276 Naruto: Snatching the Mangekyō

"Fifth Hokage, the burden on your shoulders has grown even heavier," Senju Tobirama remarked, shaking his head. He almost felt relieved that he was merely a reanimated corpse.

If he'd been this busy back then, he might have died even sooner!

"I can still manage," Akira replied, shaking his head.

His physique had long since surpassed human limits—this level of exhaustion was nothing to him.

"Once we fully develop a Sage Mode based on stellar energy, everything else will fall into place," Akira continued.

"That's true," Tobirama nodded.

Everything was already set in motion. All that remained was to finalize the new Sage Mode.

Once it was complete, as long as a few people could master it, they would have a solid foundation!

"Ōtsutsuki Kaguya and that Jigen have vanished without a trace—it's unsettling!" The mention of them made Tobirama anxious.

Those two were like daggers at his throat!

Until Kaguya and Isshiki were eliminated, he could not rest in peace in the Pure Land!

"There's nothing we can do about it." Akira shook his head. "The Ōtsutsuki clan possesses the ability to completely conceal their chakra. If they are determined to hide, we have no way of finding them."

"Have you tried using the new Sage Mode for sensory detection?" Tobirama asked.

Akira nodded. "I have. Even with the new Sage Mode, I still can't sense their presence."

"That's unfortunate!" Tobirama sighed in disappointment.

...

Meanwhile, in a distant city within the shinobi world, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya stepped out from a dimensional rift, her expression ice-cold.

Half a year had passed, and she had completely assimilated Uchiha Madara, the vessel used for her revival. Now, she was truly complete.

"Isshiki... that bastard is really good at hiding!" Kaguya's face remained cold. Over this time, Isshiki had seemingly disappeared, leaving no trace behind.

"Hmph!" She scoffed. "Over the years, Isshiki's strength hasn't changed much, but his ability to play hide-and-seek has improved considerably!"

After assimilating Madara, she had obtained firsthand knowledge about Isshiki.

That was something Madara had seen with his own eyes—it couldn't be false.

"If I can't find Isshiki, I'll have no choice but to take a risk and head to Konoha..." Kaguya's brow furrowed, and her Byakugan flared with power, instantly gazing upon Konoha's situation.

"Hmm?" A glimmer of surprise flashed across her face.

Though the Byakugan was powerful, the shinobi world contained techniques capable of obstructing its vision.

"No..." Kaguya quickly shook her head. "That Hokage must have set a trap, waiting for me to walk into it."

Realizing this, she dismissed the idea of launching a surprise attack on Konoha.

That place housed not only Akira but also Hikari, who could pose a threat to her.

If she couldn't defeat them instantly, Akira would arrive.

With Tobirama's space-time abilities, he would surely bring reinforcements. At that point, she would be at a severe disadvantage.

"Regardless, I should plant the God Tree first!" With that thought, Kaguya summoned a dark dimensional rift that swallowed her whole.

When she reappeared, she was in the Land of Water—within Kirigakure.

The Land of Water and Kirigakure were naturally isolated from the rest of the shinobi world, perpetually shrouded in mist, making them an ideal location for planting the God Tree.

PAH!

Amidst the hazy mist, a crisp, echoing sound rang out as a massive God Tree sprouted from Kaguya's body, piercing into the earth!

RUMBLE!

A deafening roar followed as the enormous tree's roots wriggled and spread out.

Countless tendrils branched off, ensnaring Kirigakure's shinobi, wrapping them in white cocoons hanging from the roots—like silkworms in their chrysalises.

"Aahhh!"

"What is this?!"

"Not again! It's the same thing from six months ago!"

From within the boundless mist, agonized screams echoed!

Kirigakure's shinobi desperately fought back, unleashing jutsu after jutsu to attack the God Tree!

Torrents of water surged forward, crashing down like raging floods to engulf the roots.

But it was futile. The roots were unbelievably resilient, absorbing chakra and ninjutsu alike.

The very water formed by their techniques was devoured—along with the shinobi who had cast them, bound and hung up in the ever-growing web of roots.

"Water Release: Great Exploding Water Shockwave!"

On the outskirts of Kirigakure, a young man with a shark-like face, clad in a Jōnin vest, pressed his hands together and spewed out a massive flood.

A vast lake materialized in an instant!

As the ever-multiplying roots rushed toward him, the shark-faced shinobi roared and swiftly formed hand seals:

"Water Release: Great Shark Bullet Technique!"

A colossal, almost surreal water shark surged forth, carrying devastating momentum as it crashed into the advancing roots!

BOOM!

The ground trembled violently. The newly formed lake rippled under the immense force.

The thick mist billowed in rolling waves, creating a scene of eerie magnificence!

"What the hell is this thing?!"

The shark-faced shinobi gaped in disbelief as the roots effortlessly pierced through his giant water shark.

"Kirigakure... is finished..." He murmured bitterly, hearing the village's ceaseless screams.

SWOOSH!

A strip of white fabric descended, wrapping around him instantly before hoisting him up into the growing labyrinth of roots.

...

Elsewhere, a beautiful kunoichi with long, auburn hair, clad in a blue dress, was fleeing toward the village's outskirts.

Behind her, countless tree roots chased her relentlessly.

"Damn it!" Terumi Mei's face was filled with panic.

These monstrous roots were the stuff of nightmares. No one who had lived through the catastrophe six months ago could ever forget it.

"Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique!"

With the roots closing in, Mei quickly formed hand seals and spewed a stream of highly corrosive acid at them.

SSSSHHHH!

The acid sizzled as it melted the roots, dissolving them upon contact!

Unlike regular Water Release, her Kekkei Genkai had a far more destructive effect!

"Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique!"

Without hesitation, she exhaled again, releasing a dense, superheated acidic mist that blanketed the area.

Within moments, every root caught in the mist softened and corroded away completely!

But just as she sighed in relief, the ground trembled.

An uncountable number of roots erupted from below, surging toward her like a mass of writhing tentacles!

"Hah... haha..." Mei let out a hollow, despairing laugh as the roots enveloped her.

As time passed, the once-thriving Kirigakure fell eerily silent, devoid of life.

Suspended in the sky, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya gazed down with cold, indifferent eyes, her expression utterly devoid of emotion.