Big quality changes are coming soon!
--------------------------------------------------
"So Asura reincarnated into the Uzumaki Clan this time." Manji lifted his hand and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Well, that made sense...
Naruto, after all, had also been an Asura reincarnation from the Uzumaki line.
With a shift of his Will, the chakra surrounding his clone began to scatter. The figure dissolved into fine specks of white light—vanishing into the air without leaving the slightest trace behind.
For a moment, all was quiet.
..............
High above the world, space rippled.
Yomotsu Hirasaka.
A pale figure stepped through the torn space and stood far above the Earth, beyond its atmosphere.
Dressed completely in white, the figure looked down at the blue planet spinning below.
"Isshiki... Let's see what you've been doing here after cutting off contact with the clan for so many years." Ōtsutsuki Urashiki opened his narrow eyes. He looked at the Earth with a hint of amusement and spoke to himself in a lazy voice.
A relaxed smile appeared on his face.
For Urashiki, coming to Earth was just a way to pass the time. He never took this distant planet seriously.
If Isshiki and Kaguya hadn't disappeared for so long, he wouldn't have bothered with this place at all.
Suddenly, Urashiki's wandering senses stopped.
His aura stilled.
"Mm? Wait. There's someone here." He turned his head quickly. His eyes focused on the moon, and for a moment, he looked surprised.
On that barren, lifeless-looking moon, there was actually a living presence.
That discovery was outside his expectations.
After his surprise, Urashiki smiled playfully. He rubbed his chin, amused by the thought that crossed his mind.
Interesting. Could those be people Isshiki had stationed on the moon in advance?
"Don't tell me Isshiki really did go independent." At that thought, Urashiki stopped bothering to hide his presence.
He came before the others to check on Isshiki, so there was no reason to sneak around. More importantly, he was sure he could escape if needed. With Yomotsu Hirasaka and his control over time-space—almost no one in the Ōtsutsuki clan could stop him if he chose to run.
Even if Isshiki was strong, Urashiki doubted he could catch him before he escaped.
There was nothing to fear!
He ignored the strange signs on the moon. With his red fishing rod on his back, the space around him opened up, showing a dark, endless path.
Urashiki stepped in without hesitation. In the next moment, he landed on Earth.
As soon as he landed, Urashiki stretched his chakra senses as far as he could.
His senses spread out, searching the land for any sign of the God Tree or the Ten-Tails that should have been here.
"Tch. Nothing."
After searching everywhere, his relaxed look turned serious.
He couldn't sense any sign of the God Tree's chakra. The tree that was supposed to be here was completely gone.
"Isshiki really isn't as reliable as he acts. I never liked that stone-faced man anyway. Always wearing that cold expression. Nowhere near as entertaining as Momoshiki..."
Urashiki quickly let go of his cold look and returned to his usual carefree self. He shrugged and gave a mocking smile.
Once Momoshiki and Kinshiki arrived, Isshiki was in for a miserable time.
At this point, Urashiki hadn't yet considered that Isshiki might have already faced disaster. He believed Isshiki was still alive somewhere on this planet.
Kaguya should have been sacrificed without any problems. Urashiki thought Isshiki probably wanted all of Earth's chakra for himself and cut off contact with the clan to keep it.
With this in mind, Urashiki no longer delayed. He concentrated his senses and began searching for Isshiki on Earth.
..............
Night had fallen over the Uchiha Clan compound, and bright moonlight shone on the rooftops.
Manji sat cross-legged on the tatami with his back straight, quietly reading an open scroll in his hands.
Next to him, Uchiha Tajima slept deeply, his breathing slow and steady. The child was fast asleep.
Suddenly, a faint ripple passed through the floor under Manji.
A White Zetsu rose silently from the floorboards, his body hidden in the shadows.
"Gr..."
The White Zetsu had only just begun to speak when Manji raised a hand.
Without looking up, he raised a finger and pressed it down a little, signaling for silence. The message was clear: don't wake Tajima.
White Zetsu understood right away. He started to speak, stopped, then looked at the sleeping Uchiha child and nodded carefully.
Only then did Manji lower his hand. He looked up slightly and asked, "What is it?"
The White Zetsu bent forward and answered in the same near-whisper. "The lunar observatory detected an anomaly. A strange man in long white robes appeared in outer space. The lunar observatory captured this image immediately."
As he spoke, White Zetsu held up a clear photograph with both hands.
Manji took the photo. As soon as he saw the figure in the image, his calm look grew tense.
The person in the photograph was unmistakably Ōtsutsuki Urashiki.
The white robe and cold, inhuman look were unique to the Ōtsutsuki Clan. There was no way to mistake him for anyone else.
A flicker of brightness appeared in Manji's eyes.
So he had finally arrived.
He hadn't anticipated Urashiki to reach Earth so soon.
Did Urashiki really visit Earth earlier than in the original story, and that part just never got mentioned?
After a brief pause, Manji nodded and calmly gave his orders.
"I understand. Withdraw."
"Also, send word to Gamamaru. Mount Myōboku is to strengthen its barrier defenses at once. For now, the mountain is sealed. No one enters or leaves without permission. If anything unusual is detected, report it to me immediately."
"Yes."
White Zetsu bowed and accepted the order. Then he slipped back into the floor without a sound, vanishing from the room as if he'd never been there.
Tajima did not stir.
After White Zetsu departed, Manji gradually closed the scroll. Chakra coalesced around him, stable and potent. He made a hand seal, summoning a formidable clone before him.
For Urashiki, one clone would be enough.
——————————
~ Every 200 PS = Bonus Chapter!
~ 15 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
https://p-atreon.com/dragonnx
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)