One month later.
Kiyohara arrived at Kaguya's residence.
She was not sitting by the window in a daze today. Instead, she was standing at the doorway, her white hair gently fluttering in the morning breeze.
"Are you ready?"
Kiyohara stopped in front of her.
He was referring to their trip to another world.
He had already told Kaguya about the existence of another world.
Kaguya nodded slightly, extending her fingers from within her sleeve.
"I am ready."
Kaguya replied.
Kiyohara reached out his hand, and Kaguya placed hers into his palm.
Today, she was wearing that white Otsutsuki robe of hers. A ring of tomoe patterns was embroidered around the hem, while her legs, wrapped in black stockings, could be faintly seen beneath the flowing robe.
Kiyohara turned his hand over and took out the crystal ball. Chakra surged from his palm and flowed into it.
A black crack appeared across the surface of the crystal ball.
The crack widened and began to rotate, eventually transforming into a black vortex about the size of a fist.
A tremendous force of suction came from within the vortex, and white light engulfed the figures of the two of them.
This time, the sensation of traveling through space was even shorter than before.
Kiyohara could feel the chakra of the dragon veins circulating on its own within his body, neutralizing the tearing force within the spatial passage as though it were nothing.
He could even sense that, within the vast expanse of white light, Kaguya's hand remained firmly clasped in his palm.
The white light gradually faded.
The two of them found themselves standing in the middle of a dense forest. Soft, decayed earth lay beneath their feet, while the air was filled with the damp scent of soil and moss.
Massive ancient trees towered overhead, their canopies blocking out the sky and sunlight.
Kaguya stood beside Kiyohara, her white hair slowly settling back onto her shoulders after being disturbed by the airflow caused by their crossing.
Her pure-white eyes swept across the surrounding forest, but there was not much change in her expression.
"The aura here is different from the one over there."
Kaguya could sense that the natural energy of this world seemed much gentler.
At that moment, a wave of chakra rapidly approached from a distance.
Kiyohara was very familiar with the nature of that chakra.
A translucent, pale-white figure drifted out from deep within the forest.
The soul of Benevolent Kaguya descended from among the treetops.
Her bare feet floated half a meter above the ground. Her long hair spread behind her like a waterfall, and tiny particles of pale-blue chakra continuously dispersed from its edges.
Benevolent Kaguya hovered between two ancient trees, her eyes widening in shock.
Her gaze fell upon Kiyohara before slowly shifting toward the woman standing beside him who looked exactly like her.
White hair.
White eyes.
The same face.
The same figure.
Even the same chakra aura.
"This..."
Benevolent Kaguya was visibly shocked.
Although Kiyohara had told her about it before, actually seeing another world and another version of herself still felt completely different.
The Kaguya of the current world was also looking at her counterpart.
Her brows furrowed slightly, and curiosity appeared in her pure-white eyes.
"You are me."
"You are also me."
The two of them spoke almost simultaneously.
Their voices overlapped, and then both fell silent.
Kiyohara folded his arms and watched the two Kaguyas standing face to face.
One possessed a physical body while the other was a chakra-based soul.
Their appearances were exactly the same, but when examined closely, there were actually quite a few differences between them.
The Kaguya of the his world had neatly arranged white hair falling down her back, with the ends tied together by a white ribbon. Her overall temperament was cold and indifferent. There was rarely much fluctuation in her expression, and when she stood there, she looked like an ice sculpture that had remained frozen for a thousand years.
Her black stockings were still the ones Kiyohara had bought for her.
Benevolent Kaguya, although merely a soul, wore her white hair loose and flowing. Her expressions were also much more varied compared to the Kaguya of the current world.
"I never thought..."
Benevolent Kaguya slowly floated closer.
The fingers of her soul body cautiously reached toward the cheek of the current Kaguya.
The current Kaguya did not dodge.
She merely narrowed her eyes slightly, ready to refine chakra and attack at any moment.
It was an instinctive reaction she had developed over the years.
Benevolent Kaguya's fingertip passed straight through the current Kaguya's cheek. She could not touch the physical body, yet she could still sense the chakra that originated from the same source as her own.
"I never thought another me would really exist."
