were meaningless against space-time abilities. Just like Konoha's strongest barrier defense, during Obito's attack on baby Naruto, it was utterly useless.
Now, even the strongest Six Paths Chibaku Tensei seal could be countered by space-time abilities.
Moments later, Isshiki found the right position, opened a pitch-black dimensional portal again, its other side connecting directly to the meteor's core—Kaguya's sealed location.
*SHUA!*
A snow-white hand emerged from the portal's other side.
Isshiki's pupils contracted; he sensed a powerful life and spiritual pressure and instantly retreated a hundred meters, keeping his distance.
Then, a slightly dazed Kaguya, after confirming the outside was normal, slowly floated out of the portal.
Still in her snow-white gown, hair flowing, she appeared transcendent, like a divine human. At the same time, as Kaguya broke free from the seal, she regained access to a vast amount of Chakra.
The staggering Chakra pressure surged, causing the surrounding space to tremble.
The greatest strength of Six Paths Chibaku Tensei wasn't in forming a giant meteor seal but in sealing all of Kaguya's Chakra, forcing her into slumber, unable to use any abilities. If she could mobilize Chakra, an ordinary Chibaku Tensei meteor could be shattered with a few strikes.
However, Kaguya, now freed, despite her immense pressure, was in poor condition.
This wasn't the Kaguya revived through Six Paths Madara's body during the Fourth Ninja World War. This was a weakened Kaguya, her Chakra drained by the nine Bijuu and sealed for over a decade, with little Chakra remaining.
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As Kaguya emerged, a sticky black head popped out from her sleeve, looking around in disbelief. "Mother, w-we've been released?!!!"
"We're out?!!!"
"Hahahaha!!!"
Black Zetsu shouted joyfully with a hoarse voice, feeling reborn.
He'd nearly given up hope. After all, he and his mother were sealed together in the Origin Dimension, unknown to anyone.
With no more devoted children or pawns outside striving to free Kaguya, they were almost certainly doomed to be sealed forever…
But now, they were out!
This was truly a surprise!
As a master strategist, Black Zetsu didn't revel for long. He quickly observed his surroundings and locked onto Isshiki.
"Who are you?"
"You're the one who freed me and Mother?"
Black Zetsu checked his vast memory bank and found no recollection of Code.
He didn't even know how much time had passed. But almost certainly, this person had freed him and his mother.
"Who are you?"
Kaguya floated in the air, staring at Code in the distance. Her brows furrowed slightly, feeling a sense of familiarity but unsure.
"Princess Kaguya, you don't recognize me? Or has the seal damaged your brain too much?"
Isshiki put on an arrogant expression, struggling to suppress his anger and wariness.
His condition wasn't great either. His full-burst Kāma Stage Two could only last a few minutes. Of course, he had to act haughty and confident to persuade and control Kaguya.
"This Chakra aura… you!" Kaguya suddenly trembled, her entire Chakra surging.
Her beautiful face, rarely showing shock, erupted with near-tangible murderous intent.
The overwhelming killing intent made Black Zetsu in her sleeve feel both alien and terrified!
Even back when Hagoromo and Hamura, her traitorous sons, were about to seal her, Kaguya hadn't unleashed such intense killing intent.
"Isshiki!!!"
"You finally recognize me? How dare you, a lowly subordinate, call your superior's name directly—you're truly arrogant!"
"You… damn you!"
Kaguya glared at Isshiki with eyes full of murderous intent, preparing to attack with full force.
Of course, she hadn't forgotten her backstabbing of Isshiki. She knew he'd escaped with severe injuries. At the time, Isshiki hadn't inscribed a Kāma Seal, lacking a vessel for reincarnation, so she mistakenly thought he'd died.
Unexpectedly, he was still alive! And he appeared here, even freeing her!
"What? You still want to kill me? Like when you backstabbed me? You really think you can defeat me?!!!" Isshiki exploded, instantly activating Kāma Stage Two, sprouting signature horns on his head.
An equally formidable pressure swept out, clashing with Kaguya's power, even slightly surpassing her in momentum and ferocity.
Kaguya's killing intent was disrupted by Isshiki's powerful aura.
As a sheltered branch family princess, Kaguya's nature wasn't dominant but rather graceful and gentle.
Fundamentally, as a subordinate and servant, she was deeply afraid of Isshiki, knowing his true strength was extraordinary. If not for being forced to sacrifice herself as nourishment for the God Tree, she wouldn't have rebelled against him, let alone backstabbed him.
Even now, having eaten the Chakra Fruit and evolved into a god, her deep-seated fear and apprehension toward Isshiki remained, though not as strong as before.
(Mother, who is this person?) Black Zetsu quietly asked Kaguya.
He'd only inherited most of Kaguya's memories after backstabbing Isshiki. Regarding the entire Otsutsuki Clan and Isshiki, he knew little.
Kaguya quickly responded, briefly explaining Isshiki's identity and their enmity.
Black Zetsu was shocked after hearing this. Only then did he understand why his mother had insisted on creating White Zetsu and arming the ninja world—due to the constant threat from the main Otsutsuki family!
