The Soul Transfer Technique was complete. The entire Rabbit Beast dissolved into a torrent of white energy, surging into Kaguya's artificial body.
At once, her form began to change.
Countless strands of silver hair sprouted from her scalp, cascading down like a waterfall. From within that flowing mass, a pair of small, rabbit-like horns emerged.
Below her collarbone, her previously indistinct chest rose slightly, only to be concealed again by her long, draping hair.
"Gurgle… gurgle…"
Her lower body, embedded within the Demonic Statue, began to pull free. As it did, chakra formed into a white robe, modestly covering what would otherwise have been revealed.
Once the robe wrapped around her, details sharpened. Black-and-gold patterns spread across the collar, sleeves, and hem, with tomoe markings decorating the fabric.
It was the same white robe she once wore—but scaled down to match her current, youthful form.
Her height was now barely one and a half meters. Every feature of her body had been proportionally reduced.
A true childlike Kaguya.
"Shing!"
Her eyes opened.
Beneath her slender brows, the pale Byakugan appeared.
"Buzz!"
A fissure split open on her forehead, revealing a crimson Rinne Sharingan with six tomoe.
Ōtsutsuki Kaguya… had returned.
The moment her form stabilized, Akira reacted instantly, raising two fingers.
"Poof!"
The Demonic Statue vanished in a cloud of white smoke, its summoning undone—preventing Kaguya from absorbing the chakra of the statue and the tailed beasts.
"…."
Kaguya paid no attention to what happened behind her. She needed to assess her current state.
First—her body.
She raised her pale, slender hand. Long black nails extended from her fingertips.
A strange light flickered in her eyes. "How curious… this body perfectly accommodates my soul and chakra."
"It may be smaller… but once I reclaim my chakra, it should grow again."
Next—her power.
"Besides my own soul from the Rabbit Beast, I retain my Ōtsutsuki abilities. This body also contains traces of the Demonic Statue, fragments of the tailed beasts' chakra, and remnants of the Divine Tree…"
"All the necessary components are present. However… the quantity is insufficient."
Her fingers lightly touched her forehead.
"As a result, my eye is not the complete nine-tomoe Rinne Sharingan of the Ten-Tails and Divine Tree… but the six-tomoe form of an immature Ten-Tails."
Her hand lowered slowly.
"In that case…"
She began testing her familiar techniques.
—Amenominaka.
Nothing happened.
As expected, she muttered, "I cannot use this technique… which means the Expansive Truth-Seeking Ball is also out of reach."
"Then… what about this?"
—Yomotsu Hirasaka!
"Whoosh!"
A black fissure opened beside her.
She paused, analyzing.
"It seems I can still activate Yomotsu Hirasaka… but I cannot expand it into a full spatial gate."
"Is that due to my intent… or has my ocular power diminished?"
Her gaze shifted downward.
She adjusted the spatial coordinates.
"Whoosh!"
Behind Obito, a matching rift opened instantly. Kaguya's hand shot through it—piercing straight through his chest.
Obito: "…"
She withdrew her hand, and the rift closed.
A faint smile appeared on her lips. "So it is not a matter of weakened power… but rather the limitations of this space."
"I understand now."
"Crackle!"
Veins bulged around her Byakugan, spreading to her temples.
Floating in the air, she carefully observed the three figures below.
Her gaze passed over Madara and Obito.
"The previous reincarnation of Indra… Uchiha Madara."
"And the one who wields Kamui… an unknown."
Finally, her eyes settled on Akira.
"And this boy with such delicate features… just like the group from before."
"I vaguely recall… when I fought them as the Rabbit Beast, I was restrained by Madara's Limbo, and then struck by the boy's time-freezing spear."
"And now… I have been revived in this form."
"So… this was all intentional."
"To transfer soul and chakra into another body… this is Indra's Soul Transfer Technique."
"Which means… the one leading this is the boy chosen by both Indra and Asura."
She narrowed her eyes.
"I wonder what his purpose is. If he intends to serve me… I might allow him to stay."
"After all, in my current state, reclaiming the chakra scattered across this land will require tools."
"He appears strong… and possesses a Rinnegan tied to time. He may be more useful than Black Zetsu."
"…Though that is unlikely."
"How could anyone understand my heart? These followers of Ninshū, shaped by Hagoromo, would only see me as a monster driven by greed for chakra."
"More likely… he covets my power."
"Otherwise, why not revive me through the Infinite Tsukuyomi, in a more complete form?"
"…I will hear what he has to say."
At that moment, Akira stepped forward and greeted her calmly.
"Kaguya-hime, it seems you've adapted to your current state. Since this is our first proper meeting… allow me to introduce myself. I am Uchiha Akira."
"Uchiha… Akira."
Her voice descended coldly. "What is your purpose?"
Akira answered directly, "The same as yours—to oppose the Ōtsutsuki clan from beyond."
"No matter how this meeting ends, there's something I want to say first."
"Kaguya… I understand the deepest fear and anxiety in your heart. I understand what you did a thousand years ago."
"No matter how the world condemns you… in my eyes, you are no criminal."
…!
His words were not passionate, nor grand.
They were calm. Sincere.
Yet they stirred something deep within her.
She had never expected this.
Never.
Even the children she raised—splitting her own chakra to nurture them—had feared her, doubted her… and ultimately sealed her away.
Long ago, she had given up hope of being understood.
Yet now… someone stood before her, claiming to understand—and even accept her.
Even knowing there was likely an ulterior motive… a faint, unfamiliar sense of relief stirred within her.
But—
What I truly need… is not understanding.
It is power.
Her expression returned to its usual cold indifference.
"And then?"
Akira spoke plainly. "Become my ally, Kaguya."
"Let me stand with you against what you fear. Let me give you the sense of security you seek."
"Together, we will bring down your clan—one by one—and cleanse this world."
"I'm not speaking empty words. I've already begun."
"Momoshiki, Kinshiki, Urashiki—they've all fallen by my hand."
"Next… will be Isshiki, your former enemy."
"Isshiki!?"
Her eyes sharpened.
Akira continued, "You may not know this, but Isshiki is still alive."
"Back then, you nearly killed him, destroying half his body and sacrificing the Ten-Tails. But his other half survived."
"He used Karma to possess a monk named Jigen and has been hiding in the shadows of this world for a thousand years… waiting to rise again."
Akira's purpose was clear—to demonstrate his strength and knowledge.
To show that he was not like Naruto—making reckless promises without understanding reality.
He was someone who acted with calculation.
Kaguya lowered her gaze, her thoughts churning.
"Uchiha Akira… if you had said this to me a thousand years ago, I might have accepted."
"But now… it is too late."
"My heart has been broken beyond repair."
"I have lost the ability to trust or rely on others."
"The only thing I trust… is myself."
"And the ultimate power of reclaiming all chakra into one being."
"No matter how capable you are… you cannot give me the security I seek."
"And judging by your nature… you are not someone who would submit as my servant."
"Therefore…"
Her gaze turned sharp.
"Offer your chakra to me."
Negotiation—collapsed.
In an instant, hostility erupted.
Kaguya descended from the sky, closing the distance.
She swung her fist through the air toward Akira.
—Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack!
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