"The Divine Tree is expected to bloom in about two days. I'll do my best to return before then!" Kakuzu declared. "One more thing—remember, Obito and Madara are not truly on the same side. You can use that to buy some time. Got it?"
Hearing his instructions, everyone nodded in agreement.
Black Zetsu, the mastermind behind the events in the shinobi world, had once again proven his worth—he had managed to awaken Kaguya Otsutsuki ahead of schedule. If they had waited until she emerged from her alternate dimension on her own, the situation would have been far more troublesome. To prevent that, Kakuzu had decided to take matters into his own hands.
As for the ongoing war, he would leave it to the Allied Shinobi Forces. Eighty thousand ninja were already converging on this battlefield.
With a leap, Kakuzu soared into the sky, his gaze locking onto the direction of the Land of Water before swiftly heading there. At full speed, it took him only half a day to reach the nation's borders.
Upon arrival, he found himself staring at a pitch-black void—a dimensional rift.
"Goddess of the Rabbit, the legendary Kaguya Otsutsuki... There's something I don't understand. Since you've already been revived, why haven't you come out yet?"
Stepping into the void, Kakuzu found himself in a barren desert.
"Not here, huh?"
Activating Yomotsu Hirasaka, he opened another rift, stepping into a world covered entirely in water. Standing atop the ocean's surface, he observed the waves crashing around him before shaking his head.
"Still not here."
Continuing his search, he traveled to a world filled with erupting volcanoes. Yet, even here, there was no sign of Kaguya.
"Am I really supposed to search one dimension at a time?" Kakuzu muttered in frustration. "If she's already out, why not show herself and fight me properly?"
The idea of having to sift through thousands of alternate worlds just to find her was exhausting. By the time he finished, the shinobi world might have already been destroyed.
"Where could Kaguya be hiding?"
With this thought in mind, Kakuzu sped up his efforts.
He had no idea how many dimensions he had searched—perhaps a few hundred. But as he did, fragmented information flooded his mind. These weren't his own memories but echoes from the worlds he had traversed.
Pausing, Kakuzu pieced these scattered bits together, forming an unexpected perspective on history.
"Is this... Kaguya's life story? Why is it so different from what I knew?"
For instance, in the original tale, Kaguya had married the emperor of the Land of Ancestors. When war broke out between his country and a neighboring one, she was ultimately betrayed and handed over as a bargaining chip. Fleeing in desperation, she consumed the Chakra Fruit and cast Infinite Tsukuyomi upon the world.
This version, however, was a deviation created by the anime—a poorly written one at that. It had diminished both Kaguya and the Sage of Six Paths' grand stature.
After all, Kaguya was practically a goddess. The idea that she would marry a mere mortal was absurd. By that logic, even the Sage of Six Paths would have to call that emperor "Father."
Yet, in this dimension, Kakuzu uncovered a different story.
Kaguya had traveled across the cosmos to this planet with one goal: to devour the Chakra Fruit.
After obtaining its power, she unified the world and brought peace. The people revered her, calling her the "Rabbit Goddess."
Under her reign, she bore two children—Hagoromo Otsutsuki and Hamura Otsutsuki. For a time, everything seemed perfect: a world at peace, two gifted sons, and a people who adored her.
But beneath the surface, Kaguya remained uneasy. She knew that one day, this planet would face an apocalyptic threat. To prepare for that inevitable disaster, she secretly created the White Zetsu Army.
Her drastic actions, however, led to a tragic outcome. Her sons, unable to understand her reasoning, turned against her. They fought, sealing her away as they "saved" the world.
At first glance, they were heroes. But those two fools never considered the long-term consequences.
Centuries later, when the Otsutsuki Clan inevitably arrived, who would stand against them?
Moreover, these two brothers—blessed with unparalleled power—failed to grasp a fundamental truth: this world belonged to humanity. Conflict, war, and suffering were inevitable parts of its existence.
And sure enough, once they passed on, the world spiraled into chaos. The centuries that followed gave rise to the Warring States Era, where bloodshed and strife became the norm once again. The cycle of war and peace continued, with no end in sight.
"So in the end, they were just two naive fools," Kakuzu mused.
He recalled his brief encounter with Hamura Otsutsuki. The man had spoken in a way that lingered in Kakuzu's mind—perhaps he had realized his mistake too late.
Not that it mattered anymore. The shinobi world now had to prepare for its own battles, without relying on ghosts of the past.
...
After digesting all this information, Kakuzu suddenly stopped.
Up ahead, he saw someone.
The only person who could be here... was Kaguya Otsutsuki.
But something was wrong.
She was sprawled on the ground, her pale face devoid of its usual divine radiance. Both her Byakugan and her Rinne Sharingan looked unfocused. Her frame was unnaturally thin, her cheeks sunken—she appeared malnourished.
"What the hell happened?"
Kakuzu stood still for a few minutes, scanning the surroundings for potential threats. Sensing none, he cautiously approached.
Squatting beside her, he reached out, pressing two fingers against her delicate wrist.
What he discovered shocked him.
"You're supposed to be a god. How did you end up like this?"
Her life force was depleting rapidly.
The cause? Likely the result of being sealed away for centuries. During that time, she had neither eaten nor drank a single drop of water. Even a god wouldn't emerge unscathed.
Slowly, Kaguya lifted her hand, her gaze pleading as she looked at him.
She said nothing, but Kakuzu understood—she was asking him to save her.
"And how exactly am I supposed to do that?"
Instinctively, he reached for one of his storage scrolls. He had some food stocked away, but she was too weak to eat.
Besides, this wasn't just about sustenance—her life force itself was fading. A piece of bread wouldn't fix that.
Still, there was one method.
Kakuzu had accumulated numerous sources of immortality. Beyond his Earth Grudge Fear technique, he possessed Hidan's unkillable cells, the Six Paths' power, and even Hashirama's regenerative abilities.
His body was, in essence, a reservoir of endless vitality.
"Fine, I'll give it a try. Hold on."
Kakuzu began his work. As he channeled energy into her, he felt an unfamiliar power flow into his own body—pure Otsutsuki energy. His chakra expanded, becoming richer and more potent.
For a brief moment, their powers resonated.
Afterward, Kakuzu sat back, exhaling slowly, his muscular chest rising and falling.
Running his fingers through her hair, he spoke in a calm, measured tone.
"I know what you're worried about. But the future isn't something you have to face alone. The world has its own protectors now. Join us in defending it."
Kaguya's face flushed slightly. Despite her age, in this moment, she resembled a shy young girl. Her voice was barely a whisper.
"...Okay."
She had no other choice. Her power now resided within him—if she didn't rely on Kakuzu, then who else could she trust?
Kakuzu smirked as he stood up.
"Let's go."
"Go where?" she asked weakly.
"The outside world is still at war. I've been slacking off long enough. It's time to introduce them to the progenitor of chakra."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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