"A vessel?!"

Although everyone understood Jigen's goal, they still had no idea what this so‑called vessel should look like—or who the most suitable vessel might be.

Jigen explained patiently, "Exactly.

"The Ōtsutsuki clan's unique concept of 'body and vessel' lets us, on top of our thousand‑year life spans, obtain the very source of power that borders on true immortality!

"Sadly, the humans of this world are too weak… their bodies too fragile…

"The vast majority could never endure the power of the Ōtsutsuki!

"This body I'm wearing is no exception.

"I need you to help me find the strongest, most promising, most perfectly suited vessel in this world!

"And the vessel must be a youth—one with incomparable potential!"

Everyone nodded.

In the original timeline Isshiki eventually found two ideal vessels:

Kawaki and Code.

But that point in history is still far in the future—

At this moment those two boys do not even exist.

All these years—especially the years since he began to regain his strength—Isshiki and Amado have searched for a vessel, yet every attempt has ended in failure…

Now, with Chiyu threatening him and Ōtsutsuki pursuers closing in, Isshiki is out of time.

All he can do is stake everything on one desperate gamble!

Orochimaru's eyes lit up and a sly smile crept over his lips.

"If that's so, then the best vessels are obviously those two kids…

"The only question is, Leader—can you actually snatch them?"

Jigen's face darkened slightly.

"Orochimaru, you mean—"

"Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke," Orochimaru replied.

Recognition dawned on everyone, and their expressions grew complicated.

Hiruko sneered, "Orochimaru, that's just stating the obvious!

"The whole shinobi world knows Naruto and Sasuke are the reincarnations of the Sage of Six Paths' sons, Ashura and Indra.

"One's the perfect Nine‑Tails jinchūriki, the other has awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.

"As vessels they'd be flawless!

"But everybody also knows they're students of Uchiha Chiyu. Are you telling us to steal them from Chiyu himself?!

"That's not 'pulling chestnuts from the fire'—it's suicide!"

Orochimaru shrugged. "I'm only offering an idea; whether it's doable is another matter."

Jigen fell silent, then shook his head.

"I know they're ideal, but my power isn't fully back yet; I'm not confident I can beat Uchiha Chiyu.

"So we'd best avoid tipping him off."

Everyone thought: it's not lack of confidence—it's no chance at all…

"However—"

Amado, standing beside Jigen, spoke for the first time.

"Even if those two are under Chiyu's protection, he can't watch them every second. He rules the entire shinobi world; he has far too much on his plate…

"So I'd say it's not impossible.

"Provided that—

"We lure Uchiha Chiyu away from Konoha!"

Kakuzu snorted. "Easier said than done.

"Chiyu's in another league now. Even if we attack together he may not bother acting personally; he'll likely send subordinates.

"To draw him out, we need an enemy big enough for him to care about.

"Leader, are you volunteering?"

The mockery in his tone was obvious—he believed Jigen would die the moment he confronted Chiyu, making any plan meaningless.

Sasori said calmly, "Kakuzu's blunt, but he's right. At Chiyu's level, ordinary foes don't rate his personal attention.

"Even as bait, we'd need opponents on the Ōtsutsuki's level.

"Leader—besides you, do such beings exist?"

Jigen nodded slightly. "Yes."

Everyone was startled. "Who?"

"They're almost here…" Jigen said.

"The Ōtsutsuki pursuers.

"If it's them, they can at least hold Chiyu for a while.

"And if we move then, we just might seize those two children."

He thought for a moment.

"All right—

"I'll meet those pursuers first, tell them the truth about the shinobi world, and egg them on to fight Uchiha Chiyu.

"Delta, Koji Kashin, Boro—

"You go with Kakuzu, Sasori, Kisame, and the others, slip into Konoha, and capture the two brats!

"Amado, Orochimaru, Hiruko—you stay at HQ on standby!"

Everyone nodded. "Understood."

…

Several days later

The shinobi world — Moon Orbit — deep space

Two dazzling golden lights streaked in from the void, rushing toward Earth.

Chiyu looked up and sensed them, but ignored them; his plan was to lure every possible Ōtsutsuki into the open and wipe them out at once.

At the same moment Isshiki sensed the same aura.

The Kāma on his body resonated with Momoshiki's Kāma.

Both were upper‑tier Ōtsutsuki, far above Kaguya or Kinshiki in rank.

In that instant Isshiki projected his will through the Kāma to the incoming Momoshiki.

"Hm?"

"Kinshiki, wait. I sense Isshiki's will."

They alighted on a drifting meteor.

Momoshiki traced the signal and sneered.

"So you finally show yourself, Isshiki.

