---
"I... I need to talk to you," Kaguya's voice trembled, panic lacing her words.
Takuya raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Oh? Go ahead."
"Don't you think of us as nothing more than pests?" Kaguya asked cautiously, her gaze downcast.
Takuya's smirk widened. "I did. But I was wrong."
Kaguya released a sigh of relief, though she couldn't shake her lingering fear. She had been sealed for so long—centuries, maybe longer. The thought of being sealed again, this time possibly forever, filled her with dread. Darkness had consumed her before, and she could sense the overwhelming power radiating from the man before her. He was stronger than she had ever been, even at her peak.
"Seems like a little force still does wonders," Takuya remarked, his tone dripping with sarcasm as he observed Kaguya's restrained demeanor. "At least it makes people like you more reasonable."
Kaguya nodded faintly, barely comprehending his words, but understanding his intent.
Takuya shook his head. "Talking to you is like explaining art to a beast."
In a flash, he appeared right in front of her. Kaguya stiffened, her voice barely a whisper. "What... What is your name?"
"Takuya," he replied, his tone calm yet commanding. "You may call me Takuya-sama."
Kaguya frowned at the notion of addressing a human with such deference, but she knew better than to let her pride speak. She recalled the ease with which he could crush her, as though she were nothing but an insect. She forced a strained smile.
"Takuya-sama," she finally said, her pride bending under the weight of survival.
"Good," Takuya nodded, satisfied. He had expected this. After all, Kaguya had once betrayed her own kind to avoid death. Her fear of oblivion ran deep.
"Takuya-sama," Kaguya began, her voice softer now, almost pleading. "May I ask a question?"
"Go ahead," he responded, folding his arms.
"What time is it? How long have I been sealed?" The anxiety in her voice was palpable.
Takuya shrugged. "I can't give you an exact time. But it's been a few thousand years."
Kaguya's eyes widened in shock. "A few thousand...?"
"Why the panic?" Takuya asked, noticing her alarm.
Kaguya took a deep breath, steadying herself. "Takuya-sama, there's something you must know. I come from a distant part of the universe. My clan... we devour planets to evolve, striving to become gods. I was sent here as a guardian, accompanying a higher being. Our task was to plant the Divine Tree and sacrifice ourselves to feed the Ten Tails."
Her gaze grew distant. "But I refused that fate. I killed my companion and fed him to the Ten Tails instead. I took his place as the guardian."
Her words hung heavy in the air. "By doing so, I betrayed my people. They will come for me, to reclaim the Ten Tails. If thousands of years have passed, they could already be on their way."
"They could arrive at any moment. We need to be ready," she warned, her voice urgent.
Takuya remained calm, unfazed. "I see. But I've been prepared for that possibility."
"Takuya-sama, my clan is powerful—"
"Powerful like you?" Takuya cut her off with a chuckle. "They won't be a problem."
Kaguya fell silent. She knew better than to argue. Takuya's confidence was terrifying, but in this moment, she had no choice but to trust him. Her survival depended on it.
"Hinata, Hanabi, it's done," Takuya said as he approached the Hyūga sisters, who had been waiting in the background.
"Takuya-sama, you're amazing!" Hanabi exclaimed, flashing him a thumbs-up. "You actually got Kaguya to surrender!"
"To think… Kaguya of all people," Hinata added, her voice filled with awe. "The god of our world…"
Takuya chuckled. "You've only seen the beginning."
Both sisters blushed, their admiration evident.
"Come, Hinata. It's time to head to the Tenseigan." Takuya glanced at her, his eyes gleaming with purpose. "I'll help you unlock its full power."
He hadn't allowed Hinata to undergo the Tenseigan procedure earlier because he wanted her to awaken its abilities naturally. The Tenseigan, a dōjutsu that rivaled the Rinnegan in power, would soon be hers. And once Hinata achieved that, Takuya would gain access to its genetic traits as well.
" I'm ready," Hinata said, excitement bubbling in her voice. She had witnessed the Tenseigan's power before and now, it would finally be hers.
---
Under Takuya's guidance, the small group arrived at the Giant Tenseigan.
Both Hanabi and Hinata stood in awe as they gazed at the orb, mouths slightly agape.
"Takuya-sama, is this really the Giant Tenseigan?" Hanabi exclaimed, her voice full of wonder. "It's… incredible."
