Chapter 407: The Terms of the Deal
As expected, this guy wasn't going to be easy to fool.
His appetite was enormous.
Of course, the reason Ōtsutsuki Shoushi's expression changed slightly wasn't because Uchiha Dali had seen through his thoughts, but rather because he was impressed by the boy's ambition.
Ōtsutsuki Shoushi let out a faint sneer. "That's why I asked—do you think I'm stupid, or are you just an idiot yourself?"
"To think you'd say something like that… a Chakra Fruit, of all things. Naturally, I wouldn't use something like that as a bargaining chip."
"Anyway, can you let me go first? It's not like I could escape even if I wanted to."
He looked at Uchiha Dali expectantly.
His sensory perception could already pick up the presence of his comrades.
That aura was immensely powerful—just as Ōtsutsuki Shoushi had said before. Their strength was overwhelming, far beyond what Uchiha Dali could possibly contend with right now.
Even compared to himself, that power was on another level entirely.
If he remained paralyzed like this, once those people arrived, he'd be the first target they'd strike.
He'd rather hand his energy over to Uchiha Dali for nothing than let it fall into the hands of his own kind.
"Finish what you were saying just now. If you manage to pique my interest, I'll naturally let you go. But if your offer doesn't move me, then… too bad."
"Even if your comrades show up today—no, even if the king of your entire Ōtsutsuki Clan came—I'll still kill you."
"Oh, right. You interrupted me earlier, so I never told you what I plan to do with you."
"I'm going to devour your energy right in front of your comrades. I want them to watch helplessly while I do it, unable to stop me."
Uchiha Dali's grin twisted into something feral.
Those enemies wanted to come steal Ōtsutsuki Shoushi's energy, which directly clashed with his own interests.
So, he wasn't just targeting Shoushi—he was targeting his competitors as well.
Hearing that, Ōtsutsuki Shoushi's face turned dark, momentarily at a loss for words.
"Well, thank you so much."
"You're really putting a lot of thought into this—planning to kill me in a way that'll piss off my clan even more…"
"Are you done with your little speech? Can we talk business now?"
Ōtsutsuki Shoushi asked coolly.
Uchiha Dali gave a short, dismissive snort in response.
After a brief moment of silence, Ōtsutsuki Shoushi finally said, "The terms I'm offering will definitely satisfy you—one hundred percent."
"But first, you'll have to agree to one thing. If you do that, I'll give you what you want."
"Heh, who negotiates like that?"
Uchiha Dali sneered.
This guy was something else—trying to make demands before offering anything in return.
"My condition's simple. When those guys arrive, you and I join forces."
"If we fight together with all our strength, we can definitely defeat that one. But after we win, I get to keep all the energy for myself."
"That's my term. Help me defeat him and help me absorb his power, and in return, I'll give you a reward beyond your wildest imagination."
Ōtsutsuki Shoushi's tone was firm.
Uchiha Dali still sneered at the proposal—but he was also genuinely intrigued.
What kind of reward could possibly surpass the power of an elite Ōtsutsuki?
Even so, he didn't agree. Instead, he shook his head.
"The way you're talking just makes me trust you even less."
"What you're really telling me is that you know some massive secret—something that can bring unimaginable benefits."
"But instead of keeping it for yourself, you're offering to trade it with me. Don't you think I'd find that suspicious?"
Uchiha Dali stared straight at him, eyes burning.
Ōtsutsuki Shoushi shook his head. "What you think doesn't matter. I don't care what goes on in that head of yours."
"The only thing that matters is this—if you help me, I can give you that benefit. So? Do you agree or not?"
"Alright then, looks like we're talking past each other."
"Talking past each other?"
"It means we're not on the same page—you're missing my point, and I don't get your logic either."
Uchiha Dali waved his hand dismissively.
Then he rolled up his sleeves.
"If you ask me, it's still simpler and safer to just absorb your energy directly."
"With your power, I'll get a massive boost anyway—so why wouldn't I?"
As he spoke, he moved forward, activating the Devouring Technique.
In another instant, Ōtsutsuki Shoushi would become his nourishment for advancement.
But just then, Ōtsutsuki Shoushi finally dropped the act—no more stalling, no more playing dumb.
He said calmly, "Don't you want to know the secret of the Ōtsutsuki Clan's ancient divine ruins?"
Hearing that, Uchiha Dali stopped his movement and looked at him with renewed curiosity.
"The Ōtsutsuki Clan's ancient divine ruins?"
"That's right. It's our clan's oldest sacred domain—the place where our ancestors once trained."
"Wait… trained?"
"Yes. They cultivated Chakra there, seeking to touch the very limits of the universe."
"Oh…"
Uchiha Dali gave an understanding nod.
For a second, he'd thought "training" meant something else entirely—but it seemed he'd overthought it.
Still, the ancient sanctuary of the Ōtsutsuki Clan?
"Since it's your clan's sacred ground, whatever's inside should be more valuable to you than to anyone else. As one of the clan's direct descendants, shouldn't you be the one most tempted by it?"
Uchiha Dali still didn't believe this guy was kind enough to hand over something that valuable.
But Ōtsutsuki Shoushi seemed to have expected that reaction.
He explained, "If I could enter that place freely like the others, I'd never tell anyone about it—I'd just keep it to myself."
"But unfortunately, I can't. I don't have access to the sanctuary."
"In fact, it's not just me. None of the Ōtsutsuki in the Celestial Faction have that privilege."
"That's because the sacred site lies within the territory of the Proud Faction."
"If we enter their lands, we'd be treated as invaders and hunted down—and that could easily spark a war between the Celestial and Proud factions."
That explanation did sound plausible.
After all, before Dali had killed Kyōshiki and Àoshiki, they too had mentioned that the Celestial and Proud factions were bitter enemies across countless generations.