"I also never expected that, in this world, I would become the one standing on the side of justice."
The current Kaguya's tone remained as calm as ever.
"How long have you been guarding this place?"
"For a thousand years."
Benevolent Kaguya withdrew her finger, and her soul body floated backward slightly.
"I have guarded Hagoromo's seal in the Pure Land for a thousand years. What about you?"
"I was sealed away for a thousand years, on the moon."
The current Kaguya lowered her eyelashes slightly.
Benevolent Kaguya fell silent.
Both of their circumstances were rather strange.
"So you did not have it easy either."
The current Kaguya did not answer, but her eyelashes trembled ever so slightly.
Kiyohara straightened up from where he had been leaning against a tree and brushed away the fragments of bark that had fallen onto his shoulder.
"I brought her here this time for more than just the two of you to meet. There is one other thing I want to do."
He looked toward Benevolent Kaguya.
"I want to see this world's God Tree."
Benevolent Kaguya's expression became serious.
She moved her gaze away from the current Kaguya and looked at Kiyohara, the emotions in her eyes gradually becoming restrained.
"The God Tree has already been destroyed."
Benevolent Kaguya said.
"A thousand years ago, when I sealed Hagoromo, the God Tree was also destroyed during that battle. The tree itself was blown into fragments by Hagoromo's Truth-Seeking Balls. From that moment onward, there has been no God Tree left on this land, unless..."
"Unless what?"
"Unless a new sacrifice can be found. The seed of the God Tree is still in my possession, but without a sacrifice, the seed cannot germinate. Planting a God Tree requires more than ordinary chakra. It requires the living flesh of someone possessing Otsutsuki blood."
Kiyohara's gaze flickered slightly.
"What about the Otsutsuki on the moon?"
Benevolent Kaguya shook her head.
"They were destroyed long ago. During the battle a thousand years ago, the branch family of the Otsutsuki on the moon was also dragged into the conflict. Before the sealing battle, Hagoromo had already wiped them all out. Not a single one remained. There is only an empty city left on the moon now."
"I will find a way to obtain the sacrifice."
Kiyohara spoke.
"Does your world have any Otsutsuki flesh that can be used?"
Benevolent Kaguya frowned slightly. She had already guessed what Kiyohara intended to do.
"You want to plant a God Tree in this world?"
"That's right. I want to conduct an experiment."
Kiyohara had no intention of hiding it.
"I need to verify a few things. I will conduct the experiment here first. If the results are good, I can then implement it in my own world."
Benevolent Kaguya remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking.
"The God Tree will drain the natural energy of the surrounding area. When I planted the God Tree back then, I personally witnessed the surrounding land change from fertile soil into a desert. The rivers dried up, and the vegetation withered. The natural energy of this land is limited. Once it is completely drained by the God Tree, this world will become a dead land."
"I will take care of the matter of natural energy."
Kiyohara turned around and looked at Benevolent Kaguya.
"Reanimated shinobi created through Impure World Reincarnation possess an unlimited rate of chakra recovery. Although the amount they can output at any one time is limited, their chakra can be extracted repeatedly. They can provide a continuous supply of chakra without draining the natural energy."
He paused before adding,
"Furthermore, I will establish multiple layers of barriers and strictly restrict the God Tree's absorption range to within those barriers. Even if something unexpected happens, the God Tree will only absorb the natural energy inside the barrier and will not affect the outside world."
Benevolent Kaguya's brows remained tightly furrowed.
"What is Impure World Reincarnation?"
"This world does not have that technique?"
Kiyohara was surprised.
He had assumed both worlds possessed it.
"In short, it is a ninjutsu that can summon the souls of the dead from the Pure Land back into the living world. The dead are resurrected within immortal bodies made of impure earth, and their chakra can recover endlessly. The only price is that their souls become bound to the technique. However, once the technique is released or the caster willingly releases them, they can return to the Pure Land."
Kiyohara still had not fully figured out the principle behind the infinite chakra recovery.
He was still studying it.
"Was this a technique created by Hagoromo?"
"No. It was created by one of his descendants."
Kiyohara replied.
