408 Learning Ninjutsu in a Glance

High in the sky, the brilliance of the chakra beams grew smaller and fainter, until they vanished completely!

From within the fading light, the figures of Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki and Ōtsutsuki Kinshiki emerged!

Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki wore an amused expression.

"Tricks of a lower species are pretty novel, I'll give you that. But they're basically useless."

As he spoke, another beam of light slammed into his body!

Almost reflexively, he raised his right hand.

"Whoosh!"

The moment the chakra beam touched the center of his right palm, it disappeared!

...

In the stands, Shinju finally saw through Momoshiki's method!

"There's a red Rinnegan embedded in the center of his right palm. It absorbs all chakra that comes into contact with it!"

"The chakra cannon can stop now." Shinju shouted into the communicator again.

...

High in the sky, Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki seemed to shove something into his mouth. Then he slowly rose higher, aiming both hands at Konoha, which was protected by a barrier.

"Absorb the power, amplify it, and fire it back… this is my Takamimusubinokami! ( •̀∀•́ )"

As soon as he finished speaking—

"Shiiii—!!"

Energy erupted from the Rinnegan in his left hand, blasting out a terrifying mass of white chakra!!

This was the chakra cannon, strengthened after absorption!!

"Boom!!"

The beam instantly struck the blue barrier protecting Konoha!

In less than a moment, the blue barrier shattered!

The beam continued downward, finally stopping above the Chunin Exams arena!!

It was blocked by a mass of green material!!

...

Just a few seconds earlier, Shinju sensed that the barrier-like shield might not withstand Momoshiki's attack, so he immediately used Wood Release!

"Sage Art: Wood Release!!"

In an instant, hundreds of millions of wooden vines burst up from beneath Konoha, weaving together into an airtight, semi-spherical shield that covered the entire village from below!!

Now, the vine-woven shield successfully blocked Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki's amplified chakra cannon!!

...

High in the sky, Momoshiki was startled by the sight.

"A lower species actually possesses this kind of power… you've piqued my curiosity."

"Kinshiki, split it open!"

Ōtsutsuki Kinshiki received the order and swung the blood-red axe in his hands, smashing it into the vine barrier created by Shinju!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!!"

Several violent blows in succession made the entire vine shield tremble, but there was not the slightest sign of damage!

Ōtsutsuki Kinshiki sucked in a cold breath, feeling as if he had met the greatest enemy of his life.

"Momoshiki-sama, this thing's toughness is like the cage that imprisoned Toneri on the moon. My axe can barely cut through it… ´_＞`"

...

On the high platform, Shinju's expression turned strange…

So they had actually met Toneri on the moon.

And these Ōtsutsuki clan members… they were kind of underwhelming!

Not to mention anything else — their pressure didn't even compare to Kaguya…

"Could it be because they never ate a chakra fruit?"

Thinking it over, that seemed to be the only possibility!

"Then it's time to finish them off!"

...

Shinju formed hand seals and used the Heavenly Transfer Technique, teleporting his body outside the vine.

Then, the pitch-black pupil of his left eye transformed, becoming as brilliant as a star-filled sky!

"Kamui!"

With a loud shout from Shinju, spatial vortices appeared around Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki and Ōtsutsuki Kinshiki, instantly dragging the two of them into the Kamui dimension!

Shinju had begun studying the Masked Man's Kamui ever since their first encounter.

By the time his eyes evolved into the Rinnegan, his sensitivity to space-time had greatly increased, allowing him to freely use Obito's Kamui!

That said, he was still a bit short of being able to phase parts of his own body at will like Obito did.

But this was more than enough!

...

Inside the Kamui space, Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki remained calm and composed. He pointed at Shinju's eye.

"That eye of yours… interesting…"

Shinju smiled.

"What's even more interesting is still coming. (๑❛ᴗ❛๑)"

"Wood Release — Multiple Wood Clones!"

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—!!"

Hundreds of wood clones split off from Shinju's main body! Every single clone possessed formidable chakra!

Across from him, Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki's expression froze for a moment.

Earlier, he had been fixated on finding the Nine-Tails and had overlooked this red-haired boy. Now that he carefully sensed him, he realized just how bottomless this kid's chakra truly was!!

"I get it now!"

Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki grew excited, his voice beginning to tremble!

"You're the chakra fluctuation I sensed!"

"If I can absorb all the chakra in your body and refine you into a pill, the benefits might rival those of a Divine Tree fruit!"

"I'm going to eat you and absorb you! (￣ิ∀ ￣ิ๑)"

Shinju noticed that Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki's expression was becoming more and more unhinged!

Exactly like a pervert!

Still, from Momoshiki's words, Shinju gained even more information about the Ōtsutsuki clan!

This race could absorb chakra, refine it into pills, then eat those pills to amplify themselves.

Earlier, before firing the amplified chakra cannon, Momoshiki had eaten a pill…

Shinju: (≖╻≖;)

Wait. Refining pills?

Why was this story heading in such a weird direction?!

Shinju said, "Uh… let me ask out of curiosity. You said you came to Earth to finish what Kaguya failed to do back then. What exactly is that?"

Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki didn't know why, but he was in a great mood now, so he answered enthusiastically.

"Of course, to replant the Divine Tree on this planet! (o´Д`o)ノ"

Shinju pressed on, "And then?"

Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki replied, "Obtain the Divine Tree fruit… The Divine Tree fruit contains immense energy and genetic information. I can refine it into pills. Once we clan members consume those pills, we can continuously evolve, until we achieve immortality and become gods who rule over everything! ୧⍢⃝୨"

Shinju: (๑ʘ̅ д ʘ̅๑)!!!

He understood now. Pills, immortality, evolution… so the Ōtsutsuki clan was basically a cultivation family?! ∑(°Д°)

"All right, you've learned enough for a mere mortal. Now obediently offer up your chakra. I can't wait to savor it! ( ˝ᗢ̈˝ )"

Shinju was speechless.

"Being eaten to death like that is way too undignified."

"I refuse. _"

Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki sneered.

"Lower species, being allowed to converse with a god is already a blessing. How dare you refuse? ꐦ≖ ≖"

Shinju replied calmly,

"There are always mortals who dare to face the divine head-on! ( ´▽` )"

"Eight Gates!"

"The Eighth Gate of Death — Open!! ╰（‵□′）╯"

The moment Shinju's words fell—

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh…!!"

Every single wood clone erupted with blood-red steam surging from their bodies!!!

As for Shinju's main body… nothing happened at all!

He wasn't stupid enough to open the Gate of Death with his own body — even if it wouldn't kill him, it would still completely overdraw him!

After that, Shinju commanded all the wood clones to launch a taijutsu assault!!

Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki's Takamimusubinokami could absorb chakra, so Shinju simply abandoned chakra altogether and went all-out with pure physical combat!! ヽ('⌒´メ)ノ

...

Inside the Kamui space, the roars of the wood clones rang out one after another!

"Daytime Tiger!"

"Morning Peacock!!"

"Evening Elephant! First Step! Second Step! ..."

"Night Guy!! ٩(๑`^´๑)۶"