Chapter 44: Otsutsuki Sheren

This was an unexpected turn of events—he had arrived beyond Earth, gazing at it from afar, standing now on a celestial body in outer space. There was no air around him, so Orochimaru sealed all his pores and let himself gently descend with the gravity. He looked toward Earth, then turned to observe the Sun and other celestial bodies, deducing his position. At last, he concluded he was on the Moon.

"So, this is the place," Orochimaru mused inwardly.

He knew the Moon was where Hamura Otsutsuki, the younger brother of the Sage of Six Paths, and his descendants resided. Long ago, the Sage of Six Paths had used the "Super Chibaku Tensei" technique to seal Kaguya Otsutsuki, ejecting her into space; the colossal sphere that resulted became known as the Moon. To guard the shell of the Ten-Tails, which had transformed into the Gedo Statue, Hamura Otsutsuki led his clan to settle on the Moon. Below, the human structures must have been built by Hamura’s branch.

"Since I’m here, it’s just as well," Orochimaru decided not to leave. As for Obito, his fate was irrelevant. The loss of spatial power was unfortunate—if he could observe it a few more times, perhaps he could comprehend its principles, which would greatly aid his mastery of space. Currently, he could only use it via the medium of the Sharingan. Mere usage would never lead to progress. Yet Orochimaru was now more intrigued by the Tenseigan; spatial power would have to wait.

The Tenseigan, an evolved form of the Byakugan, possessed abilities rivaling the Rinnegan. Since he had come here, he was determined to obtain these eyes.

Below, all human-built structures were enveloped in a transparent barrier, within which air and other conditions suitable for human life were maintained. Orochimaru entered the barrier and landed, immediately surrounded by several puppet soldiers, who advanced to attack him.

…

In the heart of the Moon, inside a chamber known as the Reincarnation Room, a young man lay asleep on his bed. Suddenly, an alarm shrieked, its piercing sound echoing through the room. The boy was startled awake, opening his eyes abruptly—yet his sockets were hollow, empty of eyes.

He was Toneri Otsutsuki, the last of Hamura’s branch.

Upon awakening, the surrounding puppet girls promptly changed his sleepwear, dressing him in the white robes symbolizing the Otsutsuki clan. He touched a puppet, replaying its memories in his mind.

"A powerful intruder appeared suddenly."

Toneri “saw” Orochimaru appear in the lunar sky, then descend into the castle. Puppet soldiers surrounded him, but were no match; Orochimaru seemed intrigued, even studying the puppets.

"There's no hope. The people of Earth will only perpetuate war, with no intention of peace, and those influences have already reached the Moon."

After dressing, Toneri, accompanied by several puppet girls, made his way to the chamber housing the Tenseigan. He would use the Tenseigan to eliminate all destabilizing factors. Toneri had planned to give Earth’s people a few more years, but now he would follow his ancestor’s will: first destroy the intruder, then Earth, and finally restart everything.

He idly reached out and tapped the head of a puppet girl; she immediately departed to head to Earth. Toneri needed a new pair of Tenseigan, and he intended to bring his chosen bride, Hinata, to the Moon. That puppet girl would lead several others through a spatial portal to Earth to accomplish these two tasks.

…

Meanwhile, Orochimaru activated Sage Mode, greatly enhancing his sensory abilities; he could now detect natural energy, chakra, and other forces.

"The Otsutsuki descendant is already headed for the Tenseigan. I must reach it before him."

Abandoning the puppets and his research, Orochimaru made straight for the chamber where the Tenseigan was kept. The Tenseigan had two evolution methods: one, the aggregation of many Byakugan to form an enormous eye—the Tenseigan; the other, the union of a pure Hyuga bloodline Byakugan with Otsutsuki lineage, causing the Byakugan to evolve into the Tenseigan.

Currently, on the Moon, there existed a single Tenseigan formed by the aggregation of countless Byakugan. This Tenseigan was not housed in Toneri’s eye sockets, but served as the lunar core’s driving force. Whoever obtained it first would hold the advantage.

…

Elsewhere in space, Obito awoke groggily, discovering a strange energy flowing into his body, restoring some strength.

"He’s awake."

"Increase the power, restore him further."

…

Obito heard two voices. He opened his eyes; his previously blinded vision was gradually returning. He was stunned and puzzled—his eyes, rendered blind by overusing the Mangekyo, were regaining sight? He had never heard of such a possibility. Traditionally, only by transplanting the eyes of a blood brother could one attain the Eternal Mangekyo and regain vision.

What was happening now?

Obito kept silent, avoiding commotion, quietly awaiting his wounds to heal. After a while, his injuries were fully healed.

"Look at me, mortal, and answer truthfully—where do you come from?" asked Kinshiki Otsutsuki.

They were members of the Otsutsuki clan, lost in space, still searching for Kaguya’s hiding place.

Kaguya Otsutsuki had secretly consumed the fruit of the divine tree their ancestor planted, and concealed the planet where the tree stood. These descendants lacked clues and had yet to find Earth. But now, there was a new discovery.

The mortal before them carried faint traces of Otsutsuki blood—he must be a descendant of Kaguya. The planet he came from must be the one where Kaguya resided. If they could trace his origins, they would find Kaguya.

"Where are you from?"

Obito’s wounds had healed, his vision normal. His mask had long since shattered, revealing a face half normal, half white from Hashirama’s cells. The normal half’s eye was closed, the socket empty; unless necessary, he would not transplant another eye there. The white half bore a radiant Sharingan, restored to its peak. He gazed at the two before him with his single Sharingan, not answering immediately.

Kinshiki Otsutsuki’s skin was pale, with horns protruding from his head and Byakugan in both eyes, a visage reminiscent of the legendary Sage of Six Paths. Yet legends were often exaggerated or fanciful; he took nothing for granted.

"Who are you?" Obito asked.

He glanced around, realizing he was in a region of asteroids, far from Earth.

"Swish!"

Kinshiki clenched his fist and struck Obito, disliking captives who refused to answer and dared to question instead. Obito instantly activated his intangibility, but Kinshiki’s fist still landed in his chest. Space power was useless against Kinshiki.

Obito was sent flying.

Kinshiki reached out, palm upward; the red ring floating behind him flew over and transformed into a whip, which he grasped. Still tumbling through space, Obito’s pupils contracted.

"Enough," Momoshiki Otsutsuki spoke up.

Kinshiki immediately ceased his assault; the whip reverted into a ring, floating behind him again. He was Momoshiki’s subordinate, loyal to him.

Obito landed, rolled over several times to steady himself, then looked at Momoshiki, who gazed at him impassively, raising his hand toward him.

Obito’s pupils shrank—Momoshiki’s upraised palm held a red Rinnegan!