Shinya Otsutsuki stood before the golden Giant Tenseigan, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"How… how is this possible… How could that intruder from the Kaguya clan possess such power!? And he can even use that legendary power that only Kaguya Otsutsuki was said to have possessed…"
As the controller of the Giant Tenseigan, Shinya Otsutsuki was naturally able to access the vision of the puppet army attacking Rei Kaguya. But when he saw Rei Kaguya complete a Six Paths transformation before his eyes through the puppets' vision, his heart had already fallen into disorder.
Six Paths transformation meant that Rei Kaguya already possessed chakra at least on the same level as Hamura Otsutsuki. And if he also possessed a lethal weapon like All-Killing Ash Bones, which killed on contact and could not be blocked, then even if Hamura Otsutsuki revived on the spot, defeating Rei Kaguya would likely require an extremely cautious battle with almost no margin for error.
And the following scene proved this ominous premonition even further.
The sight of the humanoid puppets being struck by the gray bone fragments Rei Kaguya fired, then rapidly collapsing into ash, brought Shinya Otsutsuki an intense shock. It made him realize even more clearly that every trap and barrier left behind by the moon's Otsutsuki clan over thousands of years could not possibly stop Rei Kaguya, who had grasped All-Killing Ash Bones.
Just as he used the Giant Tenseigan's chakra to remotely restore the last remaining Hamura statue, another piece of disastrous news came through the Giant Tenseigan that maintained the operation of the entire lunar palace puppet system.
An enemy capable of ignoring all barriers and architectural obstructions had broken into the lunar palace and was heading straight toward the Chamber of Rebirth where Toneri Otsutsuki was hiding. The combat puppets guarding the Chamber of Rebirth had been wiped out in the blink of an eye. Through the puppets' vision, Shinya Otsutsuki saw with splitting rage as Obito Uchiha leisurely passed through the barrier of the Chamber of Rebirth.
"Toneri! No, no, no! Toneri absolutely cannot have anything happen to him! Absolutely not!"
Thus, Shinya Otsutsuki crudely commanded the gigantic Hamura statue, forcing it to launch a reckless attack at Rei Kaguya, who was preparing to leave the battlefield. Then, without the slightest hesitation, he used the power of the Giant Tenseigan to control Hamura's Temple, which was gradually drifting away, and sent it crashing toward the lunar palace.
Boom—
When Obito Uchiha and Black Zetsu walked out of the Chamber of Rebirth as casually as idle men strolling through their own home, the gigantic Hamura Temple had already crashed into the lunar palace complex like a meteor, carrying a world-shattering momentum and stirring up dust that filled the sky.
Looking at this sudden object falling from the heavens, Black Zetsu not only did not panic, but let out a hoarse, unpleasant, strange laugh.
"As expected, that little brat is the other Otsutsuki's weak point… But this is good too. It saves us the trouble of finding him. What do you think, Obito?"
"It is the same as when we were in Konoha."
Obito Uchiha looked ahead as the dust filling the sky from the temple's crash was blown apart by Shinya Otsutsuki, who flew straight toward their location. A meaningful sneer appeared on his face.
"However, compared to back then… I no longer have any restraints."
Obito Uchiha's right eye spun. The unconscious Toneri Otsutsuki flew out from within and was seized by the neck in his hand.
Seeing his son, whom he regarded as the only hope of fulfilling their ancestor's heavenly mandate, treated in such a rough manner, Shinya Otsutsuki instantly burned with rage. He roared and charged at Obito Uchiha.
"Take your lowly, filthy hands off Toneri, ground dweller!"
"Very well. Then let this scene become your eternal farewell with him."
Obito Uchiha sneered and stood in place, allowing Shinya Otsutsuki's furious attack to land on his chest.
With a booming explosion, the ground behind Obito Uchiha was blasted into a huge pit by Shinya Otsutsuki's attack. Yet Obito himself still calmly stood in place, gripping Toneri Otsutsuki's neck, as if he were a phantom that did not exist there.
"You are… Obito Uchiha…"
Seeing that his attack could not even touch the other party, Shinya Otsutsuki had no choice but to force down the panic and anger in his heart. While recalling the intelligence he had obtained from the captured White Zetsu, he asked in a trembling voice,
"Thief who stole the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path… do you truly intend to do something this absolute?"
"That depends on your sincerity, Otsutsuki."
Obito Uchiha slightly tightened his hand, causing the unconscious Toneri Otsutsuki to instinctively let out a pained sound because of his obstructed breathing.
"Let me see how much of a price you are willing to pay to preserve this brat's life."
"The only price I can pay is myself."
Shinya Otsutsuki frowned deeply. While warily sizing up Black Zetsu beside Obito Uchiha, he said in a low voice,
"Anything else, even if I promise it to you, you will not be able to obtain it…"
"Oh? Why is that?"
Obito Uchiha tilted his head, a stiff smile hanging on his face as he questioned Shinya Otsutsuki.
"Other than you, another person has also found the path to this place. The reason Toneri and I separated is because that person already broke into the world outside the lunar palace…"
Shinya Otsutsuki took a deep breath and tried hard to maintain his calm.
"You should be very familiar with that person as well, should you not? After all, in the memories of those White Zetsu you sent, that man named Rei Kaguya has always been the enemy you fear and guard against the most, has he not?"
"I see. It is indeed as you said. Aside from yourself, there is no longer anything else that can be used as a promised object… This really is troublesome."
"Cough, cough cough… What do you want me to do before you will let Toneri go?"
Shinya Otsutsuki coughed up a mouthful of unhealthy dark-red blood and asked anxiously.
Obito Uchiha sighed, unsurprised. Then he swept a glance at Black Zetsu from the corner of his eye and continued,
"You will use yourself in exchange for this brat's life. I accept that condition…"
"But?"
Seeing that Obito Uchiha had no intention of loosening the hand around Toneri's neck, Shinya Otsutsuki asked through gritted teeth.
"But I need to add a little insurance to ensure that you truly stand on our side with all your heart."
Obito Uchiha tilted his head toward Black Zetsu and asked in an icy tone,
"You should have a way to ensure he fights for us with all his strength, correct, Zetsu?"
"Of course. I do."
Black Zetsu grinned. Its body seemed to melt, transforming into black liquid that surged toward Shinya Otsutsuki's body.
For the sake of Toneri Otsutsuki in Obito Uchiha's grasp, Shinya Otsutsuki gritted his teeth and did not move at all, allowing Black Zetsu to wrap around his body and turn half of him black.
"This way, we can ensure he will keep fighting for us until he dies."
Black Zetsu controlled Shinya Otsutsuki's body and gave Obito Uchiha an almost synchronized double answer.
"Indeed. In that case, this is enough."
Obito Uchiha sneered and took Toneri Otsutsuki back into his Kamui dimension.
"Next, let us use the entire moon as the battlefield and join hands to fight Rei Kaguya once more, Zetsu."