"The third eye?" Boruto asked, looking completely confused.
"Didn't you see the statue when you first came in? That statue has three eyes," Momoshiki said.
"Ah? I didn't notice it back then," Boruto admitted, feeling a little embarrassed.
"That's fine. Try closing your Heavenly Eye first," Momoshiki said with a hint of exasperation.
"Okay," Boruto replied, beginning to focus on closing his Heavenly Eye.
After a while, the eye on Boruto's forehead began to slowly close. When it finally shut completely, he felt a wave of fatigue wash over him.
"Why is this thing so hard to close?" Boruto asked.
"It's connected to the eyes of heaven and earth, which is why it's called the Heavenly Eye. To close it, you must overcome the resistance of the world itself," Momoshiki explained.
"Hmm? So mysterious? Wait, what do you mean by 'mysterious'?" Boruto said absentmindedly, then paused to think about what he had just said.
"In any case, you can't open this Heavenly Eye whenever you want. If it stays open too long, you'll be assimilated by the world. I really think your body is far from normal," Momoshiki warned before continuing his complaints.
"By the way, is it because of you that I sometimes blurt out things I don't even understand?" Boruto asked suddenly.
"That's why I said we must separate as soon as possible. This Karma isn't just a vessel of power; it also carries memories. The more it's released, the closer you get to becoming Momoshiki Ōtsutsuki until you fully transform into him," Momoshiki said seriously.
He then shifted the topic: "But if someone understands biology and can perform cloning, separation becomes much easier."
"Biology… oh!" Boruto thought for a moment, then realized something.
"I know someone who fits that requirement," Boruto said urgently.
"Do you have to be so cryptic?" Momoshiki complained.
"That's my problem, but I won't apologize," Boruto replied firmly.
"I really think we need to separate quickly. Otherwise, I feel like your work might become more complicated than mine," Momoshiki said, resigned.
"I think we can ask them to help. Anyway, getting back on topic, I think we can find Mitsuki's… mother? Orochimaru?" Boruto said, confused at Orochimaru's gender.
Hearing Orochimaru's name gave Momoshiki a glimmer of hope. The Karma affected not just Boruto but also him, and to an even greater degree. Before transmigrating, he still felt human, but after, he increasingly felt like an Ōtsutsuki. When he stopped viewing humans as humans, he knew he couldn't continue this way. Who knew if he could ever return to being himself rather than Momoshiki Ōtsutsuki? This potential collapse of personality terrified him, so he needed not only to stay close to Boruto but also to help him. Boruto, too, was affected by the Karma; he had absorbed some of his own memories and had developed an inexplicable trust in the Ōtsutsuki clan. They both realized separation was urgent. Once separated, the influence would likely vanish. Then Momoshiki could research how to break down Karma into a Karma Seal, preserving pure power without mental compromise.
"Then let's do as you say." Seeing the suggestion involving the protagonist or more accurately, the snake-like entity Momoshiki immediately agreed, eager to appear in the snake woman's laboratory at any moment.
Boruto felt Momoshiki's urgency and hesitated. Did Momoshiki have some hidden agenda?
Noticing Boruto's wariness, Momoshiki suppressed his impatience and said, "Since everything here is settled, why don't we go check it out upstairs?"
"Oh, right. I got so caught up talking that I forgot we're in an underground cave," Boruto said, snapping back to reality.