Suspended in midair, Myōshiki looked down coldly with his Byakugan, scrutinizing the Susanoo.

He saw it with perfect clarity—

This seemingly mighty deity was, in truth, a construct born from countless fragile individuals, fused together by some powerful link.

"This really does bring back unpleasant memories…"

Myōshiki's expression darkened. "Fortunately, now I have the chance to erase you!"

"That the creatures of this planet have developed such collective warfare… If this continues, the planetary consciousness might awaken, turning this place into a forbidden zone that none could step into…"

Among the Ōtsutsuki, planetary consciousness—Gaia Consciousness—was spoken of in near-legendary terms.

As one of the ancient, enduring beings, Myōshiki had actually encountered it once before in the cosmos, and the memory was carved deep into him.

Back then, his dōjutsu had guided him to a planet where, it was foretold, he could gain an opportunity for rapid growth in power.

But on that planet, the native life had rallied around a single leader—recognized by all—who in turn received the strength of Gaia Consciousness. That leader's power had soared dramatically!

And it was not only strength—

When planetary consciousness awakened, the very space surrounding the planet itself became its domain, greatly weakening any intruder's abilities and techniques. It was the ultimate home-field advantage.

At that time, Myōshiki had failed to defeat that planet's chosen representative. He barely escaped, gravely wounded, carrying away bitter memories.

The only relief—

The bearer of Gaia's power could not leave their world, unable to pursue him.

Afterward—

Myōshiki gathered vast amounts of intelligence on planets where Gaia Consciousness had awakened, and quietly instructed his clan to keep well away from such places.

In his eyes—

The so-called awakening of Gaia Consciousness was, in essence, a kind of cosmic safety declaration, almost a suicidal warning: This planet has abandoned its future growth. Pass us by and let us perish on our own—we are no longer a threat. But if you insist on invading, leave your life here.

For once Gaia's power awakened—

Myōshiki discovered that the vast majority of those chosen to bear it—or perhaps all of them—

Would inevitably be enslaved by the planet's will, shut off from the outside, stagnant, trapped as guardians bound to that one world.

Planetary consciousness trusted no individual. It possessed no mind with which to reason. It merely reshaped its representative's thoughts into that of a warden.

And those who absorbed Gaia's power, having exhausted the planet's future to gain it, found themselves unable to grow stronger still. Inadvertently, the world's ceiling was locked, and in the end, it could only collapse into oblivion.

This was nothing more than drinking poison to quench thirst, but at least it was practical. Even if the planet lost its chance of ever reaching greater heights, when crisis struck, this method could still allow it to survive for a considerable span of time.

"A self-mutilating struggle like this… On any other planet, I'd simply look the other way and dismiss it as nothing more than stubborn, stinking trash."

Gazing down at the Susanoo, feeling the ache in his wounded shoulder, Myōshiki shook his head. "But this planet… this planet holds Lord Shibai's treasure!"

"If the world seals itself off, then the chance to ascend to godhood would be buried along with it!"

"Fortunately, I came in time… With collective formations of this level, had I arrived even a hundred years later, this planet might truly have birthed someone capable of bearing planetary power…"

He thought back to that scene, the corners of his lips curving downward in distaste, only to twist into a smile. "But fate still stands on my side."

Meanwhile, in another dimension, hidden away, Ryōshiki's eyes glimmered with surprise.

Of course he knew what Gaia Consciousness was—and how troublesome it could be…

"For such a small planet to harbor both Lord Shibai's remains and the phenomenon of Gaia Consciousness, all the way out here on the frontier…"

Ryōshiki clapped his hands together with refined elegance, applauding the shinobi of this world. "What is truly remarkable is that you managed to wound Myōshiki. That alone is enough to be proud of… My respect to you, adorable little ones."

Through the barrier of this alternate space, his Byakugan swept over those inside Susanoo.

"Not this one… not this one either… Could it be this mortal with the white hair?"

With great curiosity, Ryōshiki studied each of the figures gathered at Susanoo's brow, searching for the one who, according to Isshiki's intelligence, had seized the power of Ōtsutsuki Shibai—the Uchiha Kazuki.

Yet whether it was the Sage of Six Paths or Ōtsutsuki Hamura, those two who outwardly bore traces of Ōtsutsuki bloodline, Ryōshiki saw at once that neither of them was Kazuki.

