A sun hung high in the sky overhead; below lay a vast ocean.
After carefully observing the surroundings, Ryujin's group of four began heading along the beach towards the nearest mountain range. In his memory, the Otsutsuki clan should have built a vast palace complex on the Moon.
While traveling, Ryujin's thoughts raced. Wait a minute... the Moon? Aren't we already on the Moon right now?
At this realization, Ryujin couldn't help but look up again at the sun hanging in the artificial sky. Could it be... an artificial moon created inside the real Moon?
The sense of profound shock he had recently suppressed surged back. The Otsutsuki clan had truly poured immense effort into terraforming this small world inside the Moon. Compared to this achievement, the inhabitants of the ninja world below seemed significantly less advanced.
However, with the artificial sun still high in the sky, it would likely take considerable time for this 'moon' structure to become visible or accessible. Ryujin frowned. Time was of the essence; he couldn't afford to waste precious moments waiting idly.
After considering, Ryujin turned to Guren. "Guren, can your Crystal Release fly that high?"
Guren looked up towards the distant sky, then shook her head, a troubled expression on her face. "It's too high."
"It can't reach?" Ryujin murmured thoughtfully, then turned his gaze to sweep across Jizo, Kagutsuchi, and Suijin. Finally, his hands began to form seals.
Yin-Yang Seal: Release!
Instantly, vast amounts of life energy and spiritual energy surged forth from Ryujin's body. Pale blue chakra rapidly condensed outside his form, coalescing into a pair of enormous, translucent wings. Ryujin directly activated his Butterfly Secret Technique.
To fly up and investigate the hidden 'moon,' flight capability was essential. Among those present, only Ryujin's Butterfly Mode and Guren's Crystal Release offered this ability. Since Guren's technique couldn't reach the required altitude, Ryujin had to rely on his own.
The huge wings beat gently, and Ryujin's body began to ascend slowly towards the sky. As he climbed higher and higher, he drew closer to the artificial sun hanging above. Strangely, however, he felt no intense heat radiating from it.
Gradually, Ryujin reached an altitude of over a thousand meters. As he neared the 'sun,' he quickly noticed something was amiss. The celestial body was merely a hazy, luminous barrier. Peering through this light cover, he could clearly see clusters of tall, interconnected buildings floating within the space beyond. Countless black hawk-like figures and puppets wrapped in bandages patrolled amongst these floating structures. The sheer number of puppets was staggering.
So this 'sun' is actually the artificial moon from the movie!
High in the sky, as Ryujin carefully observed the scene within the light barrier, someone inside a floating palace adjacent to the barrier was simultaneously observing his every move. Not only him, but Jizo, Kagutsuchi, Suijin, and Guren still on the ground below were also under intense scrutiny.
The observer was an elderly man, appearing to be in his fifties or sixties, with a pair of Byakugan active in his eye sockets. His name was Kenichi Otsutsuki – Toneri Otsutsuki's father. Currently, only Kenichi and his son Toneri remained of their clan line on the Moon. Everyone else was a puppet.
"Father, are there enemies?" Nearby, a young boy of about seven or eight sat on a long bench. He turned his head towards Kenichi's direction and asked. The boy's eyelids were slightly lowered, revealing empty sockets beneath. This was Toneri Otsutsuki.
Toneri had perfectly inherited the constitution of his ancestor, Hamura Otsutsuki, but was born without eyes. With his exceptional bloodline potential, he could directly awaken the Tenseigan if given a pair of high-purity Byakugan. This was why Kenichi hadn't transplanted ordinary Byakugan into his son. For years, Kenichi had been secretly observing the ninja world on Earth. In the Land of Fire's Konoha, the Hyuga clan, descendants of Hamura, still carried the main family bloodline. Kenichi hoped to obtain a pair of high-purity Byakugan from the Hyuga clan in Konoha.
Just recently, Kenichi had been contemplating whether to take Toneri to Earth to personally observe the Hyuga and find a suitable target for eye retrieval. He hadn't expected that before he could act, someone from the ninja world would find their way here first.
"Hmph! A group of ants, somehow managing to find the passage to the Moon," Kenichi snorted coldly in response to Toneri's question. Misinterpreting Hamura Otsutsuki's will, Kenichi and his predecessors had long considered themselves guardians or overseers of the ninja world, always looking down upon its inhabitants from their lofty lunar perch.
"Father, the aura of that person outside is very powerful," Toneri said, a hint of worry on his young face. Though blind, his sensory abilities were exceptionally acute. Ryujin, having released his Yin-Yang Seal and activated Butterfly Mode, radiated immense chakra fluctuations like a beacon, which Toneri easily perceived.
"Don't worry, Toneri. Go inside for now. I will ensure he never leaves!" Kenichi waved dismissively.
"But..." Toneri began to protest.
"That is an order!" Kenichi cut him off sharply, his tone hardening.
"Yes, Father," Toneri murmured softly in response. Led by a puppet servant, he retreated into the deeper chambers of the palace.
Once Toneri had left, the arrogant expression on Kenichi Otsutsuki's face vanished, replaced by one of deep gravity.
"Damn it! Since when did the ninja world produce such a formidable powerhouse?" Kenichi cursed under his breath. Possessing the Byakugan, Kenichi could also clearly sense Ryujin's strength. Moreover, his Byakugan allowed him to vaguely perceive the ocean of chakra contained within Ryujin's body. Dealing with these intruders required utmost caution.
With this thought, Kenichi turned and left the room, heading towards another palace structure.
Simultaneously, countless black hawk puppets floating outside the palace complex began streaming through the light membrane, converging on Ryujin's position in the sky.
Below, Jizo, Kagutsuchi, Suijin, and Guren, who had been looking up at the sky, all tensed simultaneously and turned towards a specific direction. From that area, innumerable bandaged puppets emerged from transparent spheres of light and began surrounding them.
"Damn it! We've been discovered!"
Seeing this unfold, Ryujin in the sky and Jizo and the others on the ground all had drastic changes in expression. Their plan to infiltrate stealthily and seize the Giant Tenseigan and Toneri had failed.
Now, a major battle was unavoidable!