An Unknown World, Deep in the Mountains
"Huff—" The ground trembled; soil and trees were violently pulled by a sudden powerful gravitational force.
In the next instant—boom! A newly formed sphere was blown apart, sending dirt flying everywhere.
Ōtsutsuki Kaguya landed with a disheveled look amidst the clangs and clatters of falling earth. She braced herself on one hand, her body's surface constantly warping and then being forcibly suppressed again.
[Ha… Hagoromo's technique is interfering with my chakra control. It's fortunate that mysterious jutsu managed to break Hagoromo's seal and bring me out…]
[Me, the progenitor of chakra, once again beaten by the very chakra I scattered… Just why is this happening?]
She could blame the unfamiliar chakra, but it wasn't even involved in the actual battle. Having failed the exact same way twice, she couldn't help feeling unsettled.
After a long while, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya calmed the agitation of the Tailed Beasts within her. She rose a few meters into the air, then slowly landed back down.
[Hagoromo's lingering technique still affects me…]
[I can sense my Rinne Sharingan forcibly sealed; I've completely lost connection to my dimensions. The Tailed Beasts in my body are thrashing around trying to break free. With my chakra so unstable, I can't even fly as smoothly as before.]
[Nevertheless, I'll be fine given some time.]
[If those humans pursue me here, that would be the real problem…]
She anxiously examined her surroundings. Clearly, she'd intended to find a world where another "herself" existed, but found herself in a time where apparently none of her kin had arrived at this planet—extremely disadvantageous.
[I'd better hide.]
Kaguya made a quick decision. Instead of trying to waste chakra flying or using Yomotsu Hirasaka, she grounded herself firmly on the earth.
Despite losing most of her chakra and many of her abilities, as the "Chakra Progenitor," her body was still at a high level from a human viewpoint. She used only the barest bit of chakra to mask her presence, then left the mountainous region, trekking across the forest and plains. Day and night passed; she fled far, far away.
By dusk, perched on a treetop, Kaguya gazed at cooking smoke rising from a primitive human settlement some distance off.
Swoosh—
Leaves rustled beneath the tree. A filthy girl emerged, holding a pair of rabbit ears. She glanced up and, seeing this elegant, beautiful woman, immediately froze in awe.
"Um, um… L-lady…?" The girl clutched her rabbit tight, hunching down and stammering in fright.
[Should I kill her?]
It felt wasteful. Give her some years, Kaguya thought, she could plant the Divine Tree again to suspend everyone and extract their chakra.
But if she let the girl go, Kaguya might be exposed, letting those interlopers track her down— far too risky.
"Mmmm—Mama…"
The girl's instincts seemed quite keen. Realizing the killing intent, she immediately knelt on the ground, whimpering like a frightened animal, trembling all over.
Kaguya's expression softened, tears flowing from her eyes. A mother once, she couldn't help recalling her two sons whom she so deeply resented.
[Humans… Hagoromo… Hamura…]
She slowly dropped to the ground, extending a hand to gently touch the girl's head.
…
In the Main World, in the Land of Fire's Woodlands
"Swoosh! Thud! Thud! Thud!"
Carried on the shoulders of a phalanx of shadow-figures, Link sat upon a chair as they traveled forward. Suddenly, a barrage of kunai blocked their path, and a group of ninja appeared in ambush.
From behind Link, Shizune quickly recognized the enemy's identity. "Sixth Hokage-sama, these people are remnants of the Prajñā Group from Land of Fire."
Mere small fry.
Link glanced up, raising his eyelids slightly. The shadows darted off and, in an instant, subdued every ninja before they could even land. Then, in one move, the shadows returned quietly to Link.
"Scram." He spoke with an indifferent tone, looking down at them icily.
For him, once reaching super-kage strength and wielding the Hokage title, there was no need to kill such small fry. Years ago in Land of River, he would have unhesitatingly wiped them out. Now, perhaps because he'd grown so much stronger, he had the leisure to spare them.
After that dismissal, he paid them no further heed. The shadows picked up his seat again and continued forward.
Evidently, ever since the Explosion event near Konoha, countless rogues and vagabonds were sneaking in. Link's group had already encountered three ambushes just in these few hours. Among them, the Prajñā Group at least had a moderate reputation and numbers; the previous two groups were even more worthless, basically small-nation ninjas holding grudges from times Konoha had participated in warfare or missions.
Seated beside Link on the chair was Shizune, and behind them, Yamato. Observing the Prajñā Group, Yamato saw they showed no gratitude for being spared, just glared with hatred. People are like that— if it were so easy to let go of a grudge, they wouldn't have persisted so far.
As a one time Anbu, Yamato understood perfectly well. By rights, to maintain the Hokage's dignity, they should have finished off the attackers. But then again… sigh He was merely a normal jōnin. What advice could he give, at the heart of the village?
[I just hope the other Four Kage can show some sense. I'd really rather not have to beat them down to their knees all over again…]
He gestured the shadows to slow down slightly, so he could flip open a book while traveling. Anyway, shadow-bearers don't tire or rest, so time wasn't an issue.
On the matter of chasing Kaguya, it had become a long-term mission. She escaped to a time prior to Chakra existing— a world where that timeline's Kaguya had yet to descend, let alone produce chakra or ninjutsu. Without leaving any residue to follow, it was basically impossible for them to find her.
Yes, Link had tried using Hermit Purple on her photo in hopes of deducing her location from starlight, but that required traveling across eons… They couldn't expect their top fighters to do nothing but search in that ancient era.
Moreover, after returning from the last big fight, they discovered that progress had suddenly emerged from Orochimaru's side.
Somehow— with the help of the Yamanaka clan, Sasori, Future Sasuke, and Tobirama— Orochimaru managed to extract part of Black Zetsu's memories. They learned that Kaguya had already used up two of the three portions of Link's chakra while researching how to cross worlds…
[So that's one bright spot, at least.]
~~~
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