On the contrary, it was Senju Tobirama whose power held the faintest trace of that divine resonance.

But still, Ryōshiki judged it insufficient. After a moment's thought, he let out a soft laugh: "I see now. None of those within this energy construct are the one. You've sent other beings forward as vanguards to probe and mislead. What an amusing opponent… Had I come a hundred years later, perhaps you really would have succeeded."

"If you are Lord Shibai, then the fact that you would even attempt to merge with Gaia's power—a force utterly incompatible with the Ōtsutsuki—"

"And if you are not Lord Shibai, yet dare to harbor the monstrous ambition of devouring both the divinity of the Ōtsutsuki and the Gaia Consciousness… then even I must admit, you've broadened my horizons."

Ryōshiki's fighting spirit burned ever fiercer, and his anticipation of meeting Kazuki only grew. Such a final battle, woven with calculation and strategy, was the only fitting prelude to his own ascension to godhood.

His mind was sharp, quick, and precise—brilliant in its intricacy. Even standing at the heights of power, he concealed himself in secret.

But his emotions—

His curiosity toward Kazuki, his surging will to fight—triggered the unmistakable sound of coins striking the ground!

[From the target: Ōtsutsuki Ryōshiki — You have gained Ōtsutsuki bloodline refinement!]

Within the alternate space—

Kazuki, observing the battle, felt the torrent of power flooding madly into his body. Yet instead of joy, his brows furrowed in thought.

"So, seeing all this… and you feel stirred toward me? Did you realize these Shinobi Alliance forces were nothing more than my tools to probe Myōshiki?"

"As expected of an Ōtsutsuki clan patriarch—formidable indeed…"

Kazuki drew a deep breath. He understood perfectly: in this ultimate battle of godhood, his final opponent would be a terrifying enemy beyond compare.

Bloodline alone was nothing.

There were still the dōjutsu… and the hidden trump cards…

This was to be a fight demanding everything.

And at that very moment—

Within the great crater, the Susanoo—heavily damaged by Myōshiki's devastating punch—still managed to hold its form together.

"Logistics unit! Draw in natural energy and patch up the wounds!" Tobirama's mind raced like lightning as he gave the order.

Almost at once—

The toads, slugs, giant snakes, the nine Tailed Beasts, the Three Great Sages, and the Sage of Six Paths brothers all frantically drew upon the natural energy of the shinobi world, stitching closed the cracks in Susanoo's armor.

"Hmph… I won't give you time to breathe!" Myōshiki descended from the sky, driving yet another crushing fist towards the Susanoo.

"Switch to Power Form!" Tobirama roared against the gale of that world-shattering blow.

After clashing head-on with Myōshiki in a single punch, Senju Tobirama immediately realized that the enemy before him was far beyond what this Susanoo could hope to defeat.

Even with the combined strength of the entire shinobi world—

It was obvious that Myōshiki still hadn't gotten serious. He was merely carrying a heart of curiosity and caution, studying the shinobi world's methods of battle and its distinctive traits…

Yet Tobirama did not grow disheartened. Instead, he focused even more sharply.

From the very beginning, Tobirama had placed unshakable trust in Kazuki's judgment.

If even Kazuki considered this opponent a troublesome foe, then the question was no longer whether the shinobi world could unite or not…

It was a difference in kind.

Even if this combined technique could turn numerical superiority into strength when facing a powerful enemy—

It would still be useless.

Because Kazuki would certainly have already taken that into account.

If Tobirama could invent such jutsu, did Kazuki not have the same ability? If the method were truly effective, Tobirama didn't believe Kazuki would be so stubborn and inflexible as to insist on facing the enemy alone.

As the Fourth Hokage long ago chosen by Tobirama, Kazuki, though carrying great love in his heart, had also absorbed a measure of flexibility in interpreting the Will of Fire.

The reason Kazuki had ordered the shinobi to retreat—

Was proof enough. Kazuki didn't believe this Susanoo could defeat the enemy, and even with his full strength, he had no confidence either…

An all-out assault might very well mean total annihilation.

Yet precisely because of this, it showed how important—how necessary—this battle, with the shinobi world taking the lead for Kazuki, truly was!

In battles of this level, intelligence was always the foremost resource.

Tobirama had to engage Myōshiki from as many angles as possible, probing this terrifying enemy's true power, and if he could, forcing out one or two of his trump-card techniques…

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