The tightly wrapped branches slowly unfurled, revealing the clan leader of the Ōtsutsuki branch family. His eyes opened gradually, and he stood frozen in place.
Reflected in his solitary eye was the pattern of the Mangekyō Sharingan—a detail that spoke volumes.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
From the treetops above, more than a dozen figures appeared in an instant, gazing warily at Danzo and his companion below.
"Who are you?"
From the branch clan leader's memories, he knew that the middle-aged man who had just spoken was the head of the main family.
Danzo swept his gaze around calmly. Every individual present was at least Kage-level, with even a couple who had surpassed that threshold.
Even though the Ōtsutsuki bloodline had been diluted, it remained one of the most powerful lineages compared to the shinobi world.
"You guard Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, keeping watch over the ninja world... But at the same time, 'Root' has also been observing the moon, keeping its sights on the Ōtsutsuki clan."
"Root?"
"Yes. Like the roots of a tree, we operate in the shadows, maintaining the order of the shinobi world while also restraining forces that should not exist." Danzo's gaze flickered past the forest to glance at the massive Tenseigan.
"I don't care what organization you claim to be," the middle-aged man said, pointing at the branch clan leader. "Hand him over and leave the moon."
His eyes were locked onto Danzo with a hint of wariness.
"Absolute power requires absolute restraint. Just as the descendants of Hagoromo were kept in check, the heirs of Ōtsutsuki Hamura must also be regulated."
The markings of Sage Mode appeared on Danzo's face, and his Sharingan began to rotate.
In an instant, Susanoo took form—a colossal blue giant, towering over a hundred meters, looking down upon the assembled Ōtsutsuki members.
The sheer oppressive force compelled them to retreat instinctively, evading the crushing pressure.
"Because of your prejudice and reckless use of Hamura's power, the branch family has nearly been wiped out, and even the main family has suffered heavy losses. You no longer have the strength to guard this eye. From now on, 'Root' will take over."
The middle-aged man's expression darkened completely. All that talk had just been a smokescreen—Danzo was here to exploit their weakness and seize the Tenseigan.
"We will not abandon our ancestor's relic!"
Danzo glanced at their formation. There was no avoiding a battle.
"If you can prove yourselves worthy, you are welcome to reclaim it anytime... but not now."
...
Sage Art: Wood Release—Deep Forest Emergence!
As Danzo clasped his hands together, the ground trembled violently. Countless trees erupted forth in a frenzy.
The once-manufactured forest was swiftly consumed, along with many members of the Ōtsutsuki clan.
Only a handful managed to evade capture, leaping desperately through the rapidly expanding woodland, dodging the grasping branches.
Most, however, were drained of their chakra and left hanging from the treetops, unconscious.
By the time the rampant growth ceased, Danzo and the branch clan leader had vanished—along with the massive Tenseigan.
...
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
Not only had Kaguya's descendants on the moon experienced upheaval, but the shinobi world was also in turmoil.
It had begun when the Four-Tails and Five-Tails were mysteriously attacked. Rumors in the ninja world attributed it to the Akatsuki.
Although there was no concrete evidence, that didn't stop Ōnoki from pressuring the Land of Rain. He deployed a significant number of spies and shinobi, demanding the extradition of the culprits and compensation.
It wasn't until Pain himself appeared in the skies above Iwagakure that Ōnoki realized he had provoked the wrong enemy.
Yet, at that point, there was no room for retreat.
Amidst Ōnoki's surprise Dust Release attack, Pain engaged in battle against the Tsuchikage and the village's elite forces.
For the first time, the power of the Rinnegan was unveiled—one man against an entire village.
In the end, Pain's absolute power secured victory.
Ōnoki perished. The elite jōnin of Iwagakure suffered devastating losses, with less than ten percent surviving. The Four-Tails and Five-Tails were taken, and half the village was reduced to rubble in the aftermath.
...
Konohagakure
Tsunade clenched the latest intelligence report in her hands, veins bulging slightly with frustration.
"Is Pain truly this powerful?"
"Possessing the legendary Rinnegan, he is an existence beyond Kage-level. The battle in Iwagakure speaks for itself," Kabuto replied respectfully.
"Hmm. Inform the Mizukage and Kazekage—Konoha agrees to joint defense."
With Tsunade's signature, three of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, along with the four major nations, officially declared the Akatsuki a terrorist organization, publicly revealing information on its members.
...
At the familiar lunar teleportation site, a newly carved-out cave stood within a nearby valley.
Danzo had spent the past month here, never leaving, dedicating himself entirely to studying the massive Tenseigan.
As for the branch clan leader, he had perished from complete exhaustion. Danzo had buried him not far away, marking the site with the man's staff as a gravestone—a final gesture of acknowledgment for his "contributions."
Gazing at the colossal Tenseigan, radiating a golden glow, Danzo could keenly sense the chasm between each level of power.
Even from a mere step away from the Six Paths level, he knew that this eye possessed the power to annihilate him instantly.
Yes—this eye, or rather, these eyes.
When Ōtsutsuki Hamura passed away, he had left behind his own pair of eyes, sealing them with Yin-Yang Release to nurture their growth.
Though they now appeared as a singular enormous eye, their true essence remained a pair of Tenseigan.
Danzo was certain—if he could absorb them, he would undoubtedly reach the true realm of the Six Paths.
However, the process was anything but simple.
Even after a month, his control over it was only at the level of the branch elders.
He had to proceed with extreme caution. If Hamura's hidden mechanisms were still active, a single misstep could cost him everything.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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