Senju Tobirama was also a member of the Senju clan, which meant that he was technically a descendant of the Sage of Six Paths.
Benevolent Kaguya fell silent again.
Her Rinne Sharingan moved back and forth between Kiyohara and the current Kaguya before slowly closing.
When she opened them again, there was a hint of determination in those eyes.
"I know of a place."
She raised her hand and pointed toward the northeast.
"There is a canyon there. It is not one of the Three Great Sacred Lands, but the concentration of natural energy is still far higher than in ordinary regions. If a barrier is established there and the God Tree is planted inside it, then even if the natural energy within the barrier is completely drained, the damage to the outside world will not be too severe."
"Lead the way."
Benevolent Kaguya nodded.
Her soul body turned and floated toward the northeast.
Kiyohara and the current Kaguya followed behind her, and the three figures soon disappeared into the depths of the forest.
Several hours later, the three of them arrived at the canyon Benevolent Kaguya had mentioned.
The entrance to the canyon was extremely narrow, only wide enough for two people to walk through side by side.
Thick moss covered the rock walls on both sides. Dewdrops hung from the moss, sparkling brilliantly beneath the afternoon sunlight.
After passing through the narrow entrance, the scenery suddenly opened up.
It was a massive circular canyon with a diameter of approximately two kilometers, surrounded on all four sides by steep cliffs.
At the center of the canyon was a turquoise lake.
The water was a rich emerald color, while a thin layer of white mist floated across its surface.
Various exotic flowers and plants grew all around the lake. The leaves were far more vibrant than those found outside, and the fragrance of the flowers was so intense that the trails of pollen floating through the air could almost be seen with the naked eye.
Standing at the entrance of the canyon, Kiyohara could clearly sense that the concentration of natural energy here was indeed extremely high.
Although it could not compare with the level found in Shikkotsu Forest, one of the Three Great Sacred Lands, it was still at least five times higher than that of an ordinary region.
Moreover, the natural energy here was extremely pure, with almost no impurities.
"Not bad."
Kiyohara withdrew his perception and turned toward Benevolent Kaguya.
"That is enough for today. I will take her back first. The next time I come here, I will bring the sacrifice."
Benevolent Kaguya nodded slightly.
She looked at the current Kaguya.
Her lips moved as though she wanted to say something, but in the end, she only spoke softly.
"Take care."
The current Kaguya looked at her in silence for a moment before giving a slight nod.
She felt that this world seemed to possess more emotions.
Kiyohara took out the crystal ball.
Once again, chakra flowed into it.
A black vortex opened, and white light engulfed him and the current Kaguya.
Inside the living room, the white light slowly faded, and the two of them stood steadily on the tatami.
"This is truly fascinating. I never imagined that I would personally meet another version of myself."
Kaguya tilted her head slightly.
"There was something in her eyes that I do not have."
Kiyohara reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist, gently pulling her closer.
Kaguya did not struggle. As usual, she quietly leaned against him.
"The world is vast, and there are all kinds of wonders."
Kiyohara's hand slowly moved upward from her waist. Through her clothes, he could feel the warmth of her body.
Kaguya leaned against him.
Recently, her body had undergone a change that she had never been able to understand.
Whenever Kiyohara touched her waist, the place he touched would begin to feel strangely hot.
That warmth seemed to seep through the surface of her skin and into her meridians before spreading throughout her entire body.
Her heartbeat would inexplicably accelerate.
The temperature of her cheeks would rise.
Her breathing would also become slightly more hurried than usual.
She had once asked Kiyohara what this was.
Kiyohara had merely told her that it was a "normal physiological reaction."
She had searched through the medical books in Kiyohara's study and discovered that such a reaction was indeed mentioned.
However, Kaguya had noticed that this strange heat only appeared whenever Kiyohara touched her.
If anyone else approached her or touched her, they would not cause the same reaction.
Deep down, in Kaguya's mind, everyone else was nothing more than expendable material.
They did not even possess the qualifications to approach her closely, much less speak with her.
Kiyohara lowered his head and lightly kissed her lips.
Kaguya's eyelashes trembled slightly.
The lingering warmth on her lips caused the strange heat inside her body to rise once more.