From a distance, the Giant Tenseigan appeared like a vast, rotating universe, filled with countless glowing lights, each one flickering like a distant star.
Hinata nodded, her thoughts racing. She had always imagined the Tenseigan as just a large eye, but seeing it now, it was something far more magnificent—an ethereal force of immense power.
"Come closer and see for yourselves," Takuya said, gesturing them forward with a knowing smile.
The sisters exchanged a glance before stepping forward. As they drew nearer, their awe slowly shifted to horror.
The tiny lights inside the Tenseigan—the very lights that gave it its brilliance—were Byakugan, each eye staring back at them.
"These monsters!" Hanabi spat, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. The memory of the fear she once held about losing her own Byakugan was still fresh in her mind. Now, before her were hundreds, perhaps thousands, of eyes, each representing someone who had suffered that very fate.
"If you seek great power, there is always a cost," Takuya said softly, his voice almost tender. "In this world, power demands sacrifice."
Hinata and Hanabi both sighed deeply. Takuya's words hung heavily between them, amplifying the weight of the realization they had just made. They couldn't help but think of the Hyūga branch family, with its deep-rooted traditions and cursed seals. The parallels between the Hyūga and the Ōtsutsuki on the moon were too similar to ignore. If things continued unchecked, could their own family one day fall to the same fate?
Hinata turned to her sister, determination clear in her pale eyes. "We can't let this happen."
"I agree," Hanabi responded, her voice resolute. "When we return, I'll speak to Father."
As descendants of those who dwelled on the moon, the Hyūga sisters felt a deep responsibility to end the divisions within their family. It was time for change.
"Enough," Takuya said, breaking the tense silence. "We'll save that conversation for later. Hinata, I'm going to seal the power of the Giant Tenseigan within you now. This will awaken your true Tenseigan."
Hinata took a deep breath and nodded, resolve hardening in her chest. "I'm ready."
Takuya stepped between Hinata and the Giant Tenseigan, positioning himself as a conduit for its immense power. In moments, he began channeling all of the energy into her.
A cracking sound echoed through the air as the Giant Tenseigan began to fracture, its surface splitting like a shattered mirror. A gust of wind whipped around them, scattering the fragments into countless specks of dust.
As the energy flowed into Hinata, her chakra surged. A radiant green aura enveloped her body, forming a glowing chakra cloak. Behind her, nine black orbs—Truth-Seeking Balls—materialized and hovered in place.
When Hinata finally opened her eyes, the familiar pale irises had transformed into a deep, cosmic blue, shimmering with a depth that mirrored the stars themselves.
Takuya smiled, clearly pleased with the result. "Hinata, how do you feel?"
Hinata's voice came out soft and serene, carrying an ethereal quality. "I feel… powerful, Takuya-sama."
Hanabi stared at her sister in awe. "Sister… you're beautiful."
Hinata blushed, the compliment catching her off guard, and she looked down, her humility unshaken even in the face of such immense power. Takuya couldn't help but admire how the Tenseigan had only enhanced her natural grace.
"Well then," Hanabi suggested, "now that it's over, should we head back?"
Takuya nodded but remained composed. "There's just one final thing I need to do."
Rising into the air, Takuya clapped his hands together. "Sage Art: Super Planetary Devastation!"
At his command, the scattered debris across the moon began to coalesce, the broken pieces assembling together. The massive crack that had split the moon began to seal, drawing the fragments back into place.
With a resounding boom, the moon was restored to its original form. Satisfied, Takuya nodded in approval.
The full moon, a symbol of reunion and continuity, had been restored—a tradition Takuya valued deeply. In this new world, he wouldn't allow such a symbol to be destroyed.
Watching him, Kaguya remained silent. Seeing his overwhelming power firsthand, she felt an unexpected sense of relief. Her choice to align with him had been the right one. To have opposed him would have meant utter defeat.
"With that, our business here is done," Takuya announced. "Let's go home."
With a wave of his hand, Takuya activated Kamui. In an instant, the group—including Kaguya—vanished from the surface of the moon.
In the silence that followed, deep within the Ōtsutsuki clan's tomb, a lone soul whispered, "At last, my mission is complete. Mother, brother… I'll be joining you soon."
And with that, the soul faded into the quiet, leaving the moon in stillness once again.
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