"It's been a thousand years since we sent you to guard the Divine Tree and harvest its fruit—what happened? Why haven't you delivered it?"

Isshiki paused, then told him everything.

Momoshiki blinked, then burst out laughing.

"Isshiki, what a disgrace!

"Wounded by your own servant, nearly killed—utter humiliation!"

Isshiki, slower than Momoshiki by nature, showed no reaction.

"In any case, this planet has changed. The beings here are no longer powerless insects; they wield a force called 'ninjutsu.'

"Worse, there's the man who defeated—and killed—Kaguya:

"Uchiha Chiyu."

Momoshiki scoffed. "Killing a mere Kaguya means nothing.

"She was your servant, after all.

"And you're cowering because of one ant named Chiyu?

"Seems when Kaguya ambushed you she destroyed more than your body—she crushed your Ōtsutsuki pride."

Isshiki warned, "Don't underestimate him.

"He's no ordinary lower species. His power may already exceed ours at full strength."

Momoshiki flew into a rage.

"Enough! Stop belittling us!

"The Ōtsutsuki have dominated the cosmos for eons. I'll kill that ant myself and devour his power.

"Then I'll erase that insolent planet!"

Kinshiki, less confident, said, "Even so, let's not be careless… To kill someone who beat Kaguya after she ate the fruit—his strength must be extraordinary."

Momoshiki ignored him and rocketed toward Earth; Kinshiki sighed and followed.

…

Konoha.

Peaceful and prosperous—until

Two figures suddenly flashed above the village.

The sensor and barrier teams panicked.

"Enemy intrusion!"

"Enemy attack!"

The alert spread instantly; every unit, every clan jumped to full readiness.

Even Momoshiki nodded approvingly and sneered,

"Well‑trained ants… but meaningless."

"Uchiha Chiyu! Show yourself and die!

"Or I'll wipe out your inferior world!"

Chiyu gave no reply.

Instead, three figures shot up to block Momoshiki and Kinshiki:

Uchiha Fugaku!

Hatake Kakashi!

Hyūga Hiashi!

Hiashi blazed with emerald chakra; his eyes glowed sapphire, bursting with ocular might—

The ultimate evolution of the Byakugan:

Tenseigan!

Having received Hamura's bloodline from Chiyu and fused it with his own pure Byakugan, Hiashi had awakened the Tenseigan. Other Hyūga had likewise grown far stronger.

The Hyūga were now second only to the Uchiha.

Hiashi could now stand beside Fugaku and Kakashi to defend Konoha—and the world.

Fugaku's Eternal Mangekyō had pushed Perfect Susanoo to its peak, wings of chakra flaring as he flew.

Kakashi, with Hashirama cells and dual Kamui eyes, likewise unleashed a Perfect Susanoo.

Hiashi, using the Tenseigan, entered Tenseigan Chakra Mode and joined them in the sky.

Momoshiki snorted.

"Which of you is Uchiha Chiyu?"

Sensing their power—impressive but beneath his—he glared.

Fugaku laughed. "You? Not worthy of our lord.

"We'll be your opponents."

Momoshiki realized none of them was Chiyu and exploded with fury.

"Insolence!

"Kinshiki!"

Kinshiki roared, power erupting, and charged Fugaku.

Behind him flared red chakra—the weapon called Power Smelting, able to become any armament and unleash world‑splitting might.

It morphed into a giant red axe that smashed down on Fugaku's Susanoo.

Fugaku crossed Susanoo's great swords and blocked; both were blasted apart.

BOOM!

Kinshiki frowned. "He blocked Power Smelting?

"So these creatures aren't that weak…

"But—

He turned into violet lightning, vanished, re‑appeared, and hammered the Susanoo, cracking it.

Just then—

Kinshiki sensed mortal danger.

"?!"

A voice sounded behind him:

"Kamui Shuriken!"

WHOOSH WHOOSH—

Space itself twisted; two huge black shuriken tore through the void toward him.

He dodged, but one arm and one leg were ripped off.

"AAAAHHH!"

Even Kinshiki screamed.

Momoshiki was stunned.

"What power twists space‑time itself?!

"How can lower lifeforms wield it?!"

He moved to act, but Hiashi inhaled deeply and unleashed:

"Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion!"

Emerald chakra beads spun in his palm, forming a cataclysmic whirlwind that blasted at Momoshiki.

Momoshiki sneered. "Frog in a well!"

He raised his right hand; a blood‑red Rinnegan in his palm swallowed the entire attack.

Then his left palm's Rinnegan spewed a far more terrifying storm back at Hiashi and Konoha.

This was his personal Rinnegan ability:

"Takamimusubinokami!"

~~~

Patreon(.)com/Bleam

— This Fanfic is Completed in Patreon!