BOOM!!!
After years of silence, the moon's surface finally roared again. A mound of earth bulged upward, and the next moment, a pair of massive butterfly wings burst from the ground, throwing up layers of moon dust into the air.
THUD!
Soaring out from beneath the lunar surface, Byakuya wasted no time. Before Tsukihime could explode with power in her arms, she flung her onto the moon's barren plains.
Cough cough! "Byakuya, have you lost your mind?!"
Choking on a mouthful of dust, Tsukihime scrambled up, brushing herself off, her cyan-blue eyes flashing with anger.
"I'm not crazy. It's only here that I might stand a chance of defeating you."
Byakuya descended slowly, butterfly wings flapping behind her, eyes filled with unwavering resolve. Her pale hands formed the initial seal of the Ōtsutsuki-style Taijutsu.
Tsukihime bit down hard, glaring at her rebellious sister. The chakra cloak around her tightened, though the glow in her Tenseigan eyes dimmed slightly.
"Tch! That damned thief… just because he's handsome..."
Achoo!
Far away, Gin sneezed hard as he stared at the crack in the artificial moonlight, rubbing his nose in confusion.
"I've only been gone a few days, and my fans are already missing me?"
Watching the inner clan drama unfold, Gin narrowed his eyes toward the glowing moon in the sky. Judging by their earlier conversation, the Tenseigan was clearly hidden inside that artificial moon. A simple plan began to form in his mind.
No time to waste. Mission critical.
"Guess I'll have to speed this up so I can get back home and slack off~"
Tossing his sunflower seed shells to the ground, Gin's half-closed black eyes turned crimson. Three tomoe spun rapidly before merging into a Mangekyō with no tomoe.
A cold, oppressive Uchiha aura filled the entire castle.
At the same moment Gin activated his Mangekyō, a black presence lurking in the shadows twitched in excitement.
Sniffing the air like a predator, she vanished into the void, racing toward Tsukihime's castle.
"You're not slipping away this time! Stand still for mama!"
Pop quiz: How do you seize control of the Tenseigan?
Step one: Get on the moon.
Step two: Open it.
Step three: Take the Tenseigan.
Step four: Close the moon.
"Phew… what a process. I'm definitely demanding a raise from Great-Uncle!"
Gin theatrically wiped nonexistent sweat from his brow, proud as if he'd solved a century-old puzzle.
"Now, how do I get up there?"
Staring at the moon with his scarlet eyes, Gin scratched his head.
"Should I use Chō Baika no Jutsu (Butterfly Transformation Technique) and fly up there?"
Excited by his first idea, he clapped his hands—then immediately deflated when he remembered the massive wings Byakuya had.
"Nope, way too flashy. I've gotta be discreet~"
"What about a Gundam?"
"Still no good! Even flashier with wings!"
Second plan: scrapped.
While he racked his brain, the moonlight pouring through the crack in the sky cast jagged shadows across the floating islands.
"Tch! How could I forget about the old geezer?"
Smacking his forehead, Gin looked down at the countless shadows on the ground. In his vision, a perfect equilateral triangle lit up, and the shadows radiated warmth—like open doorways waiting for him.
"Hehehe~"
With a grin, Gin sank into a random shadow. Just as his head vanished, a black presence arrived, too late once again.
Sniffing the air in confusion, the black mass spun in place.
"Huh? He was just here!"
Though Gin was gone, the black aura didn't give up. Guided by his lingering scent, she found the exact shadow he'd slipped through.
"This feels like my Ame no Mihashira…"
Touching the shadow and sensing its spatial properties, she smirked internally.
"So you ran into another dimension, huh? Hehehe~"
Having deduced that Gin had entered another space, she plunged into the Shadow Realm too, determined to capture this disobedient son.
"Ugh, did something fall in?"
Floating inside the Shadow Realm, Gin's eye twitched as he sensed a foreign presence. Alarmed, he expanded his perception—but found no signs of life.
"Probably just a rock or something…"
Shrugging it off, he turned his attention back to the moon inside the Shadow Realm and flew toward it.
"Who is that kid? And where's Hagoromo hiding?"
The black mass, now merged with the space itself, remained completely undetected. Watching the floating dark-haired boy, she was momentarily stunned.
Could he be Hagoromo's descendant?
"But his aura… it's identical to Hagoromo's! Wait—there's even Hamura's presence?!"
Probing deeper, the black mass was astonished. If she had a jaw, it would've dropped.
This kid's aura matched the real Ōtsutsuki clan—the one from her home, not the offshoots like Hamura's.
"How fascinating…"
A true atavistic heir, born from the rebellious sons' bloodlines. Her eyes lit up.
This little guy was far more promising than all those tens of thousands of plant clones combined.
She decided then and there: she would stay hidden and watch him closely.
If he proved worthy, she'd groom him into a true Ōtsutsuki, a proper ally against any meddling relatives from the old home.
No matter if they were tall, short, fat, or fish-hook wielding weirdos—he'd deal with them all!
"Why do I feel like someone's watching me…"
Just as the moon loomed before him, Gin shivered. Goosebumps crawled across his skin. A chill ran down his spine.
He instinctively looked around—but saw nothing unusual.
"Just my imagination? This place really messes with your head…"
Rubbing his curls, Gin dismissed the sensation as a Shadow Realm side effect. Shaking it off, he approached the artificial moon.
"Hehe~ time to punch a hole in this thing!"
Prepared to brute-force his way in, his last shred of reason luckily stopped him.
Noticing a very obvious entrance, he let the glowing energy in his hand fade.
"Whew! What was I thinking? Was I really about to be that dumb?"
Escaping the Shadow Realm, Gin felt his intelligence return to its throne. But with time running out, he shelved all questions for later.
Adjusting his mindset, he followed the visible trail of ocular power and entered the moon.
"This space is great for hiding—and monitoring that kid. If only I had a vessel, it'd be perfect!"
Because the Shadow Realm was bound to Gin, the black mass could continue spying on him even after he exited. She remained undetected.
Inside, a long corridor stretched ahead. Following the aura, Gin moved forward until he stood before a massive door engraved with clan symbols.
"Alright, step three!"
He reached out, and a pale blue light gathered in his hand. With his monstrous strength, he easily shoved the several-meter-thick stone door aside.
Dust scattered.
A glowing golden orb appeared before him.
"So this is the Tenseigan? Looks kinda lame compared to Big Cousin's swirly eyes…"
Despite the overwhelming ocular pressure it gave off, Gin sensed that this giant Tenseigan orb was more a weapon than anything else.
Almost home. Eager, Gin stepped forward, raising his hand to touch the golden sphere and activate the control seal he had practiced for years.
But before his fingers reached it, a strange voice echoed from within.
"Outsider. Touch the Tenseigan, and you will be obliterated."
…I have sinned~
I was supposed to finish the Moon Arc today, but the sudden appearance of The Ancestor threw things off~
Blame her charm—I have to give her more screen time!
(End of Chapter)
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