The Dead Bone Pulse—the Shikotsumyaku—was an exceptionally rare Kekkei Genkai. In terms of rarity, it was on par with the Kurama clan's power to manipulate the senses.
More importantly, this bloodline limit was inextricably linked to the progenitor, Kaguya Kaguya Ōtsutsuki herself.
Tracing their lineage back a few more generations, the Kaguya clan might even claim kinship with legendary clans like the Senju and Uchiha.
The only question was whether the Kaguya were descendants of Hamura or Hagoromo.
Yuta's money was on Hamura.
The Hyuga clan's Byakugan and the Kaguya clan's bone-based taijutsu seemed a more natural fit.
The thought was a fleeting one. Yuta's body moved on instinct, leaping sideways as his hands came together in a sharp clap.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!
It was a standard C-rank technique, but amplified by Sage Mode, it became a raging tempest. The hurricane-force winds roared to life, sweeping the remaining bone bullets harmlessly off course.
His attack deflected, Kaguya Takehiro's face twisted into an expression of even greater excitement.
He seemed to feel no pain as he wrenched an entire arm bone, hard as tempered steel, from his own body. The grievous wound where the bone had pierced his flesh sealed shut in moments, the entire process from extrusion to healing taking less than ten seconds.
'Such a freakish regenerative ability,' Yuta mused, his curiosity piqued.
The Shikotsumyaku was known to place a tremendous strain on the user, leading to a unique bloodline disease that even Orochimaru had found difficult to treat—a fatal flaw it shared with the Kurama clan.
And yet... Yuta saw no sign of that affliction in Kaguya Takehiro. Kimimaro had been stricken young, so why did this man, who looked to be nearly forty, show no symptoms?
Had Orochimaru simply worked Kimimaro to death? Or was it possible the bloodline disease could be suppressed or even avoided with proper guidance—something the orphaned Kimimaro never received?
'Tsk. Going out into the world really does bring you face-to-face with fascinating test subjects.'
The research value of the Shikotsumyaku now seemed even greater than that of the Earth Grudge Fear.
'And come to think of it, the creations of that Jashin Cult priest he'd encountered before had also held significant research potential. A shame they'd been annihilated by his Sage Art: Rasenshuriken.'
Yuta suddenly felt he might be the world's greatest benefactor. Orochimaru hadn't even properly embarked on his path of scientific inquiry, and here Yuta was, lining up one perfect research subject after another for him. If Orochimaru knew, he'd probably be moved to tears.
Of course, that was all contingent on him surviving this encounter with a Shikotsumyaku user.
In the next instant, Kaguya Takehiro, now brandishing his bone sword, charged. His movements were unnervingly fluid, a macabre dance that made Yuta's eyebrows twitch.
Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Camellia!
Takehiro's deranged cry echoed in Yuta's ear as the bone sword swept forward in a blur, aiming straight for his throat in a clear, lethal arc.
'Fighting Shikotsumyaku in close quarters is a battle of attrition,' Yuta thought with a spike of irritation.
In that same moment, he made a decision, voluntarily releasing Sage Mode.
The distinctive pigmentation in his face faded, and the sensation of overwhelming power receded.
But in the very next moment, an even more violent and explosive chakra erupted from within.
Eight Gates Released Formation: Open!
Fifth Gate: Gate of Limit: Open!
Power flooded his cells. The world seemed to slow down as Yuta's speed skyrocketed. Just as the tip of the bone sword was about to pierce his skin, his body flickered and vanished, reappearing directly behind the charging Kaguya clansman.
The following kick was a blur of motion that slammed with devastating force into Takehiro's back.
CRACK!
The sound of shattering bone was accompanied by a dull, meaty thud. Takehiro's body was launched through the air, tumbling and skidding across the ground before finally grinding to a halt.
The blow had been brutal.
Takehiro coughed violently, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the dirt, before staggering back to his feet.
The clothing around his waist was shredded, revealing skin distorted by the jagged outline of bones beneath. Even with his bones hardened by the Shikotsumyaku, the force of the kick had caused significant damage.
Yet, the injuries didn't deter him. They only fueled his manic fervor. A true battle of taijutsu, a contest of raw power against his clan's ultimate defense—this was the fight he had always craved!
"So this is the Eight Gates Released Formation...!" he rasped, a bloody grin splitting his face. "To face it is a rare honor... Come! Let's continue!"
Yuta: "???"
'Who do you think you are? Uchiha Madara?'
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