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Seeing his aura outburst calm Kaguya first, Isshiki felt relieved. He feared most that Kaguya would attack recklessly and fight to the death.
If so, he might not even have a chance to persuade her and could only flee in panic. Fortunately, her condition wasn't great either, and deep down, she still feared him.
This was good; he could keep controlling her!
Then, Isshiki exited Kāma Stage Two, softened his tone, and began persuading: "Kaguya, do you know why I freed you?"
"…"
Kaguya remained silent, still unsure whether to fight Isshiki immediately. She knew well that with Isshiki's nature, he'd never let a traitor go!
"Attacking your superior, killing a clan member, stealing the God Tree Fruit—you know the consequences of these grave crimes."
"The main family won't spare you."
"Just recently, Momoshiki and the others tracked this planet!"
Isshiki slowly pressured Kaguya.
Her body trembled slightly; she hadn't expected the main family's pursuit squad to have tracked the ninja world.
If so, she was doomed? Even if her backstabbing of Isshiki wasn't exposed, her crime of stealing the God Tree Fruit could be uncovered with minimal investigation—impossible to hide!
And her 'White Zetsu revenge plan' had been thwarted by her two traitorous sons, making no progress. She had no power to resist the main family's pursuit squad!
Instantly, Kaguya's heart was in turmoil.
"Don't worry, they're all dead!"
"What?!!" Kaguya was shocked, her face showing confusion.
"They were all killed by this planet's native ninjas!"
"By whom? Who could kill Mother's clan members?" Black Zetsu emerged, more anxious than Kaguya.
"Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto—you should remember them, right?"
"Them! My poor children…"
Kaguya's expression dimmed, recalling Hagoromo and Hamura, her eyes unable to hold back tears.
"Those two! Yes, only them, who stole Mother's power, could have such strength!" Black Zetsu cursed angrily, clearly harboring deep hatred for Naruto and Sasuke.
If not for them, his thousand-year plan to save his mother would've succeeded, not failed at the last moment.
"So, now, aside from me, no one knows of your crimes."
As Isshiki said this, Kaguya grew more confused. His words sounded like they were urging her to keep killing to cover her tracks! It seemed that as long as she killed Isshiki, no one would know her crimes, at least buying her some time.
"Still want to kill me?"
"Do you have that ability?"
"Even if you kill me, do you think you can escape the main family's pursuit?!!!" Isshiki roared threateningly again, trying to reclaim the upper hand.
"But I have an offer that can save your life. Kaguya, work with me!"
"We'll eliminate those annoying native ninjas together, then continue planting the God Tree."
"This planet's energy should be enough to produce another Chakra Fruit."
"Then we can bring it back perfectly to report, and I'll help you hide your crimes, pinning all the blame on this planet's natives!"
"How about it?"
Isshiki persuaded calmly, tempting like a devil. He knew Kaguya's intelligence was limited and her deception experience lacking. With proper persuasion, her fear of the main family would likely make her accept his offer!
After eliminating Sasuke and the others and obtaining the God Tree Fruit, as for Kaguya's fate?
Would she be discarded after being used?
That was up to him. Just a lowly subordinate—Isshiki had countless ways to control Kaguya!
"You… why?" Kaguya was puzzled by Isshiki's persuasion, but doubts lingered in her heart.
She couldn't understand why the ruthless Isshiki would let go of his grudge and cooperate with her.
"If the mission isn't completed and the Chakra Fruit isn't brought back, I'll also be held accountable by the main family."
"Our enmity, compared to the mission and the main family's pursuit, means nothing."
"Kaguya, this is your last chance. If you don't want to die, seize it!"
Isshiki hid his current disadvantaged position, continuing to persuade Kaguya with seemingly reasonable motives.
Kaguya found it somewhat reasonable. She couldn't discern Isshiki's hidden information. But Black Zetsu was different.
The cunning and clever Black Zetsu, who'd competed with ninja world strategists for thousands of years, instantly spotted flaws and gaps in Isshiki's words, quickly warning:
(Mother, something's off!)
(This guy's definitely hiding some information!)
(Either he's facing a difficulty requiring your help, or he's trying to trick you for some sinister goal!)
(Otherwise, he wouldn't let go of such a huge grudge! In short, don't easily trust him!)
Kaguya was startled by Black Zetsu's warning. She hadn't expected Isshiki to have such intentions.
(Then what should I do? Just kill him?)
Lacking initiative, like during the Fourth Ninja World War, Kaguya heavily trusted and followed Black Zetsu, her devoted son.
What else could she do? A devoted son who endured a thousand years just to save his mother would never harm her!
Hearing this, Black Zetsu, the MVP strategist, felt he could do this again and immediately devised a plan, advising:
(No, no, no! Mother, accept him for now!)
(Your condition is very poor. If he's as strong as he claims, we might not be able to defeat him now!)
(Better make peace with him temporarily and cooperate. Then use him to reclaim Chakra from Naruto and Sasuke!)
(After gaining enough Chakra and recovering, then find a way to kill him!)