The figure hovering above the acidic world was neither Chinatsu's Jinchūriki form nor some illusionary clone.
It was Kaguya herself.
Even Kaguya didn't understand why she had suddenly separated from Chinatsu's body and manifested a physical form. However, she could still maintain a subtle connection with Chinatsu.
Through that connection, Kaguya could tell one thing clearly.
Chinatsu no longer needed her protection.
"What a troublesome brat. She really knows how to waste my time."
Kaguya looked down at the scene below and sighed.
"After I deal with these people, I'll give her a good scolding."
Below her, Otsutsuki Shiki's body was completely submerged in the acidic ocean of the High Acid World.
The acid contained an extremely terrifying corrosive power, no weaker than the corrosive blood Shiki possessed himself.
For several seconds, there was no movement.
Then
BOOM!!!
A figure suddenly shot out of the acidic ocean.
Shiki landed heavily in mid-air, his clothes slightly disheveled and his expression far more serious than before.
The acid hadn't killed him.
But the relief that should have appeared on his face was nowhere to be seen.
If he hadn't reacted quickly enough to transform his corrosive blood into armor, constantly replenishing it while the acid rapidly eroded the outer layer, he would have been completely destroyed the moment he fell into the ocean.
Shiki wiped the acid from his face and looked toward the woman floating leisurely above him.
Kaguya.
Although Kaguya feared the Otsutsuki main clan, she had never believed that she would lose to a single member of the clan in a one-on-one battle.
Her Byakugan locked onto Shiki.
A terrifying pressure instantly descended.
Shiki's expression changed.
For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt genuine fear.
This isn't right.
This is completely wrong!
I am Otsutsuki Shiki! I represent death itself!
How could I possibly lose to a mere Kaguya?!
Shiki clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails pierced his palms. Blood flowed from the wounds and immediately transformed into another layer of corrosive blood armor around his body.
The acidic ocean was terrifying, but Shiki had already discovered something important.
It was merely part of this small world.
Kaguya couldn't manipulate it with the same precision that he could manipulate his own blood.
That was his advantage.
At least, that's what he thought.
Unfortunately
Kaguya had no intention of fighting him on those terms.
"There should be plenty of it."
Kaguya casually stretched out one hand.
The surface of the acidic ocean suddenly began to churn violently.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Massive pillars of highly corrosive acid erupted from the ocean, shooting toward Shiki from below.
Shiki's pupils contracted.
"What?!"
He hurriedly dodged to the side.
The massive column of acid passed dangerously close to his body.
Even through his corrosive blood armor, Shiki could feel the terrifying power contained within it.
If one of those attacks hit him directly, his armor would probably be destroyed instantly.
"Not bad."
Kaguya's expression remained calm.
Then she raised her other hand.
Yomotsu Hirasaka!
Space itself distorted.
Several black portals opened around Shiki, changing the directions from which the acidic pillars emerged.
Shiki's expression instantly became ugly.
One pillar attacked from the left.
Another erupted from beneath him.
A third suddenly emerged from behind.
Then another came from above.
The previously arrogant Otsutsuki was now frantically dodging through the air.
From a distance, the scene looked almost ridiculous.
It was as if someone had thrown a god into a game of whack-a-mole.
Except the "hammers" were gigantic pillars of acid capable of destroying his body.
"Damn it!"
Shiki gritted his teeth.
His greatest weapon, the corrosive blood that had overwhelmed Naruto, was practically useless here.
He could create an armor capable of resisting the acid, but every second he spent defending himself consumed more of his blood.
And the acid beneath him was endless.
For the first time, Shiki felt despair.
In his mind, the image of the god of death he had always imagined himself to be was slowly collapsing.
The cloak of death had been stripped away.
The scythe that reaped countless lives had been broken.
And the woman standing before him
She was a nightmare even death itself feared.
Meanwhile, in the real world.
Otsutsuki Reishi stared at the place where Shiki had disappeared.
Although he couldn't determine exactly what had happened, he could vaguely sense that Shiki's disappearance was related to someone's space-time abilities.
Could it be her?
The person who modified those two brats' Karma?
Reishi's expression darkened.
"Come out!"
His voice echoed across the battlefield.
"Do you really think you can sneak up on me forever?!"
This wasn't merely an angry shout.
The force behind his voice generated terrifying sonic booms.
Even Naruto and Sasuke, whose bodies had already transformed through Karma, instinctively covered their ears.
"Ugh!"
"That voice…"
Their faces twisted in pain.
Then
Reishi's voice abruptly stopped.
A hand had appeared on his shoulder.
Cold sweat instantly trickled down his back.
Naruto and Sasuke slowly lowered their hands.
Their exhausted expressions suddenly brightened.
"Sister!!!"
Reishi's body stiffened.
His Byakugan gave him nearly three hundred and sixty degrees of vision.
Yet he hadn't sensed anyone approaching.
Space-time ninjutsu?
Reishi immediately spun around.
He thrust out his palm.
BOOM!
A torrent of flames erupted from his hand, tearing through everything in its path.
But
Nothing.
His attack had missed.
Reishi's eyes narrowed.
He knew that attack hadn't been enough to kill someone of this level.
It had simply missed.
He turned again.
And there she was.
A young woman stood calmly beside Naruto and Sasuke.
She was no longer in her Jinchūriki form.
It was Uchiha Chinatsu.
"Sister…"
Naruto's voice trembled slightly.
Chinatsu looked at the two of them.
Her expression softened.
"I'm sorry you two had to suffer because of me."
She stepped forward and gently embraced their heads.
"You both did very well."
Her voice was filled with genuine pride.
"I'm proud of you."
Naruto's eyes widened slightly.
Sasuke lowered his head.
Neither of them spoke.
Chinatsu knew exactly what they had endured.
The swelling on their faces was obvious, and their bodies were covered in injuries. Even with their extraordinary healing abilities, some of those wounds would require time to recover from.
She gently patted both of their heads.
"Leave the rest to me."
Chinatsu turned around.
The warmth in her expression disappeared.
Her eyes became cold and serious as she looked toward Otsutsuki Reishi.
The battlefield fell silent.
Reishi stared at her cautiously.
Before either side could say another word
Bang!
Reishi stomped his foot against the ground.
The space surrounding Chinatsu instantly froze.
The same divine technique that had previously trapped Naruto and Sasuke spread outward, attempting to freeze both space and everything within it.
But Chinatsu simply raised one hand.
Crack!
The ice surrounding her shattered.
Countless fragments scattered through the air like crystal shards.
Reishi's pupils trembled.
"What…?"
He stared at the shattered ice in disbelief.
His divine technique had been broken effortlessly.
Chinatsu slowly extended one hand.
Her expression was completely calm.
"The space here…"
She paused.
"…is no longer under your control."
Reishi's face darkened.
"What did you do?"
Chinatsu's eyes gleamed.
"Nothing."
She looked around at the vast acidic world surrounding them.
"This entire world has become an extension of my consciousness."
Her voice was quiet, yet every word carried absolute certainty.
"Every inch of space."
"Every particle of matter."
"Every drop of acid."
"Everything here…"
Chinatsu slowly closed her fingers.
The entire world seemed to respond.
"…embodies my will."
For the first time since arriving in this world, Otsutsuki Reishi felt something he had almost forgotten.
Fear.