"I will go to the moon later to obtain the sacrifice."
Kiyohara released the arm around her waist, his voice returning to the serious tone he used when discussing matters of importance.
"The sacrifice will naturally be Otsutsuki flesh. It should be enough to plant the God Tree."
Kaguya's eyelashes blinked once before she nodded slightly.
Her expression had already returned to its usual cold indifference, although two faint patches of blush still remained on her cheeks.
"All right."
"Get some rest early."
After saying that, Kiyohara pulled the door shut.
When he returned to his own home, Tsunade was sitting on the living room sofa, flipping through a medical ninjutsu journal.
A bottle of ramune that she had already drunk more than half of sat beside her feet.
She was wearing loose, comfortable home clothes. Her golden hair was casually draped over her shoulders rather than tied into her usual ponytail.
"You're back?"
Without even raising her head, she flipped another page of the journal.
"Yeah."
Kiyohara sat down beside her.
The sofa cushion sank beneath his weight, causing Tsunade's center of gravity to shift slightly and her body to lean a little toward him.
"Tsunade, do you want to go to the moon and take a look?"
The finger Tsunade was using to turn the page suddenly stopped.
She closed the journal and placed it on her lap before turning her face toward Kiyohara.
A hint of suspicion flashed through her brown-golden eyes.
"Why are you suddenly being so nice?"
"When have I ever not been nice?"
"Just an expression."
Tsunade poked Kiyohara in the chest with one finger.
"Every time you say you're going to take me somewhere, eight times out of ten you're setting me up. And now you're actually saying you're going to take me to the moon. What kind of nonsense is that? Can you even get there?"
"I can. There is actually a passage between the moon and the Earth. By passing through that passage, we can teleport directly to the moon."
Tsunade's expression changed from suspicious to doubtful, and then from doubtful to faint anticipation.
"You're really just taking me there to have a look?"
"I'll also pick up something while we're there."
Tsunade gave a soft snort through her nose.
"I knew it."
Even so, the corners of her mouth curved upward.
Curiosity sparkled in her brown-golden eyes.
"The moon, huh? It does sound pretty interesting. Fine, I'll trust you this time."
Kiyohara reached out and wrapped an arm around Tsunade's waist.
Tsunade naturally leaned into his embrace, resting her head against his shoulder.
Kiyohara's fingers slipped beneath the hem of her home clothes, and his fingertips touched the smooth, warm skin at her waist.
Tsunade's body stiffened slightly before gradually relaxing.
She reached up and lightly patted him on the back.
"You've barely come back and you're already misbehaving."
Kiyohara's hand continued moving upward, causing the fabric of her loose home clothes to bulge around his arm.
Tsunade closed her eyes.
Her golden hair spilled over Kiyohara's shoulder, her lips parted slightly, and her breathing gradually became more hurried.
Her arm slipped around his side, and her fingers threaded through his hair.
Not long afterward, Kiyohara lifted her into his arms and carried her toward the bedroom.
The loose home clothes Tsunade was wearing had already slipped below her shoulders, revealing one fair, rounded shoulder and a large expanse of smooth skin beneath her collarbone.
Her cheeks were flushed, her brown-golden eyes were half closed, and her lips glistened with moisture.
The bedroom door closed behind them.
After that, a wrinkled piece of home clothing was thrown out through the gap beneath the door.
A moment later, Tsunade's undergarment was tossed onto the tatami, the fabric still carrying the lingering warmth of her body.
The black lace trim, a particularly ominous sign, quietly landed near the doorway as well.
The next day.
Kiyohara used the Byakugan and sensory ninjutsu to conduct a thorough search of the area, eventually locating the entrance to the passage.
"Jumping into the water will actually take us to the moon?"
Tsunade found the whole thing incredibly strange.
"Of course."
Kiyohara nodded.
These things only appeared to be liquid.
In reality, they were not liquid at all.
They had neither temperature nor resistance.
Rather than being matter, Kiyohara felt that they were more like a layer of genjutsu.
"Seriously?"
Tsunade reached out and touched the water.
To her surprise, she discovered that she did not get wet at all.
(End of Chapter)